Chapter 179: The Strongest in the World! The Devil's Breath! (Failed Chapter Reopened!)
The scorching heatwave swept through the Shopping Street, with students in summer uniforms walking in twos and threes, complaining about the unusually high temperatures this year.
"It's scorching! This summer is definitely hotter than previous years!"
"I heard that this abnormal heat is related to the Princess who stayed at the academy to cultivate."
"Really? Affecting the weather by herself? That's too outrageous!"
"After all, she is the
"Most talented? That's hard to say. If we're talking about strength..."
Before she could finish, a pale silver figure gracefully swept past them. The students instantly lost their composure, then burst into suppressed exclamations.
"Hiss! That back..."
"It's Radiant Dragon Holy Sword! He's back!"
Arthur cast aside the discussions behind him, quickened his steps out of the shopping mall, and looked up at the completely renewed, colossal building complex in the distance.
Hagun Academy, which had been severely damaged by the representatives of the Six-School Alliance, was now not only restored to its original state but even grander.
"For the problem with my Soul Armament, I really had to come back here."
Arthur murmured with emotion, just as he was about to walk up the ramp towards the academy, Fou in his arms began to stir restlessly.
"Fuwu (ミ^ω^)!"
The young beast's paw gently nudged his cheek, pointing towards the dessert shop on the street corner, which emitted an enticing aroma.
"Alright, but this is the last time."
Arthur helplessly rubbed its little head, strolled to the front of the shop, and just as he was about to speak, an ethereal and tranquil voice sounded from behind him.
"You are very strange."
The voice was clearly close by, yet Arthur hadn't detected her presence in the slightest?
He frowned slightly, having felt no killing intent or hostility, and slowly turned sideways.
By the side of the street, a tall woman stood quietly.
A pure white bat-wing shirt paired with slim-fit jeans, and under her baseball cap, waist-length white hair cascaded down like moonlight.
Beneath the shadow of the brim was a beautiful face as bright as the stars.
However, faced with such stunning beauty, Arthur's confusion only grew.
In his superhuman vision, countless threads of fate swirled around the woman, allowing her to pluck them at will, playing the world's harmony.
This sense of déjà vu, as if she transcended all beings, he had only caught a glimpse of it in the Alliance's third-ranked
Arthur raised his hand to soothe the restless Fou, his gaze lingering for a moment on her somehow familiar face, then he responded clearly.
"Using 'strange' as an opening to greet a stranger, isn't your behavior, Your Excellency, even stranger?"
The woman—Edelweiss—simply blinked quietly.
From her silver-grey eyes, a piercing aurora shot forth, straight into Arthur's soul!
Arthur neither dodged nor flinched. Deep within his silver pupils, crimson cursed power suddenly surged, and a ferocious giant dragon roared, raising its head from his eyes, glaring furiously!
Buzz—!
An invisible clash of wills; the air seemed to freeze solid!
A waiter nearby, about to approach customers, felt an indescribable chill rush from his feet to the top of his head!
His blood felt like it was freezing, and even breathing became a luxury!
The brief confrontation was over in an instant, both of them retracting their wills simultaneously.
Edelweiss was filled with questions, while Arthur showed a look of understanding.
"So that's it. This unimaginably powerful sword intent... No wonder I always felt like I'd seen you somewhere before."
His tone shifted, carrying a hint of scrutiny.
"Can the world's strongest swordswoman (criminal) walk around freely on the streets like this?"
Her identity revealed, Edelweiss showed no panic, merely raising a hand to lightly press her cap, and explained softly.
"I am merely here as a guest by invitation. As for Your Excellency, it seems you haven't made a name for yourself in the world before now?"
'As a guest?'
Arthur's heart stirred. He unleashed his perception ability without reservation, instantly sweeping across the entire commercial district.
Nothing.
Was it really just a coincidence?
Edelweiss, whose perception was equally keen, naturally noticed his probing and added with a calm expression.
"I have no obsessions, nor any enmity with Your Excellency. Please lower your guard."
Arthur nodded slightly, said no more, turned to the already dumbfounded waiter, waved, and bought several signature cream puffs.
Edelweiss actually followed, using thoughtful words to earnestly inquire about the flavor differences of each dessert from the waiter.
That pure curiosity was like an innocent child unaware of the world.
Arthur handed a dessert to Fou and walked further away, a smile of unknown meaning playing on his lips.
"Nor any enmity? I hope so."
...
Hagun Academy, back mountain.
Stella, clad in the Hiryū Robe, sped through the dense forest, leaving shattered earth and continuous roars in her wake!
Ahead of her, Saikyō Nene's wooden clogs lightly tapped on the tender green branches and leaves, her posture graceful, weaving through like a phantom.
"That's no good at all, little Stella. Too much commotion. You haven't even hit anyone, and your position is completely exposed."
"Then I'll crush you head-on!"
Stella, in hot pursuit, let out a delicate shout, her tactics abruptly changing!
Blazoning Art: Hiryū's Great Jaw!
Violent fangs of a fire dragon roared forth from Hiryū Zai Ken, gnawing through trees and earth along its path, savagely biting towards Saikyō Nene!
"Tsk tsk tsk, still so easily riled up. That's your fatal flaw."
Saikyō Nene chuckled lightly, spun in mid-air, and elegantly unfurled her iron fan, Vermilion Phoenix. Gravity instantly condensed into a black feathered longsword, which shattered the fire dragon in a single strike!
Boom!
In the shockwave of the exploding flames, Saikyō Nene gracefully floated back, once again widening the distance from the pouncing Stella.
She stood upon a platform of fabricated gravity, gently fanning herself, ready to habitually offer a few comments.
However, a dragon flame roared past her hair, exploding in the distant sky like a brilliant firework!
"Hmm!?"
Saikyō Nene abruptly turned her head, only to see Stella's back now fanning a pair of blazing dragon wings, slowly ascending into the sky with an unpracticed posture!
"When did you learn that move?"
"Just now, when Teacher Saikyou was toying with me like a dog!"
Stella felt the surging, hot Magic Conduction power in her dragon wings, Hiryū Zai Ken pointed towards the sky, and a heatwave swept forth!
"It wasn't proficient just now, but the next move won't miss!"
Saikyō Nene opened her iron fan, half-covering her face, her tone tinged with a hint of envious sourness.
"The concept ability of a giant dragon is truly cheating; it's not only versatile but also ridiculously powerful."
Though her words were praise, her left hand had already lightly waved, and several black butterflies spread their wings, violently sweeping towards Stella!
Stella was no stranger to this move, the Hypergravity Black Death Butterflies, and knew the terror hidden beneath their soft glow. She immediately raised her sword to the sky!
Blazoning Art: Hell Dragon's Great Jaw!
Flames from the sword shot skyward, over a dozen ferocious fire dragons roared into the air, baring their fangs and claws, twisting their bodies that could incinerate all things, their roars shaking the heavens!
Dragons and butterflies danced together in mid-air, streams of fire filling the sky with their collision!
"Who uses such a killing move against their teacher? Watch me throw them all away!"
Saikyō Nene let out a delicate shout, twisting space, intending to redirect the group of fire dragons elsewhere.
"Hmm!? No!"
Acting on impulse, she suddenly realized that if such powerful dragon flames were to go out of control in the mountain forest, the consequences would be unimaginable!
Whoosh!
Invisible winds arose from thin air, sweeping across the entire mountain forest!
In just an instant, all the rampaging dragon heads were captured into the eye of the wind, where they were ground down and annihilated with absolute control!
All the scorching light and heat dissipated, and Arthur stood on the wind, a smile playing on his lips.
"It's just daily training. Do you really need to blow up the entire back mountain?"
"Arthur!?"
The familiar voice made Stella's eyes sparkle, her dragon wings behind her trembled with excitement, and she transformed into a streak of light, cutting across the sky, tightly embracing the figure she had longed for day and night.
"Welcome back."
Arthur instinctively raised his hand, gently stroking her hair, as brilliant as flames, his voice soft.
"Yes, I'm back."
Saikyō Nene, slowly landing, put away her iron fan and looked up at the two embracing in the sky, her finely arched eyebrows suddenly twitching.
Her sharp gaze locked onto Arthur, her expression more serious than ever before.
"...Something's not right."
She muttered to herself, the surprise in her eyes gradually turning into horror.
"On this boy... there's the scent of a demon!?"