Episode 133
“Well, well, what do we have here?”
Master Baro was the first to break the silence upon seeing the formidable Sephilia, the Ghost Blade.
“The strongest woman in the Empire has finally decided to get off her throne and join the fray herself.”
“Keep talking, Baro, and I’ll rip that tongue out and feed it to you.”
“Haha, seems like you still haven’t forgotten my sharp tongue, have you?”
Sephilia gripped her beloved sword, Soulbringer, with a deadly intent, while Baro, the Master of the Killing Blade, shrugged nonchalantly. Here stood two of the continent’s greatest swordsmen, locked in a tense standoff.
The uneven forces had found a balance in this one-on-one confrontation. What remained were Mikhail Lancaster and the Knights of the Rose Cross, facing off against the Shadow Lord and his assassins. It was a five-on-five situation, if you ignored one crucial fact: this was Dale’s world.
“Shub.”
Dale uttered her name, and a mass of terrifying tentacles emerged by his side.
─ I’ve been waiting.
Against the backdrop of the pitch-black fortress, two forces faced off in the stark, dark winter night.
No one had completely ruled out the possibility of an unexpected ally joining Mikhail Lancaster. Even Dale was a bit surprised to find that ally was Sephilia, the Ghost Blade.
‘It’s all within expectations.’
He thought of the ‘Furnace’ still burning within the black fortress.
“Well, damn. Still haven’t shaken off that old maid’s hysteria, have you?”
“Why don’t you worry about your own lackluster plow, you old bachelor?”
Despite the gravity of a clash between two of the continent’s Seven Swords, the two masters exchanged banter as if the outcome of the battle was of no consequence.
’…It doesn’t matter.’
Dale turned his focus to the adversary before him.
The Apostle of Fire and Light, Mikhail Lancaster, and the Knights of the Rose Cross at his side.
Opposing them were the high assassins of the Shadow Court, Shub, and the silent presence of a sword within Dale’s ‘shadow.’
A brief standoff ensued, ending with Mikhail Lancaster launching himself forward.
A brilliant white barrage surged forth, as if to burn away the cold and darkness of Dale’s world.
Meanwhile, in a room within the York Marquessate’s fortress.
Kneeling beneath the bed, Sephia buried her head and wept.
Unbearable emotions tore at her heart.
She had volunteered to be the tutor of eight-year-old Dale, hoping to guide his immense talent. As she watched him grow, she realized the cold solitude and darkness he harbored within. Recognizing this, Sephia vowed to stay by his side.
She believed it was her mission, her will. But it wasn’t.
The ground beneath her feet crumbled away.
Yet, even as her world collapsed, someone reached out to her.
‘Even if you come to hate me and point fingers, I will never forget your dedication, Sephia.’
Gone was the boy she first met, replaced by a man filled with resolve.
But the feelings she had for him were nothing more than emotions implanted by the Sorceress Council’s orders. Knowing this, her heart still burned with an unbearable heat.
Dale, who was willing to face the cold and solitude for her sake.
Sephia was no longer a puppet providing the affection Dale craved. Dale knew this too. He understood the implications and still made his choice without hesitation.
‘Why do you go so far…?’
Her heart was in turmoil, yet she couldn’t bring herself to fully accept Dale’s feelings.
Where did her will end and the Blue Tower’s brainwashing begin? She couldn’t tell.
Sephia’s world was being painted in an unknown shade of gray.
Mikhail Lancaster charged forward, and in response, Dale’s ‘shadow arm’ gripped the hilt of the cursed sword, Kia. His identity remained hidden behind a bird-beak mask and a black coat.
Simultaneously, the shadow assassins scattered, launching their attacks against the Knights of the Rose Cross.
The clash of two legendary swords, Mikhail and Dale, and the battle between the Knights and the shadow assassins unfolded.
In the midst of this battlefield, Shub’s tentacles began to lash out.
From beyond the horizon of cold and darkness, countless ‘Death Knights’ emerged. Weapons forged from the realm of thought, a force Dale could wield.
With Shub’s tentacles and overwhelming numbers, Dale began to encircle Lancaster’s forces. The ‘Lake of Darkness’ spread from beneath Dale’s feet.
Shadow knights, including the 《Shadow Lurker》, who replicated Dale’s cursed sword, Kia, rose in unison.
A world writhing with malice to eliminate its foes.
”…”
Faced with this scene, Sephilia swallowed hard. Even the continent’s Seven Swords couldn’t hide their shock at the sight of this stark, dark winter night.
The Killing Blade charged forward almost simultaneously.
Clang!
Against the blood-red aura blade, Sephilia’s Soulbringer was enveloped in a violet aura.
A unique aura blade symbolizing the Ghost Blade, distinct from the Iron Cross Knights’ aura. The clash of blood-red and violet aura blades was fierce, and before anyone knew it, the two swords had exchanged dozens of blows.
Even without deploying avatars, the speed of their clash was beyond the reach of ordinary knights.
‘Whoever wins, it won’t be an easy victory.’
After all, they bore the title of the continent’s greatest seven knights. Thus, resolving this side of the battle before their duel concluded was the priority. Nothing had changed from the start.
Leaving the two clashing swords behind, Dale turned his attention to the ‘Apostle of Fire and Light.’ Following the flood of shadows, the shadow creatures surged forward.
Simultaneously, Mikhail’s sword, ‘Peacemaker,’ unleashed flames of annihilation.
The light of dawn illuminating the dark pre-dawn, the shadow creatures vanished before the onslaught of light.
But as the ‘Shadow Lord,’ Dale wouldn’t be brought to his knees by such a strike.
As the shadow creatures vanished under Mikhail’s attack, new ones took their place. An endless army. A force worthy of the title of Lord.
Here, in this stark, dark winter night and the black fortress, Dale reigned supreme. As a sorcerer, he unleashed the full might of his dark army.
With each swing of Mikhail’s sword, countless shadows were engulfed in light and vanished, only to be replaced by even more shadows advancing on Mikhail and his knights.
No matter how powerful a warrior, they couldn’t single-handedly topple an empire.
Simultaneously, the assassins of the ‘Shadow Court’ scattered, constructing their unique formation. A web of death.
“Haha, that’s why it’s important to choose your allies wisely.”
Master Baro muttered as if it were someone else’s problem.
“Your people are about to be wiped out. Aren’t you going to use your avatar?”
An avatar. The undeniable proof of a knight fighting at full strength. Yet, Sephilia hadn’t summoned hers. Nor had Master Baro.
“My role is simply to keep you occupied.”
“In that case, why not go inside and have a date? Reminisce about the old days…”
Before Baro could finish his sentence, Sephilia’s sword was already hurtling toward him.
“I’ll cut out your tongue, you damned playboy.”
“Whoa, easy there. It’s not like I quit being a knight for fun.”
“So you ended up beheading your lord and eloping with his daughter?”
“Well, I’ve got my reasons, you know.”
‘They’re really having a good time.’
Dale shook his head in disbelief at their banter. At least the balance of power wouldn’t tip, leading to a one-sided victory.
Thus, there was only one thing to do: defeat Mikhail Lancaster before him.
With a swift motion, Dale launched himself forward, leading his dark army, under the cover of the shadow assassins’ web and Shub’s supporting fire.
The distance between them closed, and the light of peace began to swirl around Mikhail Lancaster’s sword. The legendary blade of the hero, Peacemaker, wielded its power to nullify any attack in its vicinity.
But this was Dale’s world.
Ultimately, the Peacemaker’s ability was akin to a barrier fueled by thought, and breaking that barrier required an even stronger will. This world was a reflection of Dale’s very essence.
Clang!
“I’m still not harnessing the full power of the Peacemaker.”
The barrier of peace shattered, and beyond it, the Shadow Lord and his army surged forward.
“Can I win this?”
Only time would tell. The gap between Dale and Mikhail narrowed, and from the shadows, a silent ‘sword’ emerged—a final, secret strike held in reserve until the very end.
Lady Shadow, Aurelia.
Reborn as the Valkyrie of Darkness, her blood-red sword and Dale’s cursed blade, ‘Hunger,’ swung simultaneously toward Mikhail.
This wasn’t a victory to be won through honorable means. But battles in this world were rarely fought with fairness in mind.
Slash!
Aurelia’s surprise attack, delivered from the shadows, struck down upon the ‘armor of thought’ enveloping Mikhail. Lady Shadow’s crimson blade.
”……!”
Mikhail, caught off guard, swallowed his shock, but Aurelia was already closing the distance, launching herself off the ground.
Slash!
The radiant armor of fire and light was torn asunder, and blood flowed. Between the cracks, magma-like fury bubbled and splattered.
“It seems the battle is decided.”
Lady Shadow now stood by Dale’s side.
“An unexpected strike indeed.”
With magma cascading behind him, Mikhail adjusted his grip on his sword and replied.
“I told you before.”
“Told me what?”
“Whether my sword could reach the ‘Dark Prince.’”
”…….”
“It seems the time has come to test that.”
The blood, pouring like magma, solidified like volcanic rock, and Mikhail steadied his grip on his sword.
“Now it’s my turn.”
Under the pale, dark winter night, a storm of light began to swirl around the knight of dawn.