A Step Too Late
Suddenly, my throat felt parched.
Without thinking, I ran a hand roughly through my hair. Then, I slowly turned my body toward the enemy who still stood motionless.
“Noel Yurina.”
At the sound of her name, Yurina flinched.
Oh, I know you all right.
A flicker of surprise crossed her face. Instead of answering, I raised my sword high. With a slight twist of my wrist, I spun ‘Victoria’s Glory’ vertically.
She had been mentioned several times in meetings, confirmed by third-party intelligence. Most importantly, she was the woman—no, the enemy—who had been called a ‘villainess’ in the first round, acting as Simon’s closest aide.
But the fact that I knew Yurina was irrelevant. Whether I knew her or not, she was just one of the many enemies I had to kill.
In the end, the conclusion remained unchanged: she must die.
As soon as the thought crossed my mind, I bent my body like a bow.
In an instant, I unleashed my magic and lunged forward with explosive speed.
A look of dismay flashed across Yurina’s face.
No time for words. In a heartbeat, the distance between us closed, and Yurina calmly raised her hand to lift her whip.
Whirrrrr!
Snap!
At the critical moment when ‘Victoria’s Glory’ sang with tension, the whip struck the tip of my sword. It slithered like a snake, quickly coiling around it. As it wrapped more than halfway, a glimmer of hope appeared on her face.
That’s when I let go of the sword without hesitation.
Her eyes, fixed on the sword, widened in shock. But before she could react, I closed the distance, reaching for the narrow space between her head and torso with my left hand.
The moment I felt the soft texture in my palm, I yanked down without delay.
Whoosh!
Yurina’s upper body bent forward involuntarily.
As her head followed the arc, I drove my knee upward with all my might to meet her descending face.
Thud!
A heavy impact resonated through my knee. But it wasn’t over yet.
I tightened my grip on what I still held.
Rip! Crack!
The sound of tearing flesh accompanied the sensation of skin and bone in my hand. Her face, now a shattered mess, was flung backward, blood gushing from her torn throat.
Thud!
Finally, she collapsed completely. Her body twitched once or twice, but soon lay still.
I let out a light sigh. With this, the people I knew…
Most of them were saved.
But the war wasn’t over. It wasn’t enough. Even though I had avenged them, the thirst in my throat wouldn’t subside.
I glanced at the corpse and spoke softly.
“User Go Yeonju.”
”…”
There was no immediate response. When I turned to look at Go Yeonju, she was staring blankly at the ground.
“As Clan Lord, I command you. Take everyone here and leave the battlefield immediately.”
“Ah.”
Sensing my gaze, Go Yeonju quickly nodded.
“I will follow the Clan Lord’s command.”
After a nod, I looked at the corpse once more. The body of the ‘villainess’ Noel Yurina, Simon’s right hand on the Western Continent. Her presence here meant…
I glanced to the left.
‘Has Simon already passed by?’
Then to the right.
‘Or is he still on his way?’
It was then.
“Brother…”
Just as I was about to move, I felt a tug on my sleeve, accompanied by a plaintive voice. Turning my head calmly, I saw Ansol looking up at me with tear-filled eyes. Her shoulders trembled slightly, and her lips quivered.
“Are you… going?”
“Let go…”
I was about to shake her off, thinking it was no time for childishness.
Ansol slowly raised her left arm. Her next action made me pause.
“Here…”
Following her pointing finger, I saw it was in the exact direction I intended to go.
“This way…!”
“You…?”
“Punish… punish them.”
Only then did I truly see Ansol’s state. Her voice was half sob, half plea, but her eyes were fiercely determined.
I stared at her for a moment, then gently patted her head. Her arm fell away naturally, and I withdrew my hand.
Without looking back, I started running.
Tap, tap, tap, tap!
A metallic wind blew from the direction Ansol had indicated. I didn’t know what lay ahead or who awaited me. I just ran across the blood-scented field.
‘Shin Sangyong.’
Suddenly, thoughts of Shin Sangyong filled my mind.
From our first meeting to the memories of war.
Shin Sangyong was always quiet, almost invisible. Though his presence was faint, he diligently fulfilled his duties.
During the exploration of the ‘Ruined Laboratory,’ he volunteered to stand guard.
During the forced march in the ‘Cave of Wails,’ he took the night watch.
When I offered him a magic elixir as a reward, he refused and gave it to Ansol instead.
Yes, from the very beginning, Shin Sangyong was that kind of person. He was always mindful of those around him, careful not to inconvenience anyone. Watching him, I once thought he was similar to my first-round self.
‘If only I had come a little sooner…’
I hadn’t witnessed Shin Sangyong’s death. What thoughts crossed his mind as he died?
Did he feel resentment? Regret?
A myriad of complex thoughts surged through my mind, only to settle quickly.
Meanwhile, I continued running straight in the direction Ansol had pointed.
The wind still blew. The scent of blood grew stronger with each step.
Eventually, as if crossing an invisible line, I began to sense multiple presences again.
Had they already swept through once? My feet pounded the blood-soaked field, sticky liquid clinging to them.
“The magic restriction is lifted!”
Voices shouted from ahead, overlapping in a cacophony.
I lifted my head slightly.
‘As expected.’
Enemies began to appear in the distance. It seemed they had gathered here in large numbers. The battlefield was filled with combatants, and skirmishes erupted everywhere.
It was clear that the unique ability ‘Miracle’ of the ‘Priest of Radiance’ had affected not just me but all our allies. Unlike the one-sided slaughter from before, the Eastern users were now fiercely fighting back, even as they were pushed.
Weapons clashed noisily, screams echoed, and arrows rained down. Explosions erupted here and there, likely remnants of magic.
Though my thoughts of Shin Sangyong had briefly dampened my spirits, the sight of the battlefield reignited my emotions. The thirst I had momentarily forgotten returned with a vengeance.
Whirrr! Whirrrr!
Just before entering the hellish scene, I swung ‘Victoria’s Glory’ wide. The sword, imbued with magic, shone brilliantly, illuminating the blood-drenched battlefield.
The enemies at the rear turned to charge at me. I sidestepped a spear thrust and sliced left and right with fluid motions.
Splat!
Scarlet blood sprayed in an X across my vision.
Whoosh!
A man leaped at me from the front, screaming as he raised his arms high. As the sunlight glinted off his blade, I flicked my sword lightly, as if throwing a jab.
Bang! Crack!
The shockwave struck the man’s head mid-air, sending debris flying in all directions.
The enemies who had been watching me hesitated for a moment.
‘Anything in my way will be cut down.’
I had already resolved to move forward. That was my minimal compromise for Shin Sangyong, the least I could offer the enemy.
It was then.
“Finally found you, Mercenary Lord.”
A familiar voice reached my ears, accompanied by a swift presence closing in from the side. The speed was impressive. Before I could turn my head, the presence was already within range.
Of course, that meant it was also within my attack range. I adjusted my grip on ‘Victoria’s Glory’ and swung it diagonally upward toward my right chest.
Clang!
Sparks flew. The weapon was a spear. My sword struck its tip precisely, sending it soaring upward. Yet the enemy didn’t halt their charge.
‘Who…?’
A hand gripped my shoulder, and a low voice whispered in my ear.
“Impressive. No wonder Baek Seoyeon fell to you.”
‘A vagrant?’
At that moment, the spear moved in an unnatural way, as if it had anticipated being blocked. It spun swiftly in the air, then whirled around to strike with a fierce black gust, aiming precisely at my blind spot.
“Let’s make a hole first and have a little chat.”
In the past, I might have praised the attacker for seizing the moment when my attention was divided. But not now.
‘Annoying.’
The thought of it being a mere nuisance made me bite my lip. I unleashed the power buried deep within my heart.
Fwoosh, fwoosh!
Flames erupted from my chest, engulfing the spear without hesitation and incinerating it at my will. In the space where the spear had been, there was now only empty air.
The hand gripping my shoulder flinched slightly, though it was faint.
“Get your hands off me. Leave.”
As I spoke, I thrust ‘Victoria’s Glory’ upward.
“Gah!”
A sharp cry echoed as something exploded with force. I swung my sword forward, shaking it off as if dusting my hands. A man fell to the ground, tongue lolling out.
Was his name Hyun? He was the one I had spoken to on the wall before the battle.
I wasn’t sure how he managed to defend himself, but he wasn’t dead yet. He reached out to the ground, a sign he was still alive. I charged at him, stabbing his hand with my sword and kicking his stomach with a foot full of magic.
Crack!
“Aaaargh!”
He rolled on the ground, letting out a pitiful scream.
I ran again, this time kicking his face as if it were a ball. Only after confirming his head burst like a watermelon did his screams finally cease. Watching his limp body, I took a breath and looked up.
…….
…….
The enemies didn’t attack. There were plenty of them around, and quite a few were watching me. Despite the aggressive nature of the Western Continent’s users, they hesitated, glancing between me and each other.
I took a step forward.
The enemies took a step back.
I felt warm liquid trickling down my hair and cheeks. Realizing this, an intense thirst arose within me. The dryness in my throat, which had been there for a while, grew even worse.
And for some reason, I felt that if I killed everything in sight, I’d feel relieved. When I killed that vagrant earlier, my burning throat had cooled for a moment.
Fine. If they won’t come to me, I’ll go to them.
Whiz! Whiz!
As I thought that, a few arrows flew toward me. I leaped forward, dodging them. I heard the arrows hit the ground behind me.
The moment my feet touched the ground, several who had been watching charged at me in a line.
I angled my sword to deflect the first attack, then ducked, using the momentum to slide my body.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
I slipped through the confused trajectories of weapons slicing through empty air, swinging my sword in a wide arc. I felt something catch and slice, and when I emerged, I saw them collapsing.
I stood up immediately. One of them, standing dazed, gaped at me.
As I passed by, I sliced through his waist in one swift motion. Despite his armor, my sword cut through the steel effortlessly.
As he screamed and bent over, I used his back to propel myself into the air again.
The ground quickly receded, and the chaotic battlefield spread out below me.
I could see those engaged in battle, those groaning with severed ankles, the one I had just stabbed collapsing, and some enemies gathering to catch me.
My body arced through the air. The landing spot was crowded with users and enemies locked in combat, leaving no room to step.
Just before descending, I spotted a familiar face. He was also looking up at the sky. The moment our eyes met, his face twisted in anger. He reached out toward the landing spot, shouting with all his might.
Boom!
With a sound like an explosion, the crimson ground heaved. Black smoke rose in a circle, engulfing the enemies. Those caught in the smoke swelled up and melted away with horrific screams.
As I began to descend, the smoke cleared quickly. The space revealed was filled with melted enemies and a cleared area.
I tilted my head briefly but decided it was a good thing. I channeled magic into ‘Victoria’s Glory’ and raised it high. Spinning it as I fell, I created a vortex-like shape.
Thud!
Upon landing, I twisted my sword, severing the lingering trajectory. With my empty left hand, I struck the air.
Boom!
The residual magic in the trajectory became a sharp blade, spreading wide.
Slice, slice, slice, slice! Slice, slice, slice, slice!
Like a spreading whirlwind, the storm of blades mercilessly tore through the surrounding enemies.
With mournful screams, body parts flew in all directions. At the same time, hot blood rained down, drenching me.
I closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them.
In the briefly cleared battlefield, I saw many users watching me. Among them was Kang Tae-wook, the ‘curse sorcerer’ who had secured my space earlier.
‘So that’s why they were holding out.’
He must have acted quickly upon seeing me attack from behind.
I walked forward slowly. One enemy was still buried in the debris, waiting for a chance to strike.
Just as I was about to lower my sword.
“Watch out!”
The moment one enemy tried to rise from the corpses, his neck snapped, and he collapsed.
Turning my head slightly, I saw another familiar face.
“Mercenary Lord!”
The assassin of the Requiem, Lee Chan-hee, was it? He retrieved his thrown dagger and ran toward me.
It was then.
『The Devil’s Eye, the Evil Eye, is watching you!』
『Responding with the Third Eye. Detected! Identified Simon Grimes, user of the Evil Eye. Location is….』
I felt a surge of power in my eyes.
“Do you know where the Shadow Queen is?”
I pointed in a general direction and pushed him aside, starting to run again.
“Mercenary Lord! Where are you going…!”
I heard him call out, but I ignored it and kept running.
Now I understood why Ansol had directed me this way.
Simon Grimes.
I joined this war to kill him.
Ansol had pinpointed exactly what I wanted.
“Vivian? I don’t see any more enemies. Shouldn’t we move? I’m worried about the Clan Lord.”
”…….”
“Vivian?”
At Im Hanna’s question, Vivian snapped out of her daze and blinked. She nodded with a sigh.
“Oh, yes. You’re right.”
“Are you feeling unwell? Are you exhausted…?”
Vivian shook her head at Im Hanna’s continued concern.
“No, I’m fine. Ever since I was hit by that light, my magic has been recharged. I could summon one more if needed. But….”
“That’s good news…! But…?”
Vivian tilted her head slightly, gazing in one direction. She spoke softly.
“It’s just… I’ve been feeling strange. Why do I suddenly feel so sad?”
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
The war is almost over.
In the next chapter, the support troops will arrive, and the battle will be described with a reversal of the situation, along with an overall explanation.
All that’s left is to pursue and capture the leaders of the Western Continent, including Suhyeon’s current target, Simon Grimes. Depending on how it goes, most of it should be wrapped up in the next chapter or the one after.
The end of Part 1 is in sight. Including the war, there are about 10 chapters left.
It’s the start of November.
My goal for November is to continue daily updates until the end of Part 1 without missing a day.
After Part 1 concludes, I’ll think carefully about how to proceed with the serialization and let you know.
Thank you. (__)