《Tale of the Fake Hero》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 ¨C The Night the Stars Laughed My mother was a ¡®fake¡¯ hero. I probably heard it for the first time when I turned four. ¡°Kaisen, you know, I¡¯m a hero who left my name in history.¡± ¡°HeÒ»ro?¡± ¡°Yeah! I was also like a fox. Guys lined up just to see me. Why wouldn¡¯t they? I¡¯m pretty, sweet, and incredibly powerful!¡± At the time, I knew nothing about the kind of heart-wrenching grief she had to ovee to be such a hero. I just listened with shining eyes, not fully understanding her words. ¡°Fake Warriors can¡¯t get pregnant due to the side effects of the body modifications we undergo, you know? Still, somehow, your father was so peerless that he got me pregnant after just a single try.¡± ¡°Irene¡­ what are you saying to a four-year-old child?¡± ¡°Quiet, so what if you¡¯re full of stamina? Anyway, I found out I was pregnant about three months before the final battle. You don¡¯t know how surprised I was.¡± It was said that, whenever a Fake Warrior was inaugurated, they vowed to forsake both family and lovers and to only live and die by the sword. My mother had reneged on that vow to give birth to me and my sister. After leading the final battle to victory, she faked her death and went to the outskirts of the known world to create a home with my father. ¡°People say that I created numerous miracles on the battlefield, but¡­¡± Whenever she reached the end of that story, my mother hugged us and rubbed our faces together, as if she found us too lovable for words. ¡°Kaisen, you and your sister are the best miracles I¡¯ve ever created. Hahaha. That¡¯s why I want to protect you dearly, forever.¡± As if to prove her words, whenever I let out a small moan in my sleep or tripped over a rock, she would drop anything she was doing to rush over andfort me, wherever and whenever it might¡¯ve been. ¡°Huh?¡± The year I turned seven, I happened to be watching my mother practice with her sword. I¡¯d ignorantly been watching her elegant movements when she suddenly pointed her sword toward me. ¡°Kaisen, how does it feel to have your life threatened by someone?¡± A vague fear brought tears to my eyes. ¡°Are you scared?¡± she asked; then, my mother spun her sword around and held the hilt out to me. ¡°Now, the opposite, how would you feel to be protecting someone¡¯s life?¡± Maybe it was due to how brilliant her smiling face was as he turned to look back at me, but I forgot to cry. ¡°Now, look.¡± My mother then put a small, wooden knife in my hands. ¡°A sword can be a tool used for killing others, but on the other hand, it can also be used to protect others.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°How does our Kai want to use this sword?¡± If I¡¯d said I wanted to protect her with my pitiful strength when I was unable to even lift a sword, would I have been able to change my destiny? I have no way of knowing, and I¡¯ll probably never have a way of figuring that out for the rest of my life. The wheel of fate continued to turn for me from birth, with no swords able to reach or cut me. * * * The foreshadowing of the worst summer of my life appeared the year I turned thirteen. ¡°Under the guidance of light, we meet again, Raminea Alter Aradamantel.¡± A liaison unit from the Imperial Court went all the way to that faraway vige at the end of the world to visit my mother, their golden armor shining in the sun. They knew my mother¡¯s real name, and they¡¯d known she¡¯d faked her death all along and continued to observe her. ¡°It¡¯s not even funny. A warrior who graces the pages of history is living in a remote vige while hunting, of all things.¡± ¡°Even if you promised me everything, I wouldn¡¯t return,¡± my mother said. ¡°Do you think we came all this way to y word games with you?¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m ying word games?¡± My mother narrowed her eyes. The herald sighed and turned to the Southern Sea. ¡°Summer ising. A very harsh one, at that. It may already be around the corner.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The abyss is stirring. The shadows of the ck Church have appeared all over the continent. News of defeat is alreadying from the Tersh Inds.¡± ¡°They¡¯re already at the Tersh Inds¡­?¡± Even my mother, who had maintained a nk expression from the start of the meeting, raised an eyebrow at that. The Tersh Inds were the midpoint between the Akrad Continent and the Demon Realm and served as a breakwater for humanity. ¡°It¡¯s not evente spring yet, let alone early summer. Don¡¯t lie,¡± my mother said. ¡°It¡¯s true. However, since humanity is divided and fighting each other, a decision was made for a hero to be a central figure of unification.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about you, Raminea of the Crimson Lotus,¡± the herald said. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you make a vow when you became a hero?¡± ¡°¡­¡± My mother remained silent. ¡°Please answer me. Do you really think you should stay here at such a time?¡± That day, my mother faced the cold wind and cried until nightfall. Why did she cry? Why did she have to cry when it was the world at fault and not her? ¡°Actually, I have something important to say to my prince and princess.¡± The next morning, my mother called me and my sister over; her face was reddened and stained with tears, and she smiled at us for thest time. ¡°Raminea Alter Aradamantel. That is my real name.¡± Alter Aradamantel was not thest name of a noble. Alter is an ancient word meaning ¡®proxy¡¯. It meant the proxy wielder of the Great Holy Sword, Aradamantel. She gave us a sad look. ¡°Haven¡¯t I always told you that I¡¯m a great hero? It looks like people need me again.¡± ¡°What do you mean, Mom?¡± my sister asked. ¡°I have to go back to the battlefield, Ratel. It¡¯s probably not safe here anymore.¡± ¡°Mom¡­¡± ¡°Since they say the Tersh Inds are under attack¡­ Ratel, Kaisen, follow the liaison unit and leave first.¡± Unlike me, who couldn¡¯t understand the undercurrent of the conversation, my older sister, who always liked to nag me with a proud expression, looked serious, and her voice trembled as she spoke. ¡°Why? I don¡¯t want you to. Why do you have to go fight? It¡¯s dangerous on the battlefield! Mom,e with us. You can run away again.¡± ¡°No. The Mad Dragon already knew where I was. He just turned a blind eye until now. I can¡¯t escape his sight.¡± The Light Dragon, Haradrimann, the dragon god who ruled the Imperial Court and managed the world on behalf of the departed gods. His holy powers were absolute. ¡°Ratel, please promise me that, no matter what happens, you will cherish and love Kai on my behalf.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to! Why do you make it sound like you¡¯re nevering back? Why are you talking like Dad?!¡± ¡°Kai, treat your older sister like you treat me¡ª¡± That¡¯s when I¡¯d run out without listening to the rest of my mother¡¯s words. I just¡­ I just hoped my mother wouldn¡¯t leave. I just hoped that the next day would continue to be the same as usual. I hid in a new spot and didn¡¯t return until the evening. I really¡­ I really thought my mother wouldn¡¯t leave until she found me. The only thing on my mind was how my father had died of an illness when I was 10 and never returned, no matter how much I wailed and cried. I hid because it seemed like the same thing would happen to my mother. How could I have known, at that young age, that my actions would lead to my mother¡¯s death? * * * ¡°Kubech ou tokose! Kill all those walking on two legs!¡± When I woke up, volcanic ash flew through the air. Under the cover of ash, military ships filled the sea horizon and approached the coast on the tide. Yes. I didn¡¯t know anything back then. I didn¡¯t realize it was the prelude to the uruk invasion, which was one of the six major demon races. I also didn¡¯t realize my mother went looking for me and ended up confronting them. ¡°Mom¡­¡± I anxiously made my way back to the vige while the chaotic scene engraved itself in my eyes. ¡°Sister¡­¡± ck smoke rose from the direction of the vige. Endless screams and bursts of dull sounds floated over the air. The volcanic ash was so thick that I couldn¡¯t tell where I was going. ¡°Mom!¡± I saw the soldiers of the liaison unit that the vigers had gazed at with envy strewn about, their limbs torn off. ¡®What¡­? What on earth happened here?¡± I was having trouble understanding the unimaginable scene when a hand suddenly grabbed me. It felt like a mountain moved and caught me. That was my first encounter with an uruk warrior. He dragged me to the countless ships anchored at the coast, and I saw my mother there. ¡°GWAAAAAAAAA¡­!¡± ¡°HARRRRRRKKKKKKKK¡­!¡± Her small sword shed, sending blood erupting into the air as heads flew and uruk bodies piled into a small mountain. She looked like a red flower blooming in a blood-soaked meadow. It was the first time I¡¯d ever seen something so beautiful. In that beauty, my mother had decapitated over a hundred Uruk warriors by herself and was dealing with a hundred more. Psssssshhhhhhkkkkkk¡ª! A mysterious, bright-red energy shone over the de in my mother¡¯s hand¡ªthe manifestation of sword aura and a symbol of a swordsman who had reached the peak. My mother probably nned to have the liaison unit protect my sister and me while she bought time against the enemy¡¯s main force. Even that n copsed because of me. ¡°Horoku nena shi. Don¡¯t move, human!¡± an uruk shouted. The uruks were a fierce race who revered victory since the beginning of the abyss, but that didn¡¯t mean they were honorable. In most cases, uruks would do anything to win. ¡°M-mom¡­¡± That¡¯s why the uruks enjoyed taking hostages and using them against Fake Warriors, just like how I was caught and used to threaten my mother. It¡¯s not like the uruk knew I was her son¡ªit was just a method they used. My mother gave me a nk look as she cut down the next uruk. ¡°I told you to stop moving!¡± the uruk holding me shouted again. If it were me, I would have frozen, but my mother didn¡¯t give in to the uruk¡¯s threats. Instead, she found another way¡­ A way to save me, and the only way for both of us to survive there. She figured it all out with a quick scan of the area in less than a split second. ShhhhÒ» tiiiiinnnnggggg¡ª! In the next moment, my mother fiercely threw her sword. Even the uruks, hardened by countless battles, reacted a beatte to how quickly her sword flew. ¡°Ogure wira Irishina ro Raminea(My name is Raminea of the Crimson Lotus).¡± The small sword trembled as it plunged deep into the bow of the ship, right next to the head of her target¡ªthe uruk chief. ¡°Hishime ki KALTAKE ro gimarasu (I request Kaltake from you).¡± One by one, the uruk warriors stopped their fierce attack on her. ¡°Crimson Lotus¡­?¡± ¡°That human woman¡­?¡± * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * There were two reasons for their shock. One was because my mother identified herself as Raminea of the Crimson Lotus. To the uruk people, who revered battle and victory, a strong person was worthy of respect. My mother was a hero of humanity who was said to have wiped out most of the uruks invading thend, after all. ¡°Kaltake¡­?¡± The second reason for the uruks¡¯ surprise was her call for Kaltake. It was an ancient uruk fighting custom¡ªa barbaricw of battle that surpassed all otherws andmon sense. Kaltake called for a fair, one-on-one battle where the winner would be in the right, regardless of what they¡¯d done. There was a fatal problem, though¡­ The battle wouldn¡¯t end until one of the two participants died. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculousÒ»!¡± the uruk who grabbed me tried to shout, ¡°Greeshe(I ept).¡± The chief pulled the sword from the bow of the ship and epted. As he approached, I saw he was two heads taller than the other uruks, who already averaged seven feet in height, and the fangs of the other uruk chiefs and humans he¡¯d killed gruesomely hung from his long, flowing hair and beard. If you are really the Crimson Lotus, then your death will be a great feat for our n.¡± A human ve behind the chief tranted. The man was old and crawled around on all fours like a dog, with his hands and feet bound in chains. He¡¯d probably been captured on the Tersh Inds. ¡°I heard that all Fake Warriors have white hair and a weapon called a holy sword.¡± The uruk chief aimed the small sword at my mother¡¯s neck. My mother snatched it away and mockingly responded with, ¡°I dyed my hair, and I don¡¯t need a pig-killing knife to kill chickens.¡± ¡°You have spirit. Unfortunately, there is no proof that you are the Crimson Lotus.¡± The uruks touched their weapons again. The tension was palpable, but my mother was not flustered. Instead, she gazed pointedly at the countless uruk corpses littering the beach. ¡°¡­¡± The chief thought for a moment with his arms crossed and then burst intoughter. ¡°Did you hear that, you useless bastards?!¡± Hisughter drowned out the old man¡¯s trantion. ¡°Here and now, the Kaltake between Raminea of the Crimson Lotus and me, Balkarro, will begin!¡± ¡°WUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡± Shouts and cheers rang out. Hundreds of uruks surrounded Balkarro and my mother. It wasn¡¯t just a fight to see who was more skilled-it was a barbaric practice meant to keep the participants from running until one died. ¡°I can lend you a weapon, if you want. I have several knives I took from other humans.¡± Balkarro¡¯s weapon was an oversized, single-edged axe. Even two uruk warriors would have trouble lifting the weapon due to its weight and size, and he was said to have killed 87 uruk chiefs with the weapon. Against that massive axe, my mother used her slender shortsword. Rather than a weapon, it was something she treasured. ¡°Again, why would I need a pig-killing knife to kill chickens?¡± she asked. ¡°Ha!¡± Thus, their bloody battle began. As someone who was unfamiliar withbat, it seemed to me that anyone could tell who the victor of the fight would be. Thankfully, my untrained eyes were wrong. My mother¡¯s bloody sword easily deflected Balkarro¡¯s axe as she swirled like a storm, leaving spurts of blood from cuts on Balkarro¡¯s forearms, side, and right cheek. An afterimage of her sword seemed to appear and stretch into eternity. My mother¡¯s swordsmanship was so elegant and fantastic that the cheering uruks fell silent one by one. She looked like a red flower. Was that how she got her title as the Crimson Lotus? ¡°Were the rumors true¡­?¡± ¡°I heard that countless uruk chiefs fell under the Crimson Lotus¡¯s de¡­¡± Did he feel frustrated with the flow of the fight? Being pushed back by her constant barrage, Balkarro suddenly raised his axe and aimed for a fatal strike. My mother must have been waiting for that exact moment. SHeGAaaaaaaaÒ»!¡± She must have known he would try to end things quickly at some point and been looking for the opening. If only I hadn¡¯t screamed the moment my mother¡¯s de shed forward. If only the uruk behind me, who couldn¡¯t bear to witness the death of his chieftain, had not cowardly grabbed me as if to crush me. If only my scream of pain hadn¡¯t broken my mother¡¯s concentration¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have screamed. Not at all. ¡°Kai¡­?!¡± Raminea was the strongest Fake Warrior without any weaknesses, but in that moment, she was a mother above all else. When she heard the scream of her son, who was more precious than anything else in the world, her concentration wavered. Her sword shook. It was only natural to lose power when you lost focus in the midst of a fight. That instant was decisive. The axe, which should have collided with her sword, dug deep into my mother¡¯s shoulder without resistance. Pssssshhhhkkk¡ª Bones broke as the head of Balkarro¡¯s axe cut through organs and muscle. The axe, which would have continued all the way through her body, suddenly stopped when Balkarro noticed something was amiss. ¡°M-mooooooomm¡­!¡± I felt sick and dizzy, and my heart raced. Balkarro strode toward me and crushed the face of the uruk who was holding me. How dare he interrupt his fight? ¡°Mom¡­¡± I didn¡¯t even have time to think about why he had killed his subordinate. It was enough to know that I was free of the monster holding me. I was so scared that I fell on the white, sandy beach. I had to scramble up and run to my mother. ¡°Mom, mom!¡± Her form was all I could see. ¡®Mom, my mom¡­¡¯ I fell, got up again, fell and got up again. I don¡¯t know how many times I fell. ¡°Mom¡­!¡± My mother kneeled on the white sand with Balkarro¡¯s axe stuck in her shoulder. ¡°My Kai, you¡¯re safe¡­¡± ¡®It¡¯s a relief. Thank the gods. Thank you. My mother is still breathing. She¡¯s still alive.¡¯ My pupils uneasily shook. I couldn¡¯t think. It was as if a white fang were stuck in my head. What was I supposed to do? ¡°Are you the son of the Crimson Lotus?¡± I heard the ve¡¯s voice, and my body soared into the air as I was thrown back onto the sand, and a huge shadow fell over me that would remain with me for the rest of my life. Balkarro¡­ The sight of the uruk looking down on me with his evil eyes was embedded into my mind. ¡°Truly, if you look closely, there is a resemnce,¡± the uruk chief said. ¡®This bastard¡­¡¯ As soon as the ve tranted his words, my anger rose. ¡°Let go! I¡¯ll kill you! Let go! I¡¯ll kill you. I¡¯ll kill you¡­!¡± Balkarro broke off one of his fangs and stuck it into my left cheek. It was more than just a fang. I screamed in unbearable pain that transcended the physical realm. ¡°Bait for a hunt.¡± The fang suddenly lost its shape and melted, mixing with my blood and engraving a brand on me of a body, hanging upside down with limp limbs, stuck onto a pole. His people impaled people from poles after massacres and used them as gs. I didn¡¯t know it at the time, but it was the emblem of Balkarro¡¯s n, Balkrush, and it was feared by both humans and many other uruk ns. ¡°Victory is more important than anything else for uruks, but it¡¯s a joke to win in such a wake in a Kaltake, let alone one against the legendary Crimson Lotus,¡± the uruk chief exined. ¡°Shut up¡­¡± ¡°I have chosen you as my prey. As long as you have this brand, those who fear me will never harm you unless you attack them first.¡± ¡°Shut up, shut up, shut up! Let go! I¡¯ll cut you to pieces right now¡­!¡± How funny my struggles must have looked to Balkarro and his men. How pitiful I must have looked to them. ¡°I¡¯ll let you live. Go. Be strong ande to avenge your mother. The only way to cleanse a tainted Kaltake is to kill you after you have be a warrior.¡± It was ridiculous and absurd that they let me live. How insignificant I must have seemed. He pulled the axe from my mother¡¯s shoulder as I watched and ordered his subordinates to take the loot and wounded before heading north. It was with a burning killing intent that I stood and nkly stared after them. I would kill them¡­ It was the only thought in my mind. I might¡¯ve even rushed forward with any weapon I could find if it weren¡¯t for my mother¡¯s voice. ¡°Kai.¡± My body stiffened. Forgetting all my anger, hatred, and murderous intent, I looked at my mother as if under a spell. She was still sitting on the sand. ¡°Would you pleasee here?¡± ¡°Now¡­¡± ¡°Please. I don¡¯t have much time.¡± Pain rose from somewhere deep within my heart. No¡­ My mother had the same smile on her face as always, but that was all. Everything¡­ Everything else was different. There had never been a cut on my mother¡¯s shoulder, and never had blood flowed endlessly from her wounds, soaking the white sand red. ¡°Pleasee closer¡­ now. Quickly.¡± I barely managed to walk. One step at a time, I walked, paused, ran, and stopped again. It felt like something was grabbing my ankles. Life, my happy life¡­ I felt like it would all end the moment I reached my mother¡­ I felt like everything would be irreversibly changed¡­ After hesitating again and again, I finally reached her and almost tripped in front of her when she caught me in a hug. ¡°I¡¯m so, so d¡­¡± my mother breathed out in a trembling voice as she smiled and hugged me. ¡°Mom¡¯s most precious treasure¡­¡± I started crying in pain, like a trapped animal. The trap keeping me caged was called reality, and there was no way out. ¡°Mom¡¯s sorry, okay? There¡¯s so much I couldn¡¯t do for you¡­¡± Very, extremely slowly¡­ My mother¡¯s arms, which hugged me as if I were more precious than all the gold and silver in the world, fell limp on the white sand. Thud¡ª She leaned on my shoulder for the first time, and I noticed how heavy she was. Her heartbeat slowed and disappeared. At the same time, even the faint sound of her breath faded. ¡°M-Mom¡­?¡± I barely managed to call out to her. It felt as if the world were copsing. The world¡­ I wanted to believe that, if I called out to her, I would hear herughter before she asked, ¡°What is it, Son?¡± Of course¡­ I received no reply. From that day on and forever more. After calling for my mother three times, I finally hugged her body in silence and cried. The world has always been ironic. The day my mother saved her most precious treasure, I, her son, lost mine. Half a day, a day, and the next day passed. After crying for two days, I finally buried my mother on the coastal cliff overlooking the beach. It was a ce both she and my father had loved, and I remembered how she¡¯d rolled around and yed with me there. My world went hazy as I stared at her grave. ¡°Mom¡¯s most precious treasure.¡± I don¡¯t know when I started biting my lips, but I eventually tasted a metallic liquid in my mouth. I didn¡¯t even know where my sister, Ratel, was. She¡¯d probably died when the vige was burned to ash. I held my mother¡¯s shortsword, a keepsake, so tightly that I felt my hand warming up from the rush of blood. I would kill him¡­ Just like her, one by one, all of them¡­ I brought a shovel from the ruined vige, covered the grave, and nted a peach tree. Someday, I didn¡¯t know when, but someday, I would return¡­ to find the one responsible. ¡°Mom.¡± My semi-hoarse voice trailed off. I was so overwhelmed with emotions that I found it hard to speak. I took a deep breath and tried again. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± I swore it, even if I had to cut down my enemies to make a path through their corpses. Yes, it was from that day on that the world¡ªno, my life¡­ entered a seemingly endless summer. * * * ¡°Kaisen Alter Aradamantel.¡± A voice from the present pierced through my memories. That boy who¡¯d buried his dead mother had be a young man with white hair, and I raised my head. I looked at the countless uruk corpses reflecting on the Great Holy Sword, Aradamantel, and reveled in the bright, red aura that shed from it. ¡°Themander is calling.¡± With a click, I swung my sword and shook off the blood before sharply returning it to its sheath. The world called me a Fake Warrior. In the distant past, my mother was also called the same. We were thest sparks to light the fading world¡­ fake heroes. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go right away.¡± ____ Chapter 2 Chapter 2 ¨C Childhood, the Dawn of Summer (1) ¡°First row, ready.¡± Was humankind fated to drown in misery with nothing to cling to? ¡°Hey, these damned uruks. Their numbers seem endless.¡± ¡°Captain, is it uruk pork belly for lunch today too?¡± ¡°Shut up and focus. Wait, wait, wait, now! Fire! First row, aim; second and third rows, fire!¡± They didn¡¯t have outstanding technical skills like dwarves; it wasn¡¯t like they could grant all kinds of miracles like fairies; and they didn¡¯t have overwhelming power like the dragons. ¡°Damn! The left wing is about to copse.¡± ¡°An ambush? What are the reserves doing?¡± ¡°You idiots! Do you think there¡¯s a need for the reserve team to go?¡± Tales had been passed down of the gods giving five heroes to humankind to change their fate during their darkest hour¡ªheroes known as ¡®Warriors¡¯. Had the gods been giving them false hope? Those Warriors had not appeared since the Era of the Gods¡­ not even one. ¡°Ah, the reserve unit not going to the left wing means¡­¡± Thus, humanity had artificially created its own heroes, officially known as ¡®Fake Warriors¡¯. They were humanity¡¯s strongest soldiers and wielded fake holy swords to bear the fate of humanity on their shoulders. ¡°Do you think Kam is over there?¡± A de sparkled bright red, sending dozens of uruk heads flying from where they had been destroying the left wing with their barbaric weapons. ¡°I am Kam Alter Aradamantel.¡± She held a longsword made of metal from another world. It wasn¡¯t just any sword, but a weapon of ughter¡ªa holy sword. Holy swords were only given to Fake Warriors, and hers was the unique Great Holy Sword, Aradamantel. It went without saying that the swordsman wielding such a sword was a Fake Warrior. ¡°I will kill you.¡± Her voice awakened the holy sword, sending a bloody aura spewing out and drenching the earth in a river of fresh uruk blood. * * * ¡°Oh, my, Lady Kam¡­ They caused a mess again. Look, they left human sashimi behind.¡± ¡°Those monsters have elevated the skill of making human sashimi to the level of art.¡± ¡°Fuck art.¡± Battling against the uruks was difficult, but the cleanup afterward was especially disgusting. The uruk turned viges into ughterhouses, and the odor of blood hung heavy in the air. The monster wolves they rode, the che Wolves, found human flesh to be very appetizing. ¡°It¡¯s not like this is your first or second time seeing such a thing. Stop overreacting. Huh? Do you want to get beaten or something?¡± The heroine scolded the soldiers and looked at the musty-smelling pile of corpses with a surprisingly calm demeanor. She was tall and slim. Her mysterious golden dragon eyes peeking out from beneath her white-bobbed hair were evidence of human body modification¡ªthe most famous characteristics of Fake Warriors. The world knew her as Kam Alter Aradamantel, meaning ¡®Proxy Wielder of the Great Holy Sword, Aradamantel.¡¯ ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Do you want to search through each of these ruined faces and identify them? Take what you need and burn it all before an epidemic starts,¡± shemanded. ¡°Understood.¡± She was ready to turn and leave when she heard amotion and shouting from the vige entrance. ¡°What now?¡± She frowned. A momentter, a couple of soldiers rushed to the epicenter of themotion and immediately brought someone back with them. ¡°He suddenly ran into the vige and started causing trouble. He has to be out of his mind,¡± one of the soldiers said. A fairlyrge soldier held the jet-ck-haired and red-eyed boy up by the scruff of his neck, and they watched him helplessly struggle. ¡°Let go. Give it back! Give it back!¡± the boy screamed. Kam gave the boy¡¯s face a scrutinizing look for a different reason. ¡®Have I seen him before? Why does he look familiar?¡¯ The soldiers had been dispatched into squads for cleanup, but they ambled over one by one and started causing a stir, as if they were watching a good spectacle. ¡°That boy has a brand on his cheek¡­ Isn¡¯t that the Balkrush n¡¯s emblem?¡± one muttered. ¡°Are you saying he¡¯s in league with the uruk?¡± ¡°Well, no one would have such a tattoo unless they were crazy. The captain would know¡­¡± Kam sat on the paved stones of the copsed city hall and continued to nkly look at the boy. A giant among men stood on either side of her. On her left stood the mercenary leader, Eltoram, who had a shaggy white beard and a physique as majestic as an uruk¡¯s. ¡°You¡¯re saying that kid went on a rampage for no reason?¡± Eltoram asked. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­¡± the soldier exined. ¡°He asked to meet Kam. I waved him away for spouting bullshit, and then he went wild.¡± Eltoram¡¯s fierce eyes narrowed as he approached the boy. He was a notoriously infamous beastman. Beastmen were cursed creatures¡ªneither from the abyss nor the light. Most beastmen were hated and despised everywhere on the continent and were driven out to the ends of the world, but it was different on the battlefield¡ªthey made the best warriors. Their endlessbat experiences, persistent vitality, fighting spirit, strength, and physique made them perfect for confronting the uruks, not to mention their natural aggressiveness. They were incredible living weapons. ¡°Who are you to dare to ask for Lady Kam?¡± ¡°I want to learn swordsmanship,¡± the boy said. ¡°Swordsmanship? Why?¡± ¡°I heard it¡¯s a method of killing others with swords¡­ If I want to kill those uruk bastards, I need to learn it!¡± There was a strange silence for a moment, and then Eltoram held his stomach and burst intoughter. The mercenaries followed suit, bending over andughing. ¡°If the uruks heard this, they would shit themselves.¡± ¡°While screaming, ¡®Uruk yer¡¯!¡± ¡°Oh, my¡­ What¡¯s he going to say next? ¡®I don¡¯t know if you brought a diaper. Would you mind giving me a diaper instead? Never mind, I already shit myself¡¯, hahaha!¡± ¡°Hahahahahahaha!¡± Eltoram suddenly stoppedughing, shoved his face in front of Kaisen¡¯s, and made eye contact. ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss, kid.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Does Kam seem like a nanny who would pamper you? This is a battlefield. There¡¯s no room for a snotty-nosed brat.¡± Killing intentced Eltoram¡¯s eyes and voice, but the boy showed no sign of avoiding his gaze. The boy simply didn¡¯t feel fear. He was already dull and broken beyond belief, his emotions having been cruelly trampled. ¡®What kind of kid is this?¡¯ Even Eltoram was surprised. Other kids would soil themselves and run away if an ordinary beastman just frowned at them, but the boy wasn¡¯t scared of him in the slightest, and he wasrger and fiercer than other beastmen. ¡°What is that brand? Who put that brand on you?¡± Eltoram asked. The boy shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re not going to teach me swordsmanship. Why would I tell you anything in return? I¡¯ll leave quietly, so just give it back.¡± ¡°Give what back?¡± ¡°Oh, about that, Captain¡­¡± The mercenary who had captured the boy made a coin shape with his fingers and gave a sheepish smile. It meant that he had looted a pretty good item. ¡°You pathetic bastard¡­ handle it yourself.¡± Eltoram seemed to lose interest and walked to the other side while dusting his hands off. Heined to a few other mercenaries as he did so. ¡°How dare youze about, you bastards?¡± As soon as Eltoram left, the boy turned to the mercenary who had captured him. ¡°I want it back.¡± ¡°Return what? Kid, I¡¯ll take good care of that dangerous item, so don¡¯t worry. Just go your own way.¡± ¡°I said it¡¯s mine. Give it back!¡± The boy attacked the mercenary. Unfortunately, it was impossible from the start for him to win with his small and thin body. On top of that, his opponent was an elite mercenary serving on the front lines of a Fake Warrior¡¯s corps. ¡°Ha, this snot-nosed brat. I was trying to end things on a good note¡­¡± The mercenary easily knocked the boy down and prepared to kick him in the side for good measure. ¡°Stop.¡± A young man in pure white robes standing to the right of the Fake Warrior, Kam, spoke. ¡°What did you steal?¡± His voice was firm and benevolent, holding a great dignity that couldn¡¯t be ignored. The mercenary paused. ¡°It¡¯s nothing special¡­¡± ¡°Nothing special?¡± ¡°Yes, Milord.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. If it¡¯s nothing special, then please return it. If we take things for no reason, then how are we any different from the uruks?¡± * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * The mercenary hesitated for a moment before removing something from his waist. The man in white robes kneeled in front of Kaisen and met his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s not because he has a bad personality.¡± The young man had his light blue hair neatly tied up in a ponytail, which strangely suited his blue eyes. ¡°Please understand that it¡¯s because his battle lust is still affecting him. Blood, after all, can sometimes turn people into beasts.¡± The silver brooch neatly fastened on the front of his robes depicted a wolf¡¯s head. It was an honor given only to the top graduates of , one of the empire¡¯s three magic towers. ¡°My name is Yohan Wolf Frost. You can call me ¡®Wolf¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have many skills I can brag about, but I am a mage. Now, will you tell me your name?¡± He was gracefully humble. The middle name ¡®Wolf¡¯ was an honor bestowed only to top graduates of the university, and he was a 5-star archmage, representing the empire¡¯s schrs. In other words, he was a mage who had reached the rank of arch-wizard. ¡°Kaisen¡­¡± Wolfe thought for a moment before smiling brightly. ¡°Kaisen! Wow, that¡¯s a good name. Is it from the dragon tongue? It means ¡®connection¡¯, right? Who named you?¡± ¡°My mother,¡± Kaisen replied. ¡°Your mother is a very knowledgeable person. What kind of person is she?¡± Kaisen bit his lip and felt pain at the question. ¡°She¡¯s dead. Killed by the uruks.¡± He spat out thest word. Wolf¡¯s eyes filled with pity. ¡°By the uruk who branded your cheek?¡± Kaisen lowered his gaze as a bitter silence fell over the camp. Although they were emotionless mercenaries, some of them looked at him in pity. Kaisen¡¯s emaciated form from his travels north through the ruined southern region for the past month added to his pathetic form. ¡°Here.¡± The mercenary handed the item he had taken from Kaisen to Wolf. It was a shortsword. The item Kaisen brought as a keepsake¡­ was something his mother had treasured throughout her life. It was more precious than his life, so he¡¯d desperately tried to get it back. ¡°Wait.¡± In nearly an instant, Kam, who¡¯d obviously been sitting some distance away, closed the distance and grabbed the mercenary¡¯s wrist. ¡°L-Lady Kam?!¡± Her grip was so strong that the mercenary let out a pained groan. Kam snatched the shortsword from him and turned to Kaisen. ¡°You brat¡­ where did you get this?¡± she asked with a re. Her previous, nk stare was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Kam, what are you doing? Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?¡± Even with Wolf¡¯s dissuasion and the mercenaries¡¯ confusion, Kam harshly continued, ¡°Where did you steal this from?! Are you mute? Deaf? Want me to pierce open your ears?!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t steal it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°I said I didn¡¯t steal it!¡± ¡°Then where did you get it?! Tell me!¡± Kam sensed a sliver of truth in Kaisen¡¯s wavering voice and slightly red eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a keepsake from my mother¡­ so give it back! That¡¯s the only thing I have from her!¡± the boy yelled. In that instant, everyone there froze. ¡°A keepsake?¡± Rather than it being from the boy¡¯s yell, they were frozen by the overwhelming killing intent erupting from Kam¡¯s body. The intensity of it was such that it seemed to dye the air bright red. ¡°Your mom¡¯s¡­?¡± Kam tightly grabbed Kaisen¡¯s chin and turned his head this way and that, looking closely at his features. ¡®No way.¡¯ Her heart pounded in her chest. She couldn¡¯t ept the truth before her as reality. ¡®If you look closely, they look exactly alike¡­¡¯ The moment she subconsciously acknowledged that fact, her mind went nk, as if she¡¯d suffered a traumatic brain injury. ¡®How?¡¯ Her master had definitely died in the final battle of the ¡®ck Summer¡¯¡­ ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± The mercenaries, not knowing the truth, sighed and shook their heads. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he talked back to Lady Kam like that.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a true egalitarian, not distinguishing between children and adults¡­¡± Wolf, who had been Kam¡¯s friend for 20 years, was the only one who felt something was strange. He grabbed Kam¡¯s hand as she gripped Kaisen¡¯s chin. ¡°Stop! He¡¯s a child who lost his parents. You should treat him kindly. Let go of him.¡± Kam nkly looked back at Wolf and finally let go of Kaisen. As Wolfe patted Kaisen¡¯s back and helped him catch his breath, Kam spoke. ¡°You want to learn swordsmanship from me to kill the uruks? So you can get revenge?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­!¡± ¡°Oh? Then convince me that you¡¯re worth teaching.¡± For a moment, everyone was speechless¡ªthe coughing Kaisen, Wolf, and even the mercenaries around them. Kam continued, ¡°Why are you blinking at me like that, you idiot? Answer me. I told you to convince me. Don¡¯t I need to know if you¡¯re worth teaching or not?¡± The mercenaries looked at each other in bewilderment. Wolf felt the same. ¡°L-Lady Kam?¡± ¡°What is she doing?¡± ¡°Kam, what are you¡­?¡± Kam had even cursed at and chased away the Seven Sword Saint candidates who¡¯d gone to her in the hopes of bing her disciples. More than that, though¡­ ¡°Kam, a Fake Warrior can¡¯t ept a male disciple. Only women can be Fake Warriors.¡± Bing a Fake Warrior¡¯s disciple was the same as bing a candidate to be the next Fake Warrior since there was a high probability of the holy sword being passed down to one¡¯s disciple. Fake Warriors did not ept just anyone as their disciple. Rather than just a student-teacher rtionship, it was more of a sessor-predecessor one. ¡°Who says I¡¯ll ept a brat like this as my student?¡± Kam asked. ¡°I just want to see if he has some spunk.¡± ¡°What do I have to do to convince you?¡± Kaisen defiantly asked. The mercenaries cheered. Kam spat. Then, she took a longsword from a nearby mercenary and threw it at Kaisen. ¡°Catch.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I hate people who are only talk. If you desire to sincerely learn swordsmanship, then go for it. Be prepared to die.¡± Kaisen blinked. Kam provocatively waved Raminea¡¯s shortsword. ¡°If you seed innding an attack even once¡­ Yeah, even if your sword nces me, I¡¯ll return this sword to you.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°If I win, though, I¡¯m keeping this. Why should I give a keepsake to a brat who¡¯s about to die? If you want to give up, do it now, and I¡¯ll let you take the sword up north.¡± The mercenaries around them burst intoughter. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to teach, just say so.¡± ¡°Kid, just take the sword and leave.¡± Kaisen quickly read the atmosphere. It was clear that Kam¡¯s behavior was very unusual. It was important to seize this opportunity before she changed her mind. Maybe that¡¯s why he said his next words¡­ ¡°It¡¯s a promise, then.¡± The mercenaries¡¯ mouths dropped open, and even Kam¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Everyone focused on Kaisen. Even Wolf couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. Kaisen grabbed the longsword stuck in the ground and aimed it straight at Kam. ¡°If I win, you will teach me how to wield a sword.¡± ____ Chapter 3 Chapter 3 ¨C Childhood, the Dawn of Summer (2) ¡°If I win, you will teach me how to wield a sword.¡± The moment of shocked silencested for a short time before the mercenaries all cheered at the interesting show. ¡°I can¡¯t believe such a brave man exists.¡± ¡°It seems that humanity¡¯s future isn¡¯t that dark!¡± Yohan Wolf Frost was the only one who scoffed in disbelief. ¡°A duel? Kam! Even if it¡¯s just a joke, this is going too far. How can you duel with a kid like this¡ª¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just wait and see.¡± The mercenary leader, Eltoram, stopped Wolf, who was desperately trying to dissuade Kam. ¡°Even when the Seven Sword Saints¡¯ sessors and the children of the Three Great Swordsmen came, she didn¡¯t pay them any mind and kicked them out.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Now she¡¯s giving this kid a chance to duel? Doesn¡¯t that mean she sees something in this arrogant brat?¡± Eltoram¡¯s evaluation was strangely generous. Was it because he¡¯d felt Kaisen¡¯s strange spirit during their previous encounter? He continued. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the brand engraved on his cheek? Isn¡¯t it the brand of the Balkrush n, which is causing destruction wherever it goes? That means he¡¯s a warrior recognized by the chieftain of Balkrush. Don¡¯t you think he will show us something?¡± Even after hearing those words, Wolf¡¯s eyes, reflected through the sses, were filled with questioning. ¡®Why on earth is Kam¡­?¡¯ She was the direct disciple of Raminea Alter Aradamantel, a hero who was praised as the strongest Fake Warrior of her time. Even famous imperial knights often failed tost more than three moves against her. ¡®Will that scrawny, starving boy be able to withstand even one move against such a powerful being?¡¯ Kaisen gripped the sword that¡¯d been thrown his way. He¡¯d never held a longsword before, and the weight of it overwhelmed him. Unable to lift it with one hand, he gripped it with both; only then did the sword stop shaking. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you one question, so answer me¡­¡± Instead of unsheathing the holy sword from her back, Kam picked up a branch from the ground. ¡°¡­You¡¯re fighting with that?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°If you want, you can as well. Anything can be a weapon.¡± Overwhelming momentum¡­ no, daunting killing intent followed. It was a mere tree branch, but the air around it seemed to burn. Even more suffocating was Kam¡¯s question for him. ¡°Now, the question is¡­ do you truly believe it was your fault that your mother died?¡± His throat constricted. It was a question he couldn¡¯t answer. Kam seemed to already know, though. ¡°You¡¯re pretty weak, so what on earth could you have done?¡± For a moment, his mind wentpletely nk. ¡°Why do you me yourself for not being able to do anything when your mother was killed by the uruks?¡± Kam hoped her teacher¡¯s son wouldn¡¯t me something as vague as the world. She hoped he¡¯d have a clear objective like she did. ¡°Isn¡¯t that only natural?¡± ¡®Don¡¯t despair.¡¯ If he gave up in the face of overwhelming despair, he would one day give up on life. ¡°You were just born weak. If you want to me something, me the world. What can you do?¡± She couldn¡¯t let him hate the uruks. It was too dangerous. Instead¡­ ¡®Change your object of resentment to me.¡¯ Kaisen¡¯s sharp senses wouldn¡¯t allow him to give up on life. ¡°It¡¯s natural that you couldn¡¯t do anything back then! You survived because you couldn¡¯t do anything!¡± Kam said. A surge of emotions rose from deep within Kaisen¡¯s heart. ¡®What is this feeling?¡¯ It felt likeva was exploding in his chest. The throbbing heat urged his forward leap. ¡°Oooh!¡± Cheers rose up among the mercenaries in an instant. ¡°The little guy ran in first!¡± ¡°Haha, he¡¯s as brave as any knight!¡± Only Kam¡¯s old friends, Wolf and Eltoram, furrowed their brows in surprise. ¡®I¡¯m getting more and more confused.¡¯ ¡®Lady Kam is provoking him? A kid?¡¯ Just as Raminea was the hero who¡¯d seeded Rista Alter Schirpin, her student, Kam also showed her power as the strongest Fake Warrior of her time. She was the leading warrior among the existing Fake Warriors, so what was so special about the boy that she was acting in such a way? Eltoram and the senior mercenaries suddenly held their breaths and focused on the boy¡¯s reaction. What on earth would he show them? Pooow¡ª! They only saw the boy fall down before he could swing his sword. Kam decided the match with her fingers alone. Rather than using the branch she¡¯d yfully grabbed, he just lightly dodged back and flicked the boy¡¯s forehead. Of course, Kaisen didn¡¯t win. The thought flew out of his mind when he was sent rolling multiple times from the blow. ¡°What was that?¡± Captain Eltoram and the senior officers tilted their heads and exchanged nces. ¡°He doesn¡¯t even know how to use a sword?¡± ¡°No. It doesn¡¯t look like he learned martial arts at all, let alone swordsmanship.¡± ¡°How did he get recognition from the Balkrush n?¡± The Fake Warrior approached Kaisen, her expression not showing a hint of her emotions. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault or your mother¡¯s fault.¡± Kam unsheathed her teacher¡¯s shortsword from her waist. It emitted an eerie, phosphorescent light. ¡°It¡¯s the fault of Fake Warriors like me for not always being there! Not you! Don¡¯t bark at me for revenge or any such thing while looking like you¡¯re about to cry.¡± The moment she swung the small sword with all of her might, the onlookers gasped in shock. ¡°Kam!¡± ¡°What¡­? Is she really going to kill him¡­?¡± ¡°Oh, my god! She speaks like a viin, but I actually believe mydy is a good person!¡± Of course, she didn¡¯t kill the boy. Wolf rushed over and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that shortsword stuck right next to Kaisen¡¯s head. Kam threw the sword¡¯s sheath at Kaisen¡¯s face and said, ¡°What kind of revenge can a talentless brat get? Teach you how to use a sword? I¡¯ll take revenge for you, so take that and get the hell out of here.¡± She bit her lip. She didn¡¯t know what happened, but Mistress Raminea died protecting that brat. The fact that the boy didn¡¯t know how to use a sword at his age meant that her teacher didn¡¯t want to drag him into the world of swords. ¡®I don¡¯t dare change the decision my master made after careful consideration.¡¯ Kam started to turn away from the boy. ¡°!¡± Thump¡ª Something grazed the armor on her shin. ¡®A branch¡­?¡¯It was a lowly attack that would¡¯ve meant nothing in a real duel. ¡°My attack was sessful, right¡­? You said anything could be used as a weapon.¡± Kam, Wolf, Eltoram, and all the mercenaries were at a loss for a moment when the boy, who they¡¯d thought fainted, made his move. ¡°What happened¡­?¡± someone mumbled. ¡°Well, since it touched her¡­ it¡¯s thedy¡¯s defeat¡­?¡± The mercenaries kept their mouths shut and looked the other way after Kam gave them a fierce re. ¡°Are those really a little boy¡¯s eyes?¡± Eltoram was also surprised. The boy had the eyes of a warrior. They were eyes that would never lose their fighting spirit¡­ did that mean the boy had the makings of a first-ss warrior? ¡°Kaisen, are you okay? Kid! Wake up!¡± Wolf hugged Kaisen after the boy truly fainted and checked his condition. ¡°Kid! Kid! Hey, you two! Get the tent ready. You, bring the medicine I tell you to. Quickly!¡± * * * ¡°This ce is¡­¡± The next evening, when the ash-covered fields turned red with the setting sun, Kaisen opened his eyes. The smell of delicious oatmeal seemed to stimte his hungry stomach. Wolf, who was sitting by his bedside, smiled brightly. ¡°Are you awake now? I¡¯m d.¡± Kaisen tried to sit up from the bed but fell down again with a groan. Pain surged throughout his body. It felt like the built-up fatigue from the past month had exploded. Above all, the bump on his forehead was really painful. ¡®Was that really a flick on the forehead? It felt like someone hit me with a smithing hammer.¡¯ Wolf carefully scooped some oatmeal from the pot into a bowl and handed the bowl to Kaisen. ¡°Let¡¯s start with nutrition. That way, you will get better quickly.¡± ¡°I can eat by myself¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overexert yourself. It must be hard to even move.¡± Kaisen tried to argue but couldn¡¯t. Wolf¡¯s eyes were so calm and kind. Who on earth was he to be so kind to someone he was meeting for the first time? ¡°How does it taste? Is it too nd? If so, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s been a while since I made oatmeal with medicinal ingredients.¡± After struggling for a while, Kaisen ended up quietly munching on the oatmeal. It was nd. Honestly, it had no texture. Kaisen wondered why a single tear formed in his eyes before he even realized it. ¡°Was it so delicious that it brought tears to your eyes?¡± Wolf asked. ¡°How touching.¡± ¡°No, it was so tasteless that it brought tears to my eyes.¡± ¡°I see. The food I made is trash. Huh, I knew it would be like that. I¡¯m pretty much trash at everything except magic¡­¡± Wolf seemed to suddenly feel discouraged. He sat down, a gloomy atmosphere around him, and began to write in his notebook. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with this man¡­?¡¯ Kaisen wondered. He hadn¡¯t been moved by the taste. Rather, it¡¯d been a long time since he had such warm and hearty food in the same manner his mother had made for him in their day-to-day lives. It was around the time he finished eating the oatmeal that Wolf suddenly handed him an apple and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°For making me eat food like this?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m talking about Kam. Even though she looks cold, she¡¯s actually a very sweet person.¡± ¡°That woman? ¡°It¡¯s true. She became like that after our leader died.¡± ¡®Leader?¡¯ Kaisen tilted his head. Wolf spoke in a dreamy tone. ¡°Most Fake Warriors have a teacher. The leader of our corps was Kam¡¯s teacher. She was a truly great person¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°After our leader died, Kam didn¡¯t show affection to anyone. No, she didn¡¯t even show any emotions. I just can¡¯t figure out why she indulged you today.¡± ¡°I guess she really liked that leader,¡± Kaisen mumbled. ¡°Kaisen, we all liked her. Not a single one of us had anything against her.¡± Wolf gave a miserable smile full of bitterness, pain, and sadness. He put his hand on Kaisen¡¯s head. ¡°I apologize on behalf of my poor friend. Kaisen, please forgive her.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need an apology or anything! Just teach me how to use a sword! Then I can forgive anything!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I can learn now, right? She said that just touching her would be a win!¡± With a low sigh, Wolf resolutely shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not true. Do you think Kam will admit that it was her defeat?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll try again and again.¡± ¡°Until when?¡± ¡°Until she agrees.¡± Hatred that bordered on obsession was like a sharp de. Even if he was told to give up his hatred and desire for revenge and to live away from the front lines, he wouldn¡¯t listen. ¡°Even if she tries to teach you, what happened today will only happen again. Kaisen, do you know how to read?¡± Wolf presented a book far out of the ordinary¡ªa grimoire only experts could understand. ¡®Numbers¡­?¡¯ Rows of numbers? What did it mean? The numbers were written in a haphazard manner with a strange sort of governing pattern, but he couldn¡¯t figure out what they meant. ¡°You can¡¯t read these, right?¡± Wolf asked. ¡°Your situation right now is the same.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re trying to learn the core without even knowing the basics. As you can see, Kam is not a great person who can teach you step by step from the basics.¡± ¡°Then what should I do?¡± Kaisen asked with tears in his eyes. Wolf¡¯s kind smile did not disappear. ¡°You might be able to learn if you do as I say. I can¡¯t be certain because it¡¯ll depend entirely on your talent.¡± ¡®Talent¡­?¡¯ He¡¯d been beaten up before he even understood what was happening. Did he have talent? Wolf tapped Kaisen¡¯s forehead with his thumb. ¡°Eltoram said you have a warrior¡¯s talent. Get some rest now, and I¡¯ll teach you step by step after you recover.¡± ¡°Do nothing and rest?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There is no need to rest. You can teach me right now! Why bother? The basics are amazing!¡± Kaisen shouted, giving a miserable appearance as tears formed in his eyes and his arms trembled from the force with which he clenched his hands. The boy continued, ¡°Nothing¡­ I couldn¡¯t do anything¡­ Even when my mother died¡­ but even now, I can¡¯t do anything¡­¡± ¡°Kaisen¡­¡± ¡°The uruks, those bastards are running around freely! Fuck the word ¡®nothing¡¯! They all need to be killed! As fast as possible! All of them! No exceptions!¡± Crying out in anger was an inherently solitary exercise. ¡°Haaaa.¡± Wolf sighed deeply as he watched the seething tears in the boy¡¯s eyes. The world was truly miserable. There was no such thing as a warrior who destroyed evil and brought peace to everyone. After some time, Wolf put his pure white wizard cloak over his shoulders and weakly smiled. ¡°Would you like to follow me? If you can, that is.¡± Kaisen stood up and continued to cry. Wolf¡¯s strides were short and slow as he walked ahead, his cloak pping around him. He was kind. Even though he walked ahead, he looked back and waited. ¡°What do you think are the basics of swordsmanship, Kaisen?¡± Kaisen followed Wolf up the slope of the nearby hill. Wolf advanced gently and slowly. ncing up at the night sky, they saw it wasn¡¯t yet consumed by the summer¡¯s volcanic ash, and the wild grass in the area embraced the gentle light of the four moons. ¡°I¡¯m not well versed in swordsmanship, but I¡¯m curious about many things and asked the leader about it,¡± Wolf exined. ¡°What did she say?¡± ¡°She said that footwork is the foundation and core of all martial arts.¡± In terms of linguistics, it might bepared to grammar and words. ¡°It¡¯s about here,¡± Wolf muttered as they stopped at the top of the hill. When the man opened his palm, a frost-colored magic circle appeared and spun. Another appeared and ovepped with the previous one, and then a final circle was born. It was categorized within the empire¡¯s 7-star magic system as a 3-star spell that only high-ranking wizards could cast. Of course, there was no way a bumpkin like Kaisen would recognize it and be impressed. aaaang¡ª! The moment Wolf grabbed the threeyer magic and broke it, Kaisen¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®What is this? A hallucination?¡¯ A shadow of ice appeared on the hill¡¯s highest point. Notably, the shadow held a sword. Wolf exined the spell. ¡°This is a 3-star spell called ¡®Active Pursuit: Clone¡¯. Only judicial officers may use it, and I imitated it with my ice attribute as the base.¡± Wolf gestured, and the white shadow began a violent yet elegant dance. ¡°This¡­?¡± Kaisen felt dazed and confused. It wasn¡¯t just because the sword dance was mesmerizing. Rather, he had seen the same moves almost every day from his mother. For a moment, he could barely suppress the pain in his heart¡ªit felt as if it were being torn apart. Wolf spoke in a soft tone. ¡°This is a reproduction of Kam¡¯s movements.¡± ¡®Kam¡¯s movements¡­?¡¯ Kaisen wondered. Was his mother really Kam¡¯s teacher? ¡°That woman has a sincere side to her, and even now, she trains in swordsmanship at the times the leader originally set. That¡¯s why it¡¯s easy to copy her with this spell.¡± The moment Wolf snapped his fingers again, the shadow froze in ce. ¡°This sword dance contains the essence of the swordsmanship that Kam umted over nearly 20 years. It is impossible to sessfully attack her when you cannot even keep up with her footwork.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°As I said before, Kam has a pathological attachment to the leader, and she always follows the teachings she left behind. Among those lessons was, ¡®Be a wonderful woman who always keeps her promises.¡± Wolf grinned and added, ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to copy everything. First, you need to be able to copy her footwork perfectly. Only then will you be able to beat Kam.¡± It wasn¡¯t that Wolf had a secret n or anything like that. He only recalled when Kam began her education in those dazzling days of their youth, back when she first became Raminea¡¯s student. ¡°How about it?¡± he asked. ¡°Can you try it?¡± Back then, Raminea also asked Kam the same. Kam, who was the illegitimate daughter of Belchester, one of the three great swordsmen of the empire at the time, had answered by roughly following her teacher¡¯s steps. Of course, Raminea¡¯s footwork was on a different level. Still, Kam had imitated the movements based on her natural talent. ¡®What is this?¡¯ The kid in front of him was doing the same thing. Was that why it seemed like the image of young Kam superimposed itself on Kaisen¡¯s back for a moment? A mixture of longing and astonishment appeared in Wolf¡¯s eyes. ¡®What the hell is this¡­?¡¯ Even though Kaisen might not have been able to move freely due to his injury¡­ he was still able to follow along at a simr level. Wolf let out a short exmation without meaning to. He¡¯d also tried to follow along, but he couldn¡¯t continue from the third step. ¡®Overwhelming¡­ no, is this what they call violently talented?¡¯ He scoffed in disbelief. ¡®Kam, you say Kaisen has no talent? Don¡¯t be ridiculous. He simply hasn¡¯t had the opportunity to learn.¡¯ ____ Chapter 4 Chapter 4 ¨C Childhood, the Dawn of Summer (3) Kam¡¯s unit busied itself with post-war maintenance. Bodies littered the area. Passing an uruk corpse and chasing away crows pecking at the brain matter of a crushed human skull, Kaizen walked through the field of ughter. Meanwhile, the mercenaries made small talk. ¡°Ha, when will we burn all these corpses? Huh? That kid¡­?¡± ¡°Look! Isn¡¯t that the so-called ¡®uruk yer¡¯?¡± ¡°Oh, wait a minute, that kid became quite a man in just a week. Hey,e to sister. I¡¯ll show you some affection.¡± The mercenaries were ignored, and the ck-haired boy walked to stand before Kam, who was sitting on the corpse of the dead uruk chieftain. ¡°You promised that you¡¯d teach me to use a sword if I seeded in hitting you even once, right?¡± The Fake Warrior raised her forlorn gaze from Aradamantel¡¯s de to focus her golden eyes on Kaisen. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t fall behind.¡± ¡°The agreement is still valid?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve been up to with Wolf, but you only escaped death by my whim, you brat. I won¡¯t be so kind a second time. If you don¡¯t want to die, just go away.¡± Did they feel killing intent in that one statement? Birds flew out of the forest behind Kaisen; the horses pulling the carts stood up on their hind legs, kicked the air, and neighed. Even animals were trembling in fear, but the boy was resolute. He calmly lifted his mother¡¯s shortsword from his back, aimed it straight at Kam, and said, ¡°Then this is my answer.¡± A heavy silence hung over them for a moment. Before Kaisen knew what was happening, the mercenaries around them burst into wild cheers. ¡°Wow, what did that guy just say?¡± ¡°I just got goosebumps.¡± ¡°He¡¯s got balls!¡± Wolf, who could be said to be an aplice in the situation, smiled and added to the provocation. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you afraid that I might end up teaching him swordsmanship?¡± The mercenary leader, Eltoram, and his subordinate beastmen burst intoughter. Kam nced at Wolf and stood up with an irritated sigh. It was clear that she was dissatisfied with the situation, but her gesture implied that she¡¯d ept the result of the duel. ¡°Okay,e on. If you wish to be beaten, then I¡¯ll oblige.¡± The mercenaries cheered wildly. * * * Six days prior¡­ ¡°Isn¡¯t it hard? Take a break once in a while¡­¡± Every day, as if time itself were engraving it into his body, Kaisen¡¯s clumsy footwork grew more fluid as he grew ustomed to the movements. ¡°No problem.¡± Kaisen was truly desperate. He trained as if it were his only sustenance, moved with the corps, and ate whatever food Wolf provided. Other than that, he trained in the same ce Kam did while cleverly avoiding the times she was there. ¡°Show me the next illusion. This is enough.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really amazing. It¡¯s only been three days now.¡± From the fourth day, he even began to imitate Raminea¡¯s hand gestures with his shortsword in hand. ¡°Kaisen, there are limits to following along like this.¡± ¡°I have to get her acknowledgment somehow, right?¡± ¡°Yes, but there is a big difference between formal learning and stealing.¡± One more day, and then another. After six desperate days, which were both long and short, he was able to stand face-to-face with Kam. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so crazy about being beaten up, but if that¡¯s what you want¡­¡± Kam was bare-handed. As if she were saying it wasn¡¯t even worth using a branch, she looked down at Kaisen in annoyance and beckoned him with a twitch of a finger. Kaisen¡¯s heart rate quietly soared, and his shaky breathing rattled from his throat. After taking a deep breath, he rushed forward. Cheers and jeers erupted from the mercenaries. ¡°Yes! Attacking first is essential for men!¡± ¡°Hey, you idiot! You¡¯re going to end up the same asst time!¡± Something was different. The mercenaries were dumbfounded by what unfolded in the next moment, unable to keep their mouths shut. ¡°Huh¡­?!¡± Kam swung her foot at the boy¡¯s stomach and found herself most surprised by what happened next. The moment the boy sensed the attack, he stomped on the ground, halting his forward movement. Twisting his body with the leftover inertia, he swung his sword and channeled the full force of his movement through it. ¡°Hey, that move is¡­?¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s simr to Lady Kam¡¯s footwork?¡± ¡®What? The footwork of ?¡¯ Kam hesitantly avoided Kaisen¡¯s full-body sh. ¡°Haa! Haaa! Haaaaa!¡± Even Kaisen¡¯s pants of exertion were somewhat cute, in contrast to the fierceness of her sh. ¡°Give it to her!¡± The mercenaries¡¯ cheers reached a climax after the boy overturned their perception of how the battle would go. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right! Push back!¡± Though she was surprised, Kam easily dodged the sh while confusion shed in her eyes. ¡®His only chance of winning was with the first attack.¡¯ Kam was the true sessor to the Cross Sword Style. Whether her teacher had jokingly taught her son or Wolf had used a strange trick, the battle was flowing in her favor. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * ¡°You¡¯re pretty surprising.¡± With her next movement, she slightly turned her body and used the rotational force to swing another kick at the boy. ¡®It wouldn¡¯t be bad to put him in so much pain that it shakes his brain and he runs away.¡¯ The moment she thought it would end, Kaisen¡¯s eyes sharply shed. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°Ha¡­?¡± Kam scoffed in disbelief at Kaisen¡¯s next move. Kaisen held his sword in one hand and its scabbard in the other, alternating his attacks between them. ¡®How did this brat¡­?¡¯ It was a unique technique using both sword and scabbard thatposed the first form, which was the foundation and core of the Cross Sword Style. Specifically, it was the cross-blocking stance, ¡®Full Circle(ˆA)¡¯. Ò»Taaaang! Kaisen desperately maintained his defensive stance. The block sent shock and pain reverberating through his body to the point that it felt like his bones were cracking. ¡®I blocked it, but I¡¯m still being pushed away¡­?¡¯ The force behind her kick was truly terrifying. After being sent sliding backward for a short distance, the shock subsided. His feet were already firmly nted, allowing his posture to stabilize. Kam, on the other hand, was unable to control her strength. The mercenaries couldn¡¯t even breathe and started to scream in excitement. ¡°This?!¡± ¡°A chance, it¡¯s a chance!¡± ¡°Her guard is still open, kid!¡± Not missing the opportunity, Kaisen leaped toward Kam. ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡± Eltoram sighed. Everyone else was cheering, but he shook his head. ¡®Lady Kam is a Fake Warrior.¡¯ Through human modification, she¡¯d acquired physical abilities beyond even beasts and mastered the art of fighting, making her the peak of humanity. ng¡ª! ¡°Huh¡­?¡± The moment Kaisen was certain of his victory and thought his sword would stab Kam, she backhanded the t of his de with lightning speed, sending it slipping out of his grasp. Next, she simply stretched her foot out to trip him. ¡®What?¡¯ The pitch-ck volcanic sky filled his vision. It seemed like the sky was spinning, but before he knew it, he was spread out on the ground. Something sparkled¡ªhis mother¡¯s sword spun andnded right next to his face, causing his hair to stand on end. ¡®I lost¡­?¡¯ The shadow of death loomed menacingly over him. Was Kam nning to finish him off? Her pure white hair and sparkling golden dragon eyes were the same as his mother¡¯s, but her expression waspletely different. ¡°Goodbye.¡± She pulled his mother¡¯s sword from the ground, spun it around in an instant, and struck him in the face. Undeterred by fear of death, Kaisen simply stared at her. Thus, he ended up more surprised than anyone else. ¡°Why¡­?¡± One second, two seconds, three seconds¡­ What felt like an eternity passed, but nothing happened. Instead, Kam found Kaisen¡¯s scabbard lying on the ground and snatched his mother¡¯s shortsword. ¡°I changed my mind. I think this piece of trash can be quite useful. He¡¯s still trash, but if six days is enough for him to get this far, he¡¯ll be worth having in the advance guardter. Isn¡¯t that right, Eltoram?¡± Eltoram smiled and nodded. ¡°Yeah, okay.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? No. I won¡¯t do anything like that. I¡¯ll keep attacking you until you teach me swordsmanship!¡± Kaisen protested weakly. Kam gave him a disapproving look. ¡°You owe me your life. Isn¡¯t thatmon sense? Based on thatmon sense, do you think a day will evere when a brat like you can beat me?¡± ¡°Yeah! Again! I can do it!¡± The mercenaries held their bellies andughed at the bold answer. Of course, they had to nonchntly look away as soon as Kam red at them. ¡°Listen, don¡¯t make me repeat myself. As you can see, there is nothing but trash in this corps, and there is a huge shortage of useful trash.¡± ¡°Hmph, I feel sad hearing you say that, My Lady.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Shut up, you pieces of trash,¡± Kam berated them. ¡°Alright.¡± She turned back to Kaisen. ¡°See? That¡¯s just how they are. If you promise to be my loyal follower, I could be persuaded to listen to your cute request. I need a useful follower anyway.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just blink at me. I might still pluck your eyes out. Didn¡¯t you understand? If I tell you to kill an uruk, you do it immediately; if I tell you to patrol somewhere, you do it; if I tell you to deliver a message, you deliver it.¡± ¡®What¡­?¡¯ The mercenaries shook their heads. ¡®How could a little boy cut off an uruk¡¯s head?¡¯ Kaisen¡¯s reaction was different. ¡°If I do as you ask, then what will you do for me?¡± ¡°What? You want to learn swordsmanship, right? I¡¯ll teach you.¡± Those words would lead him, body and soul, down the path of a sword soaked in blood. The boy¡¯s eyes brightened from their hatred and despair, though. Her teacher¡¯s face ovepped with the boy¡¯s, and an unbearably bitter pain hit Kam¡¯s chest. ¡®Teacher, did you entrust that sword to your son so that I could teach him?¡¯ Her thoughts were conflicted. ¡®No, you ran away from the world of swords. You certainly wouldn¡¯t want that. If I just sent him away, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he starved in the backwoods or was beaten to death after trying to learn from some strange teacher.¡¯ ¡°You make the choice.¡± Kam sighed and put her teacher¡¯s de back into its scabbard before holding it out to Kaisen. ¡®He can make his own choices. As you did for me, I will do for your son. That will work, right?¡¯ She¡¯d been sincerely sad to hear that her teacher, who¡¯d been living happily with her children in a remote vige, had died. ¡°Choose whether you will leave or stay with this group of rank trash until you learn swordsmanship,¡± she said. Kaisen gave his mother¡¯s keepsake an intense look and hesitated for a while. In the end, he didn¡¯t take it back. ¡°If I don¡¯t take it back¡­ You¡¯ll teach me swordsmanship, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll keep it as coteral so that you won¡¯t run away. I can¡¯t just feed and shelter you, only for you to bail on me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Have you been deceived your whole life or something? Oh, and if you kneel down and beg, I might just teach you the basics from today so that you can get out of this mess.¡± Kaisen, her teacher¡¯s son, made strange emotionse to the surface within Kam¡¯s heart. Looking untroubled, Kaisen immediately kneeled amidst the mercenaries¡¯ughter and shouts. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any pride?¡± Kaisen¡¯s eyes seemed to say, ¡®Can pride help you survive?¡¯ ¡°There is no need for pride. As long as I can learn the sword and kill the uruks, nothing else matters.¡± His voice seemed to be going through a transition of anger. He desperately wanted to enter the world of swords and be baptized in the blood of his enemies, until he one day sank into that blood and drowned. Kam focused her draconic eyes on her teacher¡¯s son, gave a deep sigh, and stuck the shortsword into the weapon rack. ¡°Hey, Eltoram, find a single-edged sword somewhere and bring it back.¡± ¡°Why a single-edged sword?¡± ¡°You bastard, you call that a question? Shouldn¡¯t I properly teach him swordsmanship?¡± Had Kaisen¡¯s sincere spirit moved her? ¡°Hey, even if he¡¯s a kid, it¡¯s alright as long as he¡¯s that ballsy. Wee, kid!¡± The mercenaries wildly cheered when they heard her decision. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since my heart felt warm.¡± Wolf watched it all from beginning to end and looked at the boy with a mixture of worry and anticipation. ¡®Is it truly a blessing or a curse to have entered the pool of war at such a young age¡­?¡¯ Only the gods knew. ____ Chapter 5 Chapter 5 ¨C Childhood, the Dawn of Summer (4) ¡°The sword technique I use is called the Cross Sword Style.¡± Volcanic ash drifted through the air, distorting the sunlight red on the day Kam¡¯s teachings began. It was always like that on the battlefield and in the South. Under the abyss¡¯s influence, the heavens and earth underwent a bizarre topographical transformation. The mountains turned into volcanoes and spewed endless ash into the sky. Save for when it rained, the actual sky was always obscured. ¡°It is a technique that uses both the sword and the scabbard.¡± She held her sword in her right hand and her scabbard in her left. Something was indescribable about Kam¡¯s posture when she moved the scabbard with her left hand and crossed it with her de. ¡°Cross Sword Style?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°That¡¯s a reallyme name.¡± Did ite from how a cross was formed when the sword and scabbard were crossed with each other? ¡°Hey, you bastard. All the wielders of Aradamantel have used this sword technique, alright? Show some respect.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Hmm? Hmm? Hmmmmmm? Did your father tell you to say ¡®hmm¡¯ with your arms crossed as a way of showing respect?¡± Looking back, Kam never mentioned Kaisen¡¯s mother when she made her disparaging remarks. ¡°Don¡¯t hit me on the head! Why are you talking about my dad?¡± ¡°A brat with a crappy upbringing like you needs to be beaten regrly to have better character instilled. I¡¯m curious about your father. What does he look like?¡± ¡°Very handsome!¡± ¡°Judging by your crappy face, that¡¯s a lie.¡± Every time the mercenaries saw Kam teaching Kaisen, they were inwardly amazed. ¡®This is the first time Lady Kam has ever been so talkative.¡¯ ¡®How can she be so good at teaching?¡¯ ¡®Didn¡¯t she kick out the other kids by knocking them out?¡¯ Yohan Wolf Frost felt something different, but he didn¡¯t realize why at the time. It was somehow heartwarming yet sad. He didn¡¯t understand that it was the weight of the sadness the previous leader¡¯s son instilled within them. ¡°Listen carefully. In order to use this properly, you need to learn two mana control techniques.¡± ¡°Mana control?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°First of all, with the sword-wielding right hand, you use ¡®Mana Chain¡¯, a magical chain that extends out of your body.¡± The tip of her sword suddenly crashed down only a short distance from Kaisen¡¯s eyes, and he broke out in a cold sweat. ¡®The sword shouldn¡¯t have been able to reach me?¡¯ It¡¯d only been possible due to a red energy shrouding the de and extending out toward him. ¡®Yes, this is what my mother used¡­¡¯ When grief seeped into his heart, it turned into anger. The boy barely kept himself together. Kam continued her exnation. ¡°Most swordsmen use Mana Chain. The main technique of the Cross Sword Style alsoes from Mana Chain, but do you think that¡¯s enough to defeat the uruks?¡± ¡°Then¡­?¡± ¡°You should be able to use Mana Heart as well. Hey, Wolf!¡± The mathematical calctions in Wolf¡¯s head caused a strange phenomenon in the physical world. Cold air gathered on his palm and formed an icicle, which shot toward Kam but bounced off of a blood-red barrier emerging from her outstretched scabbard. ¡°The sword is meant to attack, and the scabbard is meant to defend?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°Both should be possible. I¡¯d like to say that you¡¯ll have a rxed view of the world when both are possible, but since you¡¯re a boy, you won¡¯t be able to properly use the Cross Sword Style.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Men can¡¯t use Mana Chain as precisely as women. To the point that it¡¯s just embarrassing topare.¡± ¡°Is there anything they can do instead?¡± ¡°Instead, they use their mana forrge and powerful attacks, so male expert swordsmen use heavy weapons that can support their powerful magical power.¡± ¡°Do you want me to change my weapon too?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait and see, but it¡¯s not like there¡¯s no way to userge amounts of innate mana in the Cross Sword Style.¡± ¡°What¡­ should I do?¡± ¡°Use the ¡®Quick Draw¡¯ sword technique.¡± ¡°The ¡®Quick Draw¡¯ sword technique?¡± ¡°Yes, Quick Draw. For the sin of being born with a pecker, you won¡¯t be able to learn the orthodox Cross Sword Style. Instead, you should use the style with a focus on Quick Draw. A male has never be a Fake Warrior, nor has one learned the Cross Sword Style.¡± Kaisen shook his head. ¡°Quick Draw is just a technique for bluffing. It¡¯s used by assassins or to prevent assassinations, and I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°You pathetic idiot, the Cross Sword Style¡¯s Quick Draw technique is different from all others.¡± Kam held the scabbard with her left hand and the hilt with her right, and the atmosphere around her changed¡ªit was so heavy and sharp that it felt suffocating. ¡°What did I tell you? I said you need to use Mana Heart with your left hand, right?¡± A torrent of magical power burst through her palm and into the scabbard. ¡°What happens if you keep filling a leather skin with water?¡± ¡°It explodes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the same logic behind the Cross Sword Style¡¯s Quick Draw.¡± Mana continued to flow into the scabbard, heating up and trying to break free. Kam¡¯s hand on the hilt started to tremble. ¡°Fill the scabbard to the limit with Mana Heart; thence it with Mana Chain at thest moment and let it out before it explodes.¡± Kam unsheathed her sword so quickly that he only saw the result of her swing and couldn¡¯t track the process of it being drawn. Perhaps a sword dance would give off a simr feeling. It was an art that could only be achieved with a sword. The moment the de reflected the sunlight, the three giant trees swaying in the wind behind them were cut in half. His body trembled in shock. ¡°Tell me how to do that.¡± ¡°Like this.¡± ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ The next moment, he felt a pain in his chest, as if his heart had exploded. Only then did he realize Kam had struck him in the chest with her scabbard. The power tore through the blood vessels throughout his body, and blood leaked from his mouth, eyes, and nose. Kam spoke. ¡°Breathe, breathe, brat! If you lose consciousness, I¡¯ll kick you.¡± The world turned dark and distorted, and he lost bnce and fell. ¡°It would normally take at least several years of training to use this power, right? Do I look insane? How many years do I need to invest in you?¡± she said. Kam¡¯s voice continued from the edge of his awareness. ¡°I forcibly created the pathways for Mana Chain and Mana Heart in your body. If you can¡¯t hold on, you will die from the rebound. If you manage to survive, let¡¯s see where we can go from here.¡± The boy seemed to be in a lot of pain as he struggled and bled in the field, face-down as he was. The mercenaries mumbled amongst themselves, seeming to have known she would do something violent of the sort. Yohan and Eltoram looked quite solemn. When Kam passed by Yohan, the mage with snowke eyes spoke. ¡°I never thought you would show such favoritism to the boy.¡± ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯re not just opening up his paths¡­ You¡¯re sharing your energy with him. Will that be okay? So much¡­¡± ¡°Hmph, I¡¯m just giving back what I received.¡± ¡°Giving back what you received? What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just giving it back since I don¡¯t need it anymore. I¡¯m tired now, so don¡¯t talk to me.¡± Yeah, her teacher had given it to her anyway. Back then, her teacher had told her to hand it over to her own disciple after she seeded and became a great warrior. ¡®Don¡¯t me meter. That brat chose the path of the sword of his own volition.¡¯ * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * Kaisen was assigned to Squad 3 while he recovered from his internal bleeding. Kam¡¯smands were very simple. ¡°Clean up those guys¡¯ shit until you recover, learn the basics ofbat, and stop bothering me.¡± It wasn¡¯t that the squad members disliked Kaisen; they were actually very happy at first when they heard that the cute young member was joining them. ¡°What should I do?¡± he asked. ¡°What could you do? Don¡¯t try to do anything.¡± When it came to battle, they were very strict in not epting Kaisen into the fighting. ¡°Just stay still?¡± ¡°If you want to do something, just warm up my bed. You¡¯re so pretty that, if I just squint my eyes, you¡¯ll look like a woman. Uhahahahaha!¡± The sergeant¡¯s name was ¡®Rifle¡¯ Jin. He was particrly prone to inappropriatements whenever he found himself bored. Among various types of guns, the rifle was the most powerful. It was very difficult to use in every aspect¡ªfrom shooting to loading to even being able to afford. If someone used a rifle, it meant they were a veteran among veterans (meaning they¡¯d survived until they made enough money to buy one), and Jin was said to have been using such a rifle for 15 years. Kaisen had seen Jin urately shoot an uruk battle leader in the head from a whopping 200 meters away. ¡°Shut up and watch and learn, Uruk yer. We are not uruks. Just because one person is good doesn¡¯t mean everyone is good. You don¡¯t even know what a squad is, right?¡± In that era, squads were built on the tactical doctrine of formations: two spearmen, four gunmen, and one sergeant for a squad of seven. The formation was said to be modeled after the V shape that migratory flocks of birds created. When 10 squads gathered together, a toon was formed, and five such toons formed apany. Finally, when threepanies gathered together, a battalion was created. It went without saying, but the V-shaped formation grew in size as more squads gathered. ¡°Two spearmen stand in front, and the gunmen spread out from their sides like wings.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°The spearmen hold two-meter-long spears to stop the uruks, and the gunmen shoot before hiding behind the spearmen to reload.¡± ¡°Then what about me?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°Suck your fingers at the back, brat. You can kill time thinking about your ideal partner, or Kam, or something like that.¡± ¡°Such words could get you beaten, you know¡­¡± Kaisen tried to warn him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, My Lord, but I¡¯m the kind of person who can¡¯t lie. Not even a hundred deaths would change that.¡± Jin decided to teach Kaisen marksmanship. No matter how much one thought about it, it was absurd to imagine a kid like that cutting down an uruk warrior with a sword. ¡°It¡¯s heavy.¡± Still, when he tried to learn, Kaisen only saw the limitations inherent in the weapon. First, he needed to install the ¡®Prisvia Core¡¯, also called a ¡®Steam Core¡¯. Prisvia was the inventor of the steam engine. With the technology of the time, they could only use guns if they carried steam engines on their backs. Ten tubes connecting the Prisvia Core and the gun provided the power for steam gun firing. Therefore, they had no choice but to use an inefficient method with a hole in the center of a soldier¡¯s gear. ¡°How can I fight while carrying this?¡± Kaisen grumbled. The mercenaries, along with Jin, soon began tough. ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± ¡°Pfft, hahahaha!¡± Was it a cultural difference? No What was so funny? ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I heard that, you brat!¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just us. The Fake Warrior¡¯s corps only hires people with exceptional skills and pays them a lot of money. I haven¡¯t heard a rookiein about the weight of the gear in a long time. Seeing youin like this only makes it more endearing.¡± The corps was also called the ¡®White Bone Corps¡¯. They wore pure-white uniforms with matching white capes and white helmets embossed with a skill. The attire was a symbol of confidence and pride as the strongest corps, showing they believed that not even a drop of blood from the enemy woulde near them. ¡°Don¡¯t pinch my cheek,¡± Kaisenined. ¡°Hahahahahaha! I hope I¡¯ll be included in the history books as the man who survived after pinching the Uruk yer¡¯s cheek.¡± ¡°Oh, then me too,¡± another soldier butted in. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°Oh, stop it!¡± Even if Kaisen had been in good health at the time, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to put up much of a fight. He wasn¡¯t interested in guns, but he thought it would be good to learn how the squads fought and took part in the training. The decision was also partly due to Yohan¡¯s hint. ¡°Think about why Kam put you in a squad, particrly in Jin¡¯s.¡± ¡°With technology as it is now, one magazine can hold a total of five bullets. Do you know what this means?¡± After all five bullets were fired, the loading procedure had to begin, which required a lot of skill. It took ordinary people about 30 seconds, but the experienced corps soldierspleted it in about 10 seconds. For reference, Jin took six(!) seconds. ¡°Firing, loading, and everything in a battle has a rhythm. Realizing this battle rhythm leads to understanding the rhythm of war,¡± Jin exined. Those who ascended to the position ofmander with only a desk job were unaware of the heat of the battlefield and the sword. ¡°Squad, form a battle line! 4th formation!¡± At Jin¡¯smand, the previously yful squad members dropped their rxed demeanor and instantly formed a V-shaped battle line. The difference between life and death was whether or not one could react without acting rashly in any situation. ¡®Is it a formation?¡¯ Kaisen wondered. Even though he didn¡¯t really learn gunmanship, he definitely knew the formations. His resting period was both for gunmanship and getting to know the other members of the corps. The core of the corps wasmanded by the so-called warrior party: the Fake Warrior, Kam; the Archmage of Snow, Yohan; the White Bear, Eltoram; and ¡®Rifle¡¯ Jin. A witch had originally been the lead healer as well, bringing the core party up to five, but she¡¯d sadly died in thest battle. The corps regarded each other as sworn brothers. Although Eltoram and Jin led the soldiers as unitmanders, they all had a close friendship rather than a passive superior-subordinate rtionship. The exceptions were Kam and Yohan¡ªKam was not their friend; she was just the Fake Warrior they served. There were times when old timers like Jin made jokes, but everyone politely kept a distance. She was like a strict father to the corps, while Yohan was like a caring mother, even though the traditional gender roles were reversed. She was said to be strict, but Kam had never abandoned a single mercenary, so long as they still lived, and based on her firm belief, the soldiers also believed in and followed Kam with all their might. Jin had emphasized how she¡¯d never abandoned a single mercenary several times. Not a single soldier was ever abandoned amidst the chaotic battlefield they frequently found themselves on. ¡°They are both amazing people. Our corps is the strongest Fake Warrior corps in existence right now. I don¡¯t know how many people waited to get in.¡± Jin proudly pointed at his white military uniform and helmet with an eerie skull pattern. ¡°The pure white uniform is a symbol of our confidence that not a single drop of blood will get on us, and we are the rightful sessors to the Red Lotus Corps.¡± ¡°The Red Lotus Corps?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°You don¡¯t know? It¡¯s the legendary army Raminea Alter Aradamantel led.¡± Since Kam and Yohan were members of the Red Lotus Corps Raminea Alter Aradamantel had led, it was naturally seen as the predecessor of the White Bone Corps. ¡®In other words, they¡¯re people who knew my mother.¡¯ Kam was supposed to be his mother¡¯s direct disciple, and he wondered what kind of teacher his mother had been. ¡°Fuu, you really don¡¯t know anything. I¡¯m really curious about what your father¡¯s face looks like.¡± ¡®Well, she certainly wouldn¡¯t have been like this.¡¯ He was curious but didn¡¯t ask. He didn¡¯t even reveal his identity as Raminea¡¯s son because there was something else far more pressing to him. Swordsmanship was a method of ughter and a tool for piling up living sacrifices in front of his mother¡¯s altar. He needed to focus solely on learning it. [Among the six major demon races, there was a barbaric race known as ¡®The Big Boned,¡¯ that is, the uruks.] Since he could not learn swordsmanship until hepletely healed, he peeked at the historical record Yohan was writing and nurtured his desire for revenge. [The uruksposed the first line of invasion in 1692. The old empire copsed helplessly against these giants, who were seven feet tall.] The uruks had broken through the southern forts in 50 days, divided their troops into a left army, a right army, and a center army, and ravaged the entire country with absurdly explosive momentum. [At this time, the Imperial Office dispatched the Fake Warriors. Their mission was to hold back the enemy until the refugees fled behind the Inferno Line, the great fortress wall¡­] ¡®Wait¡­ Just wait a little longer.¡¯ He would be going after them soon. ¡°You idiot! Can¡¯t you even do this? Swing the sword and hear the sound it makes.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°Ha, what should I do with this idiot? Swish, then fwoosh. Swish, fwoosh, swish, fwoosh, is it that difficult?¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even do this? Are you kidding me? Are you actually doing this to make me pass out from anger?¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°Try it. Just try it! Look! See, you can do it.¡± The journey there truly seemed harsh. Wolf sighed and had simr thoughts. In his journal entry detailing Kaisen¡¯s childhood, he wrote: [Considering how he even followed such instructions sessfully, Kaisen was the perfect student.] Wolf gave a soft chuckle as he looked at Kaisen and Kam. Whenever she was teaching Kaisen, Kam¡¯s usually-cold expression became brighter and more expressive than usual. The same was true for Kaisen during the lessons. ¡°Kam, I guess you don¡¯t hate teaching, huh?¡± Jin, who was smoking a cigarette and carefully polishing his rifle nearby, smirked yfully. ¡°It¡¯s like looking at the chicks I raised when I was young.¡± ¡°The chicks?¡± Wolf asked. ¡°They tried so hard to follow the hen and copy everything she did. It was so cute that my little sister went crazy whenever she saw it, even though she ended up eating them for her 10th birthday.¡± ¡°Did you really need to add thatstment, Jin?¡± ¡°Lying doesn¡¯t suit my temperament. Anyway, it looked lovely from the outside, so how lovely would it have looked from the mother¡¯s point of view?¡± ¡®Mother and child¡­¡¯ Wolf couldn¡¯t help but faintly smile. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be strange for someone of Kam¡¯s age to have a child by now.¡± Kam was a Fake Warrior, though, and the body modifications that came with it made her infertile. ¡®If only Kam hadn¡¯t been a Fake Warrior¡­¡¯ ____ Chapter 6 Chapter 6 ¨C Childhood, the Dawn of Summer (5) June 25, 1692 AD. The summer, which began without any warning, cruelly swept across the southern regions of the old empire. ¡°R-run¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the uruks. The uruks¡­!¡± ¡°Mommyyyyy¡­!¡± The first line of defense copsed. People ran away crying, stepping on the corpses of their loved ones. They fled to the north, where the great fortress wall of the Inferno Line waited, or to the east, to the empire¡¯s capital of ¡®Terbenople¡¯. As the situation worsened, the White Bone Corps continued south. Kam had to teach Kaisen as they moved, even if it was in the midst of a battlefield. ¡°Listen!¡± Kam shouted as an urukbat unit rushed toward the corps¡¯ front lines. ¡°This time, you need to find and fill the gaps in the main unit¡¯s defenses.¡± ¡°Ugh, you want me to go on a date with the uruks on a rainy day?¡± Jin joked. ¡°In weather like this, I¡¯m not even sure if I could be convinced to go out with a pretty girl.¡± ¡°Jin, would a pretty girl even bother to leave her house to meet you on a rainy day? They¡¯reing to meet you because they¡¯re uruks.¡± ¡°Puhahahaha!¡± ¡°Are you done prattling on?¡± Kam asked. ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Alright, everyone, shut up and gather.¡± Kam¡¯s full corps was adorned in military gear and appeared quite stately. 2,117 gunmen, 883 spearmen, and 24 beastmen, including Eltoram. The gunmen were all the most elite grenadiers who used steam grenades. In short, all of the troops could be considered special forces. ¡°Kaisen! You¡¯re staying right behind me. If you get in trouble and cause any deaths, I¡¯ll kill you myself. Do you understand?¡± Kaisen paled. He wasn¡¯t scared¡ªthe side effects of his mana pathways being forcibly opened still hadn¡¯t subsided. Even his heartbeats hurt, but there was no time to rest. Wolf looked worried. ¡°Kam, do we really need to bring Kaisen into this battle?¡± ¡°The decision is his to make.¡± She looked over at Kaisen. ¡°Are youing or not? Are you scared? If you¡¯re scared, turn around and run away. No one will criticize you.¡± In the face of Kam¡¯s verbal abuse, Eltoram nudged the boy in the side and gave him some vague advice. ¡°Courage doesn¡¯t mean not feeling fear. Rather, it¡¯s the tenacity to not run away when faced with fear.¡± There was no need for a verbal answer. The boy answered by standing next to the ranks of mercenaries. That first expedition would eventually lead to the emergence of the great hero marking the beginning and end of the Heroic Age, Holy Knight Sarillion. * * * The wild grasses, dried out in the early summer heat, creaked helplessly under the light rain and were soon trampled by the uruks. Gunshots, metal on metal, uruk shouts, human screams¡­ The noises of the battlefield intertwined with the steady sound of the rain, and the sharp odor of blood drifted beneath the earthy scent of the water-soaked earth. ¡®Keep calm.¡¯ Kaisen grabbed his trembling hand. ¡®Please calm down¡­¡¯ ¡°A ck re from the right wing! That means the line copsed!¡± ¡°Confirmed, let¡¯s move.¡± Kam started running toward the signal. Following Kam, the heavily-equipped White Bone Corps also quickly crossed the field. ¡°How many do you think there are?¡± Kam asked Eltoram, who was following closely behind her. ¡°The smell is strong, so I think there are about a thousand. Although the rain makes it hard to be sure.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more than enough.¡± They were fast. How could they be so fast? The corps mercenaries also marched, but the fastest one by far was Kam, who took the lead with her holy sword. ¡®I heard that her holy sword is so heavy that three full-grown men would struggle to lift it together¡­¡¯ Kam nced back at Kaisen, who was panting as he followed her, and shouted, ¡°Is your sword? Can¡¯t do it? Great! Just throw it all aside and get out of the way!¡± Her first lesson had been, ¡®Never let go of your sword, no matter what.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know at the time just how tiresome holding a sword could be. ¡®Besides, this is even¡­¡¯ Wasn¡¯t the de as long as he was tall? Needless to say, the weight of the sword felt like it would break all of his bones, and the enormous length caused various difficulties. When they had to run through such a chaotic battlefield, the difficulties were at their peak. His hands were soaked and sweaty, and his heart pounded so hard that it felt like it could explode. Kaisen gritted his teeth. It was not heavy. It was not annoying. His mother had run several miles while holding his sister and him, and she always smiled, even until thest moment. He would definitely learn everything he could about how to wield a sword, just as his mother had taught the foul-mouthed Kam. ¡®Then one day, all of the uruksÒ»¡¯ Just when he was about to wipe away the rain and sweat running down his forehead, chaos broke out. ¡°¡ªEl Ba shi!¡± His awareness and the rush of information were too much to process. ¡°Paaaaaaaaaaa¡ª!¡± A spearman screamed after his chest was crushed by a wagon wheel that flew in from out of nowhere. The smell of blood intensified, and someone shouted about the enemy approaching just before the uruks came running from every direction, letting out terrible roars. One of the uruks lodged the head of its huge axe into a gunman, sending him copsing to the ground. Kam pulled out her holy sword. ¡°Wolf, you take the left wing.¡± They engaged in a full-on melee. The beastmen fought in hand-to-handbat with the uruks, and the moment the spearmen formed a protective circle around the soldiers, the gunmen¡¯s steam guns spewed out bullets. Blood flowed wherever you looked¡ªan abundance of blood and death. ¡®Why?¡¯ Kaisen gasped. It was only a moment, but why¡­ did it seem tost forever? ¡°S-save¡­ save me¡­¡± a dying gunman cried out behind him. The moment Kaisen looked back in shock, he saw the crawling gunman¡¯s head get caved in by an uruk¡¯s mace. Bits of bone, brain matter, and skin sttered over him. The uruk chuckled and looked over at Kaisen. ¡°Mom¡¯s most precious treasure¡­¡± * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * It was a distant memory. The fate he¡¯d determined for himself that day drew his mind from panic and brought rity. ¡®Kill¡­¡¯ One word echoed in his head, calming his breathing and heart. ¡®Kill, I have to kill¡­¡¯ Killing intent welled up within his body. He pulled his single-edged sword from the scabbard on his back. Without exception, he would not let a single uruk survive. The uruk lunged at Kaisen and swung its mace. Cross Sword Style ¨C 1st Form, Full Circle. It was a simple technique that involved crossing the sword and scabbard to block an enemy¡¯s attack. ThunkÒ»! A sharp pain shot through his wrists. ¡®What kind of ridiculous strength¡­?¡¯ He lost his bnce, flew through the air, andnded face-up on the dried-out husk of a tree. Coughing blood, he withstood the pain and got up. The pain blurred his vision, and he saw the uruk approaching him. The rain cascaded around him, a steady patter beneath the sounds of shouts and screams. The uruk raised his mace. ¡°Ro de a¡­ Balkrush?¡± Two fortunate things happened at once: first, the uruk paused when he saw the Balkrush n¡¯s brand on Kaisen¡¯s left cheek. ¡°Kaisen!¡± Next, Wolf realized Kaisen was in trouble and shot an ice spell through the uruk¡¯s hand. PingÒ»! The uruk¡¯s mace went flying. The creature only had a moment to groan in pain before its limb spewed blood and fell. Kaisen¡¯s swordnded a direct hit. Cross Sword Style ¨C 2nd Form, Pierce. Whether by reflex or instinct, the boy jumped forward in an attempt to finish the uruk off. Just before his sword reached the uruk¡¯s neck, the creature¡¯s fist smashed into Kaisen¡¯s stomach. Kaisen nearly fainted from the pain. In the end, after almost dropping his sword and managing to avoid falling over, he barely clung to awareness. ¡®Don¡¯t lose consciousness.¡¯ If the uruk¡¯s opponent had been any other human child, it would¡¯ve been over. Though his vision was fading, Kaisen gritted his teeth to remain awake. His grip on his sword remained, and the sensation of it piercing flesh traveled down the de and through his arm. Silence fell, as if the world stopped for a moment. He gasped in pain and pulled his sword from the uruk¡¯s neck. Something spurted out of the gaping wound and covered his body¡ªred blood. The uruk¡¯s blood was the same color as a human¡¯s. Did all of the Creator¡¯s creatures have such crimson blood? For some reason, he couldn¡¯t believe it. He didn¡¯t want to believe it was real, so he closed his eyes again. ¡°Shi¡­ Shimdi ttera¡­¡± Perplexity appeared in the uruk¡¯s eyes. It struggled to reach out and grab the boy. Kaisen stood still. Just before its hand reached his head, he lightly kicked the uruk over. The creature died with the fall, its eyes wide open in death. ¡°¡­¡± Kaisen looked at the dead Uruk¡ªno, at himself reflected in its eyes¡ªfor a long time. The rain continued to fall. He couldn¡¯t breathe¡­ the smell of blood was strong enough to make him dizzy. ¡®It¡¯s over? Is this the end?¡¯ Rather than the pleasure of revenge, he felt something else go through his body at the moment of his first kill. Was it a sense of loss? It was a feeling of frustration that he couldn¡¯t alter. The feeling of disappointment was so intense that he couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. ¡°Ha¡­ Ahaha¡­ Ahahahaha¡­ Ha¡­ Hahahahahahahahaha¡­ Haha¡­ Ha¡­ Ha¡­¡± Rather thanughter, it sounded more like crying. Most probably, it was a form of self-deprecation. It might¡¯ve been because he¡¯d reached the sad realization that, no matter how many he killed, even if he bathed in the blood of thousands of enemies, his mother would never return. ¡°Wow, that brat is amazing. He killed an uruk with just a sword.¡± Eltoram raised an eyebrow. While the veteran mercenaries were whistling in surprise, Kam, who had cut down five uruks in one go, approached with great strides and pped Kaisen on the cheek. ¡°Why are you crying? Are you crying because you did a good job? What should I do with you if you cry like a child on the battlefield? Are you asking to be killed?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You said you wanted to kill the uruks! Is that kind of mindset suitable for such a task? How many people would you need trailing after you to protect you if you lost your mind in every battle? She continued. ¡°In the world of swords, no one wille to help you if you cry! No one wille! You have to fight through it with only your sword!¡± That solitude was the weight of fate, and the boy who¡¯d started on the path of the sword had no choice but to endure it. Kam wanted to tell him that there was no time to cry on that path of pain, sadness, and despair. ¡°Kam, stop. Kaisen knows,¡± Wolf said. Rather than crying, Kaisen wasughing in the rain. Only after Wolf hugged him and patted him on the back for a long time did he begin to quietly cry in desperate grief. [Perhaps that was the day the boy¡¯s childhood truly ended¡­] Wolf¡¯s conclusion on the matter was that the hero¡¯s childhood ended on that day. Afterward, Kaisen became a member of the corps, and it was recorded that he yed an active role as a swordsman on every battlefield. ¡°Emergency call from the left wing; the front line is being trampled by one hundred and fifty che Wolf cavalry!¡± ¡°Hey, troublemaker, you go. If you make a mistake likest time, you¡¯ll be left behind.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Kaisen killed and killed again. Each time he killed, he practiced the basics of the , and his blows became more clean and cruel. ¡°Is that the same brat who was beaten like a dog by Lady Kam?¡± ¡°Should I say he¡¯s strong or brutal¡­?¡± ¡°If this continues, calling him the Uruk yer won¡¯t be just a joke. Seriously.¡± He cut again and again¡ªany uruk he saw had to die. Battle became his life, and the pungent odor of blood and leather clung to him like perfume. ¡°Kaisen.¡± ¡°Kaisen, you handle it.¡± ¡°Kaisen, you go.¡± Battle, war, and ughter. He fought shoulder-to-shoulder with mercenaries, killed uruks who had ravaged viges, and even served as a reserve force in ce of Kam. Four years passed like that. In those four years, the boy became a swordsman, early summer passed, and they entered midsummer. ¡°Retreat?¡± Griffins were humanity¡¯s best expressmunication system. As usual, the griffin riders brought news of defeat. ¡°Yes, it looks like they decided they couldn¡¯t hold the line any longer.¡± ¡°All troops are to retreat to the fortress wall of the Inferno Line and regroup. This is a direct order from His Excellency Marshal Krauzan.¡± After those four years passed, the first act of the war ended without any signs of the gods. ¡°Hey, troublemaker,¡± Kam called to the boy sharpening his de on a whetstone some distance away. The boy, a senior member of the corps, raised his head without saying a word. It was, of course, Kaisen, who¡¯d challenged Kam to a duel four years prior without realizing it was a vain effort. ¡°?¡± Aside from growing taller, Kaisen¡¯s appearance had also changed a lot, starting with his clothes. He wore quilted armor as raggedy as the messy hair hanging loosely over his eyes. The sword he had been sharpening was modeled after the Great Holy Sword, Aradamantel. Its de was as long as he was tall. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I gave you homework,¡± Kam said. Indeed, four years was a long time¡ªlong enough for an innocently smiling and yful boy to turn into a heartless swordsman. ¡°It looks like the uruks are moving toward ¡®Fortress 7¡¯ on the Inferno Line, so you should go first and protect it.¡± ¡°How many enemies?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°How should I know? If the vanguardnded, then there should be about a thousand.¡± ¡°What do I get?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll teach you another form.¡± ¡°Only one form for fighting a thousand uruks? Teach me three.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even have that many balls. Do you even have a conscience?¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°One,¡± Kam reiterated. ¡°Instead of something minor, I¡¯ll teach you the form of the Cross Sword Style most famous for killing.¡± Kaisen agreed. He stood up and slung his sword onto his back. The watching mercenaries cheered. ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s Kaisen again!¡± ¡°Lady Kam has been entrusting all of the important missions to Kaisen these days.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t use anyone other than this brat because you guys are nothing but trash,¡± Kam scoffed. Meanwhile, Kaisen¡¯s expression remained cold. ¡°Don¡¯t mess around and end up dying before you even pay me back for feeding you. Just protect the line. I¡¯ll take care of the main force.¡± Kaisen gave Kam a re, as if to ask if she was joking, and answered with a sneer. ¡°You should worry about the uruks instead.¡± ____ Chapter 7 Chapter 7 ¨C Childhood, the Dawn of Summer (6) About 20 years prior, the abyss had ravaged the entire continent under the ¡®ck Summer¡¯. During that war, humanity came to the realization that they couldn¡¯t win if they fought the demons head-on. Thus, humanity borrowed the dwarves¡¯ power to build an extensive fortress system known as the ¡®Inferno Line¡¯. The steel line of fortresses was built north of the Great Belisor River, dividing the territory of the old empire into three parts: eastern, southern, and western. Though they had to give up the territory south of the river to construct the Inferno Line, it enabled them to achieve four years of rtive peace in the face of the fierce uruk attacks. For the next four years, the Inferno Line found itself wrought with continuous uruk attacks. Kam¡¯s White Bone Corps entered the central and western fronts of the Inferno Line¡ªces that were always mentioned as where the fighting would be most fierce in the early stages of the war. ¡°Fire at the ship! Don¡¯t let those uruk bastards cross the river!¡± a batterymander yelled. Dozens of steam guns roared toward the river, recoiling against the shoulders of their gunmen. The uruk ship¡¯s hull swayed under the force of the bullets for a moment, but it remained unharmed as the projectiles bounced off a dark-blue barrier around it. Those who were watching the battle from afar turned pale. ¡°Confirming the presence of an enemy barrier¡­ all shots were blocked!¡± The g flying on the uruk¡¯s lead ship featured white eyes on a dark-blue background. Under the g, an old uruk sat cross-legged, floating calmly in the air. The uruk was Dudigal, chief of the Holdrim n, one of the top 21 uruk ns. As such, Dudigal was a member of the hai-tark. ¡°Shoot! Keep firing until the barrier breaks!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t, Your Excellency! There isn¡¯t even a crack in the barrier!¡± Kam watched the skirmish from a nearby hilltop and clicked her tongue. ¡°They¡¯re just foolishly wasting ammunition. You can¡¯t pierce such a barrier with regr shells.¡± Wolf softly sighed. ¡°The Holdrim n, huh? Have the hai-tark started to take the lead in breaking through the Inferno Line?¡± In the monster tongue, ¡®Holdrim¡¯ meant ¡®ck Star¡¯. They received wisdom from the stars and were famous for even their ordinary warriors being able to use assassination techniques. Naturally, they were formidable foes. In general, uruks were divided into shamans and warriors, but the Holdrim n¡¯s uruks could be both at the same time. Countless military ships filled with eight other uruk ns, all led by the Holdrim, approached the riverside with the Holdrim barrier at the forefront. There were approximately 20,000 uruk warriors, while the garrison of Fortress 7 numbered slightly less than 8,000 humans. They were overwhelmingly outnumbered. ¡°They¡¯vended! The enemy has reached shore!¡± one of the human soldiers shouted. As soon as the bow of the first ship hit the riverside breakwater, the uruk shouted and charged out. Being the vanguard was a great honor for the uruk race, and the highest-ranking warriors in the caste led the attack. ¡°Gunmen, ready! Fire!¡± Even under a barrage of bullets, the uruks climbed toward the fortress, using the corpses of theirrades as shields. Their first target was a heavy gun battery directly in front of the fortress. (#Battery: a fortified emcement for heavy guns.) Humanity had to drive the uruks out before the battery was destroyed, and the uruk had to neutralize the battery to support their main force. Since the battery was of critical importance on the battlefield, the fighting there was the most intense. ¡°U-Ha!¡± an uruk roared inughter. The uruk warriors hacked the humans guarding the gun battery to pieces, sttering their brains and organs everywhere. Shiiiing¡ª The sharp hiss of a de being unsheathed seemed to cut through the bloody chaos. Even amidst the roars of battle, the sound rang out with eerie rity. At the source of the sound, a jet-ck-haired boy swayed quietly in the wind. ¡°Asu-dubari (Who are you)?¡± the lead uruk, holding the still-bleeding corpse of one of the guardsmen, snorted. The boy¡¯s sword shed in a lightning-like trajectory, decapitating theughing uruk and flowing into a smooth motion to pierce the heart of the uruk next to him. One of the uruks swung his axe at the boy, but kaisen deflected the axe head with his scabbard and cut the uruk¡¯s hands off at the wrists. ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± To feel shock meant to show an opening. The boy cut down all the uruks who were staring nkly at him. One by one, as if he were a farmer calmly reaping his crops, Kaisen cut the uruks down. Covered in uruk blood and sliding forward, he shed again and again, forging a path of blood, bone, and gore wherever he went. The moment the uruk warriors, briefly overwhelmed by the sudden carnage, returned to their senses and rushed at the boy, bullets tore through their heads. ¡°Bullets are better-suited to these small assholes than des!¡± Jin shouted. Under the cover of ¡®Rifle¡¯ Jin¡¯s gun squad, the blood-soaked Kaisen looked out toward a certain enemy uruk. ¡®Is he the leader of the vanguard?¡¯ The uruk in question looked unusual, like a cunning beast, and it wore ceremonial clothes only high-ranking Holdrim warriors were given. The Holdrim uruk cast a dark spell, turning his resentment into a ck fog. ¡°Wh-what the¡­? That¡¯s¡­!¡± ¡°Fill it with bullets before it finishes casting!¡± ¡°It¡­ it¡¯s not working!¡± The uruk¡¯s fog of resentment melted the skin and fat of anyone it passed over, revealing their bones and spilling their innards. ¡°Wahahahahaha! Weak, weak! Lowly humans!¡± the uruk yelled in joy. The moment he saw it, Kaisen began to cross the battlefield. He swatted away the axes the uruks threw at him and dodged the fog of resentment washing toward him like a tidal wave by running up against the fortress wall and leaping up with all his might. Pulling the sheathed sword from his back while contracting all of his muscles to their very limits, he used Mana Chain with his right hand and Mana Heart with his left. A surge of mana sharper than any de in the world wrapped around his sword and scabbard. Cross Sword Style ¨C 4th Form, Shoot. From the start of the Cross Sword Style, the four basic moves were: Full Circle, Pierce, Crush, and Shoot. There was only one basic move Kaisen could and should have ever used with Shoot¡­ Cross Sword Style 10th Form, Cross Decapitation. The moment hended, the technique, amplified by the power of his footwork, carved vertical and horizontal cuts on the uruk caster¡¯s body. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * Kaisen¡¯s iron de opened a path through the uruk¡¯s body, and the mana within the de caused the internal organs to explode. The body fell to the ground in four pieces. ¡°Wow, did you just see that?¡± ¡°Awesome!¡± That was the turning point. The soldiers, encouraged by Kaisen¡¯s victory, drove the uruks from the fortress and began to reim the battery. ¡°Kaisen,¡± Jin said, ¡°I¡¯ll finish things up here, so you can go to thedy!¡± Was there a need to go to her¡­? Wolf, who was known as the empire¡¯s greatest ice mage, had already frozen the water in the river. Pirs of ice shot from the frozen water at random, skewering the uruks and breaking their formations. Kam led the beastmen, including Eltoram, across the frozen surface. Rather than rushing, they walked forward, as if there were no need for them to go all-out, and none could stop their advance. Five or six uruks blocking their way forward died from a single sh. Every time Great Holy Sword Aradamantel was swung, decapitated bodies stumbled and fell, and those who survived with their limbs cut off screamed. Long stters of blood froze on the ice and formed red kes. Chief Dudigal finally levitated down from the bow of the uruk ship onto the ice, his legs still crossed. He was the most powerful Holdrim caster and was said to be able to freely manipte lightning and gravity. Kaisen recalled what Wolf had told him before the battle and that Kam said she would take the chief on. ¡®Is that uruk also a hai-tark? I heard his rank is quite high.¡¯ Dudigal hit the ground with a hammer, sending jet-ck thunderbolts swirling around as he shattered the ice and sent up a spray of water. One, two, three, four¡­ Kam blocked the thunderbolts one after the other beforeunching herself forward, leaving a deep imprint on the ice. ¡®As expected, she¡¯s fast. It¡¯s hard to follow her with my eyes. I can¡¯t evenpare.¡¯ Dudigal¡¯s spherical spells emitted gravity-altering waves, but Kam¡¯s quick footwork evaded their effects. The fight ended before he even had time to truly admire Kam. He didn¡¯t even see where her sh started and ended; he could only roughly understand what¡¯d happened based on the result. ¡°Dream Ender, Scarlet Silk Mist-Cutting sh¡± It was an extreme technique that could only be performed with a holy sword. It started from the moment Kam sheathed Aradamantel again. Scarlet energy fiercely roared from the scabbard before she released the energy through an explosive sword draw, tearing through the horizon faster than sound as energy extended outward. ShhhhhÒ» The de was but a blur, and Kaisen merely saw the afterimage of the light reflecting from the metal. Only when Kam sheathed Aradamantel again did the sh¡¯s sound reverberate. Her sword was back in its scabbard before anyone even realized the uruk had been cut. Dudigal¡¯s body, dozens of ships, and the bodies of hundreds of uruks fell into pieces from the strike, cut as easily as if they were pieces of paper. Kaisen gave Aradamantel a fascinated look. ¡®Mother¡¯s sword¡­¡¯ His mother must have fought with that sword as well. Kam had learned swordsmanship from his mother and used that power perfectly as the leading Fake Warrior following in his mother¡¯s footsteps. ¡®Will that day evere for me?¡¯ Since males couldn¡¯t be Fake Warriors and he wasn¡¯t Kam¡¯s true disciple, such a thing was probably a pipe dream for him. * * * That afternoon, the uruks retreated. No matter how much they tried to push forward, it was of no use in the face of the overwhelming power shown by the leading Fake Warrior. The gun battery, which survived thanks to Kaisen¡¯s support, began to fire again. Without Dudigal, it was impossible for the uruks to create a barrier capable ofpletely repelling the bombardment. Thus, the invincible White Bone Corps created another legend that day. The number of wounded in the corps was 127, and only 35 died. As for Fortress 7, there were only 2,000 casualties, and thebined uruk army suffered 8,000 deaths¡ªmore than four times that number¡ªbefore retreating. ¡°Kaisen cut the head off of one of the Holdrim n¡¯s best bastards with just a single strike!¡± Jin raised his ss of beer, and the corps soldiers raised their sses to each other and noisily chatted. Kaisen was ufortable with the situation. He felt that what he¡¯d done was really insignificantpared to Kam¡¯s feats. Eltoram must have read his expression. He pped Kaisen on the back with his huge hand. ¡°Kam is a Fake Warrior. A hero. It¡¯s rude topare yourself to her and say you aren¡¯t a warrior.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°What is it then? I can smell lies, little Kaisen. You don¡¯t know what she sacrificed to gain such power.¡± Yeah, he didn¡¯t know. Looking back, perhaps he should have hoped that he¡¯d never find out that Fake Warriors demonstrated superhuman strength by tapping into their own lifespans. Kam didn¡¯t have much time left. * * * ¡°You exerted yourself too much today, Kam.¡± Far from the mor of victory, in a field the volcanic ash hadn¡¯t yet conquered, Kam looked up from the grass at the shining moon in the sky. ¡°Wolf¡± ¡°Using the holy sword¡¯s final secret technique, Dream Ender¡­ was that necessary?¡± the ice mage asked. ¡°Yes, of course. Should I have taken a fight against a hai-tark lightly? It was important to take the initiative to suppress the enemy.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Something felt off. No matter how I looked at it, it didn¡¯t look like they were trying to breach Fortress 7.¡± ¡°Then what was it?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess I should say it seemed like they had other intentions. That¡¯s why we needed to get rid of them quickly. Dream Ender was meant to be a show of strength.¡± ¡°Kam, those Holdrim n uruks were hai-tarks. Not some new ones, either. They were deeply established. Are you trying to say that they were sent out as bait for an undercover operation?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t look like their main forces even came¡­ No matter how I looked at it, it was a bit strange,¡± Kam exined. ¡°Are you saying it seemed like the Holdrim n was already passed to the sessor and the remnants attacked us instead?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Kam. Are you sure it¡¯s not that you feel things ended ndly since you¡¯re as strong as our previous leader? It seemed to me like you were overexerting yourself and showing Kaisen a demonstration of your ¡®new¡¯ final move.¡± ¡°Fuck demonstrations.¡± Kam shrugged. Wolf sat next to her and forlornly stroked the side of his friend¡¯s hair, which had turnedpletely white. ¡°How much more time do you think we have?¡± ¡°There¡¯s not a single damn bit left.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It would¡¯ve been nice to have more time. Even just a little would¡¯ve been okay so that she could teach the pitiful brat, give him more guidance, and pass on her teaching as her teacher had done for her. Unfortunately, fate wasn¡¯t so kind. They would soon have to part ways. ____ Chapter 8 Chapter 8 ¨C Childhood, the Dawn of Summer (7) December, 1696 AD. Each of the Fake Warrior corps struggled to defend the line, but it gradually fell back. Chief Marshal Krauzan finally decided to move his entire force behind the Inferno Line. The White Bone Corps serving on the front lines was no exception and was eventually incorporated into the Inferno Line¡¯s defenses. It was the first time since the Siege and Defense of Fortress 7 that Kaisen had time to observe the mysterious structure in detail. ¡°Don¡¯t look around nkly like a hillbilly. It makes even us look bad,¡± Jinmented. ¡°Shut up, Jin,¡± Kaisen retorted. ¡°Haha, it¡¯s really something, after all. Forts piled up one after another along the banks of the Great Belisor River, which divides the old empire into three.¡± The cruel and miserable experience of the ¡®ck Summer¡¯ had led the old empire into adopting a tactical doctrine focused on minimizing casualties to allies behind the walls and forcing the demons into a war of attrition. The permanent defensive line manufactured as a result of that tactical doctrine was the Inferno Line¡ªit was fully equipped with gun batteries, barbed wire, trenches, and bastions. Food warehouses and ammunition depots were also provided in the basements. Each fortress was connected by a railwaywork, allowing the smooth operation of troops and logistics, even in times of emergency. The world knew it as the greatest construction, strongest wall, and longest fortification line created using the essence of dwarven technology. ¡°The river is so wide that you can¡¯t even see the other side. So this is why it¡¯s called the Great River. Shouldn¡¯t it be called a sea?¡± Kaisen asked, gazing across the river and into the dancing motes of volcanic ash in the air. ¡°If we intercept the uruks crossing the river with the gun batteries lined up here, invasion or not, they don¡¯t stand a chance.¡± The soldiers had put so much effort into tidying the fortress at first light that it shone without any trace of soot or volcanic ash. Looking at it from afar, it was like the horizon was just a menacing band of ck light. While the White Bone Corps crossed the bridge over the river, engineers busily went back and forth, installing magic bombs on each bridge support. They were nning to blow it up as soon as all units from the front returned or when the uruks attempted to cross the bridge. ¡°Is this thest bridge?¡± Jin asked. An engineer, who still looked like a boy, answered, ¡°Yes. This is thest bridge on the central front! There is one left in the west and one in the east.¡± ¡°Wow, you¡¯re working hard in this freezing weather.¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m d to be able to wee the Fake Warrior Corps! Don¡¯t you guys feel hot?¡± The soldiers fighting on the front lines all wore uniforms imbued with the ¡®Body Temperature Control¡¯ magic of first-ss mages. It would¡¯ve been impossible to fight in the heat without that magic. It felt like the sun was ring at them in anger, never mind the internal heat of the Prisvia Cores. Even with that magic, whenever a mission ended, the corps members sat around and cooled off with Wolf¡¯s ice magic. ¡°Kam Alter Aradamantel.¡± After they finished crossing the bridge, the fortressmander, holding a bicorne hat on his side, clicked his military boots together and politely saluted. Next to him were several people who appeared to be officers, and judging by their military discipline, it was clear that they were highly trained and not members of the Haltene (local government officials of the empire). ¡°I heard about the victory at the fortress. Congrattions,¡± themander said. ¡°Just report the situation,¡± Kam bluntly replied. ¡°It is safe to say that the fortresses south of the Inferno Line have been annihted.¡± Kam grumbled at themander¡¯s report. ¡°What the fuck? What are the witches of the empire doing? Did they all go on vacation?¡± ¡°It seems like just protecting the big cities is their limit.¡± ¡°Aha, are they having drinks with men in the capital?¡± ¡°Why do you keep saying such¡­? Anyway, in order to protect the Inferno Line, the Haltene are even conscripting and deploying cadets.¡± Kam looked toward the distant horizon. It was summer. The ash covering the sky was so dense that it seemed that the world was being eaten by darkness. ¡°What about the others?¡± she asked. ¡°6th Seat Arecia Alter Sng and 7th Seat Runelle Alter Gaurmis have been deployed to the defense of ¡®Terbenople¡¯.¡± ¡°You entrusted the most important capital defense to those little brats? What about us?¡± ¡°You have been ordered to defend the central front.¡± ¡°You want me to just sit here and y?¡± ¡°This is also an important front,¡± themander tried to exin. ¡°If you cowards in the empire had fully equipped the military, we would have pushed them back all the way down to the South Sea by now. Instead, you wasted military funds on this trashy defense line.¡± Wolf butted in. ¡°Be careful what you say, Kam. The empire has served as a shield for humanity for a long time. This is a small act of gratitude. The leader even said as much.¡± Kam spat on the floor in frustration. Themander said, ¡°Finally, this is a message from the Imperial Court¡ª¡± ¡°Speak quickly, you bastard,¡± Kam interrupted. ¡°They say, ¡®We are aware that Lady Kam has reached the limit of her activities. Thus, we order her to train a disciple.¡¯ This is the list the church sent.¡± Themander handed over a golden scroll sealed with the seal of the Imperial Court. Holy power shone like the golden light of the sun. ¡°Kam¡­¡± Wolf, his eyes despairing, watched Kam take the scroll. He knew better than anyone else why her hair was turningpletely gray. ¡®It¡¯s proof of the hard fighting she¡¯s done.¡¯ Fake Warriors were swordswomen who converted their life force into power. In doing so, they reduced their lifespan. During wartime, they only usually lived to theirte 20s or early 30s, and even in times of peace, the longest a Fake Warrior had lived was to the early 40s. Kam, who was the same age as Wolf, was already approaching herte 30s. She¡¯d be a Fake Warrior after they thought Raminea died and lived quite a long life in a short time of peace, but that life wasing to an end. ¡°¡­¡± Kam emotionlessly looked down at the scroll and returned it to themander without opening it. ¡°Tell those old guys that I¡¯ve already chosen someone.¡± ¡°What?¡± Both themander and Wolf seemed equally shocked. ¡°Well, who is that?¡± themander asked in confusion. That was great news. The unshakable 1st Seat Fake Warrior, who had not epted any disciples, had epted someone? Whoever it was must¡¯ve been extremely talented. ¡°Hmm¡­ what¡¯s their name again?¡± Kam mumbled. ¡°Is it ¡®Dumbass¡¯ or ¡®Idiot¡¯? Wait, maybe it was ¡®Curry¡¯?¡± ¡°The person¡¯s name is ¡®Curry¡¯?¡± themander asked, confused. ¡°Aside from the fact that it¡¯s an odd name, I¡¯ve never heard of her.¡± ¡°Huh. This is my first time hearing it as well,¡± Kam replied in a mocking manner. ¡°What?¡± Wolf realized something was off about the conversation and immediately shouted, ¡°Kam, you can¡¯t mean¡­!¡± Kam interrupted Wolf and spoke to themander again. ¡°Come back next time. I¡¯ll have a decision for you after I gauge their determination.¡± Only after themander was out of sight did Wolf re at Kam and say, ¡°If you¡¯re thinking of using Kaisen as an excuse to not ept students, then don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Kam asked. ¡°The swordsmanship you learned from the leader, the Cross Sword Style, is like a treasure to mankind. Do you think it¡¯s right to let it vanish just because of your own feelings?¡± Kam turned away from Wolf and weakly caressed her teacher¡¯s shortsword, hidden under the hem of her cloak. ¡®Should I take on a disciple¡­?¡¯ She didn¡¯t show affection to anyone and didn¡¯t even pay attention to others¡ªthat was Kam¡¯s way of responding to the pitiful world that was hellbent on separating anyone who grew too close. ¡°You¡¯re teaching Kaisen well,¡± Wolf argued. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can teach other children too, I¡¯m sure!¡± ¡°I guess I can, but what if I don¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°Why is Kaisen okay, but other kids aren¡¯t?!¡± Wolf grabbed her shoulders and held her. ¡®Yeah, why?¡¯ Kam showed him the shortsword she¡¯d been hiding and spoke in a choked tone. ¡°This shortsword¡­ I gave it to my master as a gift¡­ before thest battle.¡± Kaisen¡¯s mother¡¯s keepsake was a gift from Kam¡ªfrom student to teacher. The moment things clicked in his head, Wolf¡¯s knees grew weak, and he almost fell to the ground. Before he realized it, he was struggling to breathe. ¡°Th-that means¡­ K-Kam¡­ Ka-Kaisen, that child is the leader¡¯s child.¡± * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * ¡°I¡¯m messing with you, of course. Did you really believe that?¡± Kam gave him a straight look and ruined his conclusion. ¡°What?¡± Wolf stood for a moment in confusion. After a while, he took a deep breath, pressed his temples, and quietly said, ¡°Don¡¯t ever y jokes involving the leader again. Don¡¯t you suffer more than anyone every time stories about here up?¡± There was no answer. Kam smiled, turned, and walked off. Wolf had to close his eyes in bewilderment. ¡®How long has it been since Kam smiled like that¡­?¡¯ She¡¯d never even smiled at a joke since the death of their leader. Wolf didn¡¯t have time to bring it up before something else took priority. ¡°Kam Alter Aradamantel!¡± A griffin rider swooped down from above, dismounted, and quickly bowed. ¡°What¡¯s going on now?¡± Kam asked. ¡°Communications from the rear positions are being cut off one after another.¡± ¡°It looks like they¡¯re having a group drinking party.¡± ¡°The same goes for the units that were ordered to search. The White Bone Corps is ordered to investigate this strange phenomenon.¡± ¡®In the rear camp¡­?¡¯ Kam sensed that her vague anxiety was slowly wriggling and taking shape. The enemy was nearby, and there was intelligence from the Magical Intelligence Department that the forces that devastated the south were gathering in various bases. The empire¡¯smand center had great faith in the power of the Inferno Line¡­ but they couldn¡¯t let down their guard when demons were involved. Kam stood up, shook the dirt off her uniform, and winked at Wolf. ¡°I need to call Kaisen and give him some homework. I¡¯ll also teach him thest sword technique.¡± * * * ¡°This guy is the messenger from the Fake Warrior Corps?¡± Haltene militia leader Jack snorted. The child soldier who¡¯d been brought to the barracks to speak with him was truly embarrassing. ¡°It¡¯s not even funny, you bastard! A snot-nosed brat like you?¡± ¡°Only when the signal fire is raised will the Fake Warrior Corpsunch a joint attack,¡± Kaisen said. ¡°What if I don¡¯t raise it?¡± ¡°Do whatever you want. If you want to die here, then we¡¯ll be leaving to report to the marshal.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Rather than persuading an old fart like you, it¡¯s more urgent to report that an uruk detachment was discovered inside the Inferno Line.¡± ¡°D-don¡¯t be ridiculous! Aren¡¯t you an uruk spy? This is a trap. Yeah, that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°Yes, you idiot, isn¡¯t the brand engraved on your cheek proof of that?¡± Jack pointed out. The militiamen nced at Kaisen and then averted their gazes, feeling inexplicable fear. ¡®What was with this bastard?¡¯ Jack thought to himself. Although the kid was tall, he was still a brat. Still, his eyes were sharp beneath the ck tangle of hair that fell over them. Jack spoke again. ¡°Holy shit. Why are there uruks inside the Inferno Line¡­? Take that bastard¡¯s sword and interrogate him,¡± he said to his men. The soldiers approached to snatch the sword from Kaisen¡¯s back, but the boy half-drew the de in the blink of an eye. ¡°I don¡¯t dislike convincing people through force.¡± The militiamen stiffened. A cold chill pierced their spines, and Kaisen¡¯s killing intent was calm and cold. To the point of instinctive fear. ¡°How can all the people living in this country be such cowards?¡± Kaisen asked. Kaisen¡¯s homnd was an empire ruled by three city-states. Witches and consuls selected as elders ran the government, and¡ªexcluding the standing army¡ªa militia known as the Haltene defended the country. ¡°You¡¯re all a ragtag bunch of people who are weak, timid, and don¡¯t do well with others.¡± Although the country was invaded in the summer a dozen years prior, the empire, which always administered thend through vain discussions, didn¡¯t prepare for war in any significant way. Pouring a huge amount of military funds into building the fortified Inferno Line was all they did. The Inferno line was excellent, but it would have been better to use that money to operate arge, elite standing army. Since that was not aplished, most of the units active on the front lines belonged to the Fake Warrior corps. ¡°What, you bastard?¡± Jack asked. ¡°Wait, Captain!¡± As the situation devolved, the soldier who¡¯d brought Kaisen spoke. ¡°Believe me, I saw this guy kill two uruks with one sh.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable, but it¡¯s true. I was dumbfounded as well. That¡¯s why I brought him here.¡± Jack¡¯s eyes widened. The militiamen began to mumble. What kind of existence was an uruk? Only those who could use mana or who were beastmen could fight against them. Jack gulped. ¡°How many soldiers did you say were in the corps?¡± ¡°1,000 spearmen, 1,500 gunmen, 50 riflemen, and 19 beastmen.¡± ¡°Only about 2,500?¡± ¡°We¡¯re stronger than a ragtag group of 30,000 like you. The gunmen are all grenadiers. Just shut up and do what you¡¯re told.¡± Jack was worried. Then, the senior advising staff spoke. ¡°We cannot wipe out the uruks with our own strength. There are almost no bullets left, and above all, morale is low¡­¡± The situation in the barracks was the worst. It was clear that the Inferno Line had been breached by the uruks, and deserters appeared one after another. Wasn¡¯t Jack¡¯s unit originally in charge of the rear supply? Most of its members were old people or cadets. ¡°What should we do?¡± Jack asked Kaisen. ¡°Open the gate as if you¡¯re running away, attach empty carts to the horses, send them out in a fake retreat, and hold out against the iing bastards.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it. We¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± Jack¡¯s fingers drummed frantically on the table. If they were going to die anyway¡­ In the tense silence, everyone just looked at Jack. The next moment, Jack stood up and ced his hand on the table. ¡°Wake up all those who are sleeping. Gather the troops.¡± ¡°Hmph, at least you still have some guts.¡± Kaisen slid his half-drawn sword back into its sheath and spoke as if giving amand. ¡°I need two soldiers to carry fire and oil. You can give me that much, right?¡± ____ Chapter 9 Chapter 9 ¨C Childhood, the Dawn of Summer (8) The forest, caught in the full swing of summer, was barren and dry. The dried-out, fresh greenery gradually died. Such was natural¡ªsummer took everything from thend. ¡°I told you to bring only fire and oil, so why did you bring a vapor gun?¡± Kaisen, who was walking in the lead, asked. The two cadets following behind seemed dumbfounded. They replied with fear filling their voices. ¡°Well¡­when an uruk appears, we have to fight.¡± ¡°Can you fight? You¡¯re shaking.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not shaking!¡± Humanity used steam guns, the culmination of dwarven steam technology. The advantages of such guns were obvious, instantly reducing the hopeless power gap between humans and uruks and miraculously shortening the training period for new recruits. Still, the guns had their drawbacks. ¡°If ites to that,¡± Kaisen said, ¡°just be ready to run. How are you going to run away while carrying something so heavy?¡± The major disadvantage of a steam gun was the small steam engine you had to strap to your back. Five or six hoses extended from the engine and connected to the gas cylinders on both sides of the gun, powering the gun to fire bullets. ¡°We¡¯ll take care of ourselves!¡± Just then, Kaisen stopped walking. The cadets flinched in surprise and put their hands on the guns strapped to their waists. Kaisen said, ¡°Spread some oil here and set it on fire.¡± The cadets grumbled, spraying oil on the trees and lighting them on fire. Early summer made everything dry, which aided the mes. Only a bit of oil was all it took for the fire to ravage swathes of the forest, and the smell of burning wood hung thick in the air. ¡°Now, run away. In 10 seconds, toss those guns aside,¡± Kaisen said. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°No, is it five seconds? Hurry!¡± Thus, from that moment¡­ the dance of death began. ¡°Huh?¡± a militiaman mumbled. Something white sparkled, and the head of the young cadet holding the fire starter split in two, sending brain and bone fragments flying into the air. Darkness fell. The other cadet, who had been backing away in a daze after seeing hisrade¡¯s skull split open, was struck in the upper body by a mace. He stumbled and fell into the darkness, leaving his spine sticking from his back. ¡°Damn it, I told you to run!¡± Half a beatte, Kaisen chewed his lips and grabbed the hilt of his sword. ¡®The odors of blood and burning wood are thick.¡¯ A torch flickered over the ground, and the shadows of the forest danced. Large figures stood within the shadows. ¡°Kun Ta Ni shiRaooooOOOO! It was a voice tinged with joy. Expressionlessly looking ahead, Kaisen¡¯s eyes coldly shed. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± No matter who it was, the uruks alwaysughed with such fucking joy¡­ Kaisen pulled the sword from its scabbard on his back, and the flickering fire reflected from the metal of his de. ¡°Oshide e at me),¡± he said. At almost the same time, an uruk warrior rushed forward, swinging his mace. Kaisen leaped off the ground and soared into the air. WhirrrrrÒ»! Dodging the descending mace, he spun twice in the air like a top and channeled the centrifugal force through his de. ¡ªThump. Kaisennded back on the ground, and the uruk¡¯s upper body seemed to have been marked by his de in many ces. In the next instant, a fountain of blood spurted from the creature¡¯s body as he fell in two. SpuuuuuurrrrttÒ»! ¡®One.¡¯ Kaisen flicked his sword toward the ground, scattering the uruk¡¯s bright-red blood over the dirt. ¡°Come at me all at once!¡± he said in the monsternguage he¡¯d be quite good at. Large figures walked from the darkness and into the light of the torches. Meanwhile, the mes continued to grow stronger elsewhere. It wasrge enough to engulf the entire mountain. The uruk unit was so caught up in the battle with Kaisen that they missed the opportunity to put out the fire. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * ¡°Kaisen¡­¡± Even from so far away, the forest fire was clearly visible. Wolf, watching from a ridge with the stars shining coldly above him, smiled. ¡°He seeded in half a day, not just a day? Hmph.¡± Kam stood up, kicking the Great Holy Sword, Aradamantel on her back. Eltoram shouted to his troops. ¡°Get up, you useless bastards! It¡¯s party time!¡± * * * Kaisen lowered his stance as he crossed his sword and scabbard. Cross Sword Style ¨C 1st Form, Full Circle. The extreme defensive posture was the foundation of the Cross Sword Style and the move that connected to every other move. ¡°GGGGGGSHEEEEEEEEEEEEEFEEFEEEEEEEKKKK!¡± An axe swung down. Kaisen pushed his cross into the attack¡¯s trajectory, initiating the Cross Sword Style. aaaannggggÒ»! The twobatants recoiled after their weapons collided. An opening seemed to appear in that short moment. Suppressing the sharp pain in his wrist, Kaisen sheathed his sword with lightning speed. Cross Sword Style ¨C 4th Form: Shoot. He cut into the uruk warrior¡¯s opening with an even faster unsheathing of his de shortly before retreating. The uruk warrior fell to the ground, spitting blood. ¡®Tryughing now. Are you still having fun?¡¯ Kaisen stepped on the uruk¡¯s head and cut deeply into the thing¡¯s neck. The uruk cried out in pain and tried to hold its gaping wound shut. The other uruk warriors paused, trying to understand the strange situation. ¡°Waaaaarrr¡­?¡± ¡°Anu on Shikeraber¡­?¡± Two warriors had died in one battle, and against a human kid, at that¡­ Kaisen pointed at the dazed and hesitating uruks. ¡°Why are you hesitating? Come at me!¡± While Kaisen¡¯s bloody battle continued, the uruks¡¯ other forces were caught off guard by the militia suddenly going on the offensive. Aiming for that opening, the Fake Warrior corps attacked from the nk and ravaged the uruk battle line. ¡°First line, aim, fire!¡± ¡°Second line, stand by, fire!¡± ¡°Third line, aim, fire!¡± Every time the guns fired, uruks copsed. Despite being hit by bullet after bullet, a huge figure of supernatural proportions fled. ¡°It¡¯s the uruk battle chief!¡± ¡°Mdy!¡± Fake Warrior Kam faced the chief, who was far bigger than an ordinary uruk. ¡°I am Kam Alter Aradamantel¡­¡± The holy sword responded to its proxy wielder¡¯s call. Letting out a rough cry, the sword leaked out its unique red sword energy. The color seemed to wash the already blood-stained world with a deeper shade of red. ¡°I will kill you.¡± The fight couldn¡¯t even be called a fight. The imperial soldiers clearly saw the battle between the chief and the Fake Warrior, but it seemed as though the blood-red energy shed from Aradamandel¡¯s de in a mere instant, tearing therge uruk apart and spraying blood everywhere. ¡°Th-that¡¯s the top Fake Warrior¡­!¡± The militiamen who happened to see the fight were thrilled and filled with vigor, and the uruks lost morale and started retreating one by one. ¡°Wipe them all out. Don¡¯t let a single one live.¡± Kam¡¯s eyes were grim as she walked over the chief¡¯s body and wiped the blood from her de. A ughter began amidst the overpowering scent of burning blood and flesh. Gunshots rang out endlessly. It was a time of war. [The Dark Ages, Year 1696. Kaisen participated in the battles on the Inferno Line as the fighting became more intense. The boy was only 17 years old.] ¡°How many casualties?¡± Kam asked as she sheathed Aradamantel. The battle ended in a great victory. Eltoram answered, ¡°There are 33 deaths and 57 minor injuries.¡± ¡°And¡­?¡± ¡°The number of dead uruks likely exceeds 4,000.¡± The soldiers were going around and finishing off the uruks who weren¡¯t dead yet. All those who were hiding or running away into the forest were dragged out and cut down. ¡°For a special forces unit, that¡¯s quite a lot. By the way, that means that we used at least 4,000 bullets.¡± She guessed they would have to replenish supplies before leaving. That wasn¡¯t all. 4,000 uruk warriors had appeared inside the Inferno Line¡­ How on earth had they gotten in ¡®This is ominous. I need to report it to that old man as soon as possible.¡¯ Haltene militia leader Jack approached her. ¡°W-we¡¯re alive thanks to you. I don¡¯t know how I can express my gratitude¡­¡± Jack bowed his head in a momentary daze. The Fake Warrior¡¯s face seemed exceedingly beautiful at that moment. ¡°There was a brat who came here, right?¡± Kam asked. ¡°A brat? Oh, yes.¡± ¡°Where is that punk?¡± ¡°He said he was going to raise the signal, but he never came back. Is that kid really a member of your Fake Warrior corps? A kid like that?¡± Rifle Jin, one of the most senior members of the corps, cracked his neck in anger. ¡°Isn¡¯t your attitude a bit strange when you just said you survived thanks to us?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°You should know that you survived thanks to Kaisen. Ha, why are all the guys from the empire such idiots?¡± Wolf stepped between them and intervened. ¡°Calm down, Jin. I¡¯m sorry. Everyone gets sensitive right after a battle.¡± Eltoram raised his bearish head, sniffed, and grinned. Kam went toward where Eltoram indicated and soon found Kaisen covering the pit the bodies were buried in. As the boy shoveled the dirt with the head of an uruk¡¯s axe, he did not look up at the Fake Warrior. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kam asked. ¡°The guys who helped me start the fire¡­ They died in the uruk ambush.¡± ¡°Did you know them?¡± ¡°No. If I were strong like you, I would have been able to protect them.¡± Kam walked up next to Kaisen as he finished burying the bodies. A few pebbles were piled up like tombstones in front of the graves. ¡°Summer hasn¡¯t evene in earnest yet,¡± she said. ¡°If you try to take care of every single thing, you¡¯ll run out of energy before summer ends.¡± She hit Kaisen on the back. Unlike her usual beatings, she was strangely kind¡­ as if she were praising his action. ¡°So don¡¯t cry.¡± That was thest time they were able to talk in such a light-hearted manner after a battle. * * * He still vividly remembered the day when the Inferno Line, the southern boundary of humanity, was breached. The day the griffin rider delivered the news while panting as if he were about to faint¡­ Yes, that was the moment. Before that, Kam¡¯s corps, to which Kaisen belonged, was staying in ¡®Aquitaina¡¯ to replenish supplies. ¡°Look at that. It¡¯s the White Bone Corps.¡± ¡°They say they win on any battlefield they participate in.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve actually fought with them. They¡¯re just a group of monsters.¡± The military city, which had flourished since ancient times, was originally a small city in the midwestern region of the old empire. Located along the Belisor River, the city was connected to the central city of Aurelinople and the southwestern port of Aristapo. In addition, various logistics and supply trains passed along the Inferno Line railroad, so it naturally served as a key point for humanity in the midwestern region. ¡°Jin, take responsibility for checking the supplies,¡± Kam ordered. Even during the long war, Aquitaina was bright. gstones paved the roads, and refugees worked in the factories for their fair food rations. Kam gave directions as they walked down the road, the clock tower casting a deep shadow over them. ¡°If anyone tries to give you shitty bullets or guns, bring them to me, and I¡¯ll give them a talk.¡± ¡°Yes, mom.¡± ¡°Why am I your mother, you bastard?¡± ¡°No, I said, ¡®Ma¡¯am,¡¯ Mdy.¡± Rifle Jin protested as he ran away from Kam¡¯s fists. Kam turned to Wolf and said, ¡°Wolf, you make sure the church pays us properly.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Eltoram, I told you to rest, but make sure you don¡¯t mess around all day. We might have to leave at a moment¡¯s notice.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll report to that perverted old man, the marshal.¡± The citizens retreated to both sides of the road and looked at them with respect, not daring to move; then, someone blocked the corps¡¯s path. Confusion filled everyone¡¯s eyes, but as soon as they saw who it was, they understood. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Kam.¡± Her hair was also white, and her eyes were also golden dragon eyes. ¡°You¡¯re still alive,¡± Kam replied. The other woman¡¯s longsword in its elegantly crafted scabbard was the Great Holy Sword, Tas Alfo. Even sheathed, the sword radiated blue energy and resonated with the red energy from Aradamantel, even though the holy sword was resting on Kam¡¯s waist. ¡°Your life is really long, Sharon.¡± ____ Chapter 10 Chapter 10 ¨C The End of Childhood, Battle of Aristapo (1) Sharon Alter Tas Alfo was said to have be a Fake Warrior at the same time as Kam, and they had a deep rtionship. ¡°Hehe, is it because I lived a good life, unlike others?¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re full of shit,¡± Kam replied. ¡°Anyway, what are you doing here? We¡¯ve been working like dogs.¡± ¡°We¡¯re leaving tomorrow. The stench of your dogs is so bad, hah.¡± Was it an illusion or was electricity crackling between two women¡¯s gazes? ¡°Oh, this is it. One of the most famous battles in the world of Fake Warriors¡ªa war of nerves between the chief and deputy chief!¡± The yfulness suddenly disappeared from Sharon¡¯s eyes, and she furrowed her brows. ¡°Kam, your hair ispletely¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You idiot. How much longer do you have left?¡± Only the two of them seemed to know what the question was about. Then, a third person suddenly intervened and shouted at Kam. ¡°When are you going to teach me? We¡¯ve already arrived in the city!¡± Kaisenmented. ¡°I said I would take a break and teach you. Do you understand humannguage?¡± ¡°You kept putting it off, saying you would teach me before we arrived, and now you have to go see the marshal?¡± Kaisen, a boy covered in dust and sweat. Sharon tilted her head when she saw the sword the boy was wearing on his back. ¡°Kam, is that modeled after Aradamantel?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°And he has the Balkrush emblem on his cheek¡­ such an exciting kid.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not fun.¡± ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t you y with your sister instead of someone like Kam?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wanna.¡± That was Kaisen¡¯s immediate reply. Sharon whistled at the rudest response she had received in a long time. Immediately after that, a third person intervened. ¡°Such rudeness. Do you know who this person is to be speaking to her in such a way?¡± The girl with brilliant blonde and curly hair and a pale face who had been standing next to Sharon from the start had a natural elegance radiating from her that reflected her aristocratic background. She seemed to be around the same age as Kaisen. ¡°Okay, you idiot, you should learn some manners. Do you know who she and I are?¡± Kam chimed in. The girl clenched a fist in front of her heart. She couldn¡¯t believe she had won points from the top Fake Warrior, Kam! ¡°?¡± Kaisen looked at the girl. He seemed to think for about three seconds, then asked in a disinterested tone, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Stop butting into things that don¡¯t involve you, and get out of here.¡± Then he looked back at Kam. A shadow appeared in the girl¡¯s eyes, and her fists trembled. ¡°Not only did you insult my teacher, but you also ignored me¡­¡± The girl pulled out a sword. Her incredible skills could be seen in just one movement¡ªthe point of her de coldly rested against Kaisen¡¯s neck. ¡°sphemous thing with the emblem of the uruks carved on your cheek! My name is Lia Riley, and I challenge you to a duel. You have tarnished the honor of the Riley family and the dignity of both Kam and my master!¡± Silence fell for a moment. She thought she could only hear the sound of trash rolling by on the ground, but the mercenaries of the corps suddenly burst intoughter, holding their stomachs. ¡°Kaisen! Please ept the fight for thedy¡¯s honor!¡± ¡°Sharon and Kam have a long-standing rivalry, so help build up her pride!¡± Sharon Alter Tas Alfo was ranked 2nd among the seven existing Fake Warriors. Instead of trying to stop her student, Sharon pped her hands as if it were fun and looked at Kam. ¡°Kam, is this your student?¡± ¡°You think someone with balls can be my student?¡± ¡°Hehe, you say that, but it seems like you taught him really well. He looks pretty strong. Alright, Lia, show me the results of your training.¡± Lia¡¯s face brightened. Since her master also gave permission, that guy¡­ She suddenly felt a chill running through her entire body. ¡°Ha.¡± Kaisen sighed. Beneath his ck, matted hair, his red eyes contained a chilling edge. ¡°Without caring for other people¡¯s feelings¡­ Hey, what are you going to bet?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If I win, I¡¯ll take one of your hands in exchange for your rudeness,¡± Kaisen stated. Was that a provocation? No, it seemed like a threat that was close to certainty, but her teacher¡¯s honor would be tarnished if she backed down. ¡°Such a smooth talker. Alright. I¡¯ll give you my hand. In return, if I win, I¡¯ll also take a hand. How about that?¡± ¡°If you go back on your words, I¡¯ll cut out your tongue.¡± Cheers erupted from the mercenaries as they were given a source of entertainment in their boring lives. Kam watched before moving to one side of the street with a, ¡°Hmph¡±. ¡°Do you not have to watch?¡± Sharon softly asked. ¡°The result is obvious either way. Why should I watch? I don¡¯t want to waste time. There¡¯s something I need to report urgently.¡± Kam waved farewell without even looking back. ¡°Tell your student that I am grateful. I was able to remove a leech thanks to her.¡± An obvious result¡­? Sharon pondered Kam¡¯s confident words before turning back to Kaisen and Lia. She gave them a meaningful smile. ¡°Well, I suppose that¡¯s true.¡± * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * ¡°What are you doing?! There¡¯s a fight going on in the square! Let¡¯s go watch!¡± ¡°What? Who? With who?¡± ¡°Disciples of the Fake Warriors! Now is not the time to y poker!¡± Soldiers, who had been hanging out in bars and inns throughout the city, poured out. Haradrimann za contained a fountain where the statue of Haradrimann, a light dragon who was said to have helped the gods destroy the abyss over the millennium, spouted water. ¡°Now,dies and gentlemen¡­! You¡¯ll have to pay an admission fee,¡± Rifle Jin slyly shouted. Jeers erupted all around, but when Jin¡¯s squad members brought out their guns, coins poured in. ¡°Let me introduce the contestants. Thedy on the left is Lia Riley, the favorite student of Lady Sharon Alter Tas Alfo, whom everyone knows!¡± Lia politely gave the duel salute, and the mercenaries of Sharon¡¯s corps erupted in cheers mixed with support. Among the onlookers were several mages and knights. ¡°Is Riley the ¡®Prominent Sword¡¯?¡± ¡°She¡¯s from one of the three great swordsmen families.¡± ¡°Then that longsword should have been modeled after Holy Sword Tas Alfo.¡± Before the excited cheers from the crowd subsided, Jin pointed to the right. ¡°And the brat on the right is none other than Kaisen, the bastard raised by Kam Alter Aradamantel herself!¡± Kaisen sighed and scratched the back of his head. That time, the mercenaries of Kam¡¯s corps let out cheers. The beastmen roared so loudly that his eardrums threatened to burst. The onlookers muttered in bewildered tones. ¡°Wait a minute, isn¡¯t that a guy?¡± ¡°Yeah, it has to be a guy. I heard that Kam doesn¡¯t take students.¡± ¡°A pet raised by a person like that? Are you saying that his skills are that outstanding?¡± ¡°Ah, do you think he can still be a match for Prominent Sword Riley?¡± Prominent Sword Riley came from a family of knights who earned the title equivalent to a count with just their skills with the sword. There were only three great swordsmen families in the empire, and they were even called such. For your information, Kam was the illegitimate daughter of the famous ### of Belchester. ¡°If you apologize right now, I will forgive you.¡± Lia pulled out her longsword and arrogantly smiled as she pointed its tip at Kaisen. Kaisen did not answer. Instead, he unsheathed the sword¡­ the next moment, all the onlookers were shocked. ¡°Come at me if you have time to yap your mouth.¡± Rather than lifting his weapon, Kaisen tossed the sword to the ground and pointed only his scabbard at Lia, his face nk. ¡°¡­¡± A vein throbbed on Lia¡¯s forehead. Adrenaline was burning coldly inside her body. ¡°I am Lia Alter Tas Alfo.¡± She raised her longsword, covered half of her face with the t of the de, and quietly closed her eyes to pray. ¡°I want to remove tears from thisnd.¡± Kaisen reacted with a cynical smirk. ¡°Why do women pose before fighting? Kam does that too.¡± ¡°It looks like you really aren¡¯t Kam¡¯s student. Seeing as you haven¡¯t even learned the sword¡¯s prayer.¡± ¡°I have no intention of bing a woman.¡± Their gazes met in a sh of momentum and the resonance of the heartbeat. The spell of silence and the seemingly stopped world were broken as Lia leaped forward. ¡°Oooohhh!!¡± ¡°She reached him in an instant!¡± ¡°Hey, man! Don¡¯t be so pretentious, just pick up the sword!¡± Sharon Alter Tas Alfo thought about the sword style she¡¯d taught her disciple. ¡®The Extreme Spider Sword is an extreme sword style that focuses on stealing the enemy¡¯s breath and targets their flesh.¡¯ The foundation of the style was the footwork that was close to assassination techniques. ¡®Now then, what will Kam¡¯s toy show?¡¯ Kaisen¡¯s breath would bepletely stolen. All living things revealed gaps when they breathed, and when those gaps were used properly, they could be killed. That was the method of attack pursued by the Extreme Spider Sword Style. ¡®This gap, this distance¡­¡¯ Lia was confident in her victory. Kaisen was already within range of her longsword. She had no intention of taking his hand away¡ªshe would just ept his apology. Shiver¡ª A scabbard mmed into her abdomen, breaking her ribs. Blood burst out. As the creeping feeling of death engulfed her entire body¡­ ¡°Lia!¡± Lia barely returned to her senses when she heard her teacher¡¯s voice. ¡°!¡± She immediately got off the ground and retreated from Kaisen. She saw a phantom image of him holding the back of her head. An illusion? Was it a hallucination? Did that mean he¡¯d created a hallucination with just killing intent? ¡®No, that can¡¯t be¡­?¡¯ The mercenaries, who had no idea what was going on, tilted their heads in confusion. ¡°Why did she just run away?¡± ¡°Did Kaisen y a trick?¡± ¡°Hehe, you pathetic people. This is the fight of nerves between experts.¡± Kaisen, who had extended his scabbard into Lia¡¯s, said, ¡°Hmm,¡± and lowered his stance. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re stronger than you look.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°I wanted to end things with that move, but¡­ since it¡¯s a waste of time, I should get serious.¡± Kaisen picked up his sword, rested it on his shoulder, and held his scabbard horizontally in front of him as he gradually closed in. ¡°Cross Sword Style ¨C 3rd Form: Crush.¡± It was a posture used with heavy strikes in the Cross Sword Style where the transition between offense and defense was as smooth as water. ¡°Oooh! I guess that kid finally decided to get serious.¡± ¡°Kid? Hey, man! Who is the kid? He¡¯s already got all his hair there, alright? It¡¯s aplete jungle.¡± ¡°Heuk.¡± ¡°Shut up, Jin.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Lia couldn¡¯t see any openings. There were no gaps in his breathing. She didn¡¯t know where to attack¡­ Hermind went nk. ¡®No, no. I am the orthodox sessor to the Extreme Spider Swordsmanship.¡¯ She was Sharon¡¯s direct disciple. How could she lose to a guy like that? ¡®Concentrate. Shorten the distance by about ten steps in one go. In a split second, snatch his breathing and plunge the sword into that gap.¡¯ It would hurt him a little, but she still needed to make sure he knew. Ò»Tang! At thest moment, Kaisen turned his scabbard and deflected her strike. The moment Lia lost her posture, Kaisen tripped her, sending her sprawling to the ground. It was a counterattack that overturned the opponent¡¯s attack and broke down the body¡¯s bnce. ¡°Oh, hey, that¡¯s¡­!¡± The senior members of Kam¡¯s corps exchanged nk looks. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the technique Kam used to defeat Kaisen four years ago!¡± ShlinkÒ»! The scabbard stopped before Lia¡¯s eyes. At the same time, a de flew towards Lia¡¯s hand¡­ She closed her eyes tightly to prepare for the pain that woulde, but nothing happened. ¡°Next time, be more careful of who you¡¯re up against,¡± Kaisen coldly said. The shadow of his scabbard before her eyes vanished, and he sheathed his sword. Click¡ª When she opened her eyes at the sound, she saw Kaisen walking toward Kam¡¯s corps, hanging his scabbard on his sword belt. ¡°Ugh, shit! My money!¡± ¡°I told you to bet on our jungle brat, hehe.¡± ¡°Anyway, that kid looks really strong at only a nce. Who is he?¡± The mercenaries who had made the bets were divided into the happy and sad ones, and the square became noisy again. Lia Riley shouted at Kaisen as he walked away. ¡°Why on earth didn¡¯t you finish it? You won. You said you¡¯d take my hand.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t intend to take my hand either.¡± Kaisen grew up in death. It could be said that he knew better than anyone else whether or not his opponent was wielding a weapon with intent to kill. ¡°And I didn¡¯t learn how to use a sword to kill people.¡± Lia¡¯s eyes widened. A smile formed on Sharon¡¯s lips as she closely watched the entire battle. ¡®Just as Kam said, it¡¯s aplete defeat. Both in skill and spirit.¡¯ Sharon went to Kaisen, who was having his head pounded in excitement (because he had won them more than 10 times the original amount) by a crowd of colleagues. ¡°Should I thank you?¡± she asked. ¡°?¡± Kaisen gave her a puzzled look. ¡°The moment your sword touched Lia¡¯s arm, I could have killed you. At the very least, your arm could have been cut off.¡± ¡°I thought so,¡± Kaisen replied. ¡°If that happened, Kam would have killed me.¡± ¡°Bullshit. She would have thanked you.¡± Sharon spoke with a puzzled look in her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about Kam.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not honest. She doesn¡¯t know how to treat someone she cares about. I don¡¯t know what she learned from that great teacher of hers?¡± Sharon suddenly and lightly kissed Kaisen¡¯s forehead. The mercenaries and Kaisen, who had retreated for a moment, were dumbfounded. ¡°What are you doing now?¡± the boy asked. ¡°It¡¯s a thank you gift. To receive something like this from a beautiful woman like me¡­ you can brag about it for the rest of your life, right?¡± Sharon smiled and turned around. The mercenaries tried to harass Kaisen again, seemingly dying of envy, but when Kaisen rolled his eyes, they became quiet. ¡°Ha, you brat¡­ You¡¯re still not friendly at all.¡± ¡°Sir, our Kaisen won¡¯t get excited unless it¡¯s an uruk¡¯s kiss.¡± ¡°Keuhahahahahaha!¡± Kaisen shook off hisrades and stared nkly at Sharon¡¯s back. ¡®There are all kinds of people among the Fake Warriors.¡¯ One of them was a pottymouth; the other was a woman who smiled unpleasantly. He never wanted to be like that. Not that it was possible. Meanwhile, Sharon had a strange smile on her lips as she walked away. ¡®You taught a boy the Cross Sword Style to that level¡­ Interesting trick, Kam.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t believe Kam had taken on a student when she¡¯d been so reluctant before, and a boy at that. Was it because her death was getting closer? ¡®Knowing that woman¡¯s personality, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the only thing going on. What could it be?¡¯ ____ Chapter 11 Chapter 11 ¨C The End of Childhood, Battle of Aristapo (2) He felt panic, as if the blood flowing through his head had hardened into pure lead. ¡°D-damn¡­¡± ¡°Almighty Terbel, save¡­ save us with your light, the light of the heavens¡­¡± An otherworldly spectacle shed in the retinas of the retreating human soldiers. ¡°Ra¡­ Rabi? Dull? So dull, so dull, so dull!¡± The uruk¡¯s physique was so magnificent that an onlooker could onlyugh in disbelief. Using its pair of ridiculouslyrge steel ws, it tore apart five human soldiers, who bled out in great pain. Rather than a fight, it was a massacre. ¡°You call yourselves ¡®otous¡¯, ¡®warriors¡¯, when you are like this? Are you supposed to be warriors?¡± the uruk asked. The 5,800 musketeers guarding Fortress 22 of the Inferno Line were annihted in a rtive instant. That monster of an uruk single-handedly killed half of the humans while other uruks killed the remaining half. ¡°I¡¯m Kishun? I¡¯m Kishun Giolobepe!¡± The vicious uruk chief, covered in human blood and flesh, spoke the humannguage and revealed his name. ¡°Fae¡­ Humanity¡¯s greatest warriors are called Fake Warriors? Where are they now?!¡± * * * ¡°Kaisen, you brat. Can¡¯t you be a little more gentle with Lady Kam?¡± Rifle Jin asked. The man was in his 30s and always spoke gruffly with a toothpick in his mouth. ¡°Why me?¡± ¡°You brat, if she hadn¡¯t taken you in, you would have already died, bastard.¡± ¡°You never know. I might have met someone somewhat normal, like Sharon Alter Tas Alfo.¡± Though they found themselves in the twilight hours, ¡®Aquitaina¡¯ was noisy and bright. They hadn¡¯t been to such a city for quite some time. The lights were bright in every inn, and the sounds of the barkeepers and male prostitutes fawning over the male and female mercenaries added to the cacophony of noises. ¡°You, cool guy over there, why don¡¯t youe y?¡± ¡°Whistle~! You have good senses, miss, but I have a prior contract.¡± Jin, who was well versed in dealing with women, joked with the woman who¡¯d approached him and looked back at Kaisen. ¡°Kaisen, do you know Kam looks for you after every battle?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°There is no such treatment for mercenary bums like the rest of us. When we say there were 10 casualties, she just remembers us as being included in those 10.¡± That was certainly true. When Kaisen gave it more thought, he felt confused. He shook his head and banished his wandering thoughts. ¡°To begin with, Kam and I have never had a mutually caring rtionship. We¡¯re bound by a contract.¡± ¡°As expected, you are still young. You idiot, you don¡¯t know much about the world.¡± ¡°If you want to fight, I¡¯ll ept the challenge.¡± Kaisen was on his way to the military store. His military shoes were half-rotted and chipped, so he needed to buy new ones. ¡°Oh, my.¡± When they reached their destination, Jin gave a sinister whistle and pounded Kaisen on the back. ¡°Do your best, young man. Uncle Jin is a great guy who knows how to get out of the way when he needs to.¡± ¡°What bullshit are you on about now?¡± Kaisen tried to grab him and ask what nonsense he was talking about, but Jin twisted to avoid his touch and disappeared into the night, chuckling. ¡°Why is he like that?¡± Staring nkly at Jin¡¯s back, Kaisen looked forward again and saw the man¡¯s reason for leaving. The girl¡¯s long, elegant blonde hair stood out in the twilight. Lia Riley¡­ were all noble women so beautiful? Her eyes were wide open¡ªas if they had been painted on. Kaisen narrowed his eyes. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Want to fight again?¡± Lia Riley cleared her throat and solemnly shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to know much. Those of the Riley family don¡¯t dwell on past wins and losses.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°I apologize for the conflict that arose from my misunderstanding. I didn¡¯t know you were Kam¡¯s student. I mean, you¡¯re a guy, after all. You didn¡¯t even know the sword¡¯s prayer.¡± He wouldter learn, as they traveled through various battlefields, that Lia was a truly outstanding noblewoman. He¡¯d never met a noble who admitted to their mistakes and apologized first. ¡°I¡¯m not Kam¡¯s student, though?¡± he answered before entering the store to choose a new pair of boots. Lia followed him in, seemingly amazed. ¡°You¡¯re not a disciple? What do you mean? You¡¯re using the Cross Sword Style.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Hey, Uncle, how much is this?¡± ¡°You have good eyes,¡± the shopkeepermented. ¡°Do you know of the Manja Alliance?¡± ¡°The Manja Alliance?¡± Kaisen tilted his head. Lia Riley seemed to think it was the right moment, cleared her throat to draw his attention, and answered for him. ¡°It¡¯s a famous military supply association in the western part of the Holy Human Empire.¡± The shopkeeper nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a luxury military supplypany created through a coboration between the Dwarf Federation and the mages.¡± ¡°I¡¯m from the empire. I don¡¯t know about things like that,¡± Kaisen said. ¡°What¡¯s the point¡­?¡± The shopkeeper exined it to him. ¡°Those artisans made this pair of boots. They¡¯re luxury items imbued with magic that makes them both durable and breathable. Rather than mere objects, they are magic tools. The pair costs 25 silver coins.¡± ¡®25 coins¡­?¡¯ The boots were carefully woven with dark-brown leather, and the ankles and heels were lined with magic-imbued iron tes, making them look really sturdy. ¡°That¡¯s too expensive. Is there anything I can buy for less than three coins?¡± There was regret in Kaisen¡¯s voice as he put the boots back on the disy stand. Lia grabbed Kaisen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What do you mean? You said you¡¯re a mercenary, not a student. Since you received your payment all at once, you can afford the boots without difficulty. It¡¯s not that expensive, considering the high pay of a Fake Warrior corps.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a member of the corps,¡± Kaisen replied, ¡°so I don¡¯t get paid.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°It¡¯splicated. If I say I need something, Wolf will buy it for me¡­ but I can¡¯t just depend on him forever. Uncle, do you have anything else?¡± ¡°If you want a low-cost model, there are some this way.¡± Just as Kaisen was about to follow the merchant into the shop¡­ ¡°Hmm, hmm, hmm!¡± There was a strange sense of satisfaction on Lia¡¯s face as she repeatedly cleared her throat to grab his attention. Kaisen rolled his eyes. ¡°Did you get sick?¡± ¡°25 silver coins, right?¡± she asked the shopkeeper. ¡°Please measure Kaisen¡¯s feet. I will pay for them.¡± Kaisen, who had already realized that there was no such thing as gratuitous kindness in the world, warily took half a step back. ¡°What are your intentions?¡± ¡°What intentions? I¡¯m just trying to pay you back for not cutting off my hand earlier.¡± ¡°Pay me back?¡± Lia Riley, the warrior who was recorded byter generations as a peerless leader who led the Era of Heroes, was nothing more than a yful girl at that moment. She was born into a strict, prestigious family and immediately became a Fake Warrior¡¯s disciple, so she never even had a chance to make friends with her peers. That was probably the reason why her attitude toward the opposite sex was clear but rigid, yful but also awkward. ¡°If you receive a favor, repay it twice over. That¡¯s what my master always told me,¡± she exined. He would truly be receiving something for free? Afterpleting the calctions in his head, Kaisen¡¯s face lit up with a faint glow, and he grabbed both of Lia¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re actually a good person, aren¡¯t you?¡± * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * ¡°You can praise me more. I deserve it. No one will look at you strangely.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best.¡± ¡°Hehe, you can do better than that.¡± Their expressions were very refreshing as they nodded their heads in satisfaction and seemed pleased with the interaction. His dear friend, Lia Riley¡­ Kaisen would never forget the clearughter he heard from her for the first time that day. ¡°Ugh, that damn thief.¡± ¡°Be happy, My Lady.¡± ¡°Hey, Kaisen is the biggest fool there is, so you don¡¯t have to worry. If she¡¯s not an uruk, he won¡¯t move at all.¡± ¡°Wow, what apletely crazy bastard.¡± Jin was grinning as soldiers of both corps chatted and spied on the two in the military supply shop. ¡®That guy, Kaisen¡­ when he hangs out with a girl his age, he makes that kind of expression.¡¯ Jin was Kaisen¡¯s squad leader before he was drafted into Kam¡¯s reserve unit, so those memories were bound to be special. ¡°Hmm?¡± Suddenly, a strange scream and a booming sound erupted from the sky. ¡°Wh-what?!¡± Just as the mercenaries were panicking and scattering, something massive from the air crashed down and destroyed the road. ¡°What kind of¡­?¡± ¡°A catapult? Is it an enemy?¡± ¡°No, look at that. That¡¯s a griffin!¡± Both the griffin and the rider on the saddle were covered in blood to the point where the rider could barely even be seen. Only fresh blood could create such an atmosphere. Everyone present was overwhelmed by the sight, and their hearts trembled with inexplicable tension. ¡°Where is this¡­?¡± the rider asked. ¡°Aquitaina. Are you okay? Please get off the saddle.¡± ¡°Is the marshal here¡­?¡± ¡°Uh. Hey, help me. Get this guy down.¡± ¡°No, this letter¡­ I have to give it to him quickly¡­¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s so urgent?¡± ¡°The¡­ the Inferno Line has been breached¡­!¡± the rider cried out. Even the noisy mercenary, who¡¯d seemingly forgotten all the pain in the world, held their breaths, their eyes wide in shock. The Inferno Line, humanity¡¯s lifeline¡­ It was breached? A mercenary who had been ying dice just a moment prior sped his hands and said, ¡°I guess I should at least pray.¡± * * * By order of Marshal Krauzan, all officers staying in Aquitaina were summoned to the city hall, which was converted into a temporary headquarters. ¡°To think that the Inferno Line has been breached¡­¡± Wolf headed to the marshal¡¯s office. Waiting in the elevator, he frowned, finding it difficult to ept. ¡°It was only a matter of time before this happened anyway due to structural defects.¡± calmly Kam responded. Sharon also sighed. ¡°That¡¯s right. Even if just one fortress were breached, we knew they would fall one after another like dominoes.¡± ¡°Those idiots from the old empire should have trained professional troops instead of spending astronomical amounts of money to build such a defensive line.¡± ¡°It is said that, in the old days, martial artists called vagabonds protected the empire together with witches, but technology has developed too far. Witches have bepletely secrized, and vagabonds have disappeared into the backroads of history, right?¡± At one point, an elite group of vagabonds called the Six Great Sects was responsible for the security of the empire. ¡°This is all because the need to practice martial arts was eliminated.¡± ¡°The freedom of the citizens may also have been a problem. In an empire or a kingdom, it is possible to force training, but here, all the citizens are free. They also did not want to be obliged to serve in the military.¡± In the end, about 50 years prior, thest of the six major schools of martial arts, the Sun Sect, disbanded, and the vagabonds disappeared into history. ¡°Eltoram, what is the logistics and supply situation?¡± Kam asked. ¡°It¡¯s perfect. We can go at any time. However, we haven¡¯t had time to screen new recruits.¡± ¡°It looks like our departure date will be moved up a bit, but there¡¯s nothing we can do. The church will take care of the payment. Gather everyone in front of the west gate before noon tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When the elevator reached the 4th floor, they headed to the office at the end of the hallway. The city¡¯s emblem, decorated with a fancy gold leaf, had no meaning in the face of an emergency. It was to the point where they had to collect every single piece of gold for military funds. As soon as he sat down at the head table, Marshal Krauzan spoke. ¡°Kam¡¯s corps will cooperate with Sharon¡¯s corps and set out on a rescue mission for ¡®Aristapo¡¯.¡± Aristapo was arge port city in the western part of the old empire and one of the seven ancient cities. It was a historical metropolis and a maritime strategic point built on a bay deep ind from the Southern Sea. ¡°Aristapo is a very important location. If this ce is breached, it will be no different than them breaching the Inferno Line. It will be theplete fall of humanity¡¯s southern border.¡± ¡°What is the current situation of the city?¡± ¡°It is said that they are under attack by 31 allied ns. The number of uruk warriors alone is approximately 160,000. The total number of demon troops is said to be 850,000.¡± ¡°Howrge is the city¡¯s garrison?¡± ¡°A little less than 200,000.¡± ¡°850,000. Whomands that many uruks?¡± ¡°The chief of the Kiral n is serving as warchief.¡± The Kiral n¡­ Just those two words were enough to bring a feeling of gloomy despair to their eyes. ¡°After all, it¡¯s the leading n of Hai-tarks¡­¡± The 21 highest-ranking uruk ns were called the ¡®Hai-tark¡¯, and their ranks were determined solely through strength. ¡°The leading n is Balkrush. Kiral is a traditional powerhouse, but they fell in the rankings.¡± ¡°The Balkrush n¡¯s growth is a bit strange. An unknown guy became the leading Hai-tark leader in just four years.¡± ¡°Stop. Balkrush is a problem on the Eastern Front. What we have to deal with now is Kiral.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t the uruks hate sieges? Theyck racial discretion.¡± ¡°The armies of the other six major demon races are already joining forces.¡± ¡°If the ce is taken, it will give them a bridgehead for invasion. It¡¯s going to be a really tough fight.¡± Wolf sighed. Kam looked down at the map in silence and carefully checked the condition of her body. Her vitality was gradually fading away. Was it to be herst fight? ¡®Then this is where I die.¡¯ The vague realization that her rtively long life wasing to an end filled her heart with crushing pain. ¡®Master¡­ I taught him everything I could. I wille see you soon.¡¯ ¡°I will leave at dawn tomorrow,¡± she said. ____ Chapter 12 Chapter 12 ¨C The End of Childhood, Battle of Aristapo (3) The vanguard of the demons, the main force of the uruk army, finally broke through the Inferno Line of the old empire. Haltene (the imperial local militia forces) positioned in the fortresses either copsed after receiving a crushing blow or retreated to a nearby city. ¡°The most strategic points for the old empire were divided into two cities at the left and right ends of the Inferno Line, respectively.¡± Of course, the two points were the southeastern capital, Terbenople, and the port city in the southwest, Aristapo. ¡°These ces are extremely important bases for both humanity and the uruks.¡± If both were to be taken, the uruks would be able to open supply routes deep ind from the sea along the southern coast, thus securing control of the sea itself. After that, the central strategic point, Aurelinople, would be targeted, and if even thest of the seven great cities, Aurelinople, fell, the old empire wouldpletely copse. ¡°The uruk army units, after being scattered by the ns, were brought together and sent out in each direction, culminating in the ¡®Terbenople¡¯ attack force led by the Balkrush n and the ¡®Aristapo¡¯ attack force led by Kiral n.¡± The war had dragged on sporadically for four years, finally turning into an all-out war as the demons gathered together. 1st Seat, Kam Alter Aradamantel, and 2nd Seat, Sharon Alter Tas Alfo¡­ Back then, the two most senior Fake Warriors were quickly dispatched to the port city of ¡®Aristapo¡¯. ¡°As you all know, Kaisen Alter Aradamantel was also present. Our history lesson today begins there.¡± * * * ¡°The Inferno Line¡­¡± Kam mumbled. All the fortresses they passed on the way down to Aristapo had tragically copsed, and the bloody stains and juices left behind seemed to testify to the cruelty of the struggle. ¡°Mdy, are you saying we have to walk from here?¡± ¡°You bastard, the railroad is all destroyed. What else could we do?¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± The railroads connecting the Inferno Line fortresses werepletely destroyed, so theirfortable travel by train was extremely short. ¡°This is the problem with the dwarven railroad¡ªit¡¯s only useful in times of peace, and it¡¯spletely useless in times like this,¡± Kammented. Sharon looked over at her. ¡°That¡¯s why they should have raised cavalry. Kam, look at my guys. They don¡¯tin at all. Look how good they are.¡± Sharon¡¯s ck Rose Corps was an elite cavalry unitposed of 988 men. They wielded pistols that could be freely used on horseback, and long guns were also mounted on the saddle, allowing them to sometimes perform the role of infantry. Perhaps it was because ten imperial knights (it was said that they were originally the family¡¯s attendant knights) yed the role of the vanguard, but their ability to prate the enemy¡¯s lines was at a phenomenal level. ¡®It must be quite efficient since they can act as both cavalry and infantry,¡¯ Kaisen thought to himself. Kam just snorted and raised her middle finger. ¡°Fuck cavalry. When fighting demons, the important thing is stopping power, not the ability to break through their lines. You have to fight from fixed positions.¡± ¡°I wonder if we¡¯re being pushed back in the war because our superiors are afraid of change like you, Kam,¡± Sharon retorted. In reality, each Fake Warrior formed a corps that suited their personalities and acted ordingly. For example, 7th Seat, Runelle Alter Gaurmis,manded an armored corps mainlyposed of giant soldiers riding on golems. Kam was the one who advocated for the theory of line infantry being the best, thanks to the countless victories she had achieved under Raminea¡¯s reign. ¡°What kind of army do you n on forming in the future, Kaisen?¡± Lia asked. ¡°Me? You want to know what kind of army I¡¯d form?¡± ¡°You are Lady Kam¡¯s disciple. There is no precedent for a man bing Fake Warrior, but even so, the influence thates from being Lady Kam¡¯s disciple is absolute. Enormous amounts of troops will gather to be under yourmand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a disciple,¡± Kaisen argued, shaking his head in frustration. Lia looked at him with iprehension. ¡°You really don¡¯t know what it means to be taught swordsmanship under a Fake Warrior? Seriously?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a useful errand boy for Kam. We do business with each other.¡± ¡°Kaisen, Kam is the best Fake Warrior! She doesn¡¯t need an errand boy. You don¡¯t really think that she needs an errand boy like you or me because she has nothing to do, do you?¡± Lia appeared so serious that Kaisen was taken aback. Kam¡¯s idleness¡­ ? It certainly didn¡¯t seem like Kam¡¯s skills would require an errand boy, but wasn¡¯t it true that he helped in one way or another? ¡°There were people who even begged to learn swordsmanship from her, but they were all kicked out. What about you, Kaisen? You were chosen by an incredibly great person.¡± He often wished he could have been more polite to Kam when he heard those words, but humans only ever knew the value of their treasures after they were gone. The closer they got to the front line of ¡®Aristapo¡¯, the more intense the heat became, and the volcanic ash and sulfur in the air stung his nose. ¡®Summer¡­¡¯ The sun¡¯s heat refracted strangely in the volcanic ash and was amplified by it, making the heat even worse. In the midst of the great heat, beads of sweat gathered on the soldiers¡¯ foreheads, and¡­ the cicadas mournfully cried out. He could tell that they had arrived at the front line because the cicadas¡¯ screams werepletely drowned out. ¡°KkeÒ»!¡± an uruk chief shouted, and the counterweights of the uruks¡¯ crudely-made catapults suddenly tilted. Many different types of objects arced through the air¡ªmegaliths, me barrels, and human corpses. A scream mixed with shouts came from the castle gate, where the uruk warriors were charging forward with their battering ram, but the sound was drowned out by drumbeats. ¡°Look at them.¡± Kam crossed her arms and looked down at the battlefield as if she were bored. ¡°They¡¯ve created quite a wall, huh?¡± They were at the old empire watchtower. Built on a ridge, the ce was originally supposed to be the city¡¯s primary defensive outpost, but by the time the corps arrived, it was upied by troops from the uruks¡¯ outlying units. ¡°Hehe, what should we do?¡± Sharon asked. There were seven Fake Warriors on active duty. The full strength of each Fake Warrior was needed on every battlefield, so the fact that two Fake Warriors were deployed at the same time meant that the battle was that important. ¡°Kam, wouldn¡¯t it be okay if we hunted a thousand each?¡± ¡°You¡¯re bluffing, you crazy bitch.¡± The mage from Sharon¡¯s corps, Ludien, spoke up. ¡°I figured things out to some extent.¡± Wolf was once again amazed at the sight of her and the butterflies of light flocking and dancing around her. She was a mage of the Mana/Energy Schools, which was very rare among the countless mages in the empire. Humanity, unable to handle light and miracles, tried to imitate them through magic, and the result was energy. The school¡¯s founder was Dragon Sage Rain Ludwig. ¡®That¡¯s why some say they are the descendants of the 3rd sage, the Dragon Sage¡­¡¯ Such magic was famous for being difficult to acquire and use, and practitioners were all masters of information warfare. ¡°ording to what I¡¯ve gathered, the Kiral n and their chief lead the battlefield.¡± * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * ¡°Hmph, damn bastards. Zukan¡­ is that old geezer still the chief?¡± Kam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± A smirk appeared on Kam¡¯s lips. Her master should have killed that old uruk bastard in the previous summer, but he¡¯d returned alive. The mage continued, ¡°Not only Kiral, but also the Oxy Gar and the Holdrim ns of the Hai-tark.¡± ¡°The top three Hai-tark ns?¡± ¡°Yes. The outlying units are under the Kiral n¡¯s young chief, Kishun. He leads the cavalry riding the che wolves.¡± ¡°Hehe. Is it only Kishun? Of course, the Kiranzuki unit is also there, right?¡± The Kiranzuki were the six strongest warriors of the Kiral n. The title was not specifically attributed to an individual and changed frequently depending on the situation. Naturally, the unit¡¯s members changed if a member died in battle or if another member made great achievementspared to others. ¡°The corpses of human soldiers were scattered everywhere in the forests and fields. It looks like they came as reinforcements and were annihted by the cavalry.¡± Wolf stroked his chin and sighed. ¡°The scattered Haltene troops are gathering, but there are nomunications with the city¡¯smand center¡­¡± ¡°All 100,000 elite troops from the west have entered the city. The Band Kingdom¡¯s relief army is alsoing.¡± Ludien let out a sigh that was almost like a scream. ¡°Oh, my God¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Wolf asked. ¡°A t-troll! A troll wearing full armor¡­¡± Trolls were a race of giant species that were 15 feet tall. Although it was onlyter that trolls in armor were taken as a matter of course, the psychological shock at the time was inexplicable. ¡°Trolls? Do you mean they¡¯re using trolls as siege weapons?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a troll with armor like that. A battering ram¡­ Ah, the south gate of the city!¡± Ludien¡¯s words fell off there, but what happened next was easy to predict. Intense vibrations, roars, and battle cries rose from the uruk siegers. Kaisen trembled unconsciously when he saw Kam¡¯s Aradamantel crying. ¡®Aradamantel, do you also smell the blood that¡¯s about toe¡­?¡¯ The battle elerated. There was no time to wait for the militia to gather¡ªthe handful of troops they already had was humanity¡¯sst hope. In a battle against close to a million enemies, it was a pitiful number. ¡°Our odds of victory are too low. Marshal, we must retreat!¡± a soldier eximed. ¡°That¡¯s right. If we lose these troops as well, there will be nothing we can do about the central front!¡± someone else agreed. Marshal Krauzan was a 62-year-old veteran, but the aura from his body was enormous. As a militarymander of the Dunos Dynasty and a general in the Human Alliance Army, he was a master who led one of the five great battles to victory during the ¡®ck Summer¡¯. It was already widely known that anti-uruk formations were also his work. It would be no exaggeration to say that all of the infantry tactics used by Raminea Alter Aradamantel were derived from him. ¡°Hmm, I wish to retreat, but there is an urgent letter from the Imperial Court,¡± the marshal said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°¡®Aristapo¡¯ has a tactical weapon that can turn the tide of war, and our instructions are to secure it at all costs.¡± The officers just nkly listened. Their thoughts were obvious, but nobody dared voice them¡ªsince there was a tactical weapon, why hadn¡¯t they used it sooner? Never before had such encouraging rhetoric been used in an official document from the Imperial Court. ¡°Fake Warriors¡­¡± Kam and Sharon raised their heads at the marshal¡¯s call. ¡°Now, it would be no exaggeration to say that the oue of this battle depends on your performance.¡± ¡°Hey, perverted old man. Why are you acting like it¡¯s not always like that?¡± Kam asked. ¡°Hahaha, you know. I want to stop losing now. I want to beat those fucking demons.¡± ¡°I agree. Hehe,¡± Sharon voiced. ¡°If ¡®Aristapo¡¯ falls, the southern regions will surely fall with it. If we can obtain the ¡®ultimate weapon¡¯ that the dragons of the Imperial Court spoke of¡­¡± It was a ray of hope they had to cling to. Was the Imperial Court¡¯s ¡®ultimate weapon¡¯ a measure to unite the Allied Forces on that dark battlefield? Krauzan, who always had a smile on his face, turned serious. ¡°Can you go into that city and get it?¡± ck volcanic ash fluttered in the air, and urukbat troops poured into the copsed castle gate in the distance. ¡®Impossible.¡¯ ¡®Irrational.¡¯ Everyone looked at the two heroines with bated breaths. Kaisen also watched Kam in silence and engraved the scene in his heart. A Warrior did not discuss the impossible; a Warrior never died; a Warrior never failed¡ªeven though they were Fake Warriors, they had to adhere to those principles. That¡¯s simply what they were. Therefore, pledging and promising the world, the two warriors raised solemn salutes. ¡°What are you asking? Just give orders as usual.¡± * * * Tooo-too-too-toooom¡ª! The harsh sound of the iron trumpet and the drums led the soldiers. 120 golems advanced, leavingrge footprints and serving as the primary breakwater of the assault formation. Following them were the 2-meter-long parzenon spears. They would be the next line of defense. ¡°The recapture of Aristapo is not our goal. We are to buy time for the Fake Warriors to enter the city.¡± Four years, it was four years. Over the course of four years, humanity had been repeatedly trampled, again and again, by demons. The Yellow Dragons said that the key to turning the whole war around was in that city. ¡°We must retake it to mark the beginning of humanity¡¯s counterattack. Everyone, prepare for battle!¡± In the distance, red gs spread across the horizon. The gs were made of human skin and stained with the blood of parents, friends, and children. The enemy¡¯s outlying units rushed in, apanied by eardrum-shaking battle cries. ¡°First line, artillery, ready to fire.¡± ¡°First line, ready to fire!¡± ¡°Artillery, ready to fire! Load shells!¡± Every step of the way¡­ The gunmen lined up behind the spearmen and raised their guns in unison. Kaisen caught his breath on his horse. ¡®This feeling of exhration just before battle¡­¡¯ The feeling sharply awakened the whole body¡¯s senses. The cold metallic smell from his sword entered deep into his lungs, and the blood in his body cooled. ¡°As soon as the shells are fired, we will turn right and march. Everyone, get ready.¡± The vanguard of the breakthrough force was Sharon Alter Tas Alfo¡¯s ck Rose Corps. Because the members of Kam¡¯s corpscked experience in horsebackbat, they were organized into a reserve unit and excluded from the breakthrough unit. One person was the exception¡ªKaisen. ¡°It seems you have to do some homework,¡± Kam said. ¡°?¡± ¡°Follow Sharon. It¡¯s an important mission. You know what you have to do, right? Bring out that special weapon or whatever it is, even if it¡¯s just you.¡± Lia couldn¡¯t believe her ears. He was being entrusted with such an important and impossible task? What was more unbelievable was Kaisen¡¯s answer. ¡°I¡¯m having a bit of trouble. You taught me two forms this time,¡± the boy said. ¡°There¡¯s nothing left to teach you now, you idiot. There¡¯s only one thing left: the so-called final move.¡± ¡°Aha, was it like this?¡± Sharonughed as if she found the situation funny. Kam trusted the boy quite a bit. ¡°You¡¯re telling the truth, right?¡± Kaisen asked, giving his mentor a suspicious look. ¡°Do I look like a lying bitch?¡± Kaisen eventually changed his attitude and straightened up. ¡®The final secret of the Cross Sword Style¡­¡¯ Did that mean he¡¯d learned everything he could? Once the operation ended, would he be able to go kill Balkarro¡­? ¡°Okay then, everyone?¡± Sharon looked back at her subordinates and smiled sincerely, different from the smile she usually wore as a mask. ¡°May there be victory on the path I walk with you today.¡± No more words were needed. The sincerity expressed by one of the best Fake Warriors to her subordinates just before battle couldn¡¯t be refuted. All of her subordinates felt her sincerity, so they were neither surprised nor embarrassed. ¡°Lady, please say a great line like that at least once.¡± Rifle Jin rolled his eyes slyly. Kam straightened her middle finger. ¡°Fuck you.¡± As usual, it seemed like Jin¡¯s mouth would get him beaten, but Kam suddenly turned to look at the corps members. ¡°The corps¡¯ rules have not changed¡ªany pathetic and useless people are left behind.¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°I personally selected each and every one of you, so none of you should be pathetic or useless.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°This time, it¡¯s the same as usual: no one is left behind.¡± They likely found it hard to believe their ears for a moment. Lady Kam, who was always violent, fierce, and cold¡­ The mercenaries¡¯ morale rose, starting with the beastmen¡¯s shouts. ¡°Artillery fire!¡± Pheeeee¡ª! Following the sound of therge steam core mounted on the cannon heating up, the dull ring of gunfire split through the volcanic ash drifting in the air. Boom boom boom boom¡ª ¡°Advance!¡± Sharon spurred her horse ahead. ¡°Forward!¡± ____ Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¨C The End of Childhood, Battle of Aristapo (4) ¡°Assault troop, ready.¡± Kaisen was temporarily transferred to Sharon¡¯s corps at the marshal¡¯s orders and climbed onto the back of Lia¡¯s saddle. At the bottom of the hill, the uruk army was roaring up the slope. The corps decided to attack the east gate, which had a rtively lower number of enemy forces. Thankfully, the decision proved effective. The number of lower-level demons was overwhelmingly greater than the number of high-level demons. The first thing one needed to pay attention to in the Demon Race Alliance were the goblins and gnolls. The lowest-level monsters were reorganized into misceneous soldiers under the demon army g. One characteristic of the uruk ns was that they never used bows, iming they were cowardly and petty weapons. What filled the void of long-ranged attacks were low-level monsters with neither physical ability nor intelligence. ¡°First line, artillery, ready to fire.¡± The first line¡¯s riflemen and spearmen raised their muzzles and long spears in unison. Therge Prisvia Cores that operated the field artillery on the hill spun furiously and emitted beeping and boiling sounds. The artillerymen loaded the shells and covered the gun ports (to allow the steam to collect just before exploding) before retreating for safety. ¡°Hold¡­¡± As the uruks¡¯ huge figures shook the earth on approach, the soldiers gulped. ¡°Hold!¡± The moment the waves of uruks finally came within range with their disgusting faces¡­ ¡°First line, fire!¡± Fsssh, fsssh, sheeeek¡ª! Bullets pierced the uruks¡¯ chests and thighs, causing them to sway in a dance of death before falling over. ¡°WuraaaaaaaaA!¡± The uruks rushing over their fallen nsmen had their necks pierced by abnormally long polearms. ¡°Artillery, open fire!¡± Tang tang tang tang¡ª! The uruks behind them screamed as their limbs were crushed by the shells that continued rolling and bouncing on the ground. ¡°Forward!¡± Sharon pulled her horse¡¯s and led the cavalry down the hill. Her corps consisted of 988 cavalrymen, including 10 Dunos Kingdom knights. Armed with dual pistols to facilitate mounted shooting, they had already proven their power on numerous battlefields. ¡°Uruk wolf cavalry approaching from both sides!¡± Pale blue walls of ice rose up on both sides, as if denying the heat of the summer day. It was one of Wolf¡¯s, the greatest ice archmage¡¯s, spells. After quickly creating the huge walls of ice that reached the castle gates, Wolf seemed anxious. ¡®Please take care of yourself, Kaisen.¡¯ Kam¡¯s corps, as infantry, remained in reserve on the hill, and so did Wolf. They had to deal with the wolf cavalry targeting the nks. Kam¡¯s mission was to cut down high-ranking demons, such as trolls, that were targeting the main force. ¡®Don¡¯t lose your focus just because the ice walls are up. What you need to be careful of is¡­¡¯ Something spun and violently crashed into the left ice wall. Horses fell to the ground, their front legs cut off, and the three gunmen on their saddles sprawled across the mud. The weapon was a massive boomerang made from human bones. An uruk, with its distinctive red mask, climbed onto the ice wall and grabbed the returning boomerang. ¡°Kyujin¡­!¡±a soldier yelled out. Kyujin was a member of the Kiranzuki, a title given only to the strongestbatants in the Kiral n. His specialty was using boomerangs, and the frontline human military was aware of his notoriety. The other thing they had to be careful of when breaking through was Kiral¡¯s strongest power, the Kiranzuki. Kyujin leaned back again and flexed his deformed right arm¡ªa sign of the power with which he could throw his boomerang. None other than Kaisen stood up to the uruk, leaping off the back of Lia¡¯s warhorse and flying into the air. Kyujin¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡®What is this human kid doing¡­?¡¯ Did he want topete one-on-one? The uruk believed the boy was looking down on him too much and decided to kill five soldiers in one go¡ªincluding that cocky boy. Cross Sword Style ¨C Quick-Draw Technique, Cutting Firewood. Kaisen raised the hilt of his sheathed sword above his head. At the same time, he generated explosive magical power through Mana Heart and Mana Chain. Mana concentrated in the de, but because it was confined in the sheath, cirction and dissipation couldn¡¯t take ce, and it produced overwhelming heat. Using the principle of letting out the trapped mana in an instant, he utilized the sword technique of cutting down the enemy¡ªCutting Firewood. sh¡ª Just before his boomerang entered its throwing orbit, Kyujin saw a sh of light in the darkness. ¡°What¡­?¡± The uruk¡¯s vision rotated. He felt a moment of helplessness, as if he were being grabbed by something powerful and forcibly shaken. For a moment, he thought it was magic, but strangely, he saw his own body letting go of the boomerang. ¡®I was beheaded by a kid like that?¡¯ ¡°Wow, did you just see that?¡± a soldier cried out. ¡°He killed a Kiranzuki in one blow!¡± Explosive shouts erupted from the assault team. Sharon, who took a moment to nce at the situation behind her, whistled. ¡®Not only his skills, but also his ruthless personality¡­ Anyone can see he is Kam¡¯s disciple.¡¯ Lia called out to Kaisen from far ahead, but Kaisen had to shake his head. ¡®It¡¯s already toote to go back to that horse. I went too far back.¡¯ Was he going to be isted there? No, since Wolf¡¯s ice wall was installed on a downhill slope, he could slide down the top. Kaisen demonstrated an extreme sense of bnce by climbing onto the top of the ice wall and managing to keep pace with the assault troop. ¡®That woman is also amazing.¡¯ At the forefront, Sharon¡¯s fierce actions¡ªcutting and stabbing all kinds of demons¡ªwere as brutal as Kam¡¯s. ¡®A blue afterimage follows the shes¡­¡¯ Unlike the wide swings of the Cross Sword Style, the Extreme Spider Sword Style was precise. It killed through urately stabbing the enemy¡¯s vital points. The moment he diverted his attention to Sharon, the ice wall was crushed, and he lost his footing and felt a sense of weightlessness. Killing intent washed over him. After iling helplessly in the air for a moment, he managed to regain his bearings. Jumping over the fragments of the ice wall here and there, he swung at the source of the deadly force that had shattered the ice wall below. aaaang¡ª! At first, he couldn¡¯t help but think that the thing that blocked his sh was a monster. ¡°Ha!¡± The force of the collision broke his inertia and caused him to fly back. Therge monster raised its eyebrows in satisfaction. ¡°Mide? I¡¯ve finally met a human worth fighting.¡± The massive uruk raised his hand, causing all of the other uruks to back down. ¡°Let¡¯s see how good you are with a sword, human kid.¡± * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * ¡°Let¡¯s see how good you are with a sword, human kid.¡± As soon as the monster¡¯s shout ended, a blue sh of light appeared right in front of Kaisen. Kaisen¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®Damn, what speed¡­?¡¯ The attack broke his bnce, and he barely managed to avoid the sh by rolling backward. ¡°Uha!¡± The monster praised him and slowed his pace, as if to give him some time. Kishun Giolobepe¡­ it was Kaisen¡¯s first encounter with the powerful enemy that would end his childhood. The uruk¡¯s overwhelming physique was covered in leather and fur; his shoulders were broad and strong; and his eerie face was covered in scars. ¡°This isn¡¯t your best, is it? Make me happier. Have fun.¡± Kaisen was surprised to see the uruk¡¯s dark smile. He spoke the humannguage quite well. ¡°An uruk, who is no better than a pig, speaks like a human.¡± ¡°I learned humannguage. When I meet strong people like you, I want oldoroshi? to talk to you.¡± Kishun clinked the de-shaped ws in both hands and fed his appetite for battle. His offense was unreal. Each sh was almost fierce enough to break Kaisen¡¯s wrists. If an attack missed, trees and rocks broke, and if the uruk hit the ground, craters appeared. ¡°Kwagwagwagwa¡­!¡± Dust and small stones went flying from the force of the blow, and Kaisen retreated again and again. ¡®What kind of crazy monster is this¡­?¡¯ His mouth twitched. Cold sweat covered his forehead. There were no gaps or time to counterattack. Chang, Kaang, Cheng, Kiing¡ª! Metal des danced blue and white amidst the volcanic ash, and the uruk warriors of the Kiral n watched with mouths agape. ¡®What is that human kid?¡¯ ¡®Fighting on equal footing with Kishun?¡¯ ¡®Are you saying that cutting Kyujin down in one blow wasn¡¯t a fluke?¡¯ ¡®No matter how strong he is, it doesn¡¯t matter if he doesn¡¯t hit me,¡¯ Kaisen thought as he dodged a sh narrowly enough to feel the sharp breeze past his eyes. All Kaisen could aim for was a counterattack after the uruk went in for the killing blow. He flinched back slightly. At that very moment, Kishun swung his left w wide and dominated the space. The de shed in Kaisen¡¯s eyes. Quick-Draw Sword Technique ¨C Fleet Foot. The technique did not require a connection to any other moves in the Cross Sword Style. He avoided the attack by tilting his head slightly, using the force of that tilt to guide his sword. Again, using his forward momentum, he hit the uruk in the abdomen with the end of his scabbard. ThumpÒ»! The target¡¯s guard broke down. Each person¡¯s body had a natural flow of power, and Kaisen¡¯s move was a surprise counterattack that broke the bnce of that flow in an instant by sending a Mana Chain into the enemy. ¡®Now. Gotcha.¡¯ Kishun stumbled back. Kaisen immediately swung his body around and used the rotational force to raise his sword from below. Ò»Kagagagagagak! The sounds and sensations of the impact were strange. Rather than the sound of flesh being cut, it was the sound of metal scraping off metal. All the hair on his body stood on end. ¡°Fuck!¡± Kaisen took a deep breath and kicked off the ground to widen the gap, butÒ» ¡®Ah¡­?¡¯ The tip of the uruk¡¯s kick grazed his abdomen. At least two of his ribs were shattered. The pain was so great that he rolled around on the ground in an ungainly manner. The pounding pain was enough to darken his vision. If he had been one beat or even half a beatte, the attack would have resulted in instant death. ¡°Ha!¡± Kishun whistled, looking between his stomach and Kaisen. Kaisen stood up, suppressing the pain. ¡®The move didn¡¯t work?¡¯ No, the uruk was wearing chain armor under his fur¡­ Even if he had to take the risk, he should have aimed for the chin. ¡°You even have excellent judgment. How old are you now?¡± Kishun asked. ¡°Shut up¡­¡± Kishun raised his hand, and uruks mounted on che wolves approached from all directions. A hundred cavalry? No, at least two hundred. Kaisen looked around the battlefield and took deep breaths to ease the pain from his broken ribs. Still, thanks to the dy, the ck Rose Corps seemed to have safely made it to the city¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t kill you here,¡± the uruk said. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± ¡°If you guys make it through that gate? Tohos? You must have some trick if you want to go inside the castle gate, right? So this? It seems like you are trying to use your courage to get in. If so, we wee it.¡± ¡°What scheme are you plotting, you son of a bitch?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°The humans in that castle are pathetically weak. Olbu? The humans whoe to help? They¡¯re even more pointless. I don¡¯t like that kind of battle. I¡¯m like you, no? Do you like it? I don¡¯t want it.¡± A chill ran down Kaisen¡¯s spine. He couldn¡¯t believe he felt so cold, even in the summer heat. ¡°This is the first full-fledged war in a few years, so shouldn¡¯t we enjoy it? Pabis?¡± Kishun asked. What? Was the uruk a fool? Perhaps seeing the light of doubt in Kaisen¡¯s eyes, Kishun shook his head and exined. ¡°What about you, Doroshi? Yes, I think it¡¯s worth ripening before eating. It would be a waste to kill now.¡± The way the monster said those words like a joke could only be described as eerie. Kaisen sneered and said, ¡°If you want to live a long time, then don¡¯t bluff, you fucker. If you¡¯re going to kill me, you¡¯d better kill me now.¡± Kishun nodded. ¡°You¡¯re scared. Yes, that¡¯s how a warrior should be. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to fight anymore. What if you guys go in there? The battle will be more fun.¡± After Kishun shouted something in the uruk tongue, the uruks who had surrounded Kaisenughed and retreated. ¡®What?¡¯ Were they just letting him go? It was natural to feel antipathy at that point, but to submit right away? Was he really that popr? ¡°My name is Kishun. I am Kishun Giolobepe, son of Zukan, the warchief of Kiral. In return for letting you keep your life, tell me your name.¡± Giolobepe¡­ Didn¡¯t that mean ¡®fierce storm¡¯? There was no need to hide it, so Kaisen spat and said, ¡°It¡¯s Kaisen.¡± ¡°Whose son are you?¡± In uruk society, the names of one¡¯s parents and tribe were of utmost importance. When warriors revealed their names, they always mentioned their father¡¯s name. ¡°Do you think I¡¯d tell uruk bastards, who are no better than pigs, my mother¡¯s name?¡± Kishun must have felt the fierce hatred burning in Kaisen¡¯s eyes for an instant and raised his eyebrows, feeling excitement for the uing battle. ¡°Okay, Kaisen. Then don¡¯t die until Ie to kill you. Defeat my n. The tribe is 500 paces away. This is proof that I won¡¯t attack you.¡± ¡°Really, you¡¯re fucking horrible with humannguage. Are you scared?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°Yes, I was scared! If we fight here any longer, won¡¯t you humans be dull? Err? Won¡¯t you be wiped out? Doueba, then we won¡¯t be able to enjoy the fight. Hahahaha¡­!¡± ¡®He¡­ he¡¯s just having fun?¡¯ Kaisen¡¯s mind went cold. He shouted at Kishun as the uruk turned away from him. ¡°Hey, you idiot¡­!¡± He pointed at death with the end of his sword and looked around to see a che wolf whimpering, its lower jaw cut off, and an uruk warrior wailing while holding his severed leg. ¡°What¡­ what is so fun about this that you¡¯re giggling?!¡± ¡®Mother said there was no such thing as a cool battle. She was right.¡¯ Over the past four years, he¡¯d be acutely aware of why she¡¯d never tried to teach him how to use a sword, but those uruk bastards¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t lose your temper, Kaisen.¡± Kishun, who was walking away with his back turned, defenseless, stopped, and his voice was cold and subdued. ¡°Don¡¯t hide your true nature.¡± Kaisen suddenly felt a chill. ¡°True nature?¡± ¡°When you kill someone, you do it right. Have you ever clenched your fist and said, ¡®What an amazing parry? Achidomo? Have you never had any such experience? Have you ever burst intoughter after miraculously winning a battle while outnumbered?¡± Kaisen tried to refute it, but he couldn¡¯t, so he hesitated and retreated. Such things had happened to him several times. The uruk¡¯s gaze choked him. Eyes as ck as a deep well¡­ He felt like he was being sucked into those eyes. ¡°Kaisen, you and I are Atidos! We are the same kind. We are all warriors! We can do whatever we want! Ha ha! It¡¯s the true form of humanity!¡± ¡°Humanity¡­ its true form?¡± ¡°Yes! Acknowledge your true nature and put aside reason, hahahahaha¡­!¡± Kaisen was dumbfounded. Spared by Kishun and able to enter Aristapo without bloodshed, his sword felt heavy. ¡°Kaisen.¡± The sword might as well have been a bar of lead, and his mother¡¯s voice seemed to feebly cry in his head. ¡°How do you want to use this sword?¡± ____ Chapter 14 Chapter 14 ¨C The End of Childhood, Battle of Aristapo (5) When Kaisen entered the walls of Aristapo Castle and caught up with the corps, it was already a scene of fear and chaos. The uruks who¡¯d broken through the South and North Gates massacred every living thing they could find, and blood covered the city. At a city intersection, Sharon¡¯s corps encountered hundreds of uruks swarming in like rats. ¡°Kedark! Kill everything that moves on two feet!¡± an uruk yelled out. A g made of human skin waved, and people¡¯s screams rang out. Someone beckoned from the alley beyond. She was wearing a witch¡¯s attire. ¡°Let¡¯s take you to the Temple of Sha-Memnon. There is a passage that only we know of.¡± As they rode quickly to the temple on the city¡¯s hill, they looked out over the city and saw the uruksmitting massacres at random. The cries of children looking for their mothers were silenced one by one. They also witnessed three of the garrison soldiers ughtered at the same time by an uruk¡¯s axe. ¡°Shit¡­¡± The grandeur of the Great Temple of Sha-Memnon was overshadowed by the gloom of the desecrated city. Built by a legendary dwarven architect, Bynes Son Alztahim, the cathedral did not seem to have been constructed with worldly technology, so even when a small amount of light shined in, every corner of the cathedral was brightly lit and filled with warmth. ¡¸You¡¯re here.¡¹ Even the mysterious temple felt dull inparison to the being who guarded it. Setsunen of the Lightning¡­ Everyone knew the name. He was one of the Three Heroic Dragons, thest lights shining in their age that the gods had abandoned. The dragon¡¯s brilliant golden hair seemed to capture the sun, and his eyes held a distinctive cross pattern. There were no words to describe the beauty of the dragonkin wearing an old hat, but it was not the time to admire such things. ¡¸Since time is running short, I will get straight to the point.¡¹ The fact that such a being was guarding the ce confirmed the existence of the ¡®secret weapon¡¯ the marshal had mentioned. Everyone gathered their fighting spirits. After a room sealed with severalyers of protective barriers was opened, Kaisen felt a shiver of primal awe run down his spine. ¡¸It is the egg of a light dragon.¡¹ The brilliance emanating from the shining egg nestled in red silk was great and beautiful, lighting the interior of its holding room like the sun. Godly¡­ there was no other way to describe the light. ¡°If it¡¯s a light dragon¡¯s egg, then¡­?¡± ¡¸It is a clone of Light Dragon Haraderiman, one of the Three Divine Dragons.¡¹ ¡°!¡± ¡¸As you all know, His Holiness has been losing his strength since he fell ill about 300 years ago.¡¹ Sharon sighed and muttered, ¡°Yes, the Golden Age ended after he got sick.¡± The Golden Age¡­ To Kaisen, struggling in the Dark Age, those words sounded like a distant dream. It was a time filled with only peace andughter. Was such a thing even possible? ¡¸You did note to because of its strategic value. It¡¯s all to protect this.¡¹ ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡¸The Light Dragon has been trying to create a copy of himself for a long time, but this is the only one he seeded in creating. We were worried that something might go wrong, so we were putting off transporting it until it hatched, but now we have no choice.¡¹ Setsunen¡¯s soft voice became firm andmanding.¡¸This is the hope of humanity, no, the whole world. If the Light Dragon can transfer his consciousness to this clone, Dark Age will end.¡¹ ¡°¡­!¡± ¡¸It should be close to impossible to escape with this, but isn¡¯t it a Warrior¡¯s to ovee such impossibilities, be they fake or real?¡¹ Setsunen added that they had no choice but to entrust the hope of humanity to the Warriors before closing his mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. If you take the egg and leave, you will definitely seed, right?¡± Sharon asked. ¡¸If I do that, everyone here will die.¡¹ ¡°No way, you¡­¡± ¡¸I will take the final path given to me, and I will protect this ce and buy time. Do your jobs.¡¹ There was silence. Setsunen packed the dragon egg into a chest made of willow rings. Wrapped in severalyers of sild, the egg would not break, even under a considerable impact. ¡¸I will move you all to the east with my power to those taking refuge in the underpass. Protect them and leave this city. The ¡®Old Noble¡¯ is looking for it, so hurry.¡¹ Setsunen pped his hands together with a quiet smile on his face. The operation, which Wolfter recorded as ¡®Operation Massive Sacrifice¡¯, began. It would be thest operation Kam¡¯s corps ever operated in. Bathed in golden light, Sharon experienced the bizarre sensation of her body being sucked elsewhere, and all the fatigue and wounds on her body vanished. When the light disappeared, she had settled on the eastern hill of Aristapo, where a fierce back-and-forth battle was taking ce under themand of Krauzan, involving over three million refugees. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± When Sharon ryed the full story of the incident, all of themanders present were left speechless. ¡°I guess there¡¯s no other way now.¡± The silence grew louder when Kam exined her n on how they would safely transport the dragon egg and the refugees. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Sharon asked in a shaky voice. ¡°I¡¯m sane. Even if you try to escape with so many refugees, you¡¯ll be caught in the siege of a million troops, and you¡¯ll end up dead anyway. You can¡¯t escape.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say you and I kill about 10,000 each¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s almost a million enemies, though? Are you nning on exchanging 990,000 for nothing? You said the demons woulde after that thing. You can¡¯t leave it to the main unit.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Those who need to live must be saved, and those who have been assigned a mission mustplete their mission.¡± ¡°But¡­ Wolf, you also have to say something!¡± Sharon pleaded. Wolf didn¡¯t answer. He just epted his fate of being torn away from the woman he loved with detachment. ¡°I¡¯m going to die anyway,¡± Kam said, ¡°So this is the right answer. Hey, perverted old man, take care of the rest, but leave the armored unit and artillery unit.¡± Marshal Krauzan¡¯s face was also dark. Kam volunteered to guard the trenches so that the main force and refugees could retreat safely. The ck Rose Corps would lure the enemy¡¯s detachment by transporting the dragon egg, while the White Bone Corps would take charge of the main unit¡­ What was even more surprising was that not a single one of the White Bone Corps or ck Rose Corps soldiers opposed the decision. ¡°Lady Kam, may I ask you a favor?¡± Eltoram, who had been silent, spoke. Kam nodded. ¡°Can I tell just the beastmen about the nature of this egg?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°We have lived our whole lives being criticized as cursed children from the moment we were born. It was only after we came to your side that we were treated like human beings. Knowing we are entrusted with such a noble mission¡­ we will all die happy.¡± Eltoram¡¯s voice was calm. He seemed to have already acknowledged his impending death. Kam hit the white bear¡¯s chest with her fist and said, ¡°Of course. Please tell them that they did great working under a crazy bitch.¡± Eltoram grinned. Both Kam and Wolf smiled as well. It was their farewell. ¡°Oh, Sharon, I also have a favor to ask,¡± Kam said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Kaisen¡­ that kid is a bastard with no manners or cuteness, but he¡¯s not a useless brat.¡± Sharon felt speechless at Kam¡¯s words. She was smiling, and it had been a long time since Sharon hadst seen her smile. ¡°Eltoram and Kaisen will be left with the task of guarding the egg.¡± ¡°Kam¡­¡± Sharon tried to say. ¡°If you can¡­ please ensure Kaisen makes it to the Imperial Court alive. Please.¡± * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * Eltoram, carrying the chest with the dragon egg, looked up at the sky. ¡°Rain¡­¡± Thick raindrops fell from the gloomy sky and drenched the world. Kaisen felt goosebumps going up his body. ¡®The rainy season started?¡¯ The rain signaling the beginning of midsummer was eerily ck. The falling drops washed away the volcanic ash in the sky, dyeing Kaisen and everything else beneath it pitch ck. ¡°What are you doing? The operation has already begun! Both of you, let¡¯s go!¡± The operation was a mess. If it had been a normal operation, the dragon egg would have had to be transported in a pnquin under the guard of arge army, but nothing was normal that summer. Ttooooo¡ª Ttoooooooo¡ª Ttooooooo¡ª Not long after the operation began, Kaisen felt heart-stopping pain. ¡®The trumpet call¡­!¡¯ Rather than just the sound of a trumpet, it felt like the enemy¡¯s des were already piercing their lungs. ¡°Go, Captain!¡± ¡°Leave this ce to us!¡± Jin¡¯s left army, supported by giant guns and artillery, was tasked with protecting the trenches and covering the retreat. ¡°Shoot, keep shooting!¡± ¡°Loading, loading!¡± ¡°There are no shells!¡± Kam¡¯s corps was clearly a collection of mercenaries gathered for money. However, that group was also a group gathered under one premise¡ªallies were never abandoned. That was the belief and iron principle of Kam¡¯s corps. As a result, the number of veterans who sacrificed themselves for the military unit increased. ¡°Is¡­ is anyone there¡­?¡± Eventually, they were overwhelmed during their final heroic stand, a fate they¡¯d all resigned themselves to. The uruks tore them apart, split open skulls with their axes, and trampled them with che wolves. The rain continued to pour down, washing over Rifle Jin¡¯s cooling body, his half-missing face staring nkly into the sky in death. When the Prisvia Cores on their backs exploded, their entire bodies were melted by the scalding water that came out, but those who were dead or dying could not move. Still,pared to Sharon¡¯s corps, Kam¡¯s corps was in better condition. Sharon¡¯s corps, which was selected as a decoy unit in the dragon egg cover operation, was divided into squads to disperse the uruk pursuit force. ¡°It¡¯sing from above!¡± ¡°Reorganize, reorganize!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even have time to reload!¡± The majority of Sharon¡¯s corps was torn apart by the che wolf cavalry, which tore into the organs of the dying soldiers, eating them alive. Of course, the nightmare didn¡¯t stop there. Kaisen didn¡¯t know it at the time, but the entire sacrificial operation¡¯s only goal was to protect Eltoram and kill any approaching che wolf or uruk. Eltoram was pretty lucky until they arrived upstream, where they could cross the river. An ambushing goblin¡¯s venomous crossbow bolt pierced Eltoram¡¯s shoulder. Clever goblins use poisoned arrows. ¡°Eltoram!¡± Kaisen shouted. The uruk warriors who had been hiding in the stream walked out¡ªa Kiranzuki and two others were in the lead. Kaisen looked at the enemy. ¡®There are about a hundred Kiral n elite warriors and well over five hundred goblins¡­¡¯ Could he cut them all down? Goblins were nothing special, but for every 50 uruks, there were two Kiranzuki¡­ Eltoram suddenly grabbed Kaisen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re quicker, so you go, Kaisen.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Take the dragon egg and go. Sharon will be waiting for you at Signpost 37, if all goes ording to n.¡± There was no time to argue. He handed the chest containing the dragon egg to Kaisen. Kaisen felt his breathing bing heavier. ¡°Are you¡­ confident in winning?¡± ¡°What do you make of me, the best beastman on the continent, kid?!¡± Eltoram roared with his bear head and charged at the uruks. ¡°That foolish bear¡­¡± Kaisen¡¯s fingers trembled on the hilt of his sword. Setsunen¡¯s voice rang in his head. ¡°With that egg, humanity will be able to rise again.¡± His heart ached, and Kaisen began crossing the river, avoiding the area where Eltoram and uruks were fighting. ¡°If you die before Ie back, I will kill you!¡± ShhkÒ»! Shhk, shhk, shhk, shhk, shhkÒ»! The escape was a close one. An arrow passed close to his ear and exploded. Eltoram shouted, and the arrows suddenly stopped. ¡®Eltoram is the strongest beastman in the empire. There¡¯s no way he would lose to just a hundred uruks.¡¯ That was how he convinced himself to keep going. Of course, there were only 500 demons, including 100 elite uruk warriors, but with two Kiranzuki there, Eltoram would have to be as strong as a Fake Warrior to win such a fight. Kaisen¡¯s head felt like it was on the verge of exploding. Going to the other side of the river, hurrying out of the forest road¡­ When he arrived at Signpost 37 and approached the broken intersection sign, he saw Sharon Alter Tas Alfo and Lia Riley. ¡°Kaisen!¡± Tears formed in the corners of Lia¡¯s eyes. Anyone was fine, as long as she saw a survivor. Including Sharon¡¯s mage, there were only three other soldiers there. ¡°Eltoram and the other corps are all in danger. We have to go and save them,¡± Kaisen said, out of breath. Sharon tightly closed her eyes and shook her head. ¡°This was the n from the beginning, Kaisen. Their sacrifices must not be in vain.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Everyone died to safely transport that dragon egg. Let¡¯s go.¡± Kaisen stopped breathing. ¡®Sacrifice? Dragon eggs? Everyone died?¡¯ He uncontrobly started tough, perhaps because his mind was in such turmoil. ¡°This is the n¡­? Everyone dies¡­? Because of one egg like this?¡± ¡°It was Kam¡¯s n.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh! It¡­ it¡¯s not funny, shit! Just how amazing is this egg?!¡± Kaisen suddenly picked the egg up andunched it toward the ground. It would have broken just like that, ruining humanity¡¯s hopes, had Sharon not hurriedly stepped in and plucked it out of the air. ¡°Rayboro Bridge,¡± Sharon said. ¡°If things went as nned, Kam and Wolf should be there right now.¡± The situation was urgent, so there was no time to listen to one little boy¡¯sints. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Kam. You asked me to save this guy and take him to the Imperial Court¡­ but if we get dyed in trying to persuade him, everyone¡¯s death would be in vain. If we forced him, he might go crazy from the guilt.¡¯ ¡°Rayboro Bridge¡­?¡± Kaisen immediately tried to run back the way he¡¯de. ¡°Wait, Kaisen!¡± Lia Riley grabbed the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s toote to go! it¡¯s all over!¡± ¡°Shut up¡­¡± ¡°You know the condition of Kam¡¯s hair! It waspletely gray!¡± ¡°Shut up and let go¡­¡± ¡°Even if you go and miraculously save them, it¡¯s no use! Her vitality is already gone.¡± ¡°Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up!¡± Kaisen roughly shook Lia¡¯s hand off and ran into the rain. Sharon shouted, ¡°Stop, Lia! We have to go!¡± ¡°Master, if you send him back like this¡­!¡± ¡°Hurry!¡± Running all the way to the bridge, Kaisen felt lonely. He felt the same fear he¡¯d felt four years prior¡ªthe fear of having no ce to return to and everything falling into darkness. ¡°Eltoram!¡± Kaisen shouted. Eltoram had fallen with his back against a tree. Although his chest was slowly rising and falling, dozens of arrows had pierced his chest and back. ¡°Wake up, wake up!¡± Kaisen yelled. Hundreds of uruk and goblin corpses were lying in the water just ahead. ¡°Ahaha¡­¡± A dryugh came out. Eltoram didn¡¯t even know why or how he was able to smile. ¡°You won, you won! You swept away two hundred demons by yourself and killed two Kiranzuki! You are the best beastman on the continent!¡± Kaisen eximed. ¡°This brat¡­ Keuk, keuhahaha¡­ the egg, did you hand over the egg?¡± Eltoram¡¯sughter was low and pitiful. Blood flowed from the corner of the mouth and mixed with the rainwater. ¡°Yes, so wake up! Quick! Let¡¯s go help Kam together, you bastard!¡± ¡°Having¡­ saved the most¡­ holy person¡­ in the world¡­ I am now¡­ a warrior that won¡¯t bring¡­ shame to my great ancestors¡­¡± His eyes open, Eltoram died. Kaisen was alive, but he felt his vision bing dark. His knees went weak, and his head was spinning. ¡°Hey, Eltoram¡­?¡± ¡®Why?¡¯ He felt d¨¦j¨¤ vu from when his mother died and saw the past sh before his eyes. ¡°My name is Yohan Wolf Frost.¡± ¡°Okay? Thank God¡­¡± ¡°This was the n from the beginning.¡± Kaisen gasped and jumped up. His heart felt like it was going to explode during his rapid breathing. ¡®The bridge¡­ Which side is the bridge on? Okay¡­ it¡¯s downstream. Let¡¯s go downstream.¡¯ He started running like crazy. Wind and rainden with volcanic ash hit his face, and a bitter smell lingered in his nose. ¡°No.¡± He had never thought of them as valuablepanions. ¡°No¡­¡± Why, amidst the wind and rain, were the voices of the corpsmen and the times he spent with those idiots going through his mind? ¡°No¡­¡± Rifle Jin, who said he wanted to open a gun store in the countryside after the war. Brick, a lion beastman, said he would return to his hometown and see his children. ¡®I didn¡¯t want to be friends with them.¡¯ Ten and Soldem, who were one or two years younger than Kaisen, called Kaisen their older brother and followed him¡­ he never wanted to be friends with anyone. ¡®I was afraid that this would happen one day if I made friends.¡¯ The world was a cruel and uncaring ce¡ªthe moment you realized how precious something was always intersected with the moment you lost it. ¡°NoooooooÒ»!¡± ____ Chapter 15 Chapter 15 ¨C The End of Childhood, Battle of Aristapo (6) ¡°Kai, are you awake?¡± When had hest dreamed of the smell of spring? The blue and clear sky¡­ When he opened his eyes, he felt his mother¡¯s hand stroking his head as if it were natural. ¡®Why?¡¯ When he felt such warmth and smelled the scents of spring, his eyes naturally teared up. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s the matter? Are you sick?¡± his mother asked, desperately wiping away Kaisen¡¯s tears. His mother was always like that¡ªshe always made all kinds of fuss even when her son let out even a small sigh. She was a mother who smiled like she would die of happiness if her son just smiled even a little. His mother was a blessing in his life. ¡°What? I just¡­ I think I had a bad dream.¡± ¡°A bad dream? Wait! Mom will just scold that bad dream for you ande back.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Somehow.¡± Kaisenughed at that. His mother said, ¡°You¡¯reughing,¡± and hugged him. The mother and son rolled around in the spring grass, giggling like children. Spring was brilliant. Spring, with his mother by his side, his father at home, and his older sister chatting with girls her age, was so brilliant that it brought tears to his eyes. Why had he not known it? ¡°Mom¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You have that sword. Why do you always carry it with you?¡± His mother¡¯s hands stopped while she was removing grass from his face. A bitter smile followed. ¡°Ah. You mean this? It¡¯s because¡­ someone I rea~lly loved gave it to me.¡± ¡°Dad?¡± ¡°No, not the love between lovers. If you really have to ask¡­ she was like a younger sister? Like a daughter?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know because I don¡¯t have a younger brother.¡± ¡°Are you asking your mom to give you a younger sibling? This dastardly guy.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I really hope that child can meet you someday¡­¡± His mother¡¯s smile looked sad. Her hand caressed the hilt of her sword weakly, and her eyes were turning red. ¡°If she sees your mom alive like this, she might me me. She might hate me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°All that burden¡­ I left everything behind and ran away. That child had only me.¡± The smile on his mother¡¯s face when she said that was unbearably sad. Kaisen spoke without even realizing it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom! I¡¯ll tell that person not to hate you.¡± The operation was a sess because his mother smiled brightly and hugged him. ¡°How¡­ how could he give me such a lovely son¡­?¡± At the very moment when he wasughing happily with his mother, a crack suddenly appeared in the ground, and the world began to crumble. ¡°Mom! Mom! Mom¡­!¡± He stretched out his hand in despair as he watched his mother being dragged into the crumbling ground. The Balkrush n¡¯s emblem shed across his field of vision, and a single-edged axe struck his mother¡¯s shoulder, causing blood to gush out. ¡°Aaaaa ay ttttttocclear mmmmy dddddirtied nnnname iiiiis¡­¡± While Kaisen was screaming, that bastard¡¯s voice swirled in his head. ¡°ttttttto kkkkkkill you aaaaaafter yyyyyou hhhhave bbbbbbbe aaaaaa arrior¡­¡± Kill¡­ He had to kill it. The moment he raised his mother¡¯s sword toward the voice, he gasped, and his dazzling daydream ended. * * * ¡®A dream¡­?¡¯ Was it that memory again¡­? When the dream ended, his whole body was covered in cold sweat. He let out a long sigh and tilted his head back. Kaisen was in the trenches. Due to the severity of his injuries, he was thest to wake from Setsunen¡¯s space transfer. In other words, it was still just before the ¡®Dragon Egg Sacrificial Evacuation Mission¡¯ began. Kaisen, who did not know the truth of the mission, was surprised by the busy situation, and then Kam came to visit. ¡°How old are you that you¡¯re still calling for your mother? Did you pee your pants?¡± Kam had the same hair and eyes as his mother, so she reminded him of her, although their personalities werepletely different. ¡°You never called for my mom, though?¡± ¡°You did, though?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Kaisen argued. ¡°After living as an old maid for 30 years, are you hearing hallucinations? ¡°Ha. An arrogant kid is treating me like an old maid. The world is going to the dogs.¡± Kam¡¯s gaze went beyond, toward the front, where gunshots were constantly ringing out. The port city of Aristapo was where the yellow dragon flew over the city, shining waves of sacred light and thunderbolts, and the battle of the Setsunen of the Lightning had already begun. ¡°I¡¯ll probably die today. If my master had been here instead of me, things might have been different.¡± ¡°Your master?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°Yes, my master. You already know, so what are you asking? Raminea Alter Aradamantel. Your dead mother was my teacher.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re trying hard to hide it, and you¡¯re doing a good job. If it bes known that you are the son of a deserter, you¡¯ll lose your head in an instant.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But it doesn¡¯t work in front of me. From the moment I saw this sword, or rather, the moment I saw your face, I vaguely knew that you were my master¡¯s son.¡± Raminea was a source of sadness that hung over the lives of both Kam and Kaisen. Thanks to that sadness, not a single ray of light could shine into their lives. Even when theyughed, it was overshadowed by tears. ¡°What does that mean? Why are you saying that all of a sudden?¡± Kaisen asked. Raminea was everything to both of them, and they lost everything at different times¡ªthe most precious treasure in the world. ¡°As you said, my death is approaching after living as an old maid. I may have be senile.¡± Before he could ask what nonsense she was talking about, Kam took out a shortsword in a pure-white scabbard from her belt. Kaisen was surprised. Hadn¡¯t she taken it as a guarantee four years prior? Why was she suddenly giving it back? ¡°I promised to return it after you finished learning swordsmanship. Well, I kept my promise.¡± Kaisen hesitated. His mother¡¯s sword, which he touched for the first time in four years, felt unfamiliar. He wondered if the sword had been imbued with his mother¡¯s scent, but neither his mother¡¯s scent nor her smile came to mind anymore. ¡°Hey, Kaisen.¡± Kam spoke in a voice that seemed shaky for some reason. ¡°How did Master wield that sword?¡± Normally, he wouldn¡¯t have answered, but something was different that day. Was it because he was confused by the shock that Kam was his mother¡¯s student and the surprise he felt from suddenly receiving his mother¡¯s sword again? ¡°She said the sword was given to her by the person she loved most in the world. She treated it like a treasure and carried it with her wherever she went.¡± After that, Kaisen was speechless. He couldn¡¯t even breathe for a moment because his whole body was filled with embarrassment. ¡°Really?¡± The summer wind blew, and Kam¡¯s cored cloak fluttered, revealing her white face. A smile formed at the corners of her red mouth, and tears were flowing down her cheeks. ¡°That¡¯s good¡­¡± She wasughing and crying. Kam, who, for four years, had never shown any emotion other than anger and irritation¡­ That was the first time Kaisen saw her smile, and in that one moment, he realized. Kam¡¯s smile resembled his mother¡¯s. Just like that, Kam spoke the same words as his mother, with a motherly smile on her face. ¡°Kaisen, live.¡± * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * The central army, led by Kam, became the target of Kishun¡¯s forces. The high ground was right in front of them. If they went a little, just a little farther, they would reach Rayboro Bridge, where the forest ended and the river began. If they crossed that bridge and knocked it down, it would be a victory. ¡®Fate wouldn¡¯t be called such if it could be so easily defied,¡¯ Kam thought with a bitter smile. ¡°Shoot! Kill them all!¡± Under the crossfire of the gunmen, the uruks rushed forward, using the corpses of their bullet-ridden allies as shields. Blood and flesh entangled between the uruks and the spearmen. ¡°WUHAHAHAHA!¡± Kishun let out an excited shout. ws made of meteoric iron ripped from the stars killed Kam¡¯s soldiers. ¡°Keuhuk¡­!¡± ¡°Keuuuu¡­!¡± The ws, which shed through a beastman¡¯s head, immediately struck down another rifleman, shaking the ground. The opposite set of ws tore off a spearman¡¯s body and threw their corpse into the other spearman, knocking them down. ¡°Fight harder! Soldiers of the Warrior!¡± The soldiers hesitated with instinctive fear. Kishun was a monster, a monster¡­ Even though three beastmen attacked at the same time, they were killed in one go. The soldiers¡¯ hands were sticky with cold sweat, and their legs were not responding. ¡°Tsh!¡± An urgent shout came from somewhere. ¡°There¡¯s a swordsman using a longsword!¡± A bright red sh was met with a nging sound, and uruk screams rang out. ¡°Heh¡­ hehehehe¡­¡± Kishun burst out in bloodyughter. ¡°Kaisen, there you are!¡± He ran in that direction, killing all the soldiers that stood in his way. ¡°Shibettera! He¡¯s mine!¡± Kaisen was not there. Kam, the Fake Warrior, whose white hair was caked with blood, was wielding the Great Holy Sword, Aradamantel. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Kishun tilted his head. Kishe, the adjutant of Kishun¡¯s unit and his younger brother, approached him, grinning and speaking in the uruk tongue. ¡°That¡¯s it? You want to kill that thing with Kaltake? She killed over 30,000 warriors by herself. It won¡¯t be easy.¡± ¡°No, not that one, and I don¡¯t really want to.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re scared?¡± ¡°Kishe, are you throwing your life away to eat rotten meat?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°She is already dying. I don¡¯t feel like fighting one-on-one with something on itsst legs.¡± It would have been better to just sneak in among his subordinates and kill her by surprise. If he fought under Kaltake with something like that, winning was just a matter of course, and if he lost, he would only drag down the name of his n. As Kishun assessed, Kam had already reached her limit. Kam gasped and thought, ¡®I have no vitality left. My body can¡¯t keep up with my mind.¡¯ If her life werepared to a candle, it would be barely burning, with only a little wax left. Nevertheless¡­ Spuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrtttttt¡ª! Kam¡¯s sword was swift and strong. Thousands of bloody Uruk corpsesy in her path. Not only the Kiranzuki, but also the chiefs of famous ns, were scattered on the ground without even having had a chance topete. It was natural to be frightened by such fierceness, but they continued to attack Kam from all directions. ¡°Yes, attack. Attack more! I will kill at least one more of you animals and make you apanion on the lonely road to the underworld!¡± she screamed. Suddenly, her vision went ck for a moment, and when she came to, she was flying through the air. As soon as she impacted against the trunk of a huge tree, hot blood gushed out of her throat. ¡°See, taste? There is no taste at all. She can¡¯t avoid this,¡± Kishun mumbled. Kam gasped. Through her blurred vision, she first saw a fist-sized hole in her abdomen. Above the hole, a huge Uruk stomped forward, nodding his head menacingly¡­ Kishun. ¡°Kam!¡± A scream of despair erupted. For an instant, the air froze into crystals, and all of them flew toward Kishun. ¡°Huh, a mage?¡± Kishun immediately picked up the corpse of a less-dead uruk and blocked the icicles. The uruk¡¯s body shook as he cried out in pain. The sound of crystals tearing through armor and skin was as sweet as music to Kishun¡¯s ears. ¡°He¡¯s pretty strong.¡± A nd smile appeared on his lips. That was why he was troubled¡ªhe didn¡¯t enjoy dealing with people who weren¡¯t warriors, like mages. Where on earth was Kaisen? ¡¶Ice Ring¡·Wolf made a hand sign, and ice rose up around Kam and Wolf as a blue, protective shield. The excessive use of magic put a strain on his body, causing his nose to bleed. Wolf shouted, shaking Kam¡¯s body. ¡°Kam,e to your senses, Kam!¡± Kam coughed up blood and stretched out a trembling hand to touch Wolf¡¯s cheek. She could barely speak. ¡°Why did youe here, you idiot¡­?¡± ¡®I¡¯m sorry for everything¡­¡¯ There was a lot she wanted to say, but she didn¡¯t. She knew better than anyone else that, the more she said, the deeper the wounds she¡¯d leave behind. ¡°Haha¡­ did I seem so foolish that I would run away from the woman I love?¡± Wolfughed weakly. He loved Kam, and Kam also knew it, but the two kept their feelingspletely hidden. It was a love that simply couldn¡¯t be. Above all, Kam did not want Wolf to be tied down to her, who was about to die. There was no reason to hide it anymore, at least. ¡°Destroy it!¡± ¡°Take it out and ughter it!¡± The uruks¡¯ axes impacting the ice barrier grew louder. Crack, crack craaac¡ª Wolf watched with a detached expression as cracks appeared in the ice. ¡®It will be soon.¡¯ In just a moment, the ice would break, and Kam and Wolf would face miserable deaths. If so,mitting suicide would be¡­ Since they no longer heard people screaming in thest throes of death, it was clear that the rest of the corps had been annihted. Having the same thought, Wolf pulled out his dagger. Half of the ice barrier broke away, making the uruks visible. Just when Wolf prepared to plunge his dagger into Kam¡¯s heart amidst the uruks¡¯ughter¡­ ¡°Get away from them!¡± A yell of fury came out of nowhere. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Following the cheers, uruk screams rose up. The sound of the axes stopped all at once as the uruks focused on where the yell hade from. The barrier of ice had broken in that same direction, and Wolf was able to see the source of the noise. His eyes trembled as he witnessed what could only be described as a sword demon leaping from the cliff and ughtering the uruks in his path. The first uruk was beheaded and killed; the second and third uruks were neutralized when the swordsman cut their hands off; the fourth uruk then rushed in, but the swordsman slid underneath, cutting upward and splitting the uruk apart. ¡°UHAHAHA!¡± Kishun, who was staring nkly at Wolf¡¯s ice shield,ughed so hard his whole body shook at the sight. ¡°Why¡­?¡± Wolf muttered in a daze. ¡°Kaisen¡­?¡± It was Kaisen¡ªthe boy who¡¯d joined the corps four years prior thanks to his tenacity and who¡¯d learned swordsmanship from Kam. ¡°How did that guy get here¡­?¡± ¡°Kaisen?¡± The dying Kam trembled. More than a dozen Uruk warriors copsed under the boy¡¯s de in mere moments. The uruk warriors were astonished. Kaisen, covered in red blood, looked like the incarnation of an evil spirit. The young demon, out of breath, turned his head here and there. Was he looking for someone? The very moment his eyes fell on the smiling Kishun, he kicked an uruk¡¯s severed head toward him and pointed with the tip of his sword. ¡°Ogure wi irishina ro chi Kaisen (I am Kaisen, the son of the Crimson Lotus!¡±) he roared in the uruk tongue. Everyone there, on that battlefield, could hear and understand him. ¡°Hishime ki KALTAKE ro gimarasu (I request KALTAKE from you)!¡± It was the same call for Kaltake Raminea Alter Aradamantel had used to save her son four years prior. ____ Chapter 16 Chapter 16 ¨C The End of Childhood, Battle of Aristapo (7) ¡°The Crimson Lotus?¡± ¡°Crimson Lotus¡¯s son?¡± The uruk warriors mumbled the name in confusion. Was there an uruk who didn¡¯t know who the Crimson Lotus was? If there was someone who was more shocked than the uruks, it was Wolf. ¡°If it¡¯s the Crimson Lotus, then that means¡­ He¡¯s the leader¡¯s son?¡± What Kam said about half a year prior shed through his mind. ¡°This shortsword¡­ I gave it to my master as a gift.¡± His mind wentpletely nk. Had she been telling the truth? Kaisen was the son of Captain Raminea¡­ Suddenly, a burst ofughter welled up from deep within him. ¡°Yes, so she was happy, in the end.¡± Everyone in the corps respected her and prayed for her happiness¡­ The answer to their prayers was Kaisen. ¡®Wait a minute, doesn¡¯t that mean¡­¡¯ Wolf was startled and looked down at Kam, who was wheezing with difficulty. She had been particrly harsh to Kaisen. ¡°He is the Crimson Lotus¡¯s son¡­?¡± A smile formed on Kishun¡¯s lips. He shouted at the uruk warriors who were surrounding Kaisen, forcing them to retreat. ¡°Where is the proof that you are the Crimson Lotus¡¯s son?¡± Kaisen responded with a nce toward the blood-covered uruk bodies he¡¯d left in his wake. Just as his mother did that day, he would protect his most precious treasure. ¡°Hahahaha! I like it! I like it very much! Yes, this is as it should be!¡± Kishun had a habit of getting excited in front of his opponents. Kishe, his adjutant and younger brother, who knew this well, spoke in the oldnguage. ¡°Wait, Kishun, even if you have the skill to fight such an opponent, there¡¯s no guarantee that he¡¯s the Crimson Lotus¡¯s son.¡± ¡°No, there is. Take a good look at his cheek.¡± ¡°Hmm? The Balkrush n¡¯s emblem?¡± Since Balkarro became the chief, they had been reigning as the top n, overtaking the Kiral n. ¡°Balkarro, that guy came to visit my father. I overheard that he killed the Crimson Lotus,¡± Kishun said. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°I recall him saying the method wasn¡¯t very honorable? He let her son live and told Father not to touch him until he became a warrior, saying he was his prey.¡± Kishe let out augh. There were more than enough reasons to ept the Kaltake. To put it briefly, it was killing two birds with one stone. ¡°Isn¡¯t it an honor to kill the Crimson Lotus¡¯s son?¡± ¡°By touching Balkarro¡¯s prey, we can even make him attack us first,¡± Kishun added. Kishe burst intoughter and nodded. Without any technical instructions, he led the uruk soldiers and secured a ce for the duel. ¡°Greeshe (I ept it),¡± Kishun said. Thunderous shouts poured out from the Uruk warriors. ¡°WUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!¡± The cheers were so great that the area shook. Wolf shouted in desperation. ¡°Stop it, Kaisen! We¡¯re okay, so go! You have to live!¡± ¡°What is the first rule of the corps?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°You never abandon yourrades.¡± Wolf trembled once again. When he thought about it, Kaisen had an uncanny resemnce to their former leader¡ªfrom his reckless personality to his facial expressions when faced with the lives and deaths of hisrades¡­ ¡°Wait a minute while I stop the bleeding, Kam,¡± Wolf said. Kaisen unsheathed the sword from his belt and held it firmly with his right hand; then, he crossed the des to make a cross before ncing back at Wolf and saying, ¡°I¡¯m going to kill this bastard and take you both with me.¡± Kishun rolled his shoulders and rxed. Rainwater ran down his ws, reflecting the light of the sun. ¡°Please don¡¯t disappoint me. Son of the Crimson Lotus, Kaisen!¡± What did he hold the sword for? Kaisen thought about his mother¡¯s question from his childhood. ¡°How does our Kai want to use this sword?¡± ¡®Mother, how do I want to use the sword? At a moment like this? Truly, I wanted to use it in a moment like this, exactly like the day you left.¡¯ ¡°Mom¡¯s most precious treasure in the world.¡± Tight tension led to suffocating tension, and tension led to bloating, a tightness in the abdomen. Kaisen¡¯s heart beat quietly as he stood facing Kishun in the pouring rain. Light flickered wildly in their eyes. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The next moment, at the point where thebatants met, metal shed, and a horrifying sound screeched out. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * aaaang¡ª! Rain and wind exploded outward with sparks. Kaisen, holding his sword in his left hand and his scabbard in his right hand, attacked first. ng, ng, thump, ng¡ª Deflecting the iing ws away with his scabbard, he cut with his de, blocked the other w with the scabbard, and then pushed Kishun back. ¡°UHAAAAAA!¡± ¡°Amazing!¡± The uruk warriors were truly amazed. The shock was bound to be even greater for Wolf, who had been watching Kaisen for a long time. ¡®A draw? Against the next chief, Kishun?¡¯ In theory, it was possible. The Cross Sword Style was a sword dance¡ªswordsmanship that tricked the opponent through abination of dance-like moves. ¡®It is also a counter technique that turns the power of an overwhelmingly strong opponent back on them.¡¯ That would only be possible if the opponent followedmon sense, right¡­? ¡°HUAAAAAAA¦«¦§¦§¦§¦§Ò»!¡± Kishun swung both ws in one breath with great enthusiasm. He crossed his arms and tried to crush Kaisen. Cross Sword Style ¨C 1st Form, Full Circle. Kishun¡¯s blow should havended, but it didn¡¯t. Metal shed with a dull thump, creating sparks from the friction of their passing. ¡°Listen carefully, the Cross Sword Style is a technique of connections.¡± Cross Sword Style- 2nd Form, Pierce. Defense suddenly turned into offense. The sharp edge of Kaisen¡¯s de shed. Kishun quickly leaned back, but the tip of the boy¡¯s sword had already grazed his eyebrow. ¡®No way¡­?¡¯ ¡®An effective blow on Kishun¡­?¡¯ ¡®A human kid like that¡­?¡¯ The uruks could no longer cheer. They just nervously watched Kaisen¡¯s shy swordy. ¡°Impressive. Very impressive.¡± Kishun took a step back and let out a darkugh. The taste of the blood flowing from his eyebrow was sweet. His blood¡­ his blood is boiling. Kishun loved fighting at the border of life and death. At times like that, he felt that he was more alive than ever. ¡°This is it. What is a fight? Like this? It¡¯s supposed to be fun? This is the real fight!¡± Again, Kishun rushed forward and thrust his left w at Kaisen. At the same time, he swung his right w horizontally. Kaisen kicked the ground and jumped into the air to avoid the blow. The sight of the ws passing right under his eyes was terrifying. With the momentum of his body, he spun like a top and drove a deep sh into the uruk¡¯s¡¯ right shoulder. ¡°KUAAAAAAAHHH!¡± Kishun let out a groan that was almost like a scream. Kaisen spoke from a distance, crossing his sword and scabbard again. ¡°If you wanted to live long, you should have killed me. You heard me back then, right?¡± In response to Kaisen¡¯s unexpected provocation, the uruks waved their fists and cheered for Kishun. ¡°Ro Robishie!¡± ¡°Gotake derma!¡± The sound, all those sounds¡­ They were just a buzz in the dying Kam¡¯s ears. ¡®I¡¯m sick of it now¡­¡¯ Kam originally did not like the world of swords. Even being born into a swordsman family was a curse to her. ¡°Kam, the Fake Warrior wille looking for a disciple today. You should note out. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± Kam was a maid. She was not a being born out of love, but a being born out of lust and pleasure. Was that why the world was so cold? Was it inevitable that it would be cold, dark, and cruel? She didn¡¯t even have the courage to seek death but just hoped that she would get sick and die quickly. It certainly was that way¡­ until she met Raminea. ¡°And who is this child?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to see that. Rather than that¡­¡± ¡°Is ¡®that¡¯ your name? Isn¡¯t that a bit too much for a father?¡± Ignoring the embarrassed head of the family, Raminea approached Kam, who was squatting in the corner, and made eye contact with her. ¡°Hello, my name is Raminea. What¡¯s your name?¡± The smile when she said that was so dazzling, warm, and touching¡­ Tears welled up in Kam¡¯s eyes, as she had never received such a smile before. ¡°Kam¡­¡± ¡°Kam? Oh, my goodness. That¡¯s a really cute name. The face is cuter, though.¡± Raminea smiled brightly and stretched out her hand to Kam. ¡°Kam, do you want to go with me?¡± It wasn¡¯t just a hand¡ªit was a beam of light shining into the darkness. It was a torch of dawn that brightened the endless night. ¡°Yes¡­!¡± She didn¡¯t ask about her talent with the sword; she didn¡¯t ask about aptitude, characteristics, or potential. Raminea simply looked at Kam for who she was and chose her as her disciple. If loving a person without a reason was a mother¡¯s privilege, then to Kam, Raminea was her mother. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be my disciple, Kami.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Being a Fake Warrior¡­ It¡¯s not worth doing. I don¡¯t want to leave a heavy burden on you.¡± Kam tried desperately, swung her sword, and worked on her footwork until she copsed from exhaustion. She wanted to be her disciple. If she became her disciple, she would be able to stay by her side forever. She would be a unique being in the world. That was all she wanted in life. ¡°Master. This¡­ is a birthday present.¡± ¡°Oh my, such a pretty thing¡­ What should I do? I¡¯m so happy right now that I¡¯m crying.¡± ¡°I saved up little by little to buy it. You might not like it because you have a holy sword.¡± ¡°No! I will treasure it for the rest of my life¡­¡± Her master was a hero. She was the light, not only for Kam, but also for the world. Countless talented people gathered under her, thrilled by her brilliance, and Kam was able to meet countless people under her master. She believed that the peace wouldst forever. She had a dream of living with her master in peace after the war, but the world didn¡¯t care for dreams. ¡°She died in battle.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Sorry¡­ In the end, in the end¡­ to defeat the Avatar-level demon¡­¡± The light. The light of the world had disappeared. Kam lost the will to live that day. Holy Sword Aradamantel, which could be said to be a keepsake from her teacher, was passed down to Kam. She cut again and again; killed and killed again, and put the hatred of losing her teacher into her de. She¡¯d nned to live and die like that, believing her death was gradually approaching. ¡°Give it back¡­ It¡¯s my mother¡¯s one and only keepsake¡­¡± Then that kid, her teacher¡¯s son, appeared. He resembled her teacher with his eyebrows, gaze, bodynguage, and even facial expressions while crying to the point she found it painful to deal with him. ¡°Teach me how to use the sword¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t leave him alone. She¡¯d tried to scare him away and make him not even think about picking up a sword, but he kept attacking her, even though she wanted him to live a normal life. It was clear that, if he continued like that, he would go somewhere and die, so she ended up teaching him. She began to conserve her strength during battles. She hadn¡¯t much time left, but she wanted to live for as long as possible. She wanted to live a little longer¡­ just until she taught the sword she learned from her teacher to her teacher¡¯s son. She gave no affection, though. No, she was jealous and treated him harshly so that she wouldn¡¯t like him¡ªso that he didn¡¯t suffer like she did. She knew better than anyone else¡ªbetter than anyone else in the world¡ªthe pain of being left alone. If he went through that kind of pain twice, he might die. This was her repayment to her teacher. It was true that she was jealous of him because she thought he had stolen her teacher¡¯s love, but that was not why she treated him harshly. All of it was for him, who was destined to be separated from her in the near future. That was why¡­ It was definitely like that¡­ In the face of death, Kam felt her eyes heating up. The world blurred. ¡®Why, you¡­? Why did youe to save me¡­?¡¯ ¡°La Kam Tel Kaisen Kidero Belru.¡± The echo of those memories was broken by Wolf¡¯s absent-minded muttering. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it! Kam! That¡¯s it!¡± Wolf eximed. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°¡®La Kam tel kaisen kidero belu.¡¯ It¡¯s a proverb of the dragon people.¡± Wolf¡¯s voice shook with excitement, and tears welled up in his eyes. ¡°It means that every meeting is a fate given by the gods as a gift.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Kam, the leader named her own son with you in mind!¡± Ò»Crrraaaaaassssshhhhh! The sound was so loud that it felt like their eardrums would be torn apart. Kaisen hit the ground and stepped back with all his might, panting for breath. His wrist felt like it was going to break. ¡®There is no chance of winning if I keep directly going against him. I have toe up with another n.¡¯ With his next blow, Kaisen redirected his de into a tree to his left. ¡°¡­!¡± Large and small pieces of wood broke into countless fragments and rained down like bullets, forcing Kishun to cross his arms in order to protect his face. Using that moment, Kaisen jumped and targeted that momentary opening with a decisive blow. ¡®This bastard¡­¡¯ The moment Kaisen jumped, Kishun uncrossed his arms and pulled back with all his might, preparing to kill the boy. Even though a small chip stuck in his chin and a long piece of wood went deep into his left eyeball, he was still smiling. Wolf¡¯s urgent cry echoed out. ¡°Kaisen!¡± Kaisen quickly crossed his sword and scabbard and switched from offense to defense, but it was already toote. The ws impacted directly against the metal of Kaisen¡¯s sword, which screamed from the force of the blow and broke. Kaisen¡¯s scabbard also shattered, scattering wood and sword fragments through the air. ¡®HuhÒ»?¡¯ It hurt. The joints in his wrists and arms felt like they¡¯d been ripped apart. If he hadn¡¯t been thrown far away by the force, his bones would have shattered. He felt the pain of his internal organs being torn apart. ¡®Wake up. Wake up quickly.¡¯ Kaisen rolled several times, coughed blood, and tried to get up while doing his best to catch his breath. ¡®Even my eyes hurt¡­¡¯ A sword fragment was lodged in his forehead, and his vision was red and blurry as blood covered his sight. In the fading light, he saw Kishun walking toward him. ¡°It¡¯s the end. Was it great?¡± Kishun asked. It was really over. Even if he tried to stand up, what could he do if he didn¡¯t have a sword? ¡°Son of Crimson Lotus? Kaisen¡­¡± Kaisen¡¯s eyes trembled. His heartbeat elerated. ¡°I will remember your name, my friend.¡± Step, step¡ª Kishun raised his w for the killing blow. Whoong¡ª Wolf¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®What the¡­?¡¯ In the epicenter of the sudden, dazzling light was the Great Holy Sword, Aradamantel. Whoong, whoong, whoong, whoong, whoong¡ª Like a beating heart, bright-red energy danced on the silver-white sword. It was the de¡¯s unique energy. Wolf was thrilled. ¡®No way. The holy sword¡­ is crying on its own?¡¯ The Great Holy Sword only sang when held by its chosen owner. ¡®Who¡¯s holding you now, Aradamantel? The sword floated into the air on its own, leaving red afterimages fluttering beautifully in the wind and rain¡ªright into Kaisen¡¯s hand. As if time itself were stopped, Kaisen saw everything urately and clearly. ¡°Guh¡­?¡± Uruks fiercely howling¡­ Kishun trying to put an end to the match¡­ The weight of Great Holy Sword Aradamentel flew into his hand, and it cried out as he caught it. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 ¨C The End of Childhood, Battle of Aristapo (8) ¡°Aradamantel¡­?¡± For some reason, the sword was as light as his mother¡¯s shortsword. It was definitely his first time holding it, but it felt like the sword was guiding him. ¡°Cut.¡± the sword seemed to be saying. A red line that otherwise wouldn¡¯t have been visible crossed the air, showing him the shortest trajectory he needed to swing the sword to cut off Kishun¡¯s head. It was a line that only peak experts, like Raminea and Kam, could see. The line flickered, as if telling him it wasn¡¯t the time to panic. ¡°AaaaaaahhhhÒ»!¡± Kishun¡¯s ws closed in on him. The uruks cried out, expecting to see their leader victorious. ¡°Aaaaa!¡± Kaisen swung his sword, and the Great Holy Sword, Aradamantel emitted a devastating red brilliance¡ªsword aura. The energy stretched out and burned Kishun¡¯s ws as it cut off his hands, prated into his muscles, rose at an angle, and sliced through his spine before emerging out the other side. aaang¡ª! After the longsword finished its arc, only one person was left alive¡ªKaisen. Catching his breath and holding Aradamantel at a lowered angle, the boy looked at his opponent¡¯s body. The uruk, Kishun, the eldest son of the Kiral n¡¯s chief and the top candidate for the next chief, was missing his head. Kishun¡¯s headless body stumbled for a few long moments, blood foaming at the stump of his neck, as if unable to ept its sudden death. The uruk¡¯s battered head spun through the wind and rain in the air before thumping into the wet dirt on the ground. Kishun¡¯s eyes were distorted in shock. The body fell to the ground a moment after the head, and an earth-shattering sound echoed out. Silence fell. The uruks, who had been cheering and confident of victory just moments prior, froze in silence. During Kaisen¡¯s fatal sh, even the rain seemed to hold its breath. It had since resumed and even intensified into a full downpour. Kishun¡¯s younger brother, Kishe, fell down as his knees gave out. ¡°Ketakose¡­!¡± an uruk howled. It meant, ¡°Kill.¡± Words calling for death filled the forest and sky, and half of the uruks raised their weapons in anger. ¡°Ketakose¡­!¡± ¡°Ketakose¡­!¡± The situation took a turn for the worst. Kaisen had no strength as the uruks surrounded him. All he could do was raise the tip of Aradamantel¡¯s sword. It was the same for Wolf¡ªthe uruks seemed intent on taking out their anger over Kishun¡¯s death on Kam and Wolf. The uruks approached and raised their axes, and Wolf felt his hand tremble on the hilt of his dagger. At that desperate moment, the uruks of the Kiral n blocked the other uruks, ordering them to follow the ancientws. A strange situation unfolded in the pouring rain as the uruks turned on each other. ¡°Sheketase (Stop)!¡± Kishe shouted. Internal fighting among the uruks threatened to break out, and all the uruks focused on the words and actions of the warrior second only to Kishun. ¡°Are you nning on bing just like those Balkrush bastards?¡± Kishe asked. The uruks protested. Were they going to let the bastard who killed Kishun live? ¡°That guy won in a Kaltake, so he¡¯s in the right.¡± For what felt like an eternity, the uruks red at Kaisen and Wolf, but they eventually lowered their weapons one by one. ¡°Jekia, Roke no kirmea.¡± Kishe ordered quietly, and an uruk soon came with a horse that had clearly been stolen from a human. ¡°ording to thews of Kaltake, I will not pursue you for another half a day.¡± Kishe approached Kaisen, both hands raised. It seemed that he had no intention of fighting. ¡°Also, the Kiral n will protect this bridge so that other uruks cannot cross it.¡± Kaisen took a moment to internally trante Kishe¡¯s words into the human tongue before sarcastically replying in the uruks¡¯nguage. ¡°You¡¯re being uncharacteristically gentlemanly.¡± ¡°If I were dead, Kishun would have done the same. We of the Kiral n are different from scum like the Balkrush n.¡± Kishe¡¯s voice trembled with sadness and anger, but he still did not attack. He continued. ¡°It would be better to leave quickly before I set out to kill you, Kaisen, son of the Crimson Lotus.¡± Kaisen and Wolf exchanged nces and then strapped Kam onto the horse¡¯s back. Wolf took the reins, and Kaisian retrieved Aradamantel¡¯s scabbard before leading the way. Kaisen crossed the bridge, and the Kiral uruks guarding the way stepped aside and thumped their chests in respect. ¡°It¡¯s so unlike them,¡± he muttered through gritted teeth. In uruk society, truth could only be found in strength, and only the victors were worthy of worship and friends. The Uruks recognized Kaisen¡¯s strength and showed him respect. [At the time, Kishun was a warrior who would have be the chief of the Kiral n, and although he was not as famous as Balkarro, he had a great reputation in uruk society. At the end of his childhood, Kaisen defeated such a warrior with his sword¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be strange if the uruks didn¡¯t show respect?] * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * Kaisen was victorious, but he also had deep internal wounds. Wolf spoke to the boy, who was limping ahead of him. ¡°Kaisen¡­?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Aradamantel heavy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just so-so, hmm¡­¡± Wolf was perplexed. The Great Holy Sword, Aradamantel, could only be held and wielded by its chosen proxy, and it waspletely impossible for others to carry it. That Kaisen could lift it was proof that he was chosen¡­ Wolf couldn¡¯t help butugh in disbelief. ¡®Yes, I see¡­¡¯ Aradamantel had chosen Kaisen as its new master¡ªthe leader¡¯s son and Kami¡¯s disciple. The old master of Aradamandel reached out and touched Wolf¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Put me down¡­¡± ¡®Oh¡­¡¯ He still had to suffer the tears of a rtionship being cut off. Wolf held Kam in his arms and sat her down on a dried pine tree trunk. ¡°What are you doing, Wolf? We have to go quickly! There¡¯s no time to rest when she¡¯s bleeding like this¡­!¡± Kaisen yelled. Wolf shook his head. ¡°Kaisen, Kam can¡¯t be saved now.¡± ¡°How do you know that? Who decided that?¡± Kam¡¯s eyes were cold, and blood constantly gushed out of her abdomen. She could smell the coppery scent of blood in her hair. Kaisen recalled the night his mother had died and how he¡¯d dug her grace as he cried all night¡ªeverything ovepped. ¡°Is she dying¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is Kam dying¡­?¡± Kaisen asked again, choking down tears. Why¡­was it that he hadn¡¯t cried in four years, but tears would not stop welling up for the woman who had only bullied and cursed at him? Wolf answered, ¡°Kaisen, this is what I think, but Kam treated you harshly because you are our leader¡¯s son.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll soon have to say goodbye, so don¡¯t be too caught up in your grief yet¡­¡± ¡®Don¡¯t say it.¡¯ Kam choked on blood. ¡®If you tell him that¡­ what use¡­ was all I¡¯ve done so far¡­? What would it make¡­ of all the curses that brat heard from me?¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t joke, stop it!¡± Kaisen grabbed Kam¡¯s shoulders and weakly shook her. ¡°You were just jealous of me! You thought I stole your mentor away! I know it already! So stop this nonsense!¡± The rain ran down the boy¡¯s face in tear-shaped droplets. ¡°Hey, Kaisen¡­¡± Kam opened her trembling lips. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything until now¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, don¡¯t apologize! Just swear at me like you always do! Why is it not stopping? The blood, blood, blood¡­!¡± Her sight blurred. She saw the boy¡¯s tearful face as he desperately pressed on her wounds¡ªa face so simr to the teacher she deeply loved. ¡°Our Kami is really cute.¡± She could even hear her voice. In the coldness of death, voices from the past warmly settled into her heart. ¡°N-no way!¡± ¡°But you¡¯re really cute. I want to have children just like you in my life.¡± What had she said? Even the thought probably made her jealous back then. She¡¯d been afraid that, if her master had children, she¡¯d be relegated to the background. ¡°Don¡¯t Fake Warriors promise not to marry? There¡¯s no way something like that would be possible.¡± Ah, so that¡¯s what she¡¯d said. Her master had affectionately patted her on the head and given her a bright smile. ¡°After I have children and they learn to do things, I will introduce you as my sister.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Then that kid will follow you around and call you their auntie, right? I can already imagine their cute toddling¡­¡± It was a trivial dream for ordinary people, but for them, women who bloomed and fell in the world of swords, it was a daring and distant dream. ¡°There might even be a time when the child goes crying to you,ining that I¡¯m not giving him snacks¡­¡± ¡°You won¡¯t give him snacks¡­?¡± ¡°Listen. When that happens, Kami, you have to secretly give him snacks and say, ¡®It¡¯s a secret from me¡¯, okay? Then you can nod to each other and smile.¡± Along with the echoes of memories, a dream that could never be sparkled before Kam¡¯s eyes. She dreamed of Raminea¡¯s sandwiches¡­ of herself and her teacher sitting on a greenwn, nibbling on those sandwiches while Kaisen yed. Her thoughts became muddled. ¡®If¡­ if the world had been a little more peaceful, would I have been able to see and experience such a day for myself, Master?¡¯ ¡°Wolf¡­ Wolf, why are you just standing still? Come on, hurry up and use your magic,¡± Kaisen said. ¡°Kaisen¡­¡± ¡°All you have to do is freeze the wounded area. Once the bleeding stops, as long as we can get to a priest or witch, if you can get the dragon blood serum, we can heal her again!¡± Wolf didn¡¯t say anything. He tasted the blood seeping from his chewed lips as he helplessly stood there. Even if he tried to save her, it was no longer possible. From the hair on her head to the hair on her eyebrows, it was all white. That meant she¡¯d used all of her vitality. ¡°I don¡¯t have any time left, so don¡¯t ask questions, and just listen,¡± Kam said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have time? We just need to fix this!¡± Kaisen argued. ¡°What¡­ what do you think of yourself¡­?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you just someone who can wield a sword well? Or¡­ are you the Fake Warrior¡¯s disciple¡­?¡± Since she could no longer be with him anymore, she would tell him what needed to be told. As a teacher to a student, just as she had inherited it, she hoped her words and will would be inherited by him as well. Kaisen shook his head. ¡°Damn it, why are you asking about that now?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking because it¡¯s important¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not important! It¡¯s not important at all! Just shut up and start walking! Get on the horse!¡± ¡°You know¡­ When this war ends¡­ leave the sword behind and go. It¡¯s better if the person you love is with you¡­¡± ¡®After the war¡­?¡¯ Was that even possible? Kaisen was afraid of those words. It was overwhelming and foreign. He couldn¡¯t think of anything. ¡°Be happy in a ce where no one knows you and where there is not the slightest smell of blood.¡± That was Kam¡¯s dream. She¡¯d given up on that dream, leading to those final moments. Her tone when she spoke of her unreachable dream seemed sad but wistful. ¡°Someday, when we meet in paradise, tell me and your mother how happy you lived.¡± Kaisen¡¯s breath caught in his chest. ¡®H¡­ happiness? Living happily in this world where there¡¯s nothing but sadness? How?¡± ¡°Promise me you will¡­¡± Happiness seemed like a joke. It sounded like a daydream, like an old fable. Kaisen remained silent. No, he didn¡¯t want to answer. The moment he answered, he felt that something precious would slip away, just like how his mother left that day. ¡°If you promise me this, I will allow you¡­ to tell whomever you meet, wherever you go¡­¡± Something warm stroked Kaisen¡¯s head as he despaired¡ªKam¡¯s hand. She had onest lesson for Kaisen as his teacher. She gave a dazzling smile that resembled his mother¡¯s. ¡°You¡­ you¡­ are¡­ the disciple chosen and raised by Kam Alter Aradamantel¡­¡± ¡®I¡¯m sorry for not being able to keep my promise to you. Aradamantel. I ask for your help in protecting my disciple, who will be left alone in this cruel world.¡¯ ¡°Live¡­ Live and be happy, Kaisen. Please take care of Aradamantel.¡± After that, silence gripped the world, punctuated by the thud of a hand hitting the mud after having lost thest of its warmth. Like her mentor, Kam died with a smile on her face for those she¡¯d left behind. The rain showed no signs of stopping¡ªit poured from the eyes of the boy weakly shaking his teacher¡¯s hand and from the eyes of the young man kneeling in despair as he looked at the body of the woman he loved. It rained and rained and rained. * * * ¡¸Did Kam really choose that child?¡¹ Within the Dragon Spirit Hall, the headquarters of the Church of the Light Dragon and the Imperial Court, those of extremely high status gathered. Wolf answered, ¡°Yes, Your Excellency, I saw it with my own eyes. If you don¡¯t believe me, try swinging Aradamantel.¡± There were five cardinals in the church, referring to the five yellow dragons of the Sage Dragons, and they made decisions after consulting with other officials on behalf of the ailing Light Dragon. They were called the five pirs of the Imperial Court, and when they gathered for a meeting, they became the Five Pirs Council. ¡¸But isn¡¯t that child a boy? He¡¯s even the child of a deserter. Could such a person use the power of the holy sword on the right path?¡¹ Cardinal Hargon expressed concern. Wolf looked straight at her and bowed. ¡°That merely means that he inherited the blood of the greatest Fake Warrior of all time, and he received the best education from her student, the next-greatest Fake Warrior.¡± ¡¸¡­!¡¹ ¡°I think it would be an immeasurable loss to humanity if we were to give up on such a being based on gender alone.¡± The cardinals fell silent. Cardinal Parrem asked, ¡¸Is there anyone who can vouch for the child? Someone who can take responsibility, should anything go wrong?¡¹ ¡°I will vouch for the child,¡± Wolf said without hesitation. ¡¸Although you are illegitimate, you are a prince of the northern regions, the bloodline of the Duren Family, and a member of the Crimson Lotus¡¯s corps. Your qualifications are sufficient. However, to ensure validity, two or moreÒ»¡¹ Cardinal Yoshhar intervened.¡¸I also vouch for the boy.¡¹ He had loved Raminea like a daughter, and Yoshhar had been the one to send the liaison to Kaisen¡¯s hometown of Land¡¯s End Vige. If it weren¡¯t for Yoshhar, Raminea would have been taken in without any grace period, without being able to enjoy the happiness of a family. ¡¸Yoshhar?¡¹ ¡¸This is the child that Raminea protected with her life. Kam chose him as her disciple. I want to trust them, and I take full responsibility for any problems that arise.¡¹ Yoshhar quietly closed her eyes. ¡®Raminea, this is thest favor I give you. Now rest in peace.¡± ¡¸It is decided.¡¹ Cardinal Enricht, who had remained silent until then, opened his eyes. ¡¸Kaisen, Kam¡¯s disciple and the son of Raminea, will be allowed to enter the Temple of the Sword of Bravery so that he can be a Fake Warrior like his mother and teacher.¡¹ * * * Wolf had frozen Kam¡¯s body, so it did not rot. She was cremated in the Imperial Court¡¯s First Chapel so that her body would not be imed by the abyss. She was reduced to ashes and scattered after the rain stopped. Wolf took the handful of her bone fragments that remained and silently froze them into a delicate work resembling snow crystals. He split the crystals and worked a silk thread through them to make a pair of nes. After hanging one of the nes around Kaisen¡¯s neck and the other around his own, he said, ¡°Kaisen, you said you remember where your mother¡¯s grave is, right?¡± Wolf looked calm. Even though his heart must have been torn from the pain of losing his beloved lover, he remained stoic. Kaisen continued to cry and answered, ¡°I nted an acorn there.¡± ¡°Kaisen, let¡¯s take Kam there.¡± Wolf hugged the boy. It was the first time his voice had shaken, and tears flowed from his eyes. ¡°After you be a Fake Warrior¡­ let¡¯s go together¡­ so Kam can rest next to her master¡­¡± Wolf breathlessly cried. Kaisen¡¯s tears renewed. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± In the end, Wolf defended Kaisen¡¯s strong desire to be a Fake Warrior and registered him in the ¡®Temple of the Sword of Bravery¡¯. After the funeral, Kaisen walked with Wolf to the Imperial Court¡¯s main gate. ¡°When we meet again,¡± Wolf said, ¡°I would be happy to be able to call you ¡®Kaisen Alter Aradamantel¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Stop crying. You¡¯re not that kind of person, right? We¡¯ll meet again. I remember when I originally parted with Kam here.¡± ¡°Wolf¡­¡± ¡°I will go to my hometown in the north for a while and then return to the front lines. I need to study again. Knowledge is like a de, and if you don¡¯t keep sharpening it, it bes dull.¡± Wolf patted Kaisen on the shoulder. Kaisen¡¯s gaze rested on the ne around Wolf¡¯s neck. Wolf gave a bitter smile. ¡°I will never love any other woman in the future. Kaisen, there is absolutely no shame in a man loving only one woman in his life.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I pray that you will meet a woman like that. This is goodbye. The instructor from the ¡®Temple of the Sword of Bravery¡¯ wille pick you up soon.¡± Wolf turned around, hiding his sadness behind a slight grin. Kaisen watched his benefactor¡¯s departure in bewilderment before kneeling down on the ground and bowing. Even after Wolf disappeared, his forehead remained in contact with the ground for a long time, and his body shook as tears streamed down his face. Just like that, thest day of his 17th year came to an end. At 18, the boy was still in the bloody world of the sword, and the summer continued. ____ Chapter 18 Chapter 18 ¨C Origin, Kaisen Alter Aradamantel (1) After seeing Wolf off, Kaisen aimlessly wandered in the garden of the Imperial Court. Wolf had told him, ¡°The instructor from the ¡®Temple of the Sword of Bravery¡¯ wille pick you up soon.¡± The Light Dragon¡¯s garden was beautiful and golden. Even though it was not the correct season, the fruits on the peach trees gave off a sweet fragrance, making it all seem like a hazy dream. What caught Kaisen¡¯s attention over the out-of-this-world scent was a god¡¯s statue shing with golden light in the distance. [Dragon Sage, Rain Ludwig.] The statue was 14 meters high and 25 meters in circumference, featuring a wise man made of gold gazing majestically across the garden. The pedestal held a long inscription engraved in bold letters. Kaisen narrowed his eyes and tried to look at the words, but he could not read the dragon tongue. An unfamiliar voice read the inscription for him. ¡°Everything humanity hoped for from the gods, everything the gods wanted to give humans, the Dragon Sage, Lane Ludwig, provided in their stead.¡± The first thing that caught Kaisen¡¯s eye when he looked to the side in surprise was the white hair. Next, he noticed the golden eyes under the white hair. Going by her bronze skin, she was from the continent of Adrion. That aside, she was physically simr to Kam and Raminea. In short, she was a Fake Warrior. ¡°Do you know what this means?¡± she asked. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a promise that, if you work hard, you will get a reward. The gods promise that no one will be able to steal that reward.¡± The unknown Fake Warrior scoffed and then shook her head. ¡°They say the peace brought about by dragonkin such as Kars Dragonia and Halls Drakyus was a Golden Age for the humans living peacefully in that era. Rain Ludwig created the Silver Age to follow the Golden Age. We cannot even begin to imagine what such an era was like.¡± ¡°Who are you¡­?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°My name is Olliere Dune Jeraye. I¡¯m the chief instructor of the 998th Fake Warrior Cadet Corps.¡± Kaisen would onlyter learn that the surname ¡®Jeraye¡¯ indicated a retired member with no specified holy sword. Golden eyes scanned Kaisen¡¯s body up and down. ¡°Anyway, I never thought a boy woulde¡­ This is the first time in the history of the Fake Warriors. Of course, you haven¡¯t been appointed yet.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Have people told you you¡¯re unfriendly? Come on, there¡¯s something you have to do before you join the school. By the way, don¡¯t even think about meeting your ssmates. Since you¡¯re a man, we can¡¯t officially enroll you in the ss, and you¡¯d be a huge irritant to the adolescent girls.¡± His ssmates? Fake Warrior training wasn¡¯t personal. Training was provided for each batch, and those who survived until the end of the hellish training were eligible to be chosen by the holy swords. ¡°Anyway, so you¡¯ve been on the battlefield for four years under Kam? No, it¡¯s been five years now?¡± Olliere asked as she walked along the ascending corridor of the Imperial Court. People they met along the way bowed in respect to the Fake Warrior. ¡°That must have been hard. That bitch has a temper.¡± ¡°Did you know Kam?¡± Kaisen asked in a polite tone, the product of Wolf¡¯s repeated guidance in etiquette while they were fleeing the old empire, swept away in the mes of war, to the Calnal Penins. ¡°Of course, but the specifics are a secret.¡± ¡°Oh, right¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s that tattoo on your face?¡± she asked. ¡°It was engraved by the uruk who killed my mother.¡± ¡°Who was your mother?¡± ¡°She was an ordinary mother.¡± ¡°Damn, this is the first time I¡¯ve heard of an uruk killing an ordinary woman and then engraving a prey¡¯s brand on her son. That¡¯s from the highest-ranking n, Balkrush.¡± ¡®Ah, she¡¯s interested because it involves the uruk.¡¯ That was what being an instructor was like. The corners of Olliere¡¯s mouth rose slightly, as if she were amused by Kaisen¡¯s silence. ¡°This way. Come in.¡± Kaisen rode an elevator for the first time that day. ¡°Close the wire mesh. Do you see the number here? 22. This is where you will be living in the future, so remember it.¡± The Light Dragon¡¯s pce was high in the sky, and maybe the elderly were worried about their joints should they have to climb all those stairs. Crrreeeeaaaakkkk¡ª The lift ascended, apanied by the sound of winding chains. The city of the Light Dragon visible beyond the lift¡¯s railing grew smaller and smaller under the shimmering sun. ¡®Oh, my God.¡¯ Kaisen¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°If you lean on the ss too much, you¡¯ll fall and die if it breaks,¡± Ollieremented. ¡®So the world has ces like this.¡¯ Kaisen felt dizzy as he thought about how he was seeing the same unbelievable sight both his mother and teacher had seen. ¡°Oh, Kaisen¡­ you have a weapon? Could I have it for a moment?¡± She wanted the shortsword Kaisen was wearing on his belt. Kaisen handed his mother¡¯s keepsake over. ¡°During the training period for Fake Warrior cadets, a ban on swords is put in ce.¡± ¡°A ban on swords?¡± ¡°Yeah. Even if you have a sword, you must not unsheathe it. If you do, you¡¯ll be immediately expelled. It¡¯s a basic test of a cadet¡¯s will and control.¡± Olliere took a hemp cord from her pocket and tied it around the hilt and scabbard of the shortsword so that it couldn¡¯t be drawn by mistake. ¡°No matter what happens?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°Even if your life is threatened,¡± Olliere responded. ¡°Even if the thing threatening your life is right in front of you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re funnier than I thought.¡± Olliere returned the shortsword tied with a hemp cord. The sound of the winding chains stopped, and the elevator halted. There were various training facilities on the 22nd floor, and Olliere led Kaisen to a rock with a sword stuck deep inside of it. She pointed to the hilt of the sword. ¡°Pull out this sword, Kaisen.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°If you aren¡¯t able to do it, you will be in the initial round of disqualification this year. In short, you won¡¯t be able to be a Fake Warrior. You have two months. If you don¡¯t pull out the sword within that time, it¡¯s over.¡± That was the end of Olliere¡¯s guidance. With that, the Fake Warrior turned and left. Kaisen had no time to ask any questions and just stood and looked at the rock. What kind of test was it? At first, he thought it was a test of strength, so he clenched his teeth until one of his mrs threatened to break and tried to pull it out. The sword didn¡¯t even move. Was it a test of magical power? Even if he circted mana through his body and grabbed the hilt of the sword while using Mana Chain and Mana Heart¡­ ¡®What the hell? Is it even possible to pull this thing out?¡¯ One day, two days, five days, ten days, a fortnight, and one month¡­ A feeling of nervousness slowly came over him. Each day, as the sun rose and set, uruk des continued to stain the world with blood, but time had stopped for him there. ¡°In the first ce, a boy as a Fake Warrior doesn¡¯t make sense, and even his background is unclear?¡± ¡°The tattoo on his face is the emblem of the uruks. It¡¯s sphemous.¡± He heard the other trainees gossiping about him whenever he wrestled with the sword in the rock or went to the cafeteria for food. He had never paid attention to what other people said before, but those voices eroded his willpower. Was he not allowed to continue? Could he not be a Fake Warrior like his mother and Kam because he was born a man? Still, his attempts continued, even after the flesh on his palms was shredded and soaked with blood, even after his tendons felt like they were about to break. The sword remained the same. Olliere Dune Jeraye, who watched Kaisen¡¯s struggles from afar, felt frustrated. ¡®This guy isn¡¯t it, Kam.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t believe he hadn¡¯t been able to wake up the mass-produced holy sword, Die, for almost two months. The process of awakening it was only the starting point and a test to determine if you couldmunicate with a holy sword. If a candidate couldn¡¯t awaken the sword, it proved theycked the most important aspect of a Fake Warrior¡ªthe ability to handle a holy sword. ¡®I had high expectations because he¡¯s the disciple you chose and raised over anyone else, but as expected, it¡¯s too much for a man.¡¯ The fact that a Fake Warrior¡¯s disciple couldn¡¯t pull out the sword was a disgrace to their teacher. Typically, every single one of the Fake Warriors¡¯ disciplespleted the test in one day. Kam, who was an exemry example of a great hero, had finished it in one go. ¡®In contrast to you, who was superior to everyone else, the boy will be kicked out tomorrow.¡¯ Olliere turned around with a sigh and got into the elevator. ¡®Shit¡­¡¯ Kaisen ended up hitting the rock with his fist. His flesh tore again, and blood flowed. ¡®Shit, shit, shit¡­¡¯ Would it end like that? He had stopped truly trying a long time ago, but the two months were almost over. Nothing had progressed. If the sword had moved even a little, there would have been a glimmer of hope. ¡®It would be better to just return to the battlefield as quickly as possible¡­¡¯ He felt such frustration more often than not, but he couldn¡¯t just turn and leave the rock. Aradamantel was not just a sword; it was not a sign of honor given to a warrior. To Kaisen, Aradamantel was a yoke, a bond between two people that had been broken and could never beplete again. ¡°Then, please take care of Aradamantel.¡± Hadn¡¯t Kam left her will to him? It looked like he¡­ he¡­ * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * ¡°You shouldn¡¯t try to remove it using force.¡± The words seemingly emerged from the wind amidst the gentle evening breeze. The girl stood next to the rock; her silver hair, looking as if it had been imbued with moonlight, danced in the wind. It was somehow fundamentally different from a Fake Warrior¡¯s hair. Her detached-looking gaze toward Kaisen showed him eyes of a blue hue clearer than sapphire, and even her eyebrows were pure-white and elegant. ¡°What?¡± Kaisen mumbled. The girl was beautiful. He had never been interested in the opposite sex, but his heart trembled the moment he saw her. There was a mysterious yfulness in her eyes, which seemed to look at the world through an unstained lens. Strangely enough, she was wearing a patient¡¯s gown. Every time the hem of her dress fluttered, he caught a glimpse of the bandages and scars covering various parts of her body. ¡°It is not a worldly sword. It has a heart and a name. You must listen to that voice.¡± Rather than trying to describe it, he thought it would be more appropriate to say she was a mystery. She didn¡¯t look like a person at all¡ªshe was a girl as mysterious as Mother Nature: the sun, the moon, the stars, streams, and ancient trees. The mysterious girl slowly approached and touched the sword stuck in the rock. With a kind look in his direction, she took Kaisen¡¯s hand and brought it to the hilt of the sword. ¡°Say your name first. That¡¯s what you do when you first talk to someone, right?¡± she asked. ¡°¡­Kaisen.¡± Kaisen subconsciously answered. There was a moment of silence between the two, and thenughter escaped the girl¡¯s mouth. Even the sound of it was mysterious, seeming to ripple, bend, and excitedly take shape. The girl said, ¡°My name is Tarcio, but I didn¡¯t mean for you to tell me. Talk to the sword, Die.¡± He felt embarrassed and cleared his throat. Trying to hide his embarrassment, he turned his gaze away from the girl and looked at the sword. ¡°I am Kaisen.¡± He didn¡¯t have the time to think about how strange of a suggestion it was to tell a sword, nothing more than a piece of metal, his name. Images of Kam shouting her name every time she pulled out Aradamantel passed through his head. ¡°I am Kam Alter Aradamantel.¡± ¡°I am Lia Alter Tas Alfo.¡± Lia Riler had done the same thing before their fight in Aquitaina. Could it be that it was the prayer¡­ that Lia spoke of back then? Pain rushed through his heart. The hilt of the sword pulsated and began to emit a faint light. ¡°It¡­ it worked¡­?¡± Unable to control his overwhelming emotions, he looked at Tarcio. The girl grinned. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s it. Now tell the holy sword about your heart.¡± ¡°My heart?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the prayer. Just say your wish, and the sword will answer.¡± Speak his heart, and then the sword would answer? Although Tarcio¡¯s words caused more questions to form in his mind, they had the power to make the listener obey. Still, talking to himself, even if he were talking to a sword¡­ but he couldn¡¯t turn back. ¡°I want you out of the rock.¡± ¡°You have to tell the truth. Why do you want to take it out?¡± ¡°Because I have to be a Fake Warrior.¡± ¡°Howe?¡± ¡°Because I promised to do so.¡± ¡°Then say that to this one, not me.¡± It was not difficult to transform the sadness of burning the body of a dead teacher into anger. Why should he hesitate or be ashamed of? Kaisen gripped his ne, which was radiating cold energy, and held it out to Die. He hoped the ne could tell a story that he could not. ¡°Help me pass this test, Die. I must. No matter what¡­ please.¡± Perhaps because the sincerity contained in his was not conveyed, the holy sword did not show any response. ¡°Die said she would help you.¡± The holy sword emitted a light. Whoong, whoong, whoong, whoong, whoong¡ª He couldn¡¯t help but doubt his eyes. The sword that didn¡¯t even move for two months¡­ was emitting waves of light and emerging from the rock. He held the de more gently than when he unsheathed a sword as it flickered with a dazzling light. ¡°It worked?¡± A hot and cold shiver ran down his spine and paralyzed him, and he knelt down with the sword in hand. ¡°It worked?¡± He could receive training as a Fake Warrior and seed Kam. While he was thrilled, doubts arose. Why did that girl named Tarcio help him? All the trainees looked at Kaisen like a bug and gave him looks that seemed to say he was merely a boy overestimating himself in the Temple of the Sword of Bravery. They just hoped he would be expelled quickly. ¡®What about this person?¡¯ Tarcia lowered her gaze and gave a strange answer. ¡°It¡¯s what Sarillion wanted.¡± ¡°Sa¡­what? Who is that?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°A holy sword.¡± ¡°A holy sword?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t help you. I just showed you how topete. Do your best in the future, Kaisen.¡± The girl flowed through his life like a spring breeze and vanished just as quickly. It was onlyter that he¡¯d learn who she was, what she¡¯d been doing there, and how the meeting would influence his fate. * * * *You pulled out Die¡­? How? I remember you couldn¡¯t even touch it.¡± ¡°Tarcio told me how to pray.¡± ¡°What?¡± The next day, Olliere Dune Jeraye raised her eyebrows when she went to check on how he was doing. He didn¡¯t know how to pray? A direct disciple of a Fake Warrior? Wasn¡¯t prayer the first thing they were supposed to teach their disciples? She didn¡¯t know what it meant, but did that mean that it wasn¡¯t that he wasn¡¯t talented, but that he just didn¡¯t know how? That was also embarrassing to the point of astonishment, but what was even more absurd was the other thing he mentioned. ¡°Tarcio? her?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°Don¡¯t mention that name, and don¡¯t ask why.¡± *Why? I¡¯d like to thank her.¡± ¡°I thought I told you not to ask? If you, hmm, you might have the right to know, but there¡¯s a first-ss censorship on the matter.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what it means to have the right to know.¡± ¡°Stop. Put that matter aside and follow me. Don¡¯t speak of who helped you. It¡¯s strictly forbidden for anyone to give advice during the first prayer test, even the instructors.¡± ¡°Okay, but where are we going?¡± Olliere nced back, and there was a faint smile on the corner of her mouth that others couldn¡¯t ce. It was probably a smile of satisfaction. It was both a sad and happy moment to be able to teach the disciple of an old friend who had died and left for the heavens. ¡°With this, you have proven your qualifications to be a Fake Warrior. Kaisen, now it is time to begin the training process in earnest.¡± Chapter 19 Chapter 19 ¨C Origin, Kaisen Alter Aradamantel (2) ¡°Here.¡± The Fake Warrior training period was usually three years. The chief training instructor, Olliere started exining the Fake Warrior lessons with the following question: ¡°What is fundamentally different between Fake Warriors and other knights?¡± ng¡ª! Kaisen, who barely managed to block Olliere¡¯s de, tilted his head. ¡°The difference between a Fake Warrior and a regr swordsman is that they are more powerful than any other swordsman.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but what I¡¯m asking is a different question. Why do you think they have such power?¡± There was no time to focus on the question. Kaisen repeatedly retreated at the sudden onught of continuous sword strikes. ¡°Kaisen, you were Kam¡¯s student. Do you remember what Kam¡¯s goal was?¡± ¡°Her¡­ goal?¡± Her goal¡­ He couldn¡¯t remember anything in particr. As he remembered, Kam was always fighting. For humanity. ¡°Yes! Fake Warriors have a mission. It is to protect humanity. Because of that mission, being a Fake Warrior is honorable. That is why they qualify to be ¡®made¡¯ strong.¡± Olliere¡¯s tone seemed harsh but kind. It was different from Kam¡¯s pushy, inaffectionate tone. ¡°At the end of the third year of training, trainees swallow something called a ¡®dragon spirit stone¡¯ to imbue their bodies with the power of the dragonkin.¡± ¡®Dragon spirit stone¡­¡¯ Yes, he remembered. He¡¯d heard of it before. Even if one of Kam¡¯s limbs were blown off or an organ was damaged, she was able to recover in an instant. That was thanks to the dragon blood serum, which she always carried with her, and when she injected it into her arteries, she gained the super regenerative ability of a dragonkin for a moment. He had heard Wolf exin that, in order to use that power, she had to ingest a dragon spirit stone. ¡°It is a stone engraved with the saying, ¡®Converts life force into physical ability¡¯ in dragon tongue. It is the crystallization of the power of the Fake Warrior. Nine out of ten people die in the process.¡± ¡°Only one survives?¡± ¡°The power goes out of control as it enters the body. Only the cadets who can endure it survive.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Even if you survive, there is a high probability that you will not be selected by the holy swords, so you will not be able to be a Fake Warrior. Don¡¯t be surprised. Even if there is only one graduate per ss, that is a lot.¡± That was it. Olliere¡¯s de hit the bottom of Kaisen¡¯s, causing the sword to slip out of his hand and fly into the air. ¡°There is an extreme probability that, even afterpleting the graduation ceremony, you only receive general officer training and are sent to the battlefield or remain at the Imperial Court and be training instructors. Just like me.¡± Whether or not they could be Fake Warriors, they would be cut off from the world from the moment their education began to be tools in the fight for the survival of humanity. ¡°Nobles whoe here in search of fame and glory usually leave the ¡®Temple of the Sword of Bravery¡¯ after hearing this. How about you?¡± She wondered if he would be just as perplexed as them, but Kaisen¡¯s face was just nk. Death and war were constant urrences in the boy¡¯s life, so he had nothing to fear. He had the same expression as Kam, who stood next to Olliere all those years ago. ¡®Okay, so this kid is really your disciple, huh¡­?¡¯ Even if no one told her, she could tell just by looking at his eyes. ¡®Hehe, then I guess I¡¯ll keep my promise too.¡¯ * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * ¡¸Did you say you want Kaisen to skip a grade?¡¹ Chief instructor Olliere Dune Jeraye headed to the Dragon Spirit Hall on the 99th floor, the highest floor of the Imperial Court. The Five Wise Dragons, the pirs of the Imperial Court, lived in the Dragon Spirit Hall. Only the Light Dragon, Haraderimann, who was recuperating, dwelled on the 100th floor, which was called the Heavenly Pce. In short, Olliere entered this space, which even the princes of the empire dared not enter, to make an exceptional report. ¡°No, it¡¯s not just skipping a grade. I want to have him take the physical strengthening course that the third-year cadets will soon receive.¡± Cardinal Yoshhar carefully stroked his long white beard.¡¸The physical strengthening process, was it?¡¹ With a dragon¡¯s head and a dragon¡¯s tail, she was covered in golden scales, though she was humanoid. ¡¸Olliere Dune Jeraye, do you wish to inject that child with a dragon spirit stone so soon?¡¹ ¡°Yes, Your Excellency. Already, I have nothing to teach him when ites to the sword.¡± ¡¸Is it as Yohan Wolf Frost said?¡¹ ¡°He is better. No, I can¡¯t even guess where his talent ends. Any further training is meaningless. I don¡¯t have anything else to teach him. His talent is one that needs to be sent out to the battlefield as soon as we are able.¡± Except for Raminea, there was no other candidate in nearly 100 years who had been so praised by a chief instructor. ¡¸What about his schrly pursuits?¡¹ ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t say they¡¯re perfect, but I will take responsibility for educating him further.¡± Cardinal Yoshhar turned his gaze to hisrades. Cardinal Hargon spoke in a worried tone. ¡¸Though we tried to inject dragon spirit stone into male children long ago, they all died. Yoshhar, will you be alright?¡¹ ¡¸Why ask me such?¡¹ ¡¸The blood of the child you cherished¡­ no, it¡¯s nothing. Do you think it is possible, Olliere Dune Jeraye? There is a high possibility that the boy will die.¡¹ In response to the cardinal¡¯s question, Olliere immediately responded politely. ¡°Kaisen will show you the answer, not me, but I can assure you, it will be possible for him.¡± Cardinal Enricht took a long breath. Among the five cardinals, he was the only one in the form of a yellow dragon. He gazed up at the distant sky.¡¸Summer is in full swing. The Fake Warriors who barely survived and took their swords are only four in number. The fight looming over the Children of Light is extremely urgent, Olliere.¡¹ ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± ¡¸Among those learning to be heroes, there are two disciples of Fake Warriors. If you include Kaisen, there are three.¡¹ Enricht¡¯s next words were not addressed to Olliere, but to his fellow cardinals. ¡¸If we could just send them all out into the summer, the situation would change. This Enricht will ept your advice, Olliere Dune Jeraye.¡¹ * * * ¡°Hmm, I believe you have a rough idea of what changes the dragon spirit stones cause to the body after three years of sses.¡± The cksmith who came as a representative from the Sacred Workshop of the Imperial Court was a tall, straight-backed old man. He said his name was Stan. Having spent his entire life looking at fiery ovens, his eyes were sunken, but he was the continent¡¯s leading expert when it came to Fake Warrior weapon engineering. ¡°A dragon spirit stone is a stone with a total of 68 words in the dragon tongue engraved, and the stones have power that surpasses that of humans in many areas, including physical ability, reflexes, and recovery speed. Can you show a demonstration, Dame?¡± Kelly Dune Jeraye, the instructor in charge of ss 997, was an irritable-looking woman in sses. It was the 997th ss, a third-year ss. Kelly caught the cadets¡¯ attention with a p. ¡°What do you think will happen to my hand if I hit this steel te without using my mana?¡± ¡°It will break.¡± ¡°In general, yes, but¡­¡± When Kelly hit the steel te with her fist, the steel te was deeply dented, following a horrifying metallic sound. ¡°If you are a Fake Warrior with the power of a dragon spirit stone,mon sense does not apply to you.¡± ¡°Of course, that¡¯s as long as you don¡¯t die in the process of epting this power. Fake Warriors are humanity¡¯s strongest soldiers, but even the slightest mistake can kill them in the process of bing one.¡± ¡°What would you say falls under the slightest mistake?¡± ¡°You will find out little by little. Don¡¯t forget that there was a simpleton who didn¡¯t realize how to control the amplified power and almost broke her spine while scratching her back.¡± Laughter broke out here and there. The door to the room where ss 997 was in progress was opened. ¡°I think you left out that that idiot was you, Kelly.¡± ¡®What¡­?¡¯ Chief Instructor Olliere Dune Jeraye entered, and the cadets quickly responded. Kelly tilted her head and asked, ¡°Chief Instructor, is something the matter?¡± ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t you receive the message? It was decided that this one would also take the first dose of a dragon spirit stone today.¡± ¡°A first-year student?¡± At Olliere¡¯s nod, the ck-haired boy, Kaisen, entered the room. It was a boy, a boy¡­ The top cadets of ss 997 looked intrigued by the thick jawline, strong shoulders, and appearance of an unfamiliar member of the opposite sex. ¡°Aha, him¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s Kam¡¯s disciple, so he has a simr vibe.¡± ¡°Does that mean he is the disciple of the disciple of the Crimson Lotus, Raminea?¡± It was already a well-known story that Kam¡¯s male student had entered the ¡®Temple of the Sword of Bravery¡¯. When the Inferno Line was broken through, many Fake Warriors died, and in the 997th ss, there were two direct disciples of Fake Warriors. ¡°Stan, you got the message, right?¡± ¡°Of course, I prepared it.¡± Stan took out a work of beehive-shaped pottery filled with long ss bottles. He took one of them out; inside was a ck and turbid liquid that seemed to wiggle. ¡°This is nothing more than a dragon spirit stone that has been liquified and dissolved as much as possible. There is a high mortality rate in the process of injecting the dragon spirit stone.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°In order to lower the mortality rate, we conduct trial injections a total of five times. The concentration is gradually increased, and by the fifth injection, the concentration will be about 50% of the original solution.¡± It was during the process of injecting the dragon stone that Kaisen¡¯s solid path to being a Fake Warrior was filled with doubt. Olliere brought out a ss bottle, and then she ced it in Kaisen¡¯s hand. The stopper was tightly closed. She made eye contact with Kaisen. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure what the oue will be. No man has ever survived this process.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it might be different for you. The choice is yours, Kaisen.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡± The attention of the cadets in ss 997 was drawn to Kaisen. He¡¯d made the decision so quickly, though he could die. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± Olliere asked. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid.¡± Death was like nature. It was always in the boy¡¯s life and had never left his side. The boy uncorked the bottle, releasing a fishy smell akin to melted-down, rusty iron. ¡°I will drink.¡± Kaisen took one look at Olliere, and then he tilted his neck and poured the solution into his mouth. ¡°Kaisen!¡± In conclusion, Kaisen¡¯s first attempt to inject the dragon spirit stone failed. In the midst of intense pain that made it feel as if his blood vessels and pancreas were burning and freezing at the same time, something thick and hot poured endlessly from his eyes, ears, and mouth. The blood clotted and blocked his breathing. Kaisen fell to the floor, struggling to breathe, and passed out before being taken to the medical unit. ¡°What happened, Stan? Are you sure you diluted it properly?¡± Olliere asked. ¡°Of course. The other cadets didn¡¯t have any problems.¡± ¡°Chief Instructor,¡± someone said, ¡°maybe it¡¯s just impossible to turn a man into a Fake Warrior? It¡¯s a failure from the start.¡± ¡°No¡­ he¡¯s not dead yet.¡± He hadn¡¯t died. Yeah, he hadn¡¯t died¡ªthough that was it. When he woke up in the hospital two dayster, the world seemed blurry, as if paint had been smeared over his eyes. Most of his sight was gone. Olliere spoke. ¡°Kaisen, Kelly also lost her eyesight during the injections, but she regained it all during the final injection. You don¡¯t need to be too upset.¡± ¡°That was the fifth, not the first,¡± Stan interjected. ¡°Stan, be quiet, and temporarily test him for sses. Take a break from sword training until the second injection, Kaisen. Continue receiving theoretical training.¡± Every situation and every environment seemed to be telling him that he couldn¡¯t be a Fake warrior. * * * The Light Dragon, Haraderiman, had not been able to leave the Heavenly Pce for hundreds of years. People revered the top floor, which was so high that it reached the clouds beyond the sky, calling it the Heavenly Pce. The Light Dragon had lived there alone at one point, but wyvern priests were there to care for him. ¡¸Yes, the whole world is crying¡­ Yoshhar.¡¹The Light Dragon was the leader of the Yellow Dragon Corps. As one of the Three Divine Dragons, he was five timesrger than the Sage Dragons. The golden dragon shone brightly as he reflected the sun. Sage Dragon Yoshhar bowed.¡¸It is the disloyalty of the gods.¡¹ ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about it. Can this world be expanded with loyalty alone? How is Raminea Alter Aradamantel?¡¹ ¡¸That child died five years ago.¡¹ Tears formed around Yoshhar¡¯s old, wrinkled eyes. Light Dragon Haraderimann let out a deep, sorrowful sigh.¡¸Is that so?¡¹ ¡¸Yes. Now, that child¡¯s next of kin is working hard to seed in wielding Aradamantel.¡¹ ¡¸The news you delivered is painful.¡¹ ¡¸My deep apologies.¡¹ ¡¸Has the Kingdom of Dragons fallen?¡¹ ¡¸It copsed half a year ago.¡¹ The Light Dragon coughed and vomited blood, and the wyvern priests quickly came over and wiped the corners of the dragon¡¯s mouth. The Light Dragon¡¯s dementia scared Yoshhar. If even the Light Dragon passed away¡­ humanity would not be able to unite, and the abyss would once again spread across thend, taking advantage of the gods¡¯ departure¡­ Ah, the world was copsing. The Light Dragon could not move¡ªhe alwaysy on his back and basked in the sun and moon. The deep and vicious illness left behind by the King¡¯s Abyss had been insidiously destroying the Divine Dragon¡¯s body for hundreds of years. ¡¸What about the Ark of the Covenant rescued by Kam Alter Aradamantel and Sharon Alter Tas Alfo? Did the descendants of the gods wake up safely?¡¹ ¡¸Both are awake. The moon wants to walk the path of the sword here, but I am worried since her body is very sick. The sun stayed for a while and then left, but no one knows their whereabouts.¡¹ ¡¸How can we know the will of the gods? My condition is deteriorating. I have to do what only I can. There is no time.¡¹ ¡¸Your Holiness, what do you wish of me?¡¹ ¡¸I will share more fragments of my soul with you.¡¹ The Three Divine Dragons divided their souls equally, and each gave birth to Five Wise Dragons, but he wanted to share more? ¡¸Your Holiness, your body is not well. How can you¡­?¡¹ ¡¸I want you to convey it when you give your soul to the child of Raminea.¡¹ ¡¸Your Holiness¡­¡¹ ¡¸I will die soon, but I will leave behind this power. Although it is only a very feeble fragment, I hope that it will cause great ripples in the human world in the future.¡¹ Yoshhar had no choice but to shed tears once again at the Light Dragon¡¯s disy of power. He knew what he was going to do. He was the Father of the World who thought of thend until the end, just as he had learned from the ck Sun, Karenden. ¡¸As your Holiness wishes, I, Yoshhar, will serve you with all my might.¡¹ Yoshhar retreated. Bel¡¯Dakidun, who was called the Fire Dragon among the Three Divine Dragons, died a long time prior after erecting a wall of mes around the continent of Adrion. Water Dragon Yericelica was bing one with the World Tree, so they could no longer appear in the world. The gods who were said to have brought light to thend were nowhere to be found, and the Three Divine Dragons, who represented the gods, were all dead or dying. It was the beginning of midsummer. A thousand years after the Golden Age, the world was copsing helplessly on all fronts. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 ¨C Origin, Kaisen Alter Aradamantel (3) ¡°I believe there are many cadets here who already know about the horrors of the uruks.¡± Kaisen had lost his eyesight, but his hearing was intact, so he participated in theoretical training. It was fortunate that wearing sses allowed him to see, even if the world was blurry. ¡°The uruks are a demon race that lived in the central region of the southern Adrion continent. As volcanic ash covers the sky and the world bes hotter, the radius of their activity is expanding to the north.¡± A Fake Warrior¡¯s education was not limited to swordsmanship and fighting skills in the Hanging Garden. The abyss¡­ There was also a ss where students sat in a ssroom and learned in-depth about the creatures that no one wanted to get close to, that was, the demons. ¡°In addition, the other demon races entered the continent one by one. Ghouls, nagas, trolls, necrons, and daemons.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°What you guys need to learn of today are not these six great demons, but enemies that are even more dangerous than that.¡± In the print Rachel Dune Jeraye handed out, there were five nightmarish creatures that could have only sprung up from the imaginations of a madman. Their appearances were truly unfamiliar. The first thing the cadets saw was a body simr to a human¡¯s, but the creepy head and tail were simr to those of a lizard. ¡°¡®Holshevez¡¯, in the ancient tongue, ¡®Reptilian¡¯, in modernnguage. Lizard people. They are an ancient race that has lived since the Era of the Abyss and are servants of ¡®Howling Destruction¡¯. They live in the pr desert.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°They appear in midsummer, turning the world into a wastnd. Even the cruelty of the uruks is cutepared to these bastards.¡± At Rachel¡¯s nod, a mage from the Imperial Magic Consortium stepped forward and used illusion magic. An illusion of a reptilian appeared. The figure of the creature walking on the tform gradually blurred, and after a while, only a hazy, translucent figure followed the trajectory of his movement. ¡°The Holshevez warriors use ¡®Camouge¡¯, a technique that allows them to seemingly disappear. It is a technique you must pay special attention to on the battlefield.¡± Kaisen¡¯s eyes narrowed. If the uruks¡¯ fighting style relied on overwhelming force, then the lizard guys used cunning methods. ¡°Next are called the Ruttlewe. It would be easier to consider them as fish people. They are the servants of the ¡®Ruler of the Ancient Seas¡¯ and are the biggest trouble to the navy. There¡¯s noparing them to the nagas.¡± A primal feeling of nausea surged as they looked at the nightmare that was a Ruttlewe. It was a person. Yes, at first nce, it looked like a person. The fish-person¡¯s eyes blinked, its ears were fluttering withrge gills, and its hands and feet were webbed. ¡°The scary thing about these guys is that they move freely in the water. When midsummeres and the sea warms up, it can be said that they are responsible for blocking the navy¡¯s supply lines.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°They like ces with high humidity, so they appear when the rainy seasones. This is the difference between them and the Holshevez.¡± Rachel¡¯s sses were always focused on the tactical idiosyncrasies and fighting styles of three races. She hardly ever exined the other two. ¡°The one next to it is a ¡®Tan-Tuk¡¯. In modernnguage, it is a spider person, a Necrachne. Thest thing drawn is an Andalos, the hounds that serve the Lord of Time.¡± ¡°Are you saying these guys aren¡¯t dangerous?¡± a cadet asked. ¡°No, they¡¯re dangerous. However, since the Lord of Spiders and the Lord of Time were subdued by Dragon Sage Rain Ludwig and Apostle of the Void, Arjen, respectively, they do not appear, even during the ¡®ck Summer¡¯.¡± As for the maggot people known as Kinwe, the answer was that they only appeared in the Edea Penins, thend of fairies, because the Lord of Insects was sealed there. ¡°In addition to the information I mentioned, there are many entric species that exhibit unusual behavior. There are also quite frequent cases where demon races that humanity has never known before appear.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Now, this is the key¡­ What you need to learn in this ss is not information about the demon races.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°It is broad-mindedness. Knowledge is like a mathematical form. The more you know, the more useful it can be in various situations.¡± Rachel¡¯s sses sometimes turned academic. Her goal was to instill the mindset of a Fake Warrior in the cadets. ¡°A Fake Warrior must be perfect. A Fake Warrior never dies. They just disappear. Even if they are fake, a Warrior must be such a being. Don¡¯t forget that your existence is a fraud.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°This is why I repeatedly exin demons when you could be using that time to practice martial skills. A Warrior should not die from something as pathetic as ack of information.¡± After the theory ss, Kaisen went back to his dorm. Since there were no swordsmanship sses, he couldn¡¯t go to the Hanging Gardens, and his dorm was the only ce left. When he was left alone, the hole that opened in his heart the day his family died grew bigger, it had grown even more the day the White Bone Corps was annihted. There was never a day he didn¡¯t have a headache, but he was used to living with it, so it was fine. That hole in his heart, though¡­ That day, with corpses everywhere, the screams, the stillness, the silence¡­ Every time he thought about the Battle of Aristapo, he had difficulty breathing, as if his lungs were going to burst. He wanted to forget about it and be able to stop thinking about it for even a moment. It would be nice if he could swing his sword freely. ¡®She¡¯ came when he was panting in pain, unable to even breathe. ¡°What is so painful?¡± Even her voice had a mysterious scent, so he knew right away who was standing by the window, next to the fluttering curtains. ¡°I¡¯m Tarcio. Have you already forgotten me?¡± ¡°The instructor told me to forget about you. She said I shouldn¡¯t tell anyone about you.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, that¡¯s the way it is. I¡¯m the Imperial Courst¡¯s secret weapon, so forget I came today.¡± A part of his heart throbbed at those words. The secret weapon of the Imperial Court¡­ Was the egg delivered properly? ¡°Why did youe here?¡± he asked. ¡°I kept thinking about something I couldn¡¯t sayst time. It¡¯s about the name ¡®Kaisen¡¯. Is this really how you write it in the dragon tongue?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how to read dragon tongue. I can¡¯t even see.¡± ¡°Does it mean ¡®connection¡¯?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ How did you know?¡± Kaisen was stunned. Tarcio continued speaking in a surprised and excited voice. ¡°My name too! I heard my mother gave it to me, and it means ¡®connection¡¯ in the tongue of creation. Your name has the same meaning, but it¡¯s in dragon tongue.¡± ¡°My mother gave me mine as well.¡± ¡°Amazing! The meaning of our names is the same, and our mothers gave them to us. Isn¡¯t it fate that brought you and me together like this?¡± Tarcio smiled brightly andughed without covering her mouth. She closed her eyes. He didn¡¯t know why, but thatughter was enough to wash the darkness in his heart away. After that, Tarcio visited asionally when the instructor was not around. At some point, she appeared while carrying a small book. ¡°¡ºThe Travel Journal of a Dragon and a Mage¡». The era when Rain Ludwig traveled the world. People called that era the Silver Age. It means peace after the Golden Age.¡± ¡°What¡¯s fun about writing down other people¡¯s travels?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never been outside. I don¡¯t know what the world looks like, so maybe that¡¯s why it¡¯s interesting.¡± ¡°Not once in your life?¡± ¡°Not once. I¡¯m going on a trip too.¡± ¡°A trip? Where?¡± The world was already covered with skeletons. It was a world where children buried their dead parents in the ground, and parents buried their dead children in their hearts and cried. The rivers were dry, and thend was crumbling, so where on earth could one travel? ¡°Where else?¡± She spoke with a smile, like a little girl boasting about something she kept preciously hidden. ¡°To the world I will restore.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Kaisen, why do you think Fake Warriors are called Fake Warriors?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because of their abilities, but because they ultimately couldn¡¯t end this nightmare. They became the protagonists of their own tragedy.¡± * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * He thought she was dazzling in that moment. Was it because the sun, hidden behind the clouds, revealed its face and the sunlight poured in through the window, or did her smile emit its own light? Although he couldn¡¯t see clearly due to the loss of vision, it was clear that the light was so dazzling that he had to cover his eyes with his hands. ¡°I have no intention of bing like that. I will be a true Warrior. The hero of dreams and hopes.¡± A Warrior¡­ Kaisen could not understand Tarcio¡¯s dream. Wasn¡¯t it a dream as empty as the morning sea fog? She wanted to be a real hero. A real hero was a dream, and a real hero had not appeared even once since the Mythical Age. ¡®Is this girl serious?¡¯ Was it possible to say something like that so naturally? There didn¡¯t seem like there was that much difference in their ages. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Are you afraid I¡¯ll leave by myself? Do you want toe with me?¡± At that moment, in the quietly blowing summer breeze, something painfully passed through his mind. ¡°Leave the sword behind and go.¡± Was that his teacher¡¯s will? Or was it thestmand left by his teacher? Maybe that was what she was talking about. What would it be like to agree with Tarcio? She was telling him to follow a girl he¡¯d met less than 10 times? ¡°Huh? Huh?¡± Tarcio must have been unable to read Kaisen¡¯s state of mind, so she came closer to his face, tilted her head, and smiled. The scent of flowers filled his nose, and he suppressed the sadness that rose deep in his heart. He grabbed Tarcio¡¯s shoulder and pushed her away, answering her in a low voice. ¡°If such an opportunity everes¡­¡± Although it was said sarcastically, Tarcio smiled brightly while raising her little finger. ¡°Really? Then that¡¯s a promise.¡± Like a person who had received the most beautiful treasure in the world as a gift, she wrapped her little finger around his. Just as she hade, she disappeared as quietly as the wind permeating the room. After Tarcio left, Kaisen just stared at the empty space for a long time with his blurred vision. ¡®Travel? Restoring an era like this? Bing a real hero?¡¯ There was no way such dreams coulde true. The cold reason in his brain certainly thought so. Maybe¡­ She had a smile that made him think that such a day might reallye. Wasn¡¯t that smile like spring? A smile that reminded him of his mother? Wasn¡¯t that the smile his teacher, Kam, smiled at the end? Wasn¡¯t it a smile that made him cry because he missed it so much in his heart? ¡®A smile that I learned the value of only after losing everything¡­¡¯ Why did he think those three people looked alike? All three people were different, from their personalities to their voices and faces. Perhaps that was the moment he realized the tragedy that waited, deeply entrenched from the start of their rtionship. * * * After that, Tarcio visited again. The books she brought and read out loud changed often, but Kaisen¡¯s favorite book was the book called ¡ºRaminea of the Crimson Lotus¡». It was good. Listening to his mother¡¯s story, it felt like he was walking with her in a dream¡­ As he tried to sleep while hugging the book that Tarcio had left behind, he remembered the time when he fell asleep in his mother¡¯s arms¡­ When he was alone, he would cry endlessly. Those tears were a daydream, like longing, so when he woke up, he would be ovee with deep sadness, as if he had been released from a spell. ¡°Raminea took an illegitimate daughter from the Belchester family as her disciple, and her name was Kam.¡± His favorite part was where his mother took Kam, who was despised by her family, as her student. He asked Tarcio to read that part again, and Tarcio willingly did so. It was a truly happy time, and it was a time when he could find peace of mind, like when his mother read him a storybook as a child. However, the days when Tarcio visited were really ¡®asional¡¯. Every time she appeared after long absences, the bandages wrapped around her body increased. She didn¡¯t seem to want to talk about the reason for the bandages, so he didn¡¯t bother to ask. The dragon spirit stone injection process and theory sses continued, but they were always nothing but failures. Even his hearing was disappearing, but he didn¡¯t find the injection of the dragon spirit stone to be mentally difficult. The one who was mentally harassing him was someone else. ¡°Hmph¡­ I knew it would be like this. There¡¯s no way a man like that could be a Fake Warrior.¡± Arin, it was Arin Perry¡ªthe daughter of the Perry family and a well-known cadet of the Muryeong Sword Sect. She had been sneering down at him non-stop ever since he couldn¡¯t pull the sword out of the rock. Her inferiorityplex, which came from having been rejected by Kam in the past, seemed to be expressed towards Kaisen. Her true intention was to quickly eliminate Kaisen, who was the biggest obstacle to obtaining Aradamantel, the holy sword of the hero, Raminea. ¡°If you failed to strengthen your body and became crippled, you should stop now. What on earth are you still doing here?¡± Kaisen had always ignored Arin, but that day was different. She ended up crossing a line that she should not have crossed. Of course, that was the girl¡¯s shallow n. ¡°You know what? Lately, there has been some suspicion as to whether you are really Kam¡¯s student.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± he asked. ¡°No, isn¡¯t it strange? It¡¯s impossible for a Fake Warrior to ept a man as a disciple, but she ignored all the other female swordsmen and epted and raised you, a man.¡± It felt like the blood in his entire body was hardening. He tried to ignore it like usual, but he had no idea what she was trying to say. ¡°So, I¡¯m saying¡­ there are rumors that Kam may have broken the rules.¡± The blood in his veins seemed to freeze. It was a feeling he had felt before. When he first met Kam, he must have felt something like it when she asked him what happened to his mother. ¡°Honestly, how lonely must she have been? Well, yes, she only lived on the battlefield¡­ I¡¯m sure there were good-looking and attractive men.¡± As if she liked Kaisen¡¯s reaction, Arin continued to sneer. ¡°Was it Yohan Wolf Frost? He was also the illegitimate son of Archduke Duren, so wouldn¡¯t the tent on the battlefield be the perfect stage for two people to fall in love?¡± Kam was a flower that bloomed and fell on the battlefield. There were no stains on her petals. Her only stain was taking in Kaisen, her teacher¡¯s son. Wolf was also Kaisen¡¯s benefactor. Knowing her mission, Wolf loved Kam but did not reveal his feelings to anyone. Also, Kam did not ept Wolf¡¯s feelings. The love between the two could be said to be deep and painful. ¡°As a woman myself, I can understand. Isn¡¯t it okay to embrace a man as long as she doesn¡¯t give him love? I guess that¡¯s what she thought.¡± Just how¡­ A person who lived in peace in the city of divine dragons¡­ How could such a person insult those lives? Such a person did not exist. There was no one. The moment cold anger swirled in Kaisen¡¯s mind, there was only one echoing thought resounding in his head. ¡°Then she identally gave birth to someone like you without even having time to erase it.¡± In an instant, Raminea¡¯s sword, which had been firmly fixed with a hemp cord by his waist, was pulled out, emitting a bluish iron glow. When the hemp string broke without any force, the speed of the sword was close to divine. ¡°I am Kaisen, Kam Alter Aradamantel¡¯s disciple.¡± It was only after the tip of the sword was pointed right in front of her forehead that Arin Perry realized what was happening. ¡°Arin Perry, I will kill you. If you don¡¯t want to die defenseless, pull out your sword!¡± Chapter 21 Chapter 21 ¨C Origin, Kaisen Alter Aradamantel (4) Of course, Kaisen knew the girl¡¯s objective. He knew that it was a ploy to make him break the rules. The moment he broke the seal, he would be kicked out. Even though he knew it, he couldn¡¯t bear it. Her words simply couldn¡¯t be tolerated. ¡°Pull out your sword!¡± he shouted again. As the hemp string was torn apart and flew through the air, the fire burning in Kaisen¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°Idiot.¡± Arin Perry¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. She drew her sword from her waist and struck Kaisen¡¯s short sword, signaling her eptance of the duel. ¡°Hmph, this is self-defense since I feel that my life is in danger.¡± That was how the duel began. There were no witnesses or rules for winning and losing¡ªonly murderous intent. Kaisen¡¯s sword shed through the air, aiming for Arin¡¯s vitals. A blood-curdling scream of metal erupted. The blows were so ferocious that sparks flew out one after another. In the face of an overwhelming offensive, Arin¡¯s blocks were panicked. ¡°What, did they pull out their swords?¡± The cadets of ss 997, who were moving through the hallway to their next theory ss, saw the duel and voiced theirints. ¡°This is why men can¡¯t be trusted. They just have too much anger.¡± ¡°No, I would have done the same.¡± The person who actually argued against her ssmates¡¯ disparaging of Kaisen was Seira, the disciple of the 6th Seat, Arecia Alter Sng¡ªa Fake Warrior¡¯s direct disciple. Kaisen¡¯s case was different because he was male, but in most cases, direct disciples had an absolute advantage over other cadets, whether that be in skill or poprity. Seira arrived earlier than Arin had calcted and had heard everything. ¡°She insulted his master.¡± ¡°No way¡­!¡± ¡°You know what they say about assuming. If it were me, I would have killed her without even giving her time to draw her sword.¡± It was clear who had the upper hand in their fight. Truly, there were three reasons for Arin¡¯s ability to even fight against Kaisen. For one, the boy was half blind. For two, Kaisen used a shortsword against Arin¡¯s bastard sword. Finally, Arin didn¡¯t need to switch to an offensive. There was no need for her to win the match. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± A thunderous roar rang out. The moment Kaisen heard it, a corner of his vision shed, and his sword arm was caught in an iron grip mid-swing. ¡°!¡± Kaisen looked up. Chief instructor Olliere Dune Jeraye had suddenly appeared and grabbed the weapon arms of both duelists. Her footwork had been trained to such a limit that she could appear in ces beyond perception and exploit weak points in an opponent¡¯s vision. ¡°You have broken the first rule! ording to the rules, you will both be expelled.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Not drawing a sword is a test of a cadet¡¯s basic willpower! You might as well be saying youck the quality to be a Fake Warrior.¡± Arin Perry shook her head as if she had been waiting for that moment. ¡°There are exceptions. Instructor, I drew my sword because I felt that my life was in danger.¡± ¡°Are you saying Kaisen drew his sword first?¡± Olliere asked. ¡°Yes, ask the other cadets.¡± Olliere did not look at the other cadets. Instead, she looked at Kaisen. Kaisen raised his head. He resembled Kam, and his calm but cold eyes shone. He did not avoid his instructor¡¯s gaze. ¡°Why did you draw your sword?¡± she asked him. ¡°Because the matter concerned something even more important than my own life,¡± Kaisen calmly exined. ¡°Are you trying to say Arin Perry drew her sword first?¡± ¡°He¡¯s lying!¡± Arin shouted. ¡°No. Even if Arin had pointed her sword at me first, I wouldn¡¯t have drawn mine.¡± ¡°Then why would you attack her?¡± ¡°I drew my sword because she insulted my teacher. Please, let me cut her down.¡± Olliere¡¯s expression turned cold. A dark me fluttered in her eyes as she looked back at Arin. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you¡­ Did you insult Kam?¡± Arin shook her head. With a gulp, she slyly said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have done that, instructor.¡± Olliere looked around. A deep silence fell over the area. The other cadets were afraid of the power of the Muryeong Sword Sect and dared not open their mouths. Arin had only acted because she was confident there¡¯d be no problems with the leading sword sect backing her. She only had two things to watch out for: the Fake Warriors¡¯ disciples studying in the 997th ss and the Prominent Sword¡¯s daughter. ¡®One of the disciples is an idiot, so I only need to watch out for the other two,¡¯ she thought. Kaisen¡¯s eyes narrowed, and his heart began to beat violently. A voice rang out as one of the cadets raised her hand and testified. ¡°I am Seira, the disciple of Arecia Alter Sng. I heard it all, Chief Instructor.¡± Seira Panton had dazzlingly pale skin and off-white hair. The eldest daughter of the Margrave of Panton had beautiful, yful eyes, and her braided hair hung below her shoulders, making her look elegant. The girl¡¯s appearance was not important to Arin. Seira was one of the most dangerous people to her. ¡°Really? What did she say?¡± Olliere asked. ¡°She made an outrageous im that Kam Alter Aradamantel gave birth to Kaisen after sleeping with Yohan Wolf Frost,¡± Seira said, her expressionpletely calm. A dark shadow appeared on Olliere¡¯s face. Seira continued, ¡°If someone had said something like that about myte teacher, I would have torn their tongue out, duel or not.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°That guy, Kaisen, is honorable to the point of frustration. I testify to everything on both my honor and the honor of my teacher. That¡¯s all.¡± Seira finished speaking and smiled. Arin¡¯splexion turned noticeably white, and her lips trembled. ¡®When? No, how on earth is she here already? Why her, instead of anyone else?¡¯ Something shed through the air, and Arin¡¯s head snapped to the side, sending fragments of broken teeth and droplets of blood into the air. Olliere lowered her hand and spoke. ¡°Kam lived on the battlefield even before she became a Fake Warrior. After she became one, she continued to live on the battlefield until the moment she died.¡± ¡°I-instructor¡­¡± ¡°While you were bathing in warm water and sucking the milk from your mother¡¯s breasts, Kam was drinking the blood of her enemies and bathing in sweat. All so that a human such as yourself could live in peace! You dare insult her?¡± If Olliere hadn¡¯t been the chief instructor and Arin had not been a cadet, she would have probably killed the girl. She held back the anger raging through her body. ¡°Arin Perry, get out of here right now. You are immediately expelled from the Temple of the Sword of Bravery.¡± ¡°B-but that¡¯s unfair¡­!¡± ¡°Unfair? Any instructor would agree with my decision. Tell your sect leader that, so long as I am the chief instructor, no Fake Warriors will be produced from your sword sect. ¡°How are your eyes?¡± Olliere asked. ¡°If I wear sses, I can live. It¡¯s okay,¡± Kaisen said. ¡°Brat, you don¡¯t have to emphasize it that much. I already know.¡± Olliere¡¯s steps were quick. Clouds danced in the blue, northern sky as they walked along the ascending corridor of the Imperial Court. The fragrant scent of ck raspberries apanied the setting sun. ¡°Arin Perry¡¯s expulsion is done.¡± ¡°That was fast,¡± Kaisenmented. ¡°The Sage Dragons entrusted the entire education of the cadets to the instructors. Let off some steam now.¡± Kaisen could not understand Ollier¡¯s intentions. ¡°You seem more angry than me.¡± ¡°Is that so? Hmm, I guess I am. There¡¯s no way Kam would have done something like that. That bitch and I were ssmates here in the Temple of the Sword of Bravery.¡± ¡°You were her ssmate¡­?¡± ¡°She was a bitch I didn¡¯t like. Even though she always took the top position, she didn¡¯t show any signs of being happy.¡± She was Kam¡¯s ssmate? That was truly amazing. Hearing Olliere¡¯s tone of voice as she revealed a new side of Kam, Kaisen became expectant. ¡°In the end, she was chosen by Aradamantel, the Holy Sword of Heroes. Meanwhile, as you can see, I am only acting as an instructor.¡± There was no criticism in her tone when she cursed Kam. Olliere¡¯s voice was steeped in longing. ¡°She wasn¡¯t a mean-hearted bitch, though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°I guess she was very kind to you, right? Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have pulled out your sword. If I hadn¡¯t known Kam¡¯s past, you would have been expelled right away.¡± Kaisen looked out the window again at the distant summer sky. His pupils wavered for a moment. He thought back to that day, the day everyone died, and remembered the dawn of the first rainy season and his colleagues¡¯ endless screams. ¡°Go on a trip.¡± He recalled the bloody battle with Kishun, Kam¡¯s smile as sheughed while coughing up blood, and his teacher¡¯sst warmth as she touched Kaisen¡¯s head. Kaisen was suffocated into silence by the sadness welling in his heart. Olliere recognized the boy¡¯s expression and ced a hand on Kaisen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°She was a bitch who yelled that she would never ept a disciple, but when you showed up in front of me, I waspletely shocked. To be honest, I was happy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I remembered. She told me to give a tip if her disciple ever appeared. Of course, with that bitch¡¯s personality, I never imagined such a day woulde, so I forgot about it.¡± ¡°A tip?¡± ¡°Kaisen, why do you think men can¡¯t be Fake Warriors?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°There may be many reasons, but Kam thought it might be a mindset.¡± ¡°What kind of mindset?¡± ¡°Men are physically stronger than women. It¡¯s frustrating, but it¡¯s a fact that must be acknowledged.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why women handle Mana Chain better.¡± ¡°Magic is something you learn to use, and physical ability is something you¡¯re born with. As a result, you tend to overestimate your own strength.¡± Kaisen tilted his head. He had no idea what Olliere was trying to say. Olliere entered the elevator, and as Kaisen followed, she pressed the [98] button. ¡°Are women not the same?¡± he asked. ¡°Of course not. It is rtively difficult for women to rely on their physical abilities, so they rely on other things.¡± ¡°Other things?¡± ¡°Tools, Kaisen. This is probably why women are better at handling Mana Chain, which is how swordsmen use their main force, and it¡¯s probably why they are selected as Fake Warriors.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Humble yourself, know your limitations, and earnestly pray to your holy sword for everything. That is how you use your de.¡± Olliereughed in a self-deprecating manner and leaned against the ss wall. ¡°What meaning could such advice have from me? I was never selected by a holy sword, after all. Anyway, that is what Kam told me.¡± Kaisen touched his chin. ¡®Rely on the holy sword, not your own body, and pray sincerely to the holy sword?¡¯ On that day, Kaisen only listened to the advice his teacher had left to her close friend with one ear. Such was to be expected. ¡°Chief Instructor¡­¡± Kaisen said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if those words have any meaning to me. I¡¯ve been injected with the dragon spirit stone five times and failed every single time. I guess all that¡¯s left now is the expulsion process.¡± ¡°Whether the attempts will be meaningful or not will probably be decided today.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± A heavy nging sound told him that the elevator had arrived at its destination. The wire mesh opened to the side. Olliere had taken Kaisen to the 98th floor, the Dragon Shrine, a sacred ce that opened only when the cardinals gave the Light Dragon¡¯s revtions. Everything around them sparkled with gold. ¡¸This is a sacred ce. Take off your shoes, Kaisen, disciple of Kam Alter Aradamantel.¡¹ A solemn voice echoed through the golden world. Sublime in nature, the voice shook the very air, and it sounded familiar. ¡®What is this voice?¡¯ It was a power he had heard of and a presence he had experienced. Kaisen, who kneeled down and took off his shoes, dared to raise his head, and his pupils trembled. ¡¸Child, have you been at peace?¡¹ It was Cardinal Yoshhar, the yellow dragon who had epted him into the ¡®Temple of the Sword of Bravery¡¯. There was no way he could forget that solemn dragon¡¯s head and golden silk robes. ¡°As you can see, I was not at peace. I went blind at the first injection of the dragon spirit stone.¡± ¡°Hey, Kaisen! What kind of tone is that?! My sincere apologies, Your Excellency,¡± Olliere Olliere tried to stop the boy. Yoshhar raised his hand to indicate that it was okay. ¡¸No, child. What blinded you was conceit.¡¹ ¡°¡­!¡± ¡¸Are you despairing just because you fell once? Were you so confident that you could achieve anything in the world at once? Pride is the most cunning and patient assassin.¡¹ ¡°What should I do when I¡¯m crippled from that one fall?¡± Inadvertently, Kaisen¡¯s voice became sharp. Yoshhar, who sat high up on a seat in the distance, took a deep breath and stood up. ¡¸If it can¡¯t be achieved through ordinary means, you can try something extraordinary.¡¹ As Yoshhar came down the stairs, the nearby wyvern priests in robes held out something wrapped in blue silk. It was a spirit stone. After infusing such a spirit stone with a dragon spirit, it became a dragon spirit stone that resided in and modified the body of a Fake Warrior. ¡¸Generally, those who use up their lives to create dragon spirit stones are the wyvern priests here.¡¹ Yoshhar chanted truly powerful words over the stone he was holding in the dragon tongue. Thenguage of dragons was different from humannguage, and ording to their hierarchy, their words could change the sky, part the sea, and creatend itself. ¡¸Pa bei ro ni Gen jetsu ro shi¡­¡¹ The power of the recited words fluttered, and that power held absolute authority. A sh of light surged in the swirling wind. Kaisen would have copsed on the floor from the force of the wind if Olliere, who¡¯d been about to leave the temple, hadn¡¯t supported him. ¡°No way¡­¡± Olliere muttered. ¡°What is it?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°This is amazing, amazing! Kaisen, a Sage Dragon is personally infusing power into the spirit stone you will use!¡± The boy¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. The stone would hold a Sage Dragon¡¯s power? Olliere spoke in awe. ¡°Ordinary spirit stones are created by wyvern priests! The difference in power between wyverns and Sage Dragons like the Cardinal Yoshhar is iparable! Why?! Why would he give up nearly a hundred years of his lifespan?¡± Chapter 22 Chapter 22 ¨C Origin, Kaisen Alter Aradamantel (5) ¡¸Tus roh e Shiek kide El bas¡­¡¹ The waves of power flowed into the stone before they could spread any farther. As if a fiery hand were inscribing on the surface of the stone, mes shed, and the fire left deeply engraved words in the dragon tongue in their wake as the stone flickered with golden light. The process took quite some time. ¡¸This is not an ordinary dragon spirit stone. It is one that contains the essence of myself, Yoshhar.¡¹ Had the process exhausted him? Yoshhar¡¯s white beard trembled as he held out the dragon spirit stone, radiating with a dazzling brilliance. ¡°Why are you doing this so much for me¡­?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡¸Your question is difficult to answer.¡¹ ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡¸It is fine. Olliere Dune Jeraye, leave us.¡¹ Yoshhar waited for Olliere Dune Jeraye to exit and spoke after the door closed. ¡¸Humans are amazing creatures. They love their children and even their children¡¯s children without reason. The dragonkin were not blessed by the gods with such an inheritance of emotions.¡¹ What was he talking about? Kaisen looked at Yoshhar. The expression on the dragonkin¡¯s face was difficult to discern. ¡¸To me, your mother, Raminea Alter Aradamantel, was like a child. Therefore, you are like my grandson.¡¹ ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡¸What were your mother¡¯sst days like?¡¹ Again, Kaisen felt the sadness rising. The boy¡¯s sorrow at losing something he could never have again ran deep. ¡°She saved me¡­ and left with a smile.¡± ¡¸Hold on to that sadness tightly. A warrior turns their will into their power. Your sorrow will be your strength and lead your way.¡¹ Yoshhar held out the dragon spirit stone. Hesitantly, Kaisen took the stone with both hands. It was hot enough to burn his fingers but cold enough to emit a hazy glow. ¡¸Know this¡­ While the ritual is in progress, you must not lose consciousness.¡¹ Following Yoshhar¡¯s orders, Kaisen sat cross-legged in the center of the temple, right where ¡®Mind¡¯ was engraved in the dragon tongue. Yoshhar sat back on the throne. Surrounding Kaisen, wyvern priests in dragon form stood ording to their hierarchy. The nking of rosary beads and the cacophony of prayers rose in volume. ¡¸Kest¡­ Jer¡­ Kendov¡­ Nah¡­ Muz¡­ Qo¡­ su¡­ Vulon¡­¡¹ Kaisen took a deep breath. The dragon spirit stone sent shooting pain through his hands before sinking into him. ¡°Ugh, Aaaaaahhhhh¡­!¡± More pain tore through his entire body. A lump of hot power spread through him, running wild as if trying to rip apart his muscles and bones. The veins and arteries under his skin glowed red. In the midst of his agony, he coughed up blood and had a funny thought. ¡®Has the human body always been so weak? So much so that even a fragment of a dragon¡¯s power is enough to break my tendons and joints?¡¯ ck, ck, ck, ck¡ª The rosary beads frantically shook, and the world broke in two, then three, and then reformed again and again. His whole body trembled as the cold hand of death reached out to him. ¡°Know this¡­ While the ritual is in progress, you must not lose consciousness.¡± Blood leaked from all of his orifices, but the boy did not rx his cross-legged pose. ¡®It hurts, it hurts¡­¡¯ He felt that the pain could kill him at any moment. His ears rang, his skin tore, and blood vessels burst to spout a mist of blood. ¡°Mom¡¯s most precious treasure in the world¡­¡± ¡®I¡­ I will gain this power¡­¡¯ He would cut and cut again¡­ Until he avenged his ruined hometown in the wartorn southernnd where his mother¡¯s grave rested. ¡°After you be a Fake Warrior¡­ let¡¯s go together¡­ so Kam can rest next to her master¡­¡± As the power of the dragon spirit stone burned through his body, as if it were about to explode, the boy¡¯s body began to twist strangely¡ªthe muscles and bones became longer and stronger, and the power of a dragon danced in his blood. Amidst the inexplicable pain, the color of his hair gradually began to fade to white, and a current of power surged around him. ¡¸Kest¡­ Jer¡­ Kendov¡­ Nah¡­ Muz¡­ Qo¡­ su¡­ Vulon¡­!¡¹ In that storm, the hems of the robes of the priests reciting theirst prayers fluttered wildly. That power was sucked into Kaisen¡¯s body. For an instant, a silence descended on the temple. The dazzling light that had been flickering also disappeared into the boy¡¯s body. ¡¸Truly¡­¡¹ While Yoshhar took a tense breath, the boy let out a long exhale and slowly opened his eyes. His white hair fluttered before settling down. A ce far away, not here¡­ His eyes were a brilliant gold color and held a far-off look, as if he were looking across the distant southern sea, where his lost hometown was located. The priests eximed in shock. ¡¸This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a clear gold color.¡¹ ¡¸Does it mean that Lord Yoshhar¡¯s lofty spirit resides in that small body?¡¹ ¡¸Child of Raminea, how do you feel?¡¹ Was¡­ it over¡­? Finally, as the painful wave of light and heat disappeared, Kaisen opened his mouth to speak. ¡®Huh?¡¯ But why was the world¡­ Tilted sideways? Why¡­ was the world¡­ tilted¡­? When he opened his eyes again, Kaisen was lying on a hospital bed in the infirmary. The sunlight stung his eyes. ¡°¡­?¡± He opened his eyes, but for a moment he was shocked and had to blink several times. His vision was clear¡ªclearer than it used to be. He could focus on distant objects and see them in detail, and by releasing that focus, he could see everything. That wasn¡¯t all. A seemingly otherworldly strength was pulsating throughout his body. The waves of power were cool and calm, like a river. ¡°Are you awake?¡± Olliere Dune Jeraye stood at the head of his hospital bed. ¡°Instructor¡­ I can see¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, you can see.¡± Olliere turned the mirror on the nightstand toward Kaisen. Huh? His eyes in the mirror were shaking. In the morning sunlight, the dragon¡¯s eyes sparkled with a golden light, and half of his hair turned gray. With golden eyes and white hair, he was a symbol of a Fake Warrior. There were also great physical changes, and his muscr limbs were longer than before. ¡°You¡¯re incredibly big, aren¡¯t you? A Fake Warrior is normally around six feet, and those who happen to be close to seven feet tall appear sometimes. Your height is well over seven feet. I¡¯d wager you¡¯re almost as tall as a Hai-tark chief.¡± Was it because he was a man? No way. He guessed the difference was between the dragon spirit of a Sage Dragon and a wyvern. It was understandable when you looked at the height difference between Sage Dragons and wyverns. ¡°Instructor, Is¡­ Is this¡­ sess, was it¡­ a sess?¡± His breathing was ragged. In his memory, his mother¡¯s eyes sparkled like his. Just as Kam¡¯s hair was pure white, so was his. Was that why? It finally dawned on him that he¡¯d been following in those two¡¯s footsteps¡­ A shiver ran down his spine as Olliere nodded and smiled. ¡°Yes. Congrattions. Kaisen, you are the first male Fake Warrior¡­ This will turn the world upside down, won¡¯t it?¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°Now then, go and see how your body changed.¡± * * * ¡°You guys have learned all the swordsmanship and fighting techniques you need to learn as Fake Warriors in the past one, two, or three years,¡± Kelly Dun Jeraye said. It was the final ss of batch 997, and only four students, including Kaisen, stood before her. The other thirteen had died, unable to withstand the power of the dragon spirit stone. ¡°Now, all that remains is training that only a Fake Warrior canplete. No, rather than training, I should say it is about a change in perception.¡± ¡°Dear Instructor!¡± I raised her hand. She was the disciple of Runelle Alter Gaurmis, who was killed in the siege of Terbenople. She had also survived and had golden eyes. ¡°ording to I¡¯s memories, this training is alreadyplete!¡± ¡°What a phenomenal memory you have.¡± ¡°Thank you for thepliment!¡± ¡°I¡¯m being sarcastic. Out of respect for your stupidity, I¡¯ll let you go through this training first. I, go stand at the starting line.¡± It was essentially a bncing exercise. A huge hole was dug deep in the ground, and five bamboo poles were ced within. If they lost their bnce or focus, the bamboo would break, and the cadet would fall. ¡°Are you making fun of I? I can do this with her eyes closed!¡± ¡°There is no need to close your eyes. Just jump over to the other side.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°Your bodies have already surpassed the human level. This is a ss that will help you adjust your physical perception. Now, go ahead and jump!¡± Kaisen saw I hesitate for a moment, then she bounced her body into the air with a slight leap. ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ It was clearly a simple jump, but it was powerful. Soon, Inded on the other side of the pit on her butt. ¡°Hh¡­?¡± ¡°What just¡­?¡± The cadets of ss 997th next to Kaisen were shocked. ¡°Did you see it?! Did you see it?! This is I¡¯s power!¡± Even Kelly Duen Jeraye had a hard time keeping her mouth from twitching as I bounced around with her adorable little body. ¡°You saw it, right? What you will learn over the next three weeks is to clearly recognize the potential your new bodies have. Seira, you are next.¡± The other two members of ss 997 also showed off their transcendental physical abilities, jumping over the pit in a single bound. Kaisen was amazed. He felt good and gained confidence from the sess of his ssmates that he could do the same. Kelly nodded. ¡°Lastly, Kaisen,e on¡­ Show them the power of history¡¯s first male Fake Warrior.¡± I¡¯s eyes lit up. Seira, the disciple of Arecia Alter Sng, who had also participated in the siege of Terbenople, narrowed her eyes in focus. ¡°Really¡­?¡± Kaisen took two or three steps back before kicking the ground hard andunched himself over the pit. ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± The cadets couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. Even Kelly took off her sses (which she kept wearing due to a w in her body modification), wiped them with her uniform sleeve, and put them on again. ¡°Kaisen, are you okay?¡± The hero of the miracle was groaning and pulling himself up from the mud at the bottom of the pit¡ªhe hadn¡¯t even been able to clear half of the pit. Following the unprecedented situation (even though it was an unprecedented situation for a man to be a Fake Warrior), all the instructors gathered. ¡°Kaisen, try again,¡± Olliere Dune Jeraye said. She had rushed over after hearing Kelly¡¯s report about an abnormal phenomenon. ¡°His physical abilities have not improved?¡± ¡°Yes. He only had normal leg strength.¡± Kaisen¡¯s gray hair was already covered in mud, and his training clothes were also thickly soaked. ¡°Here I go.¡± He took two or three steps back again. The moment he prepared to jump¡­ ¡°Stop!¡± Olliere shouted. The 997th cadets looked at the chief instructor in bewilderment. Ollier skillfully jumped over the pit andnded next to Kaisen. ¡°It¡¯s strange¡­ the power of the dragon tongue is not activated in your Mana Chain.¡± Mana Chain was a chain of power that swordsmen used to circte their mana through their bodies. Fake Warriors took it a step further and imbued the chain with the power of the dragon tongue. If one were to look into the magical power within a Fake Warrior¡¯s body, it¡¯d be normal to see a golden chain tightly wrapping around their mind and body. ¡°Kaisen, do you remember the feeling you had when activating your sword?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do it perfectly yet¡­ but I remember.¡± ¡°Try to replicate it.¡± ¡°You mean now?¡± ¡°Yes, now.¡± It felt ridiculous to activate sword aura without a sword in hand, but the boy concentrated. As a hazy radiance rose and glowed from his body, Olliere¡¯s shocked eyes felt as if they were burning. ¡®What¡­?¡¯ It was unnatural how much her eyes stung. Was his power that dazzling? Chapter 23 Chapter 23 ¨C Origin, Kaisen Alter Aradamantel (6) ¡°Instructor, it feels like something is running wild within my body,¡± Kaisen said. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Strangely¡­ I can¡¯t control it. The Mana Chain won¡¯t retract.¡± The mana quietly trembled in Kaisen¡¯s body and glowed with a brilliant golden light. Had a candidate ever emitted such dazzling brightness before? ¡°Jump. Come on.¡± Kaisen concentrated on the wave of power washing through and healing his body before concentrating on his toes and leaping from the front of the pit. Like a hawk swooping down on its prey, the boy flew through the air, spinning andnding a great distance away. ¡°What¡­?¡± a cadet murmured. ¡°Goodness¡­¡± The cadets¡¯ eyes widened in surprise. Kaisen was sitting much farther away than those who had already jumped were. Was it roughly more than the radius of the pit? Olliere couldn¡¯t control her shockedugh as she looked at Kaisen in the distance. ¡®Is this the power of the dragon spirit from His Excellency, Yoshhar¡­?¡¯ Kaisen broke every record the previous cadets had, one by one. Well, he would have, anyway, had he not suddenly lost consciousness just before they started the other tests. ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ He had been participating in a noon training session, but when he opened his eyes, dusk had fallen. The instructors spoke from his bedside. ¡°Chief Instructor, Kaisen woke up.¡± ¡°What time is it?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°It¡¯s been a little over four hours.¡± Kaisian said, ¡°Chief Instructor, I am sorry. I suddenly¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to apologize for. The dragonkin priest already looked over you.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Listen carefully¡­ You copsed after exerting yourself for about 10 minutes. We¡¯ll have to measure it again, but that was the rough time.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± ¡°And you woke up four hourster. Do you have any idea why?¡± Kaisen tilted his head. He couldn¡¯t understand the instructor¡¯s question. *You know that dwarves use steam engines, right?¡± Olliere asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If excessive force is applied, it will hang in bnce for a moment and eventually copse. In short, it means that your body cannot withstand the power of the dragon spirit stone it absorbed.¡± It felt like the world was darkening before Kaisen¡¯s eyes. Despair and darkness filled his eyes. ¡°Are you saying¡­ I¡¯m a failure?¡± Olliere pursed her lips. She always enjoyed creating tension, but that time, it was different. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say for certain.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Your situation is different from other Fake Warriors, who can use their power at will. You can use your power conditionally with a time limit, and the power you use is ridiculously strong.¡± ¡®A time limit¡­?¡¯ Olliere Dune Jeraye held up three fingers. ¡°You can exert the power of two or even three Fake Warriors by yourself.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡°A Fake Warrior¡¯s power cannot be calcted through simple math¡­ Still, no one can deny that you will be the strongest Fake Warrior of all time.¡± She seemed excited for a moment. Olliere¡¯s expression darkened as she looked out the window. ¡°The problem is that it is only for 10 minutes. The priests said that if you use your power to the fullest, it could be even less. In the end, we¡¯re uncertain. You¡¯re a Fake Warrior who needs a four-hour break, which is ridiculous.¡± Rachel Dune Jeraye, an instructor in charge of military theory, spoke up in Kaisen¡¯s favor. ¡°All he has to do is annihte the enemy within those 10 minutes.¡± ¡°The battlefield is not a game of chess.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not talking about every enemy hees across. Kaisen has already shown an unbelievable track record as a child soldier. Even if he can¡¯t always use his powers, he will fight well.¡± Rachel Dune Jeraye and Kaisen¡¯s eyes met. Rachel nodded confidently, her voice excited. ¡°The point is that you only need to release the dragon spirit in an emergency situation or when you encounter a powerful enemy.¡± ¡°Rachel¡­¡± Olliere began. ¡°Chief Instructor, this cadet¡¯s presence will soon cause an uproar on the battlefield. Whether it¡¯s an enemy or an ally, who could have imagined a Fake Warrior who can unleash the power of two or even three of his kind?!¡± The instructors whispered among each other after Rachel¡¯s shout. Kaisen¡¯s mind was nk, and he wondered if there was hope. ¡°That¡¯s true, but the battlefield is full of variables. The weakness of four hours¡­ We¡¯ll have to mitigate it somehow,¡± Olliere said. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Kaisen, can you get up?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s continue testing. Your power is beyond the standard. I think we need to umte more data to think of a solution.¡± ¡®A side effect due to too much power, huh¡­?¡¯ Kaisen had definitely woken up, but his mind was foggy, and his stomach was sore. Nevertheless, he stood up. He had to. ¡°We can start right away.¡± ¡°Judging from your expression, that¡¯s not true, right? Don¡¯t overdo it.¡± Had his life ever been smooth after his mother¡¯s death? Not once. Life was always an uphill slope, and he had to keep going. If he gave up, he would just fall to his death. ¡°After you be a Fake Warrior¡­ let¡¯s go together¡­ so Kam can rest next to her master¡­¡± He¡¯d made a promise to someone, and he¡¯d made a promise to his mother. Those promises led the boy forward, farther and farther. When he¡¯d said, ¡°I wille back,¡± it was a promise to himself and a bond to fate. ¡°No, we can really start right away,¡± Kaisen said. That day, he was surrounded by instructors and underwent quite a few physical tests. After every use of his dragon spirit, he rested for four hours. ¡°Instead of denting the steel te, he¡¯s splitting it.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to prepare himself before jumping either.¡± ¡°His flexibility goes without saying.¡± In each test, the instructors couldn¡¯t help but marvel at his performance. They couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. ¡°He already surpasses the standard Fake Warrior.¡± ¡°The problem may be that he stillcks experience, but if you look at his physical ability alone, he is definitely above them.¡± ¡°Except for the four-hour risk,¡± Olliere Dune Jeraye persistently mentioned. The instructors tried to ignore it, but it was clearly a big problem. ¡°What should we do?¡± Rachel Dune Jeraye, who was the most strategic, raised her hand. Olliere nodded and gave her permission to speak. ¡°It¡¯s such a simple problem that you don¡¯t even have to think about it.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°If four hours is an issue, wouldn¡¯t it be okay to provide a partner who can protect him on the battlefield during that time?¡± Olliere¡¯s eyes narrowed. Rachel pushed further. ¡°Whenever we deploy him, we can have another Fake Warrior serve as an assistant, or we can have Kaisen sent out as the assistant.¡± ¡°A single Fake Warrior is a heretic-level force. We already don¡¯t have nearly enough of them, but you want to put two together in one corps? That¡¯s not something we can decide on our own,¡± Olliere argued. ¡°What would happen if you reported to the cardinals?¡± Olliere took a step back and drew a line. Rachel¡¯s will was firm. ¡°Kaisen will be humanity¡¯s strongest soldier. Maybe he can even surpass Raminea Alter Aradamantel and the Hero of the Troubles, Rista Alter Schirpin. He just needs a little help.¡± Kelly scratched her chin in thought and softly sighed. ¡°That¡¯s if he can be an Alter, a proxy, and not a Dune like us.¡± Rachel also let out a short sigh. ¡°Now that I think about it, the cadets haven¡¯t taken the holy swordpatibility test yet.¡± * * * ¡°I¡¯ll check your basic aptitude again. If you can¡¯t do this much, then not even entering the ¡®Holy Swords¡¯ Cradle¡¯ will help you be selected by a holy sword. Sometimes, Fake Warrior training sses were held at the Holy Workshop. The topic of that particr ss was clear¡ªthey were to awaken the mass-produced holy sword stuck in the pedestal and pull it out. ¡°What kind of training is this?¡± the cksmith¡¯s young apprentice asked. The cksmith, sweating from the hot furnace, answered, ¡°It¡¯s to prove they can awaken a holy sword with the power of their dragon spirit.¡± The cksmith wiped his sweat with a towel before tilting his chin to indicate one of the cadets. ¡°Look at that. It¡¯s dazzling, right? That¡¯s talent that you can¡¯t reach with effort alone.¡± The cksmith was talking about a girl holding a sword, her white hair blowing in the wind¡ªOphelia, the 2nd Seat of ss 997. Creak, crreeeeaaaak, creaaaaakkkk¡ª A bright brilliance rose from the mass-produced sword, Die¡¯s de, at a suitable person¡¯s call, and a powerful current swirled around the de. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s really dazzling.¡± ¡°Look at that. That¡¯s the same as being talentless.¡± There was little sympathy in the cksmith¡¯s gaze as he looked to the other side at Kaisen, a white-haired young man. Unlike with Ophelia, the light emitted by his Die was extremely faint and silent. ¡°Kaisen! Try to make Die resonate with your dragon spirit through a prayer! How many times do I have to tell you not to try forcing it?¡± It was already resonating. His dragon spirit was running, and the power raging in his veins was dizzying, but¡­ how did theck of a result make any sense? ¡®What do I have to do to make it shine as much as theirs?¡¯ Unlike with the others, the sword only faintly blinked in his hands instead of shining. After he exhausted himself, Kaisen retreated in despair. ¡°That should be enough to confirm him as a Dune Jeraye.¡± Whispering reached his ears. ¡°Well, how on earth could a man be a Fake Warrior?¡­¡± Contempt filled Ophelia¡¯s eyes as she looked at Kaisen from afar. ¡°Hmph¡­¡± * * * A short outing was permitted the day before entering ¡®Holy Swords¡¯ Cradle¡¯. The next day would decide whether each candidate became a Fake Warrior or an instructor. Kaisen didn¡¯t know how Tarcio learned that they¡¯d be going out, but she insisted on going with him. Her logic was that, since his body had grown enormously, she could hide behind him. Of course, such a thing was obviously impossible, but the instructors did not notice Tarcio¡¯s presence, and neither did the dragons. Did they not notice, or were they deliberately pretending not to see? What on earth was happening¡­? Thus, Tarcio walked over to the fountain in the square with a bright smile. Kaisen carefully looked around the city. Haraldoniki, where the Imperial Pce was located, was more brilliant than any city he had ever seen. The citizens seemed to be overflowing with smiles, and songs left the lips of the sailors traveling through the port along the sea route. In several spots around the city, gs with the seven-pointed me, the symbol of the Church of the Light Dragon, flew in the sky; a goldcquered bell tower rose in every church, spreading the grace of light to the world every hour. ¡°How peaceful¡­¡± Kaisen said in an empty tone. The city of Divine Dragon, seen from the top of a hill, was dazzlingly majestic. How could the world be so peaceful? To the citizens there, the war seemed like a non-existent rumor from a distant sea. Meanwhile, the southern front knew only pain and despair. Tarcio spoke. ¡°They say the whole world was happy in the Golden Age, the Silver Age, and the Bronze Age, but now we live in the Iron Age, an age in which blood must be shed.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°I read it in a book. Kaisen, why do you look upset?¡± ¡°Because of the Holy Swordpatibility test.¡± It was the final course for cadets who seeded in being injected with the dragon spirit stone. Kaisen recalled what Olliere had said while delivering news of the test. ¡°You want to use Aradamantel, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The Cross Sword Style was meant to be used with a longsword. There were clear limitations to the techniques of the style when used with a greatsword or a shortsword. ¡°Kaisen, you are not the one who will choose the holy sword. The holy sword must choose you.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°No matter how much you want it, there is nothing you can do if Aradamantel doesn¡¯t want you. Just like us instructors, the Dune Jeraye.¡± Olliere¡¯s warning sent a chill down his spine. It was a problem he had never thought about. Aradamantel not wanting him? If that happened, what on earth should he do? What about the Cross Sword Style he had learned? If Aradamantel¡¯s will to save Kam was what freed him from the fight with Kishun, could it turn away from him? Tarcio smiled inexplicably. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. Aradamantel is waiting for you.¡± He didn¡¯t know what she was talking about. For some reason, Tarcio always referred to the holy swords as if they were people. ¡°Tarcio¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What kind of holy sword do you want?¡± ¡°Sarillion.¡± ¡°Sarillion? That¡¯s right, you mentioned it before. What is it?¡± Whenever Kaisen asked her something, Tarcio was happy rather than annoyed. Even on that day, there was a smile on her face. ¡°A true holy sword, once wielded by a real hero.¡± ¡°A true holy sword?¡± ¡°Sarillion is a true holy sword kept in the Imperial Court. The other half of my soul, just like you and Aradamantel.¡± Tarcio smiled and added something that was difficult to understand right away. ¡°You guys go first. I¡¯ll follow soon. We¡¯ll meet again when you need me the most.¡± Her body looked frail enough to break in a strong wind, and deep wounds constantly appeared all over her. He didn¡¯t even know what all of the bandages were meant to help with. Kaisen didn¡¯t see Tarcio again from the day he left the Imperial Court to ¡®that moment¡¯, far in the future. ¡°Goodbye for now, until we meet again.¡± Chapter 24 Chapter 24 ¨C Origin, Kaisen Alter Aradamantel (7) ¡°I believe you know about the five Warriors who were active during the Age of Gods,¡± Rachel Dune Jeraye exined as they walked down the corridor leading to the Holy Swords¡¯ Cradle. It was ss 997. It needed to be exined again, but Kaisen, who had been in the school for half a year, was transferred to the 997th ss and experiencing hisst lesson with the ss. ¡°Can you exin it to me?¡± Kaisen whispered to I. I was truly dumbfounded. Seira pursed her mouth before smiling. ¡°They are the heroes who contributed greatly to helping the Lords of Light seal the abyss.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°The holy swords they used are called the ¡®true holy swords¡¯.¡± Seemingly fed up with Kaisen¡¯s stupid questions, Ophelia helped exin from the side. ¡°There are six in total¡­ Rivelden, Gdiel, Hisgivid, Isaiah, Yonin, and Sarillion.¡± True Holy Sword Sarillion¡­ What Tarcio said was true. ¡°Why are there six even though there were five Warriors?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°Alkaios, the proud Warrior, used two swords: Rivelden and Gdiel.¡± ¡°Aha, why is she exining that?¡± Of course, all of the chatter was heard by Rachel Dune Jeraye, who had undergone the process of bing a Fake Warrior and also had augmented hearing. ¡°This is basic knowledge, Kaisen.¡± Kaisen straightened his back at the sudden call. Seira only smirked. Ack ofmon knowledge could be called that guy¡¯s specialty. ¡°All holy swords are made by imitating the power and shapes of the true holy swords.¡± ¡°Hmm, for example, the Aradamantel used by your teacher, Kam Alter Aradamantel, can be said to be a copy of True Holy Sword Gdiel.¡± Before they knew it, ss 997 had boarded the elevator of the Imperial Court. Rachel Dune Jeraye pressed the buttonbeled ¡®B7¡¯. ¡°For each true holy sword, two great holy swords are made, so there are a total of twelve great holy swords in the world.¡± ¡°So does that mean Aradamantel has a twin?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°You¡¯re so smart, I¡¯ll give you a noogie as a reward.¡± Although Kaisen got his head pounded for talking during ss, he felt relieved. A twin holy sword¡­ In the worst case, even if he didn¡¯t get chosen by Aradamantel, he thought he had another option. Unfortunately, that thought soon died. Rachel continued. ¡°It was a holy sword named Renod. However, it disappeared along with Vinessa Alter Renod¡¯s disciple, Eshir, during the ¡®ck Summer¡¯ and never returned to the Imperial Court.¡± ¡®No way¡­¡¯ When he thought about it, if he hadn¡¯t saved Kam back then, wouldn¡¯t Aradamantel have been lost? Kaisen trembled at the realization. ¡°Holy swords can be repaired, but new ones cannot be made. Currently, there are eight great holy swords in the world, but four are on a campaign expedition, so the remaining four are in storage at the Imperial Court,¡± Rachel said. The elevator stopped in the basement. When the wire mesh opened, the damp, musty, and stale odor of the basement rushed over them. They saw a heavy iron gate ahead with one of the Dune Jeraye on either side. ¡°Today, you must choose one of these four holy swords. This will decide whether you will be an Alter or a Dune.¡± The iron door opened with a loud roar. ¡®It looks just like a royal tomb,¡¯ Kaisen thought with a trembling heart. The interior space was semicircr and was dimly lit by the torches lined up along the walls. ¡°Do you see the spaces in the outer wall? Each holds a great holy sword.¡± Kaisen, I, and Seira, the disciples of Fake Warriors, immediately turned toward their respective associated holy swords. Their hearts loudly pounded in their chests. Aradamantel¡­ Gaumris¡­ Sng¡­ Ophelia, who was not a Fake Warrior¡¯s disciple, also turned in the same direction as Kaisen, toward Aradamantel. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s see who gets Aradamantel,¡± Ophelia whispered. Rachel kneeled in front of a podium at the end of the semicircr room. Five thrones stood on a high tform ahead, and the five cardinals sat on the thrones, radiating golden majesty. ¡°I have guided a total of four cadets: three cadets from the 997th ss, and one cadet who skipped a grade from the 998th ss.¡± ¡¸Thank you for your hard work, Rachel Dune Jeraye¡¹ ¡°It was my pleasure, Your Excellency.¡± Cardinal Enricht raised his hand. ¡¸Start immediately.¡¹ Before entering the Holy Swords¡¯ Cradle, when they were training dragon spirit resonance with Die, Ophelia provoked Kaisen. ¡°Even though you are Kam¡¯s disciple, does it hold any meaning? It is not like a teacher-disciple rtionship determines the owner of a holy sword.¡± Kaisen turned in surprise at the voice from behind him and saw a girl with her white hair in a bun¡­ Ophelia. Seated at the table across from him with her back turned, Ophelia, who was using her silverware in a ssy manner befitting a child of a noble family, continued speaking. ¡°There is no way Aradamantel can be used by someone who can barely awaken Die, a mass-produced holy sword.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you now¡­ if you think Aradamantel is going to be yours, you¡¯d better get rid of that certainty.¡± Kaisen¡¯s eyebrows twitched as he turned around and leaned against the backrest. Ophelia stayed turned away from him. ¡°It was the weapon of a great hero and a hero.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡± Kaisen had asked. ¡°It¡¯s not a weapon that can be used by men, who frequently turn to violence.¡± Kaisen¡¯s eyes narrowed. He was at a loss as to how to react to her words since they praised his mother and teacher while criticizing him. He just said, ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Ophelia stood up with her tray. Since there were no servants or maids, even noble-born cadets had to handle all of the menial chores on their own. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll see,¡± she said as she passed by and looked down at him. Afterward, a different voice reached Kaisen. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. She¡¯s just that kind of person. She¡¯s not very friendly.¡± The next girl to speak also had white hair and golden eyes. Tall and slender, the girl had a familiar look of mirth around her eyes and mouth. As Kaisen sat there, blinking, she spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m Seira. If your memory isn¡¯t as pathetic as it seems, you remember, right?¡± ¡°Of course. You defended me back then.¡± ¡°I see you remembered. Our hot first night.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°If all men were as smart as you, there might not be any room for women to stand.¡± Someone came up and sniffed Kaisen¡¯s neck and shoulder beforeughing. ¡°You¡­ smell good.¡± Kaisen was so surprised that he almost knocked over his chair as he stood up. As soon as he turned around, he saw a girl who was by far the most unique among the Fake Warrior cadets. The off-white color of her hair was breathtaking, and her surreal beauty was enough to repulse him. Smaller than the other girls, her white hair and golden eyes stood in contrast to her bronze skin. Surprisingly¡­ dragon horns sprouted from either side of her head. ¡°I¡¯m I. I have a habit of sniffing people I meet for the first time.¡± ¡°Why¡­?¡± ¡°As you can tell by the horns, I is half dragonkin. She¡¯s not even ten years old yet, but I guess dragons can smell souls.¡± Seira rested her chin on her sped hands andughed. I sat down next to her and spoke again. ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s right! I can even smell the scent hidden in your body! Ta-da-da-da-da. I¡¯m actually over 300 years old!¡± ¡®Half dragon? 300 years old¡­?¡¯ Kaisen was surprised. Wasn¡¯t a rtionship between a dragon and a human considered profane and unprecedented? ¡°Does she talk like that because she¡¯s half dragon?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I speaks the Akinguage.¡± ¡°The Akinguage?¡± ¡°Kaisen, you don¡¯t know! Kaisen is an idiot! Stupid, stupid, stupid! If you don¡¯t know Akinguage, you deserve to die!¡± ¡°?¡± Aki was the name of a baby dragon that appeared in ¡ºTravel Journal of a Dragon and a Mage¡». Tarcio had told him the tale. The way the baby dragon spoke was so cute that it even became popr among girls and was known as ¡®Aki¡¯nguage¡­ ¡°I speaks the dwarven tongue better than the human tongue. I think she uses that way of speaking to get used to human speech.¡± ¡°No! Seira is such an idiot! Stupid, stupid, stupid.¡± ¡°I is a baby. If you pet her like this, she will purr and cry.¡± Kaisen thought I would protest by baring her strangely long fangs, but when Seira stroked her, she closed her eyes like a cat and purred happily. ¡°Cute, right? Runelle Alter Gaumris found her very cute.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, you guys always stick together,¡± Kaisen said. ¡°Because we are close. We met when our teachers were fighting together in Terbenople.¡± Terbenople was the capital of the old empire that copsed after the Inferno Line was broken through. I, who was noisily finishing her meal, opened her mouth. ¡°You¡­ How did you get in here?¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°I am not asking about qualifications! I¡¯m asking about talent! When cadets enter, they undergo an evaluation by pulling out Die!¡± Seira, who was humming and stuffing veal steak into her mouth, helped exin. ¡°If you can¡¯t pull it out, you don¡¯t have the aptitude to be a Fake Warrior, so admission would be impossible.¡± ¡°Even if you can draw it, you barely resonate with the holy sword! How on earth did you get in? I¡¯m very curious,¡± I said. ¡°Kaisen, don¡¯t you know what prayer is?¡± ¡°I know. Roughly speaking, it¡¯s talking with a holy sword.¡± ¡°What? Didn¡¯t Kam teach you properly?¡± Kam only taught Kaisen how to use a sword, but she never taught him the path of a Fake Warrior, and what Tarcio taught him was very abstract¡­ ¡°Can you tell me?¡± he asked. When I looked at Seira, Seira shrugged her shoulders and said, ¡°The prayer to a sword is meant to resonate one¡¯s will with the sword. It is up to the holy sword to choose whether to resonate with a particr individual or not.¡± * * * ¡®The holy sword chooses¡­¡¯ With a long, tense breath, Kaisen escaped the echoes of the past. Again, the dark and clear world unfolded before his eyes as the Holy Swords¡¯ Cradle appeared before him. ¡®My will¡­ and Aradamantel¡¯s will.¡¯ What kind of will Aradamantel would have? Would that will resonate with his? They would soon find out. ¡°Chief Instructor¡­¡± Kelly Dune Jeraye, who was watching the cadets from afar, spoke. ¡°Kaisen¡¯s resonance with Die was abnormally low. If this continues, won¡¯t Aradamantel end up going to Ophelia?¡± ¡°Who knows.¡± Olliere Dune Jeraye remembered what Wolf had said about Kaisen. [Awakened Great Holy Sword Aradamantel during the Kaltake against Kishun Giolobepe.] There was no precedent for awakening a great holy sword without the power of a dragon spirit. No, such a thing had only happened once. It was said that Miria Ludwig, the spouse of Dragon Sage Rain Ludwig, awakened Schirpin without being a Fake Warrior, but that was all long ago. Aside from that story that nobody could verify the origins of¡­ ¡®You didn¡¯t listen to my prayers before, but I sincerely ask you again, Aradamantel¡­¡¯ Olliere held her hands together and prayed earnestly. ¡®Kam, if you are there, help Aradamantel end up with your disciple on his fated path of the sword.¡¯ Chapter 25 Chapter 25 ¨C Origin, Kaisen Alter Aradamantel (8) ¡°Cadet I, step forward.¡± The first person to be called out by Rachel was I, the 3rd cadet of ss 997. The instructors and field leaders watching began whispering to each other. ¡°Is she the direct disciple of Dame Runelle?¡± ¡°Then, of course, there is only one holy sword she is aiming for.¡± ¡°The hammer-type great holy sword¡­ it must be Gaumris.¡± Indeed, that was the case. I walked excitedly toward the far left alcove. The holy sword hanging in the rack was pale and silvery. The weapon was abination of an axe, a spear, and a hammer¡ªthe right side was a hammer, the left side was an axe de, and there was a spear point at the end. Gaumris was a holy sword that could subdue attacks of all types ¡¸Child, please make your wish. Pray to the sword. The holy sword will answer.¡¹ Kaisen saw I take a deep breath as she clenched her left fist in front of her chest. Was that the sword¡¯s prayer? The Fake Warrior prayed to the holy sword, and the spirit of the holy sword resonated and responded to it. He remembered Tarcio¡¯s exnation. ¡°The prayer will be with the Fake Warrior all their lives. Because by reciting the prayer, you can awaken the holy sword.¡± The deciding factor was whether the wish of the Fake Warrior candidate matched the will held by the capricious holy sword. ¡°I will kill you all.¡± Kam¡¯s sword prayer had been extremely violent, though it suited her. ¡°I prays to you, Gaumris.¡± When I grabbed her teacher¡¯s holy sword, a magnificent sound spread over the hall. The holy sword resonated with the suitable person¡¯s magic and replied in kind. ¡°The air currents are swirling¡­¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s also emitting light¡­¡± Gaumris emitted a heavy wave of power. The light emitted was dull yet noble. Olliere Dune Jeraye said, ¡°Kelly, what is thepatibility level?¡± ¡°87%. It¡¯s incredibly high. There¡¯s no need to check other holy swords.¡± Inheritance of the holy sword was recognized at 70% or higher, and apatibility of 80% or higher was considered confirmed. ¡¸I, that¡¯s enough. Gaumris is yours.¡¹ I¡¯s hand trembled as she ced Great Holy Sword Gaumris back on the shelf. Although everyone¡¯s attention was focused on her, Isal was jumping around cutely with both hands clenched into fists. The joy of inheriting her master¡¯s holy sword filled her whole body with excitement, and even the dragons smiled happily. ¡°Congrattions, I.¡± I smiled brightly as her best friend Seira stroked her head after she returned to the ranks of cadets. ¡°Seira will also definitely seed.¡± Next, Seira, who was the head of the 997th ss, inherited Sng, a longsword-type holy sword and her teacher¡¯s sword. Thepatibility level was 89%. Naturally, it was not her, but Ophelia, the 2nd-rankingpetitor, who made Kaisen¡¯s heart sink. ¡°Oh, is that the cadet who beat Dame Runelle¡¯s student and took 2nd ce?¡± ¡°She¡¯s the daughter of Prominent Sword Crowell.¡± ¡°But just because you have good skills or a good bloodline doesn¡¯t mean you will be chosen by a holy sword.¡± The evaluation was split in half. She went around the cache of holy swords and tested herpatibility with each, her evaluation gradually became more and more biased. ¡°Compatibility with Sng is 68%.¡± ¡°Compatibility with Gaumris is 69%.¡± Kelly read the numbers on the measuring stone. I seemed to be breathing a sigh of relief. She was a girl with an honest expression, like a child. ¡°Compatibility with Verumpeira¡­ huh, 77%.¡± Soon, exmations flowed from among those who were watching the session process in the hall. Even though she was not a direct disciple, her suitability was quite high. Great Holy Sword Verumpeira had a unique form¡ªit was a serpent sword. A serpent sword was a sword with dozens of des intertwined with iron pieces that could move like a snake. The sword also had a unique purple color. The dragon engraved on the de shed purple and danced in the waves of overwhelming power. Since the previous proxy wielder had died along with her disciple, there was no need to wait for thepatibility of the immediate disciple to be assessed. ¡°Would you like to check yourpatibility with Aradamantel?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± There was no hesitation in Ophelia¡¯s answer. Verumpeira was a good sword, but it was no match for Aradamantel. Aradamantel was a symbol¡ªa symbol of peace achieved by Raminea Alter Aradamantel. Inheriting that sword was like bing a symbol of peace. ¡°¡­¡± Ophelia, who was standing in front of Great Holy Sword Aradamantel, nced back at Kaisen. With a contemptuous smile on her face, she grabbed the hilt of the sword. ¡°No¡­!¡± ¡°Such a brilliant light¡­!¡± Breathless exmations erupted, and the exmation that escaped Kelly¡¯s mouth as she examined the measuring mana stone added to the shock. ¡°Compatibility is 82%.¡± Raminea¡¯s score of 98% and Cami¡¯s score of 91% were simply unreasonably high. 82% was an extremely high figure, especially if they were not direct disciples. ¡®82%?¡¯ Kaisen felt heart-stopping pain. ¡®Aradamantel¡­ Are you saying you¡¯re going to choose that girl over me?¡¯ ¡°If Kaisen weren¡¯t a direct disciple, the tests would have ended there,¡± Olliere said. Kelly Dune Jeraye nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. Ophelia¡¯s suitability is 82%. Without session priority¡­ Hmm.¡± ¡°Kaisen is a direct disciple, so if the score exceeds 80%, he will unconditionally inherit the sword, no matter how high the opponent¡¯s score is.¡± ¡°More than 80% is not easy¡­ I wonder if Aradamantel will do it for a man.¡± It was Kaisen¡¯s turn. He walked diagonally to the right. As befitting a disciple of a Fake Warrior, he didn¡¯t even nce at the other holy swords. ¡°¡­¡± He stopped, of course, in front of Great Holy Sword Aradamantel, which was hanging on a shelf. It was a longsword, and the scabbard and hilt were the pure white of an early winter snowfield, while the unique energy the sword emitted was red. ¡¸The son of Raminea Alter Aradamantel, wasn¡¯t it?¡¹ ¡¸He is also the disciple chosen by Kam Alter Aradamantel.¡¹ ¡¸I wonder¡­ How will it end up¡­?¡¹ A heavy silence fell. While the cardinals were talking on the distant thrones, Kaisen just looked up at Aradamantel in silence for a long time. Yoshhar spoke. ¡¸State your prayer, Child.¡¹ ¡®What are my aspirations?¡¯ Kaisen continued to stare at the sword. His wish did note easily to him. ¡®Rather than just killing, should I look beyond that?¡¯ Sharon Alter Tas Alfo¡¯s disciple Lia knew the prayer of the sword and practiced it even before inheriting the holy sword. He regretted not asking about it properly andughing at her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to think too hard about it.¡± Kaisen thought back to the advice Tarcio had given him earlier. ¡°What do you want to achieve with that holy sword¡­? You just have to wish for it earnestly.¡± The ashes of his teacher hung around his neck, and a keepsake of his mother was on his belt. For some reason, the two objects felt as heavy as lead. ¡°Kai, how do you want to use this sword?¡± What did he want to do? As he picked up the holy sword from the shelf, he suddenly remembered the mockingughter of the stars in the night sky on the day his mother died and the wet smell of the rain that poured down on the day his teacher died. ¡°Really? Thank god¡­¡± The sound ofughter was so clear and transparent that it reminded him of his mother¡¯s smile, the one she always smiled while holding him in her arms. In the early morning of the day she died, Kaisen remembered the tears of his teacher, herugh, and how she¡¯d had the same sort of smile. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll be leaving now¡­¡± He remembered the salty tears he¡¯d shed the night he buried his mother and the tears he¡¯d shed the morning he burned his teacher, all mixed together. ¡°Let¡¯s take her¡­ to the leader¡¯s side¡­¡± Kaisen remembered the miserable tears flowing from Wolf¡¯s eyes after losing the woman he loved and the dampness of the man¡¯s shoulders during their hug. He knew very well that, in their miserable world, death spread out like a disease, and no matter how much he cut and cut, one death couldn¡¯t undo another. In death, there was no equivalent exchange. Still, even if he had to build a mountain of corpses on that ruinednd stained with blood where his hometown used to be¡­ That anger¡­ Those tears¡­ His enemy¡­ He wanted to repay them with the same blood. ¡°I pray to you, Aradamantel.¡± The boy drew the holy sword. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * Whooooooonnnnnggggg¡­ The sword cried out like an animal as it escaped its scabbard. The crowd felt pain as if their eyes were burning from the divine brilliance exploding from the de. ¡°How can this be¡­?¡± In that wondrous explosion of light, everyone watched with wide eyes, mesmerized. ¡®How could it be so bright that even the shadows in the corners of the temples disappeared¡­?¡¯ ¡®The boy doesn¡¯t want Aradamantel¡­¡¯ ¡®Aradamandel wants that boy¡­?¡¯ The de was pure red, osciting with and firing waves of light in all directions. Those who were touched by the breath of its power felt the sword¡¯s anger. ¡°Kelly, what is the stone measuring?¡± Olliere asked in confusion. Kelly, who was watching the illusion floating above the mana stone used to measurepatibility, couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. ¡°Chief Instructor, measurement is not possible.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Look, the mana stone cracked during measurement just now¡­ This is the first time this has happened since the founding of the Temple of the Sword of Bravery.¡± Kaisen held Aradamantel¡¯s de straight in front of his eyes. The holy sword cried quietly. It seemed as if the de was whispering to him, telling him to cut down every enemy before it. ¡¸Wasn¡¯t it like this when Raminea held Aradamantel?¡¹ Cardinal Parrem asked Cardinal Yoshhar shook his head. ¡¸No¡­ This can¡¯¡¯ bepared to that. The great holy sword has never longed for someone so much.¡¹ Yoshhar thought, ¡®A hero¡¯s blood cannot be faked, Raminea. It seems that even Aradamantel wants revenge for you and your disciple¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± An image of a me burning the abyss danced and glowed within the de. Kaisen choked up when he saw it. It was the sword of his mother, whom he treasured more than any other in the world. It was the sword of his teacher, who was clumsy and aggressive in expressing affection. ¡®You chose me too¡­¡¯ He thought about how his mother and teacher must have felt when receiving the holy sword, but his thoughts did note together. When Kaisen put the de back into the pure white sheath, he even had the illusion that the world had gone dark for a moment. Perhaps they were overwhelmed by the holy sword¡¯s cries, so no one dared open their mouths. Eventually, Cardinal Enricht raised hisrge draconic body from where the five pirs sat on their thrones. ¡¸Now that we know who was selected by the holy swords, those who have been chosen as heroes shoulde forward one by one.¡¹ The first toe forward was I, who had been chosen by Great Holy Sword Gaumris. ¡¸I Deris, disciple of Runelle Alter Gaumris, will you abandon the past, present, and future and walk the path of a hero as Gaumris leads you?¡¹ ¡°I will!¡± ¡¸Seira ton, disciple of Arecia Alter Sng, will you cut ties with your past and walk the path of a hero with Sng in hand?¡¹ ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± ¡¸Daughter of Kevan Crowell, Ophelia Crowell, will you throw away your past, wealth, and lineage and walk the path of a hero with Verumpeira in hand?¡¹ Ophelia¡¯s reply waste. Kaisen caught her gazing alternately between Great Holy Sword Verumpeira and Great Holy Sword Aradamantel. ¡®Losing Aradamantel to a man¡­¡¯ Victory and defeat were so clear that there was no room for a retrial. She swallowed a sigh, and her vow before the cardinal was filled with regret. ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± Enrich¡¯s gaze finallynded on Kaisen. In the past, Enrich had advised the Light Dragon that military discipline should be established for a deserter like Raminea. In the end, Yoshhar had put a stop to that. ¡°Please do not forget the contributions of Raminea, who sacrificed her life to make spring flowers bloom on thisnd.¡± Yoshhar appealed that, since Kaisen was Raminea¡¯s blood, he would definitely bring about some change in their world of tears. ¡®Indeed¡­ I will watch until the end to see what kind of change this child, to whom you gave up even the little remaining life source left in you, will aplish, Yoshhar.¡¯ Enricht, immersed in his memories, did not speak. Yoshhar, who had been sitting silently on the throne and suppressing his trembling, spoke instead, and he asked the same question that Kaisen¡¯s teacher and mother had been asked when they held the holy sword and became heroes. ¡¸Disciple of Kam Alter Aradamantel, Kaisen¡­¡¹ Olliere felt sorrow well up in her heart and clenched her fists. ¡°A disciple? Why would I ept such trash? It¡¯s easier to go alone.¡± In their days at the , she remembered the day of the investiture ceremony, when she was separated from Kam. That was what she had always said. ¡°Still, if something like thates up, I¡¯ll send them to you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You know my personality is so bad. How can I be a good teacher?¡± ¡°Hehe, I know very well.¡± ¡°Sharon, shut your mouth. Olliere, even though you have an irritating personality, you are diligent, so I¡¯ll entrust their education to you.¡± Kam had hesitated and extended her hand, as if embarrassed, and Olliere held her hand in herst goodbye to her old friend. ¡®Kam, are you watching¡­?¡¯ She didn¡¯t know who it was who said that, no matter what happened, she wouldn¡¯t ept any disciples. ¡®Today¡­ your disciple inherited your sword and became a Warrior.¡¯ As Olliere Dune Jeraye wiped away tears from her eyes amidst the echoes of the past, Yoshhar continued to speak. ¡¸Do you pledge to abandon your past, present, and future, and follow the path of a hero under Aradamantel¡¯s guidance?¡¹ Kaisen¡¯s response was quick. The answer was already decided five years ago, when he buried his mother¡¯s body and cried while nting acorns by her grave. Cut and cut again¡­ He wanted to make a path out of the corpses of his enemies. ¡®Since the day Mother died, I may have been praying to you, Aradamantel.¡¯ ¡°I will definitely see the end of the road,¡± he said. Thus, the era of war began in the boy¡¯s life again. * * * ¡°Kaisen¡­¡± After the investiture ceremony, where he received his assignment to the front line and left the Imperial Court, Olliere Dune Jeraye went out to see him off. Their goodbyes weren¡¯t long. Olliere looked Kaisen up and down with a new emotion in her eyes, and then she ced her hand on his shoulder. ¡°Because of your unique use of the dragon spirit, you will operate as part of another Fake Warrior corps instead of having your own corps.¡± Kaisen nodded. ¡°I received word. First, I will be assigned to the ck Rose Corps and go to the Eastern Front.¡± ¡°Yeah, I checked. You used to be under Kam, and now you¡¯re going under Sharon. Your luck is terrible.¡± Kaisen¡¯s changed appearance and attire gave Olliere a new thrill¡ªquilted armor that emphasized mobility and the majesty of Aradamantel sheathed by his side¡­ His appearance was very simr to Kam¡¯s when she had left. ¡°If Kam could see you now, she would be very proud, but she¡¯s dishonest with her feelings, so her expressions would have been extremely rude.¡± Kam was an invible, sacred bond that linked Olliere and Kaisen. With that one string, they were able to share memories beyond joy and sadness in that short time. There was nothing they could do as the sadness washed over them like a wave of water and eroded the facade of calmness on their faces. Kaisen lowered his head. Olliere continued. ¡°I was happy to be able to personally teach Kam¡¯s student. I have driven many children out of here and into limbo with absurd rhetoric, but¡­ I don¡¯t think there has ever been a day as difficult as today.¡± ¡°Instructor¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make that kind of face. Just smile. To be a Fake Warrior, you have to know how to smile. You¡¯re telling everyone not to worry with such a smile. Now, smile like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is it still difficult? You just have to practice little by little¡­ unless you¡¯re going to spend your whole life frowning like Kam. Then you¡¯ll end up with wrinkles, right?¡± She smiled bitterly. She had no choice but to. The sound of a steamship¡¯s whistle rose high from the distant port. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s time to go now. If you have time, send my greetings to that sneaky girl, Sharon.¡± Kaisen, a young man who had grown taller than the chief instructor, saluted politely. ¡°I will never forget your grace in guiding me with all your heart for half a year. May you be blessed.¡± He turned around, cing his hand on the hilt of Aradamantel, and whispered to himself. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡± It was time to return to the summer. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 ¨C The ughter of 3,000, Kerknude Evacuation n (1) August, 1697 A.D. After the all-out attack from the demon races, the Inferno Line copsed, bringing down both Aristapo, the maritime strategic point of the old empire, and the capital of Terbenople. ¡°The Eastern Front¡¯s n to defend the Inferno Line and block the demon advance was also crushed.¡± An allied army¡¯s defeated remnants suffered a crushing defeat and were chased away. The uruk army, after annihting the small army¡¯s main forces, cut off their retreat and surrounded the final soldiers. ¡°This is when the main forces of humanity dispatched from each country to protect the Inferno Line were in danger of being surrounded and annihted.¡± Several fortresses attempted to reorganize the remnants of the defeated forces and counterattack, but it ended in a meaningless and cruel disaster. Ultimately, 230,000 survivors and 2.46 million refugees were besieged by the uruk army on the Kerknude Coast. Finally, the Tahuf n stepped forward topletely destroy the remainder of the allied forces. ¡°Tahuf, meaning ¡®atonement¡¯, was a Hai-tark n. It is also the uruk n most notorious for its barbarity.¡± ¡°Professor, why is that?¡± ¡°They made various tools from human bones and skin, and it¡¯s said they extracted the bones and removed the skin while the victims were alive.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Because their rituals were performed with other humans watching, fear of the Tahuf n quickly spread among the soldiers. Many gave up everything and chose tomit suicide.¡± The Kerknude evacuation n, one of the two major battles that marked the end of the ¡®Red Summer¡¯, began amidst this setting. ¡°The Eastern Front dispatched Kaisen Alter Aradamantel, who hadpleted his investiture ceremony, to assist them. What we will cover today is thergest maritime evacuation operation in the history of this continent.¡± As stated, the Kerknude evacuation operation was where Kaisen Alter Aradamantel¡¯s legendary ¡®The ughter of 3,000¡¯ campaign began. * * * Kaisen would always vividly remember what he witnessed when he arrived at the Kerknude Coast. Most evident was the odor of rotting corpses mingling with the salty scent of the sea. As far as the eye could see, torn and crushed corpses littered the coast. He would never forget the tens of thousands of eyes that looked his way as hended on the pontoon bridge or the despair those eyes held. ¡°It¡¯s a Fake Warrior¡­¡± ¡°A Fake Warrior¡­¡± ¡°A Fake Warrior¡­¡± On the other side of the coast, beyond the city, volcanic ash surged in a blizzard of darkness. The abyss wasing. Since the sea andnd fronts suffered crushing defeats and the defenders were scattered, there were nond routes left. Thus, refugees from all over flocked to Kerknude after hearing rumors of the evacuation ns. ¡°Thebined forces of the Dunos Royal Navy and the City Alliance Navy are sending more ships for a sea evacuation. Buy them some time.¡± ¡°Why is it taking so long?¡± ¡°The sea route is under extreme pressure from those damn nagas.¡± Any human ships to make it through the undersea blockade of enemy mages and witches ended up crushed and dead in the sea. The starving refugees looked at the remnants of their so-called rescue fleet washing ashore, faces nk. For them, hope was a concept that was either dead or never existed in the first ce. ¡®I wonder if enough boats will make it through to carry all of these people. Even if they do, will there be time¡­?¡¯ Kaisen saw it all upon his arrival on the coast. Only a handful of human troops were there. The Royal Cavalry Regiment of the Alconde Kingdom, thebined forces of the seven small kingdoms, the remnants of the old empire, and the contingents of the Dunos Kingdom¡ªthat was all that remained to protect the city. Many were injured or had gone mad, and there were less than 100,000 defenders in total who were still capable of fighting. ¡°Marshal Krauzan formed a three-sided defense line centered around Tourenham Pier and is in the process of an evacuation n with the help of the Witches of the Turquoise Rose Coven.¡± The officer meeting them at the shore spoke in a gloomy tone. Iughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I, the Super Fake Warrior, has arrived! Kaaaaang kaaaang!¡± ¡°H-huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I has a habit of imitating the roar of a dragon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a dragon roar¡­?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that look? Are you dissatisfied with dragons?¡± ¡°No, no¡­¡± They rode a carriage through the devastated city and moved to the city hall, which was being used as a temporary headquarters. There, a heroine with hair as white as snow gave various orders to the soldiers. When she saw Kaisen, her eyes widened, and she fell into silence. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± Sharon broke the awkward silence and greeted him first. His dead teacher¡¯s friend smiled sadly. Sharon Alter Tas Alfo¡­ Her hair had lost more luster and vitality than when he¡¯d seen her on the southern front half a year prior and was stained gray. Just like Kam before her death, the change was sad. Sharon stretched out her arm and lightly stroked Kaisen¡¯s white hair, speaking regretfully. ¡°I heard, but you really have be a Fake Warrior, even inheriting Kam¡¯s Aradamantel.¡± Aradamantel let out its red energy, and Holy Sword Tas Alfo resonated with its blue aura. ¡°I heard from Wolf that you saved Kam from Kishun through a Kaltake?¡± she asked. ¡°I couldn¡¯t save her. It was toote,¡± Kaisen said. ¡°There is no such thing as beingte. Kam would have been proud of you. Even Wolf is proud of you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that.¡± ¡°She acknowledged you as her disciple with her own words, right? If that¡¯s not proof, then what is? We both know that Kam was dishonest with herself.¡± His teacher had died with a smile on her face. When he thought of that smile, the only thing that came to him was a never-ending sadness. He didn¡¯t have the strength to continue the topic. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Lia.¡± When Kaisen looked at Lia Riley, who was cautiously ncing in his direction, a cough mixed with hups was the reply he received. Lia had matured beautifully in the half a year it¡¯d been since hest saw her. Did flowers that bloomed on the battlefield grow more beautiful through bloodshed? Kaisen wondered if such a thing was possible, even though blood, gore, and sweat made a mess of Lia¡¯s blonde, curly hair. ¡°A long time? Yes, yes! It¡¯s been a long time!¡± ¡°You sound strange. Like I.¡± ¡°I?¡± ¡°Kwaaang! He¡¯s talking about this one. My name is I Alter Gaumris. The owner of Holy Sword Gaumris, I am a Super Fake Warrior!¡± I swung Gaumris back and forth as if to show off. Light shimmered and bounced on her de, and the wind made her hair and the hem of her clothes flutter wildly. Sharon grabbed her horn and smiled sweetly yet eerily. ¡°You can¡¯t do that, I. If you swing your holy sword like that, people will get scared, right? A Fake Warrior shouldn¡¯t do that. Didn¡¯t Runelle teach you as much?¡± That feeling of intimidation¡­ I¡¯s face turned white. ¡°K-Kaisen taught me to greet you like this. Actually, I didn¡¯t want to do this. Really.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°Kaisen is not that type of kid.¡± ¡°I am a dragon! Dragons only tell the truth! Kaisen is a human. Humans do not tell the truth like dragons.¡± Kaisen responded to Sharon¡¯s gaze with a sigh and a shrug, as if to say she was always that way. ¡°Is that so? Actually, I don¡¯t really care what you do, I, but you can¡¯t touch Kaisen. Our Lia has first dibs on him.¡± ¡°M-Master? What are you talking about?¡± Lia stuttered. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * I¡¯s Dragon Hammer Corps and Sharon¡¯s ck Rose Corps were chatting on the other side. The ck Rose Corps was a cavalry unit, and the Dragon Hammer Corps was an armored unit. They were the core forces of the defensive battle. Originally led by Runelle, the survivors of the Dragon Hammer Corps had waited at ¡®Haraldoniki¡¯ for I and came to the front again. It was painful to watch because it reminded Kaisen of the past and made him dream the impossible dream. He thought it would be great if he could meet the White Bone Corps again. ¡°Kaisen, what Master said was a joke! You know that, right? A y on words! Oh, she¡¯s so funny, hahaha,¡± Lia tried tofort him. Not minding Lia pping her arms, Sharon observed the two corps. ¡°I wanted them to send Roro, the current deputy seat¡­ but it looks like the central front is much more important.¡± ¡°Am I not trustworthy? You don¡¯t believe in me!¡± I shouted. Sharon held I¡¯s horns again and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re good, but you¡¯re a bit rude, huh? In the past, I let Kaisen go since he¡¯s a boy, but I¡¯m strict with women, you see.¡± ¡°Am I not trustwor¡­ thy?¡± ¡°Pfft, okay, that¡¯s not to say that you guys aren¡¯t trustworthy. This is just a very harsh ce.¡± Sharon looked at the city. The wounded on stretchers groaned in misery as they were being escorted from the front lines to the central medical unit. ¡°I was hoping for reinforcements from the empire. It¡¯s not easy.¡± The Holy Human Empire, thergest and most powerful nation in the world, was plunged into chaos under the name of ¡®religious reform¡¯. Reforming religion¡­ How could they have time to fight among themselves when the demons were right around the corner? ¡°The empire is divided and fighting between whether to follow the True Religion or the Heathen Religion. Still, it seems strange. Could it be the work of the ck Church?¡± Lia asked. Sharon shrugged. ¡°Perhaps they are making excuses because they are tired of war. The empire has also been caught up in all kinds of wars.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the same for all countries. Master¡¯s home country, the Dunos Kingdom, continues to strive for war¡­ um, I¡¯m really sorry.¡± ¡°What does Lia have to be sorry for? It¡¯s probably just a trick by the high-ranking adults of the empire,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s right! Humans are stupid! They just lie! They¡¯re different from a good dragon like me!¡± Lia lowered her gaze as if she were embarrassed that she was the child of one of the three great swordsmen of the empire. Kaisen could not and did not want to understand the Holy Human Empire, the home of his mother and teacher. If the empire had sent reinforcements without caring for the reform, then maybe his teacher¡­ ¡°Kaisen, you know about the Hai-tark, right?¡± Sharon asked. ¡°Of course.¡± It was a synonym for fear and nightmares that referred to the top 21 ns of the uruk race. Their lead n was, of course, the Balkrush. Second was the Kiral, who destroyed the White Bone Corps in Aristapo. ¡°The n we¡¯ll be fighting here is the Tahuf n, which goes beyond Hai-tark and is a Hai-khun-tark.¡± The name was an honor earned by the top seven ns among the 21 ns of Hai-tark. Unlike the Hai-tark ns, whose ranking fluctuated depending on the times and circumstances and whose statuses could sometimes be taken away, Hai-khun-tark ns were said to have remained unchanged for a long time until the ¡®ck Summer¡¯. The Balkrush n took over a vacant Hai-khun-tark position during the ¡®ck Summer¡¯ and became the top n. Kaisen spoke. ¡°Tahuf means ¡®atonement¡¯. I learned that they did not participate in the invasion during the ¡®ck Summer¡¯ at the Temple of the Sword of Bravery.¡± ¡°Yes. No one knows what kind of power they use. That¡¯s the problem. Theck of information is very ominous.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that there is no information, Master,¡± Lia said. ¡°There is a unit that survived an encounter with the Tahuf n.¡± ¡°Everyone is so shocked that they can¡¯t even say a word. There is no information on the enemy who has always ranked 4th among their kind.¡± It was onlyter that they learned of the barbaric customs of Tahuf, which reduced those who encountered them to madness. The terrible Tahuf yed humans alive, ate them, pulled out their bones, and used the skin to make clothes. They opened the skulls of young children, extracted their brains and spinal cords, and used them for rituals. Their surviving victims were made to watch the entire process. At the time, they weren¡¯t able to discuss it in a sane manner. Even if they could, there wasn¡¯t time. ng, ng, ng, ng, ng¡ª A bell rang as ominously as the scream of a burning man. The bell resounded low and cried loudly. The refugees searching the city for food and water ran toward the coast. Sharon sighed. ¡°They didn¡¯t even give us time to catch our breaths. Talk to that perverted old marshal next time.¡± Soldiers bearingmunications rushed through the rooms of the building. ¡°Wee to Kerknude, Kaisen.¡± Sharon walked down the hallway, her helmet at her side. Kaisen immediately followed her. Lia, who was walking by his side and wearingbat gear, said, ¡°Brace yourself. We¡¯re headed to hell.¡± Kaisen was surprised by thement. Every time he touched the stigma of fate on his cheek, he felt resentment, sadness, and the grief of the distant past rise in his chest. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± There was no way out of his hellish grief, and the road ahead seemed endless. If they continued to spill their enemies¡¯ blood, wouldn¡¯t the hellish me burning at his soul subside? ¡°From the moment this brand was engraved on my cheek, my life was already hell.¡± Chapter 27 Chapter 27 ¨C The ughter of 3,000, Kerknude Evacuation n (2) ¡°Listen!¡± Sharon Alter Tas Alfo shouted from the top of the South Gate Pavilion. ¡°There are countless people on the coast now because the evacuation is still taking ce. We need to buy time until it ends.¡± Kaisen would always clearly remember that moment. Until then, the war was not as hopeless as history made it seem. It was true that the enemy forces surrounded the city on three sides andpletely engulfed the horizon, but humanity also had a ¡®shield¡¯¡ªthe defensive barrier that the witches of the Turquoise Rose Coven had deployed over the city. ¡°No shooting until the barrier disappears. Do you understand? Even if the enemies charge, hold your fire. They can¡¯t get through.¡± The uruk siege weapons were unable to prate the outeryer of the barrier. ¡°Since it is a wide-area barrier, the duration is bound to be short, but the purpose is to buy time.¡± Grendel, the vice leader of the Turquoise Rose Coven, had made a very urate judgment. In the end, the uruks came up with another n to break the barrier. First, an uruk came out, holding a staff with numerous skulls dangling from it. The hunchbacked creature worerge, thick, ragged robes of different human skins sewn together. ¡®Clothes out of human skin? They use such savage ways?¡¯ Kaisen thought. The evil presence made him queasy, and the burning in his throat made him aware it wasn¡¯t a mere shaman. As Kaisen guessed, the uruk was a high-ranking member of the n. As dozens of prisoners kneeled down in a row in front of him, the hunchbacked uruk waved his staff and began to sing. ¡°Oh, you sad people¡­¡± ¡°Traitors who betrayed the King¡¯s favor, who fell for false whispers and were cursed¡­¡± ¡°We will help you wash away the curse in atonement. ¡° ¡°The blood of betrayal can only be washed away with blood.¡± ¡°I hope that the whispers of unclean light will disappear from your blood and that you will be able to return to the arms of the King and be ¡®humans¡¯ again.¡± ¡°Rejoice, for our blessings will purify your blood and bones.¡± ¡°Be reborn with a purified body and receive the king¡¯s salvation.¡± The moment the song ended, the prisoners exploded while letting out pained screams. Something bulged inside their bodies, scattering gore and shadows in every direction. ¡®What¡­?¡¯ The hunchback looked at the fortress and smiled, and Kaisen felt as if his whole body had frozen. An impossible fear he couldn¡¯t put a name to ran down his spine. ¡°Kafukas! Make¡­ Atonement!¡± The hunchbacked uruk swung his staff, and beggar-like uruks climbed onto a nearby catapult. ¡°Atonement!¡± Limping and staggering, they looked like trash that could not be called uruk warriors. ¡°Atonement, atonement¡± They stuttered and followed the hunchback¡¯s words, and at that moment, a great fear crossed their minds. ¡°They¡­¡± It was a stigma¡ªthe same one engraved on the foreheads of the prisoners whose bodies had exploded was shining on the foreheads of those beggars. ¡°Lia!¡± That was their first encounter with the Tahuf Suicide Unit, which was infamous, even among the uruks. ¡°Atone! Atone! Atone! Atone! Atone! Atone! Atone! Atone! Atone! Atone!¡± The moment a troll swung itsrge axe and cut the heavy chains holding the catapult from firing, the nightmare began. The madmen flew toward the barrier and exploded in shes of darkness. The explosive power was formidable, but the real powery in the corrosiveness of their blood¡ªit covered the surface of the barrier in a curtain of bright red and created a haze. Pssssssshhhhhhh¡­! The blood caused continuous damage to the barrier, and it began to crack and copse. ¡°D-damn.¡± ¡°Wg-what is that?!¡± One by one, the soldiers on the castle walls fell into a state of panic. If the uruks breached the barrier, the next to fall would be the castle wall. The madmen were still getting on the catapults. Kaisen urgently looked for Lia. Lia had both hands on the castle wall, stretching her neck out to nkly stare out of the perimeter. Her hands shook uncontrobly. ¡°Lia, are you okay?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine, but the city defense isn¡¯t. There¡¯s no way to block that kind of attack on Kerknude¡¯s walls, and not even the Turquoise Rose barrier can withstand it.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°The moment the southern wall falls, close to 90% of our tactics will be useless. The defense forces watching the other walls will be helpless as well.¡± She was trying toe up with tactical theories but was clearly in a state of panic. Still, her method was different than that of others. Yes, it was also different for Kaisen. That¡¯s why he¡¯d looked for her in the first ce. All Lia needed were words and actions to calm her confused mind. ¡°If we stay like this on the castle wall, we¡¯re screwed, right?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a way to mitigate the damage? Something you thought about?¡± Lia¡¯s hands trembled. She was still pale, but her tremors seemed to calm as she nodded and suddenly ran along the wall. That was answer enough. Immediately, Kaizen pulled out Aradamantel, which was crying out coldly from his back. ¡°Everyone, attention!¡± The strong red lotus scent from Aradamantel immediately caught the attention of the nearby soldiers, who were immersed in panic. After a nce at Sharon, his senior, to ask for permission to speak, he continued, ¡°From now on, under themand of the ck Rose Corps, all troops will withdraw from the castle walls in an orderly fashion.¡± * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * ¡°The castle walls¡­?¡± ¡°We¡¯re retreating¡­?¡± ¡°Do you really mean that?¡± ¡°As you can see, there is no point in defending the walls like this. If you insist on staying on the wall, you will be caught and killed,¡± Kaisen exined They could hear the horrifying sound of the barrier melting away. The outer surface of the barrier was already gone. ¡°Fake Warrior! How can we retreat?¡± ¡°If we give up on the castle gate, we will be overrun in an instant, and we will end up like pigs for ughter without even being able to put up a fight.¡± Kaisen didn¡¯t have the strategic intelligence to effectively respond to such unexpected situations, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t do anything. In such a situation, he¡¯d learned what he could do from Kam. ¡°I will guard the gate alone until the camp has been fully evacuated.¡± Cutting again and again¡­ If there was time to think, then he could cut some more. A miracle born from endless killing would be his method. Kaisen wondered if the soldiers felt the same thrill and awe he had felt when he had looked at Kam¡¯s back as they stood there in silence. ¡°Admin!¡± Sharon, who had given Kaisenmand, probably saw something simr in his determination. ¡°Open the gate so those idiots don¡¯t think about usingdders all run through.¡± The soldiers still seemed unable to trust their judgment, but the castle gate soon began to rise. The steamboats and motor units retreated from the wall first, and then other soldiers withdrew, one regiment at a time. Sharon ced a hand on Kaisen¡¯s shoulder before leaving. ¡°That recklessness of wanting to abandon tactics in favor of force is exactly like Kam¡¯s.¡± ¡°I still have much to learn,¡± Kaisen replied. ¡°Hehe, are you going to imitate her sharp tone of speech as well? Good luck, and don¡¯t die.¡± The calm just before the battle¡­ All the noise in the world disappeared from Kaisen¡¯s mind, and all he heard was his own breathing. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly ced his hand on the hilt of Aradamantel. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The uruks came with shouts and hollers. They held countless banners depicting unfamiliar birds. It was the Zekra n, a new Hai-tark group. They seemed to be specialized in wolf cavalry. ¡°Your senior Fake Warriors killed many Hai-tark ns during the war, so their ranks have already been reced four times.¡± As they closed in, the intense bloodthirst raging from their bodies was enough to make Kaisen dizzy. The muscles in his body reacted, even the marrow in his bones recalled the sensation. It had been half a year. ¡®I am now here in front of you again.¡¯ ¡°You must know the characteristics of every n.¡± He took his sword from its white scabbard and softly, quietly, reverently, and earnestly murmured the sword¡¯s prayer. ¡°I am Kaisen Alter Aradamantel.¡± It was his call to awaken the holy sword, which glowed red in response to its proxy wielder. Themand sent blood-red light dancing over the drawn de. It was the same prayer his deceased teacher had used throughout her entire life. ¡°I will kill you all.¡± Even the saliva falling from che wolves¡¯ snouts as the uruks rushed through the castle gate was clearly visible to Kaisen. ¡®Good.¡¯ It was a very good day. The shouts of the wolf cavalry uruks as they fiercely swung their maces and axes down seemed slow. There were 30¡­ 50¡­ 70¡­ No, over 100¡­ The wolf cavalry, which served as the enemy¡¯s vanguard, was evaluated in units ranging from hundreds to thousands. ¡°Batus! You¡¯re going to stop our Zekra by yourself? Hahaha! Good. I¡¯ll trample you!¡± an uruk screamed The mana Kaisen had concentrated into the scabbard tried to force its way out as it overflowed. In response, Kaisen shoved his sword back down into it and held it against the flow of power. Cross Sword Style ¨C 4th Form, Shoot. It grew harder and harder to hold the sword down, and the entire de rattled in anger. ¡®Wait¡­¡¯ ¡®More¡­¡¯ ¡®Just a little more¡­¡¯ Surprisingly, he was able to gather tens or hundreds of times more mana than before in the scabbard. Had his body not been modified or had it been a different sword, either his body or the blood would have already broken. Crraaaacck¡ª The external and internal pressure reached their limits, and even his body started trembling. There were only ten paces between him and the first enemies. The super-condensed mana swirled red around the scabbard. Five paces¡­ A Mana Chain ran from his fingertips, following a vortex of mana from his Mana Heart flowing into the de. One pace¡­ The holy sword shed from its scabbard in a supersonic explosion. Like paint sshing from a brush, a red line followed the path of his de. Cross Sword Style ¨C 6th Form, ncing Blow. The lead wolf¡¯s snout crossed that line, and its uruk rider¡¯s body fell in two separate halves. More uruks and wolves followed suit, like pieces of paper being cut cleanly in half by the sharpest of scissors. ¡°You¡­ what¡­?¡± a dying uruk muttered. The screams of dying and not-yet-dead monsters swirled in the air. ¡°A swordsman with a single-edged sword with the Balkrush emblem on his cheek, you can¡¯t possibly be¡ª¡± Kaisen stomped the chattering uruk¡¯s head with his boot, bursting the creature¡¯s skull. More shouts filled the air as the enemy continued to charge at him. He lightly swung Aradamantel, flicking the blood from its de. Just before the uruk died, its final words reached Kaisen¡¯s ears and lingered as an echo. ¡°Kaisen, Kaisen Kishunkalihatsu (Kaisen, who cuts Kishun)¡­?!¡± Chapter 28 Chapter 28 ¨C The ughter of 3,000, Kerknude Evacuation n (3) ¡°A tactic for defending a fortified position?¡± The tactic in question would eventually be ced at the top of humanity¡¯s defensive tactics. Originally, the name for it was a temporary one chosen by Lia Riley during a report to Marshal Krauzen. ¡°Can you exin?¡± the marshal asked. ¡°Usually, castle defenses are based on a single line on the wall. After that line is breached, the castle falls. Any continued resistance might fall to a second line inside the castle walls,¡± Lia exined. ¡°Go on¡­¡± ¡°When you can¡¯t defend a single line of defense, you can divide the line into several lines for a counter while continuing to defend.¡± ¡°A first line, second line, and third line¡­ You¡¯re saying we should disperse the point of attack and protect the city by retreating depending on the situation?¡± ¡°Yes. Urban warfare, where every ce within reach can be used as cover, offers a huge advantage to humanity¡¯s way of fighting. Let¡¯s maximize this advantage.¡± Krauzan stroked his chin, and his eyes lit up. ¡°Hmm, we can just retreat to a line equipped with military supplies and fortifications and engage in repeated defensive battles. If we do that, there won¡¯t be a problem with our supplies either.¡± ¡°An offensive transition can happen smoothly by alternating the rear reserves with the tired frontline units.¡± Was that all? If they¡¯d followed the original defense tactic, they would¡¯ve had to defend a total of three sides: the east, south and west. With the new tactic, it was possible to have a single defense line with a gentle curve. ¡°This method is only feasible because Kerknude has the ocean behind it, but isn¡¯t it worth testing?¡± Krauzan, an experienced strategist, pped his forehead andughed. ¡°I always thought that women with pretty faces were also smart. I¡¯m never wrong. Most people just think they¡¯re dull because the women don¡¯t see a reason to speak up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit biased¡­ but it¡¯s still an honor,¡± Lia mumbled. ¡°I presume you already have a line in mind since you set things in motion without my permission?¡± * * * Though the above information waster reported, it was how the five defensive lines covering downtown Kerknude came to be. [Kaisen, you can stop fighting now. Please retreat.] While he was performing his sword art at the southern gate, a butterfly of light delivered a message to him. The butterfly of light was otherwise known as ¡®Ludien¡¯, and the ck Rose Corps¡¯ mage, Arte, had created it. Already, the defensive line Lia had designed with Krauzen¡¯s help was operating brilliantly. ¡°Fake Warrior, this way!¡± The uruk warriors immediately followed Kaisen¡¯s retreat, but their pursuit was broken by a hail of bullets. Gunmen provided covering from behind a stockade of grain bags, wooden barrels filled with oil, sandbags, and other items. From the first to the third lines, Kaisen went back and forth and cut down countless uruks as he supported the defense. He couldn¡¯t help but be truly amazed as the uruks¡¯ torrential momentum gradually slowed and their lines receded. The stone towers and roofs of houses between the defensive lines served as cover against the catapulted suicide bombers as well, further aiding the strategy. Briefly, hope flickered in their hearts. They could win¡­ Unfortunately, in the end, their defensive strategy failed. It wasn¡¯t Lia¡¯s fault. It wasn¡¯t anyone¡¯s fault. Indeed, how could anyone have calcted what woulde next? They hadn¡¯t realized the power of the Tahuf n, one of the Hai-khun-tark. More than anything, they hadn¡¯t expected Tahufkiper Ranikikan and his personalbat unit, ¡®Tahuf H¨¹ller¡¯, to advance from the uruks¡¯ rear lines. CraaaaaaasssssshhhhÒ»! An explosion brought an end to their hopes. The ground shook, and the soldiers¡¯ hearts pounded. Following the st, the clock tower on the right side of the third line copsed. Lia had been assisting Krauzan¡¯smand at the central headquarters and looked perplexed to see the clock tower fall. ¡°An explosion?¡± Explosions continued in the distance, splitting into two paths. ¡°Arte!¡± Sharon called out. As a master of information warfare and the corps¡¯ mage, Arte could be said to be the core of their defensive strategy. The mage started to profusely sweat. ¡°How could this¡­? The right wing is copsing. The damage is devastating. There¡¯s no way to stop it.¡± Magical butterflies, Ludiens, danced around Arte as she received information from them. ¡°The right wing, so the western gate? Why did it have to be the weakest side¡­?¡± I was guarding the eastern side, so it was a sturdier defensive position. The bell continued ringing on the right side, signaling that the defensive line hadpletely fallen. ¡°One of the enemy units is headed here, the center of the defense¡­¡± ¡°What about the other one?¡± ¡°It¡¯s heading toward the coast¡­¡± There was a moment of despairing silence. The coast was busy with the evacuation, filled with unarmed soldiers and refugees. If they were exposed to the enemy, they would be helpless. ¡°Your Excellency, let¡¯s retreat back to the fifth line. We have no choice but to equip the soldiers on the coast and ask them to fight¡­¡± Lia tried to say. ¡°No, that wouldn¡¯t work. Remember, little tactical warrior, attacking is always the best move,¡± the marshal replied. ¡°Your Excellency, historically, humanity¡¯s best chances have always been in defensive battles.¡± ¡°I mean that you can¡¯t respond defensively to all of an opponent¡¯s moves.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I have two Fake Warriors in my hands right now. My n is to have the third line fall back into the fourth before gradually dismantling the fourth line.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I have been fighting against the uruks for nearly 40 years, and ns with these sorts of strategies usually copse the moment you defeat their leader, especially ns with such suicidal tactics.¡± Krauzan moved the pieces on the city map in front of them back to the area Lia had marked with the number ¡®4¡¯; then he moved those pieces to the center of the curve between lines ¡®4¡¯ and ¡®5¡¯, to nus Square. He ced a horse piece, representing a Fake Warrior, in the center of the square, and he moved the other horse piece to the coast. ¡°I¡¯m going to drag their leader out and ensure he dies. The uruks are smarter than they look, so they won¡¯te without bait. I¡¯ll be taking that role.¡± ¡°Your Excellency¡­¡± *Of course, I have no intention of being killed. Make sure you do things well.¡± Lia tried to keep silent, but she had to shake her head. ¡°Your Excellency, how many troops can we move? As you said, the uruks are extremely cautious. If the troops move, they¡¯ll know we¡¯re up to something.¡± ¡°Of course, so let¡¯s use Hosen¡¯s Quick-fire Team.¡± Hosen¡¯s Quick-fire Team wasposed of the 1st Imperial Guards Regiment of Hosen, one of the ruined countries of the south. They were renowned for their tremendous firepower and reloading techniques that allowed them to fire in rapid session until all their ammunition was used up. In contrast to most countries, where the guards were made up of grenadiers, they prioritized agility and were generally small in number. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * ¡°Adjutant, where and how many defensive units do we have?¡± ¡°About twelve hundred people, in the left wing.¡± ¡°Bring them over right away.¡± Krauzan¡¯s gaze turned to the Turquoise Rose Coven¡¯s leader. When the wide-area barrier was damaged, the witch had also suffered a great blow, so the wrinkles on her face were deeper, and her breathing was also a mess. The coven leader barely nodded. ¡°If we seed in luring them in, I will raise a barrier so that they cannot escape for some time.¡± The moment the marshal¡¯s gaze turned in his direction, Kaisen¡¯s body shook with the weight of fate as he stood. ¡°No.¡± Sharon stole his thunder. ¡°I¡¯m doing this. I¡¯ll be the lead Fake Warrior, not Kaisen.¡± ¡°But you¡­¡± ¡°This war will be longer. Even longer than the ¡®ck Summer¡¯. This child¡¯s strength will be needed more than mine, which ising to an end.¡± Sharon seemed prepared to die there. No, it looked like she was looking for a ce to die. Just like Kam, her eyes were so dazzling and shining with hope that he didn¡¯t notice them quickly enough. ¡°Senior, but¡­¡± ¡°The operation has already begun. Hurry and go to the coast. You will protect it, Kaisen, understand? Don¡¯t give up even a single life carelessly. You are a Warrior.¡± As always, Kaisen was slow on the uptake. As he traveled over the rooftops of the city, what he saw was horrendous. ¡®I¡¯ve never been optimistic, but I had no idea it would be like this¡­¡¯ Amid shouts and hails of gunfire, the uruks, who had no weapons to speak of, were attacking in a frenzy. Normal uruks tend to falter when weakened by gunfire, but those guys¡­ ¡°Fire! Fire and cut them down!¡± a soldier yelled. ¡°There¡¯s no end to them!¡± ¡°D-d-daaaaaammmmnnnn!¡± Even when the uruks had their tendons severed by bullets or their knees shattered by grenades, they continued to crawl forward. The moment they closed in on their targets, the evil brands engraved on their foreheads made them explode. Any soldiers caught in the murderous heat were turned into ashes. Blood sshed over the nearby soldiers as well, acting like an acid that ate away at their bodies. ¡°A-aaarrrrrgggghhh!¡± ¡°M-m-my eyes!¡± The uruks had a custom of discarding those born without talent or those who did not have the aptitude for fighting. It was said that the chieftain of the Tahuf n gathered all those who were thus abandoned under hismand. He made them the Tahuf n¡¯s Suicide Unit. Using them with his own tactics, they could be a strategic force. Humanity didn¡¯t know the n¡¯s tactics at the time, so all Kaisen could do was try to calmly read the situation. ¡°M-mom!¡± ¡°N-no! Don¡¯te closer!¡± Volcanic ash fluttered in the air, clouding the refugees¡¯ senses as they retreated to the coast with such speed that it seemed they wanted to fall headlong into the sea. The city fell into chaos in an instant, only made worse by the constant sounds of gunfire and nging bells. In the chaos, the cries of young mothers losing their children, soldiers missing their weapons, and children looking for their parents drowned each other out. Cross Sword Style ¨C 4th Form, Shoot. First, Kaisen had to use proper footwork. He saw the maddened uruks close behind the retreating refugees. At the same time, he saw a child standing guard over his fallen mother, holding a pickaxe in ast attempt at defense. Cross Sword Style ¨C 5th Form, Sudden Attack. The technique required a quick forward leap while striking the ground with the scabbard to spin and strike an enemy with the sword in the other hand. The attack channeled all of the centrifugal force through Kaisen¡¯s de, drawing a red line through the air and removing the maddened uruks¡¯ legs before they exploded. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Kaisen asked the boy. Tears welled up on the boy¡¯s face. He¡¯d been prepared for death, and his pants were damp with urine. ¡°You¡¯re doing great,¡± Kaisen said, ¡°hurry up and take your mother.¡± ¡®You are so much better than me. I caused my mother to die.¡¯ Kaisen believed the boy would simply take his mother and head to the shore. After a moment, he heard the boy cry out, ¡°Thank you so much, Mr. Hero!¡± He didn¡¯t know what to say to that. Instead of trying toe up with a response, Kaisen just nced back and saluted. The child¡¯s mother lowered her head. In a sort of sad hallucination, he saw the image of himself and his own mother oveid on the two refugees. There was no time for hallucinations or anything like that. The battle was in full swing. The maddened uruks seemed to have no awareness of anything other than their targets. Judging from the saliva flowing from their lips, they hardly had the consciousness to even form a coherent thought. ¡°Sorcery always has a caster. In the future, keep in mind that how quickly your soldiers take down such dark mages will determine the oue of the war.¡± Kaisen¡¯s dragon eyes, which could zoom and enhance his vision, found his target¡ªthe mage who¡¯d caused the catastrophe on the castle walls. Though he didn¡¯t recognize it at the time, it was his second encounter with Tahufkipel Ranikikan. ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s an ordinary shaman¡­¡¯ Unlike the other uruk chiefs, the monster was neither tall nor imposing. Instead, he had a deformed back. Human skulls swayed at the end of the uruk¡¯s staff as hemanded the maddened uruks, and bone armor made from knitted-together human sternums, hundreds of them, covered his body. ¡®Should I awaken the power of the dragon spirit now? No, that wouldn¡¯t work.¡¯ He would be out of the action for hours after using such power for even three minutes. What if the uruk was merely another follower and not the chief? Kaisen hesitated for a moment before leaping upward, cracking the tile below his feet with the force of his jump. His enhanced leg strength made him a living missile as he shot toward his target. He hadplete control. ¡®Perfect¡­¡¯ All of his momentum and the added force of his final spin before he swung Aradementel should¡¯ve ensured victory. ¡®Got it.¡¯ Kaisen truly believed there was no way for his attack to be countered. Suddenly, a maddened uruk appeared without a sound. Kaisen was unable to stop Aradamantel as it unfolded a graceful crimson trail and cleanly sliced through the uruk¡¯s body. Still, the stigma on the uruk¡¯s face remained. Booooooomm¡ª! The creature¡¯s body exploded in a sh of light and smoke, temporarily blocking Kaisen¡¯s hearing and smell. It was hot¡­ His skin felt like it was burning. The shiver of death ran down his spine. If it weren¡¯t for his Fake Warrior physique, he would have just died. He swung Aradamantel to clear the smoke just to see that the uruk shaman had already retreated. Countless maddened uruks waited between him and his target and relentlessly charged forward. Even if he cut again and again, even if he killed again and again, more filled in the gaps. The endless wave of maddened uruks moved mechanically toward him without any sense of fear. A H¨¹ller burst intoughter, and a cold chill ran through Kaisen¡¯s body. ¡°Nu, nunununununueeet! There is no way for you to atone, you whose soul has been stained with the unholy blood of a false creation!¡± Maddened uruks leaped from the roofs on either side of Kaisen, and he instinctively tried to use the power of his dragon spirit. There were hundreds of them. No, even a glimpse showed there were thousands. Thest thing he did was swing his sword in arge arc to cut dozens of them down in a single strike. The series of loud explosions that followed threatened to ruin his eardrums, and all feeling in his body vanished beneath the intense pain that dyed his vision yellow. A nearby soldier witnessed the explosion and the swirling inferno afterward. ¡°Th-the Fake Warrior died!¡± he screamed in horror. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 ¨C The ughter of 3,000, Kerknude Evacuation n (4) ¡°For what purpose do you think the abyss threatens humanity? For wealth? For honor?¡± Kaisen remembered something from the Temple of the Sword of Bravery. The theory instructor, Rachel Dune Jeraye, always started her sses with such questions. ¡°ording to what we know, the abyss strives for conquest. Its entire purpose is ¡®reiming¡¯ allnd.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Anynd the abyss touches changes from the very leylines. Mountains turn into ash-spewing volcanoes, and the ground bes a swamp or a wastnd that then bes a desert.¡± Such climate changes also yed arge part in keeping humanity relegated to a rtively small portion ofnd. Volcanic ash and fog made habitation difficult and stunted the growth of nts and animals. Above all was the heat of summer¡­ Without magical tools to block the heat, soldiers simply couldn¡¯t fight on the frontlines ¡°One fortunate thing is that such power is not something that the demon races can control. Only the Forgotten Kings can control the abyss.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Therefore, you candidates must know about the Hai-khun-tark.¡± The Hai-khun-tarks¡¯ powers were fundamentally different from those of other uruk ns. They used the power of the Forgotten Kings, which varied depending on which of the Forgotten Kings gave the blessing. Kaisen even remembered Arin Perry raising her hand and asking a question. ¡°Why would you consider that fortunate?¡± ¡°Only the Forgotten Kings can control the power of the abyss. That is, such cannot be used by those who have not been blessed by those kings. The chiefs of Hai-khun-tark ns use tremendous power, but the power is limited to the individual. Not all n members can use it.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°If you defeat the chief of one of these ns, the n can be considered as having lost as little as 50%, if it is a warrior n, or as much as 90%, if it is a shaman n, of its entire power.¡± Rachel paused for a moment and gave the candidates time to think. ¡°Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± Rachel required all of her students to be able to think for themselves without inhibition. ¡°You, Warriors, are tasked with killing the Hai-khun-tark leaders. Senior Fake Warriors have already destroyed four of their ns.¡± The Hai-khun-tarks had a long history of rule, but only three of them were left in existence: 2nd ce ¨C Kiral¡­ 3rd ce ¨C Nuwigin¡­ 4th ce ¨C Tahuf¡­ Two previous ns were devastated during the ¡®ck Summer¡¯, and two other ns were devastated during the past five years of ¡®Red Summer¡¯ due to their inability to recover. ¡°This is your task as well. If the uruks have the Hai-khun-tark chiefs, humanity has Fake Warriors. Always remember that you are the key to turning the tide.¡± * * * Why¡­ Why was that memory returning to him at such a time? Though Kaisen¡¯s eyeballs had melted in the intense st, his senses slowly recovered. ¡°The great Lord of Insects, Kelek-shak¡­!¡± Ranikikan prayed to a in front of a deformed corpse that had exploded and melted. The area seemed to shimmer like a haze. Was it because the heat from the explosion still lingered, or was it because Kaisen¡¯s vision was still returning? ¡°Your servant offers the soul of this sphemous man¡­!¡± The uruk chief shook his skull-mounted staff. A momentter, a torrent of bright, torrential light rose from the center of the city. The light held such vitality that it was clearly from Great Holy Sword Tas Alfo. Seemingly provoked, an excited blush spread over Ranikikan¡¯s face¡ªhe¡¯d found an extremely desirable offering. ck, ck, ck¡ª Ranikikan turned around, dragging his staff with him. The grotesque madmen around him followed their master one by one. As if waiting for the chief to leave, a butterfly flew out of the corpse the uruk had prayed over, and the corpse itself then vanished into a flutter of butterflies. ¡°We managed to trick them,¡± a man muttered, standing with his back against a window¡ªMad Spear Barov. ¡°Arte is terrible withbat magic, but she¡¯s extremely good with illusion magic and information gathering.¡± The man was a ck Rose Corps executive and one of the elites of the so-called ¡®Hero Party¡¯. At the moment of the explosion, he¡¯d appeared in a sh, rescued Kaisen, and taken him to a nearby safe ce. Of course, he¡¯d paid a price for the rescue and fractured one of his legs from overexertion. That wasn¡¯t the end of it. Since Kaisen¡¯s body had been covered in corrosive blood, the muscles on one side of Barov¡¯s body had melted to the point that his bones were visible. ¡°This is a cheap price to pay for saving a Fake Warrior.¡± He injected as many as three syringes filled with dragon blood serum into Kaisen¡¯s half-melted body. The young man¡¯s blurry sight slowly came into focus, and he was able to move again. Barov had been watching and limped over as if he¡¯de to a decision. ¡°Actually, I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I remember you being a kid not so long ago, so I still speak informally.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Kaisen replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t save you because you¡¯re a Fake Warrior. Well, that wasn¡¯t the primary reason.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°You can hate me for being so selfish¡­ but can you save Captain Sharon?¡± ¡®Save her?¡¯ Had she fallen into danger or something? ¡°You don¡¯t realize¡­? She¡¯s nning to kill that uruk chief and die with him.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°She¡¯s lived her whole life on the battlefield. She used to talk about wanting to see Lady Lia be a Fake Warrior.¡± Tears flowed from Barov¡¯s eyes as he kneeled on his fractured leg. ¡°I don¡¯t have the strength to save her. No matter how hard I struggle, I can¡¯t make my wish a reality¡­ but you, someone who¡¯s a Warrior like her¡­¡± Kaisen didn¡¯t need to hear the rest of the man¡¯s plea. It was in a Warrior¡¯s nature to help those who would otherwise die, but there was a problem¡­ ¡°We can¡¯t just give up on the right wing. If things go wrong, all of the refugees on the coast will die,¡± Kaisen pointed out. ¡°I will¡ª¡± ¡°With a broken leg?¡± Barov let out a sigh of frustration. The ground shook again as the demon forces pushed through the opening the Tahuf n had created. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * Kaisen prepared to grab Aradamantel again and stand, if only it wasn¡¯t for a certain yell he heard. ¡°Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!¡± ¡°Kyak! The super dragon Fake Warrior, I, has appeared! Where has the lowly Kaisen run away to? I bravely stand in his ce!¡± I leaped from the nearby bell tower and struck the ground with her great-hammer-type holy sword, Gaumris. An advancing troll was crushed by the force of hernding and became nothing more than a lump of fountaining flesh. Her sword had the power to crush armor like it was paper. The charging uruks fell from the force of the tremors and tripped over each other. I yelled. ¡°This ce is guarded by me. Unlike when Kaisen was here, not even a single uruk can pass by!¡± Giants ran up behind I,ing to a stop and forming a circle to block the street. Their right shoulders held the insignia of a dragon carrying a hammer in its hind foot¡ªthe insignia of the Dragon Hammer Corps. Barov absentmindedly muttered, ¡°Isn¡¯t I Alter Gaumris¡¯s area of ??responsibility the left wing¡­?¡± Had she realized something was wrong? It could be Krauzan¡¯smand. It was lucky that she hadn¡¯t run into Ranikikan on the way. I was always good at picking up the situation on the battlefield, not just that time. She instinctively recognized where things were most dire. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry while I buys us time.¡± At the same time, as the right wing suffered catastrophic damage, the middle wing, where the third line was stationed, was also caught in a crisis. The third line fell back to the fourth, and the fourth fell back to the square the Tahuf n was to be drawn into and annihted. If they failed there, the fifth line would also be damaged and broken through, creating a bloody storm on the coast, where the evacuation was in full swing. Sharon¡¯s breathing gradually became heavier as she eliminated the group of Tahuf madmen on the frontlines. ¡®I¡¯m out of breath.¡¯ Every battle line was being overwhelmed. Though it was a longsword, Tas Alfo had the shortest de among all of the holy swords, and the Extreme Spider Sword Style was meant to target the opponent¡¯s vital points. In short, since the suicide bombers would still explode if she hit their vital points, the Tahuf n was the worst match-up for her. ¡®I haven¡¯t been able to pull in the chief yet, but I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m already out of breath.¡¯ The next moment, her left arm was blown off by a series of explosions. Instead of taking down one of the charging uruks, she dropped her sword to retrieve a syringe of dragon blood serum from her belt and injected it into the stump of her arm. Fake Warriors were known for how they could use dragon serum for ultra-fast regeneration. Unfortunately, the limit to the regeneration was that it could only be achieved through the catalyst of dragon blood. Super-regeneration on the battlefield, something that only high-ranking life forms could handle, was clearly a huge advantage. ¡®There¡¯s a big w to it.¡¯ Rather than restoring life, the serum used the target¡¯s vitality to regenerate their body. Evidence of it could be seen in Sharon¡¯s gray hair, which was dull and lifeless. She remembered what Kam had said when they received thest dragon spirit stone at the Temple of the Sword of Bravery. ¡°So what? It¡¯s better than dying at the hands of the uruks. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m trying to seduce men with my youth.¡± As soon as she injected the serum, her joints, muscles, and bones twisted and shot from the stump of her arm until it was whole again. It only took a moment for her to regain the limb so that she could retrieve Tas Alfo and continue attacking the uruks. Uruks of the Tahuf n both far and near exploded one after the other. ¡®If I had a little more strength, I could have devastated most of them by changing my position right before the explosion¡­¡¯ Ah. She found the situation truly annoying. How could she struggle so much against mere special forces when she¡¯d annihted two entire Hai-tark ns so far? ¡®No, let¡¯s admit it. The Tahuf n is a Hai-khun-tark n, these guys are formidable enemies. At least it makes for a good final fight.¡¯ She was d to have such a worthy opponent at the end of her life. If she could finish them off, Lia and Kaisen wouldn¡¯t have to deal with such monsters. ¡°A-amazing¡­¡± ¡°As expected of our captain¡­!¡± ¡°Ourdy is the top Fake Warrior. She loses to no one!¡± While the soldiers cheered, an ominous, cold sweat rolled down Lia¡¯s face. ¡®No, no. Why is she pushing herself so hard right now? She¡¯s really thinking of ending things here?¡¯ Sharon Alter Tas Alfo¡¯s desperate struggle soon reached its limit. Eventually, Krauzen, who¡¯d lost his left arm in an explosion, appeared with his small cavalry unit. Chasing after him was a swarm of suicide bombers iparable to before. Ranikikan had arrived. ¡°Master!¡± The bombers rushed at them like crazy, and Sharon, swept away by the mighty explosions, rolled backward. It couldn¡¯t be described as purposeful in any way¡ªshe bounced along the ground several times before mming into an exterior wall. Her bare skin was exposed through her damaged armor, cruelly ripped and scorched. ¡°M-miss!¡± ¡°Protect Lady Sharon!¡± Sharon¡¯s vision diverged into two, three, four¡­ before focusing again as she coughed up blood. Her hands shook so violently that even holding and swinging her sword was difficult. Approaching the end of the journey, she knew things wereing to a close. ¡®It shouldn¡¯t¡­ end like this.¡¯ Ranikikan¡¯s army of suicide bombers seemed to number more than 10,000. It was a hopelesslyrge amount, but she¡¯d hoped to pierce through them to put an end to the chief with her Extreme Spider Sword. Unfortunately, the bombers around the uruk chief were faster and stronger than the other madmen, and the intensity of their explosions was several times stronger. ¡®There isn¡¯t much vitality left in me. This is it¡­¡¯ Caressing Tas Alfo¡¯s de with the tips of her fingers, Sharon took her final stance. ¡°Dream Ender, Blue Heaven¡¯s Piercing Wrath¡± Quietly, gracefully, and indescribably, her sword stabbed forward. Vicious sword energy rushed from the tip of the de and seemed to scream through the air as it pierced the suicide bombers and continued on, and on, and on¡­ The beam of light reached Ranikikan¡¯s face. At that final moment, it lost its power and dispersed into particles of light. Her power¡­? Had her power reached its limit and finally consumed all of her vitality? Blood spurted from her body, and Sharon¡¯s knees buckled. ¡°Mentakus.¡± A smile spread across Ranikikan¡¯s lips as he gave her blue sword aplex look. ¡°This¡­ Fire!¡± At Krauzan¡¯s signal, Hosen¡¯s Quick-Fire Team, which had been waiting for the signal, appeared in the structures surrounding the square and started firing. The suicide bombers fell one after the other as gunfire and explosions deafened everyone in the area. Still, the hail of bullets didn¡¯t stop. ¡®It¡¯s like a nightmare,¡¯ Sharon thought. There was no end or way out of theiring encounter with death. ¡®No, the world has been a nightmare from the start.¡¯ ____ Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Kaisen looked back on his memories before the battle. It was said that Kerknude was originally a thriving tourist town during the era of the old empire. This meant that, unlike military fortresses, the basic design of the city pursued beauty rather than efficiency. ¡°A city of wonders, huh¡­?¡± Moving to the south gate, Kaisen carefully surveyed the city. The blood-red sun, obscured by volcanic ash, slowly set in the west, and the four moons rising in the east scattered dim light. His mother¡¯s voice floated in his ears like a spring breeze. ¡°Kai, in the distant era of the abyss¡¯s rest, there were four goddesses who looked after this world with love.¡± ¡°Four goddesses?¡± ¡°Yeah. They created the moons.¡± What kind of sentiment was he falling into? If he looked farther ahead, he saw the amazing sight of nus in its pure-white beauty before him. The square, surrounded by ancient manor houses, absorbed the moonlight and subtly glowed. Then, hended next to Lia. ¡°Kaisen¡­¡± She was taking deep, sharp breaths, eaching out as a thin rasp. The girl with elegant, curly hair looked into the distance, avoiding his gaze. ¡°I want to apologize to you because this might be ourst time seeing each other.¡± ¡°Apologize?¡± he asked. ¡°That day, at Aristapo¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Kaisen, really¡­ for leaving you behind.¡± Kaisen unconsciously felt his hands tremble slightly. Aristapo¡­ He still remembered it¡ªhis teacher¡¯s hand on his head, and the first andst smile that she gave him. ¡°When you said you were going to save Lady Kam, I shouldn¡¯t have sent you by yourself¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even if I couldn¡¯t help you, I shouldn¡¯t have tried to dissuade you. For saying things like Lady Kam was going to die anyway¡­ I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Lia¡¯s voice sounded as if it would break at any moment. That¡¯s who Lia was. She had a gentle mind. It was why she had trouble talking to him during their reunion. Kaisen replied with, ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize. I never really resented you.¡± ¡°But back then, I¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. Rather, I¡¯m grateful.¡± Lia looked shocked. ¡°If you or Sharon had tried to forcefully stop me, I probably wouldn¡¯t have made it on time.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Master died with a smile on her face, and she didn¡¯t hold any grudges against you or Sharon. Don¡¯t take it to heart. On the contrary, I¡¯m sorry for insulting Sharon in the past,¡± Kaisen said. Standing in front and overhearing their conversation, Sharon felt a twinge of pain in her chest¡ªthe pain of sadness and longing. With her hair fluttering and shining even brighter under the moonlight, the lead Fake Warrior wiped hot tears from her eyes. ¡°Hehe, let¡¯spete to see who will be the valedictorian again today, Kam.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested, you bitch.¡± ¡°Kam, you were the student of a great hero. Why is your mouth so foul?¡± ¡°Olliere, stop it. Though she has a mouth fouler than a passing sailor, that is a part of Kam¡¯s charm.¡± ¡°What¡¯s charming about that?¡± ¡°What damn charm? Come here, you two. Where do you think you¡¯re running?! You¡¯re both dead! Come here!¡± That brilliance¡­ she missed it so much. Thinking back to her old days as a cadet, Sharon headed forward with lighter steps. ¡®I¡¯ll see you soon, Kam.¡¯ She¡¯d wondered how she could atone for that day, but she guessed there wasn¡¯t a need anymore. That was a relief. Yes¡­ it truly was a relief. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * Dream Ender was the final secret technique that only Fake Warriors could use. With it, they could reduce enemy numbers by close to a thousand, but such enemies were only small fry. What did their numbers matter? ¡®On the battlefield, the process is not important at all. The battlefield is a ce where only results speak.¡¯ Lia Riley desperately approached Sharon, who was kneeling and coughing up blood. ¡°Master, you need toe to your senses, Master!¡± She took out a syringe of dragon¡¯s blood serum from her waist and inserted it into Sharon¡¯s body¡­ It was no use. She wondered why it had no effect. An ominous possibility arose in her mind, but she didn¡¯t want to believe it. In that moment, the positions of heaven and earth seemed to entangle. Lia witnessed her teacher¡¯s form being tossed through the air by a st wave that seemed to havee from behind her. ¡®From behind¡­?¡¯ The Tahuf n suicide bomber had made a detour and exploded himself behind the outer wall Sharon was resting against. The granite of the outer wall fragmented, stinging her face with small stones as the dust rose. It was almost a miracle that Lia Riley was able to grab her teacher¡¯s arm in the midst of such confusion. ¡°M-Master, I got you¡­!¡± Sharon, held up by her disciple, was covered in blood. Even her white hair was dyed in red, and her speech was slurred. ¡°Lia¡­¡± ¡°Master, my arm! Please, you¡¯re slipping¡­ Hurry up¡­!¡± ¡°You were an excellent student.¡± Sharon¡¯s voice was low and calm as she said her farewells. There was only a slight tremble in her tone. Sorrow at the thought of being separated from her disciple filled her. Not even having the strength left to tremble, Sharon pulled Great Holy Sword Tas Alfo from her sword belt and held it out to her disciple. ¡°Take this and run straight to the port, alright? You can¡¯t let it fall into uruk hands.¡± Tears formed in Lia¡¯s eyes. Explosions rang out one after the other, sending portions of the human soldiers¡¯ bodies everywhere. It was impossible to support her teacher and push back the Tahuf bombers pursuing them from the right wing and behind while also watching over the holy sword. Sharon spoke again. ¡°Go,e on. I have a bit of dragon spirit left. I¡¯m going to use their own trick against them and explode, bringing the entire area down.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it. I don¡¯t like it¡­!¡± Lia tried to argue. ¡°I really love you, Lia.¡± The burning pressure on Lia¡¯s shoulders disappeared. Sharon smiled brightly. That would¡¯ve been Lia¡¯sst sight of her teacher, had she not rushed forward to stand between Sharon and the suicide bombers, her mind going nk. ¡°Lia¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going. I¡¯ll never go alone!¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t just a problem between us! You have an obligation to take Tas Alfo to the Imperial Court and be a Fake Warrior!¡± Lia couldn¡¯t refute what her teacher was suggesting, nor could she follow it; she could only shake her head in refusal. ¡°Lia! You¡¯ve always been so obedient; why are you doing this now? You can¡¯t do this!¡± A nightmare approached from beyond the copsing buildings of the city¡ªThe Tahuf n Chief, Ranikikan. A slimy liquid emerged from the staff the chief held in his right hand, and hundreds of the elite bombers limped along around him. Were there four seconds left? No, there were only three. The teacher and disciple would be prey to those bombers, and Tas Alfo, along with the other five holy swords previously taken, was destined to be lost. ¡®What? What should I do?¡¯ Lia Riley tried to think and calm her frantically beating heart. ¡®First, steal the breath of the charging uruks and pierce their neck, and then¡­¡¯ She tried to think of a tactic, but nothing came to mind. ¡®How many of those madmen could I really cut down?¡¯ The lines of fate darkened, threatening to drown the world. The moment Ranikikan stretched out his staff, she would inevitably lose her life when the madmen rushed at her and her teacher with their bizarre movements. ngÒ»! A dazzling series of crimson shes, reminiscent of lotuses, cut through the air in that pivotal moment, saving them from a dark fate. Believing themselves to have dodged the shes, five of the Tahuf n uruks were sent flying in pieces a momentter. When they thought they had sessfully dodged that light, the heads of five Tahuf were already flying in the sky. Again and again it repeated, and about a dozen of the bombers were beheaded by the scarlet shed one after the other, soaking the stone ground with their corrosive blood before exploding. ¡°Lia¡­¡± Perhaps it was due to being saved in a hopeless moment, or maybe it was because he became her me of hope¡­ Unbefitting of the grace and bearing of a noble and disciple of a Fake Warrior, tears poured from Lia¡¯s eyes. ¡°Kaisen¡­!¡± He didn¡¯t look very good, and his exposed skin beneath his tattered quilted armor showed mixed patches of pale and tan flesh¡ªevidence that he¡¯d been wounded and regenerated. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a littlete.¡± Kaisen sheathed Aradamantel in the scabbard tied to his back; then raised Sharon up and put her on Lia¡¯s back. ¡°Kaisen, it¡¯s not toote,¡± Sharon tried to say, her voice dying like a me, ¡°take Lia with you and¡ª¡± ¡°I refuse,¡± Kaisen bluntly said. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Do you think saying goodbye in such a way is heroic? Really?¡± Sharon¡¯s eyes widened as Kaisen ced her on Lia¡¯s back. ¡°Kaisen, it¡¯s an order, an order!¡± She screamed. ¡°Take Lia away! There¡¯s no way you can do it aloneÒ»¡± ¡°Why the hell do you think I can¡¯t do it?!¡± Kaisen argued. Humanity¡¯s driving legend was simple: A Warrior never lost. A hero never abandoned hisrades, and he saved everyone so he couldugh with them in a better future. ¡°Aren¡¯t I a hero?¡± he asked. Even as a fake, a hero was still a hero. Was it truly a question? His low tone of voice and dazzling golden eyes stunned Sharon into silence. Lia, who¡¯d been trying to support her teacher in their escape from the battlefield, felt a sharp pain near her heart. Kaisen spoke again. ¡°Lia, finish treating her in a safe ce and rally the soldiers.¡± ¡°Kaisen, what about you?¡± Complex emotions shed in Ranikikan¡¯s dark eyes. He was both perplexed and intrigued. His gaze was locked on Kaisen, and the cruel bastard drooled in anticipation. When Ranikikan extended his staff, the suicide bombers rushed forward, letting out bloodcurdling screams. ¡°The strategic goal is to finish him off here.¡± Rachel Dune Jeraye had said it was a Fake Warrior¡¯s mission. He had to do it. Standing face to face with the bombers rushing at him like a swarm of bees, he unsheathed Aradamantel again. Claaaaaannnnnggg¡ª Ò»Ò» Look, I¡¯m not very smart. Still, there¡¯s a truth I¡¯ve clearly realized: heroes are no longer ¡®born¡¯ in this cruel world. Still, someone has to be a hero, though such a title requires the sacrifice of their love, happiness, andughter in the future, past, and present. In return, such a hero can bloom into a Warrior who brings love, happiness, andughter to thend. My mother had been such a hero, and so had my master. ¡°Three minutes¡­¡± I hadn¡¯t been sure if he was the chief before, so I¡¯d refrained from using my power right away. Things had changed though, and with clear evidence of the uruk shaman being the chief, I could give it my all. TingÒ»! Using my index figure, I pulled the suppressor¡¯s pin from my left wrist, liberating my dragon spirit. Great vitality swirled above my mortal body, and I only had one thing to say¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll finish this in three minutes.¡± Ò» Ò» ¡ªounting from the start of one of Kaisen Alter Aradamantel¡¯s legendary military achievements, ¡®The ughter of 3,000¡¯. ____ Chapter 31 Chapter 31 ¨C The ughter of 3,000, Kerknude Evacuation n (6) ¡°This is a piece of equipment called a ¡®suppressor¡¯.¡± Kaisen recalled a moment from just before he left the Imperial Court in Haraldoniki, a moment in time where the abyss had not yet ovee the embrace of spring. ¡°Wear it on the wrist that is mostfortable for you. If you turn the central pin like a key and pull it out, the power of the dragon spirit will be released.¡± In other words, it was the day the investiture ceremony ended. Stan, the chief cksmith of the Holy Workshop, held out a sphere that gave off a dull glow. ¡°What happens when the pin is in ce?¡± ¡°By controlling the dragon spirit within the body, it helps stop it from identally awakening. The pin can be remade with mana, so it doesn¡¯t matter if you lose it. After pulling it out, feel free to throw it away.¡± It was said to have been made from dragon bone, the hardest yet lightest material in the world, and it was designed not to disrupt the Fake Heroes in battle. ¡°Thank you, elder cksmith,¡± Kaisen had said. ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m sorry that this is all I can give you. Keep in mind that a sudden, explosive power will hit your body. Even three minutes is long. Depending on how you use it, it might be shorter. You may lose consciousness.¡± ¡°So you mean it¡¯s a race against time. Thank you.¡± * * * The Fake Warriors longsword cried out while glowing with a bloody red light. It looked more wicked than holy¡ªas if the sword thirsted for blood. Why would its owner¡¯s eyes be any different? Longing for death on an endless battlefield, those golden eyes shimmered quietly. ¡°How are you alive?¡± Ranikikan asked. A blue-ck miasma swirled from the tip of the uruk¡¯s staff. Mind-obscuring insects were ancient creatures that burrowed into the brains and spines of living things to take control of their bodies, and the uruk shaman utilized them in his suicide bombers. Thump, thump, thump¡ª The female mind-obscuring insects in the bodies of the Tahuf n bombers writhed, and countless uruks charged forward. WhoooooonnngggÒ» Aradamantel sang, sending a crimson lotus tearing through the air. aaaaannnnnggggÒ»! The upper bodies of dozens and hundreds of madmen caught in its trajectory were torn to pieces. It was fast. By the time the madmen exploded, the Fake Warrior had already advanced far ahead, to the point where the enemy only saw a red wheel rotating and moving forward. ¡®Fast¡­¡¯ Lia expressed nothing but admiration at what unfolded in front of her. ¡®What did he do? Uruks died by the hundreds in a split second. At the same time, Kaisen gulped and suppressed the pain in his heart, which felt like it could burst at any moment. Dragon spirit liberation suffused him with a golden wave that went beyond the limits of the physical and subconscious abilities of a human and reached the level of a Sage Dragon. The aftereffects of that absolute power spread to every corner of his body. He had to end it in three minutes. Every time Kaisen stepped forward, a wave spread out from his footsteps, and the Tahuf uruks who saw the waves of power spread from him suddenly felt their world go spinning. When the spinning stopped, their gazes focused on the ground, and thest thing they saw as their visions darkened were their headless corpses staggering around. A chill ran down Ranikikan¡¯s back when he saw the surreal sword dance. ¡®It¡¯s not a simple sh. What is it? I think it¡¯s different from when we met earlier.¡¯ He knew Fake Warriors strengthened themselves with the powers of dragons and converted their vitality into power. Still, what he was seeing was different. ¡®There¡¯s no way a dragon spirit stone engraved by a mere wyvern could produce such overwhelming power¡­¡¯ He had more than 3,000 uruks with him. Was the Fake Warrior really cutting right through them all as if they were ants? aaaannnnggg¡ª! Kaisen ran in a straight line, cutting down everything in his way to create a path of corpses and blood. ¡°Kaisen Alter Aradamantel has broken through the enemy lines!¡± an observer watching the situation through binocrs nkly reported. ¡°The Tahuf n is helpless¡­ they can¡¯t even react. Fake Warrior, keep going forward!¡± Krauzan, who was trembling at the rapidly changing war situation, raised his hands and shouted, ¡°Take cover! Help the Fake Warrior get to Tahuf chief! Don¡¯t spare your bullets!¡± At Krauzan¡¯smand, the soldiers watching in fascination returned to their senses. Although they were extremely weakpared to the holy sword, the barrage of bullets was enough to disturb the uruks¡¯ defensive formation. There was no need to worry about the fake hero being hit¡ªhe was so fast that even bullets couldn¡¯t reach him. Following the sound of trumpets, the guns aimed toward the square emitted steam. ¡°First line, fire! Second line, standby, fire!¡± The gunmen waiting on the roof pulled their triggers in unison. As soon as the smoke cleared, the ck Rose Corps¡¯ cavalry rushed out. Amid urgent shouts, a bloody battle began with the uruks who were trying to surround Kaisen. ¡°H¨¹ller!¡± Ranikikan shouted. Unlike the ordinary suicide uruks, Tahuf H¨¹ller were royal guards armed with ancient bronze weapons. They wildly rushed forward, spewing eerie ck light from all over their bodies. Cross Sword Style ¨C 10th Form¡­ Kaisen held his sword and scabbard in a cross formation and blocked one of their attacks. Ò»Cross Decapitation. The uruks¡¯ bodies fell into four pieces in an instant, and before even the first drop of their blood even touched the ground, he was already moving forward again. ¡®Even the Tahuf H¨¹ller, who have a hundred female mind-obscuring insects in their bodies¡­?¡¯ Just then, the witches¡¯ barrier covered the city and stopped the maddened uruks concentrated there from leaving. ¡°Tahuf!¡± The ck Rose Corps cavalry collided with the maddened uruks trying to ambush Kaisen from behind, causing an explosion. ¡°What are you doing? Get rid of that guy!¡± Ranikikan shouted. Great Holy Sword Aradamandel resonated with its proxy wielder¡¯s will. The sword¡¯s cry cut through the wind, and a brilliant red lotus burst from the de. A pir of light erupted forth, staining the world red like a haphazard artist¡¯s stroke of paint across a canvas. The brilliance of the explosion was bloody, terrifying¡­ and aloof. Every living thing before Kaisen was ovee with death and decay. Shudder¡ª Ranikikan¡¯s eyes trembled. Fear overwhelmed his reason. ¡®Who are you?¡¯ Amidst the dazzling, zing light and billowing smoke, a shadow rushed out. ¡®Who the hell are you?¡¯ Ranikikan¡¯s staff sensed the crisis and cried out. ¡®The stigma of the Balkrush n, this guy can¡¯t be¡­ the one who took down Kiral¡¯s brat?¡¯ He didn¡¯t even have time to think. ck light poured out of Ranikikan¡¯s eyes; waves of power rippled through the surrounding air. His final secret technique was to activate the 1,000+ mind-obscuring insects he¡¯d imnted in his own body and use them to explosively increase his physical abilities. KaaaaangÒ»! des of light and darkness collided, and a low, ear-shattering sound reverberated over the battlefield. ¡°Kaisen¡­¡± A red line stretched out like a spiderweb in Kaisen¡¯s field of view. It was a line of bloodlust and conviction created under the guidance of his holy sword. ¡°How do you want to use this?¡± ¡®Faster¡­¡¯ ¡®I need to go ever faster¡­¡¯ Amplified by the dragon spirit within, his perception slowed, and his body sped up. ¡®Oh¡­¡¯ Sharon couldn¡¯t help but watch with her mouth agape. A cold shiver of wonder ran down her back. Kaisen¡¯s de was hard to follow¡ªonly an afterimage of the weapon sweeping through the world remained; red lotus petals bloomed in its wake. ¡®That ruthless fighting style really resembles Kam¡¯s¡­ ¡® Was it just a coincidence that she vividly imagined her dead friend oveid on Kaisen? Her eyes turned hazy with longing. Caaaannnnggg¡ª! * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * The impact against Kaisen¡¯s sword was enough to make it feel like his wrists were about to break. Blood sttered across his vision. Pain throbbed through his cooling body. Even so, he did not let go of his sword. ¡®What do you bastards think of life?¡¯ The chapel on the other side of the square copsed under the pressure of the extraordinary amount of heat released by the holy sword. ¡®¡­Of everyday life.¡¯ The moment Ranikikan flinched under Aradamantel¡¯s pressure, his right arm was cut off, and blood sttered out. ¡®What do you think about people¡¯s lives?¡¯ Aradamantel roared after cutting deeply into Ranikikan¡¯s left foot, limiting his mobility. ¡®How noble is your will that you kill, steal, and trample on humanity?¡¯ Kaisen¡¯s scabbard shed against the uruk¡¯s staff in an impact so violent that the staff slipped from the chief¡¯s grasp and flew through the air. ¡®You do it as if it¡¯s natural to you. Is it only natural for you to steal and trample on us because we are weaker than you?¡¯ Ranikikan was wide open. Kaisen guided Aradamantel into its scabbard and unsheathed it in a sh as he swung it in a two-handed downward cleave. The ancient saying engraved on Aradamantel¡¯s de burned with brilliant light. ¡®Don¡¯t make meugh.¡¯ The day his mother died in his stead, the words his heart wailed resonated with the will of the holy sword. Cross Sword Style ¨C Quick-Draw Technique: Chopping Firewood. The final sh was so picturesque that he looked like an artist cleanly dividing the world for his masterpiece. Anyone watching found themselves spellbound. Red lightning pierced the dark clouds of volcanic ash, turning the horizon ck and white as it struck the battlefield. Half a beatter, a strong shockwave swept past, and a beatter, Aradamantel cried out in ast sh of lightning-like brilliance before its power faded. Only one person remained standing in the aftermath of the thunderous strike¡ªKaisen Alter Aradamantel. The bolt of lightning had Ranikikan and crackled over the Tahuf uruks, who¡¯d piled themselves together to protect their master. Such numbers meant nothing against true power, and not a single fragment of their bones remained. ¡®Sword aura¡­¡¯ Lia¡¯s eyes widened. Sword aura went further than building a magic de with Mana Chain¡ªit was about expressing that power in other forms. ¡®It¡¯s a sign of the pinnacle of swordsmanship¡­¡¯ A dazed cheer flowed from the mouths of the soldiers who¡¯d witnessed the fight from start to end. ¡°We won¡­¡± ¡°He cut off that Tahuf chief¡¯s head all by himself¡­?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t the time to be amazed! They¡¯re running away! Shoot them!¡± That was it. The mind-obscuring insects who had lost their master ran rampant inside the bodies, and the surviving uruks screamed and scattered. Krauzan gave an order, ¡°Stop! Let the other uruks get confused. Reorganize the defense line. Defend the fifth line as much as possible andplete the evacuation!¡± The small uruk ns and the maddened uruks who were retreating entangled in a chaotic manner, and their bodies exploded¡­ All the soldiers had to do was shoot down the few uruks that asionally broke through the defense line. That was all Kaisen could confirm through his hazy consciousness. ¡°Three minutes¡­¡± He used the scabbard of his sword to support his body and stop himself from copsing as his mortal body suffered the bacsh from using the tempestuous power of a Sage Dragon. ¡°That was close¡­¡± He desperately clung to consciousness in an effort to protect his soul. ¡°Kaisen!¡± A warrior must not show weakness to anyone¡ªjust like Kam. ¡°Wake up, Kaisen!¡± ¡°Miss, what are you doing?!¡± ¡°Kaisen is acting strange! What is it? All his strength is leaving his body! It¡¯s like all of it was just a mirage.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll cover you!¡± That moment seemed like an eternity. As soon as Lia rushed over to support him on her shoulders, he went limp. Still clinging to consciousness, he only remembered fragments of what happened next. ¡°¡­it will be morning soon¡­¡± ¡°What is the status of the evacuation¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s thest one. The garrison was also told to withdraw¡­!¡± ¡°Uruks areing from all directions¡­¡± ¡°I will stay. We need a suicide contingent of about 1,000 people¡­¡± ¡°Your Excellency, how¡­?¡± ¡°Hurry! Aren¡¯t the nagas about to break through the witches¡¯ coastal barrier¡­?!¡± ¡°No. I will stay. The life Kaisen gave me may have been for this moment¡­¡± ¡°I, I, am the strongest in the world! I will block everything¡­!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The giants cannot board a ship unless it¡¯s a dedicated transport ship, so we¡­¡± Everyone wanted to be the ones to make ast stand and fight. The Kerknude coast had shallow water, so the frontline could only be held by pontoons. It was necessary to use fishing boats to transport people to military ships floating in the ocean. The nagas broke the barrier and reached the shore, where they then sank the human ships. ¡°Withdraw, withdraw¡­!¡± When Kaisen finally regained consciousness, the world was filled with despair and fear. The first thing to register in his mind was the dawn. No, was it really dawn? What kind of dawn could be heralded by such clear cries? Rather than a dawn, it was the brilliance and roar of a dragon. Truly, it was more beautiful than any dawn could have been. He had never heard such a pure sound before. It was as if a quietke were unfolding before his eyes. Kaisen didn¡¯t have the strength to raise his head, so he only moved his eyes carefully and looked up at the sky. The sight was dazzling. For a moment, it seemed as if the first dawn had risen over a terrible night of volcanic ash. Lia muttered, ¡°It is His Excellency, Mirngadia, the White Dragon of the Heavenly Castle.¡± Mirngadia of the Heavenly Castle was one of the Three Heroic Dragons, a miracle left on thend by Dragon Sage Rain Ludwig, who¡¯d heralded the Age of Silver. Even from a distance, the dragon¡¯s appearance was so noble and majestic that it made his heart tremble. ¡¸Kal (open).¡¹ ¡¸Gurs (on both sides).¡¹ ¡¸Oufari (water).¡¹ ¡¸Diale (ripe).¡¹ Mother Nature bowed to the white dragon¡¯s shout, and the sea churned. The supernatural phenomenon was a godly power humans could never evoke. It embodied a light of hope in the world the gods had left. First, the sea split into two down to where the military ships were located. A violent storm arose from the split and swept the nagas away. The water foamed and formed into a tidal wave that struck the iing uruk army. In the end, the enemy was too busy trying to escape being drowned to continue their advance. ¡°It¡¯s His Excellency, the Heavenly Castle!¡± ¡°His Excellency came.¡± ¡°His Excellency, destroy them!¡± The white dragon glided through the sky and cried again; rocks piled up one by one and created a path to the deck of the primary military ship. People cried at the sight of the miracle, happy to have hope. In those final days of the Age of Dragons, the greatest dragon appeared at a miraculous moment. * * * The evacuation fleet arrived at Thalia Ind amidst favorable winds. Nagas persistently tried to follow the fleet, but they were stopped by the Heavenly Castle and the witches. ¡°Nearly 80% of the garrison troops defending the city died, but thanks to their sacrifice, as many as 2.3 million people were able to escape from the clutches of the abyss.¡± The Kerknude Evacuation n was considered one of the great victories that preluded the end of the ¡®Red Summer¡¯. ¡°Humanity¡¯s counterattack could finally begin after one more battle to bring the ¡®Red Summer¡¯ to a close¡­ the ¡®Battle of the Red Mountains¡¯. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 ¨C The ughter of 3,000, Kerknude Evacuation n (7) In the city of the Light Dragon, Haraldoniki, in the Dragon Spirit Hall on the 99th floor of the Imperial Court¡­ The small andrge elements of war gathered, and the yellow Sage Dragons observed the oues of the war and made important decisions. ¡°Reporting!¡± The griffin rider, who still had frost on his goggles, bowed with his hands together in respect. ¡°With His Excellency, the Heavenly Castle¡¯s help, the Kerknude evacuation was a sess, and all troops and refugees, except those who died during the defense, were transported to Thalia Ind.¡± The Sage Dragons exmations, not even thinking about protecting their ancient majesty. Rescuing the troops on the Eastern Front of Kerknude was not simply a matter of preserving life. The victory had a greater and deeper meaning¡ªit could be used in propaganda that would directly lead to an increase in military morale. ¡¸Extrapte. You are being confusing. What exactly happened before the victory?¡¹ In response to Cardinal Hargon¡¯s question, the rider raised his head. ¡°First, they say the failing vanguard was sessfully defended thanks to a strategy designed by Lia Riley, the disciple of Sharon Alter Tas Alfo.¡± ¡¸She is a very bright child.¡¹ ¡°However, the chief of the Tahuf n participated in the battle, causing a heavy blow to the garrison, and close to 80% of the soldiers were killed.¡± ¡¸Were you able to collect, Sharon, that child¡¯s, body?¡¹ ¡°She is alive.¡± ¡¸What?¡¹ The cardinals looked confused. It was a well-known fact that Sharon¡¯s vitality had already reached its limit. Hearing that she had survived and emerged victorious against thebined forces of the uruk army led by a Hai-khun-tark chieftain was extremely absurd. Hadn¡¯t Sharon been ready to die when she was deployed to Kerknude? Enricht looked at the clouds passing by the window. ¡¸What happened?¡¹ ¡°Kaisen Alter Aradamantel charged in alone, cut down 3,000 members of the Tahuf n, and decapitated the Tahuf Chief, disintegrating the enemy! After that, enemy morale imploded.¡± The cardinals¡¯ eyes dted, and Enrich¡¯s eyes widened. All eyes suddenly turned to Cardinal Yoshhar after the Sage Dragon mmed his fist into his armrest and jumped up, shaking with great tremors. ¡®The child born to Raminea and raised by Kam¡­¡¯ Cardinal Parrem was the first to regain hisposure and speak. ¡¸Tell Sharon and her disciple toe to the Imperial Court before it¡¯s toote. We need to prepare for the session ceremony.¡¹ ¡°Yes, my Lords.¡± ¡¸The war is still just beginning, so tell the headquarters that Kaisen Alter Aradamantel will be deployed as the core of the Thalia Ind defense line.¡¹ * * * Kaisen slowly regained consciousness as he felt the warm breeze blowing across his face. Such a refreshing breeze could not be found in the midst of the volcanic ash storm in the middle of summer. He was lying on the bed in a hospital gown, and Lia was kneeling at the foot of the bed, sleeping with her arms resting on the mattress. ¡°She¡¯s exhausted from watching you all night. It should be considered an honor to be treated like that by a woman like Lia.¡± He moved his eyes toward the direction of the voice and saw Sharon Alter Tas Alfo¡¯s back as she looked outside the window at the red twilight. She was sitting on a chair with wheels, as if she had difficulty moving, but she was alive. ¡°How many days have I been asleep?¡± he asked. ¡°Three days. What happened? If you hadn¡¯t woken up by today, we would have had to leave you and go to the Imperial Court.¡± When Kaisen exined his unusual use of the dragon sprit, Sharon was amazed. ¡°His Excellency Yoshhar himself¡­ was able to use such great power.¡± ¡°The risk is also high. During training, I was unconscious for about one to four hours, but I guess it¡¯s different in real life.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because it¡¯s a real battle¡­ it¡¯s because you fought to the point where you were overloaded with dragon spirit. It means you overextended yourself. Thanks to that, I¡¯m alive.¡± He looked nkly at Sharon as she turned the chair. All of her hair, from her head to her eyshes, was stained gray. His gaze remained on the chair more than anywhere else. A chair with wheels¡­ Did it mean that she couldn¡¯t even walk anymore? Sharon must have read the emotions in his eyes and wheeled closer. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I originally gave up on living.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Yes, but thanks to you, I can now witness Lia inheriting my holy sword. I haven¡¯t seen it yet, but until then, I will work hard to survive.¡± Sharon stopped the chair at the head of the bed and gently patted the cheek of the student whom her former friend had raised with love with her bony hand. ¡°After that, I¡¯ll probably go see Kam, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I will tell her, ¡®Kam, do you know what? Your student is just as entric as you, but he also became a Warrior just as great as you.¡¯¡± Kam¡¯s name made him miserable and pale, but it also sent a mysterious thrill down his spine. For a moment, he thought about how good it would have been if the parting between him and his teacher had been that peaceful. He imagined what Kam¡¯s expression would have been when he came out with pure white hair and Aradamantel on his waist. ¡°Kam wouldn¡¯t have taught you these things, so I¡¯ll teach them for her. Kaisen, always get into the habit of thinking about what a ¡®true hero¡¯ is.¡± A true hero¡­ Hiding a dream that could note true, he gripped Sharon¡¯s wrist and nodded quietly. ¡°Thank you for your hard work so far. Rest in peace now.¡± That was thest farewell he gave to histe teacher¡¯s friend. After Sharon pushed her chair and left with a sleeping Lia in her arms. He grabbed Aradamantel, which was leaning against the bed, and went out. The clear sea breeze hit his face, causing him to wrinkle his nose at the pungent smell. Thalia Ind¡­ Geographically, it was arge ind used as a port of call for the Calnal Penins and the continent, but to be more exact, he was in the summer pce of the Ginaris monarchy. Since the summer pce was built on high ground, he could clearly see the southwest port. ¡°¡­¡± The port was overflowing with refugees. From the day his mother died, he found himself shedding tears for no reason whenever he saw children toddling while holding their parents¡¯ hands. Every time, he had to hold his chest and gasp until his hyperventting subsided. ¡®It hurts.¡¯ The hole in his chest¡­ ¡®It hurts so much that I can¡¯t breathe.¡¯ The hole burned fiercely every time his mother¡¯s memory ovepped with his daily life. ¡®It didn¡¯t get fixed even though I have the body of a Fake Warrior¡­¡¯ To calm his breathing, he pulled out his mother¡¯s shortsword. The de deflected the red twilight and seemed to be whispering with its deep, bloody scent. There were still nightmares to be in. Even then, they were pouring in endlessly. Echoes of that distant past¡­ anger, grief. A voice broke through his muddled thoughts. ¡¸Kaisen Alter Aradamantel.¡¹ He flinched in surprise and raised his head. A pure-white figure stood before him. ¡¸If you¡¯ve recovered enough to move, it would¡¯ve been nice for you to show up at the ceremony. It would¡¯ve brought many peoplefort.¡¹ Even the lingering sound of sheathing his sword seemed to turn white. Truly, everything seemed pure in the being¡¯s presence. Not only were the being¡¯s external elements, such as hair and eyebrows, white, but even abstract parts such as facial expressions, mood, and voice. The color was holy and noble. Even if it weren¡¯t for his noble majesty, Kaisen would have recognized the figure¡¯s status. He tried to kneel the moment he recognized the figure. ¡¸Don¡¯t kneel¡¹ The Heavenly Castle, Mirngadia¡ªpne of the Three Heroic Dragons left behind by Dragon Sage Rain Ludwig. ¡¸There¡¯s no need to be so polite to me.¡¹ The majesty of the Three Heroic Dragons was legendary both in and out of the military. In particr, Mirngadia was famous for leading the fairies on the Edea Penins in destroying the main force of the six great demons, the necrons, the Immortal Legion. Such a being was before him. Mirngadia recognized him and, with a single wave, had the pce guards retreat. When he hesitated, not daring to stand up, Mirngadia raised his eyebrows in interest. ¡¸You look a lot like your mother, but your character resembles your teacher¡¯s. Your mother would have asked if I had brought something to eat and grumbled about the fact I came empty-handed.¡¹ ¡°Did you know my mother?¡± ¡¸I knew all your ancestors. All the way to Dragon Sage Rain Ludwig.¡¹ A momentary ripple of grief passed through Mirngadia¡¯s expressionless face. In the past, while they were heading to the Calnal Penins after Kam died, Yohan Wolf Frost had made a fuss about his great lineage. ¡°The leader was Ludwig¡¯s descendant. Do you know what that means? She was a direct descendant of the Dragon Sage! Kaisen, you are also his descendant!¡± It was an extremely unrealistic story, to the point that it didn¡¯t touch his heart, so he¡¯d ignored the man¡¯s words. His mother was just a mother. That alone was great. He didn¡¯t want people to say it was because of his bloodline or because he was a descendant of a great person. ¡°I didn¡¯t attend because I don¡¯t see what there is to celebrate when so many died.¡± ¡¸It looks like you forgot about cutting down the Tahuf chief.¡¹ ¡°I just did what I had to do as a swordsman.¡± ¡¸Was this also just something that had to be done? Can you say such cutting words?¡¹ Mirngadia took a moldy and rotten piece of wood out of his arms. Was it not possible to get paper? The letters on the wood were written crookedly, showing a child¡¯s clumsiness. Hello. Thanks to the Warrior, I was able to eat with my mom again today. The others said the Warrior was sick, so I couldn¡¯t meet him. I left a letter to the soldier. The Warrior is my hero. Thank you. Was it really a coincidence that his younger self was superimposed on the back of the child leaving the port? A coincidence¡­ ¡¸Kaisen, there is something you misunderstand. The victory celebration is not simply meant to praise achievements.¡¹ Mirngadia¡¯s pure white hair and robe danced quietly with the sea breeze as he looked toward the distant horizon. Sea birdsnded next to him. Were they prostrating before an absolute being? They were so gentle that Kaisen couldn¡¯t believe they were mere animals. ¡¸It is meant for us to talk to those who couldn¡¯t stand on the battlefield, those poor people who had no choice but to abandon all they held dear and run.¡¹ Such a celebration was meant to say: It¡¯s alright. The night ising to an end. The nightmare is fading away. One step at a time. Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s okay to have hope instead of struggling in despair¡­ ¡¸The victory you achieved at Kerknude brought such hope to many people. Engrave this in your soul with pride.¡¹ A faint smile appeared on Mirngadia¡¯s lips as he stroked the seabird¡¯s head. ¡°¡­¡± Kaisen had no choice but to absent-mindedly lower his head and avoid the dragon¡¯s gaze. Was it possible to perceive such a distant future? It was something an ignorant mind like his could not even imagine. ¡¸Shall we get to the point? I waited until you woke up to test your will.¡¹ ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± ¡¸Do you know why I sent this clone here when the war on the Edea Penins has not yet ended? It is because of the battle on the central front.¡¹ The central front was the fiercest battlefield on the continental front after the copse of the Inferno Line. The 2nd daughter among the Three Heroic Dragons, Setsunen of the Lightning, was at the center of the defense line. Many Fake Warriors were also dispatched there¡ªnot only the current Deputy and 3rd Seats, but also Seira and Ophelia after their investiture. ¡°A battle? Do you really mean that?¡± Since the beginning of the war in 1692, humankind had avoided battles. There was an overwhelming power difference between humanity and the abyss, so they did not want their troops to be swept away with just one battle. What humanity chose was an extreme war of attrition¡ªthey bided their time, hoping to cut off the enemy¡¯s supply from overseas. On the other hand, the abyss wanted direct confrontation. What was it other than saying that they wouldply with the other¡¯s intentions? ¡¸My father, that is, the Dragon Sage, used to solve and exin all problems using math while sitting opposite me at a table like this.¡¹ It was a story from an extremely distant past. It was difficult to guess the depth of time that had passed, but Kaisen was able to gauge the longing contained in that voice. ¡¸The days of Fake Warriors being called asymmetrical powers are over. They were standardized a long time ago. They hold the strength of one or two brigades, that is, a minimum of 4,000 and a maximum of 8,000 people. The enemy is also making the same estimate, but what about you?¡¹ ¡°Me?¡± ¡¸Didn¡¯t you receive a fragment of Pir Yoshhar and the Light Dragon, Haraderiman? No one can predict what you are capable of.¡¹ This was the first time Kaisen had heard such a thing. A fragment of the Light Dragon? Was he saying that he¡¯d received more than just Yoshhar¡¯s fragment? ¡¸You can bring out the power of a Sage Dragon and a Divine Dragon for approximately three minutes. Isn¡¯t that right?¡¹ ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡¸That¡¯s why you are an unpredictable variable. You are the only such variable in the mathematical equations of this world that would otherwise always point to despair.¡¹ It was difficult for an ignorant mind to understand such words, but that tremor of fate overtook his whole body. ¡¸And I want to insert that variable into the equation at the central front¡¹ ¡°What exactly do you want from me?¡± ¡¸Leave for the Red Mountains at dawn. Marshal Krauzan and the five pirs at the Imperial Court want to leave the eastern front to you, but the central region is more important than the eastern front right now. If we can destroy the enemy¡¯s main force, we will have a better outlook on the fate of humanity. Decide now, Kaisen, son of the Crimson Lotus¡­ Which front will you stand on?¡¹ Kaisen heard fate beckoning to him and the echo of the sword in his heart. He heard Aradamantel crying and opened his mouth to answer. More than anything, it felt as if the sword in his heart replied for him. ¡°Your Excellency, the Heavenly Castle, pleasemand this Fake Warrior.¡± ____ Chapter 33 Chapter 33 ¨C The Prelude to All-Out War, The Battle of the Red Mountains (1) Originally the sacred mountains where the fire dragon, Bel¡¯Dakidun, resided, The Red Mountains was where he had led his Vermillion Dragon Army and protected humanity since the Age of Creation. It was a natural barrier that blocked invasion from external forces and a blessing of nature that absorbed the abyss and worked to prevent the corruption from touching the civilized world. ¡°This kind of textbook exnation was effective until five years ago.¡± In 1692, when the ¡®Red Summer¡¯ began, Mirngadia of the Heavenly Castle began work on fortifying the Red Mountains. The stone wall built along the ridge of the mountain range was about 4,921 km long, and the natural beauty forming the northern slope of the range was organized by section. Military facilities such as esctors and elevators operated by steam engines could be built in the ces nature hadn¡¯t touched. ¡°This allowed the fortresses on each peak to act as a line rather than a single point. literally became a fortress made by the heavens.¡± The southern slope steeply cut into a valley and was reinforced with a natural moat, and the forest was cut down to open a field with a clear view. ¡°It is said that all of this was aplished in just three years, so the ce is called the Three-Year Mountain Fortress.¡± The Three-Year Mountain Fortress would be where Kaisen Alter Aradamantel found himself for a year during the Red Summer as humanity¡¯sst line of resistance. It would also mark the end of the hero¡¯s tragic adolescence. * * * At dawn the next day, Kaisen received orders from Mirngadia to deploy the Knights of the Iron Cross and headed to the central front. After taking a steamship, they boarded the continental train, the ¡®BART¡¯, and crossed the Red Mountain Pass. It was customary for trains traveling around the continent to be named after adventurers of great fame. Bart was a friend of Dragon Sage Rain Ludwig and had made a name for himself in the battle to subdue the Lord of Spiders. ¡®Friend.¡¯ The word seemed to stab Kaisen¡¯s heart like a knife. Would he be able to make friends in the future? If he did, the world could take them as well, and there would be another hole in his heart¡­ Would he be able to endure it? It would probably be difficult. Kaisen nced at I, who was snoring with her head resting on his shoulder. I muttered words like ¡®Cassena¡¯, ¡®Freesbia¡¯, ¡®Aki¡¯, and ¡®Runelle¡¯ in her sleep. Like a child, she seemed to need a lot of sleep, but whenever it was time to eat, she woke at once. Boiled eggs were served for teatime, and I put three eggs in her mouth before munching vigorously. ¡°You¡¯re going to choke from eating so quickly,¡± Kaisenmented. ¡°A dragon won¡¯t choke on eggs like these! I can eat 10!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯d have nothing to eat.¡± ¡°I am a dragon! Even 10 eggs is a small amount! To grow up, I need to eat more than this! I¡¯m already eating less! You know nothing!¡± She always proudly shouted while spewing food. With both her cheeks filled, she looked more like a squirrel than a dragon, but out of concern for the pride of dragons everywhere, Kaisen did not say anything. He didn¡¯t even bother wiping away the food that sttered on his face, for I always picked up the pieces and ate them. Again, he looked out the dewy-covered window. Before they knew it, the train left the world covered in volcanic ash and was climbing up a mountain with a blue summer sky above. The sea was no longer visible. Instead, mountain ranges rose up from the empty space left behind by the sea. ¡°The Red Mountains.¡± Looking at the mountain range that seemed to awaken from its cozy slumber with the dawn, Kaisen absentmindedly said its name. Truly, it seemed divine. The mountain range, draped in red, had a supernatural majesty in the early morning sun. Being a natural wall, it blocked the enemy forces and united humanity¡¯s defense force. * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * The artificial majesty of the Inferno Line was also bloody and terrifying, but that steely majesty paledpared to the mountains. It was truly beautiful¡­ It was whaty between the abyss and human civilization. All while the people of the empire were fighting amongst themselves, unaware of the urgent threat to the world¡­ Kaisen only had 10 days to look out the window in amazement at everything in the world. On the morning of the 10th day, the ¡®BART¡¯ stopped. The sound emitted by the halting lotive was like a military song announcing the start of a new battle. ¡°This station is on the outskirts of Golden Rose. Soldiers moving to the central front can get off here.¡± The conductor¡¯s voice echoed through a brass tube. There was a loud sound from the second and third-ss carriages at the back, where officers were scolding soldiers and waking them. The morning sunlight seeped through the exhaust fumes of the lotive. It was their first morning in the mountains. ¡°Quickly take it! What do you think you¡¯re doing?! Use your strength!¡± The gunmen and engineers pulled various heavy equipment and giant artillery pieces from the cargo and seemed to be having a hard time. ¡°Okay, I, see youter.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cry because you miss me. If you really miss me that much, you can write a letter. I will write you a reply, for I am a merciful dragon.¡± He separated from I on the train. I would lead the Dragon Hammer Corps. The Knights of the Iron Cross were on the tform to greet him. Teval of the Dragon Spear, a member of the Iron Cross hero party, was apanied by three young knights. The knights had gray crosses engraved in iron on their ck uniforms. It was not shy, but it was elegant and upright. They straightened their backs, showed dignity, and had no hesitation. ¡°Are you Kaisen?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ha! Because of you, I ended up losing three gold coins to these guys.¡± Kaisen¡¯s first meeting with Teval was not very friendly. He looked at Kaisen with a gaze that showed he could not tolerate a man who was taller than him. His stocky physique and grim face of scars were characteristic of someone who had been through a long war. ¡°Teval, we won.¡± As the young knights grinned, Teval frowned and flicked three golden dragon coins from his arms. ¡°These guys bet a gold coin that you would be taller than me. Ha! There really is a male Fake Warrior.¡± ¡°Do you want me to apologize?¡± ¡°Fuck apologies! Listen carefully, rookie Fake Warrior¡­ I am the strongest spearman. Even if I¡¯m not a Fake Warrior, I¡¯m still the strongest. Don¡¯t even think about looking down on me,¡± Teval said while leaning the legendary Keel Spear that gave him the title of ¡®hero¡¯ on his shoulder. It was a unique spear made entirely from the corbone of a dragon, the sharpest and hardest part type of dragon bone. It was more like a greatsword than a spear, or rather a pir¡­ Its length and width were asrge as Teval¡¯s form. ¡°What are you doing? The leader told us to bring him, not to threaten him unnecessarily.¡± There was an archer who put a stop to Teval¡¯s fiercepetitive spirit. She was a woman with a small physique that made Kaisen think she might be a dwarf. The woman had an extremely cold expression under her green-colored hair and only had one eye. The bow on her back gave off pure white light. Serwebon, a white bow with a status equivalent to that of Keel. Both were the weapons of Dragon Sage Rain Ludwig¡¯spanions, Bart and Rem, and they had great history. In the case of the spear, it was wielded by the strongest Diamond-grade mercenary known as the Dragon yer. In Serwebon¡¯s case, it was wielded by the legendary Kies, who conquered thend during the period of turmoil. ¡°Wee to the Red Mountains, I¡¯m Mern, and that fool¡¯s name is Teval.¡± They greeted each other with a simple handshake. All the way to the Red Mountains Garrison, Teval and Mern bickered over every little issue. The mountain path had been converted into esctors, so the stairs moved automatically with the power of steam engines. ¡°Is it true?¡± one of the knights asked. ¡°I heard that you single-handedly destroyed a Hai-khun-tark.¡± ¡°The rumor spread throughout the mountains. They call you the Uruk yer.¡± ¡°I heard it was your first time in battle, but you are really amazing, warrior.¡± Uruk yer¡­ Kaisen couldn¡¯t join in their respectfulughter. Wasn¡¯t that nickname originally born out of teasing, not respect. ¡°Oh, my, Our Uruk yer is here!¡± ¡°That punk, he might really be an Uruk yer.¡± ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± Theughter was the same, but the emotions contained within were different. In order to share those old feelings, he must first share those old memories, but there was no longer anyone he could do that with. Teval turned around and shook his head. ¡°It would be best not to show off too much. It looks like you have a lot of skill, but you are not the strongest Fake Warrior. Our leader is truly the strongest, and she is the top Fake Warrior.¡± The elite Knights of the Iron Cross had been fighting fierce battles on the central front. It was a heavy cavalry unitposed only of young and mature knights from the empire, and its reputation for breakthrough power usingnces was feared. The hero who led the group was Loveris Alter Schirpin. She was the proxy wielder of Schirpin, the holy sword with more nobility and history than Aradamantel. If the holy swords were ranked, Schirpin would definitely take 1st ce. After Sharon was discharged from the military, she took over as the 1st Seat of the Fake Warriors and led the fierce battles on the central front to victory three times. When Kaisen first met Loveris at themander¡¯s barracks, he thought he had the wrong person. She seemed more like a schr than a warrior. She was sitting at a simple table in the barracks, wearing old colored sses and scribbling in a notebook with a fountain pen. Silence¡­ She made him realize that people could have a silent aura¡­ Her serious but calm expression gave off a schrly feeling, and the sternness of the white hair falling down to her shoulders and the sses amplified the feeling. ¡°Are you Kaisen?¡± Yes, that was Kaisen¡¯s first meeting with his next teacher, Loveris Alter Schirpin. At the time, Loveris spoke without even looking up from her notebook. ¡°I read all of your information from the marshal¡¯s report. You¡¯re extremely skilled.¡± She frowned slightly as the mountain blew, making peach blossom petals and the pages of her notebook flutter. ¡°What my unit needs is not another warrior but a soldier. Unauthorized actions will not be tolerated. Do you understand?¡± She would be the teacher to guide him during his adolescence and his early stages as a fake hero. Loveris¡¯s neat white hair fluttered in the peach-scented mountain wind. The golden dragon head pin in her hair was the same as Kam¡¯s. ¡°Understood.¡± In those colors and the hairpin, the shadow of his old teacher flickered. It was a sad, tragic shadow filled with the memory of souls using up their light to lift the copsing world. ¡°Let¡¯s end the official greetings here.¡± Maybe that meeting where peach blossoms were in full bloom was fated to have the same ending. ¡°I heard that you jumped into a suicidal fight and saved Senior Kam and Senior Sharon. I like not only your skills but also your attitude.¡± ¡°Kaisen Alter Aradamantel, wee to the strongest unit on the central front.¡± ____ Chapter 34 Chapter 34 ¨C The Prelude to All-out War, The Battle of the Red Mountains (2) ¡°Kaisen Alter Aradamantel, wee to the strongest unit on the central front.¡± Loveris finally took off her colored sses, ced them on the table, and stared at Kaisen. That graceful movement took his breath away. Her restrained tone, sophisticated vocabry, and restrained movements all showed that she was a true noble. ¡®I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s someone who possesses such natural dignity¡­¡¯ Kam had been rough, and Sharon was more casual and teasing. Those two people were full of personality, but the woman before him was a hero whose atmosphere stood in severe contrast to theirs. ¡°It is absurd to say that I saved them both¡­¡± Thinking about it, it was only natural¡ªLoveris was the eldest daughter of the empire¡¯s leading family, the Paige-Burbank family. ¡°Stop. Don¡¯t be so humble. I¡¯m just trying to tell you that you¡¯ve already earned my interest.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I respected both of them. Is there a Fake Warrior who doesn¡¯t? They called me Loro, Senior Sharon first gave me the nickname. Before I became a Fake Warrior, I had the middle name of Roradi.¡± A faint trace of a smile appeared on the corner of Loveris¡¯s mouth before it quickly disappeared, as if she were recalling a distant memory. The smile was almost a shock to Teval and Mern, who were observing from outside the tent. It was unprecedented for their leader to tell someone her nickname and smile upon meeting them. ¡°We have a connection.¡± A witch in an alluring red silken robe spoke from the other side of the barracks, exhaling cigarette smoke. Wearing a conical hat, the witch bit her smoke pipe and winked at Kaisen when their gazes met. [This is Marshal Melvin. Is Loveris there?] The smoke from the pipe swirled on the table and formed the shape of a middle-aged man. It was amunication spell that connected minds. It required great knowledge, and it was possible to gauge the witch¡¯s skills from just that spell. ¡°I am here.¡± [Arge unit of uruks is moving to the ins. Ogres and trolls have been confirmed.] ¡°So they¡¯re thinking of using the trolls and conducting a siege in the ins. How big is the uruk army?¡± [The Nuwigin n is inmand of 17 allied ns.] ¡°The Nuwigin is 3rd in the hierarchy of Hai-khun-tark. It will not be an easy fight.¡± [Other than the Iron Cross, there is no way to break through Nuwigin¡¯s heavy infantry phnx. Estimated arrival time is two days. Take the Iron Cross and join the fight immediately.] ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± The Knights of the Iron Cross wasposed of 522 knights. Traditionally, a knight had one squire and two or three attendants to look after his war horse and armor. Since they were also armed and rode horses in the rear, the Knights of the Iron Cross were reorganized into arge unit of nearly 2,000 men at the start of the battle. ¡°Kaisen, do you know how to ride a horse? I believe the White Bone Corps was an infantry unit.¡± ¡°I learned horsebackbat in The Temple of the Sword of Bravery.¡± ¡°Yes, there was that. That is more than enough.¡± Loveris grabbed her treasured sword, Schirpin, from a nearby shelf. Schirpin awoke in the hands of its proxy wielder and resonated with Aradamantel, exhaling a long, white breath. Since Schirpin did not have a scabbard, Loveris carried it on her back with a special sling secured to a sword belt. Considered one of the most powerful holy swords, it had a heavy and great majesty to it, unlike Aradamantel¡¯s clear and cold aura. ¡°I said earlier that there is no need for another hero, but I actually think it¡¯s not a bad idea to have new special forces.¡± Kaisen followed Loveris out of the barracks. The garrison was already moving ording to Teval and Mern¡¯s orders¡ªthe squires were taking care of the knights¡¯ swords and shields, and the servants were leading the war horses out. ¡°Herwell, bring Bloodwind.¡± ¡°Huh? Captain, you mean that Bloodwind?¡± ¡°Did another Bloodwind appear without my knowledge?¡± ¡°No¡­ I¡¯ll bring him.¡± One of the servants led a red-maned warhorse over. ¡°Bloodwind is fierce, but you have the dragon spirit to control his temper, so don¡¯t worry,¡± Loveris exined. ¡°Yes.¡± The horse, which was snorting as it tried to bite off the servant¡¯s head, actually went quiet when Kaisen touched it. Did living beings have a natural instinct to be awed by the presence of a dragon in Kaisen¡¯s soul? He had never been interested in horses and had no eye for breeds, but Kaisen could tell at a nce that the horse was from a prized stock. ¡°It is a horse of the Solondian breed. It is suitable for a Fake Warrior¡­ Although the breed was almost lost with the fall of the Adrion Continent.¡± The horse¡¯s legs stretched out, and the shine through his flowing mane was like a field of silver grass dancing in the wind. When Kaisen stretched out his hand and stroked his head, the horse snorted cautiously and rubbed against Kaisen¡¯s hand in submission. Kaisen held out the apple Loveris had given him to help gain the horse¡¯s friendship, and Bloodwind ate it with pleasure. ¡°Please take care of me in the future, Bloodwind.¡± Loveris spoke. ¡°He¡¯s more obedient than I thought he¡¯d be. I have to deliver this letter to the post station. Herwell, harness the horse. Use the equipment that belonged to the original owner.¡± ¡°Oh, yes¡­¡± Kaisen couldn¡¯t understand the meaning of the ufortable and perplexing nces being sent his way. The weather in the empire was cooler than in the republic, so Kaisen considered the clothing rather extreme in how much skin some of the people showed. Eventually, Alidona, a member of the Iron Cross hero party, told him. ¡°The empty seat you filled makes others ufortable to think about. It¡¯s even more so since Loro willingly gave it.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Margaret, Loro¡¯s deceased disciple, rode this horse. Even though you are not her disciple, your position is simr, but everyone will get used to it soon enough.¡± * * * Depending on the flow of the westerly wind, there was a section ofnd that glided over both the continent and the penins¡ªit was called the Floating Castle. Though mortals called it a castle, it was natural andposed of trees, and arge tree known as the World Tree rose from theke at the center of thend. Elegantly wrapped around the tree¡¯s trunk was the body of an old water dragon. Its green body had assimted into the World Tree over time, changing into the same material and color as the tree. A pure-white being sat on the tree¡¯s trunk. Was it because they had been sleeping in that state for nearly 20 years? Their snow-white skin was covered with moss and new tree shoots. Even that appearance seemed holy. On thatnd of water, trees, and pure whiteness, a yellow dragonnded. Shhhh¡ª Just as the rays of dawn scattered into countless particles, the dragon¡¯s form broke apart and radiated light. ¡¸Mir¡­¡¹ The form of a woman with beautiful blonde hair wearing an old hat materialized. Surprisingly, that dragonkin with cross-slitted eyes was one of the Three Heroic Dragons, Setsunen, ruler of lightning. ¡¸I heard that you sent a clone to Kerknude?¡¹ She knew the reality of thend¡ªthe sad and desperate truth was that the World Tree andke were only floating in the air through the power of the white dragon, the Heavenly Castle. ¡¸Youmanded the fairies on the Edea Penins at the same time. You overdid it.¡¹ It was because of the ¡®ck Summer¡¯. When that battle reached its peak, Mirngadia suffered a deep cut from the abyss and had no way of maintaining her body other than by the World Tree. It was why he chose that method to protect the world. If his body was to be fixed to the ground, he could move by moving the ground. If so, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to send his clone farther away? ¡¸You couldn¡¯t ignore it because it was Raminea¡¯s son, huh?¡¹ A dark fairy attendant spoke. ¡°Arge enemy force is approaching the Red Mountains.¡± Dark fairies were beings that supported the White Dragon army since ancient times with all their hearts. Such a responsibility was the pir of their tradition, history, and honor. Even in that era where the World Tree glided across the sky, their loyalty and traditions continued. ¡°The invading army of the demon central front gathered together and divided into three directions.¡± Originally, Mirngadia was able to simultaneously observe hundreds of battlefields from the floating World Tree. Since he was dying due to the erosion of the abyss, such a level of attentiveness was impossible. Therefore, his dark fairies filled in the perceptual gaps by giving oral reports. ¡°The Nuwigin n and the troll tribes form the left wing and are heading toward the ins. It is arge unit numbering over 500,000, including minor demon races.¡± ¡°The formation of the enemy main force heading toward the 2nd army cannot be confirmed. The volcanic ash is too thick.¡± ¡°The necrons¡¯ 240,000 troops are heading east to Mythic Peak on their own.¡± An answer to Setsunen¡¯s earlier question finally came. Not through sound, but by sight. [Nen, release the lightning barrier.] Theke rippled gently as threads formed with aquatic nts intertwining on the trembling water surface. Mirngadia¡¯s body was asleep, so he could not use his voice. ¡¸Okay.¡¹ Setsunen threw back her old conical hat and sped her hands together reverently. A clear and noble brilliance spread out from her joined hands, to heaven and earth, to the entire Red Mountain Range beneath the floating castle. Electrical Reverberance Formation¡­ The waves of light pulled out the soul threads from the body of the chosen person and tied them together¡ªit was how two consciousnesses could synchronize. It was a miracle that only Setsunen, who could read people¡¯s minds, could pull off. Its capabilities allowed him to easily surpass the barrier applied to the battlefield. [Marshall Melvin, we have made a connection.] [From the Avino 2nd Infantry Regiment, Deputy Marshal Lockhart has been connected.] [The Knights of the Iron Cross¡¯ leader, Loveris, is being connected.] The voices of those individually scattered across the battlefield were transmitted with a crackling sound as fragmented information was concentrated. It allowed an immediate transfer ofmands. With that power of light, Setsunen had saved countless lives in the fierce chaos of the central front. [I, Mirngadia of the Heavenly Castle, will takemand of the defensive battle in the ins as of this moment. 1st District Army, list your numbers from the marshal to the 2nd-inmand with authority.] All of that fragmented information became part of arger whole. When thinking of how to use the power, Mirngadia exined it to Setsunen as: [1st Infantry Brigade¡­ check] [Knights of the Iron Cross¡­ check.] [22nd Infantry Brigade¡­ check] [36th Infantry Brigade¡­ check] ¡­ [Iron Fort Heavy General Corps¡­ check] [11th Armored Battalion¡­ check] [4th Independent Armored Company¡­ check] ¡­ ¡­ [1st Artillery Brigade¡­ check] [23rd Artillery Brigade¡­ check] [116th Artillery Regiment¡­ check.] [217th Independent Artillery Battalion¡­ check.] ¡­ ¡­ [1st Fighter Wing¡­ check.] [3rd Fighter Wing¡­ check, end of roll call.] An army was as strong as its whole. Individual strength was necessary, but solidarity of the whole was more important. With that tactical idea, various fallen countries, small countries, and expeditionary forces that had banded together and carried out operations without unity were reorganized into a single army. [As of 11:00, the 1st District Army will begin the defensive battle for the ins. There are around 500,000 enemies. All units, move ording to mymand.] ____ Chapter 35 Chapter 35 ¨C The Prelude to All-out War, The Battle of the Red Mountains (3) September 1697 AD. The central front army, which consisted of arge number of the six major demon races, advanced northward, wiping out all human bases in their path. Starting with Aristapo, the western strategic point of the old empire, the eastern capital Terbenople was also crushed in their march. Even thest of the seven great cities of the old empire, Aurelinople, fell, and humanity lost all critical points in the southern part of the continent. With nothing to stop them, the demon races spread across the continent to the north, ravaging all living things¡­ At some point, their mad, seemingly endless rampage was stopped in front of an invincible natural fortress¡­ The Red Mountains. ¡°KkeÒ»!¡± The catapults fired all at once, and redva bubbled from the object spinning through the sky. ¡°Aaaaaaarrrrgggghhhh¡­!¡± ¡°Th-the castle walls are melting¡­!¡± Mirngadiamanded, [Knights of the Iron Cross, wait until the start of the charge. 10 minutes.] The Knights of the Iron Cross were hiding in Forest 13, located at the western foot of the mountain range. Beyond the thicket, the sky was filled with gray and the sight of megaliths and steel endlessly intersecting. Every time one of the huge stones hit the long, thin barrier running across the ins, a series of cries echoed out as flesh was crushed. The siege of the western ins was in full swing. Arge army, including the Hai-khun-tark Nuwigin n, gathered under the wall. They tried to ce a siegedder, but it fell under a rain of bullets and boiling oil. A st furnace hurled toward the wall from catapults twice the normal size. [This is Seira Alter Sng of the Iron Fort Corps; I can¡¯t hold on any longer! The walls are melting and being broken open! We need more Fake Warriors!] The western ins were a gap in the Red Mountains¡¯ defense line. Thend, where the mountain ranges ended and the ins began, was originally a trade route between the empire and the old empire. The expanse of green ins extended all the way to the sea and was extremely prosperous in peacetime, but during wartime, it acted as a dangerous structural defect. Mirngadia¡¯s answer to the strategic problem was ¡®Let¡¯s act stupid¡¯. A long wall was built to block the ins, but no gates were installed anywhere on the wall. Like a mountain made of stones, if there was no gate, there was no way for a battering ram to work¡ªthe enemy could only use siege towers anddders. The fight boiled down to them shooting arrows from a distance rather than engaging in closebat on the wall. Fortunately, the human army was able topete on equal footing with the demon races in long-distance, fixed-position battles. ¡®If only the opponent wasn¡¯t the Nuwigin n.¡¯ The secret meaning behind their name was ¡®ck Volcano¡¯. The n¡¯s base was an old volcano called ¡®Nuwigiriodo¡¯, and they were the best among the uruks in forging and working with iron. ¡°Wow, they keep shooting,¡± Teval said. Loveris answered, ¡°The Nuwigin n¡¯s siege sess rate is over 80%. They are unrivaled among uruks, who are mostly weak in siege battles.¡± ¡°The stone wall has copsed. The real fight is about to begin,¡± Mern said. For a brief moment, Kaisen recalled his training at the Temple of the Sword of Bravery. ¡°The Nuwigin n uses weapons forged from a type of iron called Lava Steel, which is extremely hot. Even the slightest touch from this steel can cause serious burns on a human.¡± Oddly enough, the n could create iron with an interior of boilingva, and the n¡¯s technological prowess had given humanity nightmares since the ¡®ck Summer¡¯. Additionally, the Nuwigin were famous for their shock-type mid-infantry. ¡°Unlike the other uruk ns, who wear leather or expose their upper bodies with all kinds of tattoos, the Nuwigin are uniformly armed with molten iron armor, great shields, and axes.¡± The power their weapons derived from theva exploding upon impact had already proven their effectiveness in several battles. [Five minutes, prepare to attack.] Loveris Alter Schirpin nged the facete of her helmet shut. Golden roses beautifully intertwined on her te helmet and armor, which was the symbol of the Paige-Burbank Family. More facetes nged shut around them all at once. ¡°Iron Cross, wedge formation.¡± After the 2,000 heavy cavalry emerged from the forest and gathered in a wedge, the knights were divided into three units. Loveris led the main unit, Kaisen was ced on the left wing, and Teval was ced on the right wing. [This is the 4th Infantry Brigade. There are less than five hundred survivors! It¡¯s impossible to maintain the front line!] Countless uruk projectiles fell, finally causing the castle wall to copse. The uruk warriors poured into the gap and shouted their battlecries. Finally, a pure voice was heard. [Charge.] Teval raised arge iron trumpet and, with hisrge lung capacity, let out an explosive roar through it. Ttttoooooo¡ª The war horses descended the mountainside, shaking the earth and leaving a thick cloud of dust in their wake. There was no fear or decline in fighting spirit at the sight of goblins and other ragtag demon races going wild, but the Nuwigin n immediately formed a phnx. It was impregnable, creating great pressure after their ck barrier formed on the horizon in an instant. The war horses kicked the ground and pushed their bodies forward, snorting in fear. ¡°Dream Ender¡­¡± Great Holy Sword Schirpin, which could overpower Aradamantel, had left its trace in more battles and legends. On this day, a new mark was added to its great history. ¡°Time-Space Void.¡± Like drawing in the air with a brush¡­ Calmly, slowly, but firmly, Loveris, who was leading the charge, drew a straight horizontal line with the sharp edge of her greatsword. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± The iron wall began to flutter like a mirage. Craaaaack¡ª Reality shattered like ss. The dimensional rupture generated enormous amounts of heat and voraciously devoured all beings in its area of influence. The Lava Steel armor and shields shattered, and the uruk warriors, who could resist up to 800¡ã heat, melted and boiled. [Amazing¡­ Loveris Alter Schirpin destroyed the Nuwigin forces all at once!] Right after that, gusts of wind swept in to fill the void created from theva¡¯s heat. ¡°Alidona¡­¡± ¡°I know.¡± Alidona opened her mouth. Words took form at the tip of her tongue, acquired power, and formed a spell upon leaving. Suddenly, theva subsided, and aplete tform appeared in its ce. ¡°Ka z ku shi rak!¡± The Nuwigin warriors formed a new phnx to block the humans. ¡°Mern¡­¡± An arrow of blue light flew through the center of their line, scattering clear particles in its path. Fresh green roots sprouted from the ground where the particlesnded and grabbed the limbs of the Nuwigin warriors. ¡°Teval¡­¡± Teval swung his pir-like spear, which had been draped over his shoulder. Even a dozen Nuwigin warriors armed with Lava Steel could not withstand its overwhelming mass and were thrown back nearly 20 meters. ¡°Iron Cross!¡± They created a passage for the knights to advance through¡ªa breakthrough that pierced the heart of the battlefield. ¡°Trample them all!¡± Over five hundrednces boasting a length of 14.5 feet were engulfed in a hazy light. They fiercely attacked the nks of the enemy, who had not been able to repair their copsed formation. The waves of steel spears majestically fluttering with the Iron Cross g pierced through the uruks, two or three at a time¡­ They trampled everything in front of them under the hooves of their horses¡­ ¡®I heard that they had a reputation for being the best hero party among the Warriors¡­¡¯ It was truly an impressive scene. Kaisen thoughtlessly pondered the nickname given to the Knights of the Iron Cross, or the Loveris Party. Didn¡¯t they say it was the seconding of Rista Alter Schirpin¡¯s party, the legendary hero party that ended the turbulence 600 years prior? ¡®This is not the time to admire them.¡¯ It was merely the beginning. Kaisen had a more important task than creating a road. * * * ¡°Could you repeat that?¡± Kaisen asked. He didn¡¯t mean to question but was asking out of bewilderment. Loveris answered, ¡°My strength is not subjugation, but formation breaking. That¡¯s because of Shirpin¡¯s ability, which is more specialized in one-on-many than one-on-one.¡± The conversation took ce before the assault began. In short, they were in the midst of moving to Forest 13. ¡°It is said that the legendary Fake Warrior, Rista, was able to use Space-Time Void whenever she wanted, but I can¡¯t do that. Throughout our long history, there hasn¡¯t been a single proxy wielder who could.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°I can only use Space-Time Void as a Dream Ender that draws out the full power of the Great Holy Sword.¡± A Dream Ender symbolized the final and greatest technique a Fake Warrior could use. It could be different for each Fake Warrior, but it could also be an inherited technique like the Space-Time Void. It went without saying, but Kaisen had not yet realized Aradamantel¡¯s Dream Ender. ¡°A Dream Ender is truly the peak. The path to it can only be opened when you reach the pinnacle of wielding the dragon spirit and holy sword.¡± Kam¡¯s Dream Ender was the Quick-Draw Sword Technique. Based on that enlightenment, did she pass on the meaning behind the technique to Kaisen? ¡°Three times is the maximum I can use in one battlefield. Even then, if I use it three times, I will definitely faint. If I use it just once, the Mana Chain in my body will get tangled to the point that I can¡¯t even make a cut.¡± Space-Time Void had been evaluated as the most powerful technique in history that could be used by the twelve Great Holy Swords. Was it because power came at a price? It didn¡¯t ur to Kaisen at all that it was unreasonable. If one wanted to wield the power of a real hero with a fake body, it was natural that you had to pay the appropriate price. ¡°I don¡¯t use Time-Space Void a second time unless it¡¯s a serious emergency. Every time I use it, it feels like my lifespan is being shaved off by several months. It¡¯s strange that my body doesn¡¯t get overloaded.¡± ¡°Then how¡­?¡± ¡°It may sound pathetic, but I will entrust the task of decapitating the Nuwigin Chief to you.¡± Kaisen felt many eyes turning in his direction, with a heavy sense of burden and embarrassment filling him. His eyes were calm. When Schirpin let out a white breath as if emphasizing the will of its proxy wielder, Aradamantel, hanging on his back, responded with a red questioning light. ¡°Good. In return, my subordinates will assist you with all their might, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°What about you, Senior?¡± ¡°I am originally the eldest daughter of the Paige family. The great sage Emissa Paige is our ancestor. Do you not understand what that means?¡± There were five mage families in the empire, and each family had their own arcane magic. The Paige Family were called the ¡®Artistic Mages¡¯ because of their unusual use of power. When Loveris touched the air with her fingertips, a beautiful rune appeared. ¡°Except for when I use Space-Time Void, I usually fight with magic. Otherwise, why would I have that muscle-head, Teval, as the vanguard?¡± * * * [Confirming the approach of a threatening abyss agent. The probability that it is the Nuwigin chief is 98%.] The murderous presence of the Nuwigin Chief, Dimartek Aidorose, could be felt from a distance. His bloodthirsty aura was dull and deep. The tension felt like a sharp needle piercing the spine, suggesting the presence of a great and fearful enemy. Above the sandstorm enveloping the battlefield, a tribal g depicting a volcano fluttered. Iron Fist Dimartek appeared, leading the vanguard of the Nuwigin tank unit. des rotating savagely on wheels cut through his enemy¡¯s ankles, andva trailed behind, preventing his enemies from regrouping. ¡°Al kru te! These insects dare to cause trouble in my volcano!¡± Dimartek jumped on the tank. Theva boiled and dripped from ¡®Pandemonium¡¯, the mace clutched in his iron hand, and looked like a glowing furnace. Teval immediately jumped off his warhorse and received the blow to prevent the line from copsing. ¡°You stupid human, do you think you can stop a volcano with just that little thing?¡± Cracks appeared on the ground where Teval stood as he collided with Pandemonium. Red heat danced mysteriously through the cracks with the power of the Old Kings. ¡°Nothing can stop the volcano! I will transform your filthy bodies into new armor with the grace of the volcano!¡± It was a volcanic eruption. Disaster crept through the cracks in the form of a vicious red liquid that voraciously devoured the earth¡­ ¡°¡­!¡± It melted the feet of the warhorses running ahead, causing them to fall. The squires and servants were covered inva; their bodies melted as they screamed. The warhorses following the vanguard lost theirposure, and the charging formation began to disintegrate. ¡°Loro!¡± ¡°I know!¡± The ice sheet created by Loveris¡¯ magic and Alidona¡¯s spell blocked the surgingva, and steam hissed out. Lava bubbled under the ice, creating ck spheres. Ting¡ª The sound of a suppressor pin being pulled out pierced the chaos. In an instant, Mern¡¯s arrow flew through the air, aimed at Dimartek¡¯s chest¡­ but it couldn¡¯t reach its target. Dimartek, who was suppressing Teval with all his strength, red at Mern with a sinister, victorious smile. Mern snorted coldly. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re skilled, but I was aiming for a passage, not you, idiot.¡± The arrow had swept through the air and created a passage through the steamy fog¡ªpaving the way for lightning. At that moment, a streak of bloodthirsty red light slid through the gap like lightning in the night sky. Cross Sword Style ¨C 7th Form. Considering the gender difference, Kam taught Kaisen a greatly modified version of the Cross Sword Style because men, with their poor Mana Chain skills, were unable to perfectly handle the linked sword dance. As a result, single forms lost the power of connection and were separated into one-shot skills, gaining more power in return. All forms began through the 4th Form, Shoot and aimed to kill in one swing. The Cross Sword Style originally didn¡¯t aim for absolute kills in a single strike. It was a sword dance, yes, and waves of killing intent fluttered through the world, but it was unique to KaisentThe Cross Sword Style of a man who couldn¡¯t dance like a woman was based on footwork and designed to pack great destructive power into just one strike. That enhanced destructive power was his own, he who could exert the dragon spirit of the Divine Dragon and Sage Dragon to a limited extent. Shoot ¨C Thunderous Dragon Strike. Like a dragon shooting lightning, the de shot from Kaisen¡¯s scabbard, wrapped in crackling red power that engulfed his target so quickly that it couldn¡¯t be seen with the naked eye. sh¡ª The sword¡¯s trajectory only appeared half a beatter in an afterimage. One beatter, the sound of metal shing cut through the momentary silence. Ò»aaang! The de wielded with absolute power vibrated in excitement. It was suffering the recoil of the transcendental power flowing through it. ¡®If it had been a man-made sword¡­¡¯ It would not have been able to withstand such power otherwise and would have shattered into several fragments before it could even sh through the air. ¡®I¡¯m sorry for overexerting you, Aradamandel.¡¯ Kaisen gracefully twirled the pure de and guided it into its scabbard. The sword¡¯s cries slowly came to an end. Thump¡­ The sword¡¯s cries stopped as the tip of the de hit the bottom of the scabbard, and Dimartek Aidorose¡¯s heavy, helmeted head fell into theva. His upper body copsed as blood poured out from his neck and he lost hold of the wildly pulsating Pandemonium. [A¡­ A single strike¡­?!] [Confirming the end of Chief Nuwigin¡¯s vital signs¡­!] [Nuwigin n forces have fallen into confusion¡­!] Theva boiling inside Pandemonium faded into slumber, and the volcanic eruptions raging beneath the ice subsided. The Old King¡¯s power lost its connection and dispersed. ¡°Kaisen Alter Aradamantel has defeated the Nuwigin Chief, and the enemy ranks have copsed. Requesting that the 2nd Field Army be deployed as a punitive force,¡± Loveris reported as cries of victory rose loudly from the human defense forces. [Rejected. It is impossible to deploy the 2nd Field Army to suppress the remnants, so the 2nd operation¡¯s objective is to neutralize the siege batteries and strive to maintain the defense line.] As always, only the cool-headed voice of reason came from Mirngadia. ¡°Please send reinforcements, Your Excellency¡­ We can take them all out here.¡± [The camp is in chaos. No new statements are permitted on the matter. However, let Kaisen Alter Aradamantel rest immediately.] ¡°Your Excellency, we are still in battle.¡± [Follow orders.] Loveris found Mirngadia¡¯s orders to take a passive stance even in the face of overwhelming victory strange. Those who were intoxicated by the news of victory on the ins did not know that the dragon was anticipating an unimaginable war situation. ¡°2nd Field Army, the 3rd Infantry Regiment was annihted¡­!¡± ¡°The Serpent Shadow Corps was annihted! Ophelia Alter Verumpeira¡¯s vital signs have also died¡­!¡± ¡°Due to the volcanic ash storm, urate readings are not possible¡­ We are concentrating several figures on the 2nd Army front.¡± Finally, the enemy¡¯s presence emerged above the surface of the World Tree. Due to the violently swirling volcanic ash, the outline hidden deep within was blurry. Nevertheless, its identity could be confirmed due to its old form and glory. The primordial darkness was letting out a torn cry¡ªan ancient volcano appeared in the world in the form of a devil. In front of that turbulent wave of transcendental power, countless soldiers were trampled, crushed, and melted into piles of flesh. [It has finallye¡­] Mirngadia¡¯s body, which had not moved for a long time, shivered. [Mauna Roa¡­] His nemesis, Mauna Roa (The Incarnation of Kings). Those who did not know the ancient name or its meaning referred to the enemies of that world as a whole. ¡°Unable to measure abyss concentration¡­ Daemon! It¡¯s a daemon! An incarnate-level daemon has appeared!¡± ____ Chapter 36 Chapter 36 ¨C The Prelude to All-out War, The Battle of the Red Mountains (4) ¡°The enemies you need to learn about today are called ¡®Daemons¡¯. They are ranked 1st among the six great demon races.¡± Old memories surfaced amidst the volcanic ash drifting through the air and sticking to the sweat on his forehead, forming dark smears. He thought back to the Temple of the Sword of Bravery, to a certain theory ssroom where the peaceful majesty of the gods reced the stench of sulfur and evil. Kaizen remembered sitting there and taking sses from Rachel Dune Jeraye. ¡°The Daemons are officially known as the ¡®Mauna Roa¡¯. The name means ¡®Incarnation of Kings¡¯. They appeared during the first period of turmoil in the 12th century.¡± ¡®Daemon¡¯ meant ¡®Absolute Evil¡¯, and the name had been whispered with fear since they became known. There was an absolute power difference between Daemons and humanity, after all. Humanity, back in a time of peace known as the Golden Age, suffered defeat in their first encounter with Daemons. ¡°In that era, Rista Alter Schirpin was an active Fake Warrior. Together with Fire Dragon Priestess Friede, Imperial Knight Chase, and Great Mage Lynn, she overcame and vanquished the threat with Lynn¡¯s sacrifice,¡± Rachel said and looked at the cadets. Kaisen raised his hand and asked, ¡°Instructor, if they were defeated, then how are these Daemons still active?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great question. As I said before, Daemons are the incarnations of Kings. They are formed when the power of a King escapes from the seal and takes on an independent form. It turns out that, if you don¡¯tpletely subdue a King, they will continue to be reborn.¡± ¡°That¡­?¡± ¡°That is why battles with them cannot be dragged out for long. Humanity doesn¡¯t have the luxury of time.¡± Originally, it took hundreds of years for Daemons to be reborn, but since the Lord of Lizard¡¯s Daemon legion that appeared during the ¡®ck Summer¡¯ 21 years prior appeared again, the cycle was speeding up to an unrealistic degree. This showed one clear and despairing fact¡­ ¡°The ¡®Forgotten Kings¡¯ are awakening.¡± In the face of such clear despair, the children had no choice but to pick up their swords and protect the world. ¡°There is a hierarchy among the Mauna Roa, just like the uruks. It is very easy to understand when youpare them to the dragon ns.¡± The dragon ns were divided into three levels based on their power and authority: the three Divine Dragons, the five Sage Dragons serving under each, and the wyverns, who made up the majority of the dragon legions. Except for the Yellow Dragon Corps, all had disappeared. ¡°Each Forgotten King has one Daemon who is at the level of a Divine Dragon, that is, a true ¡®Incarnation of the King.¡¯ These are called ¡®Incarnate-Level Daemons.¡± Each Daemon legion divided its power andmanded three Higher-Level Daemons, and each Higher-Level Daemon created three Lower-Level Daemons. ¡°On the central front, where the battle between the Lord of Lizard¡¯s army and the main human army is the fiercest, 11 Daemons have already been subdued.¡± Rachel pointed to the papers she¡¯d handed out earlier. Kaisen looked at the contents. ¨C Higher-Level Daemon Subjugation: Kam Alter Aradamantel ¨C 1 Sharon Alter Tas Alfo ¨C 1 ¨C Lower-Level Daemon Subjugation: Loveris Alter Schirpin ¨C 3 Eltyre Alter dimarte ¨C 2 Gorgothia Alter Zierda ¨C 2 Arecia Alter Sng & Runelle Alter Gaumris ¨C 1 While Kaisen was studying in the Temple of the Sword of Bravery, Loveris¡¯s Iron Cross had subdued another Higher-Level Daemon. ¡°We must not becent because there is only one Lower-Level Daemon left since the most powerful one remains.¡± Kaisen still clearly remembered the heavy silence that followed that deration and the fateful words that pierced through that hesitant and fearful silence. ¡°It will be yours to defeat; no one else¡¯s.¡± * * * Fsssshhhhhh¡ª! Holy Sword Verumpeira flew around and tore through the demon races, cutting their tendons and ughtering them. ¡°Fake Warrior, another one¡¯sing!¡± Ophelia Alter Verumpeira immediately changed the trajectory of her sword as it writhed in the air like a snake. She was against an unidentified enemy that brought volcanic ash like a storm, but the sensation was so bizarre that it sent a primal chill down her spine. ¡®The Great Holy Sword can even pass through steel like paper. What is this?¡¯ Due to the volcanic ash, it was hard to confirm information on the enemy. Something erupted from the volcanic ash, crushing the rookie Fake Warrior into a lump of shattered bones and pulped flesh that nobody would¡¯ve been able to tell had once been a human. She had just turned 16. The 2nd Field Army guarded the center of the mountain range leading into the continent. The conditions on the mountain there were the most rugged, so the deployed army was the smallest, and only one Fake Warrior had been deployed. Ophelia Alter Verumpeira led the Serpent Shadow Corps as a new Fake Warrior newly graduated that year. Byparing the 1st and 3rd Field armies guarded by the leader and 2nd-ranking Fake Warriors, it was possible to tell what the geographical advantages were. ¡°The Snake Shadow Corps¡­ has been annihted.¡± ¡°The Daemon broke through the inner barrier of the stone wall! The 2nd Field Army¡¯s defense line has copsed!¡± ¡°Your Excellency, we must deploy the 1st and 3rd Field Armies immediately! The Daemon will break through the mountain range¡¯s defense line at this rate!¡± The dark fairies shouted the news. Mirngadia¡¯s body on the Heavenly Castle remained quiet as a bird chirped above it. In his head, insights, judgments, and regrets for the reality that hade about swirled together. ¡®There were only 27 out of 100 futures in which Ophelia Alter Verumpeira was killed by the Daemon¡­ Don¡¯t forgive me, Ophelia.¡¯ Setsunen of Lightning silently watched her brother, who had his hands joined together. Finally, his silence ended. [It is impossible to have the 1st and 3rd armies face the Daemon without their battle lines copsing. Hasty judgment leads to destruction. Send the coordinates to the magic artillery unit for carpet bombing.] ¡¸Mir¡­?¡¹ [To deal with the Daemons, you must first prepare appropriately. We have no choice but to buy time by blowing up the mountain range.] The magic artillery was the core power of the Anti-Daemonbat doctrine devised by Mirngadia. Mages and witches who could roam the battlefield and cast high-level spells were extremely rare. In order to cast spells or chant incantations on the bloody battlefield, the following qualities were required: First, there needed to be a base level of mathematical understanding to calcte coordinates for the right time. Second, they needed the physical ability to protect themselves on the battlefield. Third, they needed mental strength to maintain their sanity amidst the horror of mass death on the battlefield. People with all these qualities usually left their names in history as great mages or witches. The Empire¡¯s 17th archmage, Javal Ludwig, and Yohan Wolf Frost, the 18th archmage, were caught up in the vortex of the Empire¡¯s religious reform, so Mirngadia came up with a sort of magic battery instead. ¡®Magic users have always been the enemy¡¯s priority target¡­¡¯ ¡®Then simply don¡¯t send them out to the battlefield¡­¡¯ ¡®If they can¡¯t use high-level magic themselves, several people can join forces¡­¡¯ Fifteen special mages were waiting to be used as the magic battery. The three groups of five were stacked on top of each other in order to ovep their magic circles. Amplified by dragon tongue, their magic was strengthened exactly 17 times. In the Empire¡¯s 7-star magic system, the highest-level magic handled by archmages (5-star), could be used by the battery. Thus, they could use enough explosive power to annihte an entire area. ¡¸But what about those who are still there? Everyone will die!¡¹ Setsunen desperately tried to argue for the value of those who were still struggling to survive. [In front of the cause, all deaths are a show of loyalty. Coordinates 47.32167. Let all seven shotsnd at the same coordinates.] There would always have to be those who gave their lives for humanity to emerge victorious. Such was the way of their world. The decider was Mirngadia himself, as it always was. He felt fortunate he could take on the harsh role in ce of his sisters. It would¡¯ve been difficult for their delicate natures to handle such a task. ¡¸¡­¡¹ Setsunen¡¯s eyes wavered as she guessed the meaning behind her younger brother¡¯s words. Instead of arguing, she conveyed her sincerity. ¡¸¡­Father wouldn¡¯t have done this. I¡¯m sure of it.¡¹ Mirngadia¡¯s dormant body shook. For the Three Heroic Dragons, the existence of their father was a trace of light left in their souls¡ªit was the warmth of happiness. The bird sitting on his horns, which stretched out like tree branches from both sides of his head, was so startled that it flew away. ¡¸And you won¡¯t be happy making such a decision.¡¹ Setsunen rxed her posture, took on the shape of a dragon, and left the floating fortress. [Nen¡­] Strands of gathered light scattered. The power of lightning, which fiercely yet obediently united the entire mountain range, disappeared. Before themunication line was cut, the coordinates were urately transmitted to the magic battery. ¡°Chief, the bombing order has been given.¡± The magic circle took a pentagon shape as it formed a lightning-type formation with decent killing power and the fastest speed among the eight magic attributes. ¡°Yeah, I heard.¡± The squad leader sat cross-legged in the center circle; 14 squad members worked in pairs and sat cross-legged in the four outer circles. As the mages all began to form their hand signs, electricity surged in the magic circle. Kzzzt, kzzzzzt, kzzzzzzt¡ª All of the runes and mathematical forms in the magic circle burned with brilliant mes. Blood poured from the squad leader¡¯s nose as hepleted the calctions. It was said that the creator of such magic, Great Mage Lynn, had been able to freely wield the power they were all struggling with. ¡°Your Excellency! Setsunen has appeared on the battlefield. Order the battery to suspend the bombing!¡± [It doesn¡¯t matter. Shoot,] Mirngadia conveyed. ¡°But¡­!¡± [Shoot. She is a yellow dragon, a creature of lightning. She will not be damaged by man-made lightning.] Eventually, the squad leader formed the final hand seal. The magic circle¡¯s lightning rose into the air, dragging a long, golden tail behind it. Light tore through the ash-filled sky and struck, driving the darkness away. ¡®Mir¡­¡¯ Setsunen glided through the blinding storm of gray. Wherever her eyes turned, she saw soldiers being ughtered by uruk maces and being torn apart by axes. All of the humans, dead and alive, were enveloped in light that broke them from the earth and moved them elsewhere. That was all she could do. Seven lightning strikes hit the mountain peak in a blinding sh that burned the retinas and shook the skull. Bang¡ª! Baaaaang¡ª! Bang¡ª! Baaaaang¡ª! Bang¡ª! The mountain waspletely destroyed in a whirlpool of light that cut into a nearby cliff. The attack didn¡¯t deal a significant blow to the Daemon, but they aplished their goal of blocking its path by copsing the mountainside. ¡°Sessful hit! The Daemon fell down the mountainside!¡± The dark fairy¡¯s words were hurried, but there was a sigh of relief as she finished speaking. The Daemon¡¯s outline disappeared from theke, but the swirl of volcanic ash still persisted. The battle had just begun. [It was only removed for a moment.] The reality of the world was that there was no room for vain hope. [Reconstruct the barrier and summon the Griffin Riders of the 2nd Fighter Wing. I will give orders.] * * * Signs of copse were clearly visible in the eastern mountains covered by the 3rd Field Army and the ins area covered by the 1st Field Army. Like a nightmare, volcanic ash covered the mountain range asmunication was lost and seven lightning strikes copsed the mountain range. The series of chaotic events was a clear indication of the unusual situation. Beyond the mountains, they weren¡¯t able to see much of the battle situation, but the billowing ck smoke was obvious enough. Teval narrowed his eyes. ¡°What on earth happened?¡± ¡°Communication through the Electrical Reverberance Formation was also cut off. Has the enemy invaded the floating fortress?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Look at the sky¡­ the floating fortress is fine.¡± Alidona pointed straight at the sky, and a griffin spread its wings and hurriedly fell. ¡°The 2nd Field Army has been annihted! A heat wave warning has been issued! The 1st Field Army has been ordered to gather and head to Hill 118! The Iron Castle Corps and 13 regiments will remain here!¡± Cold sweat ran down the rider¡¯s spine. Teval and Mern couldn¡¯t believe their ears. ¡°The 2nd Field Army was annihted¡­?¡± ¡°What on earth happened? The Snake Shadow Corps was there! ¡°There¡¯s no way the army was easy to break through.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a Daemon! An Incarnation-Level Daemon has appeared!¡± Cheers of victory subsided into silence. Loveris read the squirming despair at the bottom of the quiet and was afraid of the wave of demoralization that might culminate at the end of it. ¡°A Daemon¡­ what kind of Daemon? Has another King awakened?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but the Heavenly Castle called it a Mauna Roa¡­ The ancient one has woken up again¡­¡± ¡°Mauna Roa? Did you say Mauna Roa?!¡± Mern shouted back. The rider was foaming at the mouth, as if he were suffocating in the heat of the volcanic ash, and his eyes were about to roll back. ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it. Alidona, give the griffin rider first aid.¡± ¡°The abyss of Neigs has prated his body too deeply¡­ Itpletely destroys the body likeva.¡± ¡°Is it any surprise that a Daemon appeared again? Shouldn¡¯t we just destroy it likest time?¡± Teval rested his dragonbone spear against his shoulder. Mern shook her head. ¡°Are you kidding? Raminea Alter Aradamantel subdued the Incarnate-Level Mauna Roa during the ¡®ck Summer¡¯. That means it came back.¡± ¡°Before that, Rista Alter Schirpin defeated it. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if it showed up again.¡± ¡°Captain, the cycle is strange. How can it reappear in just 20 years¡­?¡± ¡°Stop it, Mern. Go on horseback and spread the order to nearby units as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kaisen, who was hanging as if dead on Bloodwind¡¯s back, had no idea what the news meant. ¡®Damn, I¡¯m still recovering¡­¡¯ The power of the Divine Dragon and Sage Dragon could not bepletely absorbed into his body, so it was always like that when he used the power of the dragon spirit. His body was so hot that it felt like he was burning inside, while his exterior felt like it would break. All he could do was try his best not to lose consciousness¡ªhis blood vessels were burning golden. ¡®If the 2nd Field Army has been annihted, and if the Serpent Shadow Corps has been annihted¡­¡¯ Seira Alter Sng, who was holding the reins of Bloodwind, put a fearful end to that thought. ¡°If the 2nd Field Army has been destroyed, Ophelia should also be dead. Was Verumpeira just lost?¡± Though her ssmate had just died, she spoke in a professional tone. It wasn¡¯t because she looked down on Ophelia or had negative feelings toward her. Rather, such loss was to be expected on the battlefield. Death spread across the earth like a disease, so most deaths were not considered special, even if they were Fake Warriors. How good would it be if they could live in a world where each death was mourned? * * * ¡°It¡­ it¡¯s because of me. When I went to collect wild vegetables, a wild boar came out. He protected me¡­¡± When Kaisen was young, there was a hunting dog named Sam that they kept in their yard. He was a furry little guy who was really good at following people, sticking out his long tongue, and barking clearly. Sam died after fighting a wild boar to protect his sister. When his father buried the dog¡¯s tattered body, Kaisen remembered hugging his sister and crying all night in front of the dog¡¯s grave. He couldn¡¯t cry like that anymore. ¡°Ratel, it¡¯s not your fault. Yes, it¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s no one¡¯s fault.¡± * * * He no longer had a father to bury him, a mother tofort him, or a sister to mourn with him. The world itself felt somewhat like a fantasy. In the end, he could only live in the present. ¡°Seira, take your corps and build a new defense line on the ins. Hurry up and surround it. From now on, you must protect it alone.¡± ¡°Yes, Senior, good luck.¡± Seira tapped Kaisen¡¯s head and gave a slight smile. Her two long braids were sticky with blood and flesh, which she¡¯d said was a trophy of hard-earned survival. ¡°I¡¯ll be going. Don¡¯t be too sad that you missed the chance to be nursed by a beautiful ssmate. There will be another chance.¡± Kaisen didn¡¯t even have time to listen to her jokes. If the 2nd Field Army had been destroyed so easily, the 3rd Field Army would also have been exposed to danger. The 3rd Field Army consisted of Senior Gorgothia and I¡­ the girl who¡¯d shoved boiled eggs into her mouth like a child¡­ Loveris snapped him out of his vivid imagination. ¡°For now, focus on getting your body in order. Don¡¯t be distracted with unnecessary worries.¡± ¡°¡­Senior?¡± ¡°Who is themander-in-chief right now? It is His Excellency. He sees what we cannot see and makes decisions. The best action has probably already been taken.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°His judgment is always right. Many victories back it up. Think about it. What should you prioritize? You don¡¯t n on staying like this forever, right?¡± Pure white light shone through the darkness of despair in his mind, divine in its nature. Dragon Sage Rain Ludwig¡¯s light still guided humanity forward. ¡®What I need to do first is¡­¡¯ Kaisen hesitated before finally letting go of his doubts. Strength¡­ He needed to regain his strength. Quickly¡­ ____ Chapter 37 Chapter 37 ¨C The Prelude to All-out War, The Battle of the Red Mountains (5) ¡¸Beh, kus Taris¡­!¡¹ The mountains and rivers trembled at that onemand. The 14th Infantry Regiment soldiers, who dared to block the way, melted as they advanced, swept away by the primordialva pouring from the huge maw. ¡°Aaarrrrgggghhh¡­!¡± ¡°It¡­ it¡¯s a monster¡­!¡± The demon races following the Daemon squeezed through the cracks in the defense line, murdering the survivors. Above the bloody tragedy, arge and terrifying being passed by in a swirl of volcanic ash. Thump, thump, thump¡ª The power of the Forgotten King boiled red-hot within its body, emitting so much heat that it incinerated the corpses below. The reptile¡¯s skull, with six horns sprouting from it, was bare of flesh, andva writhed in its eye sockets. The power of the King of Lizards, Neigs, took its own form and became an incarnation. The Primordial Volcano, Mauna Roa¡­ ¡°The third defense line has been breached!¡± ¡°The fourth defense line, destroyed¡­!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t stop the Daemon¡¯s advance! The scattered demon races are gathering! There are approximately 300,000! It¡¯s a huge army!¡± Mirngadia of the Heavenly Castle was disgusted with his method of baiting since it resulted in countless deaths. ¡®Yes, he¡¯sing to the right ce¡­ through the path paved with blood¡­¡¯ How many deaths had they suffered for the creation of such a path, and how many more would be needed toplete it? Rather than driving someone to death, Mirngadia vividly imagined an image of the Dragon Sage heading toward his death. ¡°Mir,e here.¡± Mirngadia could not be like the Dragon Sage. Hadn¡¯t he ended up in his state after all the fighting¡­? Hecked the ability and reputation to match the Dragon Sage¡¯s feats, but he wanted to be proud when he met the being on the other side of death¡¯s doors. Still, hemented that his struggles to live led to a life of shame. [How high is the 1st Field Army¡¯s battle readiness?] ¡°Nearly 90%. Kaisen Alter Aradamandel also just regained consciousness.¡± [It was worth dying for time. All we need is the Iron Cross. Tell them to begin the moment the Mauna Roa crosses the threshold.] * * * In the Red Mountains, the approach of the abyss was heralded by the falling volcanic ash and the weeping leaves. The high heat of the volcanic ash shriveled any vegetation like a pitch-ck pestilence, leaving cracked earth and the husks of trees wherever it lingered. ¡°It¡¯s already been seven hours since this guy woke up. We¡¯ve been waiting for almost 12 hours total! Why are we just waiting here?¡± Teval barely managed to put the questions and righteous indignation swirling in his mind into words. ¡°An Incarnate-Level Daemon has appeared. Shouldn¡¯t we be at the forefront to stop it?¡± The sounds of gunshots and bombs echoing through the distant mountains subsided. [Here¡­ Ahhh!] [Save me, please, save¡­] [Oh, Lord¡­] Kaisen bit his lip helplessly as he heard countless lives being cut short on the battlefield. The sudden silence weighed heavy on his mind, but the heightened screams just before it pierced his heart. ¡®We were ordered to wait until the Daemon appears here¡­¡¯ In the distance, 4th Artillery Regiment¡¯s valley could be seen being caught up in a storm of volcanic ash. ¡°Another unit¡­ I just don¡¯t understand. Why are we still waiting here?¡± ¡°Teval, are you dissatisfied with His Excellency¡¯s judgment?¡± ¡°Just dissatisfied? I can¡¯t understand it!¡± Loveris said nothing. ¡°Take a good look around, Teval.¡± Alidona, who was silently biting into her lips next to him, exhaled cigarette smoke. ¡°This Hill 118 is an artificial teau of the Red Mountains. To the northwest is Branching Peak, to the south is White Flower Peak, and to the southeast is Mirror Peak.¡± Since they were surrounded by three main peaks, it was a good ce to ambush the enemy from the high ground. The teau had been created 270 years prior as a result of Dragon Sage Rain Ludwig and Old King Nariaduk¡¯s battle. It would be more correct to call it a canyon rather than Hill 118¡­ ¡°Artillery units are already in ce on the three peaks. This is simply the most strategically advantageous ce to lure the Daemon.¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s bullshit, right? There are plenty of positions more advantageous than this!¡± ¡°Stop it, Teval. It took over 11 hours just to get here from the ins. How wide are the Red Mountains? It arrived here abnormally quickly.¡± Loveris was just watching the volcanic ash getting closer and closer when, suddenly, her gaze shifted toward Kaisen. ¡°Kaisen, who do you think you are?¡± Her question was straight and sharp. It seemed her ire was aimed not only at Teval but also at Kaisen and everyone else, who had the same question on their minds. ¡°You are a fake. You are not a real hero. No heroes in this world have been able to save others without sacrifice. That applies to me as well. We are fake.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Always remember¡­ We cannot aplish the unrealistic task of saving everyone. All we can do¡­ no, what we must do is turn fleeting deaths into noble sacrifices.¡± What did that mean? What did she want to say? Kaisen found it difficult to hear what his senior Fake Warrior was saying, so he focused his eyes. ¡°If you die without any meaning and this battle is lost, all the deaths here will be recorded as tens of thousands of casualties under the title of ¡®Great Defeat¡¯. What if you win, though? History will forever remember it as a ¡®Great Victory¡¯.¡± Loveris paused there for a moment. After receiving the pipe from Alidona, she put it to her lips and inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with smoke. She spoke again. ¡°I¡¯ve always thought that way. Ever since I realized my powerlessness¡­¡± Kaisen kept his mouth shut. He felt the sorrow of someone who¡¯d endured unbearable pain behind her words. ¡°¡­Should we turn a blind eye to those who are dying in front of us just because we are helpless?¡± Loveris smiled bitterly. What was she thinking as she looked at the young Fake Warrior¡¯s burning spirit? She saw a confidence in his eyes that spoke of his belief that he could aplish anything, beat anyone, and save everyone. That same dream; that same feeling¡­ She had already crashed into the wall of reality and had such confidence beaten from her. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. The day wille when you¡¯ll understand what I just said. It won¡¯t be long.¡± Was he too young to know that? The thin male warrior was always slow and sluggish. That dy was painful. When he thought back on it, he always made himself more miserable. ¡°Now get ready. The holy swords are crying, so you know it¡¯ll be starting soon.¡± ck, ck, ck¡ª Aradamantel and Schirpin cried out in the arms of the two Fake Warriors. The mouth of the narrow passage at the far end was engulfed in volcanic ash, and an ancient nightmare appeared, shaking the earth. The war horses, ovee with primal fear, raised their front legs and snorted. ¡°Iron Cross!¡± That breathtaking feat, that dizzying madness, that eerie feeling¡­ ¡°Stop!¡± The Daemon looked like a volcano that had entered the world wearing the skeleton of a devil. It approached. A torrent of volcanic ash poured from all over its body, and it looked like the volcano was walking over the uruk cavalry running in front of them. ¡®Yeah, this guy¡­¡¯ The overwhelming presence caused his eyes to tremble, and the heat seemed to prate his temperature-enchanted skin and set him aze. It was almost as if the world was bowing to the deadly force the Daemonmanded. ¡®Mauna Roa¡­¡¯ Its bloodthirst set despair into his heart. In the face of that deadly force, his holy sword cried. The shadow of absolute carnage, provocation, and deception came upon him, and a question that could not be answered shed in his mind. ¡®What on earth is your purpose¡­?¡¯ What kind of purpose could allow for such a creature to be born? Was it possible to kill people again and again as if it were simply part of arger design? ¡®It¡¯s as if the right to life and death of all humankind is yours to decide.¡¯ Hundreds of shells rained from the artillery positioned on the three peaks, causing acrid smoke to rise. ¡¸RasssssAsssssssss!¡¹ The Daemon came closer, easily destroying the countless curtains of projectiles. ¡°Dream Ender, Time-Space Void.¡± Loveris¡¯ Schirpin opened a dimensional rift. The uruks charging ahead of the Daemon were sucked into the rift along with screams and blood, and the Daemon lost an arm. Still, the Daemon moved forward without hesitation, instantly regenerating its severed arm withva. ¡°Dream Ender¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let down your guard, it¡¯s an Incarnate-Level!¡± The Knights of the Iron Cross¡¯s wedge-like steel formation scattered before the unstoppable volcano. When the creature hit the ground, three or four people were crushed, and the horses flew into the air and fell from the impact. Teval and Kaisen attacked at the same time as the vanguard. Following one path, Kaisen leaped from Bloodwind¡¯s back and made a deep cut on the Daemon¡¯s body. Thrown back from the recoil, sharp pain shot through his wrist. ¡®My wrist is broken¡­?¡¯ It felt like he¡¯d tried to cut through a boulder. More urately, was that what it would¡¯ve felt like if he tried to cut a mountain with a knife? ¡°Kaisen, look ahead!¡± Using his other shaking hand, he injected himself with dragon blood serum and looked up just in time to see the Daemon turning to him and opening its mouth wide. Lava rippled out of its throat and melted the entire area. ¡®Damn, usingva at will¡­¡¯ Mern¡¯s arrow hit the Daemon¡¯s mouth and extended into several branches, slightly twisting theva¡¯s trajectory. ¡®It was close. It¡¯s a pitiful difference, but¡­¡¯ It was enough to give Kaisen some time to escape. Theva rushed forward, swallowing up all the trees and wild grass in its path, giving off a sour, sulfuric stench. Kaisen rolled away and cut down a few of the uruks trying to attack him. The Daemon recovered from its missed attack and charged at him. That¡¯s when the Daemon crossed a critical line, and blue light erupted from all three peaks at once. ¡®That¡­?¡¯ Goosebumps covered his body. Was that it? Was the light a secret weapon His Excellency had prepared? ¡®For that light, you led the Daemon here on a path paved with countless deaths?¡¯ Three rays of light dazzled the sky, and a griffin rider delivered an urgent message. ¡°The Knights of the Iron Cross are ordered to surround the outskirts of the hill, encircle the enemy, and prevent the demons from escaping!¡± Did it understand those words? No, it must have instinctively read the threat from the flow of power around them. The Daemon looked up at the mountain peaks; then, the rocks on its back broke apart, and six pairs of wings sprouted. ¡°Wings¡­?¡± Kaisen hooked his right index finger onto the pin of his suppressor. ¡°Mern, you can¡¯t let him get away!¡± ¡°Captain, we are already firing! All we need to do is slow down its movements a bit!¡± ¡°Alidona, help them!¡± ¡°I¡¯m already helping!¡± That was the turning point where the Heavenly Castle prepared the winning move. They couldn¡¯t let it go to waste. With that clear realization, the pin on Kaisen¡¯s suppressor felt as if it broke free of its own ord. Ting¡­ Sound itself seemed to mute as clear, transcendental power encased his limited, feeble body. The moment he took a deep breath and exhaled, his five senses were greatly amplified. ¡®If this kind of indiscriminate ughter is your right¡­¡¯ He could even feel the slightest tremors in the ground beneath his military boots. ¡®It is my duty to kill all of you.¡¯ ____ Chapter 38 Chapter 38 ¨C The Prelude to All-out War, The Battle of the Red Mountains (6) His vision cleared as the path to the Daemon¡¯s core, obscured by volcanic ash, finally revealed itself. The holy sword, targeting the enemy of the world, roared with a fiery red energy. Cross Sword Style ¨C 4th Form, Shoot. Within the sheath, power surged, coalescing into a single ray of killing intent. The de, the hilt, the entire sword quivered under the immense force. With a mighty leap, Kaisen closed the distance between himself and his foe. ¡¸!¡¹The Daemon, its wings outstretched, reacted with impossible speed. Kaisen, spinning like a top, sliced deep into its arm. With the momentum of his rotation, he cleaved through the limb entirely. ¡¸Ò»!¡¹ A deafening crack echoed as if the earth itself had been split. Lava erupted from the wound in the creature¡¯s arm. Already, Kaisen was gone before theva far exceeding thebustion point of a human¡¯s body poured over where he¡¯d just been. Shoot ¨C Cross Sword Style ¨C 6th Form, ncing Blow Faster¡­ One sh was too shallow. If he wanted to kill it, he had to be faster. Shoot ¨C Cross Sword Style ¨C Quick-Draw Sword Technique, Chopping Firewood Just like Kam used to do, his individual strikes blurred into a relentless dance of steel. Shoot ¨C Cross Sword Style ¨C Cross Decapitation Each sh left a crimson trail in its wake and ovepped with previous trails before they could fade. Again and again, his sword dance ovepped with itself, and to an onlooker¡¯s eyes, it looked as though crimson flowers were in full bloom around the Daemon. ¡°That¡­ isn¡¯t that¡­?¡± Though everyone was shocked by the sight, Loveris bore a different type of shock. She had seen that dance and those illusionary flowers before. At the end of the ¡®ck Summer¡¯, a ¡®hero¡¯ had cut down an Incarnate-Level Mauna Roa with the same technique. ¡°Lady Raminea¡¯s sword dance?¡± she mumbled to herself. The Cross Sword Style was designed for fluidity¡ªa continuous flow of movement rather than isted strikes. She¡¯d heard that using it to its full potential was impossible for Kaisen because he chose ¡®Shoot¡¯ as his foundation, so how was it possible? Shlink! Shlink shlink shliiiiiinnnnkkkk¡ª! There was a rather simple answer¡­ Kaisen used his body and the power of the dragon spirit to their very limits and managed to continuously use Quick Draw and Shoot one after the other so quickly that the moves blended into a facsimile of his mother¡¯s sword dance. Shoot ¨C Sudden Attack Shoot ¨C Thunderous Dragon Strike Shoot ¨C Lightning Resistance. The fake holy sword could not harm the Daemon¡¯s soul, but it certainly hindered it. ¡°The Daemon¡¯s movement is blocked!¡± ¡°Kaisen Alter Aradamantel¡¯s attacks are keeping it in ce!¡± ¡°Great Encirclement of No Return has been increased to 88% area of influence!¡± The dark fairy¡¯s excited words filled Mirngadia with a thrill. ¡®Kaisen, the descendant of the Dragon Sage, who holds the spirit of the Light Dragon¡­¡¯ Mirngadia could not help but think of the end of the ¡®ck War¡¯ after witnessing Kaisen¡¯s illuminating sword dance. Raminea Alter Aradamantel¡­ She was a bright child from birth. Like her ancestors, she smiled from a young age and shed tears even at the slightest sadness of an animal dying. Her face resembled abination of the brightness of the Dragon Sage and Miria, who was like a mother to the Three Heroic Dragons. Her smile bloomed like a flower. She had entered the path of a Warrior, wanting only to help the Three Heroic Dragons. ¡°I want to help my elders with all my heart and strength.¡± Mirngadia was surprised and impressed by the beauty of creation¡¯s ability to generate a resemnce to faces, expressions, scents, and hearts of people long past. ¡°Uncle Mir, I would like to end my journey here. You were hurt a lot, right? Just take a break.¡± The child had fought the Mauna Roa in his stead at the end of the ¡®ck Summer¡¯ and died on paper. ¡®Yes, on paper¡­¡¯ Had the heart and soul of that child, who¡¯d given birth to a daughter and a son, lived happily, and then died to protect her child, really reached heaven? ¡°Mir, I went to see Raminea today. Both her daughter and son look so much like their mother. It would be nice if you could see them for yourself¡­¡± She¡¯d resembled the Dragon Sage. Had that child, who would rather go into danger herself than force others to, met the Dragon Sage somewhere in the afterlife? When he eventually met them again, would he be able to stand straight in front of her without a trace of shame? Kam would have been able to stand proud in front of Raminea since she had died to protect others, just like her teacher. ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡­¡¯ If only he had more wisdom; if only he felt strong enough to look upon the Dragon Sage and not be ashamed. If things had been different, he would not have dragged Raminea¡¯s child down the same path that caused her so much pain. Mirngadia¡¯s sleeping body, recalling old memories, shed a tear. ¡®Yes, and your son truly takes after you¡­¡¯ At a certain moment, Kaisen¡¯s endless disy of techniques intersected countless times, creating diagonal lines of ovepping light. The Mauna Roa¡¯s tail instantly broke through and aimed at Kaisen¡¯s heart, but a dull, ck light appeared and caught the tail in midair. ¡°Ha, for someone so big¡­¡± Teval grabbed the tail with both hands, showing his extraordinary strength. ¡°You¡¯re weak! In fact, you¡¯re weaker than my dead wife!¡± He held still, but the ground beneath him cracked, and he sunk into the earth. ¡°Teval¡­!¡± The Daemon pulled his tail back and tried to bring it down on Teval, but cracks appeared in the air over the appendage. Riiiiiip, aaaang¡ª! Space-Time Void. A dimensional tear formed, cutting the tail off and sucking it away. ¡°Don¡¯t stop!¡± Kaisen¡¯s mouth twitched. His sword and body trembled as if they would break apart from the infinite series of transcendental forms. Even when blood gushed from his mouth, he didn¡¯t stop. Loveris¡¯s encouragement seemed to fill him with renewed vigor. Beyond the pain he felt in the moment, his destiny had to be pioneered through his sword. Kaisen tightened his grip and focused so much that he only realized he¡¯d swung properly after the rebound of his attack shook his bones. Shoot ¨C Torpedo Step. Kaisen¡¯s barrage of techniques inevitably led to momentary openings in his defense, and the Daemon took advantage of one such opening tounch an attack from an unnatural angle. Shoot ¨C Lightning Shroud Sword Dance. Shoot ¨C Void of Annihtion. Teval¡¯s dragon spear, Mern¡¯s arrows, and Alidona¡¯s magic saved Kaisen from the counterattack. ¡¸Pu Hasas!¡¹Mauna Roa struck the ground with its foot, causingva to boil up from the ley lines far beneath. Theva naturally fell under the authority of the King of Lizards and flowed down the slope of the Red Mountains. The hair on Kaisen¡¯s arms stood on end. ¡®This bastard, no way¡­¡¯ Like poison spreading through the bloodstream, theva spread over the three peaks and dyed them red. The three rays of light meant to vanquish the Daemon were on the verge of bingpletely one in the sky above. ¡°What we must do is turn fleeting deaths into noble sacrifices.¡± He had to stop the Daemon. If it managed to break through the killing technique, all of the deaths to that point would be for nothing. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re too impatient!¡± Loveris shouted behind him after he moved into action. Lacking a proper foothold due to the surgingva, Kaisen¡¯s leap was greatly restricted in its trajectory. The Daemon, rather than reading his movements, created a situation in which Kaisen could only move as it wanted. The Mauna Roa¡¯s pitch-ck and huge hand swooped in. There was no way to avoid it in time, and before he could even swing his sword, the w wrapped around him. This¡­¡¯ His sight shed, and every bone in his body except for his skull felt like they were crumbling into powder¡­ ¡®Like this¡­?¡¯ Overwhelmed by the weight and heat far exceeding his tolerance, his consciousness began to fade. ¡®Will it end like this¡­?¡¯ Kaisen¡¯s five senses were amplified to the limit, and they all transmitted every bit of pain vividly into his mind during his futile struggle against death. ¡®Here¡­?¡¯ The rity of his impending end scared him. ¡¸That is enough.¡¹ The sound of a clear p reverberated through that clear awareness of death, followed by light and a radiance warmer than the sun. The warmth carefully pulled him out from the cold grasp of death and hugged him. ¡¸You¡¯ve worked hard.¡¹ It was the same light he felt when escaping from Aristapo¡­ the power of lightning that could reweave time and space. Kaisen¡¯s vision still flickered, but he saw sun-blonde hair and cross-shaped eyes. He tried to speak, but his lungs were filled with blood. Still, there was an enemy that needed to be cut down¡­ Setsunen looked into Kaisen¡¯s heart and shook her head. She was alsopletely exhausted after saving the remnants of the 2nd Army, but a trace of a quiet smile appeared on her lips. ¡¸Rest. It all came true thanks to you.¡¹ A storm of concentrated blue light swirled in the sky before it suddenly fell to the ground like a lightning strike. The brilliance of the technique blinded the eyes as one of Great Mage Lynn¡¯s seals of immortality activated. The Encirclement of No Return was a high-level technique thatpletely froze the body when its caster received a fatal injury untilplete recovery. [Great Encirclement of No Return¡­ Hit¡­!] The spell was originally designed to protect the life of the mage and was reconstructed into a seal through the hands of Lynn¡¯s disciple, Priestess Tureina. [Freezing the Daemon¡¯s form. Progress: 35%!] The spell could put even an Incarnation into a limited state of suspension. ¦£¦ª¦¡¦¡¦¡¦¡¦¡¦¡¦¡¦¡AAasssssEEEEEEEEEEEE!¡¹ The Mauna Roa broke away from the mountain range with its wings and rushed toward Setsunen, who was carrying Kaisen. In that fleeting moment, as if it wanted to take just one more life, it struck. ¡°Kaisen!¡± ¡°Your Excellency!¡± ¡°Mern, Alidona! Help!¡± Everyone reacted a beat toote. Setsunen whispered as she stretched out her hand toward the Mauna Roa as it approached. ¡¸Are the lives you took still not enough?¡¹ The moment her hand touched the Daemon¡¯s forehead, lightning tore through the sky and drove the monster down the cliffside. It fell, letting out a tearing roar of absolute murder and hatred. The Encirclement of No Return reached its peak, covering the Daemon¡¯s massive body in freezing power at a cellr level and instantly turning it into an ice sculpture. [68%!] The three peaks, which were formed 270 years prior, had been used by the old priestess, Tureina, as foundations for the Encirclement of No Return to put the Forgotten Kings to sleep. Mirngadia kept that power in reserve, no,,, it was augmented several times with his own intelligence. If the Daemons continued toe back, it would be best to put them to rest until the war ended¡­ [82%!] In order to make it a reality, countless corpses had toy a path on the mountains, which was why Mirngadia did not refer to it as a victory until the end. [97%!] Setsunen conveyed it all to Kaisen through Lightning Resonance. Why would she personally exin it all to him, who was just a Fake Warrior? Just as he was fading into unconsciousness, Kaisen heard the dark fairies shouting in relief. [100%¡­pletely frozen! The sealing of the Incarnate-Level Daemon has seeded!] ____ Chapter 39 Chapter 39 ¨C Third Connection: Lightning, Heavenly Castle, Iron Cross (1) October, 1697 AD¡­ The human coalition forces sealed the Mauna Roa and defeated the demon invasion in the Battle of the Red Mountains. The demons who¡¯d gathered there suffered a crushing blow and were scattered. Meanwhile, Kaisen Alter Aradamel was credited with defeating the Daemon, the King of Lizard, just as his mother, Raminea Alter Aradamantel, had. It was a splendid achievement that broke the brunt of the demon offensive, but humanity also suffered great losses. So much so that the soldiers of the time couldn¡¯t appreciate the legendary victory The 2nd Field Army had lost half of their forces, and the 1st and 3rd Field Armies had barely maintained the front line, each losing around 30% of their forces. The Mauna Roa had destroyed the defensive systems over the mountain range. That was all just a portion of what Kaisen heard after regaining consciousness. ¡°Ha! First, I¡¯ll admit¡­ you have a reason for such an arrogant attitude. Of course, I¡¯m only acknowledging this much!¡± Those were the first words Teval said to him as he pressed down on his chest with his index finger. Piles of corpses waited to be collected and removed, so there was no time to toast or rest. The entire 1st Field Army was being deployed for the task, and Kaisen joined in thebor as soon as he woke up. After Teval made a fuss during their meeting, he leaned his dragonbone spear on his shoulder and left. ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised. That¡¯s how Teval praises people. I think you might make a goodbat duo,¡± Mern said. The Knights of the Iron Cross grinned and flicked gold coins at each other as they looked at Teval. ¡°You were amazing. That blow from earlier¡­¡± ¡°Not only did he blow away a Hai-khun-tark chief in one strike, but he alsopeted against such a massive Daemon! I¡¯ve never seen anything like that before!¡± ¡°My whole body was shaking! Should I call you ¡®Daemon yer¡¯ now instead of ¡®Uruk yer¡¯?¡± The soldiers all expressed their admiration, but Kaisen couldn¡¯t get used to it on the debris-covered battlefield. Was it because he thought it was a betrayal of his former colleagues? ¡°Aren¡¯t you too quiet for a person who yed a leading role in victory?¡± a white-haired beauty asked with a slight smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Seira Alter Sng. Though the smile was evident on her lips, her eyes held no trace of it. ¡°I heard you were a big deal against the Daemon? Even here, there are rumors.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do it alone.¡± ¡°Really? If it were I, she would be running around the neighborhood and saying it was all her. Aww, that would be cute.¡± It really seemed like something the dragon girl would do. ¡°That¡¯s I¡¯s charm.¡± ¡°Oh, look at this guy. Do you have such feelings for I?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Fake Warriors are not allowed to court or marry.¡± ¡°Honestly, I just asked if you had feelings, so how far can such things go? I guess you¡¯ve already thought of grandchildren?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never done such a thing,¡± Kaisen argued. ¡°Tell me honestly¡­ I¡¯m not going to tell anyone. How many children do you have in mind?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think about it.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we create a legion? With your powersbined, we will rebuild the dragon legion¡­ It can be the so-called I Junior Army! Thousands of children who look just like I!¡± Thousands of I¡­? That seemed terrible. Wouldn¡¯t that cause a global food shortage? Not to even mention how much his ears would bleed each day. ¡°You can¡¯t stop something like that. It would be so cute that even would die as soon as they woke up from the cuteness overload.¡± Kaisen shook his head. ¡°Stop it. I¡¯m not in the mood to mess around. Did you forget that Fake Warriors can¡¯t marry?¡± His father¡¯s and mother¡¯s smiles shed through his mind and pierced a hole in his heart. Kaisen sharply shook his head in an attempt to drive the memory away before it caused too much damage. ¡°So, how is I? Did you meet her after the battle? Is she safe?¡± Seira curled her lips as if she were disappointed. ¡°She¡¯s so healthy that it¡¯s causing problems. She was angry because you took away her job.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just like her.¡± ¡°Yeah. Ophelia was secretlypeting with you, but she ended up leaving first.¡± There was silence for a moment; Seira politely saluted over her shoulder and walked away. Loveris approached, looked between Seira¡¯s back and Kaisen¡¯s expression, and asked, ¡°Are you afraid?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It seems like you¡¯re afraid of forming rtionships with others.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Kaisen, cherish your ssmates. They are the onlypanions who can understand your destiny.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Kam also became a lot darker after the ¡®ck Summer¡¯ ended, but she was always close to Sharon.¡± Loveris¡¯s insight was like a sharp de¡ªsurely enough, a void had appeared in Kaisen¡¯s heart at an early age and expanded to an unbearable size when his childhood ended. Her words only drove a deeper pain through him. ¡°My mother died protecting me, and the White Bone Corps met the same end,¡± Kaisen said. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid of bing friends with someone because I know that it will only end in pain.¡± Loveris was dressed in in clothes thanks to the squires and servants that¡¯d helped her take off all her brilliant, rose te armor. She took a diary from her pocket and showed it to Kaisen. ¡°This is my diary. I use it to record my life.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Once upon a time, when my student was dying, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what she wanted to say with her final breaths. She kept painfully trying to tell me something, but death took her before she could finish.¡± A quiet sadness lingered in Loveris¡¯s eyes as she looked back at the corpses littering the earth. ¡°I have a younger brother who¡¯s two or three years younger than you. He turns sixteen this year. Anyway, I keep writing down what I want to say to him.¡± A sibling¡­ He seemed to faintly hear the voice of his sister, Ratel, who had always been nice to him as her younger brother. She must have died that day as well, her body unable to be found in the ruins. ¡°Why do you think I do that?¡± Loveris asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Why write when, the more he knows about me, the more pain he¡¯ll suffer after I die, right? That¡¯s what your expression is saying. Don¡¯t deny it.¡± Kam had thought the same thing, which was why she always tried to bluntly push Kaisen away. ¡°Kaisen, I think that, since we have be heroes, even if we¡¯re fake, our lives are not just ours.¡± What was Loveris envisioning and talking about? Her words held an intellectual depth akin to a schr¡¯s. Was it possible because she was always reading books and writing? ¡°I don¡¯t want to convey the magnitude of the despair I experience through this diary. I want to convey how I overcame it while praying that it can be a source of hope and guide that child.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°I am a fake hero. I can¡¯t be a Warrior for everyone, but I want to be a Warrior like that for my younger brother.¡± Loveris gave him a bright smile. ¡°Did Senior Kam not exin it to you? Considering her personality, she would have shown it with her actions and not words.¡± That was all she had to say to him. Rather than a conversation, it was a senior¡¯s advice. Maybe it could have been a conversation between a teacher and a student. Kaisen couldn¡¯t help but think of what Sharon Alter Tas Alfo had said. ¡°Always get into the habit of thinking about what a true hero is.¡± His stream of thought suddenly went back to Kam¡¯sst teachings. Even if he were a fake, he was still a Warrior. For that same ideal, Kam had taken it upon herself to save everyone on that day. He wondered if she¡¯d been trying to teach him how a hero should act through her actions. Kaisen tried to hide the tears leaking from his eyes beneath the twilight epassing the mountain range. Three days after the corpses were cleared, a mass funeral was held with a single tombstone, a paving stone of victory, marking the names of those who¡¯d fallen. Mirngadia of the Heavenly Castle led the funeral procession and mourned the deaths with a magnificent speech. Loveris, who led the Knights of the Iron Cross in attending the funeral, nced around and asked. ¡°What about Kaisen?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯te,¡± Mern replied. ¡°Where did he go?¡± ¡°He must be training swordsmanship somewhere, should I go find him?¡± Had he not attended because such memorials brought back painful memories, such as when the White Bone Corps was annihted? Loveris shook her head. ¡°Leave him be.¡± Just as Mern guessed, Kaisen was busy swinging his sword. He loved moments such as those, when he could wield his mother¡¯s sword in his left hand and Aradamantel in his right. In such moments, he could clear his mind, forget about the hole in his heart, and not suffer from his memories. Instead, he was able to purely remember his mother and Kam. He assumed a stance he remembered and saw his mother¡¯s stance superimposed over him. Next, he heard Kam pointing out the shorings and ws in his stance. ¡°That¡¯s not it, you idiot!¡± He had to fully integrate that feeling from when he¡¯d fought the Daemon. ¡°Try to hold it like this. Yeah, like that!¡± He remembered how the Daemon had clearly seen the opening in his technique between his Quick-Draws and footwork. If it weren¡¯t for the Iron Cross hero party helping him, he would have died. ¡®It¡¯s not enough. It¡¯s still not enough¡­¡¯ Even though he¡¯d received power from a Divine Dragon and a Sage Dragon, he was still helpless. ¡®I need to figure out how to best use the dragon spirit, the power of a god, in the three minutes I¡¯m given.¡¯ Using those three minutes, he practiced raising his power to its limit. Since a mandatory rest period was required afterward, he could only train in such a way twice a day. ¡®This is my memorial service for them¡­¡¯ There was no point in bowing his head and shedding tears in the wake of so many deaths. He¡¯d realized as a child that there was no equivalent exchange for death. Building an altar with his swordwork, consecrating that altar with the blood of his enemies, and using their rotting corpses as incense was the best he could do. ¡¸Is that a proper swordsman¡¯s memorial? You¡¯re already trying to walk such a sad path.¡¹ Brilliant sunlight like golden wings fell on Kaisen and tickled him with warmth. ¡°You are¡­¡± Setsunen of Lightning, a legacy of the Dragon Sage Rain Ludwig. Her blonde hair flowed gracefully beneath a conical hat. He was about to kneel down to show respect, but the being spun around and said, ¡¸Follow me for a moment.¡¹ Setsunen sped her hands together, and a mirage of light appeared¡ªa dimensional barrier. Setsunen smiled and walked through the barrier. Hesitating for a moment, Kaisen followed her and appeared before a castle in the sky. ¡®Teleportation¡­¡¯ He was at the southern end of the floating castle. Below, the world seemed to endlessly spread in every direction. In front of him, a memorial stone rose with the names of all those who died in the previous battle. On that very cenotaph, Kaisen was greeted by a dragon smelling of burnt ozone with an unnatural beauty that was not of the world. Setsunen always remembered and mourned those who died by erecting memorial stones, and she was truly sad for each death. She prayed that their souls found rest in the light. ¡¸It¡¯s been a while, Kaisen. I prayed the light would always guide your path.¡¹ Setsunen, who had been praying with her hands sped in front of the memorial stone, turned and looked at Kaisen. Although only cold wind blew in the sky there, why did it feel like the sun was caressing his cheeks? ¡¸Don¡¯t you remember me?¡¹ Remember¡­? Her question surprised him. ¡°How could I not remember?¡± During the fight in Aristapo, hadn¡¯t Setsunen saved a million refugees from the old nobles? In that battle, she saved many soldiers, including Kaisen. ¡¸I knew you were Raminea¡¯s blood from the first moment I saw you.¡¹ Setsunen¡¯s words and thoughts were transmitted directly to his mind in what she specialized in. It was a power befitting the lightning she controlled¡ªConscious Resonance. Setsunen could read the thoughts of beings of an equal or lesser rank than herself and was also able to convey her own thoughts. ¡¸Oh, If Raminea could see you so grown up like this, she would be really happy.¡¹ ¡°Do you think so?¡± ¡¸I knew that child well. I watched her since she was a baby.¡¹ There was a hole in his heart, a hole he couldn¡¯t ignore but also couldn¡¯t fill. For some reason, the moment he heard Setsunen¡¯s voice¡­ ¡°She would have been sad to see me walk the path of the sword.¡± For a moment, it felt like sunlight shone warmly into that hole. ¡¸Yes, she probably would have, but that may not necessarily be the case.¡¹ Everyone who met Setsunen loved her; there were also those who followed her with fervor close to worship. It wasn¡¯t because of her brilliant white color, but it was because she took care of everyone¡¯s hearts with the utmost kindness and love. With a purity like the sun, she had the power to make others smile. ¡¸I want to lessen your despair by giving you a gift, but that is best done in person at ater time.¡¹ Her cross-shaped eyes contained both mischievous yfulness and motherly kindness. ¡°In person? What do you mean?¡± Setsunen gazed at Kaisen, and a confident smile appeared on her lips. ¡¸Let us meet some day. Let¡¯s not speak more of this.¡¹ Setsunen¡¯s gaze turned to the distance. Thend beyond the mountain range was covered with ck volcanic ash, making it impossible to distinguish between heaven and earth. Beyond the Red Mountains, there was only volcanic ash, sand, and death. That seemed to be the fate of the world, if they failed to protect this mountain range. ¡¸In every era of turmoil, at least one hero always appears. They are born with the destiny to sacrifice themselves to save the world. Is it a coincidence, or is it the providence of creation¡­?¡¹ ¡°¡­¡± ¡¸600 years ago, there was Rista Alter Schirpin; 270 years ago, there was the Dragon Sage Rain Ludwig; 150 years ago, there was the Apostle of the Void, Arjen; and 20 years ago, there was Raminea.¡¹ Setsunen turned back to Kaisen. Perhaps her gaze was like the de of fate, causing Aradamantel, hanging on his back, to cry out. ¡¸Do you know what I¡¯m talking about, miracle child born out of love by Raminea and personally chosen and raised by her disciple, Kam?¡¹ ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡¸It seems that it is now your turn to walk that same path.¡¹ There was a big difference between knowing the way and walking the way. ¡®Do you know the rough road you are destined to take? The weight of life that even your mother gave up is so cruel, yet I cannot ease that burden. It breaks my heart, but¡­¡¯ Setsunen couldn¡¯t say it out loud. ¡°I will.¡± Even before the echo of those words died, Kaisen lowered his gaze and answered. That road contained his burned hometown, the nts atop his mother¡¯s grave, and Kam¡¯sst wish. ¡°If the road is that painful, I will have to go.¡± He had nothing else he treasured as much as what he¡¯d already lost. Instead of someone who had such treasures, it would be better for him, who had nothing, to go in their ce¡­ ¡¸Oh¡­¡¹Seeing such a young man with that determination was both sad and depressing. Setsunen read his thoughts, hugged Kaisen, and cried, her shoulders shaking. ¡®Do you know¡­ your mother liked bellflowers since she was young¡­ The year you were born, I went there, and I held you in my arms and smiled¡­¡¯ She wanted to tell him all about what kind of child his mother was when she was young and all those days gone by, but she was afraid that it would hurt his heart even more. She was afraid it would break him. ____ Chapter 40 Chapter 40 ¨C Third Connection: Lightning, Heavenly Castle, Iron Cross (2) There¡¯s a saying that a person goes through a total of three destined rtionships before reaching adulthood. Perhaps that adage also applied to life on the battlefield. The third rtionship was just flowing into his life, after all. ¡°Oh, the main character appeared.¡± It started the moment he returned to the barracks after his meeting with Setsunen. ¡°Now, everyone, pay attention! Our rookie will introduce himself,¡± Alidona said. The members of the Knights of the Iron Cross began tough, apud, or whistle. ¡°We made a little bet. Do you mind, Fake Warrior?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I bet two gold coins that you were an imperial noble before bing a Fake Warrior. You have that kind of atmosphere!¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about. Most of the Iron Cross are descendants of noble families. The same holds true for me. True nobles like the captain and Mern are a minority.¡± Kaisen felt that something was off. Since it was a knight order made up of only imperial nobles, he expected it to be stiff and old-fashioned, unlike the other corps¡­ No, there was definitely a system in ce: praying at a set time, taking care of one¡¯s appearance, taking care of personal hygiene, etc. Even sitting down neatly at tables to eat was a difference. That was it, though. Them talking loudly with each other reminded him of the old White Bone Corps. He felt the warmth of those many days and recalled old sounds, smells, and sensations. He¡¯d always felt confused by such atmospheres after the White Bone Corps was annihted. His world felt like it was shaking, and his vision blurred. Just when he was about to decline¡­ Alidona approached with a sly smile on her face. ¡°Rookie, the battle started right after you arrived, so we didn¡¯t have time to talk, but we should at least introduce ourselves, right?¡± ¡°Rookie?¡± ¡°Yes, Rookie! What else would you be? You¡¯re the youngest. Do you see that guy serving drinks over there? His name is Kwen. He just became a squire and he is the same age as you.¡± She offered him a drink, the swirling wine resembling the blood staining the ground outside. He felt nauseous and turned his head away. ¡°Alcohol is¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, no. If you¡¯re not going to introduce yourself, at least drink it. It¡¯s a congrattory drink and is almost alcohol-free. You won¡¯t get drunk anyway since you¡¯re a Fake Warrior.¡± The red-haired priestess burped out a breath reeking of alcohol. Was that person really a priestess? She was the top witch¡­ respected by everyone, but she was a heavy smoker and drinker. It felt like the world was reallying to an end. He looked to Loveris for help. Did it seem like he was asking for permission? Loveris, who was sitting at the head table and sipping wine, nodded rather than stopping them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for letting you get caught up in Alidona¡¯s pressure. That¡¯s the kind of person she is. She seems drunk, so if you pretend to go along with her, she¡¯ll stop eventually.¡± As soon as he epted the drink from Alidona, the cheers grew louder. He stared nkly at his ss of wine, and for some reason, he felt stuffy, and his head hurt. The words deeply embedded in his heart flowed out of their own ord. ¡°I¡¯ll just be honest. I can¡¯t get along with many people. I don¡¯t even want to.¡± He wanted to make it clear, even though he knew he would be met with a sharp and hostile silence after the excitement subsided. ¡°How can you guys¡­ be smiling like that when you¡¯ve been on the battlefield longer than me?¡± he asked. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know that the friends you¡¯reughing and chatting with could die as easily as a bug on the side of the road?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If such painful parting is inevitable¡­ why make such connections¡­?¡± Time spent together¡­ The feelings they shared¡­ What if all those times and memories¡­ ended up turning into a nightmare? ¡°Isn¡¯t it meaningless to make friends¡­?¡± ¡®I was born like this. I can¡¯t be a hero who leads everyone like my mother was. My heart is too weak. ¡®Is it really right to vent my anger like this when their burden is as heavy as my own? Regardless, I wanted to tell someone how I felt. ¡®I wanted them to know my narrow path of the sword is one I walk alone. ¡°Hmm, meaningless?¡± Alidona leaned in until she was just a hair¡¯s breadth away. Her actions somehow felt full of vicious intent. Kaisen backed away. Alidona smiled. ¡°Honestly, I thought you were a bad kid. You don¡¯t really think that way.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°The first thing you grabbed as you stepped away were the shortsword at your waist and the ice ne around your neck. Doesn¡¯t that mean you value them more than your life?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think those memories are meaningless.¡± It felt as if a de had pierced his heart. Shame¡­ It could be called shame. He was still too young and full of youthful stubbornness to admit it. ¡°Kaisen, have you ever read a book?¡± Loveris asked. ¡°Books are a microcosm of life. One volume can contain a person¡¯s life. Isn¡¯t that amazing? Depending on the person, it only takes half a day to a day to read an entire life.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The more you read, the closer it gets to the end, but no one reads a book and thinks, ¡®The story will end soon anyway, so it¡¯s meaningless to continue.¡¯¡± They knew that it would end someday, and there was sadness, but there was also joy that could only be found in the story of such a life¡ªlife in which joy and sorrow repeated, intertwined, and bloomed was the providence of the gods. ¡°If you harbor such thoughts and don¡¯t read the book at all, giving up on all aspects of life, then how will you know where life could lead or how it could end? ¡°This is the answer to the question you asked earlier. Think about it carefully.¡± Kaisen¡¯s head felt as if it were filled with cotton. He wanted to, no, he had to refute her words, but he didn¡¯t have the wisdom, intelligence, or experience to do so. He needed a drink of cold water¡­ Forgetting he was holding wine, he gulped it down and felt better. Strangely, he felt closer to the truth and suspiciously hot at the same time. In that closeness and heat¡­ he didn¡¯t need any strength to go up to the door of truth in his heart and turn the knob. ¡°You¡¯re betting on me¡­ alright. Let me tell you why I¡¯m like this! I¡¯ll make you shed tears.¡± ¡°Kya. It¡¯s started. It¡¯s started!¡± ¡°Did he get drunk from just one drink?¡± ¡°Fake Warriors don¡¯t get drunk, right?¡± Loveris felt that something was off and looked at Alidona, who smiled and put a finger to her mouth as she poured more wine into the ss. It seemed that she¡¯d abused her magical knowledge and done something strange to the wine. ¡°That woman¡­ she yed that same trick on me before¡­¡± Loveris sighed and closed her eyes. Words poured from Kaisen¡¯s mouth, as if they¡¯d been coagting in his body for years until being flushed out. ¡°I was born in An, a vige at the end of the earth¡­¡± ¡°An? Isn¡¯t this the old empire¡¯s naming method?¡± ¡°What, he isn¡¯t an imperial noble?!¡± ¡°Hey, where are you going? Bring all the gold coins!¡± Mern crossed her arms next to Loveris. ¡°Captain, is it okay to let Alidona¡¯s prank go on like this?¡± ¡°I would have normally intervened, but this is good for the boy.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°If he doesn¡¯t let it out, it¡¯ll fester and explode one day.¡± Loveris finished the remaining wine in her ss and looked up at the sky. The annihtion of the White Bone Corps¡­ Though he hadn¡¯t shown it when they met, being one of the only ones to survive must have been painful. Kaisen continued, ¡°My mother¡¯s name was Irene¡­ That was an alias, her real name is Raminea¡­ Raminea Alter Aradamantel¡­¡± A silence nketed the room. ¡°My mother deserted¡­ gave birth to me and my sister¡­ and lived happily with my father¡­ and even raised a hunting dog named Sam¡­ he was very smart¡­ he often followed my parents to the early morning service and waited quietly in the church yard¡­ ahh he was very cute.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°My mother always¡­ went running to me as soon as I made the slightest cry¡­ until I startedughing, then she would actually get more upset¡­¡± Again, the painful hole in his chest tore open. Could it be that even intoxication dared not numb the pain he couldn¡¯t fully voice? He could barely continue speaking and clutched his chest as breathing became harder. ¡°Even when the uruks came¡­ I didn¡¯t want my mother to leave, so I hid. She came looking for me¡­ but because of me¡­ she died trying to save me¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There was a chance, sob sob sob, because mother challenged Balkarro in Kaltake and overwhelmed him¡­¡± The soldiers looked startled. ¡°What, Kaltake? Then that brand on his cheek is from then¡­¡± ¡°If only I hadn¡¯t screamed¡­ My mother was the pir of my life¡­ but I¡­ I¡­ was only a burdenÒ»¡± By the time he realized something was precious, it was already gone. The same went for the White Bone Corps¡ªjust as he realized they were as important as family, he wasn¡¯t able to share it. ¡° Ò»fuck it, shut that fucking mouth of yours!¡± Teval suddenly approached him and grabbed him by the cor, forcing him to shut up. ¡°Hey, you damn kid¡­ Do you think you can do everything?¡± Teval was powerful enough to easily subdue Kaisen, even with his strengthened body. ¡°People around you died because you didn¡¯t have enough power? Don¡¯t make meugh!¡± Teval¡¯s grip around Kaisen¡¯s cor was tremoring, but there was no hostility behind the man¡¯s gaze. ¡°It¡¯s natural that you can¡¯t do anything. Nothing! What on earth could a 13-year-old kid do?! Those deaths were not your fault!¡± Mern spoke up. ¡°Teval, stop yelling, and let the boy go.¡± ¡°Why does such a young kid carry this burden in his heart?¡± Teval met Mern¡¯s eyes and let Kaisen go before he stomped out the door. He was thinking of his own son, who died at 10 years old. Mern didn¡¯t ask, but she supported Kaisen and quietly said, ¡°Kaisen, no one is telling you to forget those deaths.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you know the story of Rista Alter Schirpin? My ancestor, Kies, was a member of her hero party. That is the pride of my life.¡± Rista Alter Schirpin was the legendary Fake Warrior who conquered the 1st Era of Turmoil. Her historical existence was why Schirpin was considered a holy sword of a higher rank than Aradamantel. Kies was the most powerful imperial knight of that era and considered the greatest one of all time. ¡°Through Great Mage Lynn¡¯s sacrifice, the expedition was sessful. My ancestor lived a really hard life, more so than anyone else. Do you know why?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°When he died and met Lynn again, he wanted to tell her that her sacrifice was not in vain and that, thanks to her, he was able to live a fulfilling life.¡± His teacher¡¯s smile as she died and the happiness she dreamed of flowed into his mind. ¡°Tell me how happily you lived¡­¡± Mern continued, ¡°I really like that story. If we keep crying, will the people who died before us really be happy? Rather than crying, we should live happily, to feel the joy they no longer can.¡± ¡®Living happily¡­? In a world like this¡­?¡¯ He tried tough, but nothing came out. Rather, it reminded him of the promise he shared with Tarcio in the Temple of the Sword of Bravery. ¡°Kaisen, I didn¡¯t lend you Bloodwind because I hoped it would be useful to you.¡± As if seeping into that distant promise, Loveris¡¯s voice sounded natural. ¡°He¡¯s a gift meant to wee you into our Knights of the Iron Cross.¡± ¡°¡­A gift?¡± ¡°We follow the same mission as you, and we are family. There is nothing special about giving gifts to family.¡± Family¡­ A gift to your family¡­ ¡°Kaisen, why are you so scared? From the moment you came here, you haven¡¯t been alone,¡± Alidona said. Was it just an illusion that his mother¡¯s smile seemed to be superimposed on hers? ¡°When you reach your limit and want to cry, don¡¯t try to hold it in. Drop everything and cry. You are not god, a hero, or a devil. It¡¯s okay to cry and stand again. That¡¯s what people do.¡± He didn¡¯t want to cry? What was she talking about¡­? His face felt warm from the unbidden tears. ¡°My Kai, I¡¯m sorry. You must have been so scared because I wasn¡¯t there; I just had to do theundry¡­¡± Why did it feel like he was hearing his mother¡¯s forgotten voice? ¡°Are you okay?! Now that mommy is here, you don¡¯t have to cry. No, you can cry if you want! You¡¯re okay. You¡¯re okay. Yes, peekaboo! Arururu, peekaboo!¡± His emotions from that day were finallying out. ¡°Oh¡­ you¡¯re smiling now.¡± * * * ¡°What about Kaisen?¡± Loveris asked. Alidona answered her question with a burp. ¡°Teval carried him to bed. I never expected him to fall asleep after crying. He¡¯s just a big kid.¡± ¡°As I said, he¡¯s not even 20 years old yet. He¡¯s just 18. His body and mind should be maturing in the Temple of Sword of Bravery, but he¡¯s fighting on the battlefield. The Fake Warriors are all too young in this war.¡± Loveris thought back to the past. She wondered what kind of change of heart it took for Kam, who seemed to have given up on everything, to ept him as a disciple¡­ ¡®When dealing with the Mauna Roa, it wasn¡¯t a coincidence that he seemed closer to Ramina and not Kam in appearance.¡¯ Was the lineage of and light of a hero passed down like that? Did the Three Heroic Dragons know? Of course they knew. If Raminea¡¯s death was covered up, even the Imperial Court would know. ¡°Iron Cross, I am issuing a strict silence order, banning you from revealing what we heard here today until the day you die.¡± ¡°Until I die? That¡¯s a good thing.¡± ¡°Retri, what are you so happy about?¡± ¡°After we die and go to heaven, we¡¯ll have something to boast about. We had a drink with Raminea¡¯s son, right? We fought shoulder to shoulder on the battlefield.¡± ¡°Hey, man! You were behind him. What do you mean, ¡®shoulder to shoulder¡¯?¡± ¡°You bastard! We fought shoulder to shoulder. Don¡¯t you know that such a thing is just a metaphor, like a poetic expression!¡± Alidona asked Loveris. ¡°But what are you going to do?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You talked so much about family and all, but¡­ you don¡¯t have much time left now.¡± A sad silence hovered between them. Loveris poured thest of the wine into her ss and muttered, ¡°As you know, the Paige family has precognitive dreams. They are very abstract, so it is difficult to interpret them, and there are very few people who can dream them, so they are meaningless.¡± ¡°I know, and you¡¯re one of the very few who may or may not appear once in a hundred years.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always had dreams like this since Master passed away during the ¡®ck Summer.¡¯¡± ¡°What dreams?¡± ¡°Dreams in which countless corpses are floating in a sea of ??blood, creating stepping stones. I stand such nightmares with the onlymp, and at the end of the sea of ??blood is the ¡®Gate to Autumn.¡¯¡± ¡°The ¡®Gate to Autumn¡¯ huh? You be a poet sometimes.¡± ¡°The corpses are all people close to me. A teacher, colleagues, friends, seniors, subordinates, and my disciple¡­¡± ¡°Loro¡­¡± ¡°When I see it, I think, ¡®Oh. I have to ovee their deaths and go beyond them to open the ¡®Gate to Autumn¡¯.¡± The deaths thaty on the trajectory of Loveris¡¯s life were dozens of times more than those that piled up along Kaisen¡¯s path. Still, she calmly said, ¡°Today I had a dream, and Kaisen was standing behind me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one to open that door. I was born as a mere stepping stone for him.¡± Alidona immediately realized what her old friend was trying to say and gave a sad smile. ¡°I see.¡± Those who became heroes had to lose precious people and use them as stepping stones to carry the ¡®light of the world¡¯ into the future. ¡®That¡¯s not a road a normal person can walk on¡­¡¯ That lone path of only the sword was what those who had been called Warriors since the beginning of time walked. Alidona did not put those momentary thoughts into words. She didn¡¯t dare to say it in front of her friend, who had walked that path her whole life. She just vaguely said, ¡°What should we do? That child will be all alone again¡­¡± * * * December, 1697 AD. After the Battle against the Mauna Roa, the Red Mountain Front blocked several more major invasions. Mirngadia of the Heavenly Castle summoned all the majormanders and spoke. ¡¸Do you know what it means for the Mauna Roa to have reawakened after less than 20 years?¡¹ The Mauna Roa was the Incarnation of Kings. The stronger the King¡¯s power, the less time it would take to acquire a new body. ¡¸The Kings¡¯ seconding is near. Just as the Mauna Roa was able to awaken, high-ranking Kings also began to awaken.¡¹ ¡°Ò»!¡± ¡¸An ¡®emergency heat wave warning¡¯ is being issued to all fronts.¡¹ It was a military term referring to the general mobilization order for when the abyss spread in the summer, and the survival of all humankind was threatened. The moment the order was issued, all of humanity entered a state of war, and all material and human resources were conscripted into the military. ¡¸It seems like this war has fully started.¡¹ ____ Chapter 41 Chapter 41 ¨C Soaring Clouds of War, Ancients Awakening from Aeons (1) ¡°Truly, humans are disgraceful.¡± A nightmare holding humanoid form danced, but all of its blood vessels were sticking out like tentacles. The blood spewing from its tentacles became des that tore the skin of the human soldiers and removed their hearts. ¡°What on earth is this?! It has endless tentacles!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t just hit it! We have to burn it!¡± ¡°You bastard, let go of Ran!¡± ¡°Stop! If you go, you¡¯ll die, too!¡± ¡°Blood, blood! Kwaaaaa!¡± The stars shimmered melodiously, and a silver-haired man with cosmic beauty licked the blood on his long sleeves. ¡°Shh, quiet. It¡¯s undignified to speak so loudly.¡± Countless bloody thorns were wrapped around the man, every single one of them piercing through a witch. ¡°After embracing the grace Andrusha grants, stand once more. I bestow upon you the blessings of a true King.¡± The painful moans turned into ear splitting screams. Spikes of blood spread over the bodies of the dying people. Soon, the humans died and rose as puppets. ¡°Yes, excellent. Silence is the virtue of a nobleman.¡± * * * [Iron Cross, all ess roads are not safe. Quickly form and make a new road.] January, 1698 AD. A pure voice passed through Kaisen¡¯s mind. The dawn of the new year was chaotic from the very beginning, and the heat of the abyss boiled around the Knights of the Iron Cross. ¡°Understood. Alidona, reconfirm the operation objectives,¡± Loveris Alter Shirfang answered on behalf of the Iron Cross. ¡°The barrier site on the Burning Snow Peak has fallen to the bloodkin army. That¡¯s where the barrier blocking the expansion of volcanic ash is stationed, so its importance goes without saying.¡± ¡°What about the enemy¡¯s leadership?¡± Kaisen asked. Alidona puffed her cigarette as she answered. ¡°The one leading the bloodkin army is one of the ¡®Pale Bars¡¯. They destroyed the Red Chord Witch Coven an hour ago.¡± The ¡®Pale Bar¡¯ referred to one of the three leaders of the bloodkin, who had been given titles equivalent to nobility by the Old Kings. Of course, they did not receive immortality and eternal life like the Old Nobles. It was an honorary title. Although they were very weak opponentspared to the Old Nobles, Kaisen still remembered Kam having a hard time killing one of them. Mern asked, ¡°The Red Chord Witch Coven, aren¡¯t they directly under Alidona?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. They¡¯re all gone now, but the Heavenly Castle wants our Iron Cross to secure the ce.¡± The priestess¡¯s tone when talking about the death of her disciples was se, as if she were talking about the weather. It was always like that on the battlefield. The boy Fake Warrior already knew that death was piled up everywhere, leaving no room for mourning. ¡°It¡¯s annoying that all the witches are dying.¡± Teval tapped his shoulder with his spear. ¡°Ha! Wouldn¡¯t it end quickly if we just carpet-bombed it with the magic artillery unit? Since it¡¯s on the peak, just bombing it would be the end.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not serious, right? It¡¯s an important facility, so we can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Enough, both of you. Our mission is to create a path for the main force to join so that we can defeat the Pale Bar and retake the Burning Snow Peak.¡± ¡°Why are you making such difficult calctions, Captain? Just give the order.¡± ¡°First, secure all the outer passages. Kaisen, clear the northern and eastern mountain passes by yourself. I will give you 50 knights. There will be about 200 in total, including squires and servants. Is that possible?¡± ¡°I can do it alone without 50 people. Please leave it to me.¡± That was a lot of confidence. Alidona whistled. ¡°Mern and Teval, you¡¯re with me. We¡¯ll break through the closest western passage and head to the center first. Alidona willmand the entire team from above, assisting Kaisen as much as possible.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I want you both toe to the central wing as soon as the task is over. Our job is not only to make a path but also to kill the Pale Bar.¡± Among the six major demon races, the bloodkin were the fewest in number, excluding the daemons. Through a behavioral pattern that stemmed from their unique sense of privilege, they exerted extreme control over future generations. However, as the war continued, their power gradually grew stronger, and from a human perspective, they were the most disgusting demon race. ¡°They create and control blood ves by injecting them with cursed blood.¡± There were several instances where the human forces were easily brought to an end by the bloodkin because blood ves were sent into a city or castle. ¡°However, it¡¯s not like these bloodkin are without weakness.¡± If you killed the owner of the cursed blood, that was, the bloodkin who injected the blood, the blood ves would also die along with him. ¡°Let¡¯s start the prep, see youter.¡± ¡°Come on, get in the back seat. The weather is nice, so let¡¯s have a good time.¡± Alidona sat down leisurely on her broom and patted the back with a gentle hand gesture. Witches could fly on broomsticks, but it took considerable skill to maintain bnce while carrying two or more people. Kaisen stood on the broomstick with both feet. [This is Beraf, the Witch of the Stars. Can you hear me, Priestess?] ¡°Yes, I can hear you well.¡± [The bloodkin are upying the barrier generators installed in each outskirt temple. There are quite a few of them.] ¡°I¡¯m on my way now.¡± [I would appreciate it if you could hurry. We don¡¯t have enough. There are around 200,000 of them.] When Kaisen focused on the swirling current below, he saw the bloodkin minions upying the mountain path. Blood ves¡­ The puppets walked leisurely while ughtering soldiers like butchers. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°Arrrrggghhhh¡­¡± ¡°Ahhhh¡­¡± The blood ves ran in droves. Even if their legs were blown off and their torsos were shattered by bullets, they kept running and fulfilled their master¡¯s orders without fail. That obsessive and persistent movement aroused fear. It wasn¡¯t as threatening as the Tahuf, but¡­ ¡°Hmm, there are so many.¡± ¡°I think there are 80,000 here alone.¡± ¡°You probably know that blood ves are not human. They are just puppets whose souls have been drained.¡± ¡°I will handle it,¡± Kaisen said. ¡°All of them?¡± ¡°Three of the master bloodkin will do.¡± ¡°Eh, wait!¡± Kaisen ces his right hand on the Aradamandel¡¯s hilt. The sword was crying fiercely. The next moment, he kicked off the broom and dove down. While falling, Kaisen made sure to concentrate his momentum into his scabbard as he spotted his targets. ¡®One, two, three¡­ bloodkin.¡¯ Among the waves of blood ves, he found the three who controlled them. Bloodkin were very simr in appearance to humans. ¡°Instructor, then how can we tell them apart at all?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s no difference at all.¡± The internal difference was that they couldn¡¯t walk in sunlight, so they could only be active at night or under the volcanic ash. ¡°The external difference is that their skin is nauseatingly pale and their eyes are blue like stars.¡± ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. They are basically walking corpses pushed on by their self-esteem, so they dress very grandly.¡± Like the three hanging out of the corner of his eye. ¡°Hmph, a Fake Warrior?¡± The bloodkin stared at the Fake Warrior, who hadnded alone in the center of the battlefield, both in interest and offense. They were also called blood ghouls because they used blood to practice dark magic, and their blood turned into spears and des to attack Kaisen from all directions. Converting the impact of the fall into mana removed the need to boost the attack with his own mana. Since he didn¡¯t need to do that, no other preparation was needed. ¡°?¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°?¡± Kaisen rotated and was reflected in the bloodkins¡¯ eyes as he pulled out his sword and struck them. At the end of the rotation, they only realized they¡¯d been cut when they saw their bodies staggering around with fresh blood spurting out. ¡®What nonsense¡­?¡¯ As the bodies adorned in elegant clothes decorated withce and frills lost their connection with their brains, the blood ves swarming around like bees at the outer temples fell like stringless puppets. ¡°That was very neat. Your skills are truly amazing.¡± Alidona inhaled as much smoke as she could and then breathed it out. As the breath descended, it became an intense me and burned the corpses of the blood ves. Through the smoke, Alidonanded at the entrance to the outer temple. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± There was a monument inside the outer temple, and on its surface was a magic circle full of incantations in dragon tongue. That was the barrier that drove away the volcanic ash. Of course, that was before it was damaged by the cursed blood of the bloodkin. ¡°These guys really ruined my masterpiece.¡± ¡°Can it be fixed?¡± ¡°See, this is why I can¡¯t quit smoking. Look at how convenient it is.¡± Alidona burned the blood stains on the surface with her cigarette and filled the gaps in the magic circle with tobo ashes. Although it was extremely dirty, the expert workmanship was indeed first ss. Soon, the stone emitted waves of power, shooting a partial barrier into the sky and tearing up the dark cloud of volcanic ash. ¡°Okay. That¡¯s one down.¡± The process of visiting an outer temple, cutting down the bloodkin, and restoring the barriers continued. When they hadpleted the process three times in total, they received a message from Loveris. [Alidona, you need toe to Burning Snow Peak¡¯s Temple as soon as the outskirts are cleared.] ¡°Thanks to our rookie, everything is just finished. We¡¯ll be right there.¡± The Burning Snow Peak¡¯s Temple was covered in fresh blood. The corpses of bloodkin, blood ves, knights, and soldiers were already melting into mud in the extreme tropical night. Everywhere you turned, blood and other internal juices covered the ground, not a stone road or weed could be seen, and the inside of the temple was dyed red. ¡°It used to be a very charming ce.¡± A desperate scream came from inside the temple¡¯s horribly broken stone door. Kaisen hurried in, but Alidona paused at the entrance, staring at the bloodkin¡¯s blue eyes as it controlled the corpses of the dead witches. The silence was somehow creepy. [Hurry and bring Kaisen, Alidona. We¡¯re at our limit. Mern is the only one who can use her skills here.] The interior of the temple exuded an old-fashioned atmosphere due to its long history. Very high ceilings, beautiful dragon statues, and a cozy warmth would have been rxing if the blood on the ground hadn¡¯t been reaching up to Kaisen¡¯s ankles. [Go straight down the basement stairs.] Kaisen ran down the long hallway of the temple and passed the bedroom where Old Priestess Friede was said to have lived before jumping down the stairs leading to the basement. In the middle of the underground space, he joined the party of Iron Cross warriors fighting against Starlight. ¡°Indeed, this movement is not dignified at all. I deplore yourck of dignity.¡± Andrusha, the Pale Bar¡­ There was a noble luster in his brilliant silver hair that shone like starlight. ¡°Shut up, you bastard!¡± Behind him, dozens of blood vessels sprouted from his back, writhing and pouring out corrosive blood. The blood freely transformed, turning into thorns, des, and other things to attack¡­ ¡°Mern!¡± An arrow of blue light hit Andrusha directly in the head. No, right before it hit him, his body dispersed into a mist that looked like a flock of bats before he reappeared on the other side of the pir. ¡°You bastard.¡± Andrusha masterfully maneuvered around the narrow underground space. Loveris and Teval repeatedly went on the defensive in frustration since they were unable to wield their heavy weapons in the tight space. Loveris eventually sheathed Shirfang and used magic. Spells, arrows, and blood shed repeatedly in the air. ¡°How about this?¡± Kaisen looked for a gap to jump into before he heard a scroll unravel. Alidona wove a powerful spell, and the letters emerged one by one in the power of Genesis. ¡°This is¡­?¡± The power of Genesis waspiled into seven psalms under the name of the Seven Books of Genesis, and priests had been the guardians of the power since ancient times. Four of the seven psalms were lost, but three psalms still remained in the arms of humankind. Alidona was the guardian of the Psalm of Bright Life, which had the power to take the physical strength from beings who deviated from the providence of creation. To exin its power in simple terms¡­ it was a wide-area slow spell. ¡°Kaisen¡± Kaisen was already getting ready; he held his scabbard in his left hand and his sword in his right. The Cross Sword Style connected the four basic forms with the higher forms, but he could only use the 4th form. Shoot ¨C Cross Sword Style 11th Form, Torpedo Step. mes swirled from the sliding de. At one point, even before Andrusha¡¯s body turned into a red mist, the sword shed something. The moment the swinging de grazed Andrusha¡¯s body¡­ ngÒ»! The mes reflected in all directions and tore dozens of blood vessels, leaving dozens of fine sword marks in the de¡¯s wake. The sword became a wedge and pierced the opponent¡¯s body. It was a high-level form, the 11th of the 12 forms in the Cross Sword Style. ¡°Ah, these lowly things¡­!¡± Fresh blood burst out from Andrusha¡¯s neck. An attempt was made to sew up the cut with a thread of blood, but it was impossible because of the sword energy destroying his internals. A vortex that transcended time and space emerged from Andrusha¡¯s body¡­ ¡°What?¡± ¡°Get rid of it before it does something!¡± It was definitely just a moment, but it felt like an eternity. When a huge finger came out and was about to tear their bodies apart, Aradamantel, Shirfang, and the dragonbone Spear intersected andpletely destroyed Andrusha¡¯s body. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Themotion subsided, and silence fell, with only the sound of each person¡¯s breathing echoing around. ¡°What was that?¡± Teval asked while catching his breath. Alidona answered, ¡°It seemed like a summoning technique¡­¡± ¡°Summoning? What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to start investigating.¡± When Alidona swung her smoking pipe, the blood in the underground space burned and exposed the floor. There were evil letters forming the text, and while Alidona was reading them, she suddenly closed her mouth. Teval asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Hokorom¡­ It means ¡®Noble¡¯. This guy was trying to summon a Noble.¡± Mern blinked. ¡°Summon? From where? I mean, is there an Old Noble that woulde here?¡± Loveris, who wasmunicating with the floating castle headquarters, suddenly ended the topic. ¡°The Lightning herself will find out. Alidona, spread a barrier across the entire temple.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They will carry out a carpet bombing from the magic battery, wiping out the remnants of the bloodkin stationed on the outskirts.¡± Immediately after Alidona unleashed the wide-area barrier, the temple began to shake amidst a loud roar. Loveris spoke while countless meteors fell, crushing the terrain and destroying the unclean beings. ¡°Kaisen, you areing with me.¡± ¡°Where is it this time?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not abat mission. The dwarven military marshal is here and wants to see you.¡± Teval¡¯s jaw dropped in surprise. ¡°The dwarven marshal? Aren¡¯t the dwarves a military government now? The dwarf emperor himself came by?¡± ____ Chapter 42 Chapter 42 ¨C Soaring Clouds of War, Ancients Awakening from Aeons (2) Pure whiteness took on substance, a hazy clone of light. It entered the Dragon Spirit Hall on the 99th floor of the Imperial Court, a golden pce reaching the heavens. Five yellow Sage dragons sitting in different positions spoke with gentle majesty. ¡¸In the south, the abyssal mist is engulfing heaven and earth. The earth is bing a wastnd, and the mountains are bing volcanoes.¡¹ ¡¸The King of Lizards has awakened there. However, we have no way of stopping his awakening.¡¹ ¡¸Have you thought of what we should do? Wise White Dragon, as the Light Dragon no longer has time to think, we have decided to follow your judgment.¡¹ The Sage Dragons, who had been observing the world for nearly 2,000 years, discussed the copsing world in worried tones. Mirngadia trembled at the state of the True Dragons, who had be old and helpless in the passage of eons. When the Old Kings woke up, the light of the world wouldpletely disappear¡­ Once again, he was asked to find a way in the barren world¡­ Even then, Mirngadia was floating in the sky, taking care of all three fronts. ¡¸The five elder pirs and I are all running out of time, so we must see the end of this war in this era.¡¹ Cardinal Yoshhar asked, ¡¸What do you n to do about the King that is awakening?¡¹ Mirngadia felt the fingers on his hands tremble as the fate of the world flickered violently and ovepped with his life. He paused for a moment and raised his head. Behind the long, white eyshes, his eyes shone with the determination of one who hadid down his life. ¡¸I have already thought of a way to deal with it.¡¹ ¡¸Tell us.¡¹ ¡¸Before the Old King fully awakens, we must go and wee him and his men. That is the only way.¡¹ * * * ¡°Oho, who¡¯s this? Is that really you, Loveris? The kid that was always teased and called ¡®Loro¡¯ has be a proper heroine.¡± The bigshot from the dwarven military was Halvaron son Ephesus. T That was Kaisen¡¯s first meeting with that hero. The Smith of Ten Thousand Weapons, Halvaron, the one who overthrew the Dwarven Republic and established their first empire. He was a member of the old Ephesus Dynasty and the hero of the dwarven people during the ¡®ck Summer.¡¯ Although dwarves couldn¡¯t wield magic, their technological prowess was the best among the three races. Both firearms and steam engines were dwarven inventions, and it was Halvaron who improved both to suit the battlefield. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that to me?¡± I asked. ¡°I have be a heroine too! I¡¯ve be so powerful now!¡± He was given the title ¡®Smith of Ten Thousand Weapons¡¯ because he could create and improve any weapon; he was also a descendant of Prisvia, the inventor of the steam engine. The encounter with such an enormous figure felt somewhatical to Kaisen due to I biting his head. ¡°You brat, you¡¯re still so short, so say something that makes sense!¡± ¡°I¡¯m now equal to your height, Halvaron!¡± ¡°I, stay back. We need to talk.¡± I retreated at Loveris¡¯smand, but she still stuck close to Halvaron. From what Kaisenter learned, I was created by Prisvia afterbining the genes of dragons, humans, and dwarves. Halvaron, who belonged to Prisvia¡¯s line, was like a godfather to I. ¡°Now you have a sense of authority in your voice when giving orders to your subordinates. You are truly an adult. That little kid back then¡­¡± Halvaron said, shaking off the saliva on his military cap. He looked like a handsome boy with countless scars on his face to his arms, but his actual age was well over 40, and the number of battles he had experienced exceeded three figures. It was very disconcerting to have someone with a boy¡¯s face talk like an old man, but dwarves were always like that. ¡°You look the same as ever. You look as young as a child.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the advantage for dwarves?¡± ¡°There are some who look old because they have bushy beards¡­ Although they are mainly called little people.¡± ¡°Hmph, not me. Look at this skin. It still looks like a baby¡¯s. Are you jealous?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°By the time wrinkles appear on my face, you¡¯ll be crazy with envy.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t live long enough to get wrinkles anyway.¡± ¡°Goddamnit, Fake Warriors are really good at ruining the atmosphere. Is this the guy? He subdued the Mauna Roa like Raminea?¡± Raminea¡­ Hearing his mother¡¯s name so suddenly, Kaisen felt like he had been hit on the head with a hammer. ¡°It¡¯s strange. When and where have we seen each other before? He looks quite familiar. It¡¯s rather odd since this is the first time I¡¯m seeing a male Fake Warrior.¡± Halvaron looked Kaisen up and down and tilted his head. Loveris stepped forward. ¡°I wonder if presbyopia has set in.¡± ¡°Hey, you idiot! You still have a long way to go before you can treat me like an old man.¡± Loveris and Halvaron exchanged quiet smiles¡ªthe kind of smiles that only those who had been through a long journey together could exchange. I was jealous and bit Halvaron¡¯s finger. When the screaming ended, Loveris asked, ¡°So what brings you here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, His Excellency, the Heavenly Castle, needs my new weapon.¡± ¡°What is the new weapon?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s an armored train. It¡¯s my masterpiece¡­ fully arming the train. It¡¯s like a moving artillery battery.¡± ¡°A fully-armed train? I can¡¯t even imagine what that would be like.¡± ¡°Hmph, mediocre people like you have no choice. If you see it, you will turn a blind eye to it. I told Raminea several times that, when I finish it, she will be the first I show it to.¡± Was it a coincidence or intentional? Halvaron nced at Kaisen with a sigh. ¡°But that girl is dead now. I wanted to at least show it to that prickly student of hers, but she died in the end too, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make that face. I don¡¯t know why all Fake Warriors seem to look like they carry all the sorrow in the world. It would be good to follow Raminea¡¯s example.¡± He did not receive the right to speak from Loveris, but Kaisen spoke without realizing it. ¡°Do you know Raminea?¡± Halvaron¡¯s eyes widened. For a moment, he held his stomach and burst intoughter. ¡°Ha, haha! Loveris, is this guy asking me whose friend I am?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you are asking me when you know best.¡± ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s just obvious. Raminea, that girl was myrade. She was the only hero I recognized among humans, and she was my best friend.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Kaisen had to hide his quiet joy. He was able to meet someone who talked so happily and proudly of their friendship with his mother¡­ It was an amazing feeling. ¡°I want to show my new masterpiece to you guys who always look so depressed.¡± ¡°Masterpiece! Is it something delicious?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s something cool. It¡¯s a supersized machine, and it can probably y rock, paper, scissors with the Old Kings. Making it so it can make a fistÒ»¡± Loveris crushed Halvaron¡¯s passion with a sighing nod. ¡°I think we should just focus on the main points. I don¡¯t want to stay up all night again.¡± ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, you¡¯re not as cute as you used to be. So, an Old Noble almost showed up this time?¡± ¡°The Pale Bar attempted to summon one but was thwarted.¡± ¡°We are dealing with the nagas. Those sea serpents who serve the Ruler of the Ancient Seas. We smashed a few of the lower-ranking nobles, butpared to the continental front, they are nothing.¡± The dwarves were fighting against the main forces of the nagas while the fairies were facing the necrons and bloodkin. Humanity, leading the continental front, had to fight the main forces of the six great demon races¡­ ¡°That¡¯s still good news.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not even a good thing. There¡¯s no time. Whether it¡¯s the maritime front or the continental front, if we don¡¯t sort it out as soon as possible, things will get out of hand.¡± ¡°What can we do? Just protecting the mountain defense line is hard work.¡± Halvaron shrugged. ¡°It seems like the Heavenly Castle thinks differently.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? The Heavenly Castle believes that the nexting of the King of Lizards is not far away. I believe the same. Just looking at the Mauna Roa and the Old Nobles¡¯ awakenings makes it clear.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°After the Old King awakens and fully regains his power, it will be toote. You know how the Dragon Sage and the Void Apostle defeated the King of Spiders and the King of Time, respectively, right?¡± Halvaron looked at I before finishing his question. I¡¯s eyes began to spin as she stammered, and then she screamed. ¡°I don¡¯t know! Only lowly mortals rely on such knowledge! A dragon has no need for such knowledge!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Unlike our great I, you, a lowly human Fake Warrior, would know the answer, correct?¡± ¡°Yes. I learned that the Dragon Sage first broke the seal on the King of Spiders, who had reached his limit, and that the Void Apostle fought right after the King of Time¡¯s seal was broken,¡± Kaisen answered. Halvaron shook his head and blinked at I before getting bitten again. ¡°Look. Those monster-like beings knew they had to aim for an early decisive battle. They decided that there was no hope after their physical manifestation wasplete. The same goes for us. If we crouch in the mountains, it will be toote.¡± I raised herself to her tiptoes, subtly pulled Kaisen¡¯s earlobe, and whispered. ¡°I even met the Dragon Sage in person. Are you jealous?¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with those eyes¡­? Are you saying you don¡¯t believe what a dragon says? Are you, a human, ignoring a dragon?!¡± No¡­ How could she have met someone from 300 years ago? ¡°Actually, I is over 300 years old.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± ¡°This is a secret only known to you, Kaisen.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s that reaction? It¡¯s normal to show respect.¡± Kaisen shook his head with a sigh, and I leaped over and bit down on Kaisen¡¯s head. ¡°The train you mentioned earlier¡­¡± ¡° It¡¯s an armored train.¡± ¡°You mean that armored train was built for attack?¡± ¡°It was made with both attack and defense in mind, but it seems that the Heavenly Castle will use it for that purpose.¡± Blood was flowing down from the top of Kaisen¡¯s head, where I¡¯s fangs were embedded. ¡°But how?¡± ¡°The Heavenly Castle¡¯s judgment is not something mortals can question. He has been around since your grandfather¡¯s grandfather was a child. The Heavenly Castle never makes any judgment hastily or senselessly. Please understand.¡± Loveris stared into space and touched her chin. ¡°Then it¡¯s clear that this battle will turn into an offensive.¡± ¡°Otherwise, why would my men be attacking the maritime front line all night long?¡± ¡°The sooner youe, the better for us. We willbine the two fronts and begin the southern expedition¡­¡± Southern expedition¡­ The meaning of the words prated deep into Kaisen¡¯s heart, in a ce called ¡®hatred¡¯. ¡°I don¡¯t think he told the humans yet, so only you know. I, I mean you! I¡¯m talking to you, whose mouth is lighter than a bell.¡± ¡°I am a dragon! I am more secretive than any other race!¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± ¡°A heat wave warning was issued a month ago. Important information will be released soon.¡± Loveris and Halvaron talked about some other things, but they weren¡¯t important. Halvaron¡¯s subordinate came, causing him to say that he would have to go back, and so did Loveris. The reunion at the pavilion on the side of the mountain came to an end. ¡°Is Halvaron leaving now?¡± ¡°Yes, those guys can¡¯t even poop properly without me, so I should hurry back.¡± ¡°I also want to go with Halvaron!¡± I eximed. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Halvaron asked. ¡°If you go, all the warships will explode and sink.¡± ¡°Kaaaaang!¡± Halvaron skillfully stopped the charging I and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a joke. Since the Heavenly Castle is urging us so much, we should win the battle quickly. Do your best. We will meet again soon.¡± I¡¯s eyes shone brightly. It was as if all the light in her body was being reflected in them. Kaisen thought only a being full of life could smile like that. ¡°Really?! I will do my best! Until we meet again!¡± ¡°Okay, do your best. Loveris, see you next time, and did you say your name was Kaisen?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Your teacher was a very great person. Always be proud of the fact that you were her student.¡± ¡°I already know that.¡± ¡°Really? She must be happy. She was so pathetic that she was worried she wouldn¡¯t be able to receive respect, even if she got a discipleter.¡± At that, Loverisughed. ¡°Did she say that?¡± ¡°Yeah! Can you believe sheined to me about something like that?¡± Beyond the sea of distant memories¡­ Halvaron looked somewhat sad as he spoke about a time that Kaisen could not reach. The memories of that period and the unspoken sadness seeped into the void of his soul. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± He was embarrassed and didn¡¯t want to show that feeling on his face. Beyond that shyness, he wanted to sincerely express his feelings. Kaisen bowed his head deeply and showed respect to his mother¡¯s and his teacher¡¯srade. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°For the story you just told.¡± Echoes not contained in any book, memories known only to those who lived through that era¡­ Kaisen wanted to know more about his teacher, who died smiling, but he couldn¡¯t ask her. Just hearing the memory from someone was something that filled his curiosity and respect for that person. ¡°Ha.¡± Halvaron let out augh. ¡°Kam got a student who looks exactly like her. The atmosphere is the same¡­ Clear and strong.¡± * * * ¡¸There have been a total of 27 shes in the Red Mountains, and they have won a total of 27 times so far.¡¹ It was as Loveris expected. Less than two dayster, Mirngadia of the Heavenly Castle had his entire army lined up at the Mythic Peak of the Red Mountains. That was the first time the entire army had been called since forming the mountain range defense line, so everyone was nervous. ¡¸The demon army has not dispersed and is still aiming at humanity from the south.¡¹ The white hair of the Fake Warriors lined up fluttered in the mountain wind, and each holy sword sparkled brilliantly in the sunlight. ¡¸Compromise with the demons is impossible. There is no way they would give up on attacking the north because of the mountain defense line. The only way for humanity to survive is to exterminate the demons.¡¹ ¡°¡­!¡± ¡¸After a month of preparations, humanity willunch a counterattack with the 1st Field Army at the forefront.¡¹ ¡°¡­?!¡± ¡¸The defensive war is over. The battle for remation begins.¡¹ The marshals and Fake Warriors of the 1st and 3rd Field Armies saluted in unison. As if following them, the sound of the soldiers hitting their chests in salute echoed over the peak. ¡¸The goal of this expedition is to open a route from the central front and merge with the dwarves¡¯ western front.¡¹ It was a very confusing decision. However, the speaker was strong enough to overturn all the confusion. Overflowing with morale, their shouts were so fierce that they covered the mountain range. ¡°¡­After preparing for a month, why would you give up this natural fortress?¡± The executives thought differently. After finishing the announcements, Teval spoke from inside the elevator, headed to the garrison. ¡°All armies suffered quite heavy losses.¡± ¡°The mountain fortresses also took a big hit. They probably thought it would be more profitable to leave rather than repair and protect them.¡± ¡°Hmm, but this was still a sudden decision.¡± When Alidona tried to light her smoking pipe, she was criticized by all of her colleagues. ¡°Hey! Didn¡¯t I tell you that, if you smoke in an enclosed space, I¡¯ll plug your mouth with that stick?!¡± ¡°This is sacred smoke. If you smell it, won¡¯t the blessings of Legendary Priestess Friedee to you all?¡± ¡°You rationalized your smoking with bullshit, you smoking auntie.¡± ¡°What? Auntie?¡± Etiquette must be observed in confined spaces. If Kam had been the leader, she might have beaten Alidona. Kaisen politely nced at Loveris, who remained silent. ¡°What do you think of an offensive shift in the midst of military inferiority?¡± ¡°What did you learn from the Temple of the Sword of Bravery? It¡¯s not the role of the Fake Warriors toe up with a strategy. We just need toe up with the right n to face the changing war situation.¡± ¡°Of course, that¡¯s how I learned it, but in , Lia¡­¡± ¡°You mean Senior Sharon¡¯s disciple. Was it the base defense strategy? I read that report. That one is an exception. No, if she had been part of themand system directly under the Heavenly Castle, she would have been no exception.¡± The elevator door opened. A sudden gust of wind and themotion in the garrison were so loud that his ears started ringing. Loveris spoke as she walked out of the elevator and into the middle of it all. ¡°There is only one piece of advice I can give you¡­ trust His Excellency, the Heavenly Castle, unconditionally. As His Majesty Halvaron also said, he can see into the future that you and I cannot and weave it into victory.¡± Did she know it then? In order to win that final fight, she had to die. Or maybe she was already prepared. Kaisen, of course, didn¡¯t know. He never knew anything. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 ¨C All-Out War, Capturing Aurelinople (1) ¡°Starting today, we will cover the strategy of Aurelinople, famous for being the biggest turning point in the ¡®Red Summer¡¯ war¡¯s history.¡± Aurelinople, one of the seven city-states that divided and ruled the territory of the old empire. Geographically, the city sat firmly on the watershed, where the Red Mountains ended and the Belisor River divided into two. ¡°As you can see from the map, Aurelinople held enormous geographical value for both humanity and the abyss.¡± Great River Belisor split into two around Aurelinople and connected again at the southern part of the continent. Sincend and sea were connected in Aurelinople through waterways, the city was responsible for human prosperity. It was Aurelinople that upied the center of the old Inferno Line. ¡°For the demons, Aurelinople was a critical base for advancing to the north. Conversely, for humanity, it was a base for advancing south.¡± Since it was a base of advancement for both camps, the battle there was bound to be horrific. ¡°In February 1698, humanity began toy the foundation for the battle to conquer Aurelinople in order to connect the front lines with the dwarves.¡± The most important process was to pave the way for the main unit. To exin it clearly, in order to go down to Aurelinople, they had to remove the volcanic ash from above. For that purpose, The Heavenly Castle decided to send a reconnaissance unit with the most elite personnel to the south of the mountain range. ¡°Kaisen Alter Aradamandel was deployed with this reconnaissance unit. In February of 1698, the prelude to the battle to conquer Aurelinople began.¡± * * * The reconnaissance mission was chaotic from the start, and Kaisen¡¯s heart pounded. [This is Alidona. The scout team confirmed that they left the mountain range barrier.] When they left the Red Mountains, everything became a whitish outline in the darkness. [You left the mountains, right? Slowly, you will start to lose vision due to the volcanic ash.] Volcanic ash was the power of the Old Kings. It wasn¡¯t just a visual disturbance¡ªit disrupted all perception of the area, such as sight and hearing. For this reason, headquarters was unable to obtain information south of the mountain range. ¡°This is Mern. Volcanic ash is a problem, but it¡¯s hard to open my eyes due to the sandstorm.¡± Until then, the information was not needed because they were fighting defensively, but since a southward advance was predicted, the situation had changed. [Sandstorm, huh? The power of the King of Lizards, Neigs, is awakening.] ¡°Sand is building up on my tongue whenever I talk. I need to wear a helmet.¡± [Report when the demon¡¯s camp is confirmed, and you may have to solve the problem.] Mern was the legitimate sessor to the famous archery school, Drunken Archery, whose lineage was thought lost. It was an undeniable fact that bows had several limitationspared to guns, but the sense amplifications, concealment abilities, and long-distance assassination skills that top-ss archers possessed were qualities gunmen could never have. [Ah. Don¡¯t forget to insert the barrier stone.] The headquarters organized 15 elite archers, led by Mern, into a reconnaissance group, and Kaisen Alter Aradamantel was assigned to the unit as the main vanguard. ¡°Yes. I know.¡± Mern handed Kaisen a leather package with something softly shining inside. ¡°Is this your first time seeing one? Here, take it. It¡¯s a wedge-shaped barrier stone.¡± Dragon tongue wriggled on the surface of the wedge. Rather than the letters being engraved, it looked like the words had embedded themselves in the wedge. ¡°It can remove all the volcanic ash in a radius of 15km. The Heavenly Castle designed it, and Alidona mass-produced it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s great.¡± ¡°If you know that, then handle it carefully. Embed one in the ground every time you move. Unlike you, if we get hit while embedding one of them, we¡¯ll be off to the afterlife, so let¡¯s go.¡± Under Mern¡¯smand, the archers descended the mountainside in perfect order. Silence¡ª An eerie silence that seemed it would break at any moment hovered over the fog and ash-fillednd. Starlight shimmered in the volcanic ash like pale ghosts, seeming to watch him. ¡°It¡¯s about here. Embed one first.¡± He drove a wedge into the ground, and a halo of light shot up into the sky, burning away the volcanic ash. The sky cleared, and the starlight felt weaker in the ash¡¯s absence. [This is Heavenly Castle Mirngadia. The barrier stone¡¯s instation was confirmed. The disturbance from the volcanic ash disappeared.] ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving.¡± [Signs of Tuaki have been confirmed in the volcanic ash, so be careful. The coordinates are not urate.] ¡®Tuaki¡¯, fear flickered in the archers¡¯ gazes. Again, they entered the volcanic ash. Although they had open air on all sides, it felt like they were trapped. ¡°Enemy ahead. I¡¯ll take care of it. 12 goblins. As expected, they deployed the little devils at night.¡± His breathing was distorted. A suffocatingly hot air broke through the temperature control magic; beads of sweat formed all over his body and ran down, leaving behind an unpleasant moisture. ¡°I wonder how starlight can even make it through this thick volcanic ash.¡± ¡°They are the eyes of the Old Kings, evil stars. Alidona says that the Kingse from other stars.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Would a priestess lie? She may be a big smoker, but she doesn¡¯t lie.¡± Husks of viges sprouted up in every crevice of the gentle mountainndscape or at the edges of the curved river, but they were all left dry and abandoned. Creak, creak, creak¡ª In the ruins of the viges, the hinges of the abandoned houses whispered their stories, long forgotten. ¡®By now, my hometown¡­¡¯ For a moment, Kaisen thought about what his hometown would be like, but all he could see was darkness. Could he still call thend where his father, mother, and sister died and where he had left at a young age his hometown? He wondered how far he had gone through the wriggling, seemingly alive fog when Mern suddenly crouched down. ¡°Alidona, this is the scouting team. A fortress was spotted just as we were about to head to the front of the mountain.¡± [Its size?] ¡°It¡¯s four stories high and can easily amodate three hundred people. What should we do?¡± [If they have more troops, it will be a hassle. We haven¡¯t reached the depths of the volcanic ash yet, so it¡¯s okay to engage¡­ if you have enough firepower.] ¡°It¡¯s overflowing.¡± [Hmm, it sounds like you want to show off your skills to our cute rookie by subduing demons.] ¡°Just go smoke.¡± Magic brilliantly intertwined above the arrow notched on White Spear Bow Serwebon. It was too huge to be called an arrow and looked like a pir. The process didn¡¯t even take 30 seconds, and it took less than three seconds for the arrow to pierce the fortress¡¯s pavilion. Drunken Archery Form, Thousand Deadly Whistles. A screech like the cry of a thousand birds followed the blue light, tearing through the volcanic ash. The technique, developed by Legendary Archer Saint Kies, who conquered the turbulent times of the 12th century, did not end with just piercing the target¡ªcountless stems sprouted from the arrow, tearing down its internal structure. ¡®Amazing¡­¡¯ The Thousand Deadly Whistles passed diagonally through the 2nd and 3rd floors, ripping through the structure and the enemies within. The arrow created a circr hole about five spans wide, and a crack more than twice that size appeared where it exited. As the fortress tilted and copsed,yer byyer, debris rained down on the beings on the 1st floor. ¡°!¡± Gray shapes ran out of the ruins. ¡°GUAAAAAAAAAAA!¡± They were one of the six major demon races, the force responsible for the armored power of the demons: trolls. Their intellect was very low, but humans believed that brawn made up for their dumbness. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have trampled on humanity with their unrealistic strength and physiques. Weren¡¯t the trolls running towards them, mindless of the arrows loosed by the archers? The trolls, whose backs were bent like hunchbacks and who ran while punching the ground with their huge arms, even enjoyed eating human flesh. ¡°Two trolls, huh? This seems to be quite an important fortress.¡± Perhaps as a side effect of the technique, Mern shook her hand to get rid of the steaming magic fog rising from her palm and looked back at Kaisen. ¡°I think they¡¯re pretty angry, so you can take care of them and leave the small fry to us.¡± Kaisen charged through the swirling volcanic ash and gripped his sword, which was crying for bloodshed. The moment the magic power inside the scabbard reached its peak, it leaped toward the target. Bright Lightning Strike. A red bolt of lightning left an image of light across the sky. At the end of the bolt, fresh blood sprayed through torn skin and severed vertebrae. The quick-draw technique killed two enemies, cutting off their heads with a resolute certainty. Click¡ª The quiet click of the sword returning to its scabbard echoed over the area. Like a thunderstorm, it was so vivid that it made ears ache, even amidst the heavy roar of the massive body falling over. Beyond that rity, a cloud of dust rose as corpses fell with their heads missing and covered the half-destroyed fortress. ¡°Wow, two trolls in one strike.¡± ¡°Poor guys, they attacked without even knowing the opponent was a monster that chopped up Daemons.¡± After Mern reported the copse of the fortress, the advance began again. Sometimes, Mern would pull her bowstring out of nowhere and let an arrow fly into the darkness, and then they would hear screams and see several dead goblins. Pulling the bowstring again, she stopped when they were about to embed the 17th barrier stone. ¡°An explosion¡­?This seems like a low-level spell. Priestess, is there a scouting team other than us?¡± [No. Why?] ¡°We discovered a second fortress and see unidentified individuals who appear to be adventurers. They are engaged in a fight with the fort. What should we do?¡± [Adventurers, huh¡­? It would be better than letting them die. Help them. Of course, if you can afford to. Don¡¯t overdo it.] Only after moving for a while did the rest hear the explosion that Mern mentioned. Howling screams from all directions¡­ Against the waves of screams, people were seen fighting usingrge shields and reciting spells. ¡°You bastards, get the hell out of my hometown!¡± Mern and her archers rained down arrows to support them. The head of a goblin leader, who jumped at a woman and tried to plunge his sword into her neck, was removed by Aradamantel¡¯s de. When the battle ended through a simr process as before, a crowd of 12 people gathered. Sure enough, they were adventurers. ¡°With the Empire¡¯s famous Bow Saint and Fake Warrior here, even the demons are no big deal.¡± Adventurers were a militia force that appeared during the first period of turmoil in the 12th century. They were challengers who subdued demons and conqueredbyrinths while running their own groups, and they also solved problems that were difficult for the state to intervene in. With the introduction of firearms and the beginning of the Age of Science, their power was greatly reducedpared to the old era. ¡°I¡¯m not the Bow Saint now. What is this? Civilian entry into the Red Mountains should have been strictly prohibited due to the heat wave.¡± ¡°You want me to leave the task of reiming my hometown in the hands of others?¡± the adventurer asked. ¡°Where did you learn that?¡± ¡°The rumor already spread. The southern expedition is about to begin.¡± ¡°You know this is illegal.¡± ¡°Illegal? You well know there is only onew that applies to adventurers. Anything is legal as long as it satisfies one¡¯s dreams.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you talk sense?¡± Mern sighed with a shake of her head. Kaisen joined the conversation. ¡°By order of the Heavenly Fortress, we are looking for a way to Aurelinople. Can you guide us?¡± ¡°Of course, the ins are dangerous, so let¡¯s go along the mountain range. Are you the famous ¡®Daemon yer¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Damn, really? I can give you directionster, so please sign this.¡± ¡°This is a battlefield.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so strict. You can just say you¡¯ll do itter.¡± The adventurers, who had lived without any ups and downs, were rude, but their directions were clear¡ªthey guided them along unfamiliar routes and exined various terrain features encountered along the way. ¡°What is this huge hole?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a hole. It used to be ake. Alkave Lake.¡± ¡°This is Alkave Lake?¡± ¡°Yes. Can you believe I used to fish here with my father when I was little?¡± Eavesdropping on the stories of the archers and adventurers, Kaisen inadvertently remembered the days he had spent with his father. Memories of a world that had already died¡­ What would remain if they lingered on such memories? He closed his eyes to banish the fantasy. ¡°I never imagined Alkave Lake would dry up.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a year since Aurelinople fell, and this deathly weather has continued since then.¡± Mern, who was at the forefront with an arrow attached to her White Spear Bow, stopped and looked back. ¡°I can see the wilderness more clearly now. What kind of road is this?¡± ¡°Everyone in this area knows this road. Thanks to the redwood trees, the air was very clean. All the trees have withered, so you won¡¯t knowÒ»¡± ¡°Wait, it¡¯s Tuaki. Take cover!¡± As jumping out of a madman¡¯s nightmares, a lizard with pale skin and a gaping maw torn into six parts screamed as it pped its wings over the volcanic ash. Tuakis¡­ monsters called ¡®Old Ones¡¯¡­ Everyone stood still as the dead, feeling cold sweat pouring down their backs. ¡°Good. it¡¯s gone. Now¡­ hmmm?¡± Mern narrowed her eyes and seemed to be ring beyond the ash; then she put her hands to her ears. ¡°Alidona, arge, unidentified monster nt is growing. Uruks are standing guard around it.¡± [A monster nt? Briefly describe what you can see.] ¡°It exhales dry breath that makes you suffocate. The branches are thick, and the leaves are like thorns. It has a rotten egg and sulfuric smell. It seems to be a vine nt at its root.¡± [It can¡¯t be¡­ If what you say matches what I know, it¡¯s a Primordial nt.] ¡°A Primordial nt?¡± [The official name is ¡®Rukungadon¡¯, it takes away all the moisture in the area and turns it into a desert. That¡¯s in Aurelinople?] ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. We¡¯ll take a detour.¡± [No, it moves and even eats people. There is a high possibility that it will hinder the advance ofrge-scale troop mobilization. You guys should handle it.] Following Mern¡¯s instructions, the archers and adventurers settled down. There was only one road, and when Kaisen stood on the road by himself, the uruk warriors burst intoughter. Again, the dance began¡­ In the endless shes of red, sshes of blood and cries of death intermingled. ¡°It¡¯s a goblin firing squad. There are a lot of them. You guys, support Kaisen. I¡¯ll handle them alone.¡± ¡°You bastards, get off ournd!¡± ¡°Priestess, we are dealing with uruks and arge army of goblins. Reinforcements are stilling!¡± The Primordial nt, hit directly by the White Spear Bow¡¯s arrow, began to convulse and sweep the ground with its vines. It squeezed uruks and goblins like rags and swallowed their blood, which regenerated its wounds. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s how you¡¯re going to y it? This is fun! Let¡¯s keep ying from afar until you kill all the uruks with your own vines!¡± By the time nearly seven handfuls of uruks had died, everything was in order. The Primordial nt was hanging limply, a strange liquid flowing through the five or six holes created by the White Spear Bow¡¯s arrows. Around it, the enemies that Kaisen had not killed were lying in a heap. ¡®This is like¡­¡¯ It looked more like the corpse of arge reptile than a nt. The suffocating heat¡­ Was the sticky liquid that poured out when the nt died something likeva? A hot haze rose everywhere. ¡°Priestess, the Primordial nt has been destroyed.¡± [What is the enemy¡¯s reaction?] ¡°About 300 uruks and five trolls appeared, but Kaisen took care of them, and there were no other special enemies. It was nice to see the thing they guarded so preciously end up eating them.¡± [Move deeper into the volcanic ash. Make sure to embed the barrier stones. Ourmunication will be cut off. We need to obtainplete geographic information.] ¡°The adventurers say that there is a path to Aurelinople without having to go deep in the ashes. What should we do?¡± ¡°If you go straight this way, you¡¯ll see it right away. You don¡¯t have to go far.¡± [That sounds good, okay. I¡¯m telling you this again, but don¡¯t forget to install the barrier stones.] ¡°Okay. We¡¯re entering the volcanic ash.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for Mern¡¯s voice, which had been filled with excitement of the mission¡¯s sess, to distort in bewilderment. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± [Communication was resumed due to the instation of the barrier stone. What happened?] ¡°I¡¯m looking down at Aurelinople right now, and I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ll believe me when I tell you.¡± [Say it.] ¡°Primordial nts are covering the city. Maybe that¡¯s why the entire city turned into a desert. Great River Belisor dried up and looks like a long valley. Even now, it looks like the desert is expanding.¡± There was an uneasy silence from the other side of themunication. The silence was shared by the adventurers, who had returned to their hometown, as they exchanged despairing looks with each other. Alidona spoke again. Not to Mern, but to the Heavenly Castle. [His Excellency, this is Alidona. I would like to report the situation in Aurelinople.] The Heavenly Castle¡¯s silence was not as long as Alidona¡¯s¡ªthe decision was made right away. Alidona conveyed his words as an order. [Finish installing the barrier stones there and then return. The headquarters decided to expedite the expedition. There won¡¯t be much time to rest.] Chapter 44 Chapter 44 ¨C All-out War, Capturing Aurelinople (2) When Kaisen returned from his reconnaissance mission, he was able to meet a familiar face¡­ Ria Alter Tas Alfo. Her once-blonde hair, a feature of her noble blood, had faded to white and lost its warmth and sticity. ¡°Would it be strange if I said it¡¯s been a while?¡± He gave a somewhat shy and awkward greeting. Ria¡¯s eyes turned to him, golden and draconic, just like his. Those ¡®simrities¡¯ made him sad rather than happy. Was it the fate of Fake Warriors to have the same appearance and follow the same paths in life? ¡°You¡¯ve already been appointed, huh?¡± ¡°I took the same amount of time as you.¡± ¡°I took eight months and you¡­ Ah¡­ I guess so.¡± ¡°Master was justughing that she had something to brag about to Kam, along with Chief Instructor Olliere.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t my appointment process greatly shortened due to the urgency of the war?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°What do you mean by that? You aren¡¯t going to say that you were ipetent, right?¡± Ria narrowed her eyes and continued to argue. They shook their heads and exchanged helplessughter that brought about deep memories. Maybe it was because theirughter still reflected the yfulness of their youth, back before they became heroes, but it vaguely reminded Kaisen of the time he was still with them all. ¡°You haven¡¯t changed,¡± Kaisen said. Ria smiled bitterly. ¡°Thanks to you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°You saved me from losing my teacher. If you hadn¡¯t done that, I don¡¯t know what would have happened to me.¡± They¡¯d said Sharon Alter Tas Alfo died after seeing Ria be a Fake Warrior. Unlike her old friends, she lived to see her disciple grow up and inherit her holy sword. Unlike her friend, who died first, she was able to share many joys, sorrows, and memories in the quiet of a prepared farewell. Unlike her friend, she was able to meet oldrades, reminisce about many things, and teach her juniors in the Temple of the Sword of Bravery. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you. I¡¯ll be grateful to you until the moment I die.¡± Ria¡¯s words were full of restrained emotions. Because Kaisen had experienced it first, he could read the sadness of never being able to meet someone again. ¡°I didn¡¯t have much time when Master died. We had a lot to talk about, but we didn¡¯t have time, so I had to just listen,¡± he said. ¡°Kaisen¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want you or Senior Sharon to have to go through something like that. I¡¯m d.¡± Though he couldn¡¯t go see them or talk to them again, the feeling of missing them never went away. Whenever he talked about his teacher, he couldn¡¯t help but feel pain in his heart. ¡°Thank you. It looks like you¡¯re okay, seeing that you can speak so calmly. I was very worried.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because¡­ you don¡¯t need to act like you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Surely, the scouting team told you? Was it only mentioned at the official meeting?¡± Ria frowned and hesitated several times before finally answering. ¡°The leader of the uruk n that holds Aurelinople is the Kiral n.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°They¡¯re the n that destroyed the White Bone Corps and the ck Rose Corps in Aristapo around this timest year¡­¡± * * * ¡¸As you all know, Aurelinople was a key strategic point in the old empire during the years of war.¡¹ Perhaps it was only natural. After it had fallen, it had be the greatest base for the abyss¡¯s invasion. ¡¸The military might of the demon races in the central front is currently at its weakest due to the crushing defeat they suffered when they lost the Mauna Roa. This is a great opportunity for us to recapture Aurelinople.¡¹ It was their first opportunity¡­ also, at the same time, it may have been thest opportunity. If they missed it, Aurelinople would forever be lost. ¡°What can we do?¡± Marshal Melvin asked. ¡°Aurelinople is one of the great cities of the past. Its defenses can be said to be impregnable.¡± ¡°Furthermore, the enemy force consists of 800,000 uruk troops led by the Kiral n and 200,000 bloodkin led by the Pale Bars!¡± Deputy Marshal Renathil added. ¡°If you add up all the other minor demon races, I think the number easily exceeds five million. The entire central frontline army could gather there.¡± ¡°Inparison, even if the mountain range defense force were to be united, our number would only be 1.2 million. This figure, of course, would be if all defenses were given up.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be dangerous to give up defending the mountain range? In thest battle, we only won less than 20% of battles that weren¡¯t defensive in nature,¡± Marshal Asiulf asked, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. ¡°If you n tounch an all-out war, who will break through the Kiral n¡¯s cavalry?¡± ¡°The Kiral n has thergest number of cavalry units among the Hai-tark ns. The strength and brutality of its wolf cavalry have already been proven in countless battles!¡± ¡°Yes, the undefeated White Bone Corps was also annihted by the Kiral nst year.¡± The Marshals, deputy marshals, and rank-and-file officers discussed while sneaking nces at Kaisen. Kaisen Alter Aradamantel was the direct disciple of Kam Alter Aradamantel, who died at the time, and was the one who survived the massacre. ¡°As the war in the Red Mountains changes to a siege,memorative skills are losing their momentum, but battles on the ins are still difficult¡­¡± ¡°The mountain defense line is still functioning well. Is there any need to take a risky gamble¡­?¡± ¡°Your Excellency, if you really want to go, how about luring out the Kiral from the mountain range first?¡± That was the first time thatmanders so actively objected to the Heavenly Castle¡¯s judgment. The Red Mountains were afortable ce for humankind. The Heavenly Castle quietly closed his eyes at the limitations of humanity, who only looked at the present. ¡¸My decision will not change. The entire army will be dispatched at this time tomorrow.¡¹ ¡°Then who will be the Kiral n¡¯s opponent?¡± ¡°Please leave it to me.¡± A voice suddenly emerged from the ranks of the otherwise silent Fake Warriors. All eyes focused in that direction, and when they saw who¡¯d spoken, most of them grew quiet. Kaisen Alter Aradamantel¡­ He¡¯d acquired many military honors in the short period of time he¡¯d been active. ¡°You¡¯re going to do it?¡± ¡°Yes, Marshal Melvin.¡± ¡°This is different from cutting down 3,000 of the Tahuf n and rushing against the Nuwigin n. What can you do?¡± ¡°I will break through the west gate via the main road leading from the ins.¡± ¡°Are you serious? This battle is different. The enemy unit is different! Countless great generals have been trampled under the Kiral n¡¯s feet and be the dew on the battlefield!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just your teacher! Eltyre Alter dimarte was also killed by the Kiral when Aurelinople fell, but you¡¯re going to break through them all by yourself? In three minutes?¡± Marshal Melvin¡¯s concerns represented the doubts of everyone present. Perhaps it seemed like an admonishment to the young man, who was the only one who spoke in favor amidst all the opposition. The Heavenly Castle¡¯s quiet eyes turned to Kaisen. ¡¸Originally, I was nning to order the Iron Cross to lead a frontal breakthrough. Kaisen, I wanted to assign you to a different ce. Do you know why?¡¹ ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡¸I have observed 100 futures in which you lost your rationale in your quest for vengeance. In 99 of them, you lose your mind and die there.¡¹ The White Bone Corps appeared before his eyes¡ªrain was falling on bodies that had been hacked apart by axes, crushed by blunt objects, and ripped up by wolves. It reminded him of Eltoram, a white bear who had died after being ravaged by over a hundred arrows and axe des, with his entire body crushed and his bones sticking out of his fur. In the rain, he remembered Kam¡¯s smile as she died,ughing for thest time, and he remembered the heat of the tears flowing down his face. He couldn¡¯t collect their corpses. Did they rot, or were they dried up by the volcanic ash? In his head and mind, he grieved hundreds, no¡­ a thousand times. He alone lived. As such, he thought he had no right to see them. A fire burned deep in his heart¡ªa hole in the depths of his soul¡ªcausing his throat to dry up. For Kaisen, his memorial service was a ritual of the sword where he repayed hisrades¡¯ deaths with more death instead of mourning and crying. ¡°I don¡¯t have confidence that I will be able to keep myposure. Nor do I have any intention of doing so.¡± ¡¸¡­¡¹ ¡°I will make sure to cut through everything, and I will not die.¡± Again, the noise in the room grew louder. Gorgothia Alter Zierda whistled, while Seria and Ria, who understood his vengeful spirit, quietly closed their eyes. The Heavenly Castle asked again, ¡¸Even if you are not allowed to release your seal?¡¹ The Heavenly Castle knew the power of turning emotions into strength. The heat that gushed from within the body was a long stream of power for the warriors, and in that heat, they withered and died like firewood, burning to reveal the truth and then disappearing into ash. ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± Murmurs of concern grew louder. ¡°Without releasing the dragon spirit, The Kiral n¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t have dragon spirit, aren¡¯t you worse than other Fake Warriors¡­?!¡± As if cutting themotion with a knife, the lead Fake Warrior, Loveris Alter Shirfang, spoke, ¡°The Iron Cross will assist Kaisen Alter Aradamantel with all its might, so everyone, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Do you n to join him¡­?!¡± ¡°Do you think we can achieve this absurdity¡­?.¡± ¡°If the Heavenly Castle gives an order, it is my duty as a Fake Warrior to follow it, and I can only do my duty.¡± The Heavenly Castle closed his eyes for a moment. Behind his closed eyes, countless futures humans could not see were unfolding. After a while, when all the chatter had subsided into silence, he quietly opened his eyes. ¡¸I entrust the Knights of the Iron Cross of Loveris Alter Shirfang and Kaisen Alter Aradamantel to break through the gates of Aurelinople.¡¹ * * * ¡°Thank you for your help.¡± After the expedition meeting concluded and they returned to the Iron Cross¡¯s camp, Kaisen expressed his sincere gratitude to Loveris. ¡°You only need to promise two things¡­¡± ¡°Please speak.¡± ¡°Break through the front, but don¡¯t act like a moth¡ªwe won¡¯te to help you then. I have no intention of ordering my subordinates to die.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°Oh, and you don¡¯t have anything to thank me for,¡± Loveris said, hitting Kaisen in the middle of his chest with her fist. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who wants to avenge her, and the Kiral owe me something else¡­¡± ¡°¡­What else?¡± ¡°Make this thest time you show your emotions, especially those rted to revenge.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°A warrior must be like that¡ªhe must be able to create a positive atmosphere, not a negative one.¡± Loveris looked like a sage looking beyond this world, into the source of all things. ¡°Kaisen, surpass your teacher, and be a hero like her teacher, Raminea.¡± Chapter 45 Chapter 45 ¨C All-out War, Capturing Aurelinople (3) [ording to the reconnaissance report, desertification has begun in Aurelinople as well.] February 28, 1698. Purple City, Aurelinople, Western in of Levento. [The only way to prevent the desertification from reaching the Red Mountains is to recapture the city.] Humanity regained their field of vision due to the waves generated by the barrier stones. Following the clear path, ranks of light and dust advanced in an orderly manner. The 400,000-strong force of the reorganized 1st Field Army targeted the frontal, that is, the northern gate of Aurelinople. [Starting with the 1st Field army, the entire 2nd and 3rd Field armies are moving south, to the outskirts of the city.] The sight was truly spectacr. Light filtered through dust being kicked up over the ground, and above, the sound of the wind along with pping griffin wings fluttered over the field. [We¡¯ve identified the enemy garrisons in each direction now that the volcanic ash has cleared. Commanders can n strategies against the enemies they¡¯ll be facing.] In ordance with the issuance of a military alert, that was, an order for general mobilization, all troops except for a minimum defense force were deployed before the main attack. Later, history recorded the number of military personnel involved on that day to be 1,111,756 people. It was an all-out war in which all of the troops from the two southern countries and all of the Fake Warriors were deployed, and if that decisive battle were lost, humanity would not survive. [The Iron Cross opens the way. The Iron Castle and Dragon Hammer Corps will cover the north gate at the vanguard of the 2nd sector, and in the 3rd sector, the Piljung Corps will cover the east gate.] Kaisen looked back at the advancing cavalry, shaking the earth, and the ranks of the Knights of the Iron Cross running through. Tens of thousands of gs¡­ Like one unified creature, the gs hovered over the soldiers marching in a unified cadence. ¡°The Heavenly Castle ordered our Iron Cross to lead the frontal attack.¡± Band Kingdom, The Third Republic of Calon, The Kingdom of Hossen, The Duchy of Anima, The Duchy of Berne, etc¡­ They were all famous countries in the south, and their soldiers lost their homes a long time ago. The idea of returning to their lost homes was reced by the reality unfolding in the dust. ¡°Ha! The declining 2nd Hai-Khun-Tark n, huh?! A worthy opponent for our Iron Cross!¡± Teval eximed. ¡°The Kiral n has the most modern system and enormous power. Just look at how they are filling the horizon right nÒ»¡± Mern tried to scold him. SUddenly, in front of them, at the castle of Aurelinople¡ªa city amidst the drifting volcanic ash¡ªpowerful catapults, three times the normal size, tilted one by one. ¡°Simultaneous bombardment from the front! It¡¯s a troll siege battery!¡± someone shouted. Alidona took a scroll from her belt, unrolled it, and shouted, ¡°I will build a barrier, so everyone should slow down and halt the advance.¡± The giant projectiles crashed into her barrier. As soon as the fragments settled, the Knights of the Iron Cross passed through the barrier. Teval, wearing his ck iron helmet¡¯s facete, shouted, ¡°Ha! How many trolls are there? I love seeing so many willing targets!¡± ¡°Captain, seeing that there are so many trolls, I think there must be ogres as well. We need to be careful.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Ogres were a variant of trolls that underwent physical and mental mutations due to the influence of the abyss. ording to schrs, unlike trolls, they could think and even spit out words. The troll race¡¯s advantage was its overwhelming strength, but its weakness was its dull intelligence. ¡°It is never pleasant to equip such a foe with intelligence. You guys, who will be Fake Warriors, will have to take care of them.¡± Rachel, the instructor at the Temple of the Sword of Bravery, emphasized that the Fake Warriors would have to take care of them because countless deaths had already urred in the name of loyalty against that irrational force. Ogres were equipped with irrational force and a deep will, and humanity had no choice but to use irrational force against them. ¡°Our main target is the Kiral n. Let¡¯s think about everything else after breaking through them.¡± * * * The wind in the wilderness in front of Aurelinople¡¯s west gate was fierce, sweeping volcanic ash and dust across the wastnd and whipping at the soldiers charging forth. Above the deserted wilderness, the sound of the Kiral ns wolves¡¯ howling echoed. ¡°Auuuuuuu¡­¡± ¡°Auuuuuuuuuu¡­¡± ¡°Auuuuuuuuuuuu¡­¡± The tearing howls reverberated in the volcanic ash, making the sound even more terrifying. The war horses red their nostrils. ¡°Iron Cross, spears up!¡± The horses gathered speed, and countless monster wolves poured from the volcanic ash. ¡°20 seconds until collision!¡± The Kiral n¡¯s emblem, the Roaring Wolf¡¯s banner, danced on the gs of the n¡¯s bannermen. The bloody smell of the wolves and the battle song of the Kiral n uruks felt extremely familiar to Kaisen. ¡®Familiar? no¡­¡¯ Rather than being familiar, it felt spiritual. Almost a year, no, over a year prior, it was exactly the same as the day he reyed over and over again in his head. ¡°The Kiral n. They¡¯re originally a n that upied the ¡®Jurd ins¡¯, the most fertilend in the demonic world, south of the Manri mes.¡± Because the ins were wide and the mountains were far away, skilled warriors and wolves multiplied explosively there. Equipped with the administrative skills they learned while plundering humankind, they ruled their army in an orderly manner. That staggering number had always posed a huge danger to humanity. ¡°3rd Seat, Eltyre Alter dimarte, fought and defeated the old chief, Zukan, in the defense of Aurelinople, and his 2nd son, Kishe, inherited the position of chief.¡± ¡°Instructor, what happened to the 1st son?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good question. The guy over there, who is busy thinking about something else, is the one who killed him, so if you have any questions, ask him directly.¡± Back then, Kaisen hadn¡¯t been able to focus on the ss. Every time he heard the name ¡®Kiral¡¯, the memories of that time came back, and the pain of that day struck him again. The pungent odor of blood, the groans of the dying, the mutted corpses of his friends, and¡­ ¡°Kaisen, I said it before, but if you lose your temper, I will not send my men to protect you. Understood?¡± Even though the enemy of his boyhood was right in front of him, his mind was surprisingly calm. No, would it be better to say it was cold rather than calm? Kaisen felt a deadly force colder than death creaking deep within him. ¡°Ha! Kiral bastards, I¡¯ll show you the taste of my dragon spear!¡± Teval shouted. Kaisen spurred Bloodwing onward and advanced as the vanguard. Suffering the sharp pain in his heart, his left hand was already on his scabbard while his right hand held his sword. ¡°Rokta! Human bs of meat are aughingstock! Coming at this Aktkor, of Kiral¡¯s fearless Kiranzuki, assault force!¡± The wolves, hungry for human flesh and blood, ran toward the humans with their mouths dripping saliva. Above them, the Kiral n warriors¡¯ metal armor sparkled as they shouted battle cries. The moment the de of the holy sword was pulled from its pure-white scabbard, it turned red. Disintegrating Strike¡ª With the first strike, about 100 warriors were ughtered. ¡°Bak to¡­?!¡± With the second strike, the heads of over 200 wolves rose into the air, creating a mist of blood. ¡°What¡­?!¡± With the third strike, the defeated Kiral assault force scattered left and right. [Kaisen Alter Aradamantel pierced through the Kiral n assault force head-on¡­!] [Amazing! The Kiral n was unable to stop Kaisen Alter Aradamantel!] [High-risk abyss agent approaching Kaisen at high speed!] * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * A wolf twice asrge as a normal one rushed toward Kaisen, who was preparing for the fourth strike. Bloodwind immediately stood on his hind legs, causing the fangs that were trying to bite him to meet nothing but air. The warhorse and wolf collided, followed by an explosive metallic sound that rang in everyone¡¯s ears. aaaang¡ª! The uruk on the wolf was a giant with unnaturally gray skin. His bizarre armor and gauntlets, which seemed to have been made by weaving together sand particles one by one, created a sand storm. The uruk¡¯s face was familiar. ¡°I looked forward to the day I could kill you on the battlefield, Kaisen Kishunkalihatz.¡± Kishe had previously epted the results of the Kaltake and let Kaisen go. Yet, fate destined for them to meet again. A year had passed. They were each other¡¯s enemies, but both their strength and appearance had changed iparablypared to a year prior. ¡°You¡­¡± Kaisen¡¯s voice wouldn¡¯te out. The anger congealing in the hole in his chest¡ªrotting away inside his body¡ªblocked his vocal cords. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone intervene! This guy is my prey. I will crush your head right here and now and ce it on my brother¡¯s grave,¡± the uruk yelled. Aradamantel¡¯s de and the gauntlets blessed by an Old King collided countless times, and a fierce wind blew around them. Unable to speak, Kaisen was muttering absentmindedly in his mind. ¡®Hey, Kishe¡­ do you know? From that day, when you killed my second family. Do you know how many times I killed you in my head¡­?¡¯ ¡®How many hundreds of thousands of times¡­ No, how I swore so many times that I lost count that, with my own hands, I would annihte all of you, the Kiral n, without leaving a single one of you on this earth¡­?¡¯ ¡®Yeah¡­¡¯ He would be fulfilling his pledge that day. Before he aimed for Balkrush, who was hiding beyond his reach, he would first bury Kishe. Shliiiiiink¡ª! The concentrated power of the abyss exploded from the gauntlet, intensifying the sandstorm. Lava and sand had long been the authority of the Ancient King, Neigs. His power could turn everything it caught into dirt and sand, but it was blocked by Kaisen¡¯s crossed sword and scabbard. ¡°Captain, Kaisen is banned from using his dragon spirit but is still fighting one-on-one with the Kiral n chief¡­¡± ¡°Take cover and clear the way!¡± ¡°Kasas, you¡¯re in the right ce! Get it over with, Kishe!¡± Kaisen¡¯s helmet and armor crumbled into sand, his skin cracked, and his muscles hardened. Just as Kishe was preparing the finishing blow to end the fight¡­ Kaisen returned Aradamantel to its pure-white scabbard in a gentle action that seemed reverential in nature. It was difficult to think of him as a swordsman on a chaotic battlefield. Instead, he gave off the serene and holy image of a monk praying in a quiet cathedral. When all the red energy was sucked into the sheath, he didn¡¯t look human in the slightest. Cross Sword Style ¨C 4th Form, Shoot. He¡¯s seen and practiced the form hundreds of times. When he took the stance just before the enemy¡¯s finishing blow, pieces of memoirs fluttered through his mind like flower petals in the winds. Familiar sights, smells, sensations¡­ Cross Sword Style ¨C 12th Form¡­ He heard the faintughter of the White Bone Corps soldiers as they told obscene stories. He felt the warmth of Kam¡¯s fingers as she corrected his posture and moved his head. And, also¡­ Void of Annihtion. As if unfolding all those memories and pulling them into a void of darkness, he pulled his trembling de from the scabbard just as Kishe¡¯s swung. The de of light cut through the sandstorm, pierced the sandy armor and skin of his enemy, passed through the uruk¡¯s ribs and heart, and soared upward. ¡°Yeah, you son of a bitch. I¡¯ll teach you, I¡¯ll teach! So annoying, really.¡± Aradamantel roared several decibels louder than usual as it struck the enemy at a speed mortal eyes dared not follow. ¡°This is thest form of the Cross Sword Style.¡± The style¡¯s final form, which left dozens of ultra-fine strands of sword aura in its wake that cut into the target¡¯s body countless times before exploding, was, ultimately, a vertical sh. ¡°The 12th form is very difficult to use, but at its peak, it can surely kill quite a few enemies. Here, try it.¡± At that very moment, Kishe¡¯s body soared through the air following the sh, and countless fragments of memory spilled into their surroundings. The gauntlets of sand tumbled across the wastnd. Bloodwind trampled the unclean object with his hoof and snorted. The sound brought thebatants back to reality. For a moment, the only sound on the battlefield was the whisper of sand blowing in the wind. Joy and sorrow mingled on both sides. ¡°Ruk no¡­ this can¡¯t be happening¡­¡± ¡°Wow, Kaisen did it again! Even without dragon spirit, he killed a 2nd Hai-Khun-Tark chief¡­!¡± ¡°Is this the time to be amazed? Let¡¯s annihte these bastards!¡± The path before Kaisen opened. The 1st Field Army, led by the Knights of the Iron Cross, attacked and annihted the Kiral n cavalry. All of it was watched from the World Tree. ¡°Aurelinople¡¯s opening battle¡­ Despite the overwhelming forces, our troops are moving forward!¡± ¡°The enemy has lost theirmand structure and is dispersing! Confusion is spreading among the troops!¡± ¡°Most counterattacks were blocked by the Knights of the Iron Cross!¡± A sad smile appeared on Setsunen¡¯s lips as she gazed at the battlefield reflected on theke¡¯s surface with her Electrical Reverberance Formation deployed. ¡®Truly, Raminea¡­ So this is your son¡­ He resembles you and lights up this dark world with his sword. By taking after you, he is using his sword to create hope in this hopeless world.¡¯ ¡®Because he resembles you¡­ It seems unbearably painful for him to walk the path of the sword.¡¯¡¯ The emotion dominating that child¡¯s heart was not the pleasure of killing or the pleasure of revenge, but sadness¡­ No matter whose death he offered as a sacrifice, no matter what revenge hepleted, the crushing sadness came from the renewed realization that those who had already died couldn¡¯t be reced¡­ ¡®Just like with you, I can¡¯t help but want to lessen his pain and sadness¡­ As always, I can only watch helplessly as my heart breaks for him¡­¡¯ Chapter 46 Chapter 46 ¨C All-out War, Capturing Aurelinople (4) Defeating the Kiral n was only the first battle in the campaign to recapture Aurelinople. The most important goal, and an entity more dangerous than the Kiral n, still remained. It was said that, in the distant past, it was an existence so feared it was called ¡®Asarakalt¡¯. ¡°In the modern tongue, it would mean ¡®Noble¡¯.¡± They were on a different levelpared to modern Nobles, which was why they were instead called ¡®Old Nobles¡¯. ¡°Detailed information on the Old Nobles is in this book.¡± ¡°Huh? Instructor, isn¡¯t that book banned?¡± ¡°Youpleted the body modification process. I don¡¯t know yet if you will be a Dune or an Alter, but you now have ess to every banned book in the world.¡± Although Kaisen was vaguely aware of the ominous rumors spreading on the battlefield, it was through the Temple of the Sword of Bravery that he truly learned about the Old Nobles. To be exact, he learned of them in the book titled ¡ºThe History of the Abyss¡» The book itself clearly gave the feeling of being a living thing. Each and every one of its worn-out pages seemed to be writhe, as if caressing the reader¡¯s fingers in an ufortable manner. In ancient times, five kings ascended andmanded the world through their authority. They had officials called ¡®Old Nobles¡¯ under theirmand, and because they had divine status, there was no way to defeat them. They could only be sealed away. Because souls live forever, the body worn by such a soul is a mere illusion that can be continuously regenerated. It didn¡¯t make sense¡­ How could he fight beings that had to be cut down but couldn¡¯t be cut? Quick regeneration, which Fake Warriors achieved on a limited basis by injecting themselves with dragon blood serum, was a basic skill his enemies possessed. The first time humans met one of the Forgotten Kings was in the 15th century AD. King of Spiders, Ashron, ¡®One who Devours the World¡¯. It was taboo to use that title carelessly. In the 15th century, Ashron, apanied by his five aides, overthrew the Northern Great Wall. [Illustration]: Ò» copsed northern great wall. This happened about 10 minutes after Ashron appeared. In that short period of time, half of the imperial army was devastated. [Illustration]: Ò» Ranked 2nd among the Five Pirs, Second Mocking Marquess Zayun. Temporarily incapacitated by thebined attacks of Fake Warriors, but appeared to be rapidly regenerate with the help of bubbles. Second Mocking Marquess Zayun killed three Fake Warriors before being sealed by Yoshhar¡¯s power. Kaisen didn¡¯t want to believe that the Old Nobles were really that powerful. Three Fake Warriors¡­ The book recorded such unbelievable and absurd history. 1434 AD. Ò» Dragon Sage Rain Ludwig subduing the King of Spiders. 1542 AD. Ò» Apostle of the Void, Arjen, subduing the King of Time with the help of Acarea of the Crimson mes. The two kings have been unable to exert their authority since they were subjugated(being sealed again after they broke the old one). There are still three kings left. The King of Oceans, the King of Insects, and the King of Lizards, who had a great influence during the turmoil of the 12th century. The Dragon Sage and the Apostle of the Void¡­ It was said that nobody had been born after them with the ability to wield such power. 1671 AD Ò» The ¡®ck Summer¡¯ begins as an army of demons join forces and gather due to an unidentified human swordsman (presumed to be the First Pir of the ck Church). Ò» Head Fake Warrior, Raminea Alter Aradamantel, dispels the atrocities and banishes them beyond the sea. 1692 AD Ò» The ¡®Red Summer¡¯ begins with the main demon forces receiving the blessings of the Old Nobles, who escaped from their seals. Ò» Physical transformation urs in each of the high-ranking demon races, and they be more powerful than during the ¡®ck Summer.¡¯ Ò» The front line was maintained for five years thanks to the efforts of the Fake Warriors, including the head Fake Warrior, Kam Alter Aradamantel. Why was it that the suddenly ended history seemed to be telling him it was his turn? * * * Reaper Scans Trantor ¨C Rainypup Proofreader ¨C fy Join our discord for updates on releases!! https://discord.gg/reaperscans * * * [Iron Cross, report.] The priestess answered from the center of a unit bearing the Iron Cross g as they swept mercilessly across the wastnd like a tidal wave of concentrated steel. ¡°Kaisen defeated Kiral Chief Kishe and is engaging the remnants of the Kiral n.¡± [The Piljung Corps confirmed the presence of shamans inside the castle. There are two on each side of the castle walls. Deal with them immediately so that the floating castle can enter the city¡¯s sky.] ¡°I will follow your orders, Your Excellency.¡± Alidona conveyed the order to Loveris, who immediately ordered her men to raise their banners. As the knights gathered around the captain¡¯s g, Loveris shouted, ¡°Iron Cross, leave the rest to our allies, and enter the castle!¡± ¡°Will we be okay without siege engines?¡± ¡°Teval and Mern, you try, and if it doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll take care of it. Thanks to a certain someone, I was able to refrain from using Time-Space Void.¡± Loveris made her way toward Kaisen, and the knights cheered with respect. ¡°Kaisen, your order remains the same¡­ Do not release your dragon spirit seal without permission.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Immediately after entering the castle gate, we will divide into three groups. Mern and Teval are to head northwest, and Kaisen and Alidona are to head southwest. I will finish the central breakthrough to the inner city.¡± The operation proceeded smoothly. Alidona¡¯s magic rebuilt the withered drawbridge; then, Teval¡¯s Dragon Bone Spear and Mern¡¯s Thousand Deadly Whistlespletely opened the way. [Senior Loveris, this is Seira of the Iron Castle Corps. A barrier is blocking the entrance to the northern gate. I think it¡¯s connected to the barrier at the west gate.] ¡°A chain barrier, huh? We¡¯re on our way now. Just wait a moment.¡± [Dame Loveris, this is Vies, the Commander of the 1st Fighter Wing. We are being intercepted by a troll anti-aircraft battery! I think air support will be possible only after you deal with them.] Loveris, who was originally in charge of breaking through the center, began focusing on the defense unit targeting the air forces. It was a fairly dangerous mission because trolls were beings that could tear soldiers apart for lunch. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the trolls. You guys should move to the area we mentioned.¡± ¡°Ha, those trolls have big heads, so it feels great to break open their skulls. I¡¯d like to take charge of fighting them.¡± ¡°I see quite a few ogres. Be careful, Captain.¡± Still, the Iron Cross was a group where each individual had the power to ovee the hopeless racial differences. They didn¡¯t even show any fear in the face of such a mission. ¡°Mern, if you have time to worry about me, you should take care of yourselves. Finish your tasks as quickly as possible and join us.¡± Kaisen moved to the border area with Alidona. The barrier was guarded by bloodkin who acted in concert with each other, and they had already learned how to best deal with them through several battles. When Alidona¡¯s Psalm of Bright Life cast a wide-area slowdown, opening up a momentary loopholeÒ» ¡°Rookie, it¡¯s time to show off your skills.¡± Kaisen sheathed Aradamantel and applied the minimum necessary torque to his body by half-turning to the side. One shot¡­ As the bloodkin moved in their noble postures, their necks were cut by a sh of pure red, and their heads flew. Starting from that, they burst into mes as the Psalm of Bright Life wiped them out one by one, and silence spread over the battlefield. ¡°The Quick Draw Sword Technique gets more amazing every time I see it. If he meets a girl, I think she¡¯ll fall for him the moment he shows her that technique.¡± ¡°Fake Warriors can¡¯t get married.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just being boring again. I¡¯m going to have some fun, so watch carefully.¡± Alidona was not content with neutralizing the barrier. By cleverly manipting the barrier, she set it ame. When the Tuaki, winged snakes, battling against the griffins in the sky were caught in the mes and screamed in pain, Alidona giggled. ¡°Did you hear that? They also like it.¡± ¡°Is that what it sounds like to you?¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s preferences are different, and some people enjoy pain.¡± Was she the type of person who enjoyed causing pain¡­? Kaisen didn¡¯t say that out loud. They received a telepathicmunication from Mern and Teval, confirming they had seeded in neutralizing their barrier. [Command, this is the great dragon, I! I sessfully broke through the north gate. Now trying to enter the castle, but there are so many strange things! It¡¯s a wriggling nt! It looks like a primordial nt!] [Your Excellency, this is Aben Warden of the Magic Battery. Ready to bomb at any time.] [Well done. I¡¯ll change the floating castle¡¯s trajectory, please support with carpet bombing at the coordinates requested by the Dragon Hammer Corps.] [Coordinates? I don¡¯t know how to see something like that!!] [?] [It¡¯s okay because I¡¯m that strong!!] [Oh¡­ This is Seira of the Iron Castle Corps. I will send it.] The 2nd Field Army, which was in charge of the north gate, was also sending news of victory to the headquarters thanks to I and Seira. Alidona smiled brightly at I¡¯s bold answer, who was not at all ashamed of her ignorance. In addition to the 2nd Field Army, reports of simr victories continued toe in from other ces. [Dame Loveris, this is the 1st Fighter Wing. We have confirmed that the air defense battery has been neutralized. We can support you at anytime!] [We¡¯re alright, so please support the main unit of the 1st Field Army in the wastnd outside the castle.] [Understood. I wish you luck, Fake Warrior!] [You, too. Over.] Loveris, in charge of the most dangerous mission among the three, also seemed to havepleted her mission perfectly. [This is Loveris. Iron Cross, all who havepleted their missions to lift the barrier must gather in the center of the city.] [This is Teval. It¡¯s going to take some time because these damn paleolithic grasses are blocking the road. Please wait.] [Captain, as I confirmed during my reconnaissance mission, primordial nts are spread throughout the city. It seems like gathering now might be a bit dangerous. We should first order a carpet bombing¡­] The city was suffocatingly dry and filled with primordial nts, with their strangely thick branches and vines and leaves that looked like awls made for killing. The most dangerous type was the big type, which immediately took away the target¡¯s moisture upon impact. Those disgusting buds that looked like the heads of ancient reptiles spewed out foam and swallowed dozens of humans whole. Gathering together recklessly in that ominous garden seemed like an act of suicide. [I already requested a bombing order after the 2nd Field Army.] [I guess we just have to wait.] [No, not for us. It¡¯ll take too long to wait for the bombing to end and a new round to be ready.] Kaisen spoke. ¡°Can you tell me why you¡¯re in such a hurry?¡± [Kaisen, as expected of arge city, Aurelinople has an internal castle. Inside that castle, an entity with an abyss hazard level of ¡®Disaster¡¯ has been detected. All avable units are being moved.] Disaster¡­? If it was a disaster, then there was no way¡­ He heard the scoffs of disbelief being swallowed here and there. Teval let out a loud exmation of surprise. [Disaster? Isn¡¯t that a high rank just below the Forgotten Kings?] [Yes, it¡¯s an Old Noble. In fact, the desertification in progress already hinted at its existence. The Iron Cross¡¯s main goal has been changed to the subjugation of the Old Noble.] [That¡¯s why you were in a hurry. By the way, it feels like the Heavenly Castle always entrusts such important tasks to the Iron Cross.] Alidonaughed as she shook off the ashes from her pipe. ¡°Now we have our rookie who yed with that Mauna Roa, so what of it? It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± [Ha! Did that brat do it alone? We all helped. Really, if anyone heard you talk, they¡¯d think he did everything by himself.] ¡°Oh. my, Teval. Are you jealous of our rookie?¡± [It¡¯s not jealousy, it¡¯s the truth. Heh!!] [Priestess, Teval¡¯s face is red right now. It seems you saw right through him.] [Ha! I¡¯m wearing a helmet and even have my facete down, so what are you looking at and talking nonsense?] ¡°The rookie isughing in disbelief at your jealousy.¡± [Ha! He¡¯sughing? You brat?] ¡°I didn¡¯tugh,¡± Kaisen mumbled. [It¡¯s nice to see you getting along well, but stop. Alidona¡­] Alidona, who was cheerfully puffing at her pipe, nodded. ¡°I¡¯m going to build a temporary bridge in the sky. I¡¯ll put mes under the bridge so the primordial nts won¡¯t attack. Even if it¡¯s hot, just cross the bridge.¡±. [Hmm. Just hearing that makes me feel hot.] Thanks to Alidona, the Iron Cross was able to break through the primordial garden. Crossing the bridge she created, the Iron Cross gathered at the main street leading to the intersection in the city center. However, as they progressed, the nts grewrger, and their numbers multiplied. ¡°These damn things really met the right people. Was Aurelinople that good?¡± Of course, it was not only the Iron Cross that faced such difficulties but also other corps. ¡°Your Excellency, this is the Iron Cross. It is impossible to enter the inner castle. The primordial nts havepletely taken over the city.¡± Before the Heavenly Castle¡¯s reply reached them, anothermunication came in. [This ck Rose¡¯s Ria. Corps Mage Arte confirmed a colony of primordial nts surrounding the castle.] ¡°Colony?¡± [There is a core inside the colony, and destroying the core can neutralize arge number of primordial nts at once. The ck Rose is a light cavalry with great mobility, so we will handle it.] Alidona whistled in surprise. ¡°She¡¯s a smart kid, how did she know that?¡± For Kaisen, it wasn¡¯t surprising. In the past, on his journey to Aristapo, Yohan Wolf Frost had admired Ria¡¯s brilliance several times. Loveris nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed it. It seems it¡¯ll take too long to leave it to just the ck Rose Corps. Can you send me the coordinates of the other colonies?¡± [Of course.] ¡°Iron Castle, Dragon Hammer. You need to destroy the colonies they indicate.¡± [Kyakyakyakyak! Could it be that it won¡¯t be possible without me, I?! In that case, leave it to me!] ¡°?¡± [Yes, orders have been received.] The fact that Heavenly Castle did not stop Loveris¡¯s field orders meant that he agreed with the operational order. ¡°So now we¡¯re on our own?¡± Teval asked. A voice came from a newmunication line. [These cute juniors, leave the rest to us great seniors. Loro, it¡¯s been a while since we yed together.] Gorgothia Alter Zierd¡­ she was the proxy wielder of Zierda, a bow-sword-type holy sword and the 2nd Seat Fake Warrior. The subjugation of the Old Noble became the responsibility of the Iron Cross led by the Head Fake Warrior, Loveris, and the Piljung Corps led by the Deputy Seat Fake Warrior, Gorgothia. ¡°Your Excellency, we will be at the ready.¡± [The Lightning and Bright Sword are heading down now. The Lightning will solve your mobility issue, so preserve your strength.] ¡°Yes, if that is the case, the knights will reinforce the operation to suppress the colony of primordial nts and only remain as executive reinforcements.¡± [I was about to give thatmand. The military corps should also send out its soldiers as reinforcements and only have officers on standby.] Soon, golden light spread across the city¡¯s sky, like sunlight shining through a gap in the dark clouds. Setsunen of Lightning¡ªshe was not like the dragonkin Kaisen had always seen but was spreading her wings behind her noble wyvern form. [Starting soon. At the ready.] The moment the light converged into one powerful lightning strike and struck the city, the earth shook violently. Suddenly, the shaking disappeared. The reason ¡­ ¡°!¡± Kaisen was floating in the city sky with the Iron Cross and Piljung party members¡ªit was Setsunen¡¯s spatial transmission ability. Below the swirling convection current, he saw the inner city, where the semicircr barrier had been shattered by lightning. ¡°The primordial nts are like a barrier¡­!¡± The primordial nts were originally all tangled up, but the lightning struck a hole through them. ¡®Those things look like they¡¯re in pain.¡¯ They were writhing madly; even the sight of them squirming was disgusting¡­ ¡¸Take one each.¡¹ Setsunen handed out something in her front paws to each party member. It looked like divinity had been concentrated into the shape of a de, so they were momentarily entranced. ¡¸Bright Sword, the power of the Psalm of Bright Life is bound in the form of a sword.¡¹ Was it the Bright Sword¡­? As Kaisen admired it, Loveris ordered, ¡°Mern, take ours for yourself. Quickly, before we go down.¡± ¡°Please leave it to me, Captain.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll use ours. Come on, Loro! It¡¯s time to dance!¡± Unlike the excited Gorgothia, Loveris¡¯ voice was calmer than usual. ¡°Iron Cross and Piljung, we will drop into the inner part of the castle soon.¡± A reply immediately came from the floating castle. [Confirmed. Ordering the Knights of the Iron Cross and the Piljung Corps special forces to subdue the Old Noble.] Chapter 47 Chapter 47 ¨C All-out War, Capturing Aurelinople (5) February 1698 AD, the 7th year of the Red Summer, the start of the great counterattack. Humanity, facing the abyss¡¯ onught north of the Red Mountains, tried to turn the tide. ¡°Everyone knows that the battle to mark the beginning of this counteroffensive was the battle to recapture Aurelinople.¡± For both sides, the strategic value of the Purple City, Aurelinople, was indescribable. ¡°Why is that? Graham Paige, you answer.¡± ¡°Because the waters of the Great Belisor River, which connects the southern part of the continent, diverge at Aurelinople.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Humanity wanted to use the Belisor River to connect a supply line and use the southern part of the continent as a winter forward base. As for the abyss¡­ they intended to protect the city and use it as an ind base to control the territory of the old empire and as a staging ground to prepare for a northern advance. ¡°The battle might seem like it was a siege over a single city, but based on the scale of troops avable to both sides, it was an all-out war that would change the course of history.¡± The Old Nobles had been present in Aurelinople, along with a group of beings that had a legendary reputation in ancient times, ¡®Roten¡¯s Force of the Eternally Damned¡¯. They were the bodyguards of one of the , the King of Lizards, Neigs, and there were a hundred of them. ¡°Since they all share the same power, facing all one hundred of them simultaneously is the same as facing an Old Noble.¡± When picking the worst army to fight among the demon races, they were definitely among the top three. ¡°It is said that all reptilians, or lizardmen, aspired to be members of the Force of the Eternally Damned. I think that shows just how powerful they are.¡± In order to subdue Roten¡¯s Force of the Eternally Damned, Mirngadia deployed an overwhelming force with three Fake Warriors: First Seat Loveris Alter Schirpin, Second Seat Gorgothia Alter Zierda, and Third Seat Kaisen Alter Aradamantel. It was evident that the oue of humanity¡¯s counterattack would be determined by the performance of those three Fake Warriors. ¡°Once the news was announced, the historical counterattack began during the summer of February 1698 on the southern front.¡± * * * Sand crumbled into powder, grinding over itself in a hollow shifting sound as the 29th ¡®Roten¡¯s Force of the Eternally Damned¡¯ scattered like sand on the de of Aradamantel. Could it be that the scattered sand was the seed of life? The 30th, 31st, and 32nd members of the Eternally Damned rose to life again. ¡°What the hell are these guys?! They keeping!¡± Were they made up of sand? Sand writhed within the bone armor of the ancient reptiles. They all used a ¡®reaper¡¯s scythe¡¯ that harvested the soul of their target and inflicted fatal wounds with the slightest scratch. ¡°Your Excellency, this is Loveris! The Force of the Eternally Damned continues to rise. Each and every one of them has the strength of a normal daemon!¡± Their transcendent souls tried to drown the mortal consciousnesses that dared to face them, dragging them into the sand. ¡¸Be careful, Fake Warrior!¡¹ The hero party was able to face the Force of the Eternally Damned without any mental damage because Setsunen protected their minds with the Electrical Reverberance Formation. The reptilian eyes shimmering from inside the skull helmets did not invade their consciousness. [There are a total of 100. You must weaken them. Once they reach their limit, they will merge into one.] ¡°Ha! I was wondering why a high-ranking Noble had such ill-manners. So that¡¯s why!¡± ¡°You idiot, is this the time to run your mouth?¡± For the Force of the Eternally Damned to merge¡­ no, to make them merge¡­ Kaisen took a deep breath as he thought. Didn¡¯t they have to cut down the 99th member of the Eternally Damned before everyone got too tired? ¡°Your Excellency, I guess that¡¯s when we can use the Bright Sword,¡± Kaisen said. [Yes. Right now, the Old Noble¡¯s soul has been split into 100 pieces, so we shouldn¡¯t use the Bright Sword.] ¡°I will make them merge. Do I have permission to release my dragon spirit?¡± As soon as he received an affirmative, the sound of the Divine Dragon¡¯s power filling his mortal body roared over the shifting vortex of sand. Raging Thunderstorm¡­ Like lightning within a heavy thunderstorm, countless remnants of surging electricity were engraved in the sandy ground. 1st hit, 2nd hit, 3rd hit¡­ Following the sound of thunder, the Old Noble¡¯s body scattered as the sand beneath the bone armor was neatly cut. ¡¸¡­?¡¹ And when the next member of the Eternally Damned stood up from the sand, its body crumbled before it could even finish standing up. ¡¸¡­!¡¹ A red sh ran through the battlefield; the transcendental light left traces where it passed countless times in just a moment. Above those traces were the ancient forces of the Eternally Damned that broke helplessly into sand and scattered. ¡°He¡¯s fast. To the point the forces of the Eternally Damned don¡¯t even have time to stand up¡­!¡± The draconic power deep inside Kaisen¡¯s body and soul increased his perception of time to unrealistic levels¡ªhis optic nerve was overloaded, and the world before his retina gradually grew colorless. In other words, he reached transcendence. Each time his enhanced legs made contact with the ground, the air distorted, and a deep pit appeared in the sand. ¡¸¡­!¡¹ Eventually, the 100 scattered members of the Eternally Damned gathered into one form amidst a sandstorm, giving rise to their final form, the captain of their force, who had the power of an Old Noble. All 100 scattered scythes were reced by two scythes, one held in either hand of the Eternally Damned captain. ¡°Step back, Kaisen. You¡¯ve done enough. Gorgothia, Mern. We¡¯re going to hinder its movement. Secure an angle for the Bright Sword to hit it!¡± ¡°No, we can¡¯t use the Bright Sword yet. First, we have to peel off the soul¡¯s shell! It would be difficult without my help,¡± Kaisen argued. ¡°We are on ourst dregs of stamina. Long-term battles are a disadvantage for us!¡± Panting, Kaisen checked his body¡¯s condition. Though he felt as if he would break into pieces, his dragon spirit was still active. He simply had to swing his sword until he no longer could. ¡®Right? That¡¯s what I should do.¡¯ A memory of Kam¡¯s back as she held Aradamantel shed through his mind. He wondered if she had reached a simr resolution as she carved her way out of the battlefield. ¡°¡­Aradamantel, you can still fight, right?¡± As if answering him, the red energy from Aradamandel¡¯s de burned even brighter. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± He only had a few more seconds before the power pushing him beyond the human realm and into transcendencepletely faded. He leaped off the ground once more. The fierce whirling force in his body multiplied the power in his leg several times and instantlyunched him forward. ¡°Kaisen, you¡­!¡± The scythes whistled through the air, the souls on its de screaming. The left scythe appeared in the sword¡¯s path and blocked its strike while the right scythe prepared for the subsequent killing blow. ¡®If you want to do it like that¡­!¡¯ Aradamantel met the scythe, and an ear-splitting sound followed. aaaanng¡ª! Both of Kaisen¡¯s knees bent as he slid over the sand and avoided the other scythe. Ò»shlink! Even with Kaisen¡¯s calctions, the feeling of death passed right by his face¡­ making his lips tremble. As expected, it was not an easy opponent. Though he only had a moment, such a moment was like an eternity when transcendent beings fought. Kaisen¡¯s concentration further elerated, and his physical abilities soared again. Thunder roared as his de sliced through the gap created and cut off his enemy¡¯s forearm. Fast¡­ Faster¡­ It didn¡¯t matter. With a swirl of sand, the severed arm regenerated almost immediately. The goal was not subjugation but a reprieve. In the midst of the myriad shes of red lights, as time itself worked differently at that moment, an endless series of sword strikes rained down. [Don¡¯t overdo it, Kaisen! Take a step back. I¡¯m going to cut off my connection with the Electrical Reverberance Formation for a moment and use the power of a lightning strike.] Setsunen conveyed the message directly to Kaisen¡¯s mind. ¡°I¡­ can still do more!¡± He wielded transcendent power at that moment and could unleash power that no Fake Warrior in history could measure up to. Of course, there was a limit, so he had to aplish everything the others could do with leisure in mere minutes. ¡°Stand back, Kaisen! The Lightning is going to strike that bastard. You know that every time you push yourself like that, you¡¯re wasting years of your life!¡± Loveris reprimanded. It didn¡¯t matter. He didn¡¯t want to live a long life to begin with, and he didn¡¯t want such an unreliable life. It was alright to die early. After cutting down everything that he could, if he could go back south, to his mother¡­ ¡®I will bow before her grave and die willingly.¡¯ As if in response to his determination, Aradamantel cried out. The transcendental power of the Divine Dragon shot out in the form of a chain and wrapped around the de. He leaped off the ground and twisted, spinning as he brought the chain-wrapped de down with all of his power. ¡° Ò»sh!¡± As if he were cutting through the world itself, noise itself died for a moment, and at the end of that silence, the holy sword cut through a scythe and ripped the Old Noble in half, exposing its soul. ¡°!¡± ¡°!¡± Gorgothia and Mern didn¡¯t let the opportunity pass. An arrow of divine power and the Bright Sword, a sword-shaped collection of the most powerful Psalm in the Seven Books of Genesis, shot forward. The power of creation boasted an absolute ability to bind beings that deviated from the providence of creation and banish them to outer space, beyond the true world. It was known to have been lost with the death of the old priestess, Tureina, but Mirngadia of the Heavenly Castle somehow restored its power. Perhaps it was just a replica, but its power, which originally could only be activated by countless chants and was rather impractical, concentrated in the form of a sword, creating a total of 28 special weapons for dealing with Old Nobles. There were a total of 16 Bright Swords remaining, but production of more was impossible. The very light of the arrow crossed through the Old Noble¡¯s core. In an instant, all the light in the world was sucked into the monster; cracks of light spread out like a spider web from its core. The light gradually intensified, spreading out in all directions and binding the Old Noble¡¯s body. ¡¸Ò»!¡¹ The Eternally Damned lost its senses and writhed, but its resistance was futile. This power it faced was the authority of the God of Creation, the power of the creator¡¯s providence, which far surpassed even the , captured the soul, and banished it. ¡¸Everyone, hurry and get on my back. We have to get of here before the Old Noble¡¯s garden copses.¡¹ Boom boom boom¡ª The sandy ins of the city¡¯s inner castle, the heart of the desertification, and the former residences of the Old Noble, began to copse. ¡°Yes, Your Excellency, what about Kaisen?¡± ¡°Well, he copsed over there.¡± ¡°You guys overexerted yourself, I¡¯ll bring him back!¡± Gorgothia swung Zierda, and the bow folded itself and took the form of a sword once more. Sheathing the sword on her back, she picked up her fallen junior Fake Warrior. It was amazing that he still had fighting spirit and was able to hold on to Aradamantel with one hand. ¡°It¡¯s over. Sheathe your sword.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Hey, you¡¯re really awesome. I¡¯m convinced that you really defeated the Mauna Roa after seeing that.¡± ¡°Gorgothia, hurry up! We don¡¯t have time!¡± ¡°Got it! I¡¯ll leap up as high as I can, so go ahead, Your Excellency!¡± Just before the Old Noble copsed, Setsunen pped her wings and flew into the sky. That was when the problem arose. As Gorgothia prepared to leap, the ground under her feet cracked and copsed, taking away the strength of her jump. ¡°Shit¡­!¡± In addition, the weight of Kaisen and Aradamantel caused her leap to lose even more strength. The groundpletely copsed, opening a hole to swallow them both up. At that very moment, smoke caught their bodies. ¡°Alidona, nice!¡± The monstrous strength of Teval and Guren (a member of Piljung Corps¡¯ hero party) lifted the two people onto the dragon¡¯s back. Loveris let out a sigh of relief, and Setsunen pped her wings more vigorously and soared into the sky. ¡°This is Loveris. We defeated Roten¡¯s Force of the Eternally Damned. You can now start purification.¡± ¡¸Everyone did a great job. This is Mirngadia of the Heavenly Castle speaking to all units. The floating castle will settle deep in the city and begin purification. You may bring the injured to the relevant areas for treatment.¡¹ Gorgothia whistled. ¡°Woah, he¡¯s going to do purification and wide-area healing at the same time? As expected, he does everything artistically.¡± ¡°Yes, even if I die and reincarnate, I won¡¯t be able to reach that level.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a dragon. after all. How long has he lived?¡± Alidona smiled somewhat resignedly at Teval¡¯s words. ¡°Well, it is said that the Heavenly Castle already mastered all the knowledge of the three worlds before he was 10 years old. It¡¯s only natural that he received direct teachings from Dragon Sage Rain Ludwig and the water dragon, Yericelica.¡± ¡°Oh, my God. I can¡¯t even remember a single book I read.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about such things. The battlefield fireworks are about to begin.¡± The floating castle passed by and headed straight for Aurelinople. A beam of blue light poured down from the bottom of the floating castle, which hovered precisely in the sky above the copsed castle. That light brought life back to thend that had turned into a desert. A miracle¡­ Yes, it was a miracle. Just watching brought a sense of reverence to everyone. In that light, the desert ended, and brown soil spread out again. Water flowing from afar was heard as if the river itself were restored. Starting with that, the water of the Bellisor River, which had beenpletely dried around Aurelinople, flowed along the canal again. ¡°I feel this every time I see it, but I really want to take a picture. I just feel sorry for the imperial bastards who never get to see this.¡± Gorgothia looked at Loveris and said, ¡°Yeah, I think so, too. It would be great if I could show this to my brothers.¡± The relief of having survived the fierce battle and the thrill of leading the first battle to victory intersected in their locked eyes. ¡°Loveris, by the way, Kaisen is really something, you know? Please lend him to us sometimes.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The Heavenly Castle will probably not approve.¡± ¡°Hehe, look at this guy? Is that really the only reason?¡± ¡°Of courseÒ»¡± At that very moment, all the hair on Loveris¡¯s body stood up, and she became speechless. She couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. It was like a great dream suddenly degenerated into a nightmare. She couldn¡¯t believe it. She couldn¡¯t do anything but inhale sharply. Alidona muttered nkly. ¡°Wh-what the¡­ th-the abyss¡­¡± In an instant, a lizard¡¯s arm rose up from the copsed inner castle, but it was no ordinary arm. ¡°Y-your Excellency! Th-that¡¯s¡­!¡± Souls¡­ Souls sighing bitterly and screaming¡­ Strangely twisted and tangled, they took the shape of an arm¡­ [Mir, get out of there right now, Mir!] The moment their brains became aware of that overwhelming presence, the primitive fear engraved in their very genes filled them. [No. How can this happen¡­?] First, the world trembled and bowed low as an evil change permeated heaven and earth. Heat that far exceeded the human boiling point burned the sky. [I never saw a future like thisÒ»] The three suns trembled in fear and disappeared into the darkness¡­ A king was released from his eternal prison¡­ An ancient king, forgotten in the oblivious fear of the world¡¯s long history¡­ He grabbed the floating castle with his arm made of madness and frenzy, crushing it into rubble. [Your Excellency, Heavenly Castle, this is the ck Rose Corps. Reptilians and lizardmen have suddenly invaded the city!] No history book could realistically describe the screams, chaos, and madness of that moment. The ruler of terror that distorted all providence and matter, the miserable master of the Reptilian Kingdom, had awakened. [This is Iron Castle, the madness¡­ Her Excellency¡¯s Electrical Reverberance Formation cannot withstand this insanity! The soldiers¡¯ heads are suddenly explo¡ª] [Your Excellency, this is Marshal Melvin, the damage to the 1st Field Army can¡¯t be described. The reptilians¡¯rge army¡­] [Heavenly Castle, half of the members of the 1st Fighter Wing suddenly exploded into a pool of blood¡­] [2nd Field Army, the mountain suddenly turned into a volcano and exploded, andva is pouring down¡­ aaaargh¡­!] Only the frantic rush of death and fear across the vast battlefield gave them a vague idea of ??the despair that day. The Howling Destruction¡­ The King of Lizards, Neigs¡­ When on earth did the absolute nightmare, who received the power of an Old King from the master of the abyss, awaken from its eternity of sleep? ¡®No¡­¡¯ Should they have expected it from the time they saw Roten¡¯s Force of the Eternally Damned, the royal guard among the Old Nobles, guarding the city? No, was it a joke? Who on earth could have predicted such a nightmare? Loveris barely got herself together enough to speak. ¡°His Excellency the Heavenly Castle is no more.¡± [What?] ¡°This is the Iron Cross, urgently disseminating Her Excellency Thunder¡¯s order to all troops. Neigs appeared! King of Lizards, Neigs, has appeared! Everyone, get out, prioritize survival. Get out of the battlefield immediately!¡± ____ Chapter 48 Chapter 48 ¨C The Path of Counterattack, The Behe-ric Expedition(1) The abyss began when the supreme god of the abyss bestowed the authority of kings upon five of his confidants. After the supreme god left to enjoy the pleasures of outer space, the five kings divided the world and ruled. ¡°The Cackling Madness, Shu¡¯Yulcu.¡± The King of Oceans. All the seas on the earth were under his rule. Fish people, the ¡®Ruttlewe¡¯, were his subordinates. ¡°The Wriggling Chaos, Kelek-shak.¡± The King of Insects. The Edea Penins, which the fairies called home, was his fertile territory. He ruled over a race of humanoid maggots called the ¡®Kinwe¡¯. ¡°The sphemous Cleric, Ashron.¡± The King of Spiders. He ruled Harbadonia, thend of snow and madness up north. The spider people, ¡®Necranech¡¯, were the king¡¯s blessed subordinates. ¡°The Distorted Scream, Anridal.¡± The King of Time. He ruled the central part of the Akrad continent. The old hunting dogs known as the ¡®Tantalos¡¯ ran through time and space at hermand. ¡°The Howling Destruction, Neigs.¡± The King of Lizards. He ruled over the entire Adrion Continent, the stolennd turned into a desert. Those blessed by her were called ¡®Reptilians¡¯, as they were humanoid beings that showed reptilian elements. ¡°Humanity, and all the mortal beings of the world, were their ves.¡± There was not a trace of civilization back then, as it was a blessing exclusive to those mutant monsters who enjoyed the Kings¡¯ favor. Humans crawled on all fours like beasts and lived in fear. They were not the great beings of creation. ¡°That was when the Lords of Light came to thisnd. At the time, humans were illiterate andcked knowledge, so they merely called them ¡®Those Who Arrive¡¯.¡± Those Who Arrived, the seven beings with the power of creation to light up the world of emptiness and chaos. Tervel, the Sky¡¯s Sun. Shurigan, the Bloody Sun. Karenden, the ck Sun. Maxentia, the Pale Moon. Jeannir, the Noble Moon. Tersia, the Sorrowful Moon. Meian, the Moon of Creation. ¡°The lightning of the Sky¡¯s Sun, Tervel, burned the ancient forests, and the light of the Pale Moon, Maxentia, caressed the burned desert and made it shine with new life.¡± In the war of creation, Those Who Arrived made enormous sacrifices and sealed away the souls of the Old Kings. ¡°It is all thanks to their love that we canugh in this warm house now.¡± The story of Those Who Arrived and the ¡®real¡¯ Warriors who served them ended with the war of creation. It was why people whispered that there was no more light in thend when the ¡®ck Summer¡¯ began. ¡°Dad, Grandpa Gwen said that the gods left. He said that thest war was a great one, but Those Who Arrived didn¡¯t appear.¡± ¡°He said that? Ratel, the gods exist. They are watching over us, even now.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°How do you know? I want to see them.¡± Father, who had been telling old legends while seated by the stove, suddenly turned to the table. Mother was feeding the younger sibling some porridge, and the little brother smiled brightly when he met his father¡¯s gaze. Looking at them, the father replied. ¡°Whenever you run toward me with that smile on your face, I can feel the gods¡¯ presence.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Have you ever thought something simr while looking at Kaisen? When he smiles at you while trying to reach you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I dunno!¡± ¡°Ratel, this world is beautiful, and everything they made is brilliant. The gods¡¯ love is embedded in that brilliance. A day wille when you realize this.¡± She remembered her father smiling down at Kaisen while stroking his head. She¡¯d smiled as well. How nice would it have been if they could have stayed in that moment forever. The memories faded away along with that warmth¡­ and she opened his eyes to the lonely cold of reality. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ Ratel got up from bed, wiping away the tears in her eyes. Her young son¡¯s breathing as hey sleeping beside her was faint, but his face was clear and innocent, without a single blemish. Ratel, quietly looking at her son¡¯s young face, felt a sharp pain in her heart once more. ¡®Ahh¡­¡¯ Was that what her father was talking about back then¡­? Covering her son¡¯s body with a nket, Ratel got up to do some housework. The ¡®Imperial Woonds¡¯ was a general term for the western part of the empire. Thend, rich in timber, made a lot of money by exporting firewood to various ces since the beginning of the era of steam engines but was always short of manpower. Was that why they epted the refugees who fled to the empire from the scorching heat? Ratel, a woman from a vige at the end of the world, lived as a vagabond before marrying a local man. ¡®So what if we were epted?¡¯ They kept doing stupid things¡­ She guessed that they had no choice but to ept refugees, as it was the will of Her Excellency Setsunen. ¡°What on earth is a ¡®religious reform¡¯?¡± The Holy Human Empire, the most powerful empire in human history, was divided by the true and heathen religions under the pretext of a ¡®religious reform.¡¯ ¡°Ratel¡­¡± The ¡®True Religion¡¯ was a group that upheld the teachings of the Church of the Light Dragon while the Heathen Religion advocated for individual freedom, which had been oppressed by religion in general. ¡°Ratel¡­¡± The empire was fighting with itself while, south of the mountains, people fought against the abyss. ¡®If I want to find my mother and brother, I need to go south¡­¡¯ She was struggling to even take care of her family and seethed at her miserable helplessness. ¡°Ratel!¡± Her thoughts were broken by someone¡¯s call. When she looked up from theundry, she saw her husband. Suddenly, fear filled her heart. He was supposed to be working at the government nt, but for him to be there, so out of breath with soot covering his face¡­ ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Here, this is a newspaper from down south¡­¡± ¡°A newspaper from below the mountains? That¡¯s illegal. The nobles block us from reading it. How did you get it?¡± ¡°Shh, someone might hear. That¡¯s not important. You said your brother is named ¡®Kaisen¡¯, right?¡± Kaisen¡­ Ratel remembered her younger brother chattering, ¡°Sis, I¡¯m hungry¡­ let¡¯s go home¡­¡± as he followed behind her. Whenever he met either their parents¡¯ or her eyes, he would smile brightly for no reason. Her husband, seeing Ratel¡¯s tightly closed eyes, took it as affirmation and urgently said, ¡°Look at this. At the beginning of the year, a male Fake Warrior was initiated, and he¡¯s doing great.¡± ¡°A male Fake Warrior¡­?¡± ¡°His name is Kaisen. Kaisen Alter Aradamantel. Look here. Isn¡¯t this your little brother? I heard that there was a picture of him, but I couldn¡¯t get it.¡± Ratel held the newspaper and stared nkly at the words on the page. ¡®Aradamantel, Aradamantel¡­¡¯ She was certain that her mother had said that her name was Raminea Alter Aradamantel¡­ Was it a coincidence¡­? No, but, still¡­ The name ¡®Kaisen¡¯ was derived from the Dragon Tongue, so it was by no means amon name¡­ The paper had no personal information or a picture of the male Fake Warrior. Only words, nothing else, but she felt the blood connection between them clearly. Ratel¡¯s sight blurred with tears. An unstoppable sob burst out from deep within her chest, making her whole body tremble. ¡°You¡¯re alive. You, you¡¯re alive¡­¡± March 8, 1698 AD. It was not known exactly how many troops were able to sessfully retreat to the mountain defense line. The battle took seven seemingly endless days. During those seven days, the Fake Warriors had to move around like crazy, guarding and encouraging the soldiers. Was that why, when they reassembled, everyone¡¯s faces were filled with despair and exhaustion? ¡°The Old Kings aren¡¯t some pest. How could she hide like a rat under Aurelinople just to destroy the floating castle? Utterly ridiculous. That fucking lizard bitch,¡± Gorgothia scathingly said. Loveris answered, ¡°Just her use of such a n shows that she¡¯s the most dangerous opponent I¡¯ve ever faced. Fortunately, we will receive support.¡± ¡°Support? Who on earth would send support? Is the empire finally deciding to help?¡± Mern¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°His Excellency the Crimson me wille from Harbadonia. The Light Dragons from the Imperial Court are alsoing.¡± ¡°Where did you get this information?¡± ¡°It is what Her Excellency the Lightning told me.¡± Teval scoffed in disbelief. ¡°His Excellency the Crimson me, Acarea? He¡¯s not in any condition to fight right now. Even dogs know that he¡¯s been in Harbadonia since he helped defeat the King of Time in order to recuperate¡­¡± ¡°Loro, even if Lord Acareaes, how can west until then? By the time he arrives, the Red Mountains will have already copsed, and we will be buried beneath them.¡± Alidona exhaled a long puff of smoke as she came to terms with reality. Loveris rubbed her temples. ¡°We have no choice but to prevent that from happening.¡± ¡°We have to do that without His Excellency the Heavenly Castle¡¯s wisdom or Her Excellency the Lightning¡¯s array?¡± Kaisen asked. Everyone turned to look at the young Fake Warrior at his sharp, realistic remark. Loveris sighed. ¡°Thank you for clearing things up. What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°I¡¯m too dull to think of a way to resolve our current situation, but Lia is different.¡± ¡°Lia?¡± The young heroine, who had been standing behind Kaisen, cautiously stepped forward in front of the senior Fake Warriors. When her hair turned white, the sticity of her aristocratic curls disappeared, but she was still beautiful, even though she was covered in blood and dust¡­ Lia Alter Tas Alfo spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I dare make a suggestion, but¡­¡± ¡°What are you being so cautious about, brat? Just speak.¡± ¡°Neigs sent out three high-ranking Old Nobles first and has not yet fully revealed herself in Aurelinople. She is strangely cautious.¡± ¡°Of course. That bitch is smart.¡± ¡°Historically, you can see that Neigs is more cunningpared to the other Old Kings, but this is too much. Why would she hide when even His Excellency was eliminated? What more is she expecting to trap?¡± The chatter died down, and people exchanged nk looks. ¡°What we can guess, no, what we can be certain of is that Neigs is not doing well.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, I think His Excellency said that he had never seen a future like this¡­¡± ¡°In order to escape His Excellency¡¯s predictions, she must have resorted to some trickery. She must have gone to extreme lengths, right?¡± Alidona shook the ashes from her smoking pipe. ¡°So you want to aim for the Old King?¡± ¡°There are no guards around Neigs. Originally, Roten¡¯s Force of the Eternally Damned was supposed to protect her, but since Kaisen subdued them¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re saying we should go die. Even if there are no guards, if the Old King calls, wouldn¡¯t the three Old Noblese rushing? Fighting the King and being surrounded by the Old Nobles at the same time?¡± Gorgothia pushed her point. Lia stood firm. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not saying we should go without a strategy.¡± Loveris nodded. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°In a defensive battle from a fixed position, humanity has a 70% chance of winning.¡± ¡°Everything you¡¯ve exined so far makes it seem like you were talking about an offensive battle.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I n to y an offensive-style defensive battle.¡± Everyone muttered with expressions of disbelief. ¡°Do you all remember? The dwarves were supposed to supply us with new weapons.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the armored train?¡± ¡°Yes. The armored train will probably arrive at the coastal lift base bordering the ins soon. Since His Excellency the Heavenly Castle brought forward the dispatch date, there was no time to hand it over during the recent recapture of Aurelinople.¡± The armored train, an invention of the Smith of Ten Thousand Weapons, Halvaron. It was a groundbreaking innovation that reshaped trains, which had always been a means of transportation, into a weapon of war. The length of the enginepartment alone was 96 meters. The horsepower limit for steam engines was 34,000, and it was a war machine made bybining 116 carriages, each with 56 wheels. Lia seemed to have the exact blueprint of the vehicle written in her head. ¡°Please continue exining,¡± Loveris said. ¡°We will ce all three armored trains in a row, surrounding the outskirts of Aurelinople and fortifying them like a fortress.¡± ¡°A fortress of trains?¡± ¡°Yes. Regr soldiers will support the subjugation of Neig from this ¡®train fortress¡¯ by dealing with the demons that will surge in from all sides. This way, a defensive battle line will beplete.¡± Everyone started muttering at once. They had a hard time believing that such a simple yet effective strategy could be devised by a human. Kaisen nced at Ria and nodded. Gorgothia said, ¡°That¡¯s quite a fresh idea. A defensive battle in enemy territory? Sounds awesome.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t guarantee survival¡­ the goal is to subjugate Neigs before everyone dies.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so surprising about Fake Warriors dying? I wanna drill a big hole in the back of that bitch before I die.¡± Kaisen asked Loveris, ¡°What would you like to do?¡± Loveris¡¯s pupils trembled quietly in the candlelight. Among the three marshals on the central front, two were dead, and thest was on another front. As such, the final decision rested on her shoulders. Having the final say¡­ It was never easy, as any choice she made would affect the lives and deaths of countless people. Her respect for the Heavenly Castle and her despair at his absence filled her. ¡°Captain, we can¡¯t stay here forever. Make a decision.¡± Loveris closed her eyes tightly. A decision¡­ She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again as she clenched her fists. [I will approve the n.] Suddenly, the candle me split into many branches and spread into a string of characters in the air. That wasn¡¯t what surprised everyone¡ªa pure presence instantly brightened everyone¡¯s hearts in the darkness. ¡°Oh, my God.¡± Setsunen of the Lightning appeared with the sleeping body of Mirngadia in her hands. How arduous must it have been to rescue Mirngadia from the floating castle while evading the Old Nobles, volcanic ash, and sandstorms? Setsunen¡¯s golden form was covered in wounds that couldn¡¯t be healed quickly, even with a dragon¡¯s regenerative powers. ¡°Your Excellencies¡­¡± Loveris immediately knelt down in obeisance, and the others followed suit. Although his body was asleep, the mind was awake, and the voice of the Heavenly Castle transmitted through the Electrical Reverberance Formation. [The sealing of Naigs is my duty. To do so, we must open the way, but as you can see, I no longer have the capacity to do so.] ¡°¡­¡± [I am now telling you to die so that I canplete my mission. Will you still follow me?] Silence filled the room. In everyone¡¯s mind, the swirling sandstorm and the shadow of the King writhing rose like a nightmare. ¡®For His Excellency to order death¡­¡¯ Mirngadia had never beforemanded death so directly. No¡­ The operation was the first andst time the Heavenly Castle requested anyone¡¯s death in his long career as amander. Did that mean that, in a future where the King was overthrown, everyone there would no longer exist? Everyone remained silent. Loveris Alter Shirfang was the first to speak. ¡°Your Excellency, the Iron Cross will obey yourmands until the very end.¡± Tears filled Setsunen¡¯s eyes. It wasn¡¯t just because she was a naturally sentimental person¡ªshe had read Loveris¡¯s inner thoughts when she spoke so concisely. ¡°My, Gorgothia¡¯s, Piljung will also be there. If I don¡¯t drill a hole in that bitch¡¯s head, I¡¯ll end up dying from regret.¡± Gorgothia¡¯s hero party lined up next to her, using their desire for revenge as a stepping stone. ¡°My ck Rose will also go,¡± Lia said, ¡°It was a n I devised, so it would be ridiculous for me not to go.¡± Everyone¡¯s attention turned to the Fake Warrior who had not yet spoken and who did not have a corps of his own¡ªthe Third Seat, Kaisen Alter Aradamantel. ¡°My intention, as ever, remains unwavering.¡± On that distant day, faded in the sandstorms gone by, he gave the exact same salute his teacher Kam had given when she was ordered to die. ¡°Your Excellency, pleasemand this Fake Warrior once more.¡± ____ The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 49 Chapter 49 ¨C The Path of Counterattack, The Behe-ric Expedition(2) ¡°In March of 1698, just before the spring equinox, six Fake Warriors were split into three groups to subjugate Neigs.¡± Joining forces with Seira Alter Sng, who was defending the mountain range, Loveris Alter Shirfang headed to the center of the mountain range to gather the remaining forces. Gorgothia Alter Zierda went to the eastern mountain range to secure supplies for the expedition. Ria Alter Tasalpo joined I Alter Gaumris and headed west to receive the armored trains. ¡°All three regions were strategically important and were under massive attacks by the main force of reptilians.¡± Naturally, three high-ranking Old Nobles led the enemy forces. The Bone King, Hyrkan. The Gluttonous Duke, Behe-ric. The Mocking Courtier, Salti¡¯ras. Thergest of the three Old Nobles, the Gluttonous Duke, Behe-ric, headed to the ins to break through the most heavily-defended stronghold. ¡°The battle was truly a race against time; humanity had to get to the armored trains before the Gluttonous Duke devoured the coast.¡± Kaisen Alter Aradamantel was reassigned to the ck Rose Corps by order of the Heavenly Castle, Mirngadia. Passing through the Western ins, which had be a battleground, he hurried to the coastal area, where the armored train was waiting. ¡°The fierce coastal battle became the key starting point of the fight against Neigs. It began on March 14, 1698, a month hotter than any other in history.¡± 10 giants from the Dragon Hammer Corps were waiting in Area 49. ¡°You havee! Lowly Kaisen and Ria, the great dragon, I, wees you as her subordinates!¡± I shouted from the top of a giant she was sitting on while eating raw eggs. The giant was a titan with the number ¡®701¡¯ engraved on its right shoulder (the number ¡®01¡¯ symbolized he was the captain¡¯s. On paper, the Dragon Hammer Corps was the 11th Independent Army). She was safe¡­ Although it was the first time they met again after separating at Aurelinople, there was no time for niceties. ¡°I, how long does it take to get from here to the coastal base?¡± The smell of blood and the sounds of fighting drifted over the long wall to their left. ¡°Are you so foolish that you can¡¯t smell the ocean? If you walk for half a day, you will get there!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s with those eyes¡­I didn¡¯t steal this egg! Dragons don¡¯t steal anything! It was a tribute from a lowly farmer! ¡­I might have stared a bit, but he still gave it willingly! I didn¡¯t take it!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything. I guess the loudest one is really the most guilty. Moving on, half a day, huh? There¡¯s still some time.¡± Lia shook her head as she saw Kaisen sigh and push away I, who rushed to bite his head. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous to take the train, and we can get there faster with the speed of ten type-16 titans. Let¡¯s go straight to the coast.¡± The light cavalry of the ck Rose Corps led the way. Following them, the titans walked, shaking the ground with their heavy steel axes. I raised such a fuss that Kaisen ended up riding on the shoulders of 701. ¡°What do you think?¡± I asked, her eyes sparkling. Kaisen wondered if all dragons had such clear eyes by nature. Suddenly, he remembered the smiles of his family members when he was young. ¡°Isn¡¯t the ride great? It¡¯s making me feel sleepy.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What don¡¯t you know? Look! It¡¯s thisfy!¡± Was it because she wanted to personally prove a point? I soon rested her head on Kaisen¡¯s shoulder and started to doze off. ¡°¡­¡± Just as Seira said, I was truly a child. She had said that I was just three years old. Though her physical growth was fast due to her draconic genes, her mentality couldn¡¯t be said to be mature. On the path of the sword, things such as age were useless, and I was a Fake Warrior who was already set on that path. [The elevated base is in front. Get ready.] A butterfly of light flew in front of Kaisen¡¯s eyes, binding particles of light together to transmit information. It was Ludien, the skill Arte, a wizard belonging to the ck Rose Corps, used. Just before Ludien arrived, I¡¯s eyes opened slightly. With her absolute sense of smell, she smelled the sea and the blood on the shore. ¡°Have we arrived?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is the lowly Kaisen afraid?¡± I wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth, jumped up, and crossed her arms. ¡°I am not afraid! I am the strongest! Nothing can stand against me.¡± ¡°You know I can only use my dragon spirit for less than three minutes a day, right?¡± Kaisen asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten! Do you think I am stupid? Kaisen is weak! That¡¯s why I protect Kaisen!¡± I, who had been swinging her fists, held out her pinky finger. Did she want to promise that she would definitely keep him safe? There was no need to go that far. When he only stared at her, I grabbed his wrist and forcefully locked pinkies with him. ¡°Pinky swear! Now stop worrying! Unlike humans, dragons make sure to keep their promises.¡± The West Coast Elevated Base was under invasion by the reptilians¡¯ main force. The dwarves defended the base with long-range artillery fire from 144 cruisers led by three battleships and 5,024 ground-based fixed-wing artillery. All around the elevated base were the strewn corpses of the human defenders. After the appearance of Neigs, a sinister change took ce in the temperature. The summer of March 1698 was terribly hot, causing corpses to rot quickly beneath the withering heat. The dead, in their military uniforms, were rotten and decayed, crumbling like ash. A sandstorm blew over the broken corpses, and yellow demons scurried within the wind. ¡°Reptilians!¡± ¡°There must be at least 200,000.¡± ¡°We have to break their formations!¡± Reptilians were not like the demon races who worshiped the as unholy idols. They were one of the Kings¡¯ direct subordinates. The exact reason was unknown, but reptilians had a pathological preference for curves since ancient times. That was why not only the elements of their civilization, but even their weapons were curved. The curved des were modified to slice through human flesh, and their priests were notorious for controlling the power of the burning desert, the power ofva. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Dragon Hammer Corps! We¡¯re going to turn those lowly lizards into jerky!¡± Gaumris was a hammer-shaped holy sword with the ability to cover more surface area than any other holy sword in existence. Its special ability was ¡®Pressured Light¡¯, which could burn arge cone of enemies before it with an explosion of light and air when its wielder struck a surface. BoomÒ»! Dozens of reptilians were swept away in an instant by I¡¯s hammer. ¡°Kya kya kya kya kya! The best!¡± The titans made their way forward, trampling the yellow nightmares. There were also some that came close with camouge and climbed up the titans¡¯ bodies. By the time those controlling the titans noticed, the creatures were already at the cockpits. Single sh¡ª A sh of red lightning sent reptilian heads flying. ¡°Great handiwork, Fake Warrior!¡± He didn¡¯t have time to reply. The Dragon Hammer Corps and ck Rose had to break through the siege. No matter how many times he cut down the reptilians, they didn¡¯t seem to stoping. The noise¡­ The noise didn¡¯t stop¡­ The tragic cries, the blood thumping in his eardrums, and the sandstorms swirling around him all came together in a cacophony of sound. ¡°Kyat! Are you going to keep attacking me? I¡¯ll show you the power of a dragon!¡± ¡°I can see the main gate straight ahead!¡± ¡°Reptilian priest on the left! Beware of theva!¡± ¡°There are a lot of gigantic reptilians and trolls on both sides of the main gate!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll break through. Follow me.¡± ¡°Kaisen, I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Yellow beasts pounded on and howled at the main gate of the elevated base. Two Fake Warriors ran forward. Blue and red lights burst out from each of the holy swords and intersected. Cross Sword Style, 6th form¡ª Extreme Spider Sword, 8th form¡ª The red light cut through the nightmares¡¯ cervical spines in a single line; the blue light pierced through five points, and the demons¡¯ hearts were torn apart by the sword¡¯s tip. As the light dispersed and the monsters fell, the iron gate creaked open and someone spoke over the gate¡¯s loudspeaker [Wee to this shabby ce, Fake Warriors. Hurry up, before those lizard bastards get inside.] ¡°Huh?¡± Lia¡¯s mouth dropped open in surprise. Themander-in-chief of the dwarven forces defending the coastalnding base was none other than General Halvaron. ¡°For the dwarven emperor to participate in this operation¡­ That means the Steel Fleet and the Royal Guard are both here.¡± ¡°Of course, His Majesty would have called them over.¡± ¡°To put so much trust in my n¡­¡± ¡°That means you did great, so be confident.¡± ¡°Halvaron is not a dragon, but he is useful! I approves!¡± ¡°No, not Halvaron, but Lia is great¡­¡± They thought they could take a breather there, but they were wrong. Of course, the gate was still intact. Yeah, the gate¡­ but that was it. After the reptilians stealthily swarmed over the walls, the dwarven soldiers engaged in fierce fighting throughout the castle. ¡°The tform is this way.¡± Dwarven officers and soldiers guided them. The dwarves, although not as much as the fairies, had a strong sense of racial pride and did not respect the Fake Warriors. They advanced forward while cutting down hundreds of reptilians until they finally reached the southern end of the tform. ¡°You¡¯re here. If you had been just a little bitter, we would have gone on a trip by ourselves.¡± Impressively-sized gun barrels, an unrealisticallyrge engine room, and numerous carts stretched as far as the eye could see. It was a new weapon designed by Halvaron called the ¡®armored train¡¯¡ªa fortress of steel running on the railroad. ¡®It¡¯s even more amazing when you see it in person¡­!¡¯ Suddenly, the immense majesty sent shivers down Kaisen¡¯s spine as it reminded him of the first time he saw the Inferno Line. ¡®This is not a train. This is a castle on the railway.¡¯ When he thought about it, wasn¡¯t Halvaron also the one who designed the Inferno Line? Truly, it was no exaggeration to call him a great person of the century. Halvaron, Smith of Ten Thousand Weapons, d in his Emperor¡¯s Battle Attire, led his guard out to meet them. ¡°I wanted to take it out with my own power, but unfortunately, it was impossible. All I could do was protect it. Now, take this to the Heavenly Castle quickly. I will lend you engineers.¡± Saying that he ¡®met¡¯ them felt a bit strange. It would be more correct to say that the dwarves protected the armored train from the reptilians by setting up a defensive line on the tform and then handing it over. ¡°Kaisen, I¡­ Take it before those lizard bastards destroy my masterpiece.¡± ¡°What about you, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°What are you going to do?!¡± ¡°When you be a Fake Warrior, do your eyes be decorations? You must have seen the steel fleet floating on the sea. It¡¯s obvious that the sea route is morefortable than thend route. Go quickly.¡± This world was not so easy that a story like theirs could end so simply and heartwarmingly. Such things never happened. The first sign of true trouble came as the horizon suddenly receded and then came back again. ¡®The ground¡­ No, did I float into the air?¡¯ What followed was a roar akin to the world copsing, piercing Kaisen¡¯s eardrums. Debris from the copse flew in and destroyed the outer wall and roof of the tform, but luckily, the armored train was unharmed. Desperate voices flowed out of the speakers installed over the tform. [Y-Your Majesty¡­ th-the wall, aaaaarrrrgh!] [What the hell is th-that? The¡­ the mountain is moving¡­ the mountain is moving!] [Your Majesty, an ¡®Old Noble¡¯ has appeared! It¡¯s breaking down the walls and running straight to your location¡­ it¡­ it¡¯s the Gluttonous Duke!] Was it originally supposed to be like that? Was it because the Heavenly Castle foresaw such a future that he sent Kaisen and I there? Kaisen¡¯s hand on Aradamantel trembled at the sounds behind them. ¡°Lia,unch the armored train. We¡¯ll stop the Gluttonous Duke here.¡± ¡°What? No, no! Then I will also¡­¡± ¡°Prioritize our mission first. Have you forgotten? We have different missions. You were to receive and transport the armored train, and we were to escort you here. This is how it was supposed to be.¡± ¡°Lowly human! Leave this ce to this strong dragon and weak Kaisen and go quickly!¡± What could she say to that? Did she want to say she wanted to stay and fight? Emotions she couldn¡¯t express reflected on her face, but Lia nodded while biting her lips. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t die, Kaisen.¡± Soon, ck smoke erupted from the exhaust pipe above the armored train¡¯s engine room. Tttoooooo¡­! The steam engine drew its power from the burning coal and wood, and Kaisen felt his own fate reflected in the dwindling fuel. ¡°Your Majesty, please go quickly. We will do our best to buy you as much time as possible.¡± Halvaron smirked as if he found that funny. ¡°It¡¯s still a hundred years too early for you to say that to me, Rookie Fake Warrior, Kaisen.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I came here to subdue the Gluttonous Duke. That was my intention from the beginning. I tried to solve it on my own without involving I or you, but everything turned out just as the Heavenly Castle said.¡± Was it meant to be like that? Was it an unavoidable future? Halvaron handed his crown to the captain of the guard and then flung the imperial coat from his shoulders. He wore the leather armor worn by titan pilots beneath. ¡°Captain, take out the giant titan. I will personally pilot it.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°If an Old Noble is begging to see me, shouldn¡¯t I personally wee him as the emperor? Why, he could be so impressed by my character that he might kneel before me.¡± ____ Chapter 50 Chapter 50 ¨C The Path of Counterattack, the Behe-ric Expedition (3) [Fixed track connected, steam engine ignition elerated, horsepower generation: 3, 2, 1. Complete. Engine operation requirements reached.] It took enormous force to move the massive body of an armored train. Although the dwarven army already started the engine in preparation for the move, it still took a considerable amount of time for the train to start moving. Kaisen was surprised to hear the tiny device plugged into his ear start making noises and spitting out sounds. [Checking themunication connection. This is the Titan #49.] ¡°I can hear you, Your Majesty.¡± [You seem to be confused by this new technology, Kaisen. This is science. It¡¯s a thing called a ¡®wirelessmunication device¡¯.] ¡°It¡¯s amazing. To be able to reproduce Her Majesty the Lightning¡¯s power like this¡­¡± [It only seems simr, but it¡¯s still inferior to the point of being embarrassing to evenpare. Only the framework was copied.] Was that humility¡­? Unlike telepathic resonance, which was transmitted directly to the brain, there was a limitation to what was heard. ¡®There is also the limitation that you have to speak out loud.¡¯ That meant that there was a possibility that the conversation would be buried in the noise of the battlefield the speaker or listener was located in. Electric Resonance was a state where, in an emergency, one could convey one¡¯s intentions through thought alone, but even considering those limitations, or even if there were more limitations¡­ ¡®It¡¯s still a ridiculously useful object.¡¯ Anyone who had experienced how Electric Resonance could change a battlefield knew¡­ [You will have to follow my orders during the operation to subdue the Gluttonous Duke. His Excellency the Heavenly Castle has delegatedmand to me.] ¡°Understood.¡± [I, the new titan #33 that your subordinates received has several additional functions. They are simple but effective, so you guys will be able to master them quickly. Fortunately, there are practice partners everywhere.] The titan pilots of the Dragon Hammer Corps had switched from the old titan #16 models to the #33. They were items that Halvaron had prepared in advance on the tform as a gift to I. The armor was made lighter, allowing for greater mobility, and they were characterized by arge cannon mounted on the abdomen. [I doesn¡¯t know how to control a titan!] [I should have said your subordinates, not you.] [Don¡¯t worry, Your Majesty, they¡¯re perfect, like a part of our bodies. Amazing.] [Obviously. Who do you think made those things?] [If you give such a thing to me and then take it away, I¡¯ll cry. I¡¯ll also bring I. Be prepared for your eardrums to burst.] [I¡¯s subordinates are just like their leader¡ªthey have no manners. Even though they are talking to the emperor of another race, there is nothing they can¡¯t say. I should execute them all on the spot for the crime of treason.] The first joint human-dwarven front during the ¡®Red Summer¡¯ began like that. There were two operational objectives: one, receive the armored train and escape from the elevated base; two, subdue Gluttonous Duke Behe-ric. Heavenly Castle Mirngadia nned to subdue Behe-ric there because he saw a future where he would pose a great threat if he were to be present in the battle against Neigs. No, it went further than that¡ªhe devised a n topletely wipe out not only Neigs but also the lords following her. His life was almost over, but before his miserable life ended, he wanted to give everything he could to the world. He nned to defeat the high-ranking Old Nobles on three fronts one by one and then aim for Neigs¡¯s neck as she was recovering her strength. To do that, their fight had to beid as the cornerstone of victory. [Your Majesty, this is Gustav Yulius, Admiral of the Steel Fleet. The ship¡¯s support bombardment is ready.] [Well done. Fleet, this is #49. The Gluttonous Duke is approaching. Fire a dying shot to prevent it from entering the armored train.] [Fight bravely, His Majesty the Emperor is watching. May the glory of victory shine upon His Majesty!] [This is armored train No. 1701! There are many enemies blocking the tracks!] That seven-hour battle felt like being in the middle of a nightmare. His memory of it was unclear. With two operations intersecting on a single battlefield, it was impossible to catch one¡¯s breath or collect one¡¯s thoughts. [This is Leiberecht of the 3rd Armored Brigade. There are a lot of bullets, but don¡¯t use them. They are to be used after we leave the coast.] [Understood.] [ck Rose Corps, break through the front. Dragon Hammer Corps, continue moving while guarding the nks of the armored train.] [But there are too many enemies!] ¡°I¡¯ll take care of them,¡± Kaisen said. The ancient forces were endlessly advancing like a sandstorm, clinging to the sides of the armored trainÒ» Single Lightning Shot¡ª Ò»A single bolt of red lightning tore through that storm of infinite power. The silence after the lightning strike was like one at the providence of creation¡ªthe silence of death descended upon the corpses, whose heads had been severed all at once. The train broke the silence as it rushed forward. [Wow, great swordsmanship. It¡¯s really worth seeing, no matter how many times I¡¯ve seen it!] ¡°No, I made a mistake.¡± Kaisen swallowed saliva mixed with sand to wet his dry throat as he watched the decapitated corpses groping around for their heads and attaching them to their bodies. He felt his heart pound at something he had momentarily forgotten¡­ ¡®It¡¯s annoying. It¡¯s just like what I learned in the Temple of the Sword of Bravery.¡¯ The power that the King of Lizards, Neigs, received was the harvest of souls. Since Neigs captured souls, she was able to enjoy eternity while the reptilians¡¯ flesh were just shells. That was why the physical body had to bepletely destroyed. Even if the soul lived, the body would not be able to move. ¡°Kuaaaaang!¡± Thosepletely crushed to a pulp by I¡¯s hammer couldn¡¯t be resurrected. That or burning worked best. ¡°Kaisen is weak! Weak! Do not despair! The difference between a dragon and a human is great!¡± It would be perfect if only she didn¡¯t say things like that. ¡°Why don¡¯t youpliment me?¡± I asked. [Wow! That¡¯s a really great hammering! That¡¯s amazing. I!] ¡°Kyakyakyakyakyakyakya! More! You can praise me more!¡± The performance of I¡¯s Corps was also remarkable. It had to be. The limited resurrection ability of the reptilians was virtually nonexistent to the titans of the Dragon Hammer Corps. [Shell loadingplete! Fire!] [Oh! It waspletely reduced to ashes. This titan¡¯s performance is crazy. It can¡¯t bepared to mass-produced titans.] [The enemy ranks have copsed! The path is open. Well done, Dragon Hammer Corps.] Inparison¡­ Even without having to look, it was obvious that Lia suffered because her swordsmanship¡¯s characteristic was aiming at the target¡¯s weak points and killing them instantly. It was the same with Sharon during the battle against the Tahuf¡ªthepatibility was just too bad. [Kaisen, at point 12-22, the reptilians have started destroying the tracks. We¡¯re not enough to stop them! If the tracks are even slightly off, we will be in trouble. Hurry up!] The chaos began again just as it was about to end. Kaisen just went to where he was called, cut down everything he could find, and moved on. Rinse and repeat. His whole body was drenched in blood¡­ Was it his blood¡­? Then he would have to inject the dragon blood serum¡­ No, it didn¡¯t seem to be his¡­ Meanwhile, countless voices rang in his ears, testifying to the urgency of the battlefield. [I caught one!] [It¡¯s #49. The 2nd defense line has been broken through. Instead of protecting allies, the 3rd Armored Division is to support the escort of the armored train.] [Understood, Your Majesty.] [Kaisen Alter Aradmantel, arge number of reptilians have appeared from the southeast!] ¡°I¡¯m on it.¡± [Good skills, Fake Warrior!] [Cannons, fire!] [They¡¯re stuck on 1702¡¯s rear! Please support!] ¡°On my way.¡± [Those monsters are after the engine room! They¡¯re on top! We can¡¯t get them off!] ¡°Taken care of.¡± [Very good work, Fake Warrior! I can see the east gate now. We¡¯re almost at the hignds!] [Your Majesty, this is ck Rose. The east gate is upied by enemy forces, and the defensive turrets have not received any energy from the engine yet.] [I ising! I¡¯ll devour all those lizards!] [No, we¡¯ll handle it on our own. Steel Fleet, this is 49. Fire at the east gate.] [Understood, but I¡¯m worried that No. 1701 will be affected.] [The debris can¡¯t pierce through the train¡¯s armor. ck Rose Corps, get on No. 1703.] A rain of steel poured down on the east side of the elevated base, shattered the stone walls, and ripped apart the reptilians upying the area, scattering them. The train burst out, smashing through the thick fog of dust and rubble. Ttttoooooo¡­! First, 1701, and then 1702; finally, 1703, which was carrying the ck Rose Corps, which had lost nearly 30% of its troops. [Your Majesty, this is Lia Alter Tas Alfo. All three trains have left the station. No escort is needed now. Thank you very much.] Haa¡­ Only after watching the train disappear into the dust did Kaisen finally let out a sigh. ¡®Okay, so now¡­¡¯ Of course, it wasn¡¯t a sigh of relief, but rather an exhale in preparation for the next fight. [Kaisen, I, this is 49. We are now entering the 2nd phase of the operation.] ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°My legs hurt right now! Halvaron, send a mount!¡± I ordered. [An unmanned car is already on its way. Go to the dock and board transport ship 2207. That is your ride. It will transport you into the belly of that monster. One of the Bright Swords that I received from the Heavenly Castle is there.] The open-top freight car was a passenger car without an outer wall or roof and was a useful means of transport forrge titans. ¡°Confirmed. Boarding.¡± As the open train carrying all the titans began to move, Kaisen looked at the nightmare that had appeared on the distant southern horizon. Behe-ric¡­ A nightmare that was legendary for its transcendent size among the Old Nobles. ¡®Damn it all¡­¡¯ His pulse raced with primal despair, and cold sweat formed on his forehead. Aradamantel, sensing the abnormality in its proxy¡¯s heartbeat, cried out loud. ¡®It¡¯s dozens of times bigger than the Mauna Roa? Is it impossible to cut that thing?¡¯ The ancient reptilian, which spit outva like crazy, had three heads extending from its neck. The traces of being a living creature ended there. When viewed from a distance, it appeared to be a moving volcano rather than a living organism. ¡®Yes, a long chain of volcanoes¡­¡¯ The mountain peaks ran along the horizon, rippling and undting, withva flowing from each peak. That volcanic area¡­ The sight of human arms writhing like thousands of legs and approaching was the stuff of nightmares. ¡®Is that an Old Reptilian or an Old Centipede? or an Old Volcanic Zone?¡­¡¯ The theory instructor at the Temple of the Sword of Bravery, Rachel Dune Jeraye had said Behe-ric meant ¡®eating violently¡¯ in the ancient tongue. It did not just swallow everything in the world but the world itself, turning it into a world of harsh wastnds, red volcanoes, and sand. ¡°BeheÒ»ric¡¯s body is a volcanic zone, so it is nearly impossible for humans to inflict significant damage to it from outside its body.¡± So did that mean he was invincible? Rachel shook her head at the question and drew a circle inside the outline of Behe-ric¡¯s body on the ckboard. ¡°The first Authentic Warrior, Alkaios, entered its body and destroyed its soul¡¯s core. This is the only method avable to humans.¡± The operation devised by the Heavenly Castle was the same¡ªit was based on the meager hope left behind by the war of the gods. They had to go to that hell, with the fake holy swords instead of the real ones, as Fake Warriors instead of real Warriors. One day, he remembered Setsunen telling him why with a sad smile on her face. ¡°Even though you may be fake, do not forget that you are thest remaining warriors of this pitiful world.¡± Halvaron¡¯s thoughts were different. If they had to deal with an enemy outside the standard specifications, why didn¡¯t they just make non-standard weapons? Based on the experiences from ¡®ck Summer¡¯, 49,monly known as the ¡®colossus¡¯, was created. [Target location reached. 49 taking off.] A typical titan was originally operated by four soldiers (amander, one to control the arms, one to control the legs, and a gunner), but 49, which was 31 timesrger, required 103 pilots and 3,233 gunners to control. It was the cutting edge of science, created by equipping 77 ¡®artifacts¡¯ that condensed the technological prowess of , and the one who took charge of everything was Halvaron, who was also the best titanmander. Thump¡­ Thump, thump¡­ Thump, thump, thump¡­ As the two giants approached each other, cracks spread and earthquakes urred wherever their feet touched. [Okay, do you want to fight?] If Behe-ri was a crawling volcano, then wasn¡¯t 49 a walking mountain? Its massive body was like that of a behemoth. Equipped with five 217-ss steam engines with enough horsepower to move ten armored trains, it was quite a sight to see it holding onto Behe-ric with both of its arms. [I¡¯ll send it over now!] 49 caught Behe-ric as it rushed forward with a single thrust, and with three additional reserve power reactors activated, the machine¡¯s strength greatly amplified. [All fleets, fire into Behe-ric¡¯s massive butt. Teach this ancient punk how much fun water can be!] For a moment, Kaisen couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. ¡®They really did it¡­?¡¯ Were they really going to topple that ancient volcano and send it crashing down on the shore? [Aimingplete, fire!] [Target confirmed!] [Eat this!] [Your Majesty, this is the 3rd Battleship Squadron, the Gluttonous Duke has turned his attention to the fleet! He is rising!] [I see. Kaisen, I. This is Halvaron. Are you ready?] ¡°Ready!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. We have now boarded transport ship 2207 with the entire Dragon Hammer Corps and have also taken the Bright Sword.¡± [Fleet Commander Admiral Gustav. All crew members of transport ship 2207 are to transfer to other ships immediately!] Behe-ric, the Gluttonous Duke, true to its name, rushed forward, devouring the world. Ships unable to dodge its oing trajectory were swallowed into its giant mouth. Watching such a sight, I mumbled while staring nkly. ¡°Too many¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Too many are dying. I am a dragon, but why can¡¯t I do anything in this situation?¡± That¡­ Kaisen, who was at a loss for words, suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine. ¡°Always remember that we cannot aplish the unrealistic task of saving everyone. All we can do, no, all we must do, is to make the fleeting deaths a noble sacrifice.¡± He understood why Senior Loveris said that. No, he understood what she was feeling when she said such a thing. That helplessness that felt like his heart was being torn apart¡­ [Your Majesty, the 9th Destroyer Squadron has been annihted! The target, while at sea, has been greatly weakened in maneuverability, but it is still powerful.] One more¡­ With momentum that seemed to swallow up the entire world, Behe-ric was approaching, swallowing both the sea and the ships. He had expected it, but when the situation actually urred, he was so scared¡­ his whole body trembled. [Kaisen, it¡¯s me. This is a private line.] ¡°Please speak, Your Majesty.¡± [You may be watching with your own eyes, but the Gluttonous Duke will soon devour you. Once you move into the stomach, I will face him with 49. I will buy you as much time as possible. In the meantime, take the Bright Sword and head for that guy¡¯s heart.] ¡°Understood.¡± [I have mobilized my elite coastal forces for this mission. I am sacrificing them as I see fit. Please do not let their deaths be in vain.] ¡°I will not disappoint you. I wish you good luck, Your Majesty.¡± [I wish you good luck too. I¡¯ll take care of I. Over.] There was no space for pleasantries or anything like that. He had to y the cruel servant of the god of the cursed world. Soon, transport ship 2207 was sucked into that giant maw, and the surrounding area was covered in vast darkness. ____ The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!