Chapter 182 The Wedge of Contract, Devour!
In the deep mountains, the strata collapsed with a rumble, and the reinforced concrete stadium was torn apart!
Two figures, wrapped in turbulent air currents, shot up from it, each occupying a side!
Smoke and dust filled the air, and gravel rained down.
Arthur stood on the ruins, looking at Edelweiss, who had re-positioned her twin swords, his gaze as sharp as a blade.
He had been fighting her for so long, his sword moves appearing endlessly, yet he still couldn't glimpse the true core of those Noble Phantasms.
Wings as One, the strongest Swordsman in the world.
True to her name, from beginning to end, she only used swordsmanship to fight.
Even when she claimed to be serious, what she unleashed were still those sword lights that could sever destiny.
"But this doesn't meet my expectations," Arthur sighed, shaking his head, as the boiling scarlet magic power around him suddenly converged, all pouring into his sword!
Then, with the deadly silence that stifled the five senses, he unleashed a silent sword strike!
Edelweiss, who was on high alert, her pupils constricted, and her pure white blade, like a bolt from the blue, met the attack head-on!
Her refined swordsmanship was flawless, her twin swords intertwining to form a net of light, barely blocking the silent, desperate sword light, her face filled with disbelief.
"This is… my swordsmanship!?"
Arthur nodded slightly, his wrist turning, increasing his strength by another three points!
With just a single sword, he suppressed the pair of pure white wings with a pure steel gale!
"I have experienced the strongest swordsmanship in this world. Now, may I have the honor of witnessing your Blazer's ultimate skill?"
Edelweiss, who had once again distanced herself, a hint of distress flashed between her brows, and her two symmetrical wing swords dropped lightly, their tips gently touching the ground.
"If I'm not mistaken, you have been fighting me all this time just to study my Noble Phantasm?"
Arthur noticed that the other party had completely reined in her fighting intent, so he simply turned sideways and sheathed his sword, raising an eyebrow.
"You could say that, but unfortunately, I didn't get what I wanted in the end."
Receiving an affirmative answer, Edelweiss instead smiled faintly, holding a Holy Vow Ritual level with her face.
"You don't know, I am a Causality Interference-type Blazer who presides over 'Contracts', and I only have one Blazer's ultimate skill—Flawless Vow."
"Anyone who makes an oath before my Holy Vow Ritual will have a Contract Wedge driven into their heart, and those who break it will die."
"This Blazer's ultimate skill is almost useless in direct combat, but correspondingly, its coercive binding force is unmatched."
"A Causality Interference-type presiding over 'Contracts'?"
Arthur's eyes lit up, and he instantly understood. The hesitation and conflict Edelweiss had shown when fighting for the Rebel Army earlier finally had an answer.
"In that case, I misunderstood."
He casually tossed the durandal into his storage bag, seemingly unguarded, and walked up to Edelweiss, his gaze intently examining the Holy Vow Ritual.
"Are there any restrictions on stating the oath?"
Edelweiss couldn't help but exclaim, "Are you going to try the Flawless Vow? But I… don't seem to have anything that can be exchanged equally with you."
Arthur, however, shook his head indifferently, reaching out to grasp the cold wing sword hilt, his eyes as deep as an abyss.
"It doesn't matter."
"I just want to know how you, as the strongest in this world, coexist with your Noble Phantasm? That alone is enough."
Although Edelweiss didn't understand, faced with this pure desire for knowledge, she could only press her two fingers together and gently stroke the sword's body.
With a hum, a gentle white glow lit up.
"The oath is not limited by language or content, just remember one thing. After actively swearing, you must absolutely abide by it."
Upon hearing this, Arthur's thoughts raced.
Regrets, dreams, future… countless thoughts flashed in his mind, finally settling.
His unfocused pupils re-converged with light, and he suddenly clenched his fist.
"I swear here, to do my best, never to waste the gifts of life."
The sword's glow suddenly burst forth, turning into two streams of light that merged into Arthur and Edelweiss respectively.
Unlike Edelweiss, who was already accustomed to it, Arthur, experiencing this power of causality interference for the first time, closed his eyes, his mind completely immersed in it.
An illusory wedge precisely pierced towards his heart, attempting to engrave absolute rules.
However, before it could penetrate deeply, a more domineering azure brilliance surged from the depths of Arthur's soul, instantly enveloping, dissecting, and devouring this Contract Wedge, transforming it into the purest nourishment!
The anomaly in the contract's power made Edelweiss's expression change for who knows how many times tonight. She stared intently at Arthur, who remained unfazed, her eyes flickering intensely.
Arthur, on the other hand, after successfully experiencing the strongest Noble Phantasm in this world, a satisfied arc appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he casually released the wing sword hilt.
"Thank you for your help, Miss Edelweiss."
Edelweiss gently shook her head, flipping her hand to put away the Holy Vow Ritual, and in her heart, her evaluation of the young man before her was reduced to just four words—
Unfathomable.
She gazed at Arthur for a long time, as if to completely imprint his appearance in the depths of her soul, then lightly tapped her toes, her figure drifting away like a feather, merging into the night.
Arthur watched her leave, then turned to look at the smoke-billowing ruins of the stadium, shouting loudly.
"Nagi Arisuin! If you don't come out soon, I'll go back by myself!"
A shadowy figure detached itself from the shade of the trees, opening an oval-shaped black portal, and Nagi Arisuin emerged from it, dragging Wallenstein's corpse.
"Please give me some time to calm down, Arthur ."
"You didn't say there was 'that person' here before you came, and besides…"
Nagi Arisuin's gaze swept over Arthur, and seeing him unharmed, a smile uglier than a cry appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"To be able to contend with 'that person', thank you for sparing my life back then."
"Contend? That was just a spar."
Arthur laughed dumbfounded, looked up at the sky, and turned to walk out of the mountain forest.
"Let's go, Nagi Arisuin, I need to go back and check some things quickly."
…
Returning to Hagun Academy, Arthur completely left the reporting matters to Nagi Arisuin, and he himself plunged into the top floor of the library.
He directly bypassed the modern compiled general books, walked to the last row of bookshelves, his fingertips gently tracing the last volume of the collection, his brows furrowed.
Overview, classification, in-depth study, analysis… he had every book here memorized.
Hoping that the O洲 Branch would supplement Hagun Academy with rare classics was indeed too naive.
The threat of the Rebel Army still remains, perhaps…
He could use this opportunity to achieve his goal?
"Fuwu!"
The pure white cub gently tugged at its owner's hair, signaling him to look behind him.
Stella was standing not far away, her pretty face filled with apprehension and struggle, wanting to speak, but afraid of disturbing him.
Arthur came back to his senses, the irritation on his face receding, replaced by a gentle smile.
"Why did you come over? Didn't Teacher Saikyou arrange training for you?"
In Stella's bright red eyes, his feigned relaxed appearance was clearly reflected.
This princess, who was never good at detours, suddenly rushed forward and embraced him with all her strength!
"I don't know what you're worried about, and you don't have to tell me!"
She buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled, yet with an unquestionable firmness.
"But don't bear it alone! You've done well enough! You're outstanding enough!"
Arthur felt the girl in his arms almost crushing him with her strength, and her uncontrollable trembling, and couldn't help but laugh, gently stroking her red hair.
"Usually so silly, but at times like this, frighteningly perceptive."
Stella suddenly looked up, flames seemingly burning in her eyes.
"Who are you calling silly… Mmm!"
Across rows of thick, inky-scented bookshelves, the faint whimpers were completely swallowed by the domineering kiss.
Fou, all white, landed lightly, shaking her head in a human-like way, and scurried out of the library to forage for food on her own.