Swordmeister of Rome

As the sword swung at Stahntal, the powder that was floating around her gathered at the striking point and formed a shiny thin plate.

A terrible crashing sound was heard, and Stahntal was thrown toward the direction that Sian was pointing at a while ago. She flew all the way down to the mountain, past the well. The part of the mountain where Stahntal landed was destroyed as if a meteor had crashed there.

"Stay right there."

Sian then jumped toward the same direction. The Great Elder and the Second Elder looked at each other.

<…>

If they left her alone, there was no possibility of even surviving.

<…<Division Fold>…>

The Second Elder mumbled quietly, and the space where the two Elders stood began folding like paper. After it finished, they disappeared.

The two Elders reappeared at the crater beside the mountain. Stahntal staggered as she stood up from within.

"Ugh… what is that black sword?"

She spat blood from her mouth and stared at Sian. The <Armor of the Seven Stars> was an artifact that protected the user from all attacks and strengthened the user's attack, hence the reason why she didn't dodge the black sword that he swung at her.

The consequence wasn't what she had expected. The power of a ten-thousand-ton weapon in addition to the momentum and Sian's Bander, struck her with full force. Even though her artifact absorbed most of the damage, she still felt the shock as if she were hit by a meteor and was flung away.

"Even if you are that strong… I won't make this easy for you."

Stahntal mumbled as she charged out. The Great Elder activated his ring.

The Great Artifact, <Spear of the War God>

Darkness covered the Great Elder's hand. Within that darkness was something even darker. It wasn't an illusion. It was a weapon that was meant to devour everything it touched. An attack meant destruction as powerful as <Explosive Fire> magic. It was named after the War God as the devastation left behind after using this weapon was like the War God had passed through. The Great Elder followed behind Stahntal, toward Sian.

The mountain was now being destroyed.

The bright figure moved through the mountain at lightning speed, while a darkness quickly followed, attacking from behind. The Second Elder, who was a distance away, was able to see everything that was happening. He noticed that the black sword was destroying everything.

He had no time to waste. He activated his wristband, the <Hand of Gran-Ra>, named after the mighty Sun God Gran-Ra as the power of the wristband rivaled the God. He began channeling Exar into his wristband, and it began to shine with a bright golden light.

The Second Elder activated his highest attack magic.

<Lasod-Ra>

Meaning small sun, it did nothing fancy; it created fist-sized spheres that just burned the opponent. It was so powerful that even Pa-Harijans could not avoid it. They began appearing by Sian to burn him alive. Sian seemed to be bothered by it and kept swinging his sword, but there were too many spheres appearing around him.

All the lights now covered the mountain as it continued to be destroyed.

Soldiers were looking at the mountain, or what was left of it. The mountain before was now almost destroyed, only half of it was left.

"…"

Zagron, Colan, and the two Great Generals could not say anything. They all knew stories about Ra-Banders, but they didn't realize the sheer power they wielded until now.

"Ha…"

Zagron was speechless. He had become a Grand Bander at the age of fifty. He believed he had accomplished a great feat and was proud of himself. There were some Grand Banders that were stronger than him, but he believed that he would be able to defeat them as he got older.

After he became a Grand Bander, Stahntal the Fourth invited him to meet someone. As they arrived at a small shack beside the Lagran Region, he was greeted by her.

<Oh… what a cute boy.>

There she stood, <Stahntal the First.>

It was a shocking experience. He remembered how petty it seemed that he was a Master warrior who was trying so hard. He was even ashamed that he was once a Master warrior. Meeting her was an eye-opening experience. He then realized what she was felt toward him.

Disinterest. Apathy.

He was like an insect compared to her. The distance from Master to Grand Bander was much closer than the difference between him to her. There was no way he could reach that level during his life.

That was when Zagron became humble and stopped making a fool of others. He understood he wasn't good enough, so he focused on his training and earned him the nickname, 'Invincible'.

However, this was the first time he witnessed Stahntal fighting. And she was having a hard time, even when teamed up with two men of similar power.

Those two men seemed to like the weapons that Narasha had prepared. But they were now fighting together, against one man.

"…"

Zagron sighed as he watched the destroyed mountains; the other Great Generals had the same look on their faces.

The four of them came to a stop when Sian stopped swinging his sword and backed away. Two of the mountains in Sky Mountain Range had been completely destroyed.

They were far from being okay.

Stahntal's floating powder was now dull, with bruises all over her body. The armor would regenerate, but it was slow and could not keep up with the damage.

The Great Elder was in worse condition. His right hand that had the ring was broken and it was being held together by using Bander.

The Second Elder looked okay but was hurt from overusing his Exar and was now bleeding internally.

Sian was standing with a bruised cheek, which he was caressing with his left hand. That was the spot where he got hit by Stahntal.

"Erm… you know."

"…?"

"I thought, maybe, MAYBE, this time I might feel the danger of dying."

The other three looked confused. They were fighting for their very lives. Although they were not really successful, they thought Sian was also having a hard time.

"You three aren't enough, though it was a little dangerous. When can I break this barrier…? I thought I might make it if I gave myself a handicap while fighting, but it's not working. I'm done."

Sian then began using a <Way>.

At once, the plain sword that previously didn't radiate any magic began shining. Sian, too, was covered with light, but there was no color.

"However, thank you for cooperating. Let's finish it now."

The three looked grim as they watched Sian's power grow even stronger.

The battle at the mountain stopped; there were no more explosions or sounds of fighting. When the people became curious about what happened, a person appeared. He was walking while carrying three people on his shoulders. He first visited the Taran forces.

Everyone knew he was the main culprit for the damage to the mountain and could not even speak a word. When the man reached the Great Generals, he threw down a woman from his shoulder.

"…Stahntal the First…"

Zagron moaned. He quickly checked her vitals; however, she seemed okay.

"I'm going."

The man began to move so he could return to the Tian side.

"Who are you…?" Zagron asked as everyone froze. They were so terrified by the man that they could not even speak.

"I'm Sian. Oh, and the Lagran Region is now under Tian rule. Don't touch it, okay? Don't let her come near it either. The owner has changed."

It was casually mentioned, but no one could object. Then he was gone.

"Take them."

<Great Elder… Second Elder…>

The Third Elder whimpered and checked to see if they were okay. He sighed in relief when he found that they were only bruised and injured but still alive.

<You spared their lives… thank you…>

It was not a moment to be thankful for, but the Third Elder truly appreciated the outcome.

"Oh, no. It's alright. Handle the rest with Narasha."

Sian shrugged and turned away, then moved over to his father.

"Father, we're done here. We can go back now."

"Oh… yeah. Uh… let's go."

"I told them to never come back anymore, so they won't. But I'm not sure if it's all going to work like Nara… I mean, like what the King said."

<…father?>

Everyone was shocked. So this man was Count Roman's son? They all thought he was a thousand-year-old Ra-Bander. But the son of Count Roman… how old was he?

Count Roman was also very confused, but he did not want to reveal his thoughts to his son and began chatting with Sian. Besides the swollen cheek, he looked okay

After examining Sian for a while, Count Roman noticed something different.

"Oh.. Sian, what's that ring and wristband? Are you making a hobby of collecting jewelry? That <Narangel> thing too…"

"Haha…"

Sian laughed without answering.