Chapter 723: I Will Cut You Down

The village chief looked down and sensed something was off.

He had clearly seen the soldiers vanish right before his eyes. Next in line were the magic swordsmen. With no mages present, they had no choice but to send them out to investigate the strange phenomenon.

But nothing happened. The magic swordsmen remained silent. The plan to lure them outside the camp and strike the emperor had hit a snag.

“Chief.”

“Wait.”

Just a little longer… The invisible warriors held their forms at the ready, waiting for the chief’s signal.

Then, movement stirred from the Bariel army’s side.

“Forward!”

“Follow the commander!”

Clack, clack!

An old man with white hair charged forward, axe in hand. His presence was so sharp it cut through the darkness, shifting even the flow of the wind. Behind him, five or six warriors followed.

Hearing the title “commander,” the villagers gasped and turned to the chief.

“C-Chief, that’s the commander. He must be the Imperial Defense Minister.”

“Not a magic swordsman, then? That’s unexpected.”

“The men following him look formidable too. Should we prepare the cloth again?”

“Is that even possible?”

“If they’re invisible, how can we stop them? We can’t fight what we can’t see.”

The chief muttered under his breath as he watched Tweller’s group charge forward without hesitation.

“…They’ve noticed.”

“Huh?”

“They’ve realized the invisible ones are here. They seem certain there’s no protective shield. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be charging in so boldly.”

Certain? How could they be?

“Ah!”

The invisible infiltrators had been discovered inside Bariel’s camp. Otherwise, how else would they know?

The villagers turned pale, frozen in place. Being found out meant certain death for her.

“Chief.”

He hesitated. Surely someone near the emperor could detect the invisible ones. That must be why things had come to this.

He struck the ground twice with his staff, then nodded.

“We won’t enter the barracks.”

Going in meant a death sentence.

“We’ll stop them here.”

“…Understood!”

“Everyone, prepare! Defend the village!”

Amid the scattering villagers, the chief stared straight ahead. The attackers showed no hesitation.

‘They’ve definitely realized the shield is an illusion. But why are they coming here? No need for scouts—if they just pushed through, it would be over quickly. Is this really a matter for the commander himself?’

Something was going on.

The chief glimpsed a sliver of hope. Unusual behavior always had a cause. And that cause might just be the chance to turn the tide.

He studied the commander’s face as he drew closer, raising an eyebrow in puzzlement.

With a sharp motion, Tweller raised his axe.

“Set it on fire!”

“Yes!”

His men scattered left and right, igniting fires at the village entrance. The villagers, preparing for battle, froze in shock. What were they doing?

“H-Hey!”

“Fire! They’re setting fire!”

The village was small. The well was shallow, and the houses were all wooden. Even a small flame could bring everything down in an instant.

Crack!

Tweller dismounted and surveyed the area. His men spread out, lighting fires everywhere, focusing especially on the entrance.

‘Isolation.’

The chief immediately understood their plan. By sealing off the entrance connecting to the military camp, they aimed to isolate the village—just in case any invisible warriors were stationed outside. A strategy to protect their rear from an unseen enemy.

Tweller recognized the chief and nodded.

“You are the village chief?”

“Yes. But what is this? We clearly declared surrender. Is this Bariel’s mercy?”

“Silence. Your schemes have long been uncovered. Have the invisible ones reveal themselves and kneel now. Then, perhaps, we’ll show mercy and spare you pain.”

The crime of mocking and attempting to assassinate His Majesty the Emperor was grave. Tweller’s gaze sharpened as he watched the flames grow.

Narrowing the space where people could stand was their second goal. They couldn’t pinpoint the invisible ones exactly, but they needed to force them into a general area.

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

The chief feigned ignorance.

This was a powerless little village. They had surrendered cleanly. Yet Bariel’s army would mercilessly trample them? And if word got out?

It would ignite fury in Torolun and send shockwaves through the other lands Bariel had conquered.

“I know the origins of the invisible ones. They say they began in another country. An assassin clan, yes?”

The chief’s brow twitched slightly at the question. Tweller wasn’t expecting an answer and kept talking as his men scattered something around.

Swish!

“Why have they mixed with the natives of Torolun? I’ve faced invisible ones in Bariel before.”

In Bariel? The chief’s pale eyes flickered briefly. The raging flames swallowed the moment, so no one noticed. Somewhere deep in his memory, something stirred violently.

“Huh. What’s that?”

Only then did the villagers see what Tweller’s men were spreading.

A sticky, slimy substance. Was it feed? Or something else? They couldn’t tell exactly, but they understood its purpose.

‘To track the invisible ones’ footprints.’

If they approached, the invisible warriors would leave traces. They could prepare for a sudden attack.

These bastards fight back hard. The villagers gripped their weapons tightly, tense.

“I’ll count to ten. Until then, the invisible ones must show themselves. If not, I’ll cut off the limbs of your people one by one. The choice is yours.”

Not a threat, but a warning. His voice was firm and monotone. As tension peaked, the chief raised his hand, drawing Tweller’s gaze.

“The invisible ones do exist.”

“You admit it.”

“But this cannot continue. They protect the village, yes, but they are also individuals. Do you know how many there are?”

What if they hide? Then later slip into the barracks to strike at the emperor’s neck?

Even if someone near the emperor can see the unseen, it would leave dangerous consequences. Could you handle that? Now is the time for persuasion, not intimidation.

The chief smiled faintly.

“If they flee in fear, I have no way to stop it. I tell you this plainly.”

Flee in fear?

It sounded natural, but Tweller sensed the barbs beneath. Their eyes locked in the air, hot winds swirling around them.

‘Their spirit is no joke.’

That’s why they could send spies near the emperor. That’s why they could devise a plan to hold off Bariel’s massive army with only a few hundred villagers.

Tweller leveled his axe at the chief’s forehead.

“Finding out how many invisible ones there are is no hard task.”

How many tremble in fear? Among hundreds of villagers, surely one would tell the truth.

A heavy silence fell.

Crack!

Someone stepped on something wet and ran. An invisible warrior. His footprints appeared clearly on the ground.

Tweller’s men gripped their swords, tracking the movement. The chief tried to stop him.

“Ban! No!”

No matter how pitiful his four brothers killed in the barracks were, now was not the time. Quickly get off the wet ground and hide yourself.

But the enraged invisible warrior didn’t hear.

“Hah!”

It was over. The rule was to silence even breath when approaching, but consumed by rage, he let out a fierce shout.

Tweller’s men easily caught his movement by the sound. Then—

Swish!

A sword sliced through the attacking arm cleanly.

Blood spilled, briefly revealing the invisible form. But only for a moment. If they didn’t kill him, he could unleash his powers.

“Surround him!”

“Ah!”

The men moved swiftly to the revealed location. The invisible warrior was trapped. Swords flew in from all sides—what chance did he have?

One of them pierced his abdomen. The villagers screamed in horror. The chief watched calmly.

“Keep coming. Just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean you can’t cut them down. We have a long way to go.”

“…Commander. What is your name?”

What meaning was there in asking names on the battlefield? To remember your enemy in the face of death.

But the chief’s question carried weight.

“Tweller. Maxim Tweller.”

“Ah. I see. So it was you…”

The chief chuckled and nodded. Despite the situation, Tweller’s unshaken demeanor felt out of place. His men kept glancing nervously at him from behind.

“A truly remarkable connection.”

The chief dropped his staff and lightly clasped his hands. His fingertips began to fade. Tweller’s eyes widened.

“The man who once begged for his life in tears has now risen to become a minister of the empire. Is this your dazzling progress? Or is it the empire’s downfall?”

Tweller sensed it. No—he was certain.

‘…That bastard.’

It was him. The one who betrayed his master and heard his cowardly pleas.

Something surged deep within Tweller’s chest—anger, sorrow, astonishment… and—

Joy. Exultation.

“Hah!”

Thank God. He’s alive. So the paths of the invisible aren’t so many after all. Tweller’s eyes gleamed as he called out warmly.

“Thank you!”

Thank you for being alive. Had you died before I could strike you down, my grudge would have kept me from resting in peace.

As the village chief vanished completely, the villagers, as if steeling themselves, charged forward all at once.

“Hold them down!”

“Drive those bastards out!”

With dozens rushing in, the ground was soon a chaotic mess. Whether it was a tactic to prevent the invisible from leaving any trace, or simply a desperate will to protect their own, no one could tell.

Tweller’s men fell back, cutting down the crowd in a frenzy.

Swish! Slash!

Even seasoned warriors in armor struggled against the overwhelming tide.

“Minister!”

Are we all going to die? If so, send reinforcements—!

But Tweller stood still, gripping his axe tightly. Amid the chaos, he sharpened his senses, straining to perceive something unseen.

Rustle! Rustle!

His ears sharpened, every nerve on edge. Without hesitation, he muttered, recalling Barsabe, who swung his sword without hesitation.

“The courage to strike what cannot be seen.”

Swish!

Something lunged toward Tweller’s neck. Instead of blocking it, he caught it firmly with his hand. A blade pressed dangerously close to his throat. Blood trickled down his palm.

“I have that courage too.”

Even if I can’t see it, I can still grasp it.

The village chief withdrew his dagger and vanished once more. Tweller grinned broadly and shouted.

“Come! I’ve waited a long time! By cutting you down, I will sever my own past as well!”