Gravity and storms drove away the surrounding warriors, allowing Bai Shi and Radahn to unleash their full power.
Radahn flicked his twin swords upward, knocking back Bai Shi, who was cleaving down from the sky with his swordspear.
Gravity orbs materialized around Radahn, locking onto Bai Shi in mid-air.
The sky-filling gravity orbs he had once used to shatter the stars were now a sign of his acknowledgement of Bai Shi's strength.
Countless gravity orbs shot toward Bai Shi, forming a deep purple river of stars across the sky.
Radahn was fast, but Bai Shi was faster.
Bai Shi thrust his swordspear toward the sky and activated Lightning Slash.
Thunder roared as an unprecedentedly powerful bolt of lightning coiled around the swordspear, making it look as if it were forged from solid, golden electricity.
The lightning from Lightning Slash was different from the inherent lightning of the Dragonslayer's Swordspear; it would cancel out the Black Flame.
Therefore, Bai Shi did not use the Black Flame this time, instead hurling the spear that now combined wind and lightning.He immediately used a storm to propel himself downward, dodging the successive gravity orbs.
The Dragonslayer's Swordspear howled as it tore through Caelid's crimson sky, its light so bright it stung the eyes of the watching warriors.
This spear was less like a bolt of lightning and more like the scorching sun.
The swordspear plunged down into Radahn's right chest, pierced through his body, and exited his left waist.
After landing, Bai Shi used the storm's acceleration to close the distance to Radahn with the speed of a teleport.
A few gravity orbs hit Bai Shi, but after increasing his size, the pull of one or two orbs was no longer enough to stop him.
Firmly gripping the handle of the swordspear protruding from Radahn's body, Bai Shi continued his charge, ignoring the gash Radahn's right sword carved into his waist.
Bai Shi used the blade like a guillotine. As he rushed past Radahn, the swordspear tore Radahn's clavicle, shoulder, and back apart.
Now, only the front of Radahn's torso supported his body, his abdominal cavity clearly visible through the wound.
But it wasn't over. He stopped, spun, and delivered a spinning slash.
Bai Shi's swordspear struck with precision through the terrifying wound he had just created, severing the reconnected spine once more.
Faced with such a devastating injury, even Radahn could not help but roar in pain.
Bai Shi did not press his attack. Instead, he quickly drank two Flasks of Crimson Tears to heal the wound Radahn had just inflicted.
Radahn's Starscourge Greatswords were not only heavy but also incredibly sharp. Bai Shi suspected they were definitely enhanced to +9.
That counterattack from Radahn had nearly cut him in half.
If he hadn't adjusted his posture to avoid his heart, Bai Shi would have almost met his end right there.
But the open wound had to be treated immediately, or it would become a serious problem.
Radahn reattached his spine and shoulder, and ignoring his other unhealed injuries, swung his twin blades and charged at Bai Shi again.
Bai Shi laughed aloud. It was exhilarating!
Though dangerous and tense, like dancing on a blade's edge.
But this was how it should be, wasn't it?
Bai Shi raised his swordspear and engaged Radahn in close combat.
The swordspear thrust left and right, leaving bloody holes all over Radahn's body.
Radahn also swung his twin blades, parrying Bai Shi's assault while counterattacking.
Even with his mind eroded, Radahn's combat prowess was unparalleled.
Bai Shi swept his swordspear, but Radahn deflected it wide to the side with a flourishing parry from his left sword.
The move threw Bai Shi momentarily off balance.
Bai Shi was shocked. It was a dagger parry stance, yet Radahn had executed it with the Starscourge Greatsword.
But now was not the time for astonishment. This slight loss of balance was fatal in battle.
Radahn's other Starscourge Greatsword was already swinging towards Bai Shi's head.
—
This was a battle on a level that the warriors could not participate in.
They could only watch from a distance as Bai Shi and Radahn fought relentlessly.
Some had tried to get closer and join in, but they were crushed into pulp by gravity orbs before they even got near.
Blaidd was freezing the cracks on Alexander's body, utterly astonished by Bai Shi's performance.
He was quite familiar with General Radahn.
Therefore, he knew just how terrifyingly powerful the general was.
Although the general had lost his sanity and could no longer use many of his martial arts and sorceries, he was still absurdly strong.
What he had forgotten were the techniques he was less proficient in.
The gravity sorcery seared into his very flesh already accounted for eighty percent of the general's combat strength.
And yet, Bai Shi was able to fight General Radahn one-on-one on equal footing... No, he was even suppressing the general.
If it weren't for the fact that General Radahn's Great Rune was so incredibly powerful in single combat, the damage Bai Shi had inflicted would have killed him countless times over.
The stars twinkling and returning to the sky was a sign that General Radahn's Great Rune was on the verge of shattering.
General Radahn's Great Rune would not last much longer.
However, no one knew how long General Radahn's Great Rune could still be used.
Until the Great Rune was destroyed, General Radahn could make countless mistakes, but as long as he dealt a single fatal blow to Bai Shi, the tide of battle would instantly turn.
Alexander watched the fierce battle between Bai Shi and Radahn, unable to resist punching the air in support.
"Ooh! A beautiful hit!"
"Ah—! So painful, so painful!"
Looking at the over-excited Alexander, whose icy patches were now cracking, Blaidd shook his head.
Alexander had been caught by General Radahn's spinning slash just now, and cracks had appeared on more than half of his jar-body.
The part of his body that collided with the blade had been completely cleaved open, his contents spilling all over the ground.
Fortunately, Blaidd's royal greatsword could help freeze the cracks and his contents, otherwise it would have been a disaster.
Still, it was better than being killed on the spot.
Bernahl drank a flask of tears to heal his wounds, then crossed his arms and watched the battle silently.
Behind him, Tarnished like Great Horned Tragoth, Old Knight Istvan, and the Dauntless stared secretly at his back.
They had recognized Bernahl, each lost in their own thoughts.
‘Did Sir Bernahl really become a Recusant...’
‘That person, is that Sir Bernahl? So familiar, but... something seems strange...’
The Old Man stared intently at Bai Shi, contemplating how he would cut him down if they were to face each other.
The three members of Miquella's retinue stood in a line, with Dane and Freyja flanking Leda.
Dryleaf Dane was silent as usual, but Leda could see the fire in his eyes.
Dane was unwilling to communicate with people, but he was obsessed with sparring.
However, he wouldn't let it interfere with his duties, and remained a very reliable companion.
In comparison, Freyja was only reliable in combat. In other areas, she was a bit too... pure.
Freyja watched the battle between General Radahn and Bai Shi, letting out occasional gasps of surprise:
"Wow, wow, he can even dodge that move from the General!"
"That guy's really strong. It's rare to see someone beat up the General like this."
"But, of course, this is the kind of battle General Radahn should be in."
"An endless battle, a fervent battle!"
"This is General Radahn, this is the Red Lion!"
Leda did not comment on what Freyja said.
Perhaps General Radahn did indeed enjoy endless battles.
But not now.
This time, during this festival of combat where heroes gathered, they had to send General Radahn's soul to fulfill its promise.
Furthermore, Leda had brought her people to participate in the festival not just to bid farewell to General Radahn.
Her purpose was also to select candidates who could serve Lord Miquella in the future.
To achieve Lord Miquella's goals, she would have to defeat Mohg, the Lord of Blood, in the future.
However, her current strength was not enough to do so.
So she needed to select powerful warriors who performed exceptionally well in the festival of combat.
A warrior capable of defeating General Radahn would certainly be useful against Mohg, the Lord of Blood.
In the two days before the festival began, Leda had also gathered intelligence.
She learned that the Bai Shi she had met earlier was the Lord of Stormveil who had already defeated a demigod and ruled Limgrave.
Now, his performance in the battle against General Radahn was nothing short of brilliant.
In fact, the Lord of Stormveil still seemed to be fighting with ease.
His strength was beyond question.
Leda suddenly spoke, asking Freyja beside her.
"Freyja, what do you think if that Lord of Stormveil faced General Radahn in his prime..."
"What would the outcome be?"
Freyja didn't know why Leda was asking this, but she was immediately drawn in by the interesting question.
After some thought, she gave her opinion:
"Without a doubt, that Lord of Stormveil is strong."
"I don't know what other tricks he has up his sleeve, but even against the General in his prime, he could definitely escape."
"Whether the General is mad or not, there aren't many people who can inflict several fatal wounds on him."
Leda nodded.
Since Freyja, who knew General Radahn best, said so... then it was time to add a little fuel to the fire.
Leda raised her sword with one hand, and the emblem of Miquella's Unalloyed Gold Haligtree appeared.
Ten golden needles materialized around Radahn, piercing into his body from all directions at extreme speed.
Leda originally didn't want to use this move.
Because for the purpose of 'defeating General Radahn,' this move would undoubtedly have a negative impact.
This technique was called Piercing Needles, a unique Ash of War of Leda's.
Having been by Lord Miquella's side for so long, Leda had a considerable understanding of Unalloyed Gold.
For a certain period of time, those golden needles could be considered Unalloyed Gold Needles.
In other words, they could temporarily suppress the Scarlet Rot within General Radahn.
Although the part of his mind that was damaged could not be restored, the part that was not yet completely destroyed could now be unleashed.
General Radahn's sanity had not been so damaged that it was completely gone, otherwise he couldn't even fight like he was now.
As the golden needles pierced Radahn's body, for a moment, the Unalloyed Gold temporarily suppressed the Scarlet Rot.
With the erosion of Scarlet Rot on his body weakened, the Great Rune could fully dedicate its function to combat recovery.
And his fighting standard should also recover a little, right?
Leda was waiting with anticipation.
—
Radahn was in a fierce struggle against Bai Shi.
But suddenly, chaotic, almost illogical, and incoherent thoughts surfaced in Radahn's blank mind.
‘Fighting?’
‘Who...’
‘Malenia, the war in Aeonia...’
‘Miquella...’
Strange nouns appeared in his mind, but he didn't quite understand what they meant.
However, he suddenly noticed something on Bai Shi.
‘Ranni's mark...’
‘Is that... Blaidd? Who... is Blaidd?’
‘Who... is he?’
‘Great Rune, demigod?’
‘Ranni's mark...’
Because his sanity was so fragile, Radahn thought of things completely unrelated to the current situation.
‘Ranni, Rykard...’
‘Failed to fulfill... wish...’
‘Mother... Father, he...’
But there was no more room for thought. Bai Shi's swordspear had already pierced his chest during his moment of distraction.
This brought Radahn back to his senses; they were indeed in a battle.
So Radahn focused all his remaining sliver of sanity on the fight.
As a warrior, one should not think of other things during a battle.
Defeating the opponent with all his might was the greatest respect Radahn could show.
Especially for someone bearing Ranni's mark, he had to hit them hard!
—
After the strange golden needles pierced Radahn's body, Bai Shi suddenly noticed that Radahn was acting differently.
Although he didn't know what those golden needles were, Bai Shi guessed it was the work of Miquella's followers.
Bai Shi could clearly feel that Radahn's attacks had become more ferocious.
His twin blades swung more fluidly than before, and there was gradually a method to his madness.
‘Did he recall his martial arts in the heat of battle?’
‘Or was it the work of those needles?’
Radahn blocked the swordspear with one sword and forced Bai Shi back with the other.
Then, for the first time in the fight, Radahn actively pulled away from Bai Shi.
He released a massive gravity orb on a distant sand dune behind him.
That orb and the purple magic emanating from Radahn attracted each other, and in an instant, he was pulled to the location of the orb at a speed far exceeding his usual gravity-powered flight.
The speed was like a teleportation, something only a body as powerful as Radahn's could withstand.
For a moment, Bai Shi didn't dare to pursue, unsure of what Radahn was planning.
Then he saw Radahn slam the Starscourge Greatswords into the ground, rubble continuously clinging to the blades.
It was Cragblade.
An Ash of War that coated a weapon with heavy rocks to increase its weight and damage.
But Radahn's Cragblade was more than that.
The rocks continued to climb up the swords, soon covering Radahn's entire body. In the previous fight, Radahn's armor had been shattered by various attacks.
Although the Great Rune could heal his physical wounds, it was powerless against equipment damage.
Reducing the damage he took would allow the Great Rune to last a bit longer.
Bai Shi didn't know how durable this rock armor was, but he imagined it wouldn't be easy to break.
Then, flames ignited on Radahn's Cragblade.
As the leader of the Redmane army, how could Radahn not know how to use fire?
It was just that it wasn't as deeply ingrained as an instinct like his gravity sorcery, so he hadn't used it before.
"This isn't so bad."
"Things are getting interesting."
Bai Shi raised his right hand, and the Dragon Communion Seal glowed with a red light.
But what appeared next was a warm golden brilliance, with fine golden light glittering around Bai Shi.
It was Golden Vow.
Radahn had buffed himself, so as a Tarnished, he couldn't fall behind.
Bai Shi took out another small bottle and sprinkled the Uplifting Aromatic in the air.
Bai Shi had wanted to take out the Exalted Flesh Alexander gave him last time for a bite, but it felt a bit inappropriate.
So Bai Shi took out an Arteria Leaf, chewed it, and swallowed the bitter juice.
The effects of the three buffs were immediate. Bai Shi's blood surged, and his spirits soared.
After buffing, Bai Shi charged again.
And Leonard, Radahn's steed, galloped with all its might.
As Radahn and Leonard moved, the earth beneath their feet began to rumble.
Massive boulders rose one after another under their feet, shaking the very ground, lifting them several meters into the air.
Eventually, Leonard no longer needed to run; the giant rocks beneath his feet carried them forward on their own, like a ship sailing on dry land.
It was like a speeding train, leaving a massive stone wall in its wake.
Any Tarnished or warrior in its path who failed to dodge would be instantly shattered by the fast-approaching boulder.
As it neared Bai Shi, several rock spikes shot out violently from the front of the enormous rock train.
Radahn swung his Starscourge Greatswords, and fierce flames spread from the blades to the stone spikes.
Even if an entire army stood before him, Radahn could easily crush them to a pulp.
As the strongest gravity sorcerer, he possessed many unimaginably large-scale destructive moves.
Even more rock orbs gathered around Radahn.
But Bai Shi did not dodge. Surrounded by a storm, he leaped into the air.
Bai Shi used the storm to part the flames, bracing his two-handed Dragonslayer's Swordspear against a protruding rock spike to support himself in the air.
This maneuver allowed Bai Shi to avoid the massive boulder, and he had gained enough height.
Following the storm's rotation, Bai Shi became a spinning top in the air, with lightning and Black Flame once again converging on his swordspear.
After several rotations, the most ferocious Lion's Claw he could muster cleaved down towards Radahn.
The incoming rock orbs were instantly shattered upon impact with Bai Shi.
Radahn's right sword blocked Bai Shi's swordspear.
The rock-coated Starscourge Greatsword's defense was greatly enhanced, blocking the swordspear like a shield.
The scorching flames from the Starscourge Greatsword licked at Bai Shi's face, turning his eyes a fiery red.
No... those crimson eyes were not a reflection of the flames, but were red to begin with.
Large chunks of rock were knocked off the Starscourge Greatsword, but that was irrelevant now.
Radahn controlled the gravity orbs with his left hand, and a dense swarm of them flew towards Bai Shi at point-blank range.
With his sanity partially restored, the gravity orbs controlled by Radahn were not as easy to dodge as before.
Now, the orbs could even track their target with agility.
At close range, and with such a large number of gravity orbs, Bai Shi had nowhere to run and was pulled towards Radahn.
But this time, Bai Shi had no intention of dodging.
An enormous dragon's head appeared out of thin air and, aided by Radahn's pull, bit down on him.
The massive dragon's head clamped down on Radahn's upper body, blood seeping from the cracks in his rock armor.
Bai Shi stood on Radahn's body, maintaining the dragon head's control over him.
Radahn tried to break free with repulsive force, but Bai Shi would not give him the chance.
A red glow appeared in the dragon's maw, followed by a violent eruption of flames.
Dragonmaw, followed by point-blank Dragonfire!
Steam instantly erupted from the cracks in the rocks, then was instantly evaporated by the heatwave of the flames.
Radahn momentarily lost control of the rocks beneath him, and the massive boulder collapsed.
As they fell, Bai Shi continued to pour his magic into the Dragonfire, incinerating Radahn.
His swordspear was not idle either, piercing Radahn's heart for what felt like the dozenth time.
He didn't know where the Great Rune's limit was?
Then he would just keep killing Radahn until his Great Rune shattered, no matter how many lives he had left!
Though Radahn swung his twin swords in an embrace-like motion, slashing at Bai Shi's back.
This forced Bai Shi to stop and dodge, but even so, huge gashes were opened on both sides of his waist.
Radahn's armor was completely shattered, and Bai Shi's was not in much better shape.
Half of Radahn's body was thoroughly cooked, making him look like a piece of charcoal.
The rocks on his body were burned until they were brittle, melting together with his flesh and blood, ready to crumble at the slightest touch.
Radahn tore off the rock armor and summoned new rocks to cover his bloodied body.
Bai Shi took the opportunity to drink a flask of Crimson and Cerulean Tears each to recover.
He was running low on flasks, so he would have to be more careful from now on.
Bai Shi really didn't want to use Fengling Yueyi