Episode 195
The boss of the organization, the Shadow Lord, stood there, facing the city guards who had surrounded the back alley tavern. But it wasn’t hard to discern that these weren’t just ordinary city guards.
“What brings the esteemed city guards to a place like this back alley tavern?”
Master Baro asked as he passed by the Shadow Lord. Both men had their hoods pulled low, concealing their identities.
“We’re here to hold you accountable for orchestrating various crimes within the Free City Alliance, multiple assassinations and kidnappings, and the numerous murders and disappearances in East Harlem!”
“Well, that’s a load of nonsense. Who’s accusing us of such things?”
Master Baro shrugged in disbelief, and the Shadow Lord spoke up.
A sinister shadow flickered beneath his hood, breaking the silence.
“Regrettably, my organization and I are innocent of the charges you bring against us.”
His voice, echoing from the darkness, carried an intimidating weight that unsettled those who heard it.
“Did you say ‘organization’?”
“Indeed.”
“Then you admit to your crimes!”
“Not at all.”
The man presumed to be the leader of the guards spoke, trying to maintain his composure, though cold sweat trickled down his back.
“As I’ve repeatedly stated, my organization has done nothing wrong. We are willing to prove our innocence if necessary. However…”
The Shadow Lord continued calmly.
“I don’t think that will be necessary.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Before Dale could finish his sentence, some of the guards, disguised as city guards, sprang into action. They were swordsmen of unmatched speed compared to the rest of the guards.
“Well, this is unexpected.”
The elite enforcers of the Free City Alliance, known as the Dark Moon, were shrouded in secrecy, often dismissed as urban legends.
“Those who disrupt the city’s order will face death.”
The leader of the Dark Moon spoke, his grip on his sword anything but ordinary.
“Oh, are you planning to kill us?”
Master Baro laughed, swinging his sword at the advancing Dark Moon members.
Clang!
It was a single, swift strike.
Yet Master Baro’s single blow simultaneously blocked the seven swords of the Dark Moon charging from all directions.
A sword swung in the empty air.
The next strike followed, and blood gushed from the necks of the seven Dark Moon members.
“Ah, that’s why I dislike moving as one.”
Master Baro said, flicking the blood off his sword.
“Move as one, die as one.”
“You…!”
The city guards adjusted their weapons in unison. They had the numbers, but the opponent before them was not someone they could handle with numbers alone.
“Do you really want to wage war against me?”
The Shadow Lord asked, ominous shadows flickering behind him.
Dale took a step forward, and the city guards, in their defensive formation, began to retreat.
The Grave Walkers, who had been hidden, now appeared beside the Shadow Lord. They were on a different level than the small-time assassins the Dark Moon had faced before. Even if the entire city guard present were part of the Dark Moon, it wouldn’t change the outcome.
“Ah, ah…!”
The leader of the guards swallowed his fear.
At that moment.
“Oh, I thought my sword had rusted and become obsolete. But you’re still in fine form.”
A man appeared from beyond the alley, as if he had been waiting. His clothes, once pure white linen, were now stained and tattered, resembling rags.
He was a man with long, unkempt hair, looking like a beggar. Yet, despite his appearance, the way he was treated didn’t change. Most notably, no one had sensed his presence until he revealed himself.
“Oh my, what brings such a shabby fellow to such a distinguished place?”
Master Baro asked incredulously. Dale quietly held his breath.
The man, dressed in rags, held a sword.
A katana.
“When the city’s bourgeois are willing to pay a high price, who would refuse?”
He was a swordsman known as the Wandering Sword, one of the continent’s Seven Swords.
“Do you know whose head carries that high price?”
“Your master, I presume.”
The Wandering Sword replied, and the Shadow Lord remained silent.
“Do you understand the meaning of your words?”
After a moment of silence, the Shadow Lord spoke. Master Baro, Lady Shadow in the shadows, and the Grave Walkers in the area all prepared for battle, ready to charge at any moment.
“Ah, that’s why I turned down the job. No amount of gold is worth my life.”
“Then why show yourself?”
“I was simply curious about the ‘boss’s’ sword, separate from the council’s intentions.”
“Do you wish to cross swords with me?”
“If you’ll allow it, gladly.”
“Oh, and how can I be sure you won’t cut and run after spilling your guts?”
Master Baro chuckled, but Dale remained unfazed.
“I accept.”
“Oh dear.”
“But before that, there are a few things you must do.”
“Ah, ah, please forgive us…! Lord Dale!”
Seven heads were present.
The Grave Walkers, loyal to the Shadow Lord, pointed their blades at the seven heads, and Dale turned his head.
“Now, let’s all shout together with enthusiasm.”
Master Baro said, and the members of the council’s enforcement unit, the Dark Moon, who were bowing their heads to the ground, shouted in unison.
“We are now the boss’s loyal minions!”
“Oh, that’s too quiet. Louder.”
“We are now the boss’s loyal minions!”
At the pinnacle of the underworld, even those who ruled the seven cities couldn’t defy the Godfather who stood there.
And once they realized his true identity, it wasn’t hard to decide where to bow their heads.
“Ha, these guys are consistent. Their bowing angle is just perfect.”
Master Baro laughed, downing his beer.
“Isn’t that right, council members?”
“Please, have mercy…!”
“There’s no reason not to forgive.”
The Shadow Lord spoke calmly among them.
“Then let me ask you, Wandering Sword. Who hired you?”
“Ah, that would be this gentleman.”
The Wandering Sword pointed his scabbard. The chairman of the seven-headed council shook his head in denial.
“Wandering Sword, you…!”
“Oh, what choice did I have? With the Killing Sword and the ‘Black Prince’ of Saxon… why not just ask me to kill the emperor?”
”…!”
Dale frowned at the Wandering Sword’s joke. The chairman, flustered, quickly shook his head.
“I, I only acted with the consent of the others!”
“Really? So you’re all accomplices.”
“Not at all! Hiring the Wandering Sword was entirely the chairman’s decision! We had no choice but to go along…!”
The other heads protested, and the Shadow Lord sneered.
“Then choose one.”
His voice was cold, devoid of any emotion.
“If one of you takes responsibility for your crimes, the rest will not be held accountable.”
At those words, a slight disturbance rippled through the seven-headed council, but it didn’t last long.
Fingers pointed in unison. Three fingers pointed at the chairman, while four pointed at those they seemed to have grudges against. The chairman received the most votes.
“That’s unfortunate. Being the head of an organization isn’t always a good thing.”
Master Baro shrugged sympathetically, and Dale nodded. Before the chairman could plead, a blade swung.
“Is that enough?”
The severed head rolled on the ground, and the Wandering Sword asked.
“With the client gone, there’s nothing to gain from killing me now.”
Dale drew his sword from his waist and replied.
“Moreover, I trust you understand the significance of crossing swords with me.”
“That’s why I can’t resist.”
The man in rags laughed. He drew his katana and adjusted his tattered clothes.
“When I heard the Killing Sword had found a new master, I couldn’t just let it pass.”
”…”
“I’ve been wandering for a long time, searching for a master.”
The Wandering Sword, recalling his name, spoke.
“Someone truly worthy of my loyalty.”
“Do you mean someone stronger with the sword than you?”
The Shadow Lord asked, but the Wandering Sword just smiled.
“In that case, the one I should have pledged my loyalty to would have been the Celestial Sword. There were others who bested me in combat, not least the Divine Sword, wouldn’t you agree?”
The Wandering Sword replied, mentioning the name of the Divine Sword, Vadel.
“But wielding a sword is the duty of a knight, not a lord. As I’ve said before, I’m searching for a ‘ruler’ worthy of my allegiance.”
“And what, pray tell, makes a ruler worthy of your loyalty?”
The Shadow Lord asked, curiosity piqued. The Wandering Sword smiled quietly before responding.
“I intend to find out, my lord of shadows… ruler of providence and truth.”
”…!”
With those words, the Wandering Sword launched himself forward. His blade moved with lightning speed, but the Shadow Lord was even quicker, deploying his avatar and raising the blade of darkness to meet the attack.
Clang!
The swords clashed. The Shadow Lord tried to focus on the Wandering Sword’s shadow, but the latter’s movements were faster than his eyes could track. As soon as he blocked one strike, another came sliding in, swift and relentless.
”…!”
This opponent wasn’t a mage who kept a safe distance. Before Dale could even fully deploy his avatar, the Wandering Sword had already struck.
Given that he referred to Dale by name, it was likely he knew of Dale’s abilities.
‘This won’t be easy.’
Facing him with anything less than full resolve would be foolish.
Thus, beneath the Shadow Lord’s feet, cold and darkness began to spread.
But this was no mere winter night, not like the one when the hero fell. That was child’s play compared to this.
The ruler of providence and truth, who had witnessed the winter of the universe, began to overlay his world upon theirs.