Chapter 43: Swords of Legends

The explosion thundered above the deserted island.

At the heart of the enormous storm of energy, Fafnir and Griselda could no longer be seen.

Only intermittent flashes of black and purple light remained, appearing for a moment before vanishing, while the sounds of clashing swords shook the heavens.

CLANG!

BOOOOM!

KRAAASH!

In the next instant, the two appeared close to one another.

Griselda’s sword collided with Fafnir’s.

Griselda was forced backward.

But she spun through the air, steadied her body, and charged toward him once more.

Fafnir was waiting for her.

He raised his black sword.

CLANG!

The two swords collided.

But this time, neither of them retreated.

Each pressed their sword against the other.

Sparks of energy flew between the blades.

Their eyes met at close range.

Griselda smiled.

“You’re finally using your strength.”

Fafnir smiled.

“So are you.”

Then they pushed each other away.

BOOOOM!

The two separated.

But Griselda gave him no chance.

She vanished.

Fafnir appeared directly above her.

She raised her sword.

But before she could bring it down—

Fafnir disappeared.

Her strike crashed into empty air.

BOOOOM!

Energy erupted where he had been standing, tearing apart the clouds above the island.

Griselda sensed his presence behind her.

She turned swiftly.

But Fafnir had already reached her.

CLANG!

She blocked the strike at the last moment.

She was driven backward.

Then a smile appeared on her face.

“You’re still fast.”

“I told you.”

Fafnir raised his sword.

“You’re not the only one who has grown stronger.”

Griselda vanished again.

But this time—

There was not a single image.

Dozens of illusory figures appeared around Fafnir.

Then hundreds.

Each one carried a sword and moved differently.

They were not mere illusions.

Every image carried a portion of Griselda’s power.

Her voice came from every direction.

“Then try to figure out which one is real.”

Fafnir remained motionless.

His black eyes moved slowly.

Right.

Left.

Above.

Below.

Then he closed his eyes.

Griselda paused for a moment.

And in the next instant—

Fafnir opened his eyes.

“Found you.”

His body appeared before one of the images.

He raised his sword.

CLANG!

The image vanished.

But the real Griselda appeared behind him.

She had anticipated it.

She delivered a direct strike toward his back.

Fafnir turned.

CLANG!

The swords collided.

But the force of the blow sent him backward.

Griselda smiled.

“Finally.”

Then she surged forward.

Her sword moved with incredible speed.

One strike.

Then a second.

Then a third.

Then a complete chain of continuous attacks.

Each attack was faster than the last.

Her style no longer relied solely on speed and deception.

Every movement had become part of a complete technique.

Her strikes had become more precise.

More powerful.

And more dangerous.

Fafnir raised his sword and began blocking them.

CLANG!

CLANG!

CLANG!

But on the fourth strike—

Her sword broke through his defense.

Fafnir froze for a moment.

The blade passed close to his shoulder, opening a small wound.

A drop of blood appeared.

Griselda retreated.

Then she smiled.

“I hit you.”

Fafnir looked at his shoulder.

Then at the blood on his fingers.

He raised his hand before his eyes.

Several seconds passed.

Then he smiled.

“Seems I was being too lenient.”

Griselda said:

“That’s what I’ve been saying from the beginning.”

Fafnir raised his eyes toward her.

Then his aura rose.

BOOOOOOOOM!

An overwhelming force erupted from his body.

The heavens trembled.

The waves of the ocean halted for a moment, as though frozen in place beneath the pressure of his aura.

Then they crashed down violently.

The entire island trembled.

Even the barren mountain let out a deep rumble before more of its peak collapsed.

Griselda stared at Fafnir.

Her smile disappeared.

“That…”

Fafnir did not answer.

He vanished.

Her eyes widened.

He appeared before her.

She raised her sword.

CLAAAANG!

Griselda was driven hundreds of meters backward.

She steadied herself in the air.

Then Fafnir charged toward her.

She raised her sword.

The two swords collided.

BOOOOM!

Griselda retreated.

He attacked again.

She blocked it.

A second attack.

She blocked it.

A third.

A fourth.

But the power behind his strikes was different now.

They were no longer merely sword strikes.

Every blow carried tremendous pressure, forcing her body backward despite her resistance.

And yet—

Griselda was smiling.

“This…”

She blocked a strike.

“…is how it should be.”

Fafnir attacked her.

She blocked it.

“How long…”

Another attack.

She blocked it.

“…have I…”

A swift spin.

“…waited…”

She lunged with her sword.

“…for this moment.”

Fafnir’s expression changed.

He raised his sword with all his strength.

CLAAAAANG!

A tremendous explosion erupted.

The two retreated in opposite directions.

Hundreds of meters separated them.

A brief silence followed.

Then Griselda raised her sword.

Her aura changed once again.

This time, it did not merely spread around her body.

It began gathering around her sword.

The energy transformed into a dense layer of purple power that extended along the length of the blade.

She said:

“This technique…”

She looked at Fafnir.

“…I have not used it since the Primordial War.”

Silence descended.

Then she said:

“I was saving it for this day.”

Fafnir looked at her sword.

“Then show me.”

A smile appeared on Griselda’s face.

“Don’t regret it.”

She lowered her body.

Then—

She vanished.

At the same instant, Fafnir sensed danger.

He raised his sword.

CLANG!

Griselda appeared before him.

He blocked her strike.

But she vanished immediately.

She appeared to his right.

CLANG!

She vanished.

She appeared to his left.

CLANG!

Then above him.

Then behind him.

Then before him.

She moved in a manner that made the direction of her attacks impossible to predict.

But Fafnir kept up with her.

He read every movement.

Every change in speed.

Every transition.

Every shift in her center of gravity.

Even her breathing.

He read them all.

The swords collided once more.

BOOOOM!

Griselda retreated.

Then she laughed.

“Just like in the past.”

Fafnir stopped.

“What?”

She said:

“You always make me give everything I have.”

Fafnir smiled.

“And you always make me regret leaving you alive.”

Griselda laughed.

“Then don’t regret it this time.”

Then she charged.

But this time—

Fafnir charged toward her as well.

The two swords collided in midair.

CLAAAAANG!

An enormous wave of energy erupted.

The clouds split apart.

The air itself cracked.

A shockwave swept across the ocean, sending enormous walls of water rising around the island.

Then the earth itself began to collapse.

The barren mountain that had witnessed their ancient battle began losing its peak entirely.

Rocks crumbled.

Trees were torn from the ground.

Parts of the forest were reduced to shattered earth.

And yet neither stopped.

Each knew that the other had not yet reached their limits.

They retreated at the same time.

Each looked at the other.

Their breathing was heavier than before.

Scratches had appeared on their clothes.

And there were clear signs of the battle upon their bodies.

But their eyes…

They were sharper than ever.

Griselda said:

“Fafnir.”

“What?”

“Have you started worrying about the wager?”

A brief silence followed.

Then Fafnir smiled.

“Me?”

He raised his sword.

“Impossible.”

Then he said:

“But it seems you’re the one who should start worrying.”

Her smile widened.

“We’ll see.”

Their auras rose at the same time.

This time, there was no room for jokes.

The battle was no longer merely a test.

It had entered its decisive stage.

Griselda was preparing to unleash her full power.

And Fafnir was preparing to respond with everything his current body could withstand.

Neither was willing to retreat.

Neither was willing to lose the wager.

They raised their swords.

Silence descended.

One second.

Then another.

Then—

Their auras exploded simultaneously.

BOOOOOOOOM!

Griselda vanished.

Fafnir vanished.

And in the next instant—

The two legends charged toward each other for the final time.

And the next strike would be enough to determine which of them would gain the upper hand in this wager.