Nils' reasoning was simple. Although it seemed like Adelar held the absolute advantage, he was just building his own grave. There was no hope for victory. But to defeat him, her father would have to activate the worm and start his refining plans.

　　Adelar would first perish. But what happened next? Once he started, would Olrich stop? Could he stop?

　　Those were questions that none could answer. And the thought of her brother's imminent demise led her to his gate. Alas, nothing she said could convince Elmar from coming out of confinement.

　　And Nils knew very well that even if she revealed the soul worms, Elmar would never believe her. To say nothing of him, if she'd not witnessed it with her own eyes, Nils could never believe it.

　　…

　　Though the Holy Flame Seal had caused the intensity of Olrich's aura to skyrocket, Adelar remained undisturbed.

　　The Holy Flame Seal turned into a bright white meteor and flew toward Adelar, crazily expanding while approaching him.

　　"Foolish, I have obtained the inheritance of a sage. Do you think I lack high-grade Holy Artifacts?"

　　Adelar scoffed and summoned a bronze spear which he hurled at the Holy Flame Seal.

　　*BANG*

　　The spear slammed into the seal and sent it spiraling into the ground in a deafening crash.

　　"Over. It's over."

　　Those were the words the circled within most of the onlookers' minds. If even the seal could not turn the tide, Olrich was finished.

　　"Two-hundred-ten years, six months, and twenty-three days ago, my bloodline awoke. And on that day, you used false charges to execute my mother. She was just a cripple, a helpless cripple whose meridians and energy center had been ruined beyond repair!

　　Today I must ask, why?!"

　　Adelar screamed, but Olrich merely shook his head and again closed his eyes.

　　"Since you and I have already reached this step, additional words serve no purpose. Make your move."

　　"Well-said!"

　　The bronze spear returned to Adelar's s.p.a.ce bracelet, and he aimed his Incomplete Fiend Armament at Olrich's neck.

　　"That being the case, farewell, father!"

　　With a vast array of blood fog propelling him, Adelar descended upon Olrich for a final sword swing!

　　Seeing Olrich's closed eyes, and the rapid move that those beneath the True Origin Saint Rank couldn't even appraise, the onlookers concluded that the battle had come to an end.

　　But as Adelar's sword slash approached his father's neck, a shocking scene occurred!

　　For an imperceptible split of a second, his sword stopped.

　　Olrich sidestepped.

　　The swing went wide!

　　And with his eyes still shut close, Olrich drove his holy sword through Adelar's abdomen, skewering him mid-air!

　　*PUH*

　　Blood gushed from Adelar's lips, stomach and back while his eyes went bloodshot in a stupor that echoed with all the onlookers.

　　"What the h.e.l.l just happened? He was obviously about to take Olrich's life. Why did his sword suddenly vacillate?"

　　Both Hubert and Gerhard wondered in shock. Of the onlookers, they were some of the few that clearly saw what occurred. Could Adelar have turned soft a step before taking his father's life?