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“―――Magical Slash/Dragon’s Breath!!”
A flaming, wrought-iron strike descended from behind the Duke, its searing heat blazing across the space.
The Duke spun around, reversing his sword to intercept the attack.
“…Bothersome.”
The Duke spat out words of irritation toward whoever dared interrupt.
It was Larg.
“…Sorry I’m late.”
Larg had been fighting a separate enemy but finished and rushed to assist.
“How presumptuous…!!”
The Duke swatted Larg’s full-powered strike aside with ease.
“—Strong…!!”
Larg recoiled at the overwhelming weight behind the Duke’s blade.
With Larg’s reinforcement, Reet managed to stay alive. But they were far from out of danger.
Larg’s strength was roughly equal to Reet’s own.
Two people of inferior rank joining forces didn’t possess the power necessary to overcome a Duke.
“Die!”
The Duke unleashed Sacred Blade.
Larg met it again with Dual Skill, attempting to block the Duke’s serious strike, but he couldn’t withstand it.
He was hurled backward effortlessly.
“Damn it!!”
Seeing this, Reet poured every last ounce of remaining strength into a charge toward the Duke.
But such a thing was futile against him.
The Duke swatted it aside with a single motion.
“Hey, Reet. This guy’s bad news. There’s no way you can beat him solo.”
Larg wiped the sweat from his brow and rose to his feet, speaking to Reet.
“Yeah…I know.”
“All we can do is combine our power.”
At Larg’s words, Reet naturally nodded in agreement.
From that moment, their movements synchronized perfectly.
The two unleashed their strongest strikes.
“Magical Slash/Dragon’s Breath!!”
“Sacred Blade!”
Simultaneous attacks from two directions—even for a Duke, it was impossible to deflect two attacks at once with a single blade.
But.
“―――Sacred Barrier!”
The Duke possessed that technique.
A dome of light enveloped the surrounding space.
The Sacred Barrier that Reet and Kait could use only formed a simple wall at best, but the Duke’s version was incomparably vast in both range and thickness.
It covered all 360 degrees around him without a single blind spot.
The barrier of light perfectly defended against the two-directional assault from both Reet and Larg.
Blocked by the barrier, their sword strikes were repelled, sending both of them flying backward.
Completely outmatched.
The Duke’s barrier withstood the combined attack of two knights.
Both Reet and Larg were using their strongest techniques, yet they couldn’t break through the barrier.
At this point, all they could do was go on the defensive.
But how long could they even manage that?
Would the Platoon Leader arrive in time to reinforce them?
For a moment, Reet’s awareness shifted downward to the lower levels. But apparently the Duke was aware of that as well.
“No help is coming. I have knights of near-equal strength under my command, and other subordinates besides. Protecting the princess while defeating them all is impossible.”
Having said that, the Duke launched himself forward, slashing down at Reet.
The speed was beyond Reet’s ability to follow.
By the barest margin, just as the Duke’s blade was about to graze his throat, Reet activated Sacred Barrier to shield himself, but he couldn’t support the weight. The barrier shattered, and he was driven hard into the ground behind him.
“Gah――!!”
Pain and impact like a direct, open-palmed strike to the heart coursed through him.
He couldn’t get up immediately.
But the Duke, now devoid of any lingering attachment to his son, was already unleashing another blow right before Reet’s eyes.
“―Sacred Blade Severance.”
A beam of light erupted from the Duke’s sword, rushing toward Reet.
“Reet!”
Larg’s cry.
And the sound of his feet kicking off the ground.
The Duke’s blade of light closed in on Reet’s vision.
And then.
Larg threw himself between them.
He channeled magic into his sword to block the Duke’s assault, but his strength failed him.
His sword shattered—and the blade’s slash poured across Larg’s unprotected body.
The protective barrier fractured in a shower of light, and the slash made contact with bare flesh—
Crimson droplets sprayed into the air.
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