After using the skill once, Bai Shi discovered that the Ruins Greatsword was different from how it was in the game.
The few legendary weapons Bai Shi had come into contact with so far all possessed extra powers that surpassed their in-game performance.
The Sword of Milos, in addition to boosting all attributes, allowed its wielder to be fearless of pain and heal their wounds with their own life force.
The Sword of Night and Flame had an incredibly high damage output with its skill and could also be used as a sorcery catalyst to cast spells.
Bernahl’s Devourer’s Scepter had also shown a greater might in the previous battle than it did in the game.
As for the Ruins Greatsword, besides how its Wave of Destruction had affected Radahn's gravity magic, it also possessed another ability.
Bai Shi raised the Ruins Greatsword and plunged it deep into the desert sand.
A purple light shone as rocks from beneath the desert were pulled to the surface.
Soon, fine pieces of rock were drawn by gravity and attached themselves to the Ruins Greatsword, piece by piece.
It was a rock sword, just like Starscourge Radahn’s.The already massive body of the Ruins Greatsword was now extended, widened, and thickened even further.
Recalling Radahn's rock armor, Bai Shi urged the Ruins Greatsword to replicate the effect.
Indeed, fragments of rock began to creep up the hilt and onto Bai Shi's body.
However, after covering his elbows, their upward movement became increasingly difficult, the investment of magic becoming disproportionate to the result.
Perhaps this was the limitation of relying solely on a skill.
In the end, Bai Shi only maintained the rock covering up to his shoulders, serving as extra armor for his arms.
As the rocks attached, the Ruins Greatsword became incredibly heavy, forcing Bai Shi to wield it with both hands at all times.
But the extended greatsword was perfect for the current battle.
Bai Shi took a wide, sideways stance and pointed the tip of his sword at Radahn.
After having his rock armor shattered by the Wave of Destruction, Radahn had reapplied a new layer of stone to his body.
And this time, the rock armor was exceptionally thick.
As Radahn charged toward him, Bai Shi's Ruins Greatsword clashed with the Starscourge Greatswords, and countless rock fragments flew out in an instant.
Then, Bai Shi's form was continuously pushed back by Radahn, his feet carving two deep trenches in the dunes.
Feeling the immense kinetic energy coming from Radahn, Bai Shi immediately realized something was wrong.
Radahn's strength was already greater than his, and with the heavy rocks covering his body, his charge was even harder to withstand.
Furthermore, Radahn was now using gravity magic to pull the Ruins Greatsword toward him.
To make matters worse, the rocks on Bai Shi's own sword were flaking off under Radahn's influence.
The influence of gravity on gravity was mutual; Radahn could use his own gravity to affect Bai Shi's.
Countless rock spikes rose from the ground behind Bai Shi. If he crashed into them, the consequences would be dire.
Bai Shi made a snap decision. He could not continue to be caught in his opponent's rhythm.
Bai Shi summoned a dragon's head to bite at Radahn, drawing the attention of the gravity orbs floating around him.
The gravity orbs had originally been aimed at Bai Shi, but now they all shifted their target to the dragon's head.
Although the dragon's head was destroyed before it could deal any damage, Bai Shi found the opportunity to escape.
Bai Shi unleashed the Ruins Greatsword's Wave of Destruction, instantly shattering the rocks on Radahn's swords.
In the moment the two gravitational forces influenced each other, Bai Shi generated a fierce storm between them.
Using the wind, Bai Shi put some distance between himself and Radahn.
However, Radahn gave Bai Shi no chance to breathe.
A violent roar came from the ground near Bai Shi, and the earth trembled with it.
Radahn used his rock blade attack again. The ground surged with a thicket of rock spikes, stabbing toward Bai Shi from all directions.
Once again, Bai Shi was trapped in this treacherous terrain.
But compared to last time, he seemed more at ease.
He smashed the Ruins Greatsword into the ground. The Wave of Destruction spread out, shattering the rock blades in its path.
Under the influence of the Wave of Destruction, the gravity Radahn exerted was nullified for a brief period, preventing him from creating more rock blades.
This effectively cleared a safe path that would last for two or three seconds.
Bai Shi chased the Wave of Destruction, running wildly. He only needed to shatter or dodge the rock spikes coming from the sides to pass safely.
Bai Shi continuously unleashed the Wave of Destruction and soon ran out of the range of the rock blades.
The process was so easy that Bai Shi found it strange.
Since the spell was focused on him, it should have been able to pursue him relentlessly. Why was this all it could do?
It was only when Bai Shi saw Radahn's transformed appearance that he understood why.
Radahn had been continuously piling rocks onto his body and had now become a rock giant of a terrifying size.
The Starscourge Greatswords in his hands had also been extended with rock to an absurd length.
And his scrawny horse was nowhere to be found.
Because Radahn now had legs made of rock.
Radahn stood once more upon the earth.
Bai Shi estimated Radahn was now at least fifteen or sixteen meters tall. His own height of over five meters barely surpassed Radahn's knee.
Seriously, you’re piloting a mech now?!
Bai Shi was shocked but also incredibly envious. He decided he would definitely have to study gravity magic properly in the future.
Radahn’s giant sword came crashing down. Bai Shi dared not take it head-on and quickly jumped aside to dodge.
In an instant, the ground shook. A deep crater was smashed where he had been standing, revealing the bedrock beneath the Wailing Dunes.
Bai Shi took the opportunity to slam his sword into Radahn’s arm. The gravity wave blasted out a large chunk.
The Wave of Destruction clung to it, traveling up the arm, and large pieces of rock began to fall away.
But before such a colossal body, the amount of rock that fell off was inconsequential.
Radahn casually swung his arm, sending Bai Shi flying. Sharp rock spikes still awaited him where he would land.
Bai Shi used a storm to adjust his posture in mid-air, narrowly avoiding the fate of being turned into a shish kebab.
Spitting out a mouthful of bloodied saliva, Bai Shi removed the rock armor from his arms.
This bit of defense was useless now, at best a last resort to hold in reserve.
Radahn must be controlling the rocks on his body with gravity magic; otherwise, it would never be this easy.
A body of this weight could never be wielded by a mere mortal frame.
However, it was obvious what needed to be done against such a behemoth.
Bai Shi lifted the Ruins Greatsword and controlled the rocks on it to move, sharpening the blade.
At a time like this, the only thing to do was to ruthlessly stab the cockpit.
Dodging the two incoming Starscourge Greatswords, Bai Shi nimbly circled to Radahn's side and leaped onto his back.
While maintaining this rock giant form, Radahn seemed unable to use any other gravity magic.
Just two more steps, and he would reach Radahn’s core.
As long as he reached that place...
Bai Shi’s advance came to a halt.
Because a sharp rock spike had protruded from the rock giant's body, piercing through his foot.
It was immediately followed by a second rock spike, aimed at Bai Shi's torso.
After piercing his foot, the tip of the first blood-stained spike immediately split, pinning Bai Shi's leg in place.
'It's a trap!'
'Radahn was never planning to fight with just sheer size!'
Bai Shi could only shift his body to dodge, but a hole was still punched through his abdomen.
Bai Shi shattered the two rock spikes and quickly jumped off the rock giant's body.
He had really been played this time.
Feeling the intense pain in his body, Bai Shi sighed.
This injury was severe, almost fatal.
To heal a wound like this with the Flask of Crimson Tears, he would need at least three swigs.
But now he only had two cerulean flasks and one crimson flask left.
Fortunately, he still had the Flask of Wondrous Physick.
This was the first time he had consumed so many flasks in a single battle, to the point where he even had to pull out his physick flask.
Previous battles were usually resolved with one or two swigs from his sacred flasks.
This was truly a grueling fight.
Bai Shi took out the Flask of Wondrous Physick, which he had never used before.
Inside was a physick personally mixed for him by Melina, containing a Crimson Crystal Tear and a Greenspill Crystal Tear.
The former could instantly heal a large amount of damage, while the latter provided a boost in stamina.
But Radahn’s attack had already arrived, his twin swords slashing down in rapid succession.
Bai Shi could only put away the Flask of Wondrous Physick for now and focus on dodging the attack.
Radahn's twin swords pursued him relentlessly, slashing down with insane speed. As Bai Shi dodged, he also had to be careful of the rock spikes that occasionally protruded from the blades.
Although the rock giant's movements were slightly slower than before, its attack range and power more than compensated for it.
Finally, after dodging the entire combo, Bai Shi found a moment to breathe.
As Bai Shi drank the contents of the Flask of Wondrous Physick, he immediately felt the fatigue from the fierce battle greatly alleviated, and his stamina recovered significantly.
More importantly, the wounds on his body began to heal at a rapid pace, even healing some previous injuries that had not fully closed.
By the time the physick's effects were fully realized, only some minor wounds remained.
If quantified, Bai Shi's health had recovered to 80%, and his stamina to 50%.
Bai Shi let out a breath. His condition had finally stabilized somewhat.
And so, Bai Shi charged toward the rock giant once more.
Even knowing what awaited him, Bai Shi had no choice but to do so.
If he couldn't get Radahn out of this shell, there was no way to exhaust his Great Rune.
Bai Shi stepped onto the greatsword Radahn had smashed down, and in two steps, he was on Radahn's shoulder, raising the Ruins Greatsword high.
The rock spikes struck again without warning, but Bai Shi was prepared. He dodged with a graceful sidestep.
It was a footwork technique he had learned from Erlisa long ago, saved specifically for Radahn's rock spikes.
The Ruins Greatsword pierced through Radahn at the center, its sharp rock blade emerging from his chest, dripping with blood.
Bai Shi poured all his remaining magic into it, unleashing the Wave of Destruction wantonly inside Radahn's body.
This blow not only dealt another fatal wound to Radahn but also dismantled the rock giant.
And now, Bai Shi would not give Radahn time to reassemble another one.
The two of them fell from the sky. While Radahn was recovering from his injuries, Bai Shi chugged a Flask of Cerulean Tears.
The scrawny horse, Leonard, ran back to Radahn's side and carried his master.
Radahn's recovery speed had noticeably slowed, and his horse wasn't running as fast as before.
Although Radahn had done his best to protect his steed, the scrawny horse had also suffered serious injuries in the previous battle.
That it could still run was already a testament to its limit.
It was clear that Radahn’s Great Rune was almost at its end.
Two more times? Three?
Bai Shi's condition was still decent. As long as he could hold out until the Great Rune shattered before his healing flasks ran out, he would be fine.
Radahn, panting heavily, quickly regrouped and charged toward Bai Shi again.
Bai Shi braced himself, but then the unexpected happened.
The scrawny horse beneath Radahn buckled at the knees and collapsed onto the sand, causing Radahn to be thrown forward.
The horse struggled, but it could not get up again.
The scrawny horse had reached its limit.
Though it had persevered, the long-term torment of the Scarlet Rot and lack of food had left it emaciated.
And the preceding battle had pushed it to its limits again and again, sustained only by its last breath.
It was fine during the fight, but the moment it was out of combat and rested briefly, it could no longer hold on.
Radahn froze for a moment before realizing what had just happened.
Ignoring that he was in the middle of a battle, Radahn turned back to his beloved horse, helping his comrade-in-arms who had been with him through life and death.
At this moment, Leonard could no longer respond to his master's call.
Seeing Leonard pass away before his eyes, an irrepressible grief filled Radahn's eyes.
"Leo... nard."
Seeing this, Bai Shi did not take the opportunity to attack Radahn, but waited for him instead.
After a long while, Radahn finally turned back and gave Bai Shi a slight nod.
Though filled with sorrow, the battle was not yet over...
Radahn controlled himself with gravity to fly at a low altitude, slashing at Bai Shi with his twin swords.
But Radahn was clearly affected. Bai Shi soon found an opening, parried the greatswords, and stabbed him in the chest for a critical hit.
Once Radahn's wounds had healed, everyone present heard a faint cracking sound.
Bai Shi's eyes narrowed.
Was Radahn's Great Rune finally about to give out?
—
The watching warriors were all astounded by the battle between Bai Shi and Radahn.
Bernahl secretly compared Bai Shi's performance to Godfrey's on the battlefield of yore.
Although there was still a gap between him and King Godfrey, Bai Shi was already incredibly powerful, far stronger than his friend Rykard.
As for Godfrey, he wasn't a good point of comparison, because even Radahn at his peak could not hold a candle to him.
Blaidd and Alexander cheered for Bai Shi from afar, sincerely hoping he would win this battle.
Jerren and Iji stood together, backed by a large number of Redmane soldiers.
Jerren and his soldiers had only set foot on the Wailing Dunes after all the other warriors had arrived.
As the general's subordinates, they would not attack their general unless it was absolutely necessary.
Conversely, if so many warriors failed to defeat the general, they would unhesitatingly become the final blades.
A smile appeared on Leda's face beneath her helmet.
"How powerful, Storm King."
"I look forward to the day we can fight side-by-side."
Hearing this, Freya, while keeping her eyes fixed on the battlefield, added in agreement:
"Yes, just thinking about fighting alongside such a strong warrior is exciting."
Dane also nodded in approval.
However, he was more interested in sparring with Bai Shi.
Seeing that neither of them understood what she meant, Leda shook her head and continued to watch the distant battlefield.
'He will surely become the greatest asset for Lord Miquella to achieve his ideals.'
'But, how should I get him to join us...'
—
Radahn was clearly the most aware of his own Great Rune. After burning for so long, it could no longer hold out in this battle.
Perhaps just one or two more serious injuries would shatter it completely.
Since the Great Rune was on the verge of collapse and Leonard was gone, he might as well use that final move.
To turn himself into a meteor and fall from the sky.
Unlike gathering a giant ball of rock, this was a true meteor falling from a great height.
Both its power and range would far exceed the previous giant rock ball.
However, this move would also cause him extreme damage, so he had to use it before the Great Rune shattered.
Radahn bent his entire body over, and magic rapidly accumulated around him.
Bai Shi realized something was wrong, guessing that Radahn was preparing to use his meteor attack.
He absolutely could not let Radahn take flight!
Once he took to the skies and unleashed that attack, Bai Shi would have no way to counter him.
Bai Shi immediately rushed forward, quickly closing the distance to Radahn.
The two were not far apart. Bai Shi successfully reached Radahn before he could take off.
But when the Ruins Greatsword slammed into Radahn's body, he didn't even budge, having completed the accumulation of his magic.
Bai Shi gritted his teeth and simply plunged the Ruins Greatsword into Radahn's chest, trying to destroy the Great Rune now.
But just as he thrust the Ruins Greatsword in, Radahn was already ascending, carrying Bai Shi into the sky with him.
Radahn's flight speed was astonishingly fast. It was more like a catapult launch, using repulsion to lift himself into the air.
Bai Shi glanced at the ground, which was already incredibly distant. There was no way to jump down now.
Radahn's arms locked around Bai Shi, preventing him from escaping.
Bai Shi continuously poured magic into the Ruins Greatsword, unleashing the Wave of Destruction in an attempt to stop Radahn.
But the ascent was already complete; that bit of gravity was just an afterthought.
Radahn carried Bai Shi as they plummeted from the sky at high speed. Flames from the friction with the air ignited around them.
The two became a shooting star, crashing down from a great height. The entire Wailing Dunes trembled, and the shockwave kicked up a cloud of dust that obscured everyone's vision.
Jerren and Freya, who had witnessed the power of this move before, shook their heads, not believing Bai Shi could survive such a blow.
When the dust settled, a huge meteor crater appeared in the Wailing Dunes, radiating high temperatures.
In the very center of the crater, a charred body was rapidly growing new flesh.
"Did Bai Shi... lose?"
Hearing the discussions of the warriors around her, Leda was somewhat annoyed.
She had still underestimated General Radahn.
But suddenly, someone pointed to the sky and shouted:
"Look over there!"
In mid-air, a figure was slowly descending, held aloft by a storm.
Bai Shi landed in a very sorry state, his whole body scorched black—an injury from a moment ago.
Bai Shi looked at the deep crater Radahn had made, his heart still pounding with fear.
He had been so focused on interrupting Radahn that he nearly got taken for a ride.
Fortunately, he had shrunk his body in time to escape; otherwise, he would have had to use invincibility or infinite health.
Just as Radahn's wounds had nearly healed, a sound that was not loud but was crystal clear echoed in the minds of everyone present.
"Crack—"
Radahn's Great Rune had burned out, leaving only white ash.
Radahn rose, his gaze calmer than ever before.
It was time to put an end to this battle.
Bai Shi realized it too. He enlarged his body once more and engaged Radahn in a fierce melee.
This time, there were no techniques. Both of them swung at each other with the most frenzied attacks.
It was a contest of who could last until the very end.
—
In the end, Bai Shi was slightly superior. At the cost of having half of his body cleaved open, he used the Ruins Greatsword to break Radahn's neck.
Finally, he had won this difficult battle.
Radahn let go of the Starscourge Greatswords, his mouth uttering a muffled whisper:
"Warrior... you have won."
"Help me... tell Ranni..."
Before he could finish, Radahn lost his breath.
A grayish-white Great Rune, burned until no power remained, floated out of his body and entered Bai Shi's.
Bai Shi watched Radahn's massive corpse fall and could no longer hold on.
He staggered away from Radahn's body