In the dimensional space—the Hero Faction’s temporary stronghold.
A dense mist swirled, shrouding the entire base, obscuring the distant scenery.
Standing at the very center of this mist, Kaiser held the True Longinus in his hand, eyes half-closed, as though resting, yet at the same time, sensing something unseen.
A sharp whistle tore through the mist as a blade shot forth like a bullet.
With a crisp clang, Kaiser casually flicked his True Longinus, deflecting the incoming weapon without moving an inch. He didn’t even open his eyes.
But just as he parried the attack, a figure burst through the mist, lunging at him with astonishing speed.
A soft, melodious laugh accompanied the movement as the attacker—a golden-haired woman—gracefully dashed forward, wielding a rapier.
Her speed was faster than the very blade she had just fired.
With a swift flurry of strikes, her rapier became a blur, slicing through the air in a storm of afterimages as they all converged on Kaiser.
Kaiser still kept his eyes closed, his entire body exuding a calm and silent Touki as his True Longinus danced effortlessly in his grasp. Like a conductor’s baton, it moved with precision, deflecting every incoming strike with ease.
The golden-haired woman remained undeterred, her rapier continuously weaving through the air, launching an endless barrage of attacks.
The clash of steel rang out ceaselessly, sparks erupting from every impact, briefly illuminating the mist that was disturbed by the fierce exchange.
A thunderous roar split the air as a massive figure charged in from the side, joining the fray.
A hulking man lunged at Kaiser’s back, raising a colossal fist before slamming it down with terrifying force.
It was only then that Kaiser finally opened his eyes.
With a single precise thrust, he sent the golden-haired woman—Jeanne—flying backward, before lightly tapping the ground and swiftly evading the incoming strike.
The massive figure’s punch obliterated the ground where Kaiser had stood, creating a deafening explosion.
The sheer impact didn’t just shatter the ground—it triggered a violent blast wave, scattering rubble and debris in all directions.
"Damn it! Still couldn’t hit him?!"
The giant, Heracles, let out a frustrated growl before charging toward Kaiser once more.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
With each punch, the ground trembled, and explosions erupted wherever his fists landed.
That was the ability of his Sacred Gear—Variant Detonation. Every attack not only carried immense force but also triggered an explosive impact, dealing additional devastation to its target.
"Come forth, Holy Swords!"
From the side, Jeanne called out.
Immediately, swords erupted from the ground beneath Kaiser’s feet, shooting toward him.
Upon closer inspection, these weapons varied in shape and size—some radiated flames, others exuded icy mist, some crackled with electricity, and others swirled with fierce winds.
Yet, despite their differences, they all shared one thing in common—they emanated a holy aura similar to that of Kaiser’s True Longinus.
There was no doubt—these were Holy Swords.
Kaiser wielded the True Longinus, while Jeanne wielded Holy Swords. Though inferior in purity and quality to the True Longinus, their holy power was still lethal to Devils. Any demonic creature struck by these swords would find their flesh scorched or outright erased.
Generally speaking, Holy Swords were extremely selective when it came to their wielders. Finding one who could properly use a single Holy Sword was a rarity, and the famed Excaliburs of legend required immense compatibility to wield.
However, Jeanne’s Sacred Gear was not a single Holy Sword—it was the Holy Sword Creation ability, capable of creating Holy Swords of various attributes.
While these conjured swords were inferior in quality to true Holy Swords, and their fragile nature made them easily breakable, the advantage lay in their versatility and quantity.
Jeanne could adapt her swords to the battlefield, countering opponents with tailored creations.
Right now, she was flooding Kaiser with a storm of Holy Swords, hoping to overwhelm him with sheer numbers and density of attacks.
However, this was nothing more than a futile effort.
A soft hum resonated as Kaiser calmly raised his True Longinus, its tip unfolding.
Radiant light rapidly gathered at the spearhead, compressing into a concentrated wave of pure, holy energy.
The divine wave erupted like a luminous explosion, obliterating every Holy Sword in its path.
Even the swords that had not been directly hit by the blast shattered under its pressure.
"You’ve got to be kidding me..."
Jeanne’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Meanwhile, Heracles—perhaps believing in the sheer power of brute force—threw himself directly into the divine wave, throwing a punch as he crashed into the attack.
The collision between his explosive strike and the True Longinus’ holy wave held for a moment—before the balance shattered.
The detonation from Variant Detonation was completely overpowered. The Holy Wave engulfed the explosion and continued forward, striking Heracles head-on.
With a final, thunderous impact, the giant was sent flying.
Just like that, Kaiser effortlessly suppressed both Jeanne and Heracles. Even as they fought together, he remained completely composed—untouched.
The Hero Faction members watching from the sidelines burst into murmurs of astonishment.
"He held off both of them so easily?"
"’Held off’?! He’s completely dominating them!"
"So this is the strength of the wielder of the strongest Longinus?"
"No wonder Siegfried lost..."
As discussions flared among the spectators, a single figure stood at a higher vantage point, observing the battle with a contemplative expression.
Beside him, Siegfried asked, noticing his leader’s thoughtful demeanor.
"Hmm... he’s strong," Cao Cao admitted without hesitation. "Far beyond my initial expectations—both in terms of his base abilities and his mastery over the True Longinus. It’s fortunate that Heracles and Jeanne attacked him together, or else... currently, I might be the only one in our faction capable of keeping up with him in a one-on-one fight."
With that simple statement, Cao Cao elevated Kaiser’s standing to second strongest in the Hero Faction—perhaps even a rival for the top position.
"Wasn’t his Sacred Gear only recently awakened? And didn’t he lose control of it once?" Georg—who stood nearby—muttered in disbelief. "Nothing about him feels like someone new to wielding a Sacred Gear. If someone told me he’s been training with the True Longinus since birth, I’d believe them."
That was the prevailing sentiment among everyone present.
By all accounts, Kaiser’s True Longinus was supposed to have awakened only recently. It had even gone berserk once.
And yet, his spear techniques—his absolute mastery over the weapon—made that claim seem absurd.
Just as Georg said, it felt as though Kaiser had been training with it since childhood, honing it for years.
"A man full of secrets, huh?" Cao Cao mused, staring at Kaiser with a knowing smirk. "Interesting."
"Let’s hope it stays just interesting," Siegfried warned, his brow furrowing. "There are too many contradictions in his background. Can we really trust him in our ranks?"
"Why not?" Cao Cao shrugged nonchalantly. "We need strong individuals. He came to us willingly, and we don’t have the luxury of turning away talent."
"Besides—keeping him close allows me to observe him even further."
"If he really has something to hide..."
Cao Cao’s eyes gleamed.
"I’ll see through it."
Siegfried’s tension visibly eased.
He trusted Cao Cao’s abilities.
There weren’t many in this world who could deceive the Hero Faction’s leader—an heir to one of history’s most cunning and brilliant strategists.
That left only one final question.
"Now that you’ve seen him in action, what’s your verdict?" Siegfried asked, curiosity in his tone. "With your Sacred Gear, do you think you can defeat him?"
Georg perked up at this, eager for the answer.
"Hmm..." Cao Cao tapped his chin in thought.
"Judging by what we’ve seen so far, one thing is clear—his physical strength surpasses mine."
"He’s trained his body to the limits, something I can never hope to match."
"Even you, with your multiple amplification abilities, and Heracles, with his demigod bloodline, might struggle to match his sheer physical prowess."
"In that regard, he’s undoubtedly the strongest among us."
Cao Cao’s confidence lay in skill.
His mastery over combat and tactics was his greatest weapon.
"With that in mind, I’d say... we’re about even. Neither of us would be able to take down the other easily."
Cao Cao narrowed his eyes.
"That is... unless he’s still holding back."