Power in the Shadows 51-60

There is a door, so I guess I might as well open it and see where it goes. But the moment I decide so, Violet-san calls out to me while pouting.

“Before your eyes is a pretty girl bound by all four limbs.”

So she says, so I look the crosswise-bound girl, and nod.

“There is indeed.”

“Why not try freeing her first?”

I tilt my head slightly, then realize that I had been under a misunderstanding.

“Aah, sorry. I thought you were in the middle of training.”

“What, why?”

“I did that training myself a long time ago.”

I destroy Violet-san’s bindings with my Academy-issued sword. Apparently I can’t use my slime sword here.

She stretches in satisfaction, then flashes me a smile that seems nostalgic to me somehow.

...
“So we’re agreed. And I believe you’ve already noticed it, but magic can’t be used here. This place is close to the center of the Holy Ground, so any magic you weave gets immediately sucked up by the Core.”

“So it seems.”

It’s a much more powerful version of what the terrorists had that time. The moment I weave any magic, it immediately disappears. I’m trying various things at the moment, but it seems like it’d take quite a while.

[SID CAN DESTROY CHAINS WITHOUT AMPING HIMSELF WITH MAGIC]
- CHAPTER 53
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Then it seems better for me to use it.”

I take my sword back from Violet-san, then start slashing at the nearby soldiers.

I can bisect them in one swing, but then the next one stands up, until we are surrounded. I quickly give up trying to wipe them out, and instead shift to trying to break through.

Violet-san stomps on the zombies on the ground with her heels.

“You really do seem meh without your magic.”

“I told you, I’m just a fragile, dainty girl. On the other hand, you seem to be moving quite well even without magic.”

“I told you, ‘no problem.’”

I make a mowing attack with my sword, cutting down the zombies pressing in.

“I was able to weave magic even since young, so I had remodeled my body along with my growth. I optimized my body for fighting. My muscles, nerves, bones, and everything else, I processed and stimulated with magic.”

After cutting down 3 with a swing, I then send one more flying with a kick.

The zombies individually are slow. They’ve only got numbers, so I feel like an absolute juggernaut at the moment.

“How overwhelming. You’re like an adult kicking children around.”

“Couldn’t you have come up with a cooler comparison?”

“If there is a tournament for humans who can’t use magic, you’d take first place.”

[SID BISECTING MULTIPLE ZOMBIES AT ONCE WITH SWORD SWINGS WITHOUT MAGIC]
- CHAPTER 54
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I force my way through, and stab the little girl who is still crying.

“Sorry.”

Blood spills from the little girl’s mouth, then we are swallowed into a whirlpool together with all the zombies, and the world cracks again.

After the world splinters into a million pieces, we are standing in darkness again.

“You alright?”

“Thanks to you.”

So Violet-san answers me as I put away my sword. Then we resume walking in the darkness, until we are once again enveloped in light.

We have reached the center of the Holy Ground.

[NO DIGNITY]
- CHAPTER 54
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Alpha and Delta are standing off against Nelson.

Nelson’s figure blurs, then there are two of him.

Delta gradually inches forward, body bent low.

Alpha merely stands in place with arms crossed, not even drawing her weapon. Instead, she has her gaze focused on the two Nelsons, carefully observing them.

“……Shi!”

With a sharp exhalation, Delta makes a move.

Her lowered body pounces forward like a beast.

Riding that forward momentum, her jet black blade makes a horizontal slash.

Her sword that is now longer than the average person’s height is devoid of technique and heart, filled entirely with pure violence.

The tremendous shock rocks the atmosphere.

Nelson attempts to parry the violence that threatens to mow down everything, and ends up being sent flying.

It appears that he had barely managed to defend himself, but on his face is unmistakable shock.

“You monster……!”

Delta laughs.

But right as she is about to pursue him in a follow-up attack, the second Nelson steps in. His greatsword attempts to intercept the advancing Delta.

But.

“One down.”

“Ah……?”

Even before he finishes his swing, the second Nelson’s head has sprouted a jet black blade.

Without anyone noticing, Alpha had circled behind him, and stabbed her sword into the back of his head. In the same motion, Alpha chops off his head.

Without sound, without killing intent, as if it’s the most normal thing in the world.

Blood fountains into the air, creating a striking stain on the white ground.

[ALPHA STEALTHING DURING COMBAT PERFECTLY - ALSO DELTA STRENGTH FEAT]
- CHAPTER 57
--------------------------------------------------------
Alexia watches on with a slack jaw from far away as Delta’s jet black blade spins like a tornado.

Her sword is different from Shadow’s, different from Alpha’s and Epsilon’s.

There are no stances, no techniques, only pure violence. It is far removed from what Alexia has come to acknowledge as true strength.

Are you fine with this?

So Alexia would have asked if he had been present.

[DELTA (WEAKER THAN SHADOW) SWINGING HER BLADE LIKE A TORNADO]
- CHAPTER 57
------------------------------------------------------------
The fight begins with Sid being sent flying.

He crashes into the stone-paved floor with incredible force, then vomits out blood.

Olivie shows no mercy to the faltering Sid. Her Holy Sword flashes horizontally, aiming for his neck.

His head flies…… or at least, that’s what it leads everyone to think, so fast is the swing.

In actuality, Sid had squatted down, barely managing to evade Olivie’s sword. A deep「一」mark is carved into the stone wall behind him.

However, he knows that a follow up attack is coming immediately. And so, he takes a step forward to eliminate their maai.

But his efforts prove to be in vain.

Even faster than he can take one step forward, Olivie takes half a step back.

Olivie’s attack slams into the Sid caught defenseless halfway through a step.

With a high-pitched ‘kiin’ sound, his sword snaps.

It seems that he had raised his guard in time, but the cost is half of his sword. And he still ends up slamming into the ground anyway, coming to a stop only after bounding several times.

This can no longer be called a fight, as one-sided as it is.

But this is only natural.

This is no time to talk about technique and whatnot. Their comparative strength, speed, stamina, and general physical stats are like heaven and earth.

Just like how a proper fight cannot be established between an adult and a baby, this tragedy is what results when a boy who cannot use magic crosses swords with a hero who can.

It is already a miracle that the fight did not end in the first exchange.

“Olivie, don’t let a mere brat give you trouble.”

So says Nelson in a vexed tone, accompanied by a tsk.

[SID DOESN'T IMMEDIATELY DIE AGAINST ONE OF THE STRONGEST PEOPLE IN THE VERSE WHEN NOT USING MAGIC]
- CHAPTER 59
----------------------------------------------------------------
Nelson waves his arm, at which Olivie once again springs into motion.

She takes his back once again effortlessly, then swings down her Holy Sword.

There’s no time for parrying, for blocking, nor even evading.

The only thing he can do is throw himself forward.

Then blood fountains from Sid’s back.

Skin is ripped, and muscles torn, but at the very least it was not a fatal strike. That is the only way that he has been able to hold onto life for so long.

Olivie continues her assault on the defenseless Sid.

It is a merciless onslaught that grants no respite.

Blood fountains again and again, as the number of not so superficial wounds on Sid’s body continues to grow.

However, he just doesn’t die.

“Wh-, how……?”

So questions Nelson. His voice is colored with disbelief.

“How are you still alive?”

Confirming that Nelson has indicated for Olivie to back off, Sid drags his bloodstained body up.

“Fights without conversation, are monotonous. That’s, why I’m still alive.”

“What are you saying?”

“She has no heart. My questions, they fall on dead ears.”

He laughs somewhat sorrowfully. That mouth of his is glistening with the bright color of blood.

[GOOD ASS PAIN TOLERANCE]
- CHAPTER 59
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sid steps in and collides into Olivie.

Olivie meets his tactless and frank charge with her Holy Sword.

Her choice is a thrust.

That attack of unbelievable speed tears through the air, and plunges into his abdomen.

With complete ruthlessness, her sword even reappears on the other side.

“…… Caughtcha.”

While impaled, he smiles, exposing all his bloodstained teeth.

Then he grabs Olivie’s arm and drags her towards him with all his strength. His muscles bulge and scream from exceeding their limits.

For a split second, Olivie’s movement stops.

This distance is just right for a half-broken sword’s maai.

Sid’s sword aims for Olivie’s jugular, but she manages to avoid it by jerking her upper body backwards.

However, in doing so, she loses her balance.

Sid lets go of his sword, hugs Olivie close, then pushes her down.

Then he plunges his teeth into her jugular.

His teeth stab into her thin neck, and rip her jugular vein open.

Hugging her with all the strength he can muster, pinning down her flailing arms, and tearing her neck apart piece by piece. Every time he bites into her neck, her entire body convulses.

Until finally, Olivie shatters into nothing, like the way a mirror breaks.

All that’s left is the bloodstained Sid.

“Wha-, what, but Olivie…… What the fuck are you!! Why aren’t you dead even though there’s a sword piercing through your stomach!!!”

Nelson’s question is only natural. The front to back wound in Sid’s abdomen is fatal in all appearances.

It’s already baffling enough that he’s not dead, but to even kill Olivie with that wound? That’s not something that a human can do.

“Humans die very easily. It’s not rare for people to die just from a mere bump in the back of their head. I am no exception. Just a mere bump, in the correct part of the back of my head, and I might very well be gone.”

He stands up while examining his wounds, as if to confirm the state of his body.

“But if the vital points are protected, humans are quite tough. Even though my abdomen is pierced, since I protected my major blood vessels and the important organs, here I still stand. Don’t you think that’s just so wonderful?”

“Wonderful……?”

“It is so! By counterattacking when the opponent attacks, it saves you the effort of getting close. When your face is punched, you can punch their face at the same time. If they stab your abdomen, you can rip their neck apart with your teeth. When attack and defense become one, the delay for countering is shortened to the absolute limit. It becomes a counterattack that borders on being nigh inescapable.”

[SID MANAGES TO BEAT THE HERO WITHOUT USING MAGIC BY USING HIS BODY AS BAIT TO COUNTERATTACK]
- CHAPTER 59
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Then Nelson flings his arms, causing light to fill up their surroundings.

When the light subsides, it reveals Olivie.

To be specific, not one Olivie.

But rather, an innumerable number of Olivies, enough to completely fill the ruins.

“H-, how can this be…….”

Aurora trembles.

Though Sid has yet to receive a fatal wound, the ones he did receive are by no means light. His body cannot withstand a fight with one more Olivie, let alone this many.

“This is the power of the Holy Ground!!!”

The countless number of Olivies all leap towards Sid.

Sid smiles thinly.

“That’s quite a surprise indeed. But…… time’s up.”

The Olivies approaching him from all directions…… are bisected.

“WHAT?!”

Since when has that jet black sword been in his hands?

“Where did that sword come from…… no, rather than that, you can use magic?!”

Sid’s body is enveloped with crackling violet-colored magic.

Magic of extremely high density, to the point where it is visible. That magic that has been refined to an unimaginable level is shining oh so beautifully.

“If the magic I weave gets sucked away, then all I have to do is make it so dense that it can’t be sucked away. Though it took a bit of time, it’s pretty easy, actually.”

How could it be easy. Even Aurora, she is who called ‘the Witch,’ cannot accomplish this feat.

“Tha-, that’s…… impossible!! As if anyone can actually do that!! H-, hurry up and kill hiiimmmmm!!”

So shouts Nelson with a face spasming with fear.

Once again, a countless number of Olivies charge forward.

But Sid extends his jet black blade, then swings it in a complete circle.

“This has gotten be a fucking joke! Olivie is, that Olivie is, the Olivies are!!”

“I told you, didn’t I? That time’s up.”

Again and again, the Olivies rush towards Sid.

They come, and Sid cuts them down. They come, and Sid cuts them down. Each exchange takes only several brief moments.

[SID COUNTERING A MUCH STRONGER VERSION OF MAGIC NULLIFICATION AND CUTTING DOWN WAVE AFTER WAVE OF FTE, MULTI TON, HYPER SKILLED ENEMIES]
- CHAPTER 59
------------------------------------------------------------------
Sid transfers his sword to his other hand, then holds it high above his head.

His violet magic begins to whirl in a spiral, gathering towards his jet black sword.

“I AM……”

“Wh-, what is that magic?! N-, no, NO, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”

The Olivies dash at their full speed.

The closest one thrusts with her Holy Sword.

The strike with her entire weight behind it reaches his defenseless chest.

Her sword accurately pierces the position of his heart. The bloodstained sword tip emerges from his back.

Aurora screams, and reaches out with a hand.

But.

“…… ALL-RANGE ATOMIC!!!”

Even with his chest stabbed straight through, he swings his sword down, and plunges it into the ground.

Violet magic stains the entire world in an instant.

All the Olivies are vaporized, Nelson is vaporized, and the Holy Sword is vaporized.

The violet magic swallows everything as far as the eye can see.

What he had just used was the short-ranged all-direction annihilation secret technique ‘I Am All-Range Atomic.’

That day, the Holy Ground was erased.

...
Sid finds himself standing in a forest in early morning. It is the exact same place where he had gone into the door.

He quickly scans his surroundings, but that right arm is nowhere to be seen. The bright morning light enters his eyes, causing him to squint.

“So even with your heart pierced, you won’t die.”

Hearing a voice addressing him from behind, Sid turns around. There stands a somewhat indistinct-looking Aurora.

“I shifted the position of my heart. But I am a bit tired……”

[SID USING A SHORT RANGE AOE VERSION OF I AM ATOMIC (ATOMIC LEVEL DISINTEGRATION) THAT DESTROYS A POCKET DIMENSION. HE ALSO IS ABLE TO SHIFT THE LOCATION OF HIS HEART TO AVOID FATAL WOUNDS]
- CHAPTER 59/60