...

  Unlike the two battles that had started, this particur battle between the two Leaders initiated right off the bat

  *CLANG* *CLANG* *CLINK* *CLANG* *CLANG*

  Every move was swift and precise, yet neither side was able to nd a hit to their respective enemy

  With even more multiple parries of their swords at each other, the other side eventually took the hint that there was no point of dragging it any further

  "..."

  "..."

  None could say who was in the advantage. The only thing in their minds was "How to get the upper hand" in this battle

  The Light Pilr, Hikari, swung his sword to his right side, points it at his enemy, and started to talk

  "You...have you achieved full mastery of Swordsmanship?"

  "...?"

  "To be able to parry and dodge my attacks like that, only someone who has mastered swordsmanship can match up with that"

  The man in particur smiles a bit, as he replied

  "And what if I do?"

  "It wouldn't be a surprise...but what amuses me is..."

  Hikari then goes into his padin stance

  "...You were able to deflect all of my attacks"

  "I could say the same thing to you. Perhaps we both have aces up our sleeves?"

  "..."

  Hikari didn't reply back, instead he charges up a skill

  "Lightwave: Illuminate"

  His sword slowly glows up with a bright yellow aura right after

  "...?"

  "I hope this is enough"

  He lunges forward at the man, striking his sword right at his chest

  *CLANG*

  But it was effortlessly blocked by their sword

  "As I expected..."

  "...!"

  The man quickly backs off the moment he realizes something was wrong

  "That's honestly disgusting...trying to melt my sword like that"

  "Any tactics can be used in a battle, as long as it helps us to win, right?"

  "..."

  Hikari pushes forward once more, striking on every corner at his enemy

  *WHOOSH* *WHOOSH* *WHOOSH* *WHOOSH* *WHOOSH* *WHOOSH* *WHOOSH* *WHOOSH* *WHOOSH* *WHOOSH*

  But the enemy kept dodging it with ease

  Suddenly, Hikari changes his attack, putting feints in his strikes

  And that's where the enemy seemingly left an opening

  "!"

  As an opening to his chest was exposed, Hikari didn't hesitate to strike it

  *CLANG*

  Only for it to be parried once again

  Moreover, the skill that he imbued on his sword started to waver

  "What...?"

  He backs off from the enemy right after, maintaining quite a distance between

  "This has never happened before..."

  That could only mean one thing. He looked at the enemy on the eyes, the enemy looks back right at him

  "Dispel spell...almost no one has a hold of that spell...perhaps...you're a hero...?"

  The enemy hesitates for a moment, but eventually gave a straight answer

  "I'm not a hero nor don't have access to a dispel spell. I'm simply just your average human being"

  "..."

  Hikari of course, didn't believe the enemy...but what if the enemy was saying the truth?

  ...if there's such spell that can dispel spells like dispel...then is there even a way to even get the upper hand?

  "I don't think I'll have a chance of winning against him if I can't break down through his defenses..."

  As the enemy seems to show no signs of wearing down at all. At this rate, Hikari will definitely lose

  "Yet this is the point of no return"

  They are deep within the enemy's territory, they know its a do or die situation already

  Hikari grips his hand tightly at the grave situation

  "Should I use it?"

  The one skill that Hikari has never used before, the only skill that he thought would be unfair to use since it wouldn't be his own power

  "..."

  "Hikari, you are a hardworking boy and all, but you cannot do everything in your own power"

  "I know that..."

  "You're strong! I can tell you've put a lot of work on achieving that kind of strength!"

  "...Gideon"

  "It is a gift from the Goddess herself. Why would you waste it? You should use it!"

  Finally, Hikari stood firm with confidence in his eyes

  "Right, this is not the time to think about it. I should just use it"

  He firmly points down his sword to the ground, as he chanted his special skill...

  ...when suddenly

  "Don't forget about me"

  *CLANG*

  In a nick of time, Hikari was able to counter the enemy's attack

  Thereafter, came a series of attacks from the enemy

  *CLANG* *CLANG* *CLINK* *CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG* *CLINK* *CLANG* *CLANG*

  Which Hikari was able to parry successfully

  "Twelve more strikes..."

  1...2...3...

  Multiple strikes from the enemy came at Hikari, to which he cleanly parries one of each...

  ...11...12!

  "Its time!"

  It was then that Hikari decided to attack the enemy

  *CLANG*

  "Not bad-?!"

  "I expected that!"

  Hikari's sword, effortlessly goes through the enemy's sword

  *CLANG...TINK...KRAKK*

  Shattering the sword in the process

  "!"

  The enemy quickly backs off the moment that happened

  "*Sigh*...now I don't even have a sword anymore...that took me ages to craft and polish too"

  "..."

  Hikari on the other hand, never lost his focus, and kept looking at the enemy

  "That's some fierce gaze you're giving at me"

  "Just why"

  "...?"

  "Why does someone like you, is in this forest alongside with them?"

  Hikari was talking about the Demicat and the Lurachnid in particur

  "What do you mean?"

  "Demicats are known to be strong comparable of those most heroes, and a prideful species. Lurachnid on the other hand are experts on illusions and a seclusive species that don't want to work with other species...why are the two of the powerful species working each other under your guidance, a human?"

  "..."

  As he scratches his head in confusion, the enemy simply answers back

  "Its complicated, but I never intended it to be that way in the first pce"

  "What...?"

  "Right before I knew it, I couldn't help but take care of those two"

  The enemy said with a genuine smile on his face

  Hikari, suddenly lowered his guard around the enemy

  "It almost seems like...you never had bad intentions on the first pce"

  "Did I? I know I don't personally"

  "But why did you harm them?"

  The enemy got taken aback from what Hikari said, but immediately knew what he meant

  "I see..."

  The enemy is reminded of what he did to the other party

  "...Lets just say that I only did the right thing. I only protected what's dearest to me, like what you're doing right now"

  "Only did the right thing...?"

  Hikari knew that there was some bad rumors against them...but he never confirmed if it was true or not, hence why he didn't know which one is to believe

  ...Every detail that he got from this expedition came from the Wind Pilr and Water Pilr. He never checked its credibility, and just trusted the two...

  ...Perhaps there's also inconsistencies between the info they gave to him? He thought to himself

  "I know their actions were suspicious, but I shouldn't doubt their motives if its for the betterment of our situation..."

  "...?"

  Suddenly, A yellow aura bursts. It starts to enrge and envelop Hikari, showing signs of his stats increasing exponentially

  "..."

  Then a ray of light started to rain down upon Hikari, strengthening himself furthermore

  "This is the first time I've seen an enhancement skill this strong..."

  As the enemy always wondered how strong it is from the isekai animes he's watched, he got the taste of it from Hikari

  Right after the ray of light disappeared, Hikari points his sword at his opponent once more

  "The one that leads the elements, the one that bears the responsibility, to be the one that shows the light to the Pilrs"

  "...?"

  "I'm the Sol Empire's Light Pilr, Hikari"

  "Sol Empire..."

  The enemy felt the need to state his name as well

  "I'm Rui Hanzawa, the leader of those two...as well as the Caretaker of this pce"

  Just like a game, the battle had ended its first phase, and is now starting its second phase...

  ...