2
Klimt’s face, as he confronted Sora, was filled with overbearing spirit, showing no consideration for the possibility of his own defeat.
It wasn’t that Klimt doubted his sister’s words about “Sora having mastered the soul blade.”
As a Flag Bearer of the Illusory One-Sword Style himself, Klimt could sense that the amount of energy emanating from Sora was on a completely different level compared to five years ago. As his sister said, Sora had undoubtedly reached the secret techniques of the Illusory One-Sword Style. Klimt had no doubts about this point.
However, he didn’t see any need for caution because of it.
Due to the immense power of the soul blade, it takes time to master it. Klimt had mastered his soul blade six years ago. It’s unclear when Sora mastered his, but even assuming it was right after his exile from the island, it would still only be five years. The gap is too large to be called “a day’s advantage.”
Moreover, there’s a world of difference in the experience that can be gained in the same year between Klimt, who had been fighting continuously in the harsh environment of Onigashima, and Sora, who had been fighting in the milder environment outside the island. Klimt’s confidence was supported by solid reasoning.
Additionally, Klimt considered Sora’s behavior and words up to this point as mere bluffs.
From Sora’s perspective, Klimt, Kuraia, and of course Goz, were all formidable opponents. Even in a one-on-one fight, victory would be uncertain. In a three-on-one situation, there was no chance of winning.
That’s why Sora was deliberately not drawing his soul blade. This way, the full extent of his power wouldn’t be revealed.
Klimt surmised that Sora’s constant provocations towards Goz and himself were intended to make them think, “This composure against three soul blade users is no ordinary feat. Sora’s soul blade must be incredibly powerful.”
Klimt found this pathetic.
Five years ago, Sora was indeed weak. He made futile efforts and struggled in vain. But even then, he never tried to compensate for his lack of ability with mere words.
Klimt swung his sword once with a bitter expression, drawing a crimson arc in the air.
They were once comrades, after all. ‘I’ll end this with one slash, burning and cutting their dominant arm. If I cut with my soul blade, the wound will be cauterized by flames, minimizing blood loss. I should be able to follow Goz’s order not to kill.’
With this in mind, Klimt repeats his previous words.
“I’ll say it one more time. Dispel your Soul Equipment quickly. If you continue this pointless bluff—”
“—Soul Equipment, activate.”
Before Klimt could finish, Sora opened his mouth. He thrust his right hand straight forward, manifesting his Soul Equipment.
In that instant, Klimt, facing Sora, was subjected to an overwhelming pressure that threatened to crush his entire body.
“Guh!? W-What…!?”
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Klimt, who nearly fell to his knees, gritted his teeth and resisted the pressure.
His shock was quickly replaced by caution.
Klimt swiftly assumes the stance of the Illusory One-Sword Style. He realized that his thoughts from just moments ago were terribly off the mark.
Facing such a Klimt, Sora, gripping his black Soul Equipment, calmly declares:
“You understand now that this is no bluff, right, Klimt? And the difference from five years ago too. If you understand, come at me, all three of you at once.”
His matter-of-fact words were a declaration that Klimt alone had no chance of winning.
Klimt’s red eyes widened dramatically.
“Don’t spout nonsense, Sora! I’ll crush that arrogance of yours!”
“Is that so?”
Sora nodded slightly, then suddenly changed his expression.
Lifting the corners of his lips, he spoke in an incredibly cold voice.
“Then, you die first—Devour everything, Soul Eater.”
The moment Sora drew his Soul Equipment, a flash exploded.
For an instant, night descended upon the mansion’s garden, where summer sunlight had been pouring down. This true darkness, created by the power of the Soul Equipment, couldn’t be dispelled even by the flames of another Soul Equipment. Klimt, robbed of his vision, was left with an unavoidable opening.
Sora leaped at him, brandishing his black sword.
Klimt showed a remarkable reaction to the diagonal downward slash.
He managed to block the black sword with his flame sword, raised in the nick of time. If Sora’s weapon had been the black sword he usually wore at his waist, its blade would have melted the instant it touched the flame sword.
However, what Sora now held was the manifestation of the dragon that slays gods. Far from being melted by the flame sword, it devoured the opponent’s flames.
“What!?”
Klimt cried out in shock.
He was already at a disadvantage, having been caught off guard. If he lost in this clash of Soul Blade, there would be no chance for recovery.
The balance crumbled in an instant.
“Kill!”
“Guh—gaaaah!”
Sora’s sword, swung with all his might, knocked Klimt’s sword away and slashed down from his shoulder to his waist in one go.
Feeling the certain response through his blade, Sora used the momentum of his swing to lead into his next attack.
He concentrated his power in his left foot, using it as a pivot to rotate his body. The stone pavement beneath his feet let out a scream-like creak and emitted a burnt smell.
Immediately, he concentrated his power in his right foot this time and delivered a powerful roundhouse kick aimed at Klimt’s now defenseless chest.
“—Ugh!”
Klimt’s body flew through the air helplessly. Unable to even scream, scattering blood, Klimt was slammed into the ground.
The momentum didn’t stop there; the white-haired warrior’s body rolled across the ground like a spinning top.
This continued until Klimt’s body was expelled beyond the gate—outside the mansion grounds.
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