There were no gaps, and it was a balanced swordsmanship that showed traces of long hours of agony. That was the impression he got from seeing Bratt Lloyd for the first time. Apart from being annoying, the Clown admitted that the other party was skilled.
Sometimes it was soft and gentle, and sometimes it was fierce. It spread out like a fog, disturbing his senses, and the energy was breaking through very quietly. It was a fighting style that had changed drastically from before.
Right.
The Clown was feeling burdened by this young man.
Instead of a head-on battle, the Clown Devil was trying to execute a sly plan. It succeeded in turning its opponentâs heart impatient through its great evil and skill of deception.
But⌠the way that things turned out was completely unexpected.
Kwang!
Wakng!
Kwang!
âKuak! Ack! Kuak!â
The storm kept coming at him. Each and every single hit was powerful enough to take down a mountain. Of course, it wasnât perfect yet. It felt crude compared to the swordsmanship he was using before.
But so what?
âThere are a lot of gaps. ButâŚ!â
The Clown couldnât exploit any of them.
It just couldnât stab out. Brattâs spirit was fierce enough to make the Clown Devil feel that way. It was hot. The Clown felt the heat rise around it, and anger spread in its body as it faced the attacks of the human.
âHow did this happen?â
He couldnât understand.
Bratt Lloyd was just another human. The Clown had accepted the humanâs attacks and had felt them. There were some occasional risky moves, but they were done with the calculation that it would bring the Clown greater results. The Clown realized that this man was a noble of a nation, and a high-ranking one.
Those who have a lot to lose cherish themselves.
Creatures that possess many things often turn selfish.
So, he didnât worry. He was never worried. Sometimes there would be those who regarded the task of others as their own, those who were willing to sacrifice themselves for othersâŚ
Furthermore, although the Clown Devil knew that there were humans who would use their power for others, it didnât think that the human it was facing would just come at him ready to die.
âJ-Just how did this happen!â
âKuaaaak!â
Woong!
The Clown swung its fists in anger. The strategy of defense it previously employed was now thrown away. The Clownâs attack flew at Bratt with pure anger and killing intent. But this action was calculated.
It would exploit the moment of Brattâs indecisiveness to give up his own life.
Because humans had a lot to lose.
Because humans were creatures that werenât ready to give up on life.
The reason Bratt had been running around like this wasnât because he was worried about his friends, but out of fear and anxiety that the Clown might achieve this.
âThat is how it is. This one has to be of the same kind!â
The glare that permeated through the mask from the Clownâs eyes was terrifying. There were thick, red blood stains in its eyes.
Bratt didnât panic.
He wasnât scared. In fact, he didnât even care what the Devil looked like. Because he couldnât care.
ââŚ.â
âFocus the mind.â
âConcentrate the anger.â
âFocus on the aura.â
âNot too fast. If I am too late to extend the sword, I will take huge damage.â
A huge force that was not in his control would rip his body apart.
âBut that wonât happen.â
Brattâs sword touched the opponentâs chin, and at the same time, the Clownâs fist also touched Brattâs face.
After a second, a roar that seemed to devour the heavens swept through Devildom.
ââ!
Boom
Confusion spread all around. The dense darkness was torn to shreds, and then a night mist spread all around. The body of the fallen Clown had piled up in small pieces.
âCough, cough!â
The Clownâs upper body shook.
Black blood constantly came out. Fortunately, it wasnât fatal. The Devil, which had almost seen the end of its life, used some of the magi to cure its body. Although pieces of it had become crushed and shattered by Brattâs attack, the dark energy had done its work. It still had the strength to fight.
But the Clown didnât want to.
âI am scared!â
It was afraid.
âIt is too painful.â
The Clown was gripped in fear.
âWhat do I do? What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?â
The situation wasnât good at all.
He had witnessed it. This was a one-sided situation; his fist had hit the human and caused damage. But because he moved at the last moment, he didnât take a huge amount of damage.
The survival instinct within him was telling him that he had fallen into a trap. Because of that foolish action, the Clown couldnât overcome its fear, and the opponent had a greater advantage.
Pung!
âHe is coming!â
He could hear the sound of the ground breaking. The Clown hurriedly got up and took its stance. Its mind was struggling to stay calm. The Clown felt dizzy and wanted to cough, but it held on.
It calculated the ways it could live.
ââŚnow, I need to risk my life!â
There was no other way. The Clown Devil knew that if it continued to get caught in its opponentâs pace, it would experience a one-sided defeat regardless of who was stronger.
The Clown Devil didnât want to die.
It wanted to live even if it meant it was among a pile of garbage.
Belatedly, darkness came out of the Clownâs body again.
WhhhâŚ..
Kwakwakwakwakwang!
From that moment, the pace of the fight changed. Neither of them cared about the future. They only focused on their current situation and how they could kill their opponent. They didnât care about living. The moment they showed such weakness, they would be eaten by the other. Death and ruin passed by each other in an instant.
Damage piled up on Bratt. The Clownâs soul was also wounded. The Devil wanted to cry. Its body was telling it to run back to its place and live like the dead, but it knew that it wouldnât be able to live like that if it ran away now.
âAnd⌠it is too late.â
The Clown smiled sadly.
Right. It was already on the wrong side. Although it chose the best option to live, it didnât mean that the best outcome would come. The aura of the blue-haired kid was still gnawing into its body. Even if the fight was stopped now, the Clown knew that its chance of surviving this was less than half.
It was the same for the other side. The human body had darkness within it. It was comforting to see that the Clownâs darkness hadnât been purified despite all these years. In addition, the Clownâs desire to live made it work well.
Woong!
âI must kill him.â
âPhewâ
âThe kid has to die first. â
The Clown took a deep breath and gathered its strength as it looked at the opponent.
The human in front of him was also staggering, but he did not retreat⌠rather, the swordsman even took half a step forward as if showing that he wouldnât give up.
âIs it because he has given up on his own future?â
Despite the miserable physical conditions of the two, the force between the two didnât die down at all.
And thenâŚ
A being who could change the whole situation appeared.
ââŚ.Judith!â
Bratt called his loverâs name.
It was a voice filled with joy and regret, but he couldnât help it. It was because he realized very soon that this was just the Clownâs deception.
âNo. It is my fault. I was too emotional.â
Like an idiot, he had fallen for it.
But he was one.
The moment Judithâs safety looked compromised, his judgment had gotten thrown out of the window. His expression changed. It was hard to hold back the smile at the thought that he had made a mistake here.
The good news was that his lover was still safe.
Reassured at her arrival, Bratt passed out as he stood⌠his mind gave up as it hit the limit after seeing Judith.
ââŚâ
And it wasnât just him.
The Clown felt the same. No, it reacted even more sensitively.
The Clown could have given Bratt the final blow it had prepared.
Or it couldâve grabbed hold of Bratt, who had fainted.
But it couldnât do any of these things.
Feeling the force of the red-haired human, the Clown didnât dare resist it and just knelt where it had been standing.
It couldnât even think of the fact its life was running out since nothing had changed.
Overwhelming power!
The Clown had even more fear than when it had faced Karen Winker. The Clown Devil just bowed its head as it quietly waited to die. It was just waiting for that fateful moment in fear.
But.
A completely unexpected word came from the human in front of it.
âGo.â
ââŚ?â
âI said get lost. Move.â
âShe would spare me?â
âMe?â
âWhy? For real?â
The Clown was shocked. It couldnât understand this since it was too difficult to accept. It didnât dare raise its head, and in an instant, the Clownâs expression changed.
However, the Clown was determined.
âI have to live.â
The Clown might be being played around with, but if it managed to get out of here safely⌠the Clown Devil knew that it had to seize this chance of survival.
The Clown stood up.
With a polite bow, it quickly retreated.
Judith watched the Devil go for a long time before she turned.
Her lover caught her eye.
âIt is fine,â she nodded.
These werenât just empty words. Closing her eyes, she recalled the past.
She had been jealous of Ilya.
She had been jealous of Bratt Lloyd.
However, the most jealous she had ever been of was Airn Pareira.
She needed it more.
Her heart was desperate. The least she could do was not fall behind. Why didnât she obtain a sorcery miracle? There were times Judith couldnât sleep because of that thought. Perhaps even to this day, she couldnât change her thoughts.
And now she realized.
That wish had finally arrived.
The moment she controlled this energy that had been penetrating her forehead, she was convinced that she would be reborn as the strongest swordsman. One that surpassed even her teacher.
âHaha.â
It wasnât needed.
No, to be honest, it wasnât necessary. But there would be no regrets. Judith approached Bratt as she put her sword in the sheath.
She let go of her lifelong desire to get revenge for her teacher. Even the slightest amount of power had to be spared to take down the Clown.
Wheik!
Flames rose on her hands.
There were warm, soft embers that couldnât hurt anyone.
Judith smiled as she looked at her lover and touched his lips.