The Author's POV

"I'm afraid I'll have to refuse once more."

I refused firmly, meeting Waylan's piercing gaze with a calm demeanor.

His face contorted, and I braced myself for the inevitable surge of power that was about to emanate from him.

Sure enough, the space around us began to distort, and the air crackled with energy. I could feel the pressure building up, suffocating me, until Waylan finally extended his hand in my direction.

"Very well. I guess there's no need for you to remain. Allow me to take your powers away."

I felt a strong force suddenly seize my entire body and drag me in the direction he was facing. The force that was surrounding my body caused my bones to crack, and my face began to distort under the pressure.

In spite of that…

"I'm good."

A white film suddenly erupted from within my body and covered every square inch of my skin, shattering the force that was encircling me at the time.

Golden runes and words floated around me at the same time, and I finally caught my breath again.

"Hm?"

My sudden actions seemed to surprise Waylan as he looked at me strangely.

I did not pay any attention to the expression on his face, and I quickly moved away from the area I was in. At the same time, I directed the demonic energy that was coursing through me all over my body, and I could feel my body beginning to transform.

Cr― Crack! I couldn't quite make out what was going on, but when scales started to form across my hands, and two wings started to shoot out from my back, I knew that the transformation had been successful.

That very moment, I felt my body burst with incredible power.

"How unpleasant."

Waylan's expression changed to one of abject revulsion as he witnessed my transformation. The manner in which he looked at me shifted even further, and he extended his hand to face my direction.

WOOOONG―! A colossal hand materialized out of nowhere in the form of a large projection, reaching around him and making its way in my direction.

'…It looks like I've underestimated him.'

I came prepared… I believed that I did, but as I watched the enormous hand coming toward me, I realized that I had grossly misjudged the power of a Protector.

Despite that…

"Ugh."

I reached out with my hand and took hold of my sword. As I continued to look at the enormous hand, I inhaled deeply and noticed that my body was undergoing yet another shift.

My muscles were rapidly expanding, and I felt a tremendous amount of energy rising up from the depths of my being.

"Huh."

The incredible pain that came along with the expansion of my muscles caused me to take a deep breath and hold it.

'It's fine… I'm already used to pain… this isn't anything new…'

ready, the hand was already in close proximity to me, and

power was not something I could

movement of the [Keiki Style] :

Click―!

front of me… just a few inches away from

it came to a stop, and after a short while, the hand shattered right in front of my eyes in the form of

a surprised look on his face

"Haa…ha… haa…hhaaa…"

with it. My chest was on fire, and the pain in my muscles

my body took just to stop that one attack was

figure of Waylan off in the distance, I cursed

"Sh..hhaaa…it…haaa"

That…

took everything I

far more powerful than

"Haa… Haaa…"

stream of liquid gushing into my body. Instantaneously, both the rhythm of my breath and the mana that circulated throughout my body returned

thing I have several

to be prepared

surprised you managed to stop

At this point in time, he

but there is no doubt that

"Again, with that?"

I brought my sword closer to my body, I cast a glance in Waylan's direction. Channeling the mana within my body, the pain that was already

not interested? Why don't you

forward and

Clink―!

a small barrier appeared in front of him,

initial slash, I proceeded with another slash and then another slash after that. I was able to sense an increase in both the speed

"This is…"

saw the movement of my sword, his face changed

of his actions,

Clink―! Clink―!

all took place in the space of a few seconds, and by the time I had reached the thirty-first

'Almost…'

teeth when I saw

I was only a few slashes away from breaking apart his first line of

close… so

Bank―!

"Huh?!"

blade came to a sudden

and grabbed hold of my blade. His face, which had shown only minute shifts in appearance since the last time we

"This… This sword art…"

chest heaved up and down in an uneven manner, he appeared to be having difficulty finding the appropriate words

any trace of the tranquility and clarity that had previously been in his eyes; instead, he

'Oh, shit.'

if

He gently stroked his face with his other hand, following the line of the scar

"…I'm sure of it."

looked away from the sword