One-Eyed Dragon Part 1

Under the blazing sun, the Fourth Imperial Army confronted the 6,000-strong Liberation Army. The Liberation Army set up a spearhead formation. The first and second lines were made up of slave infantry. While the main and rear lines were made up of camel cavalry―mainly mercenaries. The formation resembled the tip of a spear.

In contrast, the Fourth Imperial Army greeted them with the Dragon Wing Formation. The first line consisted of 2,500 soldiers in the central defense, followed by 1,000 in the mainline, and the 2,000 on each wing played an important role in encircling the enemy.

On either side of the mainline are the third line with 500 and the fourth line with 500 soldiers. The remaining 1500 are in reserve, waiting in the rear.

"Release the arrows!"

Shouted the man in command of the first line of the Fourth Imperial Army. He's General Kylo's second-in-command, and his name is Kigui Markar von Zuraki.

"Give those hungry slaves a meal to their heart's content!"

Kigui waved his arm to signal the flag bearer. A large flag was raised. With that, arrows from the first line of archers were released and rained down on the enemy forces.

Many of the enemy soldiers were buried in the sand, but that did not stop their momentum, and soon the sound of sword fights rang out on the front lines. However, the shabby equipment of the slave infantry was useless against the Fourth Imperial Army. They were slaughtered one after another in front of the well-honed swords.

However, the slaves also seemed to have a will of their own, and they pushed open the center of the first line with their spirit.

"They were only slaves. What are you waiting for?"

Kigui watched with a bloodthirsty face as the center was pried open. At this rate, the camel cavalry of the Liberation Army will come pouring in.

"Hold them off at all costs!"

But Kigui's voice failed to reach the front. The camel cavalry was pouring into the front line. The camels were crushing strong, heavily armored infantrymen. The shouts of the slaves were getting closer and closer. Kigui pulled out a bundle of spirit talismans from his pocket and kicked his horse in the belly.

"If this turns out like this, I'll stop them myself!"

A camel appears in front of him. Riding in it is a large man with pale purple skin―a demon race.

"Is he the demon that the princess was talking about?!"

Kigui should have run away immediately. He should have retreated. But his decision was clouded by the fact that he was carrying the spirit talismans. When he threw a red spirit talisman, a fireball appeared.

"Huh. What is it?"

The demon―Ghada laughed and crushed it.

Kigui is agitated, but he threw another spirit talismans. An ice block falls, wind erupts, and lightning rains down from the sky to the ground. But Ghada blocked all of them with just one hand.

"Is that all you got?"

"What, no way… Are you a monster?"

Ghada then closed the distance between himself and Kigui and swung his greatsword sideways.

"Fuu――D-demon."

It was the last word that can be heard from Kigui. His head flew up into the air, drawing fresh blood, and his body slid off the horse's back. Ghada didn't even look at him, as if he wasn't interested.

"I will break through the center and take the commander's head!"

A lot of Grantz cavalrymen stood in front of Ghada as he looked forward. Everyone has an angry expression on their face as they slash at him from all sides.

"Hmph."

Ghada swung his "Demon Creator" lightly as if to blow on it. Swing it to the right, thrust it forward, take it back to the left, and then swing it out vertically. In the blink of an eye, five cavalrymen lost their lives. The Grantz cavalrymen could not hide their agitation, but they did not retreat. They were proud to be the elite of the Grantz Empire. The camel cavalry rushed to the Grantz cavalry to support Ghada.

"…Now, let's go grab victory! Follow me!"

Ghada raised his voice and was about to devastate the Fourth Imperial Army. At that very moment, from the edge of his vision, a bullet-like red flame struck out at him.

"Hmm, little girl. I will not go easy on you like I did yesterday, you know."

"I'll return your words to you exactly as they were!"

Liz disappeared from her horse and flew through the air in an elegant motion.

"That's very brave of you. I have no taste for killing children. I could still let you off now."

A slash was launched from her as she passed over Ghada's head. But Ghada swung his greatsword and repelled it.

Sparks fly between the two and then disappear. As he dodged, Ghada kicked the camel's back. He aimed for the moment Liz landed. He flew right in front of her and snapped his greatsword across her face.

She barely managed to catch it but was flung away, and the distance between them widened.

"It's not too late. If you want to run, then run. I won't chase you. I know you don't want to die in a place like this."

Ghada warned her, but Liz only smiled wryly and continued to shake her head.

"You're right. So I'm not going to die."

Ghada's eyes widened as Liz took a more relaxed stance. It wasn't fear or contempt that came from her. The only thing that showed on the red jade was a determination that was akin to a sense of duty.

"You can't guess the difference in power between us, can you? I think it's reckless."

"If I run away now, I'll be running away every time I encounter a big obstacle. That's why I can't run away."

Liz brushed her red hair back from her shoulders and readied her Flame Emperor.

"I see. I understand. I think I understand why you were chosen to become the Spirit Sword wielder at your age."

She has a noble, beautiful, and pure heart. Even if she encounters difficulties, she doesn't think that running away is an option. That's why it's such a waste. It is not the kind of life that should be scattered in a place like this.

However, Ghada had his own reasons for not retreating.

"So let's settle this, shall we?"

"I've been thinking about that for a while now, but don't get carried away!"

Liz buried her toes in the sand and swung her foot up. Sand smoke was blown by the wind and took away Ghada's vision. Liz then swung her "Flame Emperor" at Ghada's neck to take advantage of the opportunity.

"I wouldn't call it cowardly. But you must be punished appropriately for your bad behavior!"

Ghada lowered his head to avoid the blade. It was an agile evasive maneuver that did not suit his stature.

Liz has an astonished look on her face. In the meantime, Ghada put his hands on the ground and released his magic power.

The sands entangled around Liz's legs. She lost her balance and fell forward. Liz tried to get up, but her feet were buried in the sand, and she couldn't break free.

"Kuh!?"

A large shadow fell over Liz's head. When she looked up, she saw that Ghada had raised his greatsword.

"I'm not done yeeet!"

When Liz screamed and slammed her fist into the ground, a large amount of dust flew into the air. Ghada's greatsword, caught off-guard by the sudden action, swung down on the spot far away from Liz.

Liz, having escaped, leaped over Ghada's head and came up behind him.

"Haaaaa!"

Liz slashes at Ghada's back with her Flame Emperor.

"Mmm, not once, but twice now!"

As soon as Ghada sensed it, he immediately turned around and intercepted it. A moment later, the two blades clashed, and a loud scream was heard.

"I'll finish you off here!"

As if in response to Liz's spirit, flames erupted from the "Flame Emperor."

"Tsk!"

Ghada tried to take a step back, but Liz took advantage of the opportunity and attacked with a series of feints. Sometimes she used her fists, sometimes, she tried to avoid the attack, and when she failed, she stepped forward and slashed at him. Ghada sighs in admiration at her lean and refined movements.

"…You're a great opponent. Your movements have changed since yesterday."

The more powerful the owner's wish is the more power the spirit sword will give, and the better the "heartfelt wish," the more pronounced the effect. The only way to draw out the spirit's power is to see how much it resonates with your heart.

In other words, the girl must have made her first step.

She is still struggling to break out of the shell of an ordinary person, but she has definitely taken a step forward. Liz has definitely started on the path to becoming a hero.

"I never thought that you could grow up in such a short time; that's why humans are so scary. They can easily surpass all expectations."

But Ghada had a reason he couldn't give up. He must win at all costs.

"I can t afford to lose! It's also for the sake of Mirue!"

Magic power is released from Ghada's body, and the magic stone on his forehead emits intense light.

"Wha――."

Liz's movements stop, and her expression changes completely. This is because Ghada's body had grown a size larger.

"It's my turn now. If I take too many times at this point, the Liberation Army will be annihilated."

Ghada swung his greatsword down with all his might. Liz barely avoided it, but the place where she used to be was heavily caved in by the greatsword strike.

"Look at the power of the demon race that once swept the central continent!"

Ghada began to wield the Demon Creator with all his might. Liz attempted to attack in desperation but was unable to diminish the greatsword's power and began to be thrown back by the sheer force of the greatsword.

Her cheek was cut shallowly by the wind pressure alone. It was only a minor cut because of the spirit sword's protection, but normally, it would have torn her face to shreds.

The Grantz soldiers in the vicinity were caught in the wind, which was no different than a blade, and their bodies were cut to pieces.

"You should only aim at me!"

Liz had no regard for her own safety as she charged forward. As she closed in on Ghada, she held out her Flame Emperor.

"You can't stop me with that."

Ghada easily caught the blade of the red flame with his hand.

"Then I'll just beat you!"

Liz's fist landed on Ghada's cheek. A dull sound, as if she had struck iron, echoed through the air. But Ghada was looking down at Liz with an amused expression on his face.

"I told you it was useless, didn't I? And you're less powerful than before. Have you been aware of that?"

Liz's eyes were filled with agitation. She was probably not aware of it, though her high spirits may have made her so.

Her body has an enormous amount of power. The power of the spirit is wasted and dispersed. Each of her attacks lacked finesse. In other words, she was fighting with her faucet open. Wasted movement contributes to the exhaustion of physical strength, and a tremendous amount of power can overwork the body.

"It's a pity. If you knew how to handle your power… you might have surpassed me."

As he spoke plainly, Ghada was unleashing his attacks. Liz continued to resist, but she eventually fell to her knees on the ground, sweating profusely.

"I'll make it easy for you."

Ghada wielded the Demon Creator. Liz barely managed to block it with her Flame Emperor, but she was easily blown away.

"Not yet… Ugh…"

Liz tried her best to get up, but her knees lost their strength, and she fell to the ground. When Ghada approached her, he raised his "Demon Creator."

"I have no taste for killing women and children… but I suppose that's what war is all about."

My apologies, Ghada muttered, and he swung the Demon Creator down――but he was unable to do so.

"――Wha!?"

A strong chill ran through his back. Ghada hurriedly looked back behind him. It was broad daylight, but there was a darkness in front of him that made the world lose its light. It ate up all the light around it and transformed into a disastrous "darkness."

A glimmer of light appeared in the darkness. With the sound of footsteps in the sand, something came out.

A cold sweat ran down Ghada's cheeks as he quickly readied himself.

"Who… are you?"

It was a boy with a soft face and a disproportionate eye patch that appeared in the darkness. Without answering Ghada's question, the boy approached with a miserable smile on his face.

"Would you mind stepping away from Liz?"

When the boy's muttering shook his eardrums, a shock ran through Ghada's abdomen.