CHAPTER 772: 605 STRANGE STATE

"Clang!!!"

As the bell-like sound of metal echoed through the sky above the Franszel estate, shock waves spread across the courtyard like waves, shaking the ground of the Franszel residence.

Many people were unavoidably startled by the astonishing noise, rushing one by one to the courtyard and encountering a battlefield riddled with cracks.

Reiger and Liz had already separated and were standing at a significant distance apart, each in a standoff, one wielding a knife and the other holding an unsheathed golden sword, facing each other.

The breathing of the master and servant was still steady and rhythmic, showing no signs of fatigue from the fierce battle they had just endured.

In such a situation, murmurs started reaching the ears of Reiger and Liz.

These were the discussions of the Franszel family members who had gathered upon hearing the disturbance.

"Isn’t that Lord Brilliant?"

"When did Lord Brilliant return?"

"Hadn’t he gone on a trip?"

"So, he is back?"

"Quickly inform the lady, have her come back."

Hearing these murmurs, Reiger realized he had caused quite a stir.

The news of his return to the capital, Yeluf, was probably impossible to conceal now.

And upon confirming his return, it was likely not going to be quiet at the palace either?

After all, Yuri had already said he had become very valuable in the eyes of the Jinas Kingdom’s royal family, and King Hemulinp would probably become restless upon knowing he was back.

Of course, Reiger had already known this couldn’t be hidden for long; therefore, he was psychologically prepared.

Ignoring the ongoing murmurs around him, Reiger redirected his gaze towards Liz.

Liz seemed to have noticed someone approaching and was retracting the terrifying spiritual power that engulfed the place, reverting to that harmless little princess appearance, looking as if nothing had changed, highly deceptive.

It appeared that the little princess was ready to step down and was no longer interested in continuing the fight.

Reiger did not object.

He had already roughly understood what changes Liz had undergone.

However...

Reiger suddenly shifted his gaze to the weapon in Liz’s hands.

This unscabbarded hero clan’s divine sword had changes that Reiger had yet to ascertain.

Thinking this, Reiger pondered for a moment and then suddenly said,

"Draw your sword, Liz."

This statement clearly reached Liz’s ears.

"Ah, this..."

The little princess prepared to put down the raised sword, but upon hearing Reiger’s words, her movement halted, and a hint of hesitation surfaced on her face.

"What’s wrong?"

Seeing this, Reiger couldn’t help but inquire curiously.

"No, nothing," Liz shook her head, her face still showing hesitation as she weakly said, "Do we really need to do this?"

Seeing Liz’s reaction, Reiger raised an eyebrow.

"Is there a problem?"

Reiger enquired casually.

"...No."

Although Liz was hesitant, seeing Reiger’s curious expression, she decided to resolve.

"If master wishes to see Moslo’s power, then let the master watch carefully."

Saying so, Liz took a deep breath, her face once again covered with a calm expression.

"Clink..."

The girl tightly gripped the handle of Moslo’s sword and began to slowly draw it out.

"————"

At that moment, an indescribable feeling burst forth in the depths of everyone’s hearts.

It was a suffocating sensation.

It was a crushing sensation.

It was as if a tremendously formidable presence was emerging in this part of the world, agitating the survival instincts within, causing everyone in the courtyard to instinctively hold their breath, their faces changing dramatically.

Including Reiger, it was the same for him.

The sensation he felt was even more profound.

In this moment, he felt as if he was about to face a presence even more terrifying, ancient, and mystical than the ancient fire dragon suppressed by the Nibelungen Pillar at the heart of the Magma Sea beneath the ancient ruins of Reinnaier, involuntarily tensing his face and his gaze becoming more serious.

In this oppressive atmosphere, the girl finally woke the ancient being from its slumber.

"Hum..."

The drawn sword of Moslo trembled lightly. Although it appeared no different from before, the glowing halo that once flowed on the blade had disappeared, replaced by a silent and breathless aura slowly emanating from the sword.

Ancient...

Aged...

Mysterious...

This aura permeated the surroundings, causing Reiger’s expression to grow even more serious and turning the onlookers’ faces pale, some even breaking into cold sweats.

They were terrified, looking at Liz.

They collapsed to the ground with drastically changed expressions.

They were shocked in place by the ancient, aged, and mysterious aura, unable to even think of escaping.

And as the sword of Moslo was drawn, the magic power within Liz gradually merged with the aura emitted by the sword, feeding a surge of power back into Liz’s body through Moslo’s sword.

At this moment, Liz and the sword of Moslo seemed to become one being, entirely seamless, indistinguishable from each other.

This feeling was unexpectedly similar to the moment when Yuri pulled out the National Guardian Divine Weapon "the Ice Maiden" in the Magma World.

Under the power feedback of Moslo’s Sword, Yuri’s body gradually exuded a sense of oppression, an incredibly palpable presence.

Thanks to this, the transparent gloss in Yuri’s eyes was replaced by a faint golden light, her gaze turned cold and indifferent.

"Not good!"

Seeing Yuri like this, Reiger instinctively sensed something was amiss.

It was as if Yuri had suddenly transformed from an ordinary human to a lofty deity, scornful of all things, and Reiger reacted to her current state.

Intuition told Reiger that if he didn’t stop Yuri, something terrible would happen next.

Reiger trusted his intuition.

So, he cast magic without any hesitation.

"————"

Time, suddenly entered a state of halt.

[Un-chanting Magic·Time Stop].

Reiger suddenly activated this magic, freezing the time of the entire world.

However, what astonished Reiger happened next.

"Bang!"

In a noise that mimicked shattering glass, the frozen world was astonishingly smashed.

In a world of absolute stasis, radiating an atmosphere of antiquity, solemnity, and mystery, the girl was utterly unaffected, lightly lifting her eyelids, raising her sword in a slash that seemed to sever the entire stream of frozen time, breaking the world caught in the freeze.

Time resumed its flow, and the world returned to its normal state, as if nothing had changed.

Yuri then slowly lifted the golden sword she had slashed down, holding it high above her head.

"...!"

In that instant, a chill ran through the hearts of everyone present.

"Yuri!"

Reiger called out Yuri’s name.

The shrill alarm in his heart told him that, setting aside what might happen to him, the Franzel mansion would definitely not remain as it was if Yuri delivered another slash.

Once that ancient, solemn, and mysterious golden sword was swung down, it would surely shake the heavens and the earth.

By then, not only the mansion but possibly the entire capital might be affected, welcoming a disaster.

This sword could not be swung.

Following this premonition, Reiger shouted for Yuri.

"————!"

Yuri’s motion of holding up the golden sword stiffened abruptly, and she herself froze in place.

"Swish!"

At the same time, Reiger suddenly appeared in front of Yuri, pressing down on the hand that held the raised golden sword.

"It’s okay," Reiger said, looking into Yuri’s eyes. "You can sheathe your sword now, Yuri."

Hearing Reiger’s voice, Yuri slowly lifted her head, her golden eyes looking into Reiger’s.

Those eyes were still full of coldness, still detached.

Looking into those eyes, Reiger even felt as though he shouldn’t meet her gaze, as if doing so would offend the noble being in front of him.

But feeling afraid or cautious was not characteristic of Reiger.

At that moment, Reiger did not look away but instead stared intensely back into those indifferent, detached golden eyes.

Time, in another sense, seemed to enter a state of halt again.

The master and servant gazed into each other’s eyes, locked in a long, enduring stare.

After a long time, Yuri finally moved.

She followed the force of Reiger’s push and slowly retracted Moslo’s Sword, sheathing it back into its scabbard.

The ancient, solemn, and mystical aura disappeared as if it had never existed, vanishing in an instant.

The oppressive feeling that pervaded the entire scene disappeared.

The golden glow in Yuri’s eyes also vanished.

"Huuh..."

The surrounding onlookers, as if they had just remembered how to breathe, exhaled deeply.

"Master, Master..."

Yuri returned to her normal self, holding Moslo’s Sword like a child who had done something wrong, hanging her head, no longer daring to look at Reiger.

"I, I didn’t mean to, Master."

Yuri, looking almost tearful, hurriedly tried to explain to Reiger.

"I know, I don’t blame you," Reiger said, relieved to see Yuri back to normal, and asked, "What was that state just now?"

Reiger only cared about this issue.

"I don’t know," Yuri responded, shrinking her neck timidly, "Ever since the seal on Moslo was broken, every time I draw it, I turn into that."

Reiger immediately furrowed his brows.

That was not good at all.

"So, using Moslo’s Sword, you become unable to control yourself?" Reiger looked seriously at Yuri.

Yuri hurriedly shook her head.

"No, I can still control myself, and I know what I’m doing," Yuri explained, carefully choosing her words, struggling for a while to find the right adjective, reluctantly said, "It’s just, in that state, I seem to become very indifferent to everything, as if I’m standing high above, looking down at the world, feeling that whatever I do is normal..."

This feeling made Yuri very uncomfortable.

That’s why she hesitated so much when Reiger asked her to draw the sword.