World's Strongest

After receiving the Blue priest’s letter, Arisha immediately convened the priest council.

“Prince Pernok asked us to confront Rakis at the border. He said we must pressure Rakis within one month, and even told us where to head.”

“In the end… it’s war.”

“But isn’t it worth trying?”

“If we can establish temples in exchange, I think we should open the path even for future generations.”

The priests showed positive reactions.

Everyone held goodwill toward Pernok for the merit of finding Dawn Temple’s sacred relic and resolving the previous Origin incident.

Arisha too had been waiting for this moment when her wish would be fulfilled.

“Then two priests please lead the clerics and go to Rakis’s border. I’ll go to Illumina.”

“The High Priest yourself?”

“But if Duke Chris appears at the border…”

“Then I’ll lend strength to help Prince Pernok identify Illumina’s true king.”

The priests stared blankly at Arisha.

They couldn’t tell at all what she beneath the veil was thinking.

“There’s also one concern.”

“What do you mean?”

“Duke Chris is spending ordinary days going between the estate and imperial palace as usual. There seems nothing particularly to guard against. But while sending the empire’s nobles to Prince Pernok, it somewhat bothers me why he doesn’t separately show himself at the border or other fronts.”

“Doesn’t Gram stick with Prince Pernok? He too is an empire noble and knows the ongoing situation in more detail than us. If Duke Chris moved, Gram would have explained to the prince.”

When the Priest of Benevolence spoke as if not to worry too much, Arisha answered with a strange smile.

“On battlefields, you must control variables. Prince Pernok’s letter was ultimately sent worried about the case where he can’t kill Prince Vans within one month and fifteen days, if Chris intrudes. It probably means asking us to buy more time. But Chris is a special existence. Even I find his variables difficult to guess.”

“Hmm…”

“It’s an important crossroads deciding the Holy Kingdom’s hundred years. I should hope my concern ends as mere groundless worry. Therefore, I’ll go to the prince. Not only can I protect the prince from Rakis’s nobles, but the High Priest stepping forward to convey the Holy Kingdom’s will will be a much better picture.”

“…Understood. Then if Duke Chris seems about to appear while confronting at the border, we’ll immediately withdraw.”

“I’m counting on you.”

The day the Holy Kingdom’s forces departed with priests for Rakis’s border.

Arisha quietly headed for Pernok.

Originally, the letter’s content was.

If the Holy Kingdom stepped forward to knock on Rakis’s border, Chris absolutely couldn’t intervene in the internal strife.

They must start the undertaking within one week of the letter’s arrival.

It was Pernok’s operation to make Chris unable to move, preparing for any possible situation.

Naturally, even Pernok himself didn’t predict Arisha would appear.

It was the same for Chris.

“Interesting. The existence the long-silent Holy Kingdom finally chose is the kingdom’s bastard.”

“At least he’s more trustworthy than Prince Vans who sold the nation’s dignity.”

“If it’s merely such a reason, we can give better conditions from our side.”

“You heard about Dawn Temple’s sacred relic theft incident?”

“Of course. It was interesting news after a long time.”

“The one who found it is precisely Prince Pernok.”

Chris’s eyes narrowed thinly.

“It can’t be only that. You’re not someone who moves with just goodwill. But whatever it is, the choice of drawing a sword against Rakis won’t be right. Do you truly wish the Holy Kingdom’s history to end on this spot today?”

While striking back at sharp mana like being cut by a blade with gentle mana, Arisha gazed at Chris.

“Sometimes there’s an impulse to entrust oneself to boldness.”

And Arisha smiled softly while protecting Pernok.

“For me, now is such a moment.”

Chris showed no signs of retreating either.

“The path won’t be lonely. Tens of thousands here will follow you.”

“I’ve wanted to break that high-nosed confidence of yours once from long ago.”

“It was settled long ago. You knelt before me then too.”

“Don’t proudly babble about childhood affairs. You look like you’re fleeing in fear, Duke.”

The moment coldness formed on both their lips.

“Withdraw forces!”

At the surging mana, Pernok shouted.

Taking that as a signal, both their arms moved.

BOOM!

At one exchange, terrain within a 500-meter radius collapsed.

Neither Chris nor Arisha had accurate information about their Magus Arts known to the world.

It was merely mana collision for exploration.

But as if they’d unfolded Magus Arts, the collapsing range gradually widened.

A storm of mana that no mage could interfere in whirled.

In a place where it was hard to stand properly, Pernok’s Observation Eye was capturing the clashing S3 Magi.

‘So this was S3.’

As if the long needles until now were mere play, Chris’s mana dealing with Arisha dominated the area.

Then the brilliant soul’s color hidden by grade began appearing.

Though Arisha too was brilliant, Chris was one line above her.

Though strength couldn’t compare to monarchs, that potential and soul’s color was truly monarch-grade.

If just a few years passed like this, he’d grow into an absolute being comparable even to the Lord of Despair.

‘Very noble talent.’

It was coveted.

He wanted to tear it apart and devour it somehow.

Rather than fear or despair, desire to grow stronger squirmed.

This was the first time since descending to the lower realm being stimulated to strength this much while looking at someone.

There was also the aspect of slowing growth for the great undertaking until now.

Because even in this state, sufficient response to all dangers was possible.

But after seeing Chris, his thinking changed.

‘I must accelerate my growth.’

Even in the Netherworld, there was no one to compare, so he’d maintained the strongest position alone for a long time.

Boredom continued even in the lower realm.

There were those who seemed strong like Ruin and Gram.

But he thought if he raised the synchronization rate to a certain level, he could sufficiently break them.

The great undertaking had priority over strength.

That thinking changed after meeting Chris.

Boredom to pounding.

Strength to yearning.

The era’s priority that the transcendent briefly put down was reestablished.

“Duke!”

Suddenly an uninvited guest wedged between the two Magi.

Owen hiding his body with Reflection Barrier deployed Magus Arts toward Arisha.

He intended to create even a brief gap to make Chris gain advantage. And the moment sound was heard, Pernok moved too.

The judgment was identical to Owen’s.

He judged that the moment Chris made one unnecessary movement reaching toward him, Arisha would surely strike weakness.

And the S3 Magi crossed hands.

Bang!

Arisha’s palm struck and burst Owen’s Reflection Barrier.

And Pernok’s artifact broke in half at one long needle.

Immediately after, Chris revealed cold eyes right before Pernok’s nose.

He intended to handle Pernok first, leaving Arisha behind.

The thought converted in merely 1 second tried digging into the heart with spine-chilling accuracy. But the opponent was Arisha.

“…?”

Chris’s long needle rather flew to his own face. It was certain that Arisha’s mana intervened. However, he couldn’t know by what method she manipulated Chris.

Because he couldn’t know the Magus Arts’ identity precisely until directly devouring the soul.

But Chris who dodged the twisting long needle by merely tilting his head muttered while distancing from Pernok.

“Thought Conversion…”

Chris showed interest in his eyes for the first time.

“Was this the Magus Arts you hid until now?”

Arisha closed her mouth.

Though she aimed at unexpected timing, Chris lightly evaded.

And now he operated mana in a strange way. It was similar to the Magus Arts she’d hidden.

“Not just… mimicry.”

Within the series of exchanges, Arisha thought Chris’s Magus Arts wasn’t all ‘mimicry’ that Pernok predicted.

Chris still hadn’t pulled out something hidden.

‘Should I use the other one too.’

The world called her Double, but there were more Magus Arts hidden that no one except the Sacred Emperor knew.

However, she promised the Sacred Emperor to use that only during the Holy Kingdom’s crisis.

If she used it in other situations, then she had to surely kill the enemy to protect the Magus Arts’ secret.

‘But can I surely kill Chris.’

Even bringing tens of thousands of great forces and Pernok, Arisha judged the win rate against Chris was half. If he set his mind to flee, no one in this place could chase.

“Mimicry and constitution.”

Then, Pernok’s words seeping quietly disrupted Chris’s killing intent.

“If not that, I can’t explain rewinding my time either, Duke.”

Words close to certainty made Chris hesitate for the first time.

“But aren’t you overconfident. If both sides pull out everything hidden, you won’t be safe either.”

“You don’t look leisurely enough to make cheap threats.”

Chris accurately pointed out Pernok’s condition.

After the sword broke in half, Pernok’s insides were thoroughly shaken, barely standing at most.

It was natural that threats felt like play. But what if he attached basis to this threat?

“I’ll have difficulties, but my subordinates are different.”

It was the moment Chris tried opening his mouth.

“Don’t trust Breia too blindly. My card is enough to point a blade at your neck.”

A faint resonance was transmitted riding the ground.

Though it was 10 kilometers away from here, Magi above S2 were feeling that brave momentum.

Arisha turned her head to Pernok.

To her seeming to want explanation, Pernok said with a smile.

“My marquisate is located near the border touching Rezhen. Don’t tell me you thought I’d come with the rear open.”

Judging from the resonance, it was roughly a great army reaching tens of thousands.

‘Breia couldn’t block it?’

Among the 13 Lords, the most trusted noble.

Though free-spirited as a mercenary origin, a person counted as the new 13 Lords’ first rank with attitude befitting that strength.

He personally struck Rezhen. He had memories of receiving reports several times that Salavan’s life was at blade’s edge.

‘Rezhen has no Magus to block Breia. Then it means an external supporter.’

Chris gazed at Gram breathing with difficulty.

Certainly, Gram stepped forward to kill the association head saying he was Pernok’s ally.

But he now stood on Pernok’s side.

It meant the association head didn’t die and was one group with Pernok.

Then where was the association head who wasn’t in this place now?

“Did you throw away your life and attach Association Head Ruin to Breia’s side. Should I say bold… you can’t do such things with ordinary guts.”

Pernok’s smile meant many situations.

“Indeed, even if all this nation’s royals united, they can’t reach your one vessel.”

Why was it.

The Rakis Hegemon Emperor suddenly seemed to overlap in Pernok’s appearance.

“Including Arisha, tens of thousands of great forces in this place will rush to bite off even one of your arms. No matter how much a War God, you can’t face them alone without injury.”

Pernok wiped blood flowing on his lips and gazed at Chris.

“Even if you kill everyone in this place, you can’t block even Rezhen. Moreover, since the Holy Kingdom’s priests are advancing to Rakis’s border, the empire without you won’t be peaceful either.”

Chris’s lips twitched.

Though most would see him and take fright to flee or withdraw, Pernok rather carried out threats with basis.

He truly met a rival stimulating nerves after a long time.

“This side will stake lives, so you either stake your life or lose Rakis to the Holy Kingdom.”

Pernok stood side by side with Arish and raised momentum.

“If you rushed boldly, raise the stakes. The travel money where no one will feel wronged even if they die.”

Pernok’s appearance telling him to do it to the end to see who wins made him feel not a reckless youngster but the pride of a veteran transcending even death.

It wasn’t sloppy threats.

It was resolute warning to kill Chris and have the Holy Kingdom and Rezhen unite to strike down Rakis.

‘Me 3, that side 7.’

Even when Arisha joined, he judged the situation was a bit more advantageous to his side.

But as long as Rezhen joined, the odds decreased absurdly.

‘Should I take as companions. But…’

Chris recalled the emperor’s voice.

“Autonomous action is part of the great undertaking to the end. Duke, don’t forget this sequence and just lightly take a walk and return.”

Only briefly leaving the empire was permitted.

Though situations were changing steeply, he couldn’t ruin the empire’s great undertaking with reckless actions.

The anguish was brief.

Chris calmed his mana.

“Now you’re tucking tail to flee?”

“There will be good days. Today I saw and felt much.”

When Chris opened his palm, long needles that had fallen everywhere were recovered.

“I’ll remember your name. Next time I won’t come with a light heart like today.”

And when he lightly struck down the ground.

BOOM!

Fragments of collapsed ground surged into the air and blocked vision.

Though Pernok tried swinging the half-broken sword, his heart surged and his whole body trembled.

In place of him sitting down, Arisha calmed the venue.

And Chris and Owen had disappeared.

Owen’s mana was felt faintly from the north.

“Your Highness, won’t you pursue?”

“We have no leisure to accept sacrifice right now.”

Encirclement ultimately showed effect only when the opponent had will to fight.

Now that Chris thoroughly fled even taking Owen, forced pursuit rather caused danger of allies being gnawed.

“There are many opportunities to fight Rakis. We must first prepare a system to respond to it.”

He mustn’t let go of the immediately important cause by putting forward surging competitive spirit.

“We’ll advance to the royal capital as soon as we join with Rezhen. Rakis is after that.”

Pernok recalled Chris’s appearance.

Certainly, he was a strong opponent, but in the Netherworld he’d dealt with several whose grade was higher.

The wall was a word used only in states where growth possibility was blocked.

He grasped to what level this era’s strongest was.

Synchronization rate 80 percent.

The moment he surpassed beyond that, he could sufficiently overwhelm Chris.

“Chris will thoroughly come for retaliation.”

To Arisha’s voice mixed with concern, Pernok answered indifferently.

“I found out the secret of the Magus Arts he possesses.”

Magus Arts’ mimicry.

And special constitution.

While recalling countless information captured in Observation Eye through the battle with Arisha, Pernok gripped the half-broken The First.

“Next time I’ll surely kill him.”