Lord Summoner's Freedom Philosophy: Grimoire of Love
Chapter 219: World of Memories (4) Lilith Nyx Shyama

Chapter 219: World of Memories (4) Lilith Nyx Shyama

"The next battle! This will be the very last battle of the day!! The one that of course would be much more thrilling than before!! The invincible rookie versus the holy church’s paladin!!!" The announcer shouted, the audience roaring in anticipation.

"The invincible rookie... Is that me?" Lyan asked himself, turning his head away from the crowd to look at his opponent. Suddenly the blue screen once again appeared before him.

[The Knight Martial Tournament: 2/3 Opponent defeated]

(This is the last match, huh...) (Lyan)

He had expected to fight against the other adventurers, but instead, he found himself facing a paladin. It was strange, but he thought this might just have been fate playing its hand. There must’ve been some reason why he was placed in the same match as a paladin.

(In the previous life of mine, paladin is a sign of a bad call, though) (Lyan)

Lyan’s eyes observed his opponent before him. At first glance, he appeared to be a normal man in his late twenties. But there were signs that this was not the case. His features were sharp and angular, his nose piercing the air like a needle pointing towards the heavens. Even though he was a paladin, he had no armor or shield. Instead, he wielded a large hammer, which he swung with great strength and power. His body was muscled and muscular, his arms so thick that they looked more like tree trunks than limbs.

(He’s strong...) (Lyan)

Finished assessing his strength, Lyan observed in detail other things about the paladin.

The man’s face was ruggedly handsome, with a strong jawline and a chiseled chin. His brown hair, cut short, did nothing to hide his strong forehead. On his left eye were three golden dots, while the right was covered by a metal patch. He wore simple clothing, consisting of a plain white shirt, and brown pants. His outfit was worn out with a few rips here and there, making it appear used and well-worn. His skin was tanned, with a hint of olive tone. In addition, his aura felt different than other people. Unlike others who radiated positive energy, his aura radiated negative energy. The effect was subtle, but noticeable nonetheless.

(He’s a paladin...?) (Lyan)

There was also something else. Something that only Lyan noticed. The paladin’s aura seemed to have a dark and sinister undertone that reminded him of the darkness inside Lyan’s heart.

(Hm? What is it, I wonder?) (Lyan)

As Lyan pondered the mysterious aura emanating from his opponent, the paladin stepped forward with a confident stride, his eyes fixed firmly on Lyan. There was a glint of determination in his gaze, a silent challenge that dared Lyan to meet him head-on.

"You must be Lyan," the paladin said, his voice deep and resonant. "I’ve heard about you. They say you’re quite the formidable opponent."

Lyan nodded in acknowledgment, his expression guarded as he prepared himself for the battle ahead. He couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that the paladin’s presence stirred within him, but he pushed aside his doubts and focused on the task at hand.

"And you must be the paladin," Lyan replied, his voice steady despite the doubt raging within him. "I must say, I’m intrigued to see what you’re capable of."

The paladin chuckled, a low rumble of amusement that sent shivers down Lyan’s spine. "You’ll find out soon enough," he said cryptically, his grip tightening on the handle of his hammer.

With a nod from the announcer, the battle commenced, the arena erupting into cheers and applause as the two combatants squared off against each other.

Lyan wasted no time in launching his attack, his movements swift and precise as he closed the distance between them with lightning speed. But the paladin was ready, his reflexes honed from years of training as he parried Lyan’s blows with ease.

Their weapons clashed with a resounding clang, the sound echoing throughout the arena as they exchanged blow after blow in a fierce contest of strength and skill. Each strike was met with an equally powerful counterattack, the two opponents locked in a deadly dance of blade and hammer.

But as the battle raged on, Lyan began to sense something... off about his opponent. There was a darkness lurking beneath the surface, a malevolent force that seemed to pulse with every swing of the paladin’s hammer.

With a sinking feeling in his gut, Lyan realized that he was facing more than just a skilled warrior. He was facing a foe whose very presence threatened to consume him with darkness.

The battle raged on, each clash of weapons sending sparks flying as Lyan and the paladin fought with unmatched ferocity. Lyan’s movements were fluid and precise, his sword slicing through the air with deadly accuracy. The paladin countered each strike with brute force, his hammer swinging in powerful arcs as he sought to overpower his opponent.

With a swift flick of his wrist, Lyan unleashed a flurry of attacks, his sword slashing through the air in a mesmerizing display of skill. But the paladin was no ordinary opponent. With lightning-fast reflexes, he dodged each strike with uncanny precision, his movements almost too quick for the eye to follow.

Their battle danced on, a symphony of steel and sweat as they circled each other in the arena. Lyan feinted to the left, then lunged to the right, his blade aimed at the paladin’s exposed flank. But the paladin was ready, his hammer swinging down with bone-crushing force as he blocked Lyan’s attack with a resounding clang.

The momentum of the clash sent Lyan staggering backward, his eyes narrowing in determination as he prepared to launch another assault. But before he could strike, he noticed something... odd about the paladin’s hand.

With a swift strike, Lyan aimed for the paladin’s hand, his blade slicing through the air with deadly accuracy. The paladin attempted to block the attack, but it was too late. Lyan’s sword struck true, slicing through the straps of the paladin’s gauntlet and sending it flying across the arena.

As the gauntlet clattered to the ground, Lyan’s eyes widened in shock at what he saw. Etched into the back of the paladin’s palm was a sinister tattoo—a black skeleton, its bony fingers reaching out as if to grab hold of its prey.

"Interesting tattoo you have there," Lyan remarked, his voice laced with a deep coldness.

The paladin’s lips curled into a wicked grin, his eyes gleaming with malice. "You have a sharp eye, Lyan," he replied, his voice dripping with disdain. "But you would do well to focus on the battle at hand."

With a swift motion, the paladin swung his hammer in a wide arc, aiming to catch Lyan off guard. But Lyan was ready, He ducked under the blow and countered with a swift strike of his own, aiming for the paladin’s exposed side.

The paladin grunted in pain as Lyan’s blade grazed his armor, leaving a shallow gash in its wake. But he showed no signs of backing down, his determination unwavering as he continued to press the attack.

"You fight well for a guard," the paladin admitted, a hint of grudging respect in his voice. "But you’ll find that I am not so easily defeated."

Lyan’s lips curled into a smirk as he readied himself for another onslaught. "Then let’s see what you’re truly capable of, either you’re an official member or just an underling of that emblem," he retorted, his voice filled with coldness.

The paladin’s eyes narrowed at Lyan’s words as he took a peek at the tattoo on the back of his palm that was now exposed, a flicker of anger flashing across his face before he regained his composure. "You speak as though you know me," he replied, his voice dripping with venom. "But you know nothing of who I am or what I stand for."

Lyan shrugged, his gaze steady as he prepared for the next round of their battle. "Perhaps not," he conceded, his voice calm despite the tension crackling between them. "But actions speak louder than words, and yours speak volumes."

With a snarl of frustration, the paladin infused his weapon with mana, a shimmering light aura enveloping the hammer as he launched himself at Lyan once again.

"Hmph!" Lyan snorted.

The air crackled with energy as their weapons clashed, the force of their blows sending shockwaves rippling through the arena.

Lyan met each strike with calculated precision, his movements fluid and graceful as he danced around his opponent with effortless ease. He could sense the paladin’s growing frustration, his attacks becoming more erratic as he struggled to land a telling blow.

"You fight well, paladin," Lyan remarked coolly, his voice carrying above the din of battle. "But you lack focus. Your anger clouds your judgment, making you vulnerable. Is this all you got?"

The paladin growled in response, his grip tightening on his hammer as he redoubled his efforts. But Lyan remained unfazed, his expression unreadable as he continued to evade the paladin’s strikes with uncanny precision.

With each passing moment, Lyan sensed the darkness within his opponent growing stronger, a malevolent force that threatened to engulf him. But he refused to be intimidated, his resolve as unwavering as tempered steel.

(Come, show me your darkness) (Lyan)

Lyan thought, fixing his gaze on his opponent with steely determination.

As the battle raged on, Lyan discerned a pattern in the paladin’s attacks—a flaw in his technique that he could exploit to his advantage. With a smirk, he bided his time, allowing the paladin to tire himself out with his relentless assault.

"You tire easily, paladin," Lyan observed, his voice laced with sarcasm as he deftly avoided the paladin’s hammer. "Perhaps you should pace yourself."

The paladin’s eyes flashed with rage at Lyan’s taunt, his movements becoming more frenzied as he sought to break through his opponent’s defenses. But Lyan remained calm and composed, his movements precise and deliberate as he awaited the perfect opportunity to strike.

And then, with a sudden burst of speed, Lyan launched himself at the paladin, his sword flashing in the sunlight as he aimed for his opponent’s exposed side. The paladin attempted to block the blow, but Lyan was too swift, his blade slicing through the air with deadly accuracy.

The paladin staggered backward, shock crossing his face as he struggled to regain his footing. But before he could recover, Lyan pressed his advantage, launching a relentless barrage of attacks that left the paladin reeling.

With each strike, Lyan pushed the paladin further and further back, his movements becoming more fluid and graceful. The crowd watched in awe as the two combatants danced around the arena, their weapons clashing with a symphony of steel and sweat.

But despite his best efforts, the paladin could not keep pace with Lyan’s relentless assault. With a final, decisive strike, Lyan pierced the paladin’s armor with a sickening crunch. But-

The sensation of the thrust felt peculiar. Lyan sensed a sudden surge of dark mana appearing before him.

"Tch! You bastard. I guess it can’t be helped. I’ll just show my hand here! Don’t think that you’ll-" The paladin attempted to declare something, but Lyan cut him off.

"Haha. What a joke. This kind of tactic is too commonly used by your kind, I’m not impressed," Lyan uttered coldly. His voice was not loud, but the hidden rage and anger beneath the coldness of his eyes froze the paladin in place.

The guards and spectators started to gather due to the dark mana. The hotshots and the queen’s guards were ready to intervene, but seeing Lyan’s calm demeanor made them hesitate to act.

Whoosh!

A surge of mana formed a swirling vortex with Lyan at its epicenter. The air crackled with energy as strands of white mana intertwined, creating a mesmerizing display of power. The paladin, trapped within the eye of the storm, felt a sense of dread wash over him as he realized the magnitude of Lyan’s impending assault.

Desperation etched across his face, the paladin frantically attempted to dislodge the sword thrust into him. He grasped at the hilt with all his strength, his muscles straining against the unyielding blade. Yet, to his dismay, the weapon remained firmly lodged in his side, refusing to budge despite his best efforts.

"I don’t know what your plan is, but I’ll find all of your allies and eliminate them. No need for interrogation, I can discern everything in an instant," Lyan’s eyes glowed with a terrifying purple light, and then-

Slash!

With a swift and decisive strike, Lyan cleaved through the paladin’s armor and flesh as if they were mere paper. The force behind his blow was enough to bisect the paladin cleanly, separating him into two halves with startling precision. As the paladin’s lifeless body fell to the ground, a chorus of gasps echoed through the arena, mingling with the sound of clashing metal.

The aftermath of Lyan’s attack was nothing short of mesmerizing. Brilliant arcs of mana surged forth from the point of impact, weaving intricate patterns of light and energy that danced across the arena floor. Each wave of magic radiated with a vibrant intensity, casting a kaleidoscope of colors that illuminated the surrounding area in a dazzling display of power.

As the surge of dark mana dissipated into the ether, a palpable sense of tension lingered in the air, a silent testament to the sheer force of Lyan’s prowess. Despite the chaos that had unfolded, Lyan remained impassive, his expression as cold and unforgiving as ever.

"I see. Your occult group has deep roots in many places, huh...? I wonder if this is fate..." Lyan muttered to himself as the arena faded away.

<The hidden quest is over. Returning the host to the original world...>