The violinist raised their bow, the drummer gripped their drumsticks, and the oboist's lips met the mouthpiece.
The conductor lifted the baton—and brought it down.
Thus began a rousing symphonic performance. In the tacit rhythm, the young man wielding a spear unleashed his power without reservation, intent on letting his enemy witness the apex of spear techniques beneath the divine domain.
Thrust, sweep, collapse, flick—
The long spear roared like a dragon, surging forth—but there was always a gleam of dark iron light appearing at just the right moment to force it to a halt.
The Grand Assassin swung his greatsword. Though flames blazed in his eyes, what could still be felt was a thick disappointment.
Still weak, as always. He had even abandoned the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception's overwhelming power, as though he'd never possessed them, relying solely on mortal martial skills!
Like a carefully cultivated seed that withered and died shortly after being planted.
This should not be!
Even if the Old Man of the Mountain had never taught another soul in his life, in a training ground of virtually infinite time, instructing personally, even a tethered pig should have gained something!
Was it that the student was too foolish—or had the teacher been too presumptuous?
Just as the Grand Assassin fell into bewilderment, the youth before him suddenly spoke.
"All this time, I've troubled you to hold back, Elder."
It sounded like a concession—but the Old Man of the Mountain's expression tightened, both hands raising his longsword!
Scarlet lightning crashed down, striking against the ancient sword. The chill of spiritual fire collided with biting fighting spirit, erupting in a brilliant mist of sparks, briefly brightening this dark world.
Crack!
A crisp sound rang out.
The Old Man of the Mountain's face froze—while Sakatsuki's smile deepened.
In the next instant, the Assassin's greatsword snapped in two, and the crimson spear, free of its opponent, shrieked through the air and pierced the tall elder's chest. Nimbly pulling free, it dodged grasping hands as Sakatsuki spun, gripped the spear's butt, and swung the demonic weapon in a wide arc, rainbow-blue light shining in his eyes.
It happened in an instant—enough to decide victory.
The death lines locked on. The long spear descended!
No blood splattered. Only the clear ring of blades clashing—and beneath his restored longsword, the Old Man of the Mountain's eyes burned brighter.
"You thought breaking a weapon was enough to defeat me? Are you not a little too arrogant?"
Even after dozens of battles, though wear and tear gave Sakatsuki a chance, how could an Assassin like the Old Man of the Mountain not take precautions?
Faced with Hassan's rebuke, Sakatsuki's smile grew even wider.
"It was just a passing prank. If it worked, great. If it failed, it would at least spare me the shame of an unworthy win."
As the young man swung his spear, a cool, blood-hued radiance surged like a tide. Even though his foe had killed him dozens of times, no trace of fear lingered in Sakatsuki's eyes.
If anything, the aura of the long spear grew even fiercer.
"I understand what you wanted to teach me, Elder. But this student's always been free and easy, I don't like suppressed, momentary bursts. I prefer straightforward, overwhelming force."
Exposing the Grand Assassin's intent, Sakatsuki slowly lowered his stance, rainbow-blue light gleaming brighter in his eyes.
After a brief rest—the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception returned.
"Even if this student is dull, there are things I can do—like right now."
He closed in—the young man becoming a gale, the crimson spear in his hand letting out a long, exultant cry.
"Then, teacher—allow me to present the work I've forged through so many deaths!"
The wind howled.
The long spear thrust again, along the death lines.
But this time, the Old Man of the Mountain could no longer find a chance to counter. He raised his longsword, blocking the fierce demonic spear, only to suddenly feel a lightness, the tense force losing its purchase, dissipating.
The long spear, abandoned, fell to the ground. And the young man, like a figure carried by the wind, streaked along the earth at terrifying speed, twin black-and-white blades in hand, dragging a curtain of darkness as he slashed.
Again—along the trajectory of the death lines!
Though startled, the Old Man of the Mountain showed no fear. His wrist flicked, steel meeting steel, sparks flying!
The two figures crossed.
Sakatsuki's steps abruptly halted. Without hesitation, he cast aside the twin blades. A bronze longsword fell into his grip, its clear radiance cleaving through the night.
Straight toward the Old Man of the Mountain's faint death line.
A fierce wind howled. For the first time in this entire battle, King Hassan voluntarily retreated. His tattered cloak flared, several ghostly blue flames flying forth, easily cleaved apart by the longsword.
And the youth, bathed in blue fire, roared like a majestic, solemn hero, pressing all his might into the sword's edge in a slashing arc!
Again, along the death line. Again, with flawless, unblockable form!
Finally realizing what this troublesome student was demonstrating, the Old Man of the Mountain abandoned thoughts of melting into shadow to evade. He calmly received the blow. The old sword was cleanly split in two—and his body likewise split from top to bottom, shadowy substance leaking from the wound.
Like a punctured paper doll, King Hassan cast one final, deep glance at Sakatsuki—and vanished into the darkness.
Sakatsuki bent forward, gasping for breath, rainbow-blue eyes blindingly bright, like an incandescent bulb on the verge of burning out.
Victory.
No trickery. No shameful, underhanded ploys. Before the thirty-sixth death, Sakatsuki cleaved apart both the Old Man's sword and body.
A flawless, unassailable win.
The realization of defeating a Grand Servant finally sank in. The young man laughed, collapsing heavily onto the ground.
If spear techniques alone couldn't keep up with the Mystic Eyes' bursts of power, then what about adding Diarmuid's dual spears? Or methods recorded from the General Wu An of Qin? Or Archer's dual blades and longbow?
If he could snatch fragments of the techniques the heroic spirits prided themselves on and meld them into one—then such endlessly shifting skills might just catch up to the fleeting death lines.
The Old Man of the Mountain's death proved it possible!
"A splendid battle. I truly see you in a new light now."
A shadow outlined a figure. In the same manner of revival as before, the Old Man of the Mountain appeared before Sakatsuki once more—but his greatsword was gone.
"By constantly switching weapons, seizing the finest parts of each martial technique, each strike capable of revealing a sliver of death… It's a path utterly different from mine, but one that even I find startling."
"Just as you said, teacher, this student's hopeless when it comes to martial skills." Sakatsuki smiled bitterly. "The first thirty deaths were me trying to fuse spear techniques with the Mystic Eyes—but I failed. Seems like a made-to-order spear art isn't something a half-baked guy like me can manage."
"In the end, I could only cobble together this patchwork method for a seamless offense."
"So you used only five deaths to meld the Mystic Eyes into your martial skills?" The Old Man of the Mountain looked at the modestly smiling youth, and fell silent.
This student probably didn't realize it himself. Though compared to his aptitude for magecraft, he was indeed weak—very weak, in martial skills.
But still far beyond the reach of any ordinary person.
Even if everything he'd learned so far was borrowed, even if it was theoretical and improvised on the spot, he'd still forged a combat technique capable of defeating a Grand Servant.
It wasn't the instant-kill method Hassan valued, but a bold, sweeping style brimming with youthful vigour and grandeur.
Perhaps, he himself had been too inflexible…
Ghostly blue flames shimmered in his pupils as the elder spoke quietly.
"You've already proven your ability to me. Then, take up this responsibility well."
"What?"
Before Sakatsuki could react, the elder's figure completely crumbled, transforming into a blazing blue spiritual flame that enveloped him.
"This power… Could it be—!"
Before the final words fell, the young man's figure vanished, disappearing entirely into that collapsing dreamscape.
***
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