"You're putting far too much into your swings. The openings are obvious," Ren said flatly. "Brute force might be enough to crush opponents weaker than you—but it won't work on ."
Using Divine Blessing without even drawing the blade—striking with the sheathed edge alone—Ren effortlessly sent Xenovia flying several ters away.
At the sa ti, Irina moved in from the side. The Sword of Imitation in her hand shifted into a slender katana, its form elongating as she slashed toward Ren's position.
Compared to Xenovia's massive greatsword, Irina's movents were far more compact—and in terms of pure swordsmanship, she was clearly more refined.
Her blade flashed again and again in rapid succession.
And yet—
Not a single strike landed.
As her attacks repeatedly cut through empty air, a trace of frustration began to creep onto Irina's face.
Unlike the raw, destructive nature of the Sword of Destruction, the Sword of Imitation was far more agile and unpredictable.
Even when her swings missed, the flexible blade would bend and curve mid-motion, redirecting its trajectory to strike at Ren from blind angles.
Unfortunately for her…
Against soone with Ren's level of Insight, such tricks were aningless.
"Flashy," Ren remarked, casually sidestepping the ribbon-like arcs of her blade. "Are you fighting… or performing a dance?"
There wasn't a shred of hesitation.
No restraint.
He pivoted and drove a punch straight toward Irina's chest.
At that mont, Xenovia—who had just struggled back to her feet—caught sight of the danger. Without a second thought, she dashed forward, placing herself between them, raising the broad blade of the Sword of Destruction to intercept the blow.
Even in his normal state, Ren's strength as a half-demon oni was nothing to scoff at.
Xenovia and Irina might be agents of the Church—but they were still human. Not angels. The difference in race and raw physical power was undeniable.
Even Xenovia—who already held the advantage in strength—was unable to withstand the impact. As she blocked Ren's punch with her blade, both she and her sword were sent hurtling backward once again.
Irina watched Xenovia get blasted away for the second ti. She was just about to act—
When suddenly, a blur crossed her vision.
Before she could react, a hand like an iron vise clamped around her throat, lifting her clean off the ground.
"Too weak…" Ren's voice was calm, almost bored. "So this is what you call a 'Holy Sword wielder'? I'll admit, I expected more."
He looked at her, utterly unimpressed.
"But at your level… you can't even make draw my blade. Frankly, Divine Blessing probably wouldn't even bother acknowledging opponents this weak."
More painful than the physical strain on her throat…
Were his words.
Irina had always taken pride in her identity as a devout believer—and even more so as a chosen wielder of a Holy Sword.
But now, that pride was being trampled without rcy.
And the worst part?
She couldn't even argue back.
Because everything he said… was backed by overwhelming strength.
The fight hadn't lasted long—but from beginning to end, she and Xenovia had been completely dominated.
The gap between them wasn't just large—
It was absolute.
Behind Ren, the boy he had saved stood frozen in place, gripping his demonic sword. He had intended to step in and help…
But now, his body wouldn't move.
Ren's words echoed in his mind, dragging him into a spiral of doubt.
Weak?
Xenovia and Irina—weak?
That was impossible.
He knew better than anyone how harsh the requirents were to beco a Holy Sword wielder. One in ten thousand would be an understatent.
He himself had once been nothing more than a failed subject of a Holy Sword experint.
When he saw those swords, his only thought had been to destroy them.
And yet—
He had been completely powerless against Xenovia and Irina.
But those sa opponents…
Were deed unworthy of even drawing a blade in Ren's eyes.
Then what did that make him?
"Let Irina go!"
With a shout, Xenovia forced herself back onto her feet once more. Despite everything, she charged at Ren again—unyielding.
This ti, she held nothing back.
She poured all of her magical power into the Sword of Destruction, and the blade erupted with a blinding, radiant glow.
The Sword of Destruction existed for one purpose alone—
To destroy.
The more power poured into it, the greater the devastation it unleashed.
Until now, Xenovia had been restraining herself, wary of losing control.
But the man before her was a monster.
If she continued to hold back, both she and Irina might not survive the night.
"Ren-sensei, get out of there!" the boy behind him shouted in alarm. "That Holy Sword's energy—it's on a completely different level now!"
The aura radiating from the blade was suffocating.
Holy Swords inherently possessed anti-demonic properties—making them especially lethal to beings like devils… and yokai.
And yet—
Ren didn't move.
He simply stood there, watching as the glowing blade descended toward his head.
Then, slowly…
He raised his free hand.
"BOOM—!!!"
The fully unleashed Sword of Destruction erupted the mont it made contact.
The imnse magical power Xenovia had poured into it detonated outward, forming an invisible shockwave that tore through the surroundings.
The ground shattered.
Structures crumbled.
Everything nearby was reduced to rubble.
Watching the devastation unfold, the boy could only stare in horror.
If that level of power had been used against him earlier—
He wouldn't have survived.
Xenovia, too, had absolute confidence in that strike.
That had been her full power—enhanced by the very ability of the Sword of Destruction itself.
Even a high-class devil would have been gravely injured by that blow.
Ren hadn't dodged.
He hadn't blocked.
He had simply taken it head-on.
There was no way he could have co out of that unscathed.
At that mont, Xenovia's only concern was whether the attack had hard Irina, who was still in Ren's grasp.
"Not bad," Ren's voice rang out from within the settling dust cloud, steady and composed. "At least that one looked more convincing than your earlier swings."
"But is that your limit?"
As the dust slowly cleared, Xenovia's eyes widened in pure shock.
Her Sword of Destruction…
Was firmly caught in Ren's bare hand.
The full-force strike she had unleashed—empowered by magic, amplified by the sword's own destructive ability—
Hadn't left so much as a scratch on him.
That hadn't been a simple swing.
That had been a full activation of the Holy Sword's power.
And yet—
The most destructive of the seven Holy Swords…
Had been stopped with a single hand.
Ren casually released Irina, who was on the verge of losing consciousness, and plucked the Sword of Imitation from her grasp.
With his other hand, he still held the Sword of Destruction, before casually flinging Xenovia—still gripping the hilt—away like an afterthought.
"I'm not interested in your lives," Ren said calmly, weighing the two blades in his hands.
"But these…"
A faint smile touched his lips.
"I'll be taking them as spoils of victory."
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