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[Crossover] Ch 239: A Big Gap
🕑 Added 2025-09-07 15:52:35 +0000 UTC— — — — — —
The brawl ended.
Doni walked onto the island without a scratch, while Andrea looked like he'd been used as a punching bag by a heavyweight champ.
"Haha! Looks like the ship's a goner. That might be a problem!"
Doni scratched the back of his head and laughed loudly, as carefree as ever.
"Please don't worry. While you two were busy… exchanging pleasantries, I already asked the Copper-Black Cross to send another ship."
Erica smiled gracefully as she replied, then offered a polite nod toward the swollen-faced Andrea. "It has been a long time, Sir Andrea."
"The Copper-Black Cross girl, huh?"
Andrea scowled, glaring through his battered face. "Found yourself a pretty solid backer, I see."
As he spoke, his eyes flicked toward Ryo. The more he looked, the more his irritation grew. He couldn't stop himself from smacking Doni on the head.
"Doni! Look at Ryo Yagami. Can't you learn from him for once?"
"Learn what?" Doni blinked, completely lost.
"Demeanor! Poise! A king aura!" Andrea snapped, grinding his teeth in frustration.
"Oh! Brother, you actually have that kind of stuff?" Doni turned to Ryo with genuine surprise.
"DAMN MORON!" Andrea gave Doni another smack.
Ryo's mouth twitched as he watched. The whole situation was… complicated. Did he really have that so-called " king aura"? He'd never noticed it himself.
"Anyway, that's not important."
Doni shook his head, then grew suddenly serious. He pulled a sword from the bag slung across his back.
"Shall we start right here?"
"Fine by me." Ryo's answer came quick.
Truth be told, he'd been itching to fight Doni. It would give him the chance to slip his technique into Doni's body.
Andrea's face went pale. He quickly exchanged looks with Erica and Liliana, and the three of them bolted, sprinting toward the far end of the island.
As they ran, Andrea asked steadily, "Hey, Black Cross girls—what's with your king? Why's he going along with Doni's madness?"
"Maybe he's just indulging a whim." Erica's smile was bright as ever.
Liliana answered more seriously, "Perhaps it's for the matter of our allegiance, mine and Erica's…"
"Liliana!" Erica shot her a sharp glare. This silly girl—didn't she realize even information like that could be bargained for?
"I see. A king who values his subordinates. That's… admirable."
Andrea's voice carried a note of envy.
Then, sneaking a glance at Erica, he muttered inwardly, 'Cunning little fox.'
Clearly, there'd be no getting useful intel out of her. Erica, on her part, could only sigh inside while keeping her elegant smile.
The three of them kept running until they'd covered about two kilometers. Liliana slowed down first. "Surely this is far enough?"
"Not even close!" Erica and Andrea snapped in unison.
They pushed on another three kilometers, all the way to the far side of the island, before Erica finally stopped. "This should be safe."
"You're underestimating them." Andrea let out a sharp laugh, then pointed to a distant island across the waves. "At the very least, we should retreat there—and brace for a possible tsunami."
"But how will we watch the fight from that far?" Liliana was aghast. "Even clairvoyant magic won't reach!"
"Relax. I already tossed a surveillance relic onto the island."
Andrea stepped right onto the water, walking across the sea using magic.
Erica and Liliana shared a look. One leapt with magic-enhanced jumps, the other cast a flying spell, and together they headed toward the other island.
...
Meanwhile, back on the battlefield—
Doni unsheathed an ordinary knight's sword. Silver light surged from his shoulder, wrapping the blade, transforming it into a weapon blazing with terrifying magical force.
"Looks like they've gone far enough. Alright, bro, let's begin!"
Facing Ryo, he whispered an incantation:
"I hereby swear, I forbid the existence of things I cannot cut! O silver arm, upon my oath, turn into the invincible blade!"
Supernatural speed carried his strike, a slash that seemed to tear apart the world itself.
But—
Clang!
Doni froze. His eyes went wide. The blade had been caught—between two of Ryo's fingers. Not a scratch marked them.
"How… how is that possible?"
"I told you, you'd be disappointed."
Ryo pressed his fingers against the blade, steady as iron, then raised his right arm.
It glowed, then swung down in a single motion.
Sacred Sword.
A flash.
Blood sprayed across the sand. Doni, the King of Swords, was cleaved neatly in two.
---
Out over the waves, Liliana had just started to accelerate when her phone rang.
"Ehhh?"
She stopped in midair, startled, and fished it out of her pocket.
"What is it, Liliana?" Erica asked, pausing mid-leap.
"…It's Ryo," Liliana answered in a daze.
Andrea also skidded to a halt, staring at her with suspicion.
Liliana pressed the answer button. Ryo's voice flowed through, calm and clear. "Come back. The spar's over."
"What?!"
Andrea let out a strangled shout and whipped his head around toward the island. His pupils shrank in disbelief.
Erica's lips twitched as she too looked back.
The fight was already over?
Weren't battles between Campiones supposed to shake the world? Weren't they walking natural disasters?
How could it be over so quickly?
High in the air, Liliana whispered in shock, "Even among Campiones… there's a difference in power?"
Through the still-open call, Ryo's voice came warmly. "I'm just a little stronger than Doni. That's all."
"A little?!" Andrea's face twisted.
What kind of nonsense was that!
He'd fought alongside Doni for years, against every other Campione. None of those fights ended quickly—hours passed before they reached a draw.
And now? Barely half a minute had gone by.
Thirty seconds. Doni had been cut down in thirty seconds.
Andrea fell silent. At last, he sighed. "Doni… looks like the gap between you and Lord Yagami is enormous."
"Shall we go back?" Liliana asked quietly from above.
"Of course!" Erica snapped, gritting her teeth.
...
Back on the island.
The three returned, staring in shock at Doni's bisected body sprawled on the ground.
"My king… did you actually kill Lord Salvatore?" Erica asked, horrified.
"Not dead."
Andrea walked over and gave Doni a kick.
Sure enough, Doni shoved his leg away, scowling. "Quit it. I'm savoring the moment."
"…." Erica and Liliana both fell silent.
Then, pale but grinning, Doni looked up at Ryo. "Bro… that was your Sacred Sword?"
"Yes."
Ryo, leaning against a boulder, nodded.
"Brilliant sword!" Doni beamed, laughing. "So it's true… swordsmanship can split atoms."
He chuckled again, then asked, "Bro, you'll be going up against that Small Hag, won't you?"
"I will."
"Good!" Doni burst into raucous laughter. "Then beat her down with this sword—show her how powerful the pinnacle of swordsmanship really is!"
Ryo smirked. "I'd rather beat her with my personal sword."
"Huh?" Doni blinked, confused.
Erica and Liliana both flushed and turned their faces away.
"Forget it," Ryo said evenly. "If you don't get it, you don't get it."
Andrea took the chance to speak. "Lord Yagami, on behalf of this hopeless moron, I thank you."
He knew Ryo had held back. Doni's reckless personality could easily have gotten him killed against a little stronger foe.
"I barely did anything."
Ryo inclined his head, then turned to Erica and Liliana. "The ship should be arriving soon. How about we relax on the beach for a while?"
"If you don't mind delaying our trip to England, I'd be delighted." Erica brushed back her hair and smiled mischievously.
Liliana flustered immediately. "The beach? But I don't have a swimsuit…"
Erica grinned. "Oh? Do you want the king to pick one for you? Bold move, Liliana."
Ryo laughed. "Now that you mention it, I'm not tired anymore. Why don't we hit a swimsuit shop first?"
"Then on Liliana's behalf, I accept." Erica smirked.
Liliana's face turned red. She looked from Ryo to Erica and back again, then burst out angrily. "Erica, I challenge you to a duel!"
"A swimsuit duel? Fine, I accept. Though we'll need to clear the beach first."
"That's not what I meant, and you know it!"
Ryo watched them bicker, the corner of his eye lingering on Doni's regenerating body. Within his cells, cosmic light shimmered faintly.
Ryo's smile sharpened. "The Mage Association of England, Witenagemot… godslayers. This world—will it really play out the way I want? How will the gods in Little Garden react?"
His gaze drifted toward the horizon, his voice dropping to a murmur.
He then chuckled. "It's going to be interesting… maybe I should prepare a few more escape plans, just in case."
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