“How do you intend to proceed, young master?” asked Zenon Quintos, hastening to catch up with Ragna, who was leading the way out of the grand hall. His voice was subdued.

Lucius, following behind Zenon, looked at Ragna with concern.

Ragna, walking through the corridors of the Mitsurugi residence with a stern expression, did not stop but answered the steward’s question.

“As I reported to my father, I will execute my foolish brother, who sold his soul to the Kijin, as a criminal and present his head before my father. That is the proper conduct for the legitimate heir of the Mitsurugi, who uphold the laws of demon extermination and divine sealing.”

Receiving the expected answer, Zenon exchanged a brief glance with Lucius, then spoke in a calm tone.

“Understood. Then, we will take on the task of capturing and executing him.”

“No need. I told my father that I would perform my duties as his legitimate heir. I will be the one to face him.”

“That is not advisable, young master,” Zenon firmly objected. Hearing this, Ragna finally stopped walking and, turning around slowly, glared sharply at Zenon.

“Do you think I can’t defeat him, Zenon?”

“It’s not that, young master. However, with his recent folly, Sora’s standing in our household has plummeted. As you said, he is now no better than a criminal. It’s not fitting for the heir of the Mitsurugi to wield his sword against such a person. Leave such mundane matters to your subordinates.”

Hearing this, Lucius also nodded vigorously in agreement.

“I concur with father, Lord Ragna.”

“That won’t do. I will be the one to face him. That’s what my father desires, which is why he ordered me to receive Sora.”

Ragna, as if remembering something, clenched his back teeth tightly.

“After the last battle, father said to Gilmore that defeat is not shameful for a warrior, but what is shameful is not acknowledging defeat. Allowing you to face Sora would be just like hiding a defeat.”

“But Lord Ragna, you were not defeated by Sora.”

“I lost to a demon god whom he defeated. If that’s not defeat, then what is!”

Ragna spoke with fierce anger, his emotions not directed at Lucius, nor at Zenon, and probably not even at Sora.

His anger was towards himself, for his failure against the demon god, and for subconsciously admitting that he might not be able to reach Sora’s level.

This frustration with himself had been simmering since his defeat to the demon god.

“Zenon, Lucius. Sora, who has become a running dog for the Kijin while bearing the Mitsurugi blood, will undoubtedly be executed by our father. This is my only chance to battle him. Avoiding this fight would mean hiding from defeat for the rest of my life, living in eternal shame.”

Understanding this, Ragna had boldly stepped forward before his father, knowing it was impolite. As the legitimate heir of the Mitsurugi family, which upholds the laws of demon extermination and divine sealing, it’s his duty to punish his brother, who succumbed to the Kijin.

And his father had allowed Ragna to fight Sora, giving him this last chance to redeem himself. Otherwise, his father would never have accepted Ragna’s abrupt decision.

Hearing this, the father and son of the Quintos family looked troubled. They understood what Ragna meant, but it wasn’t something they could simply agree to with a nod.

From their perspective, if the intention was to let Ragna face Sora alone, they would have been left in the grand hall. However, they were allowed to accompany Ragna, likely to aid him in battle.

Zenon, watching Ragna’s determined face, thought to himself:

“Sora’s reputation has already fallen. If Ragna is defeated by him, his standing will drop as well. Though Ragna won’t lose his position as the heir, as the other sons of the house are mediocre, he might lose his spirit, thinking he’s unworthy.”

Considering this, letting Ragna fight seemed unwise. But since Ragna himself wished for it, Zenon felt helpless. It wasn’t feasible for Lucius to restrain Ragna while Zenon fought Sora.

Resigned, Zenon internally sighed and decided:

“Let Ragna have his wish and face Sora alone. If Ragna faces danger, Lucius and I can intervene. Facing a running dog of the Kijin, no warrior would complain about a group attack.”

Although Ragna would dislike assistance, they couldn’t let Sora kill or break him. With these thoughts, Zenon conveyed his agreement to follow Ragna’s decision.

After passing through the Demon Gate, Ragna, with only Sora accompanying him, returned to Shuuto.

Throughout this journey, Ragna had only spoken once, telling Sora to follow him alone. Sora, for his part, simply nodded without uttering a word. The Kijin boy had shrugged and quietly stayed behind at the Southern Heaven Fortress.

Zenon, who had expected Ragna to set a trap at the Southern Heaven Fortress, was slightly surprised when Ragna stopped in front of the long staircase leading to the Mitsurugi residence, realizing Ragna’s intention.

This was the place where Mitsurugi Ragna had previously suffered defeat against a demon god.

Standing on this fateful ground, Ragna, with a sharp gaze fixed on Sora, said:

“Sora, father commanded me to bring you with the decorum befitting a legitimate heir. Your sin of becoming a running dog for the Kijin, despite bearing the Mitsurugi blood, is immeasurable. Therefore, with the decorum of an heir, I will strike you down and present your head before father. Understand that this is the least courtesy and mercy I can show to a fool like you.

Soul equipment, awaken—Harvest them, Halberd!”

Manifesting his golden soul equipment, Ragna’s rising Kei swirled and surged, causing Sora to widen his eyes in surprise.

Ragna, brimming with Kei, positioned his soul equipment in front of him and quietly declared:

“The 17th Sword Saint, Mitsurugi Shikibu’s son Ragna, will now commence. Come on, draw your weapon!”

“…”

“If you won’t draw, I’ll make the first move!”

With a roar, Ragna leaped into the air like a bird, preparing to strike from above using aerial movement.

Zenon, witnessing this, realized Ragna was about to unleash his most powerful secret technique right from the start, aiming to finish the fight quickly while his opponent was still assessing the situation.

This wasn’t a dishonorable tactic. Sora had been given the chance to draw his weapon and had chosen not to. It was only natural for Ragna to exploit this opening.

“Phantom Blade Style Secret Technique – Ken of Qian, Sword of Heaven!”

The Kei technique released from midair transformed into a giant blade of light, rushing towards Sora with tremendous force.

If the Shocking Blade Technique, ‘Thunder’, manifested as a blade of lightning, then the Ken of Qian, the ‘Sword of Heaven’, was a blade of light, or the sun. It’s one of the most powerful secret techniques of the Eight Trigrams Kei.

The swift and scorching slash was difficult to evade or defend against. Sora, caught off guard, would likely stand no chance, Zenon thought. Lucius shared the same thought.

Indeed, as they predicted, Ragna’s Kei technique accurately hit Sora, not only tearing him apart but also ravaging the surrounding ground, creating a thunderous explosion. The earth shook violently, and a cloud of dust billowed.

Ragna, feeling the successful hit, flashed a fierce smile. He had felt the sensation of the attack connecting squarely. Even if Sora survived, he would have sustained severe injuries.

In the midst of the dust cloud, Ragna, assuming Sora had not survived the attack, prepared for another strike without hesitation, leaping into the air like a predatory bird swooping towards its prey.

“Blame your own folly for not drawing your soul equipment, Sora! Phantom Blade Style Secret Technique—”

With a sense of liberation from the nightmare that had tormented him for so long, Ragna swung his Halberd with all his might.

And then—

“Shock Style – Thunder!”

He brought it down with full force.

Ragna laughed, perhaps experiencing the most intense joy in his eighteen years of life as Mitsurugi Ragna, until the very moment when Sora, his brother, caught the blade of the Halberd with his bare hands. His satisfaction was evident.

And then—

“Too bad. I already know the Shock Style,” Sora said.

As Sora emerged from the dust cloud, completely unharmed, not even a scratch on him, Ragna’s laughter came to an abrupt end.