Chapter 163: The Sword King Falls! Power Deprived!
Within the long-abandoned residential area of Ghost Town, a crescent-shaped silver arc streaked across the sky, cleaving the massive building complex in two!
The cut was smooth as a mirror!
The atmosphere violently vibrated, and the severed buildings slid apart to either side a half-beat later!
Both the earth and the sky were left with a long, narrow gap by this cleaving light!
The spatial rift hummed before Arthur, slowly closing. He brushed his fingertips over the residual fluctuations, gaining the most direct understanding of the Godslayers's capricious actions.
The Severed Silver Hand, a power originating from the Celtic God King Nuada, allowed its wielder to transform anything touched into a demonic sword, capable of severing all things.
This was precisely the symbol of 'Sword King' Tony.
Arthur looked up, watching the golden-haired man approaching with casual steps, as if the earth-shattering blow just now was merely a greeting to him.
Terrifying sword qi wildly emanated from his body, causing the air to shriek, icy and bone-chilling.
"To be able to dodge my sword just now means you're definitely not some third-rate god. Heh, that's enough!"
Tony's face wore genuine relief; he was truly afraid his opponent would shatter at a touch.
Arthur's gaze was deep: "If we were in a bustling city, that single sword strike alone would be enough to cause tens of thousands of deaths."
The confusion in Tony's eyes grew even thicker. He scratched his messy blonde hair and spoke in his own way.
"I used to always hear Andrei nagging me about these things, but I never thought I'd be reminded by a Godslayers not to cause destruction today. You really are strange."
As he spoke, he casually propped up his knight's sword, which gleamed with steel, and his bright, cheerful tone suddenly turned serious.
"Alright, alright, quick, draw your sword!"
"For those who wield swords, to cross blades is the greatest thing in this world!"
Arthur nodded slightly: "Confirmed, you're just an idiot with a dangerous toy."
Before his words finished, Tony only felt a blur before his eyes, and his enemy had vanished!
The next instant, the Divine Speed Thunder Slash was already before him, unavoidable!
Clang!
The clang of metal reverberated in all directions. Arthur, realizing the feel was off, abruptly retracted his Salvation God Sword, twisting his body to bring forth a reverse thunder rainbow from the side!
Tony, whose upper body couldn't stop leaning back, stomped the ground, forcefully stabilizing his decline, his bright eyes filled with almost overflowing excitement!
He brandished his knight's sword into a sky full of afterimages, blocking the thunder rainbow with a torrent-like offensive, and thrust forward like lightning, unwilling to show weakness!
"Not crushing with authority, but with pure swordsmanship? You truly are the best opponent!"
Arthur did not respond, merely continuously wielded his Salvation God Sword, thunder slashes erupting one after another from blind spots in his opponent's vision!
For a time, steel and platinum fiercely collided, sparks flying!
Even though neither used large-scale authority, the scattered, fierce sword qi still easily shredded buildings!
Illuminated by dazzling thunder arcs, Tony, unable to dodge in time, once again took a direct hit from the Divine Sword on his neck, then retreated explosively!
He looked up at Arthur, who did not pursue, and reached up to touch his throbbing neck, his palm stained crimson!
How was this possible?
He possessed the authority of [Steel Protection], his flesh having a hundred times the hardness of steel, yet he couldn't completely block the opponent's slashes?
"Hiss—the Steel-Cutting Holy Sword, truly lives up to its name! And you, are you using me to warm up?"
Arthur's lips curved slightly, and surging, silvery divine radiance swirled around his body. He responded loudly.
"You noticed?"
Since he devoured Mekal and completed his ascension, his ever-expanding authority seemed to have no end.
The unreality brought by such immense power needed to be honed through battle with a super-class enemy.
"Steel Protection affects your speed, but if you cancel it, you'll be instantly beheaded by me. Have you thought of a strategy, 'Sword King'?"
"Hmm—let's just attack first!"
Tony chuckled, raising his knight's sword, the steel gleam on its edge becoming increasingly dazzling. He stomped the ground and charged!
Azure radiance enveloped Arthur's body, the atmospheric temperature rapidly climbed, and a ferocious giant dragon with flapping wings appeared, its fangs overflowing with destructive flowing flames!
Tony, whose fighting style leaned towards close combat, was suddenly startled. The Godslayers's beast-like intuition made him stop abruptly, and the authority within him surged wildly!
"This one swing, capable of piercing the enemy's head, to deprive all life, shine!"
The deadly steel gleam completely condensed into the knight's sword, meeting the red dragon's roar, which was akin to world-burning karmic fire!
The Ghost Town was engulfed in towering flames, instantly exploding into a sea of fire!
The violent shockwave, carrying terrifying high temperatures, urged the tongues of fire to lick everything, leaving the ground scorched black everywhere!
Tony, with runes floating around his body, flashed his sword again with his right hand, blocking the lightning that crashed down from the sky in the nick of time!
Arthur, standing on the wind, looked down at the unharmed Godslayers and the Ghost Town, which had completely turned into a desolate land, and slowly lowered his Salvation God Sword.
The warm-up was over; dragging it out would only cause greater destruction.
He might as well unleash his full divine radiance and see just how far he could go!
"Thousand Winds, heed the call of the Sky-Walker, come swiftly!"
The sky churned, air currents surged, and a towering tornado column slammed down on Tony, stirring up everything on the ground!
The tornado uprooted the still-burning buildings and earth, and the multi-elemental power continuously shredded the steel body within!
To ensure a kill, Arthur looked up at the overcast sky, delivering a new Word of Power.
"Thunderbolt, heed the call of the Sky-Bearer, cleanse all!"
Cataclysmic power violently erupted. Lightning pierced through the tornado column from above, completely blasting the still struggling Tony deep into the ground!
Arthur, like a meteor, tore through the storm and descended, sensing that the life force buried deep in the earth was still vigorous, his eyes gradually chilling.
Godslayerss, seemingly human, actually possessed monstrous vitality, and a wounded beast would only be more dangerous.
Therefore—
"Here, display the supreme bravery of hunting lions and dragons, shattering heaven and earth!"
The Word of Power representing the sky-bearing might of the King of Gods resounded. Arthur suddenly lifted his foot and chopped down in an axe-like strike!
The tyrannical and unparalleled force caused space to vibrate, and the overburdened scorched earth let out endless wails!
A terrifying crater, like a meteor impact, instantly formed, and the wind and thunder dissipated!
The ground tremor rapidly spread from Arthur's foot, and circles of pulse waves ripped through the Ghost Town, triggering continuous collapses!
Arthur slowly lifted his foot, his sharp gaze piercing the ground. After locking onto his target, he raised his hand and summoned the Thousand Winds.
Layers of earth were excavated, unearthing Tony, who had fallen into a steel-hardened state of suspended animation.
"Seriously, dealing with the youngest Godslayers has caused such a tragic scene. What am I going to do about the other five?"
Just then, a rich scent of wine wafted into his nostrils. Tony, who should have been "playing dead," instantly sprang up, and sword light tore through the air!
Splat!
The sure-kill slash missed, leaving only an afterimage of Arthur in its place, which left Tony, who had unveiled his trump card, utterly bewildered.
"I clearly..."
Several platinum arcs flashed across his body one after another, bringing forth sprays of crimson blood. Arthur reappeared, shaking his head regretfully.
"The [Divine Wine] capable of causing all authority to go out of control? Unfortunately, without the blessing of authority, the gap between us is even greater."
Arthur opened his left palm, aimed at Tony lying in a pool of blood, and whispered softly.
"Hereby declared, the exercise of the power of Miracle."
Misty starlight scattered from his palm, instantly enveloping the unconscious Godslayers.
All authority, completely stripped away!
The intense pain caused Tony's limbs to spasm. He could clearly feel that the power that had once made him omnipotent was being forcibly drained, and his consciousness sank into boundless darkness.
Meanwhile, the starlight imprint in Arthur's palm appeared slightly dimmer compared to its previous radiance.