The Author's POV

I focused my attention on Suriol, who was currently emanating an inexplicable power from his body as he stood in the sky.

While I had my attention fixed on Suriol, I felt an immediate and significant shift take place within my body. Unbeknownst to me, a hazy tinge began to emanate from my body, and simultaneously, a sizable tear formed directly above my head.

Cra...crack!

What I was about to do now wasn't something I had ever done before, nor was I confident in performing.

In fact, I was currently taking a significant risk.

There were five distinct movements that comprised the Keiki style. Each movement was distinct from the previous one, and the level of complexity steadily increased from one to the next as the sequence progressed.

Prior to his passing, Grandmaster Keiki had only completed the fifth movement. That was his very last movement.

In the past, I had mentioned the possibility of there being a sixth movement to the Keiki style. One that Grandmaster Keiki, who had long since passed away, had not been able to find before his eventual death.

Over the course of the past few years, I had done everything in my power to try to feel that final sixth movement, but I could never, for the life of me, feel myself unearthing that movement.

I tried everything I could think of, but it was all to no avail.

It seemed as though it wasn't something I could perform with my set of skills.

I was still far too weak to sense it.

Of course, that was until I caught a glimpse of it.

'The memories of my other self is what is making this possible.'

It was during that brief period of time that I was able to witness the full extent of my other self's power, and it was from there that I caught a glimpse of the sixth movement.

There were many other things that I saw back then, but the sixth movement was the thing that stuck with me during that time.

I didn't really understand it back then, as I was still too weak, but things were different now.

Now that I had broken through to rank, as if all the pieces of the puzzle had been placed in the right order, it finally clicked inside of my mind and an image appeared within my darkened mind.

It was a single sword.

One bright and tangible sword that had a translucent sheen to it and appeared to hold some kind of unexplained power. One that appeared to be capable of turning the world on its axis with a single blow.

It was a sword with unfathomable power.

Still...

I could sense that the sword was not something that I could still wield with the strength that I possessed at this time.

It seemed so close, yet so far...

...I wanted to spend more time dwelling over that sword and study it better before using it, but, as I stared at Suriol who was currently taking the same fighting style as the other me, I knew that this was the only shot I had at victory.

'I can only beat him this way.'

The other me was simply too strong.

He was a being that I didn't think I could ever match up with in my entire life.

'Maybe, this weird sword is the only way that I can beat him.'

Suriol's ability only expanded toward what my body experienced while my other self took over.

Even though he had most likely caught a glimpse of the sixth movement from my recollections, it was impossible for him to perform because it was not something that could be accomplished with a mere glance.

If he had absorbed the memories of my alternate self, it would have been possible, but he had absorbed my memories, and I had no real knowledge of it.

Nonetheless, his fighting experience and his movements were the same as my alternate self. Thus, I knew that something that performing the sixth movement was the only way for me to win.

As I carefully pointed my finger in Suriol's direction, the image of the sword that had been floating around in my head started to become clearer, and the tear that had been standing directly above me started to gradually expand.

area of the land that had been leveled began to sway in the direction of the tip as if it had been attracted to

is this? ...No, wait, what are you

voice could be heard from above as he stared at the large tip of the sword protruding from the small crack that had just appeared directly

the sword above

"No, what's going on!?"

the clouds in the sky began to separate, and a domineering aura began to

fissure, and the pressure that was squeezing the world to its very core gradually became

"Pfftt..."

up a mouthful of blood at the exact moment that the tip of the sword

shook erratically while I tried to remain standing on the ground, and the sword flickered in and

for my sudden attack had a sudden change in expression as the look of fright on his face quickly faded and he

was, your body can't keep up with whatever

relief in his voice as he said those words. Clearly, he had been given a fright

actions as a refusal

hand. A pitch-black spherical ball began to form directly in front of his palm as the world around him began to gradually

was merging with him, everything within his immediate surroundings began to warp as an

Cracka! Cracka!

was set ablaze, and the demons that were trying to aid

is worse than

cursed when I realized just how powerful the move that

hear a small cracking sound coming from the bones in my body while at the same time that I could also feel

of the move, but my

out a move that I had

essentially trying to run without knowing how

was out of my mind for

t-his is the only

for me to win

and instead maintain a singular concentration on the sword that

air as

"Khhh..."

Rumble! Rumble!

two energies secretly clashed against each other, causing my head to swell with heat and every part of my

"Haaa..haaa..."

I was experiencing left me gasping for air and my eyes began to sting, tears

the tip that was hanging above my head finally revealed its body in

the wounds on the rest of my body began to stretch, and

was gazing back at me with a maniacal

"Fucking, go!"

out from the crack as the world around

***

Give up and submit, and I will spare you. If you choose to attack, I will kill you and all

stared at the blade that was aimed squarely at him, Suriol's eyes narrowed and hardened into a fierce

stared at the tip of the sword that was aimed in his direction. At the same time, he furiously circled the demonic energy that was contained within his body as he prepared to unleash

'Death.'

stared at the enormous sword that

a simple look, he was able to sense a penetrating force directed toward himself. At the same time, he unknowingly swallowed a

unleash

thought to himself as he furiously continued to circulate the

his palm began to grow in size over the course of a short period of time, and it wasn't long before

attack was just as menacing as the one that Ren was preparing to

"Pfftt..."

a significant toll on his body, as evidenced by the fact that he spewed a mouthful

Crack!

the

reached his ears, and his face stiffened

"No!!!!!"

piercing scream as he stared at his hand, which was covered in his own

"No! No! No!"

his air as his eyes became completely bloodshot while he glared at Ren with

It's all your

Prince rank.

outside of the King rank, which was considered to be impossible to achieve, with only