Chapter 793 Death Match V: Abel vs Oranj II

Editor: Tseirp

After Akuma Leonor descended from the sky, creating the matchup of Akuma versus Djinn and Ryo versus Phantomkin.

Abel was facing the three Djinn’s Retainers.

“You got in the way when I was trying to go help Ryo.”

“It wasn’t my decision…”

Oranj grimaced as he answered Abel’s very, very low growl.

In reality, it was the other Retainers, Isolda and Vim Lowe, who had blocked him.

Oranj knew nothing about it.

Of course, he could tell that King Abel, standing before him, was angry.

The atmosphere was different from before…

It happened suddenly.

Isolda and Vim Lowe’s heads were severed.

“…Huh?”

Oranj let out a bewildered cry.

It was a movement that even Oranj could not perceive, and he only understood that Abel had invaded the distance between the two and severed their heads after their heads came rolling to the ground.

The two who had been cut down had probably never perceived anything at all.

“There is no longer any need for you to stop me. Which means those two Retainers are no longer necessary, right?”

“…”

“One-on-one, in each case. It’s easier to understand that way, and it’s fair.”

“That’s… true…”

Oranj could not argue with Abel’s words and accepted them.

It was then that Oranj finally realized.

He was trembling ever so slightly.

(Afraid? Me? Of a human?)

He had been looking forward to fighting.

When he crossed swords with Abel for the first time in a year, he had found that Abel had become astonishingly strong.

His heart had been overwhelmed.

He admitted that.

But even so, he had not been afraid.

But what had just happened…

(Isolda aside, Vim Lowe is by no means weak. I’m superior to him when it comes to swordsmanship alone, but in terms of overall combat ability, he should be about equal to me. And yet, he couldn’t move even one step before his head was severed.)

Had he been unable to see it while facing Abel himself?

Had he only understood it when watching from the side?

He did not know.

Perhaps it was because he did not know that he was afraid.

But at the same time, he could clearly recognize another tremor within himself.

It was not from apprehension.

It was not from fear.

Joy.

Ecstasy.

Mad ecstasy!

“You’re a battle maniac.”

Perhaps Abel had read the emotions inside Oranj, because he pointed it out with an exasperated expression.

“Yeah, I’m a battle maniac too, just like Abel.”

“…Don’t drag me into this. I’m a king who loves peace, you know.”

That way of putting it was undoubtedly influenced by a certain water-attribute magician.

“You fight in the king’s position so you can give the people peace, right?”

“Did I ever say even once that I wanted to fight?”

“You say that after cutting down a Retainer in an instant…”

“World peace really is difficult.”

“Abel, what part of you has anything to do with world peace?”

“That is a harsh thing to say…”

Abel protested Oranj’s words with an expression that clearly showed how offended he was.

“That desire to fight that wells up from the very depths of your heart… Like I said, you could just rationalize it as being for the sake of protecting your people, right?”

“Don’t put that sort of image on me. I’ve been saying it this whole time, I love peace.”

“You can say anything you want.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“Abel, give it up.”

“Why do I have to be labeled a battle maniac by a Djinn’s Retainer?”

Abel shrugged.

“Well, whatever. We should settle things between us. Shall we?”

Abel muttered.

Then, he raised his sword.

That was all he did.

That alone…

Oranj realized that his breathing had quickened.

At the same time, he could tell that sweat had begun to run down his back.

(This is it… There was nothing at all during the time we were talking. But the instant he took his stance… I was overwhelmed.)

Oranj raised his sword as well.

But his five senses screamed.

This guy was dangerous.

It was an emotion in which fear and joy were mixed together.

Pure mad ecstasy.

(But why? Why is Abel so strong? I am Garwin-sama’s Retainer, while Abel is a human. I know he’s an incredible swordsman, I know it and I acknowledge it. But even so, Abel is human. In terms of strength and speed, I, as a Retainer, am superior. That should be an unchanging fact even if heaven and earth were turned upside down. And yet, why are my five senses screaming at me not to fight? And at the same time, why do I find joy in fighting?)

Oranj thought to himself as he stood with his sword raised.

The cold sweat would not stop.

Rather, it might be more accurate to say he was searching for a reason so that he could make it stop.

(One year… Can someone really change this much in just one year? Can someone really change? Then can I… change too?)

He found no answer…But to forcibly pull back his five senses, which were trying to avert his heart and eyes from the battle before him, he concluded that perhaps he could use this as a step toward his own growth.

As though waiting for Oranj to sort out his thoughts…

Abel asked.

“Are you not going to attack?”

As if urged on by those words, Oranj’s body moved.

Yes, almost as though he were under hypnosis…

Drawn in.

Slash.

It was a single strike.

Oranj’s head was severed.

Looking only at the result, it was an overwhelming victory for Abel.

But Abel understood it better than anyone: the gap had not been that great.

If anything, perhaps Oranj had surpassed him in every area except his state of mind.

Strength and speed went without saying, and even in technique, Abel could never say he was superior.

Then why had Abel been able to win?

“Taking away the opponent’s composure is the most basic of basics in one-on-one combat… huh.”

Abel muttered words Ryo always said.

From beginning to end, Oranj had been overwhelmed by Abel.

In such a state, he could not bring out his full strength, and there was no way he could win.

“Garwin should be able to bring his Retainers back to life, but… all three of them are still dead.”

Abel looked at the Retainers whose heads he had severed.

They had not revived.

When he looked at Djinn Garwin himself…

“Even Garwin doesn’t have the luxury of reviving his Retainers while fighting an Akuma.”

Abel shrugged.

As one would expect.

He had seen the battle between Akuma Leonor and Ryo, a battle that was truly beyond human understanding.

That was why Abel knew how strong Leonor was.

If that Leonor… and moreover an enraged Leonor, was the opponent, Abel could understand why Garwin had no time to revive his Retainers.

Incidentally, the army Garwin had brought with him was not moving at all either.

Chief Battuzon was surrounded by that army, but…

“There is no need for me to force my way in to save him.”

Abel understood that once Garwin’s battle was over, Battuzon would be released.

To Garwin, Chief Battuzon did not matter at all.

He was nothing more than a hostage to use so Garwin could fight Ryo and Abel.

“What a troublesome guy.”

After muttering that, Abel watched the two battles unfold.

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