Kuro no Maou

(Wonderful, to actually meet some this able master of swordmanship)

At the same time, he also felt delight.

The hatchet in Kurono’s hand had a large jet black sword blade with ominous deep crimson lines shining like veins, and the weapon is always covered in a sinister dark red aura.

Even the girl they captured from village would be able to see that this weapon was a「Cursed Weapon」.

Anyone would call it「cursed」even in a single glance and would sense the strong grudge hidden in it, in other words this weapon would be in the top ranks among countless cursed weapons.

(And he is controlling the curse completely)

Kurono was still staring at Ludora with his red and black eyes still having the light of consciousness, even while in stance.

Ludora had fought against many people with Cursed Weapons, but it’s the first time he was fighting against one who has maintained his sanity even while using Cursed Weapons.

Moreover a person controlling a Cursed Weapon with that much strong grudge.

He understood that the blade had sucked lots of blood not just of ten or twenty people.

After all, he was also the same.

(My favourite katana『Bloodsucking Princess「Scarlet Dye」』won’t lose in the amount of blood sucked)

Ludora held back the urge to smile,

(Don’t end this match in just one sword)

And without making a sound, drew out his sword.

「AkaNagi」[1]

In an instant, a shining white blade——no, a sword blood dyed scarlet came out of the scabbard.

「!?」

A tinge of surprise flashed upon Kurono’s face.

That reaction could be said normal. It was obvious that even with the length of katana hanging on Ludora’s waist, it won’t reach a distance of several meters.

However, the blade kept on extending reaching towards Kurono’s body.

(This single stroke uses the blood sucked till now and nullifies the distance between the opponent. Now how will you respond to it, Kurono)

People with confidence in their speed would evade it, the one with confidence in their toughness would defend it, and those without much ability would get their head cut in top and bottom without exception.

Against such an attack, Kurono,

「AkaNagi」

The colour of blade swung from hatchet was similar scarlet red.

Thus, that Martial Skill with same pronunciation, attacked by constructing a blade by using the blood sucked.

Two crimson sword strikes intersected.

A metal sound rang out making one think they weren’t made from blood, and both turned in red mist disappearing in the black of the night.

「I never thought that some can use the same skill as me」

(So he got surprised for that, Pfft, interesting, this man——)

Ludora saw Kurono voicing out words of admiration, and as he expected, no, even more than that he was convinced that,

(Surely is worth fighting against seriously)

He would show his true power, which he had shown just against top rank monsters, against this young curse-weapon wielder.

In other words, he would show his true form to him.

「Kurono, let me tell you to not misunderstand」

Ludora’s senses explosively increased in an instant.

The vision which wasn’t able to see more than some meters now saw all the surroundings as easily as looking under the shine of sunlight in day.

His ears which only picked up the sound of blood blades breaking, now became so sharp that they even picked up the sounds of Kurono’s heartbeat.

His olfaction could even distinguish between the faint smell of earth and grass, his sense of touch could now clearly feel the flow of wind, and his sixth sense which could perceive the blood, magical energy and various other things invisible through eyes.

That feeling was like the world just expanded immediately, however, to Kurono only the outward changes were perceivable rather than the inner changes.

The eyeballs with blue pupil congested with blood and were dyed in red, a part of teeth metamorphosed into like fangs of beast people.

On Pandora with various races living, Ludora transformation wasn’t something much different from humans, but that is why, is it was more conspicuous to humans.

Kurono immediately understood what the true form Ludora was.

「My class is Swordsman, no, I use katana so it should be『Samurai』. Hence, my attacks are all from this one sword, I can’t use magic——」

Why would he deliberately say that?

These words were like saying an elf which excels in magical energy fights just by using sword.

Ludora’s race had enough magical energy to be lined up against Elves.

「——In other words, I will use all the magical energy of Vampires into using Martial Skills」

.

.

.

「Vampire, eh」

I have seen various races till now, but seeing a Vampire is a first for me.

The red eyeballs with congested blood, and two fangs peeking out from the mouth, indeed look like that of a vampire.

However the thing I need to be more cautious to is that the Vampire race has very powerful physical ability.

Even that haggard patient-like body has physical strength easily surpassing humans, moreover among the characteristics of vampire, the most excellent status is their magical energy.

Vampire’s high-levelled magical energy rivalling that of Elves is the cause they are mostly of Mage Class, however at the same time, they even have their physical power. Looking at it comprehensively, they are more trouble to fight against Elf mages.

Although Vampires have that strong abilities, but maybe this could be called nature’s dispensation that their population is in minority, hence they are rarely seen even in cities.

Thus for me to meet one in a place like this can only be said bad luck to me.

「Here I come」

However, even if the opponent is Vampire I have got no intention to run away, the other party also doesn’t seem to let me off.

Ludora was already rushing at me with unsheathed red sword blade katana held by both hands.

「KuroNagi!」

His rush was fast enough to surpass the speed of that insane Joto.

Hence it would be faster to intercept him with my hatchet rather than Bullet Arts or Sword Arts, or rather that was the only choice I had.

「Scarlet Slash」

Ludora’s katana also had an aura same as the hatchet, so to speak it was more like clad in blood mist like thing, hence revealing a bright red colour. No matter how you see it, no can call it a normal weapon.

It might even be a Cursed Weapon, in that case, the difference in ability of our both weapons isn’t that much.

In that case the factor for victory or defeat will be the users’ ability——

SFX: GaakkkKKkiiiIIInnnNN!

And the black and red blades repelled each other while scattering sparks and making a shrill sound resound.

「Guh!」

Rather than strong it might be good to say heavy.

The attack sent out by the slender blade rivalled the power of my bastard sword-like big hatchet.

Despite that it still seems like a Japanese sword, though with more sharpness and speed.

I will definitely lose in a pure swordsmanship battle, but the point I can win in is......power, eh.

Vampire have physical power surpassing that of humans, but, that is the same for me, my body has already ceased being human.

「Haaaa!」

Just a moment after attacking with Martial Skills, both of us still maintained their stances, and started the close-blade-combat.

「Too fast!」

The black blade strikes and red blade strikes both made several light tracks in an instant, incidentally scattering sparks and magical energy.

Based on bodily sensation it felt like eternity, but in truth not even ten seconds had passed. There was one thing though which I immediately understood in the match of continuous offense and defence, that I can’t win against with just sword.

It would’ve been good if he slash sent out by me were evaded, but they were actually warded off by the katana at the critical point.

I don’t have enough power to overcome this logical technique.

I probably am above in pure physical strength, albeit by narrow margin, however, Ludora has enough swordsmanship ability to surpass that narrow margin.

And more than anything, the blade has brushed off various dangerous parts of my body.

If I was still wearing Apprentice Robe, although it wouldn’t be a fatal one, I would’ve been forced to lose quite an amount of blood. Thanks to wearing armour as Greed Gore‘s countermeasure that I am able to still remain unhurt.

As expected of a sword-user Vampire, it won’t be distant future when I get an attack powerful enough to break through my armour.

However this is not only a match of swordsmanship, a match is not just won by sword-using ability.

「Anchor Hand」

Even while holding the hilt with hands, the other cursed weapon, no a guard——「I’m a maid desu~」, no a maid affixed on my hand created several wires similar to black hair from the back of hand. I control them to entangle Ludora.

In this super-fast offense and defence match, if I hadn’t used the effect of this powerful maid gloves around my hand, I wouldn’t have been able to have enough thought and concentration to swing the hatchet and at the same time use magic too.

「Mmh!?」

Ludora’s reaction was fast, that may either be because of pure reflexes or sixth sense, or maybe because of both. Even before the black hair curse attacked him, he had already jumped back by one step and got out its range.

However he didn’t just back off, but even brandished the katana horizontally to prevent my movements.

「Aka Nagi」

From out the range he deployed the Martial Skill to bisect me in two.

「Shield」

However, the black magical energy fibre making the shield has already been deployed in front of me to protect my body. On top of that, if I had the little time Ludora takes to deploy Martial Skill, I can again defend without swinging the hatchet.

The black shield covering my body with it’s over 2 meters size starts knitting black hair wires and by the time they are constructed, the blood blade I had seen before reaches me.

The blood blade cuts off the hard magical fibres, but it stops halfway without being able to cut it into two parts.

The Martial Skills was finished and the red katana vanished, similarly the Shield also started dispersing from the cut up part.

「It may be great if I also name my Class」

However, it’s enough time to prepare for counterattack now that I’ve stopped this attack.

My figure might be again visible to Ludora now that the Shield covering me has gone.

「I’m not a swordsman——」

The『Absolute Grudge Hatchet「Kubidan」』was not in my hand, but rather in my left was the『Wrath-Pun’s Right Arm』and in my right hand was a completely loaded『Gun』.

Also there were a belt of thousands of magic bullets and ten blackened swords rising from my rear like wings.[2]

「——I’m a Black Magician」

Come on now Vampire Samurai, take on my Full Burst!

TRANSLATOR’S NOTE:

Aka used by Ludora is different Kanji while Kurono’s is different Kanji. HOWEVER both mean the same, more or less. But the one used by Ludora also means scarlet and blood red which Kurono’s doesn’t mean at all.

Nagi said by Ludora is different from the one Kurono says. Like completely even with the meanings.

I can already imagine a scene like that. It is almost like Meng Hao being surrounded by neo demons and Lotus Sword Formation rising from his back!