Kaiser's Perspective:
Oh yes, I just love having an arm back. Feels much more natural, I must say so myself. As for my situation?
Not so loving.
Once again, the countdown between life and death had started. Enemies surrounded from all sides, each far beyond my capabilities. My mind ran through countless questions, but all of them led back to the creature standing at a distance, watching everything unfold.
The one Celia called the Silent Executioner.
"Kaiser! You're back!!" Celia's voice rang out, her tone laced with relief, warmth—sothing I hadn't heard in a long ti. She walked over to with a smile, while several cursed chains floated around her, acting as an unseen force of defense.
Those chains lashed out in an instant, intercepting Kiel and Ronan, pushing them back before they could get too close. But the mont I saw her drop her guard and step toward , I moved without thinking.
In one swift motion, I closed the distance and pulled her into my arms, my instincts kicking in as a blur of movent registered at the edge of my vision.
I saw soone moving in God-Speed in the corner of my eyes.
It was Levi.
His blade, coated in a shadowy aura, streaked toward Celia with lethal precision. I was already shifting my weight back, prepared to intercept with pure hand-to-hand technique—blocking a Sword Saint's strike without a weapon wasn't exactly ideal, but I had no other choice.
Yet, before his attack could land, Celia's cursed chains whipped through the air, colliding against Levi's blade mid-swing, stopping him dead in his tracks.
...Wait.
What??
You're telling Celia can just stand here and these things will fight for her? Since when? I was unconscious for, what, an hour? And she suddenly has self-operating magic?
Where was this when I was blatantly getting tead at?!
I looked down at Celia, who was still nestled against , her arms wrapped securely around my waist. Right. I pulled her in because I thought she'd be caught in the attack—but now she was holding onto just as tightly.
Her voice trembled. "I-I'm so happy... You're back, Kaiser..."
Tears welled in her eyes, her grip tightening. A deep part of softened at the sight. It wasn't hard to piece together what she must've thought—seeing unconscious, an arm missing, barely breathing after that last fight. She must've thought I wasn't going to make it.
The realization hit in a way I didn't expect.
Gently, I placed a hand on her head, running my fingers lightly through her hair in reassurance. "I'm back, Celia. And I'm doing good." My voice was steady, calm. "Are you okay—"
"Please don't sacrifice yourself again..." she cut off, her voice breaking slightly as she sobbed.
...Yeah. That sounded like sothing I would do, wouldn't it?
There was no doubt now—she had tapped into sothing new. Magic, and not just any magic. Cursed magic. The homing chains, the cursed healing magic she used on —it all pointed to that fact. Which only raised more questions.
But first, priorities.
I exhaled lightly, shifting my hand to her shoulder. "Celia, I know. Pull yourself together. We can talk about that later. First, tell what's going on."
She sniffled, wiping her tears with the back of her sleeve before stepping back slightly, focusing her attention on the battlefield again.
And then she explained everything.
How, after I lost consciousness, Ronan had fully rged with the King of Flas demon, transforming him into sothing beyond human. How Levi, the 'Sword Saint of God-Speed,' had been fighting to protect both her and Kiel. And how Kiel—yes, Kiel of all people—was apparently on our side now. As if the world wasn't already throwing enough absurdities at .
And then, the true problem. The Silent Executioner.
An unknown entity, appearing from the shadows, disrupting the fight between Levi and Ronan, and taking control of all three of them. Celia described him as cold, rciless, capable of foresight.
A being that manipulated others like puppets on strings.
"That's... hard to believe," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "But I know you wouldn't lie."
"Thank you, Kaiser! Stay with —I'll protect you." Her voice carried a protective determination, which was... adorable, honestly.
I couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. "Celia, you still haven't told what these powers and chains are."
She hesitated. "It's... a long story. I'll tell you later."
I narrowed my eyes at her, giving her a quick wink. "Fine. But I'm holding you to that."
Now, back to the main problem at hand.
Levi, Ronan, and Kiel were already testing the limits of Celia's cursed chains, attacking in perfect synchronization.
Levi blurred between gaps, his speed turning him into a phantom that slashed at every blind spot. Ronan, now infused with the King of Flas, roared as torrents of hellfire engulfed his body, his fists coated in molten destruction as he hamred against the barriers.
And Kiel, controlled or not, was unleashing devastating cursed magic, his black tendrils slamming into the chains with relentless force.
Yet, the cursed barriers deflected their magic, nullified their physical strikes, and adapted to each attack, moving on their own.
Our current defense relied entirely on Celia's instincts. A gamble.
I analyzed our situation further. Kiel had an A-Rank understanding of cursed magic, sothing not to be taken lightly. Ronan, in his current state, was pushing past A territory, and Levi? S-Rank. Without question. I never liked that guy, and sohow, he just had to be here to make my life harder.
And then there was the Silent Executioner.
A mind-controlling tactician who, if he had been born a century earlier, might have actually been terrifying. But unfortunately for him, he was born in the wrong era. The era where I exist.
Unlucky him.
Because I know how to break his spell.
"Hey Celia! Can you use elental magic?" I said, turning my head to her as I saw Kiel about to cast another cursed magic spell.
"What do you an, Kaiser?" Celia said, confused.
Obviously, she didn't know any magic. Everything up until now had been pure instinct. My only choice was to adapt to her instincts and determine a way to win this.
"It's the magic that controls elents. I guess you don't know how it works," I said.
"Don't worry, Celia. Just focus on staying in the middle of the chains," I added, reassuring her she was safe.
"Okay, Kaiser..." she said while sighing, trying to release tension.
Soon, Kiel was done casting, and tendrils of vines sward at us, roaring high into the sky to whip the barrier. But her chains gathered together, deflecting the attack before spiraling around it and breaking it apart with pure raw force.
It was seriously breaking earth-layered cursed attacks that easily?! Gosh, I wish I could use magic. But that was the click—the idea I needed to win this battle.
I saw Ronan preparing to use another hellfire spell, judging from the chanting, and I knew I had to adapt fast and get weapons.
"Celia! Focus on and think I'm so sort of a threat!" I said to Celia.
She turned her head in pure confusion. "What are you saying, Kaiser!?"
Soon, a chain rushed in my direction due to her confusion, and as it was about to grab , I caught it with one hand, spinning around before slamming it onto the ground to stop it.
"Oh my god, Kaiser! I didn't an—no, how did it attack you?!" Celia said, pure shock and terror in her voice. Guilt seeped through, as if she truly thought she had hurt .
"Don't worry, Celia, it was part of my plan. Focus back on them for , please?" I said, reassuring her.
"Okay, I will, Kaiser. I'm so sorry for that." She then focused back on them.
Soon, I took the chain in both of my hands and pulled it apart, breaking it in half with my raw strength. I could hear Ronan's chant about to end. Without hesitation, I ran out of her chained area, making myself completely vulnerable.
"KAISER!?" Celia scread, her heart racing as I left the presence of her protection.
The chains rattled in my grip as I rushed toward Ronan. His incantation was almost complete, the air thick with heat as fire spiraled into the shape of a phoenix. The beast's molten eyes locked onto , and with a single cry, it burst forth, flas expanding outward like a tidal wave of hellfire.
I tightened my hold on Celia's chains, feeling the raw weight of tal against my skin. The flas drew closer, touching at the edges of the battlefield, threatening to consu everything in their path. But instead of dodging, I did the one thing no sane person would do—I ran straight through it.
As the fire surged, I twisted the chains in my grip, wrapping them around my left arm in tight coils, layering them into a makeshift gauntlet. The tal glowed orange from the heat, burning into my skin, but I didn't waver. Pain was temporary. Victory was absolute.
I lifted my right hand, forcing the second chain through the inferno, letting the searing flas mold the tal. Fire t steel, and under my grip, it began to take shape—warping, twisting, reforging into sothing deadly.
A sword.
The mont it hardened, I clenched the hilt, testing the weight. It wasn't perfect, but it would do. Ronan's phoenix screeched in fury, fire gathering at its beak for another blast, but I was already prepared.
The beast unleashed a final, all-consuming wave of fire. The battlefield turned white-hot. There was no escaping it.
I didn't try.
Instead, I braced myself, lifting my left arm—the arm wrapped in chains—forming a barrier of steel between and the flas. The heat pressed against , burning through the gaps in the tal, scorching my skin underneath. The pain was unbearable, but I didn't break. I could endure.
Ga is ga.
For every pain, there's victory.
Or so I thought.
Because just as I was about to push through the flas, a sudden wall of chains surged in front of , forming an impenetrable barrier against the fire. The wave crashed against them, dispersing harmlessly into dying embers.
I exhaled sharply, my smirk faltering. That wasn't my doing.
"DON'T HURT HIM!"
Celia's voice cut through the battlefield, raw, filled with desperation. I turned, and my stomach twisted at the sight.
She had focused every single one of her chains on protecting .
Which ant she had left herself vulnerable.
Kiel took advantage first, his cursed magic slithering around her defenses, weakening her control over the chains. But that wasn't the real problem.
Levi was behind her.
My blood ran cold.
He moved in an instant, a blur of godspeed. Celia barely reacted in ti—her instincts saving her at the last second—but not fast enough. The edge of his sword cut deep into her shoulder.
"Ah... ow..."
Celia stumbled forward, her hand flying to the wound, blood staining her fingertips.
My grip on the sword tightened, my knuckles turning white.
Levi didn't stop. He blitzed forward again. The chains—her chains—were still guarding , not her.
"CELIA—!"
Another strike landed, this ti across her back. She cried out in pain, her body shuddering, but still—still—she refused to move her defenses away from .
What was she thinking?!
Levi wasn't finished. His sword glead under the firelight, aiming for her neck. A killing blow.
No.
I moved before I could think, before pain, before logic. I ran right through the dying remnants of the flas, my body screaming in agony as my burned skin cracked from the movent. But I didn't care.
I pulled the remaining chains in my left hand, snapping them forward in a wide arc. The weight of the tal dragged through the air, striking Levi's path, slowing him just enough.
And then—
Steel clashed against steel.
I barely intercepted his blade in ti, my newly forged sword grinding against his shadowy strike. Sparks flew between us, our weapons locked, the sheer force of his attack rattling my bones.
I glared at him. Cold. Unforgiving. The temperature of the battlefield didn't matter anymore. The pain didn't matter anymore.
How dare he hurt her?
How dare he, right in front of ?
Celia's hands trembled as she clutched her wounded shoulder, but her focus never wavered from . Even with pain dulling her expression, her concern for overshadowed her own suffering.
"Kaiser, are you okay?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.
I barely let her finish before my anger took over. "ARE YOU INSANE?!" My voice was sharp, louder than I intended. "Why did you focus on ?! You should've kept yourself safe!"
She flinched, taking a step back. The shock in her eyes twisted sothing inside . I wasn't angry at her—no, I was furious at myself. Furious that she got hurt trying to protect .
Furious that her kindness always put her in danger.
But then, before I could say anything else, Celia did sothing I didn't expect. She stepped forward.
"I just couldn't see you in pain because of , Kaiser." Her voice was small but unwavering, filled with vulnerability. "I know I shouldn't have, but... seeing you hurt, it—it felt worse than getting hurt myself."
My anger wavered, replaced by sothing I didn't quite understand. Her words hit deep, sinking into the parts of that I kept locked away. The parts that had long forgotten what it felt like to be cared for.
I exhaled slowly. "Celia..." My voice was quieter now, softer. "You don't have to do that for . You shouldn't do that for ."
Her eyes t mine, unwavering. "But I want to."
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Then at least let make sure you don't get hurt because of it. You can protect all you want, but only if you promise to protect yourself first."
Celia hesitated, then gave a small nod. "Okay, Kaiser."
She said it, but I could tell she didn't fully believe it. She was too stubborn, too selfless. It made my chest ache in a way I wasn't used to.
I reached out, gently brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "Good. Now focus on healing yourself, alright? I need you at full strength."
She hesitated again, but the warmth in my voice must have reassured her. She sighed and placed a hand over her wound, whispering a spell as the cursed healing magic began to nd her injuries.
I watched the faint glow trace over her skin, slowly sealing the damage Levi had inflicted.
Levi.
My fingers clenched into a fist as I turned away from Celia. In the distance, a blur of movent flickered—inhumanly fast, untouchable.
It was ti I faced the Sword Saint himself.
I took a step forward, my grip tightening around my makeshift sword. The chains humd with the heat of Ronan's flas, molded by the pressure of battle into sothing deadly.
Levi had hurt her.
He wasn't getting away with it.
Levi's presence is like a blur—one second, he's there, the next, he's gone, striking from an angle I couldn't have predicted. His God-Speed makes it seem like he's everywhere, attacking with a precision that would bring any normal man to his knees.
He's fast, too fast. But I'm not normal.
I move—no, I flow—in response. My chain gauntlet clinks as it coils tighter around my forearm, the chains flickering with the faintest fla, not enough to give away my hand yet. I dodge, my body reacting before my mind even has ti to process the danger, just barely avoiding the swipe of Levi's sword.
He attacks again, but this ti, I'm ready. My gauntlet moves in a blur, snapping out to catch the edge of his sword. The force of the strike reverberates through my arm, but I hold steady. I feel the pressure building. It's working.
I know how this goes. A few more exchanges, and I'll have him.
Levi's not foolish. I can feel him adjusting, watching closely, waiting for an opening. I can hear him mutter sothing under his breath as his hand weaves a chant, "Rise, Earth—shatter his defense!" The ground beneath us trembles, and rocks shoot upward like missiles, forcing to jump back.
I move just in ti, but the impact from the debris knocks off balance in the air for a split second. It's just long enough for Levi to close the gap, his sword striking at . I deflect the blow with my chain gauntlet, but the force pushes back. Damn, he's good.
But I'm better.
I don't back down. I don't retreat. I've been in worse situations, faced impossible odds, and co out on top. I can do this.
As Levi swings his sword again, I raise my makeshift chain sword—burning with the remnants of fla—and prepare myself. My focus narrows.
Levi's stance shifts again, a flash of magic flowing in his eyes. I see the faintest flicker of air—a sonic wave, maybe? I know his tricks too well. I leap backward just as a blast of air surges toward , aiming to knock off my feet. But Levi's already moved, following up with a shadow strike from behind.
Too predictable.
I block the incoming shadow with my chain gauntlet, the impact sending a shockwave through my body, but I hold my ground. There's no panic here, just calculations. Every strike Levi makes, every attack, every movent is part of my plan.
And now, it's ti.
I stopped moving.
The world around slows—as I focus on him soley. His strikes were a blur in front of , but they no longer matter. My breath evens out, my heart steady. This is it. This is my mont.
Levi doesn't understand. Why was I suddenly standing still instead of moving to dodge?
He's so fast, so reckless, but he's not as precise as I am. I've been studying his every move, every twitch of his muscles, every flick of his wrist. And now, as the battle reaches its peak, I'll show him what happens when you make a mistake.
I don't need to move to defend myself from.
Levi charges again, his sword a blur of deadly motion. But this ti, I don't move to avoid. Instead, I raise my gauntlet and sword in a fluid motion, locking both in place. The chains in my gauntlet twist, the tal stretching, and the fla around my makeshift sword ignites once more, the heat intense enough to scorch the very air around .
I move my hands, preparing to block everything.
Faster than anything humans should.
Every strike from Levi is blocked—deflected—as if ti itself bends around . The chains blur in the air, moving so fast it creates an explosion of force around us. Miniature shockwaves pulse with every clash.
The sound is deafening—tal scraping against tal, the air crackling, energy bursting outward in all directions. The ground beneath us cracks as the force builds, but I remain standing my ground, my focus absolute.
Levi falters for the first ti.
He's not used to soone matching his speed. He hesitates, just for a mont, trying to gauge the situation. That's all I need. My chain sword strikes with a savage force, aid at his side, but he barely manages to parry. He's faster than most, but even he can't keep up with the sheer precision of my strikes now.
But I'm done letting him play.
The next strike hits with a brutal crack, sending Levi stumbling back. I'm not sure what I see in his eyes. Surprise? Fear? It doesn't matter. He knows now.
But then, like a cornered animal, he mutters another chant, his voice cold and deliberate. "Burn, fla of the skies! Consu his will!"
A column of fire erupts in front of him, aid directly at . It's fast, it's lethal—but I'm already there.
I moved.
We've exchanged over 4,000 hits. Every strike, every parry, every clash. In just one minute.
My gauntlet and chained sword burn with unrelenting heat, the chains crackling with each strike. Levi's shadowy blade, dark and foreboding, glows a deep red from the sheer force of impact.
We didn't slow down, not even hesitate for a second. There's no room for weakness. Each blow is a promise, a declaration of intent. His strikes are lightning fast, but mine are deliberate, each motion calculated for the kill.
As the fight rages on, the two of us continue to exchange blows—each strike reverberating through the air with violent force. My mind is a steel trap, each motion, each parry, calculated with precision. I'm not reacting. I'm predicting, anticipating. Every move Levi makes is one step ahead in my mind, while he's still caught in the whirlwind of his own speed and magic, striking from angles that seem impossible.
But it doesn't matter.
Because now... now I'm in the perfect spot.
The Silent Executioner controlling Levi thought he had cornered, thought I was only focused on killing Levi. But that was never the goal. No—my true purpose was always far simpler than that.
The target wasn't Levi. It was the control over him.
With every strike, every movent, I was moving toward my objective—closer, closer to the heart of the control. Levi had no idea, and neither did the Silent Executioner. They thought they had in a corner, that I would be consud by the rage of the fight. But it was all a facade.
The mont is approaching.
I see it in Levi's eyes now—the confusion, the dawning realization that sothing has shifted. He doesn't know yet, but he will soon.
With my next attack, I will end this fight.
Not with the rage of the Decay. Not with the destructive force of everything I am capable of. No, this will be a clean cut. Precise. Silent. Final.
The chains of my gauntlet snap into place, and with a fluid motion, my makeshift sword of flas ignites. This ti, when I strike, it will be the last. And I will make sure the Silent Executioner's grip on Levi is shattered.
I will end this fight without decaying.
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