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…'

hand was already in close proximity to me, and I felt as though I had

was not something I could thread lightly

the

Click―!

a subtle clicking sound, the hand came to a sudden stop in front of me… just a few inches away from my nose, and I felt sweat trickle down the side of

short while, the hand shattered right in front of my eyes

a surprised look on his face at the

"Haa…ha… haa…hhaaa…"

other hand, I was having a tough time with it. My chest was on

body took just to stop that one attack was anything but

serene figure of Waylan off in the distance, I

"Sh..hhaaa…it…haaa"

That…

took everything

I was able to unleash an attack that was far more powerful than what I'd normally be able to release, but… the mana consumption… it was

"Haa… Haaa…"

my body. Instantaneously, both the rhythm of my breath and

thing I have several potions

to be

you managed

immediately launch another attack after the previous one. At this point in time, he seemed more interested

us? You may currently be weak, but there is no

"Again, with that?"

closer to my body, I cast a glance in Waylan's direction. Channeling the mana within my

tell you that I'm not interested? Why don't you understand that no means

forward and

Clink―!

ineffective as it stopped mere inches from Waylan's face as a small barrier appeared in front of him, but I had anticipated as much

proceeded with another slash and then another slash after that. I was able to sense

"This is…"

face changed for some unexplainable

because of his actions, but I

Clink―! Clink―!

by the time I had reached the thirty-first movement, the space around Waylan had already

'Almost…'

clenched my teeth when I saw

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

was close… so

Bank―!

"Huh?!"

blade came to

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

"This… This sword art…"

he appeared to be having difficulty finding the

no longer any trace of the tranquility and clarity that had previously been in his eyes; instead, he

'Oh, shit.'

my sword the moment he reached out for it, but it was as if an invisible force had

a hold of the sword, his face contorted into an incredibly repulsive expression. He gently stroked his face with his other hand, following the line of the scar on his

"…I'm sure of it."

from the sword and turned to