"How could this be?"

Edmund's hands trembled. The blocking force felt nothing like any living creature could possess. The blood-red runes of Life Alchemy flowed rapidly, converging on his arms that had already suffered comminuted fractures, forcibly sustaining them.

Three overwhelmingly powerful strikes were unleashed in an instant, targeting Li Site's head, chest, and abdomen simultaneously.

Three faceless ghostly apparitions materialized briefly—just ethereal, netherworld mist—phantoms wielding the Sovereign's Blade.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

All were completely dismantled.

The ghostly figures vanished abruptly, as if they had never existed.

This time, one of Edmund's arms was directly broken and twisted backward, his elbow joint completely shattered. Crack, crack, crack—Life Alchemy forcibly snapped it back into place again.

Even Edmund was breathing heavily now, completely unable to find an opening. This cursed artifact was powerful beyond imagination.

Li Site finally felt relieved. Edmund wasn't so formidable that even the Sovereign's Blade couldn't handle him. Obtaining this sword was thanks to an enemy from four years ago—otherwise, he'd be done for today.

Thanks to his enemy's Sovereign's Blade—not only did it fail to curse him to death, but it also permanently bonded with him.

Edmund wasn't the most powerful person Li Site had ever killed, but he definitely ranked in the top five.

"So that's why, if I went to Arlan to join the Military Police, I'd at least make lieutenant general."

The offensive momentum reversed.

Li Site charged forward, slashing horizontally through the air.

Edmund's sword techniques had reached perfection, effortlessly blocking the strike.

But the Sovereign's Blade in Li Site's hand was no phantom—it was the real thing. The curse and resentment on its blade represented a sharpness from the netherworld itself.

Edmund's sword was directly sliced through by the curse, quickly eroding with black smoke before snapping in two.

Li Site swung his sword again.

Missed.

Swing.

Missed.

Edmund's movement techniques were incredibly sophisticated. Even holding only a broken sword, he didn't dare attack recklessly anymore, simply avoiding continuously.

Even so, Li Site swung multiple times, all missing. His sword skills were enough to qualify as a Silver-ranked adventurer, but his opponent was an Arlan major general.

"The runes on your face—that's Life Alchemy, right? Its effects will gradually deplete. You'll be worn down eventually."

Shadi took a short knife from Sven. Now they just needed to restrict his movements and wait for Li Site to land a stab—then game over.

A massive ice spike shot toward them again.

Edmund swung his arm to block, shattering it completely, but his strength wasn't what it had been moments before. When Li Site swung again, he barely avoided it, his shoulder armor getting grazed and instantly cracking open.

As Shadi and Sven closed in with their knives,

He realized he wasn't fighting one person, but one against four.

He knew recovery was beyond hope now.

"Even if you manage to extract this person, more pursuers will come. This person's importance is kept confidential even from me. Arlan's higher-ups consider it extremely important. You might hide temporarily, but what about later? With Arlan's national power, even if you flee to the world's end, the northernmost north, the easternmost east—it won't matter. Right now it's just me pursuing you. Kill me, and they'll just send someone stronger. Two choices: either I let you leave, or..."

Edmund knew exactly what these desperadoes sought and continued urgently:

"I don't know what your contacts promised you—gold dragons? Letters of marque? Actual nobility with land and power? If you stand down now, it would be a great merit. I'll report to the Military Police Commander—whatever crimes you carry, the Arlan Military Police Guard will take responsibility. All past records wiped clean. Enter the imperial court, serve the Emperor, titles for your wives and children, wealth and honor, rapid promotion—isn't that... better than exile overseas? There will be more pursuers!"

Edmund went almost mad, mixing threats with promises, roaring wildly: "There will be stronger ones coming! Even the Arlan Sword King! Just calm down! Think! A completely different life!"

Li Site took a sharp breath. Thank goodness he hadn't brought Cloud inside—otherwise Cloud would have definitely turned against them immediately.

Seeing all three hesitate,

The mysterious black-robed figure trembled, unsure what to do, distancing themselves from the three who clearly looked dangerous.

"Don't believe his nonsense. We do need to calm down, but these pursuers don't even know the target's identity. All who know have been eliminated. You know the true face of imperial hounds, don't you?"

Gloria spoke before coughing violently, terrified that Li Site's trio might make a foolish decision.

"Buddy, it's not that I don't want to. You might not know—the things I've done can't be wiped clean. In your files, I believe I'm listed as one of the masterminds behind the Northern Frontier Maximum Security Prison riot ten years ago."

Li Site said calmly. In a way, he was quite the old-timer in the Western Continent's underworld.

Sven was utterly shocked, his jaw nearly dropping. That riot had far-reaching effects, essentially starting the Western Continent's current chaotic situation. The Black Sails captain's background was actually this terrifying?

Shadi wasn't surprised—he'd known all along.

"Damn it..."

Edmund laughed wildly twice. Since it had come to this, only a desperate fight remained.

What nobody expected was

That Edmund still had another card to play. He hadn't reached his limit yet. Shedding all weight, his armor fell away and cracked apart. The Life Alchemy runes spread across his entire body, his muscles exploding like a wild beast's.

Speed, strength—already exaggerated—were elevated to even more terrifying heights.

Even holding only a broken sword, he no longer focused solely on killing Li Site. First, he would kill everyone else in the mining chamber, then have his final duel with Li Site.

Instantly, Edmund's speed became unimaginable as he prepared to make an example of the insolent Shadi first.

"This is really going to kill me..."

Li Site had to respect the level of competition among Arlan Military Police. With this skill level, he could only make major general? In Bema, he'd be Royal Guard material.

Shadi also excelled in speed. Previously, he just couldn't break through the defense. Now he engaged Edmund directly, but Edmund fought like a madman, the broken sword flashing like black light.

Just the sword wind alone sliced off a corner of Shadi's straw raincoat.

Next.

Lightning flashed brilliantly as a thunder spear shot forth, exploding toward Edmund.

Now Edmund's reaction speed resembled a wild animal's as he quickly grabbed onto a chain, dodging the thunder spear mid-air.

The lightning struck the wall, leaving it charred black.

Carolso and Cloud, both covered in blood, had somehow managed to kill fifty or sixty people plus one field officer.

Now it wasn't one against four—it was one against six.

Edmund never imagined his burial place would be such a desolate mine shaft. A lifetime of campaigning only to end like this.

With peerless sword skills,

Edmund spun mid-air, the broken sword swinging down fiercely aiming for Sven's head. Li Site stepped forward to defend, a ghostly apparition parrying the strike.

Edmund seemed to have lost all pain sensation. His arm broke yet again without even a furrowed brow, shaking it back to normal before charging toward the mysterious black-robed figure.

His speed became a fleeting blur. Even in death, he would take someone who could influence the world's course with him—making his lifetime of struggle worthwhile.

Frost and cold air burst from the mystical array at the mysterious black-robed figure's fingertips like a dam breaking, making his movements sluggish and stiff. Shadi and Sven intercepted simultaneously with their short knives, while Carolso's thunder spear and Cloud's sword energy followed immediately after.

Completely sealing his movements.

The Sovereign's Blade stabbed straight into Edmund's back.

This single thrust

Pierced through the left side of Edmund's chest. His heart had already been torn apart as immense cursed power spread through his body.

In just an instant,

He turned to dust, vanishing into ashes scattered by the wind.

The Sovereign's Blade returned to Li Site's left arm in an eerie manner, undetectable to the naked eye.

"Finally fucking over."

Li Site let out a long sigh of relief. He stared at the mysterious black-robed figure. Should they... verify it?