The Southern Continent’s forces were scattering in all directions, thrown into chaos by the sudden charge of the Obelo Knights. They had expected to face just one opponent, but when the knights’ reinforcements appeared out of nowhere, stabbing like spears, confusion was inevitable.
Some tried desperately to regroup, but the Obelo Knights’ power was overwhelming. A tightly knit hundred knights surged forward with greatswords raised, cutting through the Southern Continent’s users without so much as a chance to resist. They were pierced and trampled underfoot.
Breaking through the rear in a straight line, the Obelo Knights immediately turned and struck again. Eldora shouted something, struggling to rally the troops, but the formation was already collapsing into utter chaos.
A mere hundred knights were rampaging through an enemy force of nearly ten thousand. Even accounting for the surprise attack, it was undeniably extraordinary.
Yes, just as my brother said—it was an opportunity. Honestly, I hadn’t expected it to go this far. This was beyond a simple disruption; it was a full-scale rout. The enemy was clearly disoriented, and if we pressed the attack now, we could inflict devastating damage.
Boom!
Just as I finished that thought, a pillar of light suddenly descended from the sky.
Curious, I glanced to the side and saw a pale glow spreading over Geunwon’s entire body.
Whirrrrr!
A strange vibration followed.
– Connecting… Normal output 24.75%… Maximum output 51.24%… Accept.
Geunwon’s voice shifted from a cold mechanical tone to a deep, resonant one.
– Connection complete. By the authority of Geunwon, I hereby summon the ancient magical city of Magia.
At once, countless magical runes burst forth from Geunwon’s glowing form. One, two, four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two… dozens, no, hundreds of runes slowly stopped spinning and arranged themselves neatly, each occupying its own space without overlapping.
Moments later, the runes filled the air with dazzling multicolored light. The vibrations transmitted through the atmosphere sent chills down my spine, as if a storm of magic was about to be unleashed.
Then, as Geunwon slowly rose into the air, it suddenly turned to look at me—its gaze silently asking for permission.
The moment our eyes met,
“Close-combat units, to the gates!”
I shouted reflexively and sprinted toward the base of the wall. Shouts echoed from all directions, and I felt the heavy footsteps of my comrades gathering behind me. Everyone sensed it—the situation Ansol had created, this very moment, was a golden opportunity.
It was sudden, yes, but perhaps this would be the final battle. The perfect stage had been set.
As we descended to the wall and gathered at the gates, the earth suddenly trembled. The thunderous roar of my brother’s Thunder God echoed in my ears, while the chaotic sound of fiery arrows rained down like a storm.
There was no time to check each detail, so I pulled out the comm device and shouted as I ran toward the gate.
“Once the gates open, absolutely no firing near the walls!”
“We’ll focus our shots on the rear as soon as we engage the enemy up front. After the breakthrough, once the enemy lines collapse, block their retreat immediately!”
About five minutes later, all classes except archers, mages, and priests seemed to have gathered near the gates.
Ideally, I wanted to form formations by clan, but mixing together like this might not be a bad idea. We don’t know how long this will last, and if the enemy is disoriented, a wild, uncoordinated assault could be effective.
Besides, the Northern Continent’s users were far more accustomed to chaotic skirmishes relying on individual skill than the disciplined combat style of the Obelo Knights.
After a while, the relentless flashes and explosions began to subside.
“The gates are opening!”
At that moment, several users rushed forward and pulled the gates wide open.
Watching the gates slowly creak open, my heart pounded wildly. I instinctively glanced back.
“…”
Behind me, my clanmates who had followed first held their breath, eyes tense—Goyeonju, Nam Daeun, An Hyun, Lee Yujeong, Cha Sorim, Shin Jaeryong…
Creak, thud!
As I met their eyes one by one, the sound of the gates fully opening struck my ears.
I opened my mouth to say something but closed it again without a word. There was nothing to say now, and what could words do?
Simply,
“Let’s go.”
With that, I drew my sword and stepped through the wide-open gates at the front.
Waaaaaaaah!
A deafening roar filled my ears as the wilderness beyond the walls stretched out before me.
Though I had only descended from the wall, the outside world had changed drastically in that time. It was as if a disaster—no, a cataclysm—had swept through.
Hundreds of bodies lay scattered, blackened by fire or pierced with arrows like porcupines. Blood seeped from countless wounds, pooling into streams across the ground. The closer I got, the more the stench of smoke and blood assaulted my nostrils.
“Ugh, ughhh!” “They’re from the Northern Continent! The Northern Continent’s forces are here!”
The Southern Continent’s users, already disorganized, panicked further and turned their backs, waving their hands to flee.
Then, a man caught my eye—the one who had sworn to tear my brother apart… Ah, Akilov, was it? He staggered, likely affected by the concentrated fire earlier.
Perfect. If he’s one of the Round Table Knights, he’s worth taking down myself.
“Inoooom!”
Akilov roared in fury, glaring at us as we advanced. Bloodied hands drew his sword, and he charged head-on. Red flames fiercely wrapped around the blade’s spine as he lunged.
He must have been badly wounded, but I had to admire his spirit. Still, as a master of blazing fire, he was no match for me.
While running, I activated Hwajeong’s second power, Flame Eye, extinguishing the fire on his sword. Akilov froze, startled, and faltered.
Seizing the moment, I moved behind him with a twisted strike and slid my sword deep into his exposed neck.
“Gahk!”
A strangled gasp escaped as the blade pierced his throat. He shook off my hand and kicked me in the back, collapsing with his tongue lolling out. Even in death, he tried to reach out with trembling arms, but I struck his hand with my sword and kicked his face with all my might.
Thud!
His skull shattered, and his movements ceased. After one last violent spasm, he went limp. For a famed “Knight of the Blazing Flame” from the first round, it was a pitifully brief and meaningless death.
But this wasn’t the first round—it was this one. Granted, luck was on my side.
Taking a breath, I turned my gaze to the battlefield. Among the furious allies charging like wild beasts, I spotted enemies opening their mouths in shock. They must have been stunned by the sudden death of their trusted Round Table Knight.
Determined to finish them quickly, I angled my sword and bent my knees.
Then—
Thud-thud-thud-thud, thud-thud-thud-thud!
– S, Sovereign?
Suddenly, thunder crashed in my ears as the enemies before me were skewered on a rust-red greatsword and scattered like leaves.
The mournful wails belonged to none other than the Obelo Knight Captain and his knights.
For some reason, they stopped their charge right in front of me.
– Sovereign? Sovereign!
The captain roared in fury.
Not just his voice—the hand gripping the greatsword trembled violently, and inside his helmet, his fierce eyes blazed like a volcano on the verge of eruption. The hostility radiating from him was like meeting a sworn mortal enemy.
Even the knights behind him exuded murderous intent, making my nerves snap and my skin crawl.
– Cur! Exiguæ dereliquit nos!
His voice was dark and grim, but he shouted loudly enough for me to hear clearly. I didn’t understand the words, but there was a strange mix of formality and deep sorrow in his tone.
Why was he so hostile toward me?
“Ah.”
Then I remembered—Geunwon had warned me never to face them directly.
By the time I realized it, it was far too late. The captain and all his knights had their greatswords aimed at me.
Damn it, I’d made a mistake. I’d been so focused on pushing forward that I’d forgotten Geunwon’s warning.
– Sovereiiggnnnnnnnnnnn!
…So it comes down to fighting after all?
Watching the Obelo Knight Captain take his first step forward, I gripped my sword tightly, feeling it threaten to shatter in my hand.
Then, suddenly—
– Hooh, articulorum colonia! Diu nulli videre!
Hwajeong’s voice echoed in my mind.
‘Hwajeong?’
– Shut up and repeat after me!
‘Uh, what?’
– I said repeat! You idiot! Hurry!
“Ho, oh. Commander of the knights, is it? It’s been a while.”
The force behind Hwa-jeong’s words was so strong that I found myself stammering along without realizing it.
— Idiot! How can you speak like that? Sound a little more arrogant!
‘How am I supposed to, when I don’t even understand what I’m saying…?’
Feeling a bit wronged, I looked up—and suddenly, my eyes sharpened on their own. The knights, who had seemed ready to charge just moments ago, had stopped moving. Their hostility remained, but now they were silently glaring at me.
— Keep repeating after me. Est inligatas oneribus pignus… Say this part a little more faintly.
I had no idea how to say something faintly, but I decided to just follow along.
“Est inligatas oneribus pignus… (Still bound by the oath, huh…)”
— Culpa tua est! (It’s your fault!)
Huh? Why such a strong reaction?
— Cur, quid tu lost in ohbel! Nos ohgiman te! (Why did you abandon Obelo? We’ve been waiting for your return!)
They even spoke first, their words sounding like accusations.
Ah, whatever. Looks like they want to talk. Better just quietly repeat for now.
“I don’t have much to say. But I never abandoned you. I had my reasons.”
— Reasons? Reasons, you say?
“Of course, I won’t make excuses. If you want to speak with swords, I’m more than willing.”
— ……
With that, a brief silence fell.
Suddenly, the whole situation struck me as absurd. We were clearly in the middle of a battlefield, yet only the spot where I and the Obelo knights stood was eerily quiet.
Then, the knight commander slowly lowered his greatsword.
— You’re as steadfast as ever…
What’s this? Why did his voice suddenly grow so wistful?
— Our lord has always been like that. Speaking not with words, but with his body. Not with speech, but with his sword.
“Do you still remember what I said back then?”
— Because we respected you so deeply. A hero among heroes, an untouchable, supreme being. The Obelo knights have always engraved their loyalty to you in their hearts. So please, tell us—why did you abandon the Obelo knights? Even if the kingdom fell, had you returned, we would have followed you to the death.
“That’s not hard to answer. But don’t you think the current situation complicates things?”
As I kept repeating Hwa-jeong’s words, the knight commander slowly glanced around. He caught sight of Heo Jun-young plunging his sword into an enemy, then staring blankly at me. Honestly, I was just as confused about what I was saying.
— Hmm. Indeed…
“Let’s start by putting aside old grudges. Let’s join hands and take care of the enemy together first. We can talk after that.”
— But!
“Please. I need your strength.”
At that, Hwa-jeong subtly bowed his head, and I, feeling dazed, lowered mine as well. Then something incredible happened.
— A-a request? Lord of the Sword! W-why would you bow to people like us?
The knight commander, who had been radiating fierce hostility just moments ago, suddenly jumped in surprise. He even shook his helmet back and forth, looking utterly flustered. Was I imagining it, or did he seem completely at a loss?
— The Lord of the Sword… making a request…?
— To our commander…?
Ooooooh!
A chorus of cheers erupted from the knights. Though it sounded more like a raucous noise—almost like curses—the real surprise was the commander’s reaction.
— A-hem! Well… if it’s a request from our lord… understood.
He scratched the surface of his helmet awkwardly, then turned shyly. With a spirited shout, he raised his greatsword, and the knights followed suit, cheering loudly.
I couldn’t hold back and asked what on earth I had said to cause this.
— Huh? Oh, I didn’t say much. Just told them to clear the battlefield first and talk afterward.
‘Then why such a reaction?’
— That’s obvious. Don’t you know how much influence the Lord of the Sword holds?
‘?’
— Think about it. The very person you’ve always admired, now bowing his head and asking for help—how could they not feel proud? Sure, they hate you, but their respect runs deep.
‘…….’
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Obelo Knight 1: Whoa! The Lord of the Sword actually made a request to our commander!
Obelo Knight 2: He even bowed his head!
Obelo Knight 3: Amazing!
Obelo Knight 4: Truly incredible!