Return Of The Strongest Player

'It's gravity!' Arthur shouted internally, feeling an unusual suction force pulling him towards the vortex. His ice tornado succumbed to the intensity and superiority of the Devil's spell, completely dissolving within seconds.

'Someone who can beat me in terms of magic… Then again, my mana reserve is pitiful, even with the mana stone. If only I could expand my mana reserve… but I still wouldn't be able to focus too much on magic.'

'Swordsmanship is the priority, at least for now. With the Blade Sovereign's legacy, I can improve my sword endlessly. Also, with Skofnung's newest ability, although I cannot use it to its full potential yet, I will be able to in the future.'

'I could've just de-summoned this dumbass if he wasn't so… annoying, to say the least.'

'I just need a chance to use Heaven's Echo Strike, but in the time it takes to activate that, I'll be dead. Isn't it better to try to grasp Sword Aura first, before moving on my strongest move… That will increase the intensity and decrease the time it takes to unleash it.'

Arthur launched a burst of Sun Energy, which seemed to be capable of bypassing the powerful gravitational force of the Devil's spell. With no repercussions, the burst of Sun Energy approached the Devil, engraving a scar on his shoulder.

The Devil let out a roar, not having expected an attack to simply shatter the restrictions of gravity.

"Human… What are your boundaries?" The Devil inquired, narrowing his eyes. "You look, you are weak. But you are not, at the same time. What unholy substance have you consumed to reach this power?"

Arthur didn't respond, summoning webs of Sun Energy that embraced his arms, wrapping around them like chains. Then, he used [Ethereal Glide] to rush forward, utilizing the webs whenever he was faced with the pressure of gravity.

The Sun Energy was inherently superior to such a pitiful condensation of mana, and could easily overpower such spells if utilized correctly. 

His eyes glowed a certain shade of orange before Skofnung, coated with a layer of mana along with Sun Energy, collided with the Devil's axe. Immediately, the axe shattered, allowing Arthur's to slice one of the Devil's arms off.

The arm landed on the ground with a loud thud.

'My Sun Energy reserve…' Arthur muttered internally, forming a sour expression while sensing his reserve. 'It's pitifully low… And the Sun's rays shining down are not as strong as they were before…'

'Did the Divine Heavensplitting Resonance Art reduce the intensity of the Sun or something?'

It was a rather complicated situation.

Arthur continued his barrage of strikes, immediately withdrawing his Sun Energy after the first strike. The Devil roared in pain as black liquid flowed from the wound, staining the surface of the world.

"You fuckin…!" The Devil screamed, releasing shockwaves of energy while manipulating the gravity of what seemed like the entire world. His body glowed a deep shade of crimson, while amethyst swords began dropping from the sky.

Arthur utilized Sun Energy to bypass the gravitational force while evading the amethyst swords, clenching his teeth. 'The power of someone who's as strong as an Elite Ranker is still beyond my reach.'

'But with Heaven's Echo Strike…'

Arthur concentrated on Mushin while evading the amethyst swords, using them as a catalyst to completely unify the aspects and gain thoughtlessness.

[The process of achieving Mushin has begun…]

[User is absorbing proficiency at a terrifying rate.]

Arthur smiled, unleashing a barrage of sword strikes while he rushed forward. When the Devil was about to unleash yet another powerful spell, Arthur activated [Searing Gaze], knocking him off-balance.

With a split second to spare, Arthur swung his sword horizontally, releasing blade waves that caused a buzz to reverberate in the crimson-eyed man's ears. His body stung as he continued to expend mana at a concerning pace.

The destruction was unparalleled, with the ruins looking like the remains of a war.

The sky was ashen, while a stinging, chilly atmosphere coated the world. 

The blade waves collided with the Devil's body, and he went crashing backward several meters like a broken puppet, landing within a pile of rubble while coughing out a certain, black, viscous liquid.

His eyes radiated immense fury. The Devil flicked his wrist, and a shroud of shadows materialized around his body, coating his entire existence with a dark, gooey substance that flickered occasionally.

Following that, the Devil's aura weakened, as if he were deliberately withdrawing it. Dark liquid sprayed from his eyes, while a pool of it formed beneath his body, staining the world in an unholy substance.

The world turned silent, with only the occasional sound of moving rubble and the soft breeze that tickled Arthur's skin. The crimson-eyed man stood motionless, his eyes shut and his body stiff.

Skofnung was tightly gripped using both hands, while its tip was faced diagonally, pointed in the Devil's direction.

'A little more time…'

[Mushin Proficiency: 45%... 46%...]

[47%... 48%... 49%... 54%... 55%...]

'Clear your mind… Darkness, emptiness, thoughtlessness… that is all that should remain in your mind as if you are simply a robot, devoid of any attachment to the outcome. An organism created solely for the purpose of battle.'

[57%... 58%... 59%...]

Sweat trickled down Arthur's forehead as he poured the entirety of his concentration into the task. Tightening and relaxing his muscles occasionally, Arthur attempted to unify his body and his mind further.

The Unification Technique was somewhat imperfect, in this sense.

However, had it not been for the technique, Arthur wouldn't even have been able to approach the state of Mushin. 

'Merge with the world… effortlessness, as if fluency is key. Spreading Divine Sense while focusing solely on one's surroundings, abandoning thoughts about one's body. All that matters is what occurs externally.'

'Once you're at the peak of thoughtlessness…'

[98%... 99%...]

[Your body is being strained with intense pressure.]

[Your mind is being strained with intense pressure.]

'Once one reaches the apex, one slowly descends, returning to one's normal state of consciousness, and regarding Mushin as solely an extension of their power. Mushin is not to be assimilated perfectly.'

'If one assimilates the technique in its entirety, one would slowly lose their emotions, regarding the world as a mere canvas.'

[The State Of Mind 'Mushin' has been achieved.]

[The process of igniting Sword Aura begins…]