Alrain turned around, intending to leave the headless body lying on the ground. The dust of battle slowly began to settle, and he let out a long sigh, preparing to leave Ordion's corpse behind on the barren ground. His mind was already drifting toward the front lines, to the place where his master was fighting alone.
However, before he could take his first step, the hair on the back of his neck stood on end.
A thick, searing killing intent suddenly erupted from behind him. An instinct forged by thousands of Arvin's blows screamed of imminent danger.
With lightning-fast reflexes, Alrain spun around and immediately raised his magic sword to parry the attack coming from his blind spot.
Clang!
The heavy ring of clashing metal echoed through the air.
Alrain was pushed back a few centimeters by the weight of the blow. In that instant, his eyes widened in sheer shock as he realized who had attacked him.
Standing before him was a figure who should have been dead.
That was Ordion. The man whose head had just been cut off by Alrain now stood upright with a broad smile on his face. Around his neck, the thin circle of fire slowly faded, leaving smooth skin without a trace of injury. The head had been reattached perfectly.
"H-How... how are you alive after your head was cut off?" Alrain asked, his voice trembling slightly with shock. "That makes no sense!"
Ordion chuckled, his laughter mingling with the roar of the flames enveloping his body.
"I told you before, do not underestimate me!" Ordion warned again, his eyes glowing like embers. "I call it the Holy Healing Fire. This isn't just common physical regeneration. As long as there is a spark of fire mana left in my body, the flames will stitch back every wounded part of my form, even my own head. I do not die that easily, Alrain!"
Alrain lowered his sword slightly, staring at his opponent with a look of disbelief that slowly shifted into a mix of admiration and annoyance.
"Good grief..." Alrain muttered, shaking his head. "I never imagined that the person who loved Lord Arvin would be a monster like you! That ability of yours is cheating. Truly, if you were by his side, I am certain you would have become Lord Arvin's most formidable blade and shield!"
Hearing those words, Ordion's expression softened for a fleeting second.
"Hahaha." Ordion laughed heartily, a sound that was sincere yet tinged with bitterness. "Thank you for the compliment, Alrain. Hearing that from his confidant makes me a little proud. But unfortunately, that can never happen now. Fate is playing games with us. I stand here as his enemy who has joined the kingdom, and you are his protector."
"You're right about that!" Alrain countered, dropping back into a combat stance, this time lower and more guarded. "In that case, there's no use for 'what ifs'. Let's fight with everything we have, Ordion. Show me just how many lives you really have!"
Ordion smirked, the fire on his sword doubling in intensity. "Do you acknowledge me, then?"
"Yes, I acknowledge you completely!" Alrain answered firmly, his gaze piercing. "As a fellow man who admires and loves Lord Arvin, I respect you. Let's continue this second round!"
"Yeah, let's finish it here!"
Clang!
Their swords clashed once more, but this time, the vibration was far more devastating. The ground beneath their feet cracked instantly. Neither of them held back any longer. They poured every ounce of remaining strength and mana into the struggle.
To Alrain's horror, Ordion displayed a maddening fighting style. He could trigger explosions of fire magic even while focusing on swinging his sword at close range.
Boom!
A massive explosion erupted where Alrain had been standing. But as the smoke cleared, Alrain was no longer there.
Ordion looked up quickly.
Above him, in the smoke-shrouded air, Alrain hovered for a moment with the aid of wind currents. He raised his left hand high.
"Take this!"
Crackt! Crash!
Alrain's lightning magic struck. A flash of blinding white light hit Ordion on the ground without mercy.
Dust swirled as the powerful bolt slammed into Ordion's body and the earth, creating a small crater. The smell of ozone and burnt flesh mingled in the air.
Alrain landed smoothly on the ground, aided by the wind magic Arvin had once taught him.
"You shouldn't underestimate me either!" Alrain stated firmly, staring toward the billowing dust. "Lord Arvin has trained me relentlessly for these past two years! He broke my bones and healed them over and over again just so I could be this strong. And he is far more powerful than you!"
"Hahaha..."
Ordion's laughter drifted out from behind the thinning dust cloud. He emerged once more, standing tall despite his ruined leather armor. His charred skin was visible, rapidly repairing itself under the shroud of flames.
"No wonder you are so strong." Ordion praised suddenly. "Even back when we were academy students, I acknowledged him. Arvin was the strongest. No one dared to cross him."
Ordion raised his sword again, though its flame flickered a little more dimly now. "When I fought him earlier... honestly, I was ready to die by his hand. I wanted to atone for my regret, for never having the courage to tell him how I felt. I wanted to die by his sword."
Ordion looked Alrain straight in the eye. "But I suppose it isn't so bad to die fighting you here. You are the representation of the will that I lacked."
Alrain took a long breath, letting his tension ease slightly. He looked at Ordion's face, a face that was handsome, stern, and full of charisma.
"I think your face and your abilities perfectly match Lord Arvin's criteria." Alrain said honestly. "If only you had the courage to tell him your feelings back then, I'm sure he would have considered about it. He values courage and sincerity above all else."
"Hahaha. You know that's impossible now, don't you?" Ordion replied with a sad smile. "It's too late for everything. Time does not move backward. I stand here as his enemy, not his comrade. Regret is nothing but trash for the dead. Let's end this, Alrain!"
Ordion's words felt like a slap to Alrain's face. He realized Ordion was right. Time could never be rewound. The reality was that Arvin still treated him with coldness, shackled by the same past.
"If only time could be turned back..." Alrain lamented suddenly, his voice soft, speaking for both of them.
"I wish for the same thing, Alrain!"
Woosh!