The abrasive sound that seemed to scorch one’s ears was the sound of the enemy deflecting Ursula’s single blade attack.

The enemy—a swordsman with a demon mask—held a sword that emitted a luster akin to a mirror, a masterwork. Yet even such a blade couldn’t withstand a direct clash with the soul equipment.

Knowing this, the swordsman with the demon face didn’t attempt to parry Ursula’s attack but rather deflected it.

The ability to make such snap judgments and the skill to execute them precisely is not something ordinary people possess. Even those called experts may not always be able to do the same.

If judged solely on skill, Ursula admitted she was no match for this foe. She had accurately assessed the disparity in their abilities from just one exchange.

Yet this realization didn’t slow Ursula’s movements. From the moment this enemy entered her sight, she knew she was outmatched.

After all, how could the one who left her father, Ulrich Utgarza, bloodied and defeated, be weaker than her?

In a blink, Ursula had identified the intruder with the demon mask as her father’s nemesis.

It wasn’t merely the four-eyed mask that led her to this conclusion. In fact, the mask was just a secondary proof.

Ursula’s determination that the intruder was her father’s killer was based on the aura surrounding him.

An icy presence, like standing outside on a winter morning before dawn. A hazy form, much like the moon reflecting on the water, visible to the eyes yet lacking substance. Memories of the enemy with a blood-streaked sword standing next to her fallen father perfectly matched with the intruder.

Before she knew it, she had drawn her soul equipment and slashed at him.

While others were slow to react due to the intruder’s faint presence, for Ursula, the presence or absence of combat intent didn’t matter. If someone bearing the same aura as her father’s murderer was there, that alone moved her into action. Years of dedication to avenging her father made this possible.

Conversely, had the intruder possessed a different aura, Ursula might have been delayed as well.

From the intruder’s perspective, facing such an opponent was unexpected. Hence, despite launching a surprise attack, he found himself outpaced by Ursula. Though he narrowly managed to deflect the initial strike, the powerful force of her blade pushed him back.

Ursula, with intense determination shining in her eyes, stepped forward to launch her next attack.

—Fast.

The intruder muttered inwardly. At this rate, he wouldn’t have the chance to deploy his trap.

As if to cut off that thought, Ursula’s sharp voice rang in the intruder’s ears.

“Phantom Blade Style, Intermediate Transmission—Blaze!”

The next instant, a slash as swift as light assaulted the intruder.

◆◆◆

The intruder with the demon mask, upon receiving Ursula’s slash, was forced out the door, unable to withstand the momentum. Or perhaps, having been thwarted in his surprise attack, he chose to exit the confined space.

Immediately, Ursula pursued the intruder outside. Her demeanor, chasing the enemy without sparing a glance at her surroundings, was unmistakably that of someone in fierce rage.

The reason for Ursula’s anger was evident when one looked at the enemy’s mask.

Of course, I wasn’t leisurely observing Ursula’s actions. Thanks to her, the initial delay was recovered. I immediately followed Ursula, intending for the two of us to confront the enemy together.

However, I halted midway for two reasons.

One, I didn’t believe Ursula desired any assistance.

The other reason was that I noticed the chilling sound of multiple wings rapidly approaching.

The buzzing noise, so intense that it felt like it was scratching at my eardrums, was unmistakably the sound of Dark bee’s wings.

We were in a building located at the very rear of the mountain fortress. The sudden appearance of monsters just after the intruder arrived couldn’t be a coincidence.

On the way to Mount Taikouzan, Doga mentioned about the Dark bees: “In their dying moments, they struggle. When marked by their scent, their kin swarm in for revenge.”

Considering this, the intruder probably defeated a Dark bee on his own, deliberately letting its dying scent mark him. This would attract other Dark bees, drawing the attention of the Nakayama army to the monsters, allowing the intruder to infiltrate the main camp amidst the chaos.

Was his target the life of Kagari, who led the Nakayama army, or was it to rescue Lan and Yamato, who were taken prisoner?

Regardless of the intruder’s objectives, we should’ve been unrelated—but if he was the murderer of Ursula’s father, I can’t be so certain. There’s a high possibility he has connections with the Mitsurugi family.

While the intruder might not be related to Ursula’s father, contemplating here won’t provide answers. Right now, what I need to do is—

“Soul Equipment Activation!”

To repel the swarm of Dark bees about to descend upon us.

It feels as though it hadn’t had been a moment since telling Sozai that I would stay still. But I must address the pressing matter at hand. Assisting Ursula is also a priority. If Sozai has any complaints, he can take them up with the Nakayama army, who allowed these creatures to get so close in the first place.

Right after these thoughts, a loud banging noise came from above. The wooden roof, under external pressure, was creaking, about to give in. It seems the Dark bees were trying to break through and enter.

The hastily constructed fortress probably won’t hold against the might of these creatures.

“Yamato!”

“Lord Sora, what’s happening?”

Lan and Claira, sensing the disturbance, rushed out of the adjacent room with anxious expressions. There was no time to explain leisurely, so I responded to Claira’s question through my actions.

“Devour them, Soul Eater!”

Unleashing my soul equipment, I directed the Flying Strike upward. Before Sozai, Claira, or Lan could react, I acted swiftly.

Before the creatures outside could break through the roof, my Kei technique exploded from within, shattering it.

◆◆◆

The demon-masked intruder felt an overwhelming surge of Kei. In an instant, with a thunderous sound, the roof shattered and a storm of Kei raged. Over ten Dark bees were caught in the turmoil, swirling in the air like leaves.

Witnessing this, the intruder—Utsurui—couldn’t help but grimace beneath his mask.

He instantly realized that his second assault, using monsters to eliminate those who knew the church’s secrets, had failed.

He hadn’t anticipated there being two other Soul Equipment users besides Kagari. “Such an oversight,” Utsurui muttered inwardly.

He believed the only one to be wary of amongst those who knew the secrets of the Temple of Light was Kagari. If Kagari was the only opponent, controlling the outcome with the Dark bees was feasible, or so Utsurui assessed.

He knew he was acting rashly. Originally, there were only a few Nanashiki users, and Utsurui was the only one who came to Taikouzan. To call for reinforcements, he would need to return to the main temple of the Light God, even further east than the western capital.

If he took his time explaining the situation to the Pope and came back leading other Nanashiki users, the information Kagari obtained would become known in Azuma, spreading throughout Nakayama.

That would be too late. Hence, Utsurui had to act alone.

While gathering the Dark bees, there was a chance Kagari might quickly return to the western capital. But Utsurui anticipated Kagari would search for concrete evidence of the connection between Ganzan and the Temple. This would likely keep him at Taikouzan for a few days.

Acting on that hunch and gathering the Dark bees was essentially a gamble without solid evidence. However, his gamble paid off, successfully pitting the monsters against the Nakayama army.

The plan was to find Kagari amidst the chaos and eliminate him—that was the idea.

“Haahhhhhh!”

His plans were thwarted by the female swordsman currently fiercely attacking him.

Utsurui’s trump card, his evasive maneuvers, was met with an impeccable response from her. Moreover, the three consecutive Kei techniques she unleashed—Blaze, Kaguya, and Keigan—were all techniques located in the intermediate transmission of the Phantom Blade Style.

While Utsurui couldn’t wield the Phantom Blade Style, he was familiar with it. Judging from his knowledge, this opponent was beyond an ordinary flag-bearer. Undoubtedly, she was a top-tier flag-bearer, possibly even a commander or vice-commander of the Green Woods’ Eight Flags.

So far, Utsurui had perfectly defended against her onslaught. However, he could do nothing more than defend. There was no opportunity to activate his barrier technique, Gero.

The mere fact that a human could fend off advanced Kei techniques without a scratch made it clear that Utsurui’s swordsmanship was unparalleled. Yet, this fact did not comfort him.

Utsurui came to eliminate those privy to the temple’s secrets. He couldn’t afford to waste time dueling an unknown flag-bearer.

Exhaling a small breath, Utsurui muttered to himself.

Indeed, the flag-bearer before him was formidable. She could easily be a commander or vice-commander, and that wouldn’t be surprising.

However, at the end of the day, that was all she was. She might be formidable, but she couldn’t rival a Sword Saint, let alone someone from the Mitsurugi Administration.

In other words, there was nothing to fear.

A blazing light filled Utsurui’s eyes, focusing intently on the adversary before him.

The Nanashiki users were just humans. Without the Gero barrier, they would be at a disadvantage against Soul Equipment users harboring an Anima. This was an undeniable fact.

But it didn’t mean they couldn’t fight. At the very least, Utsurui had always trained, anticipating battles against Soul Equipment users who were immune to the Gero barrier, honing his techniques.

— The Nanashiki Supreme Sword Technique: Holy Devouring.

It wasn’t a technique of the Fangxiang Clan. It was Utsurui’s personal secret sword technique, developed to defeat the Sword Saint. If the Gero was considered a Yang technique, then Holy Devouring was its Yin counterpart.

There was no reason why a sword designed to defeat the apex of the Green Woods’ flag-bearers, the Sword Saint, wouldn’t work against any flag-bearer beneath that level.

The strike, too fast for the naked eye, was released with precision, aiming to cut down the opponent before him.

Utsurui felt the undeniable feedback through his blade. The sensation of slicing through flesh and bone convinced him of his victory. “I’ve cut her. I’ve won,” he thought.

However, that conviction was short-lived.

The next moment, a whisper, gentle as a caress, slid into Utsurui’s ear. The voice softly intoned:

— “Void Armor Activation: Neither Leaves nor Flowers Seen.”