Chapter 167 – Overlapping Strength

The ghosts were flocking around the courtyard.

It was as if they’re here to bear witness to the battle that was about to begin. They may not have proper awareness, but they might feel it through their instinct.

Even I almost felt overwhelmed by the immense pressure that Myne emitted. Although my head kept telling me “Let’s go”, my body was screaming “Don’t go” instead.

It’s the first time I felt this way.

Up until now, I’ve fought enemies stronger than me such as Tenryu and the archdemon. But in my mind right now, none of them could compare to Myne.

Whilst travelling together with her, I always knew that she’s strong.

However... I felt the need to correct that thought now.

『Whatta gal. Even this Me was fooled by her. That Myne.....she’s actually much stronger than I remember.』

Just as Greed said, the air around Myne was so much different than what I knew.

I intuitively knew.

Around Myne, small crackles of lightning occasionally could be seen.

『Myne is in serious mode now. Once you step into the courtyard, that will be when the fight begin.』

In the end, thinking that we could talk things out was too naive.

If that’s all it takes, then we wouldn’t be here now.

I don’t know if Myne would listen or not. But I wanted to say it anyway.

[In the end...it’s coming to this. Is this really the only way...for us to understand each other?]

Aaron once told me.

That when people cannot understand each other, conflict will be inevitable even if they don’t want it. Especially so when one has a reason to uphold.

Before the world goes awry, I need to stop the door to His land from opening.

As for Myne...if what Luna told me was true, then there’s no way that she’ll stop. After all... she’s been waiting for this moment for thousands of years.

By coming here...there is no other way but to fight in order to settle whose belief would prevail.

Regardless of who won, the loser would suffer.

[I don’t think that it’s wrong for Myne to do this. However... I have no choice either.]

To get her to listen to me, I need to defeat her first.

I sent a glance at Eris who was standing by behind me.

Right then, a gunshot rang.

Eris shot me with a phalanx bullet.

A pale white filmy light enveloped my body. With this, I should be able to survive one fatal damage.

[Myne’s attack is powerful, be careful not to get hit.]

[Even so, I have resolved myself.]

Myne jumped and landed right in front of me.

Her posture seemed laid back. But her eyes glowed crimson.

She’s going straight for me.

『Here she comes. Myne’s blow is extremely heavy. Maintain a firm grip on my handle.』

A dull metal clank resounded.

It was the noise produced from the clash between the black sword and the black axe. As Greed warned, it was a very heavy blow.

So powerful and heavy that my feet sunk into the ground from receiving it.

And it’s just the first blow, I laughed wryly inside.

『Push her back! If she keeps attacking continuously, you’ll eventually be overwhelmed.』

[I know.]

Even though I knew, I was in the position of being suppressed. It wasn’t easy to push Myne back when I’m stuck between her axe and the ground.

Therefore, I made a decision to redirect Myne’s axe instead.

The black axe scraped through the length of my black sword, producing sparks in the process.

Raising dirts and debrises when it struck the ground.

Using that as a distraction, I jumped to the right to make distance.

『Fate!』

But Myne immediately charged through the flying dirts and debrises towards me.

Moreover, this move was executed with precise timing and basically no hesitation at all.

Once again, I was forced to defend.

And this time, her blow was twice as powerful as her first.

The dull metal clashing noise resounded, and at the same time a pressure greater than I expected was transmitted to both of my arms.

I could feel the rush of battle in my vein... Even so, there’s also a different kind of feeling unlike how I felt to those I had fought before this.

I just have to do my best to not be overwhelmed. It’s only been two blows since the fight began.

From hereon, her attack would only grow heavier and heavier.

I stayed silent until she raised her axe for another attack.

[Myne.]

[.....]

From the beginning, I knew that she’s someone who rarely talks, especially about herself.

But I also knew.

[I don’t care how.]

[.....]

[But I’ve come this far to stop Myne.]

My eyes didn’t miss the slight movement of her eyebrows.

[I’ve heard from Luna.]

[!?]

Right then her expressionless face changed.

Myne who had been calm and collected in battle, somehow looked upset.

[Luna, she...]

And my ears didn’t miss the quiet utterance leaking from her lips.

[Yes, she did. Luna told me.]

But just when I found a way to talk with Myne...someone else chose to disturb.

Blood red tentacle stretched out, keeping me away from Myne.

I sensed immense danger when the tentacle was about to touch me, so I had no choice but to jump backward to evade it.

[Tsk, you dodged it good. What a shame.]

Shinn emerged from under the ground. His body looked as if it was made of liquid.

His form looked like one, but he’s certainly no human. Greed once told me that he’s actually collective lifeforms that could take any forms and hide anywhere.

Shinn turned away from me and talked to Myne.

[I have given you enough time. I can’t wait any longer.]

[.....]

[Alright then, let’s get this over with. Let’s kill them.]

[.....]

[If you don’t, the door will never open. If the door never opens, your wish will never be fulfilled.]

[.....]

[You’ve been waiting for this moment like forever, haven’t you? It’s just around the corner now, Myne.]

Shinn walked closer to Myne, whispering something to her who had remained silent.

[Everyone is waiting for you. Are you going to betray them again?]

[I’m not.]

[Then fight seriously. They are trying to get in our way... Show them the full extent of your true power.]

Myne must’ve waited for an unimaginably long time to fulfill this wish.

If what Luna told me was true, even I myself am not sure that I won’t give up if I had to do the same.

Shinn’s whisper touched upon what had driven Myne to stay alive. Using that as a leverage, even the usually immovable Myne could be swayed.

While travelling with me, I always felt as if her heart and thoughts were somewhere else. And that somewhere, is here.

Perhaps, if I was still the me of the past, I would’ve ended up the same way as Myne.

Shinn turned to me with a smile on his face. That look...he’s confident that he has won now.

『Fate, it’s getting dangerous!』

[Get away from there, Fate!]

Eris did a suppressive fire on both Shinn and Myne from behind me to allow me to retreat.

It’s strange to hear both Greed and Eris actually warned me of the same thing.

Myne was the holder of the Wrath skill.

I knew because she told me during the time we travelled together.

And I knew that I’ve never seen the extent of her Wrath skill, as she’s been wielding her axe expressionlessly.

Occasionally she would lash back at me if I teased her too much. But that’s more out of annoyance rather than actual anger.

When the holder of Wrath skill immerse themselves in anger... I wonder what would happen?

It’s exactly what I’m about to witness here.

『This is Myne’s real form.』

[Ahaha...I actually don’t want to see this again.]

Greed smirked.

Behind me, it was obvious to me that Eris was upset. She knew that this situation would greatly burden me as she’s the rear guard in our two-man cell.

And for the first time since I met her, I saw Myne’s real appearance.

Repelling aura with similar color to her eyes overflowed from her body.

It might be her surplus of magic power made visible.

The most distinctive feature was that there were a pair of horns sticking out from Myne’s forehead. In addition to that was the markings on her entire body were now glowing in white light.

『Fate, listen carefully. That’s how someone who had immersed themselves in Wrath skill looks like. Once this happens, she won’t be able to hear us anymore. Simply put, it’s like when Gluttony skill took over you. Surely you understand what that entail to.』

[So she’s unleashing the power of Wrath skill?]

『Yes. And unlike you who could only use semi-starvation state, Myne unleashed it in a full scale.』

Releasing the Mortal Sin skill at full force, huh...

『Myne will take action soon. And she’s serious now.』

As Shinn had said earlier, the time is running out.

『Her attacks would be a whole league stronger than earlier.』

I immediately released half of the Gluttony skill power――entering the semi-starvation state.

Myne also disappeared from my sight. She still had that much speed despite Sloth being twice heavier than usual already.

『We should go all out as well. Otherwise you will not be able to receive her attacks.』

[Yeah, let’s go, Greed!]

I’ll show them the results of my training in the spiritual world up until now.

[Greed!]

『Fate!』

At the same time when our voices overlapped, the black sword emitted a black glow.

The black light wrapped around me.

[『Crossing!!』]