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- Daaamn it all! Calm down at last! - yelled Regulus, attacking relentlessly.
Running down the rubble with Emilia, Subaru tried to see through the Archbishop's strange method of fighting.
He's throwing something... but what? He's picking something up off the ground and throwing it in all directions... Shit, it must be sand! Sand or some pebbles! Reinhard was right!
Tinkers that were completely harmless on their own, in his hands gained incredible speed and became deadly, like bullets from a firearm.
Regulus' blows shattered cobblestones and tore holes in walls. Buildings collapsed with a bang. The Third District of the Water Gate City was falling into ruins.
- Damn it all! - shouted the frustrated white-haired man.
He threw sand in all directions, trying to hit Reinhard. So far - unsuccessfully. The Sword Saint was simply too fast. He moved with such speed that even the Archbishop of Sin could not keep up with him. Moreover, he brazenly defied the laws of gravity by jumping... in the sky. All Regulus had to do was throw grains of sand blindly, following his opponent's aura.
- What a piece of trash! He flies like some gnat! Who are you?!
- I am the knight of Lady Felt, a candidate for the crown of Lugnica. I believe she will be the one to sit on the throne! - Reinhard's voice came from a different direction.
Regulus looked around confused, following the source of the sound.
Then a loud crash sounded. The Archbishop received a blow to the back of his head. The Sword Saint managed to hit him with something metal, which only became distorted.
- Rot... - choked Regulus out. He bore no trace of the impact.
- The surprise attack and the blind spot attack were also ineffective. And that means this power works differently than my blessing.... - muttered the knight.
He understood that he had to review Regulus' knitting rules as soon as possible. He was much faster than him, but he couldn't fight forever. Eventually, there had to come a time when he would drop his strength and the white-haired man would gain the upper hand.
- Oh, what's that face? Have you realized that you don't stand a chance? You may have been able to get away with violence, but you can't build happiness on other people's suffering! Admit it, how many lives have you trampled on already, you greedy monster!
- What you say causes me pain. I know my faults... - Reinhard lowered his eyes.
- Hm? Did my words make you think? Have you realized that you are doing wrong? Do you want to wash away your sins? Get a grip on yourself! You're obsessed with yourself! No one cares what happens to you, your future, whether you repent or not. All that matters is the present and the past. It's whether you've trampled on someone! Die, sinner! Deceiver!
- Listening to you, I feel like I'm looking in a mirror. Now I understand why Subaru advised not to listen to you.
- What an outrageous... Oh, so it was Subaru too? The clown who took my bride from me? They'll both get their due. They'll pay for it... Ouch!
Regulus' speech was interrupted by a powerful kick to the jaw that closed his mouth and sent him flying. Before the Archbishop could fly away, however, Reinhard grabbed him by the leg.
The Sword Saint decided to test his opponent's resistance. He took a deep swing and slammed his body into the pavement with all his might. For better effect, he pressed his head deeper into the sidewalk, then spun around and plowed through the surrounding collapses with it.
An incensed Regulus stared at him with hatred.
- What do you mean, when I was talking about you, you stood still, but now you're pissed? Defending a friend? It makes me sick...
- This conversation is over. You're impossible to listen to. And I'm certainly not going to do it when you insult my friend! - Reinhard replied with a smile and jumped up, pulling Regulus high.
A mighty leap took them between the clouds. A round white moon was shining in the early evening sky. A strong wind was blowing.
- Come on! - Regulus snorted. - Do you think it would be enough if you threw me down from a height? You must be dreaming. Are you stupid, or are you making an idiot out of me?
- I could try to just let you go. I'd check to see if you'd still be okay after hitting the sidewalk, but honestly, I have another plan now. You'll see," he said, then raised Regulus higher, preparing to throw. He moved as if he had leverage, although he was hanging in the air.
- What are you...! - choked out the astonished Archbishop, looking down. - Shit! - he wailed.
- Throw number one. Let's hope there won't be a second," Reinhard said, then threw him down, straight into the canal.
Regulus desperately waved his legs and arms, but to no avail.
- Water?! Water won't do anything to me! - he shouted. He stretched his hands out in front of him, preparing to hit the surface. He probably hoped to recover from his fall quickly enough to attack Reinhard while he was still hanging in the air, defenseless...
Suddenly a voice Regulus hated rang out:
- Emilia-tan, it's your turn!
- Ul Huma!
Out of the corner of his eye, the Archbishop saw the black-haired boy pointing a finger at him. The half elf, on the other hand, cast a spell.
A giant icicle struck him in the back. Regulus winced in pain, but it was not the end of it. By the time he fell into the canal, he was already encased in ice, with five spears piercing his torso and limbs.
He sank like a rock. Where it collided with the taffy, water froze - including the water that gushed out. An ice tombstone was left behind Regulus.
- We did it! Plan S, code-named "Splash," was successful!
- It would be great if that was enough," Reinhard added, landing next to them.
Subaru looked at his friend.
He did a pretty good job with that jump... A little more, and he'd have made it to orbit. It wouldn't have worked without him. All right, but if I didn't have a Superman on my team, I wouldn't have come up with this plan...
- We made it through your idea, my modest skills, and Lady Emilia's magic.
- It's like you read my mind! Although I must say, that went too easily... - muttered Subaru, looking at the channel.
- We can't help him anymore. Nobody could survive a fall from such a height," said Emilia, looking down.
- Honestly, I am very grateful to you for helping us. I'm sorry you feel bad about this. Remember, all three of us killed him. Together.
Life has already taught me that wanting revenge doesn't lead to anything good. Even when it comes to someone who tried to kill me. But there is one exception. The Witch Cult. They can't be forgiven. They can be hated. They are vile, shameful, despicable, wicked... They are pure evil. It's beyond words.
His musings were interrupted by the Sword Saint's shout:
- Attention!
The frozen surface of the water cracked. Subaru felt himself floating. It was Reinhard, who grabbed him and Emilia to take them as far away as possible. Water gushed from between the ice and fell to the ground in a rain of drops. A deep hole was left in the stone slabs after each one.
- Dropping the frozen Archbishop into the water didn't solve the problem," Reinhard muttered, staring at Regulus standing on the floe.
- It seems so," Subaru agreed, looking at the holes in the sidewalk. - On top of that, it turns out he can make weapons out of more than just sand...
- No sign of frostbite. Nothing. Just like a moment ago in the temple," whispered Emilia, also staring at the figure standing on the water.
We dropped him from the very top, frozen, immobilized, and he got up and lives on. As if nothing ever happened, without a single scratch. Neither physical nor magical attacks affect him. Neither does gravity. That can no longer be called strong defensive. I may be wrong, but to my eye... he's just invulnerable. It's like he's surrounded by some kind of indestructible barrier. The C-H plan was devised to see if his defense had any weaknesses. Now we know that...
- He's not even wet. I didn't want to believe it, but... - Subaru suspended his voice.
Regulus stood on a floe in a snow-white outfit, his face twisted with anger. His gaze was as cold as ice.
- This is what happens when someone is too sure of winning," he chuckled in such a voice that Subaru froze.
He felt that something very bad was about to happen.
- Don't you understand? You don't understand, you don't understand, you don't understand! You don't understand anything, really! It doesn't make sense! You don't stand a chance! You can't hurt me. Your efforts are meaningless. Why haven't you figured that out yet? I've made it clear to you. I've shown you in practice. And what? Nothing. You still don't understand," he said, slowly walking towards them. He walked from one ice floe to another, and when there was no more ice to step on...
Subaru opened his eyes in amazement.
- Hm? Do you begin to understand who you are dealing with? - said Regulus, and with shining eyes he took another step and another. He was now walking on water. Not on a frozen surface, but on liquid, rippling water.
Can he do that with his power? But what does... ...invulnerability to walking on water?
- Subaru... My sword.
- Hm? Oh, yeah. - He handed Reinhard the Dragon Sword.
- Are you going to use it? - Emilia asked, watching the redhead's face intently.
- No. He continues to prevent me, but I don't agree with him. I think he is a powerful enemy," he replied. Apparently, after that short fight, he had changed his mind about the threat Regulus posed.
- Then how are you going to fight? Are you going to hit him with your sheath? - Emilia asked.
- Emilia-tan, what an idea," snorted an amused Subaru. - After all...
- Yes, exactly right. Lady Emilia has guessed.
- What!
- And yet! - muttered Emilia, truly convinced that this was a great plan.
Subaru wasn't so sure about that.
I've noticed that all the powerful of this world rely on sheer force. They think that if one has tremendous power, why combine, but that won't go over with the Archbishops....
- Subaru, Lady Emilia... try to figure out his Authority! - said Reinhard briefly and jumped high into the air.
Regulus laughed sinisterly and leaned over the water to reach his fingers into its surface.
- You really don't understand anything! For the sake of the whole world, such stupidity must be exterminated! - he shouted and raised his arms. The water splashed and the drops danced in the air.
Reinhard only squeezed the scabbard with the Dragon Sword inside tighter and went into battle.
Subaru fainted, staring at the unusual, terrifying sight.
- It's going to be okay," Emilia said, grabbing his hand.
Then something amazing happened.
Everything around Reinhard was destroyed, crumbled and broken. Regulus cared for nothing, he was ready to raze the city to the ground. Reinhard dodged each of the deadly drops and appeared right next to Regulus. Their gazes met.
- Again, you can see that you don't have much imagination," sighed the Archbishop contemptuously.
- My lady says that those who walk down the street with their heads bowed in search of coins forget to look up," he replied and struck a blow.
Reinhard wielded the Dragon Sword, though he did not bare it as announced. However, it was a powerful weapon even without that. The Sword Saint twirled it, striking Regulus with a blow of hurricane force. And then another. His opponent responded with a rain of drops.
Subaru heard one deafening thud after another. He noticed that the fight looked a little different than before.
- It doesn't even fly away after a hit anymore.... - he whispered.
Reinhard punched the Archbishop straight in the face, but he didn't even falter. He only waved his hand as if chasing away a mosquito.
Even accurate attacks stopped impressing him.
Now Reinhard was also standing on the surface of the canal. Neither was able to gain an advantage over the other.
Shit, I got a bad feeling about this. This situation doesn't give us anything. We won't learn anything new if we don't break the stalemate.
He was right.
- What! - The Sword Saint collapsed, having lost his balance. His right leg was crushed at calf height, a stream of fresh blood gushing out.
- He got hit! But with what!
Reinhard looked at his own leg and furrowed his brow. He didn't know what had happened either.
And that's how you know we're total losers... We don't even understand what the enemy is doing to us!
- You thought you could dodge my attacks with your incredible agility? You naive man. You could have dodged the sand or the water, but to fight me is to fear everything. Even my breath," Regulus explained, raising his leg to kick.
Subaru was terrified. Could anyone survive the Archbishop's blow that turned grains of sand and drops of water into deadly projectiles?
Reinhard stopped Regulus' attack with the scabbard of the Dragon Sword. Waves spread around them.
- What an affliction with that sword. It's silly that it can't even be drawn. I totally don't understand why people hold on to something that is clearly not for them.
Regulus attacked once more. He kicked so that Reinhard flew backwards, splashing water and smashing the wall at the edge of the canal. None of the blows slowed his flight.
- No good! I'll stop you! - shouted Emilia.
As she raised her hand, white walls grew out of the ground in Reinhard's path to brake him. But when his body touched the ice...
- What? - choked out a bewildered Emilia.
Reinhard flew on without stopping. A human-shaped hole was left where he hit. He had broken through all the walls the half elf had put up that way. They had no way to stop him. Reinhard flew away between the buildings, destroying the ones he bumped into. He disappeared from their sight.
- Well, that takes care of the most troublesome one! - Regulus said, then shifted his sinister gaze to Subaru and Emilia.
The boy stiffened under the evil stare.
Countless icicles appeared in the air, all aimed at Regulus. Emilia looked at him resolutely.
- Oh dear. I don't like girls who associate facts so slowly - Regulus chattered. - You have to spend a lot of time with such a girl to make her useful, because women have a hard time learning new things. The best way to start is to teach them where they belong. Trained ones become more bearable.
Emilia did not listen to Regulus' talk. Right in the middle of his speech, she shouted, releasing a multitude of magical icicles that all at once fell on the Archbishop. However, he only waved his hand and the projectiles hit the ground.
- You really don't listen to what is being said to you.... - he muttered, then spread his arms. He looked very solemn in his festive outfit. - Your efforts are pointless! I am a perfect, finished being! I am fulfilled! I don't lack anything! I am the only being who has conquered eternity!
- You, fulfilled? That is, after all, a big lie! From what you're saying, it sounds like you're constantly just wanting more and more!
- What?
- A normal man would take care of his wives! But you just imprison them and then use them as hostages! And besides...! - shouted Emilia with burning eyes.
Subaru had very rarely seen her this agitated. Her emotions made her run out of words, but she took a breath and already knew what to say next.
- That's right! - She took it. - I hate you!
- Dam... - began Regulus furiously, but she wouldn't let him finish.
- You're getting angry?! This is a joke! I should be angry, not you! And I am! I am angry!
Subaru thought she told him well, but he was also aware that there was nothing to provoke this monster.
- Emilia-tan, you're great, but enough already... - He pulled her by the hand.
- But...!
- We can't defeat him in a normal fight. We have to find out where his power comes from! Find Reinhard and see if he's okay! We've got our work cut out for us and we can't forget it!
He was worried about his friend. The Sword Saint had received such a heavy blow that something could happen to him, and without him, they didn't stand the slightest chance. Emilia hesitated, but only for a moment. She quickly mastered her anger and set out to find Reinhard.
Subaru was convinced that Regulus would try to stop them, but nothing of the sort happened. The Archbishop let them run. He didn't even flinch, he just watched them, standing motionless on the surface of the water.
It's weird... but all the better for us. We'll bounce back a bit and figure out what to do next. We can prepare the next test of his Authority.
Subaru glanced behind him once more.
- What? - he groaned in amazement.
Emilia heard it. And as she turned to see what it was about, she herself stopped in shock.
- Subaru... I have a bad feeling...
- Then we agree. So do I...
They looked at each other and, as if on command, started to sprint away.
Standing behind them on the bank of the canal, Regulus slowly raised his hands, and held in them water. He simply pulled it out of the canal, miraculously causing it to take the cubic shape he wanted. In his hands, the liquid lost its natural properties. It was as if he was creating dice. Thousands of cubes.
- Run away, run away. Very good. You have realized that I am more powerful than you. It is obvious that you have chosen to flee. I respect you for that logical choice. It's just that... - he interrupted and jumped.
This was no ordinary jump. To Subaru, it looked like teleportation. Suddenly, Regulus was standing on top of the Third Quarter’s control tower.
Damn, these guys like tall buildings after all...
He wanted to make such a joke out loud, but he did not have time. Something happened that surpassed his wildest imagination.
- The woman. who has lost the right to be my bride and her brazen, shameless lover. Run as fast as you can. See if you can escape. From me you will receive a cleansing rain! - shouted Regulus.
He was so far away that his face was no bigger than a pea grain, but Subaru knew full well that he was writhing with rage. The water tiers he had taken with him to the top of the tower began to slowly deform. A wall of water collapsed onto the ground with devastating force.
- Subaru!
- Faster, faster, faster, faster!
They rushed on, with a wall of murderous rain behind them that destroyed everything in its path.
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