117 Forming a Contract with the Sacred Sword

Finally, after a millennium of tireless meditation, Ars restored his Inner Physique to perfect condition.

100% strength restored!

When Ars opened his eyes, what appeared was a young man who had forcibly made a contract with Est.

This made him a little angry.

Areishia bequeathed Terminust Est to him. How could Ars let someone else snatch Est?

Even so, he did not immediately kill the young man. Despite Areishia's death, Ars' Dao Heart was not easily shaken.

As a result, an invisible pressure threw the young man until he hit a rock.

Ars had already shown mercy. Otherwise, the young man would have already exploded into blood mist.

"Who are you?"

Facing the red-haired little girl's question, Ars with his fiery red eyes stared at her without any change in emotion in his voice.

"Ars."

"Ars... I've never heard of that name. More importantly, were you the one who attacked Kamito?" This was the first time Claire heard that name.

"Cough Cough... Claire, be careful, that person is dangerous."

While coughing up blood, Kamito reminded her. His intuition as a former assassin reminded him that the person in front of him was a monster in human skin.

"Correct. Apart from Areishia, no one is worthy of being a Sacred Sword contractor."

"Areishia... Could it be the Sacred Queen?! Does that mean that sword is the Severian Sword in the legend!"

Hearing this, Claire was stunned. Her gaze at the Sacred Sword next to Ars grew hotter.

She wanted to become strong as quickly as possible to achieve her goal, that's why she was willing to take the risk of coming here. Now knowing it was Severian's Sword, her determination to own it grew stronger.

Letting go of Kamito, Claire stood with her hands on her hips and said aggressively: "The Sacred Queen died 1000 years ago. In other words, anyone can become the owner of Severian's Sword. What right do you have to stop me?"

"Claire, don't provoke him!" Kamito said helplessly. He felt that this girl was mentally retarded.

Without changing his expression, Ars said indifferently: "What you said is right. But... Do you think you're worthy? Know your place, little girl."

Then Ars directed 0.000001% of the Immortal Emperor's aura towards Claire.

"Argghhh."

As if gravity increased hundreds of times, Claire couldn't question her haughty posture and she knelt to the ground without being able to lift her head.

"Meow!!!"

The Fire Spirit in the form of a cat named Scarlet couldn't stand seeing its owner being bullied, it jumped at Ars and wanted to scratch him.

"Hmph."

*BOOM*

With just a cold snort from Ars, Scarlet exploded into pieces and returned to Astral Zero.

"Scarlet!!!" Claire shouted sadly, then glared at Ars.

"I won't forgive you." She shouted angrily.

"Remember this feeling. Don't challenge the strong when you are still weak." Ars didn't care.

*BAM*

Kamito was in Ars' blind spot, he threw a punch to the head, but his hand seemed to hit an invisible wall.

"It's useless, you won't be able to damage even a piece of my clothes." Ars stared at Kamito with a disgusted expression.

The reason Kamito's attack failed was because Ars had activated [Mugen (Infinity)].

With [Mugen], anything approaching him slowed down and continued to slow down until it literally wouldn't reach Ars.

"I don't believe it."

Taking out the dagger at his waist, Kamito continuously attacked various vital points. However, no matter which part he attacked, his attacks could not hit the opponent.

"Ever heard of Zeno's Paradox? Ah, just forget what I said. Primitive people like you won't understand even if I explain."

After saying that, Ars waved his hand. In the next instant, Kamito was once again blown away. This time, he bumped into Claire who couldn't move.

The two people groaned in pain when they collided.

The Protagonist's Luck is on.

Whether intentionally or not, Kamito's right hand landed on Claire's small chest, his legs parted the girl's thighs, and their lips pressed together.

"What is this perverted luck... Are you Yuuki Rito?" Ars was speechless.

"Kyaaa! Lewd, lascivious, filthy, wild animal!"

After regaining consciousness, Claire held Kamito up and slapped him across the face.

"It wasn't on purpose, I swear it was an accident." While holding his cheek, Kamito stammered out an excuse.

On the other hand, Claire had her arms crossed in front of her chest, her face was red, there were tears in the corners of her eyes, and she looked like a rape victim.

"I've been defiled... What if I get pregnant."

"Nonsense! You won't get pregnant just because of that."

"But the books say—"

"That book is not true, don't read such books in the future."

Kamito and Claire started arguing, forgetting Ars by the side.

Ars: "😐"

Seeing that one was blaming and the other was defending himself, Ars didn't want to watch that ridiculous show.

Using [Mukagen (Limitless)], he manipulated the space around the two of them. Then, the two of them were teleported to a random location, which even Ars himself didn't know where.

"Finally, the two troublemakers left."

He saw a crescent-shaped Spirit Seal on the back of his left hand. Ars had no intention of waking Restia from hibernation. At least, not now.

Directing his gaze to the Sacred Sword beside him, Ars held the sword's hilt, closed his eyes, and connected his consciousness with Est.

In his consciousness which had sunk into darkness, Ars found a girl sitting while hugging her knees.

Her silver-white hair shone brilliantly even in the darkness.

"Est."

Ars put his hand on Est's cheek who had closed her heart.

The mysterious purple eyes widened in surprise.

"Ars..."

"Est, I beg you, don't torture yourself. If Areishia finds out about this, she will definitely be sad."

Turning to Est who was squatting, Ars sat next to her.

But Est shook her head speechlessly.

"Ars, I'm sorry. I cannot be your sword."

Est of course wanted to fulfill Areishia's last request, but she was afraid, afraid that the same thing would happen to Ars.

"One day, I took Ars' life."

At that moment, something cold was felt on Ars' fingertips.

They were tears.

Est was once a Sword Spirit who didn't show a single emotion. However, along with her interactions with Ars and Areishia, human emotions slowly awakened within her.

Precisely because she had emotions, Est felt sad about Areishia's death caused by her, and was afraid that Ars would follow in Areishia's footsteps, if he entered into a contract with her.

"I have no right to be Ars' sword."

Est herself had stolen Areishia's life with her curse.

That's why she closed her heart.

For hundreds of years, she continued to separate herself from those who wished to contract her.

So she won't be touched by anyone else anymore.

Ars rubbed the corners of Est's eyes.

"If that's what you're afraid of, you don't need to worry, your curse is ineffective against me."

The Empyrean Realm Void Imperfection Physique was not just mere decoration!

This physique made the cultivator immune to Dao, Merit Laws, poisons, magic, curses, and other negative effects.

Even if the curse attached to Est was powerful, it was only limited to this world.

Ars was confident that Est's curse wouldn't be able to damage his Void Imperfection Physique.

"You can't...If you continue using the Demon Sword like me, I will steal your life!"

Unfortunately, Est didn't know that fact, and still refused.

Ars put his hand on Est's head.

"I won't lose to a curse like that."

He ran a hand through that beautiful silver-white hair.

"Fuaa... Ars... Stop, please...."

"Won't. Until you stop crying."

"Ars..."

"Est, your curse and your fate as a Sword Demon, I will accept it all."

Then, Ars hugged Est's small body.

"Become my Spirit, Est!"

"No... I will do it, on Ars..."

To stop those words, Ars hugged Est and covered her lips with his own.

"!?"

Est's eyes opened in surprise.

It was a ritual to contract a top tier Spirit.

Kiss of Vows.

Ars gently separated their lips.

"I'll say it one more time, Est. Become my Spirit."

He held her delicate body tightly.

"Become my Spirit, Est!"

Responding to Ars' words....

"Ars, I—"

Est's silvery white hair shone.

...

In real reality.

Ars opened his eyes and found that on his right hand there was a symbol of two crossed swords engraved on it.

In his hand he held a white and blue one-handed long sword with a partially golden hilt.

"Don't worry, Est. The day you see me die because of your curse will never come." Ars spoke softly, the days the three of them spent appeared in his mind.

"I am the Contracted Spirit of Ars. Protecting you is my duty."

Est's voice came straight to Ars' mind.