Kusanagi was the only reason why Yamata no Orochi still possessed a power that was capable of scaring many other Magic Beasts away.
Kusanagi was attached the tip of the fourth tail. With it, Yamata no Orochi was capable of cutting almost anything—even without using Mana.
"This is more fitting," Basil remarked. "There should be no Mythical Beast that became so powerless just because they had lost their Core."
The pressure Yamata no Orochi was exuding was similar to the one he had felt from the Dragons he had killed in his past life. Although it was still lacking, it was intimidating enough for anyone other than him.
It is worth to be noted that Yamata no Orochi had lost its Core. The pressure it was exuding, therefore, was coming from the intent of everything it had killed and the reminiscent of its power.
One would never dare to imagine how powerful it was with its Core. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it could be stronger than Scylla.
As the other people gulped their saliva dryly, anticipating the next move of Yamata no Orochi in terror from afar; Basil, sitting on his mount, Deacon, stared at it casually.
He didn't show any fear, which was very bewildering to the people. The pressure they felt from Yamata no Orochi was enough to make their feet buckle; they couldn't imagine how terrifying it was being right in front of it.
The pressure was indeed terrifying; even Deacon, a Sixth Grade Magic Beast, which was just one Grade lower than the highest Grade, couldn't help getting nervous. It instilled an instinctive fear in him.
"Do you think you can move?"
"I can, Master."
"Why are you trembling, then?"
"It is intimidating."
Unlike Basil, who had faced countless of Beasts that were more terrifying than the crippled Mythical Beast in front of him, the others still hadn't had the immunity to the intimidation. Their souls still couldn't withstand the pressure it put on them.
'W-What are we going to do next?' the people wondered as they nervously looked at the motionless Basil and Yamata no Orochi.
Although it had only been 15 seconds, considering what they were facing, the lack of action was underwhelming but worrying nonetheless.
They had expected a great battle to immediately ensue, but Basil and Yamata no Orochi were just having a stare-down instead. None of them showed any sign of aggression as if they were expecting each other to turn away and leave.
|What are you doing here, human?|
|I am here to take back what is rightfully mine.|
|Hmph! Are you claiming to be that Yamato's descendant?|
|I am not here for your tail, serpent; I am here for something else. You shouldn't view yourself that highly.|
Basil had, actually, been waiting for Yamata no Orochi to speak. The scene bewildered everyone—even the Elves—because they didn't expect said Mythical Beast could speak.
The fact that Basil still communicated with it was, of course, also surprising but not that mind-boggling. They knew the language it spoke; it was an older version of Hon Dialect, which wasn't that hard to learn.
Still, they didn't know what Basil and Yamata no Orochi were talking about. The Elves, although they could normally understand animals, also couldn't understand what Yamata no Orochi was talking about.
|I have nothing that is more precious than my tail in my cave.|
|Oh, thank you for confirming me something I want to know.|
Basil had initially thought Matheus, as the previous Fragment Bearer, had intentionally sealed the First Fragment there because he could have Yamata no Orochi guard it, but it was revealed that it wasn't the case.
|Now, serpent, I will give you two choices. Move out of my way and let me through or die here.|
|Cocky human, you should think before you speak, lest you embarrass yourself. You have just said the second most laughable thing I have heard ever since that Yamato declared my tail was his.|
Although Basil wanted to kill Yamata no Orochi for obvious reasons, killing it wasn't his priority. He wanted to retrieve the First Fragment before joining the others to defeat Yamata no Orochi afterwards.
Said Mythical Beast, unfortunately, didn't seem to be willing to let him through. He was given no choice but to fight and retrieved Kusanagi first.
"Hmmm... The golden peak is just 300 metres away—it is unfortunate that I can't go there immediately," Basil muttered to himself. "Well, I guess I have to end this quick."
Extending his hands to the sides, Basil took out his trusty swords. Durendal appeared in his right hand, meanwhile Caliburn appeared in his left hand.
His aura instantly changed as soon as the two swords appeared in his hands. He had yet to release his Mana and Qi outwards; however, the pressure he was emanating was already intimidating to both his allies and his opponent.
"Deacon, do you remember our first fight on Lone Mountain?"
"That is one of the most unforgettable moments in my life, Master. I will carry that memory until the end of my life," Deacon said nostalgically.
"Well, let us relive the memory, shall we?" Basil smiled, then shouted to the people behind him, "Beware of its cronies!"
None of them understood what Basil meant by that, but the moment the air exploded—the moment he materialized his six Ultimate Circles, they immediately understood his warning.
Thousands of Magic Beasts that they didn't know had been there revealed themselves. None of them were below the Fifth Grade.
The people quickly prepared themselves to engage in combat—they were tense. Although they still outnumbered the Magic Beasts, there were some Beasts that could easily chew hundreds of them by themselves.
"I will leave the command to you, Giles! I will aid Sir Basil to defeat that serpent," Cyane declared before storming off.
"I will join Master Basil and help him defeat that Beast. Do well, everyone!" Tinuviel dashed off.
"I believe in you, my Warriors. Don't disappoint me!" Aegnor joined Tinuviel in the next moment.
Hiss!
Baring its fangs, the eight-headed serpent, whipped its fourth tail at the people fighting it. Deacon could take Basil away from the trajectory of the wind blade it produced, but the others could only dodge the wind blade by a narrow margin.
As their soldiers fought against the Magic Beasts that the eight-headed serpent commanded, the four people—Basil, Cyane, Tinuviel, and Aegnor—confronted said serpent. They were outnumbered, but they did better than their soldiers.
"The soft spot is its stomach!" Basil shouted. "Aim for it!"
"I think it is better to show rather than tell in that case, Sir Basil," Cyane responded. "I am afraid this Beast understands us!"
"Don't worry, it doesn't speak Exon," assured Basil.
|I can perfectly understand you, human!|
Yamata no Orochi felt insulted. Although it didn't speak Exon, which was the universal language of this world, it still could perfectly understand them.
Ignoring the indignant Mythical Beast's comment, Basil instructed Deacon to eliminate the distance between them and said Mythical Beast. He utilized [Frictionless] to accelerate their speed, allowing them to reach it in the blink of an eye.
Yamata no Orochi was shocked by Basil's sudden appearance but it was quick to react. Shooting toxins out of its fangs, it managed to shy Deacon away just before Basil could swing Durendal.
Basil, however, used that chance to separate from Deacon. He jumped to the side and headed to the back of Yamata no Orochi, whereas Deacon jumped back, ready to shoot his trademark wind sphere, which had become even more lethal than two years ago.
Knowing that it would be attacked from either side, the Mythical Beast decided to dodge Deacon's wind sphere and ignored Basil. Everything was, of course, according to Basil's plan, so it just made a great mistake.
Whoosh!
The wind sphere that Yamata no Orochi had dodged was so powerful that it almost bent the space. The two Tribe Chiefs, who were well-versed in Wind Magic, were even astounded by the power his attack possessed.
'Hmph! Your trick doesn't—what?!'
Thinking that it really had dodged a bullet, Yamata no Orochi was shocked when it felt a prick on its back. Basil had managed to pierce through its thick and sturdy scales with his sword.
Panicked, Yamata no Orochi wriggled its body frantically. It lost focus after knowing that Basil might be able to cut it, giving the others the chance to land their attacks on it.
Hiss!
It hissed painfully as soon as their attacks landed, but it was still anxious about Basil. His sword was still stuck in its body, which means he still had a firm hold on its back.
"Well, look at how pathetic you are."
Hearing the familiar voice, Yamata no Orochi abruptly stopped wriggling its body and looked up. It found Basil floating in the air, ready to swing Durendal and Caliburn.
|How?!|
Yamata no Orochi didn't know the identity of both swords, but it was sure they were the only weapons that could pierce its body. Basil still having them in his hands could only mean one thing: he could use anything to pierce through its scales.
"I have told you. You shouldn't view yourself that highly," Basil sneered at the same time Yamata no Orochi widened its eyes in terror.
Now clad in golden armour with blue, shining veins decorating his body, Basil's pressure was just as terrifying, if not more than Yamata no Orochi's. [Synchronization] was activated; he could combine Mana and Qi and use them to fuel his attack.
|Do you think I will let you?!|
"[Twin Mountain Cutter]!"
At the same time Yamata no Orochi swung its fourth tail at Basil, he swung both of his swords horizontally to the left. The air—the space itself was cut, making those who witnessed it feel unfair that the name didn't deserve the Technique.
Screech!
Kusanagi's wind blade clashed with Basil's Technique in the middle, producing a very ear-grating sound. As soon as it heard the sound, Yamata no Orochi immediately knew it was going to lose.
True to its prediction, Basil's Technique could disperse its wind blade easily. The clash only lasted for a second—in the next second, its eight heads were cut at once.
'Ah, he knew...'
With all of its heads cut at once, Yamata no Orochi could not possibly regrow its heads. Its fate was sealed, thus the battle was concluded anticlimactically.
The two Tribe Chiefs and the Wielder of Joyeuse couldn't believe what they had witnessed. They had barely showcased their prowess, so they didn't know whether to rejoice or cry at the battle that had quickly ended.