The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated

Chapter 424: “Thunderstorm”

Harvis could also see that Shien hadn’t used his full strength.

That sense of composure and ease couldn’t be faked, which was why Harvis’s expression turned serious.

Unlike those incompetent nobles filled with envy and jealousy, he hadn’t underestimated Shien from the beginning.

Not only because Shien had defeated the [Assassination Branch], but also because Harvis knew very well that someone who could catch the eye of the Kingdom’s treasure definitely had true abilities.

Those nobles might have already forgotten how Shien had overwhelmed everyone present with his aura during the first audience.

Harvis, however, learned about this through his own channels and kept it in mind. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have used his broadsword, Thunderstorm, from the start.

“Ha!”

With Harvis’s low shout, bolts of lightning crackled around the broadsword called Thunderstorm.

“That is…!?”

Everyone present saw this scene and was startled.

Shien was also somewhat surprised, his gaze falling on the broadsword in Harvis’s hand for the first time.

The large sword, crackling with lightning, not only had an eye-catching size, but its blade also had a shimmering luster, and its hilt was inlaid with crystals, now emitting a dense magic power that caused the lightning to flicker continuously.

This scene made many people recognize the sword.

“Could that be the Ragna Empire’s Thunderstorm?”

Ancil was slightly surprised.

“Your Highness is using Thunderstorm so soon?”

Wolram was also stunned.

“Thunderstorm…”

Lucy remembered where she had heard this name.

And Harvis, in front of everyone, smiled at Shien, who also looked surprised, his eyes filled with fighting spirit.

“This is a magic weapon created by a hundred master dwarven blacksmiths, commissioned by an emperor of the Ragna Empire, taking an entire year to complete. It’s a gift specifically for descendants who can’t wield the replica Holy Sword. Although it doesn’t have the same power as the replica Holy Sword, it’s one of the highest-grade magic weapons in the world, especially in the hands of someone with the [Lightning Magic] skill. The power it unleashes will be incredibly formidable.”

Harvis’s explanation didn’t surprise Shien too much.

Because before he explained, Shien had already used the [Appraisal] skill to see through the true nature of the Thunderstorm broadsword.

Just as Harvis said, it was one of the highest-grade magic weapons. Its effect was to trigger lightning phenomena. Not only could it be used for lightning-based attacks, but if wielded by someone with the [Lightning Magic] skill, the higher the user’s [Lightning Magic] skill level, the stronger the sword’s power would be. It could even manipulate the weather, creating thunderstorms and summoning lightning, incredibly terrifying.

With this sword’s power, the user’s [Magic Sword] skill would be converted to lightning attribute, its power greatly increased.

Therefore, this Thunderstorm broadsword was also a treasure passed down through generations of the Ragna Empire’s royal family, second only to the replica Holy Sword.

“In the eyes of many, I might not be as good as my talented younger sister.” Harvis smiled amidst the lightning. “Indeed, in terms of potential and talent, I’m truly no match for Capeline. She reached level seventy when she was seventeen, while I only barely reached level sixty at that time. Compared to her, I’m indeed quite inferior.”

However…

“I’m still seven years older than her.”

The fighting spirit in Harvis’s eyes surged along with the lightning.

“With a full seven years’ difference in training, tempering, and growth, don’t think I’m that much weaker than her.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Harvis dashed towards Shien like a bolt of lightning, appearing before him in the blink of an eye. He raised the Thunderstorm broadsword and slashed down.

“Boom!”

A roaring sound exploded on the stage, and the lightning bloomed like an explosion, plowing across the entire stage and spreading outwards, causing bolts of lightning to dance and crack the stage.

For a moment, lightning flashed, and debris flew, causing the audience around the stage to exclaim and scream.

On the open-air platform, Ancil, seeing this scene, immediately gave instructions.

“Raise the barrier!”

Under Ancil’s instructions, several magicians from the knight order maintaining order around the stage rushed forward, chanting spells and deploying transparent barriers around the stage.

With this, the fierce battle between Shien and Harvis finally reached a fever pitch.

“Swish!”

Shien’s figure suddenly appeared behind Harvis as if teleporting, unleashing a cold slash, the sword light cutting through space.

Harvis sensed this, but didn’t turn to face it. Instead, he twisted the Thunderstorm broadsword in his hand, and the lightning dancing around him, as if gaining sentience, shot towards Shien.

“Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang…!”

The lightning bolts struck Shien one after another, creating muffled sounds.

However, Shien ignored them, unharmed. A red magic light suddenly flickered on his Holy Sword, and a blade of magic power appeared.

“Swish!”

An extremely fast flash cut through the air, severing the snake-like lightning bolts, dissipating them into nothingness.

“You have a resistance skill?”

Harvis finally turned around and saw the unharmed Shien. He was surprised, then his expression turned serious. Without hesitation, he raised the Thunderstorm broadsword, causing countless lightning bolts to erupt from it, bombarding the surroundings.

The power was several levels higher than advanced lightning magic.

Perhaps it was to perfectly wield this Thunderstorm broadsword that Harvis learned the [Lightning Magic] skill and raised it to level seven.

“Good heavens.”

Shien couldn’t help but mutter, but his movements weren’t slow at all.

“Swish!” “Swish!” “Swish!”

With flashes of sword light, Shien unleashed countless slashes imbued with [Magic Sword], cutting down and deflecting the incoming lightning bolts, neutralizing Harvis’s attacks.

The lightning bolts shot in all directions, striking the stage like lightning from the sky, continuously plowing through the floor, creating cracks and sending debris flying, turning the entire stage into a pool of lightning, electric arcs flashing.

Everyone watched this suddenly intensified battle, staring at the stage filled with dancing lightning and flying debris, their expressions stunned and shocked.

And at this moment, Shien had already cut through countless incoming lightning bolts, using the [Close-Range Evasion] skill to circle and charge towards Harvis.

“Clang!”

With a loud clang, the Holy Sword, imbued with red magic light, and the broadsword, crackling with lightning, collided, creating a turbulent flow of magic power and erupting lightning.

“Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang—!”

On the lightning-filled stage, Shien and Harvis once again exchanged a flurry of sword strikes at an astonishing speed.

However, this time, every clash between Shien and Harvis caused magic power to erupt and lightning to flash, shaking the entire stage, making it tremble and seem about to collapse.

After using Thunderstorm, Harvis’s combat power had undoubtedly increased by more than just one level.

He could perfectly control the power of Thunderstorm, imbuing the broadsword with lightning-attribute [Magic Sword], increasing his attack speed and further enhancing the already astonishing speed and power of [Flashing Sword]. It was as if he wasn’t wielding a sword, but a bolt of lightning. With every swing, even Shien could only see a flash of lightning. If it weren’t for the extreme combat instincts brought by the [God of War] skill, Shien would have had difficulty keeping up with his attack speed.

Moreover, the lightning carried by Thunderstorm’s blade wasn’t to be trifled with either. Every time it clashed with the Holy Sword, it would explode from the point of contact, quickly traveling through the Holy Sword like a venomous snake and striking Shien, causing him to be constantly electrocuted.

If it weren’t for his resistance skills, Shien definitely wouldn’t dare to exchange blows with Harvis like this.

“This prince really has some skills.”

Shien realized this.

Perhaps many people only saw the brilliance of the Empire’s princess, the power of Capeline, but ignored this prince, who had reached level eighty at the age of twenty-four.

This prince’s strength was also terrifying, forcing Shien to take him seriously.

“Evolve!”

Shien finally used the [Limit Evolution] skill.

“Boom!”

A terrifying magic power erupted from Shien, coursing through his body, transforming into astonishing strength, and erupting like a volcano, shattering the barrier that had been raised around the stage.

“What…!?”

At this moment, not only Harvis, but even those who were intently watching this fierce battle couldn’t help but change their expressions drastically.

Including Wolram, Rockto, Charl, and Lia, their faces all changed.

The magic power erupting from Shien instantly turned into a storm, sweeping away the surrounding lightning and blowing away the unprepared audience, causing them to stumble or even fall to the ground, screaming and crying out.

Only then did Shien begin his counterattack.

“Boom!”

Another roaring sound echoed.

It was the sound of the [Magic Sword] on Shien’s Holy Sword surging, transforming into a massive blade of magic power.

Shien raised the huge magic blade high and, looking at Harvis, whose pupils constricted, slashed down mercilessly.

“Rumble!”

The island where the palace was located trembled violently, causing the surrounding lake water to surge and ripple.