"Ex…"
Richard raised the glowing sword in his hand. Golden energy began to ripple and swirl around the blade, wrapping it like a divine storm. The holy aura emanating from the weapon cracked the ground beneath his feet, and even the air around him seemed to tremble under the weight of the power.
Vali, who had already been surprised to see Richard transform a mere branch into a sword, could no longer remain calm. Sweat beaded on his forehead as the holy energy made contact with his body.
As a devil with Lucifer's blood, Vali was especially sensitive to anything with divine properties—and the energy radiating from that sword made him particularly uneasy.
"Vali, use Balance Breaker!" shouted Albion, the soul within the armor, urgently.
Vali grinned with excitement, his eyes lighting up with anticipation. "BALANCE BREAKER!!!"
A burst of white light exploded around his body. The Divine Dividing armor materialized, covering Vali in a beautiful white and blue dragon armor. The wings behind him spread open and beat once, sending clouds of dust billowing into the air.
Richard remained calm, his gaze fixed on his opponent with a composed expression.
"…calibur."
The final syllable left Richard's mouth, and the sword shone brilliantly before slashing downward. A divine arc of golden energy shot toward Vali, tearing through the air as if it were about to cleave the sky itself.
Vali raised his hand and shouted:
"Divide! Divide! Divide!"
Each time the skill activated, the power of the attack was split and diminished, lessening the pressure. The wave of golden energy was carved down bit by bit, like a boulder being worn away. Still, Vali was pushed back several steps, his face grimacing as his body trembled from the impact.
As the dust settled, Vali still stood, not severely wounded—but his expression had changed. Gone was the absolute confidence from earlier; now there was caution in his eyes.
"Haa… Haaa… That slash…" Vali panted. "That's no joke."
Richard merely shrugged and let out a sigh.
"Heh. That's all? I guess it was just a branch, after all."
Those watching from afar couldn't help but shiver. A branch—just a branch—had produced that kind of destructive power?
Vali stayed silent, but Albion spoke up:
"Excalibur, huh? Maybe he's a descendant of King Arthur."
"Like Arthur from our group?" Vali asked, his eyes still locked onto Richard.
"No. It feels different. This one… he carries the presence of a true king. As if we're standing before a legend."
Vali nodded. Richard's presence wasn't just powerful—it was commanding, overwhelming, regal.
"Round two?" Vali grinned.
"Always ready." Richard replied, a faint smirk of battle-lust forming at the corner of his lips.
Vali immediately raised his hand toward Richard.
"Divide!"
The air around them distorted. A wave of invisible energy spread from the wings of Vali's armor, beginning to affect Richard. Even without physical contact, Divine Dividing was already splitting Richard's power bit by bit.
Vali shot forward like a silver arrow, creating small shockwaves every time his dragon wings beat against the air. Richard responded instantly—his foot pivoted lightly, and his body slid smoothly like the wind. When Vali's fist clashed with Richard's blade, the shockwave from the impact shattered the ground beneath them.
The two launched into a relentless battle, their speed so intense that only dazzling streaks of light remained in the sky. Each strike carried destructive force, unleashing shockwaves through the area.
—
At a safe distance, Vali's group watched the intense battle unfold.
"Richard's so strong, nya." Kuroka whispered, her golden eyes sparkling with excitement. She licked her lips, like a cat having found an irresistible prey.
"He really is. He's strong." Le Fay nodded, her eyes shimmering. "Even though Vali-sama is using Balance Breaker, Richard is still overwhelming him."
"Wait a sec… Did I hear that right? He just turned a branch into… Excalibur?" Bikou asked, eyes fixed on Richard, his expression still full of disbelief.
"Arthur-nii… could he be a descendant of King Arthur, like you?" Le Fay turned to her brother.
Arthur Pendragon didn't answer right away. He was still intently observing the battle, his eyes thoughtful.
He'd seen many swordsmen in his life—but never one with swordsmanship like this. Every slash, every movement from Richard was flawless, as if practiced for centuries. More than that—the way he maintained balance, his natural and dignified presence… it was as if he was born to wield the sword.
"…His name is Richard, right?" Arthur finally spoke after a long silence.
"That's right, nya. He introduced himself as Richard." Kuroka confirmed.
"I have a theory," Arthur said, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
"He might be a descendant of King Richard I—Richard the Lionheart."
The group fell silent. They were surprised, but quickly accepted the idea. After all, there were many heroes who carried the names of their ancestors. It wouldn't be strange if Richard did the same.
"Ooh… If that's true, that would be amazing, Arthur-nii!" Le Fay beamed. "If he really is a descendant of Richard the Lionheart, then he could also be considered a descendant of King Arthur, right?"
"Exactly." Arthur nodded, still watching the young man. Both Pendragon siblings liked the idea of Richard one day becoming their ally.
—
Back in the battle, Vali was starting to wear out. Even with his power boosted by Balance Breaker, he couldn't deny one thing—Richard was too fast, too strong, and too precise.
One of Vali's punches was dodged by a simple lean from Richard, followed by a swift counter that sent Vali flying backwards, crashing hard into a large tree. The tree collapsed, kicking up clouds of dust.
Richard breathed evenly, his expression calm. The fight wasn't tiring him—in fact, it only made his blood boil hotter.
Suddenly, a strange voice echoed in Richard's mind:
[System update complete: Fate System. You have received a New Player Gift.]
"Hm?" Richard raised an eyebrow, sidestepping a blast of energy from Vali.
[New Player Gift includes: 5 Recovery Potions and 1 Random Item. Do you wish to open the Random Item?]
"Of course I do." Richard murmured, eyes still locked onto Vali.
[Congratulations! You have obtained: Balmung.]
Richard paused for a heartbeat. A pale blue light emerged from his hand, and in that moment—Balmung appeared.
A stunningly beautiful sword, razor-sharp and radiating overwhelming power. Its blade shimmered in silver-white, adorned with intricate engravings, and a swirling vortex of light danced around its edge.
Richard gave the sword a light swing, and a surge of energy rushed through his entire body.
Vali reacted instantly. A sense of danger surged through him, prompting him to retreat and soar into the air to keep his distance.
"That weapon… is extremely dangerous," Albion said with clear caution.
"What do you mean?" Vali asked.
"I don't know its name for sure… but I'm certain of one thing—it's a dragon-slaying sword."
Vali frowned. The tension on his face was unmistakable.
Vali clenched his fists, sweat beading on his forehead. And yet—he was clearly enjoying himself. It had been a long time since he'd had this much fun in a fight.
"Be careful, Vali," Albion warned.
"I know," Vali replied, eyes never leaving Richard. "But I'm not backing down."
Richard stepped forward. Each step was firm and full of confidence. His gaze locked onto Vali's—not with hostility, but with excitement. To be honest, Richard was genuinely enjoying this battle.
"You can surrender," Richard offered.
Vali let out a small laugh. "I won't surrender."
Richard shrugged. "In that case…"
He lowered his hand, gripping the hilt of Balmung tightly. Energy began to erupt around the sword.
"…this will be the final strike."
The sword shone brilliantly. The ground trembled beneath his feet. The air swirled violently, as if an invisible storm was forming around Richard.
He whispered:
"The evil dragon will fall."
"Be careful, Vali," Albion said again, his tone now deadly serious.
Richard continued:
"All will be separated into light and shadow."
The sword let out a resonant hum. Light and darkness began to peel apart in the air around them. Everything turned hazy, like a dream on the verge of ending.
"The world will now reach twilight."
"BALMUNG!"