How much time had passed?
Or rather, how many had I cut down by now?
I didn’t know. The sky was starting to darken, and counting kills in the middle of battle was a pointless exercise anyway. Honestly, I couldn’t even remember clearly. Just keep swinging—eventually, it’ll be over.
Just then, I spotted some panicked figures fleeing ahead. Without hesitation, I pushed off the ground and leapt into the fray. I swung Victoria’s Glory indiscriminately at anything in sight. A crimson afterimage stretched out sharply, slicing through the fleeing enemies’ necks.
Shick, shick.
The chilling sensation of flesh and bone being cut through sent a shiver down my spine. With a powerful flick of my hand to the right, the heads of those who had their backs turned tumbled to the ground simultaneously. One by one, they dropped to their knees and collapsed, utterly defeated.
I exhaled the breath I’d been holding, only to be met by weak screams and murmurs echoing from all around. I didn’t care to listen to their desperate cries. I just wanted to finish this quickly. Activating my swordsmanship, I unleashed Mukum, Ilwol Shingeom, and Caligo Abraxas—three long blades roaring to life as they soared into the sky.
One of the benefits of inheriting the title ‘Lord of Swords’ was the strengthened bond with the swords I wielded. Beyond mere fusion of sword and body, I could move them as I pleased, as if they were extensions of my own will. There was no doubt that, if used well, their power was immense.
Vwoooosh!
Pouring all my magic into them, the three swords spun wildly like water swirling into a vortex, striking fiercely in every direction.
The sound of air being torn apart was bone-chilling. Like a storm that shattered everything in its path, even a mere graze from the blades shattered and splintered objects. A hit to the chest sliced right through, and a strike to the thigh severed limbs as if ground in a blender.
Some tried to raise shields or magical barriers, but it was futile. Thick chunks of iron were cracked and shattered in an instant by the whirlwind of blades, and white magical veils crumbled like paper in a shredder, unable to last even a second. Even considering just the rotational force, blocking was a long shot—but with the added power of my swordsmanship’s divine ability, there was no chance at all.
After a moment, blood from dozens of enemies sprayed into the air, mixing and crossing paths, while the harsh metallic screams gradually faded.
Swish!
Suddenly, a sharp sound sliced through the air. A deadly intent aimed straight for my neck. For a moment, I considered striking back with my sword, but reflexively, I twisted my body and yanked my cloak tight. A long, steel spear, wreathed in pale mist, thrust forward almost simultaneously.
Wait—steel?
“Activating Red Moon Cloak’s ability: Absorption.”
“Iron Lance absorbed.”
Iron Lance? Not Ice Lance?
Anyway, the steel spear that had charged at me vanished straight into my cloak. I felt a brief impact against my body, but it quickly faded. The Red Moon Cloak’s power had activated.
Looking toward the direction the spear came from, I saw a woman with her hood pulled low, hesitating and stepping back. I immediately stomped and sprang forward, curiosity piqued by the magic she wielded with steel.
Using my Divine Step, I closed the distance in an instant. The woman showed a startled movement but responded swiftly and skillfully. Without losing balance, she retreated while calmly extending her hand. At that moment, I inwardly winced.
Zing, zing, zing, zing, zing, zing!
Without any obvious incantation, six sharp metallic sounds pierced the air. Glancing down, I saw six new steel spears bursting from the ground, spinning like living creatures before stabbing at me from all sides.
It was certainly an unexpected attack. But I immediately drew on my magic and activated the Phantom Shift, occupying the woman’s rear in a flash.
Ahead, the steel spears mercilessly tore through the fading afterimages. The woman let out a loud sigh of relief, but as her vision blurred, she suddenly faltered and collapsed into my arms. Judging by her slender shoulders pressed against my chest, she was definitely a woman.
Startled, she shrank back slightly, then slowly turned her head. I could feel her trembling all over. Her eyes, barely visible beneath the hood, were wide with terror. For some reason, the steel-blue rose necklace hanging around her neck caught my attention more than anything else.
Quickly scanning her with my Third Eye, I found myself nodding without realizing it.
“Indeed. Now that I think about it, didn’t they say three were scattered across the Southern Continent as well?”
She was effectively neutralized. I reached out with my left hand and gripped her delicate neck, then glanced up at the sky. The city, which had been noisy just moments ago, was now slowly quieting down. It was a sign that the battle was settling.
I had searched everywhere, hoping to find a demon, but there was no sign of one—or even the main Southern Continent forces. All I saw were looters lost in their pillaging.
Of course, victory was something to be glad about…
Well, I’d be satisfied with this for now. Once the reinforcements arrive, they’d take action somehow.
After organizing my thoughts, I stared silently at the woman who had stiffened in my grasp.
Crackling, crackling!
Outside, the castle was a complete mess. Broken walls, flames rising here and there, and thick black smoke billowing beyond the castle walls filled the air with a choking stench. The deep twilight cast over the city made it hard to tell whether it was the castle or the sky burning.
Eldora stared bitterly at the scene. The screams had died down some time ago, but she could easily guess what had happened inside—and it left a sour taste in her mouth.
But it couldn’t be helped. The Southern Continent’s invading force numbered less than twenty thousand. Considering Eldora’s reputation and the population of the Southern Continent, that was a surprisingly small number.
To cut to the chase, everyone present here was a user who sympathized with Eldora’s cause. Those who didn’t follow her had refused to support her actions. Even if the angels’ true intentions were laid bare for all to see, it was unreasonable to expect every user to accept it immediately.
In the end, they fled the chaotic Southern Continent and came to the Eastern Continent.
Of course, there were factions that actively supported her—like Nox and Carpe Diem.
But they had no real interest in the cause itself. They were focused solely on the word ‘war.’ Though they were allowed to participate because every fighter counted, they were given considerable freedom of action.
Eldora knew well why they were so enthusiastic about war, and she understood that restricting them would only turn them against her. It was, in a way, a bargain.
So, what remained for Eldora was rationality for the sake of humanity, and the belief that if she achieved results and proved she was right, she would regain support. These two justifications were her driving force.
But this bitter war would end today. The Southern Continent had defeated its rival and would use this foothold to grow stronger. And now, the so-called demons who backed the Southern Continent instead of angels would also gain power. Yes, once today was over…
At that moment, Eldora’s army furrowed their brows. Just as they thought it was almost over, the screams suddenly rose again. Soon after, shadows came running breathlessly from the broken castle walls.
“I’ll go check it out.”
Sensing something was wrong, Edward quickly sprang into action.
A moment later.
“A counterattack?”
“Yes, yes. Suddenly, a horde poured through the warp gate…”
Edward’s hurried report caused a ripple of unease through the ranks. Eldora blinked rapidly, then composed herself and stood.
“It seems the Northern Continent’s reinforcements have arrived.”
“Northern Continent? Reinforcements?”
When Akirof asked, Eldora nodded quietly.
“They said the angels would act swiftly as well, so we must capture the Eastern Continent as quickly as possible.”
“Huh… How fast did they come?”
“I’m surprised too, but that’s not the important issue.”
“True. So, what now?”
The tense atmosphere calmed quickly. Eldora’s steady leadership helped, but the Knights of the Round Table had never taken the Northern Continent’s arrival too seriously.
“First, we’ll split the troops into four groups. Each will secure an escape route at a castle gate.”
“And then?”
“I’ll contact Melinus immediately. He said to report any abnormalities right away, so he must have a plan.”
“Hmm. I don’t know what they’re up to, but do we really need to call him? I think we can handle this ourselves. Heh heh.”
With that, Akirof spun on his heel and called his troops together. Without a word of farewell, he vanished swiftly into the twilight—humming a tune as he went.
In truth, there was a reason why Akirof seemed so carefree, and why the Knights of the Round Table shrugged off the situation so nonchalantly.
Users from the Southern Continent are, by nature, fiercely proud. Simply put, they believe their continent is the best. Having long faced off against the Eastern Continent, their pride had only grown stronger. So when news came of the Northern Continent’s emergence, they didn’t take it too seriously.
In short: it was pure confidence.
Akirof’s cheerful charge was built on that very foundation.
Together with his summoned troops, Akirof was racing toward the nearest gate as if flying. The closer they got to the castle, the wider his smile grew.
In fact, during the war, Akirof had occasionally grumbled. Eldora’s Odin Clan strictly controlled their actions, forbidding them from acting recklessly. He longed to join the street battles and indulge his desires, but they weren’t even allowed to enter the city, let alone pillage. His frustration had been mounting day by day.
So, the timely arrival of the Northern Continent was actually a relief. Just when he was about to give up on the last major city, this new distraction had appeared—offering a chance for some late-game excitement.
As the castle gate loomed right before them, Akirof unexpectedly ran into a group of retreating allies.
“L-Lord Akirof!”
The ragged men burst out in a panic, then collapsed to the ground the moment they saw him. After a brief sigh of relief, one of them suddenly pointed behind.
“I-Inside the castle!”
“Ah, I heard. Some new monkeys have appeared, right?”
“Y-Yes?”
“But really, look at you all… tsk tsk. Running away from a bunch of yellow-furred monkeys? Aren’t you ashamed?”
Akirof scolded them mockingly, and the men stared blankly for a moment before shaking their heads vigorously.
“N-No, it’s not like that! Those things are truly monstrous!”
“Monstrous, huh.”
Akirof cut off their protest with a chuckle. Then, his laughter abruptly died, replaced by a chilling gleam in his eyes.
“Wow, that’s terrifying… But tell me, are those things the monsters? Or am I the real monster here?”
The men fell silent. His arrogant, condescending tone was enough to crush their spirits.
Yet, ironically, they also felt a strange sense of relief. After all, this man was one of the Southern Continent’s finest knights. More than that, he was a pillar of the Odin Clan.
Perhaps they sensed his awe-inspiring presence.
“Well, I suppose that’s possible. After all, it’s a whole continent—we can’t expect it to be free of a few odd monkeys, can we?”
Akirof slowly withdrew his gaze and smirked arrogantly.
“So, ordinary guys like you? Stick to dealing with the regular monkeys.”
Then, suddenly, he clapped a hand on one man’s shoulder.
“As for the exceptional monkeys… leave those to me.”
With that, he strode boldly into the castle, flames flickering behind him.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Well, if you want to die, what can’t you do?