Light stood frozen in place.
The blade of the sword pressed against his neck.
“Stay still.”
“Yes.”
Light swallowed hard. Even if the blade hadn’t been so close, he wouldn’t have dared to move. The presence behind him was unbearably sharp and sinister.
“Your name.”
The enemy’s voice was calm, like the wind blowing through the night.
“Light.”
“If you give me useful information, I’ll let you live. If not, you’ll die. So say something.”
In that moment, memories flashed through Light’s mind like a slideshow.
He thought of his family, who had been so proud when he became a knight of the Empire.
He remembered the childhood friend from his hometown he never got the chance to confess to before leaving.
He didn’t want his life to end like this.
“The captain of the knights is Elpeso.”
“I know.”
“We’re the Ninth Knight Order. We were sent ahead as scouts by the main force.”
“You don’t have to tell me that.”
“We believe they’re in the mountains.”
“So that’s how they formed their formation.”
“There’s a Black Knight with the main force…”
Light desperately rattled off everything he knew. It was humiliating, but he had no choice.
He wanted to live.
But he was just a rookie. He didn’t have any earth-shattering information.
No matter what he said, the enemy seemed to already know.
It was somewhat comforting to realize he wasn’t the only one spilling secrets, but it didn’t help him survive.
“So, um…”
Light had gone numb and started babbling aimlessly.
“The best restaurant in the palace is, well, in my opinion…”
“Enough.”
“No, I can tell you more. So—”
“Look at the sky.”
“Huh?”
As he lifted his head, the blade scraped against his skin, drawing blood. But Light didn’t care. Obeying the enemy’s orders was more important when his life was on the line.
“How is it?”
“Um?”
A strange question.
“How’s the sky?”
“Well…”
Light licked his lips and answered again.
“The moon is bright. There are many stars, too.”
“How bright?”
“Very bright.”
“…”
“Isn’t the night sky pretty much the same everywhere?”
“Yeah.”
The enemy nodded.
“Go.”
“Huh?”
“Go.”
Light blinked, then took a step forward. The enemy didn’t react.
Two steps, three steps—still nothing.
Then Light broke into a run.
He glanced back as he hurried away.
The enemy just watched silently.
He wondered if they planned to chase and kill him, but they didn’t pursue him until he was out of sight.
Light ran like a madman.
Yuri stood quietly, watching Light’s retreating back.
“Didn’t expect to meet you here.”
They had a history in a past life.
After Briol fell, when Yuri was living as a mercenary, he had met Light.
Though Light now belonged to the Empire, he was destined to become a wandering mercenary someday.
Yuri knew Light was from the Empire but hadn’t realized he was a knight.
He had helped Light a few times.
“Hmm…”
In hindsight, Light had deserted because of Yuri. He probably couldn’t return to the Empire and might become a mercenary again.
Was this how fate worked?
Yuri shrugged and looked up at the sky.
“Let whatever happens, happen.”
As Light said, the moon and stars shone brightly.
But to Yuri, the night sky looked a little different than just “bright.”
The sky rippled like water, and the moon seemed large enough to fill the heavens.
Countless stars shone like centers of swirling vortices, radiating light.
A strange yet beautiful sight.
Soul Slash, and Chaos.
Where was this leading him?
Yuri clenched his sword, Guilty.
Even if this path led to a cliff’s edge, he wouldn’t turn away.
To tear apart the Empire, he was willing to go anywhere.
Counting the presences in the mountains one by one, Yuri smiled.
His mind was sharper than ever.
Like sensing the scent of prey, he expanded his awareness to find a suitable target. Hunting the weak first was the nature of a predator.
He moved like a prowling beast.
Then, at the right moment, he sprang forward.
He no longer cared if his footsteps gave him away.
Stealth was impossible now, so he planned to create chaos and disrupt the enemy’s judgment.
When Yuri reached a nearby group of enemies, four knights had already formed a formation, swords drawn toward him.
“They’re here!”
“Stay calm!”
Yuri didn’t slow down.
The air rushed past his cheeks.
The flow of wind, like a tangled thread, felt as vivid as leather against his skin.
He could even use the slightest resistance of the air to calculate his sword strikes.
The upcoming battle played out in his mind like a well-drawn plan.
After exchanging a few moves, he would win without trouble. But Yuri wanted a faster, more decisive victory. So he adjusted his opening move.
A new outcome emerged.
The changed future was more destructive and shorter.
Yuri liked this solution.
So he followed it.
Just before impact, a whirlwind of sword energy erupted atop Guilty.
The storm of chaotic power distorted the four knights’ blades.
Their four different mana methods were crushed and squeezed by the energy of Soul Slash, shattering into fragments that became part of the chaos.
A thunderous roar filled the air.
All four knights collapsed simultaneously.
Fragments of sword energy grazed Yuri’s skin.
Drops of blood floated at the edge of his vision.
Yuri accelerated.
He drove Guilty into the chest of the knight lying in the center.
The two knights on either side tried to rise, but the lingering chaotic energy responded to Yuri’s will and struck them down.
They staggered.
Yuri immediately slashed the knight on the left. The man barely raised his sword to block.
Yuri spun half a turn and struck the knight who was still struggling behind him.
It was an unexpected move.
The knight’s chest was split open along with his armor.
“Beltes!”
Yuri lunged at the knight who was only half up, just beyond the fallen bodies.
The man raised his sword with dazed eyes.
Too slow.
Yuri kicked him in the chest, and as the knight fell backward, Yuri shoved Guilty through the gap in his visor.
He felt something pierce through.
He twisted the blade.
The skull inside crushed.
When Yuri pulled out his sword, blood and brain matter splattered.
“You bastard!”
The knight who had first blocked Yuri’s sword lost his mind after watching three comrades die in quick succession.
Rather than flee in terror, he chose to fight. No need to chase him down.
“Die!”
A sword laced with energy came down toward Yuri’s back.
Yuri slid sideways like water. The knight’s blade cut through empty air, and that one miss sealed his fate.
Yuri lightly extended Guilty.
Crack.
The knight looked down at the sword piercing his chest and muttered,
“I—I curse you. Jared, right? I’ll curse you to the ends of hell. You…”
Yuri pulled out Guilty and said,
“Yuri Briol.”
Blood spurted from his mouth, and the knight couldn’t finish his words.
“Not Jared. Yuri Briol.”
The light faded from the knight’s eyes. Yuri smirked and turned away.
“If you’re going to curse me, at least get my name right.”
Yuri turned.
Movement stirred all around him.
Lights flickered on and off.
The entire Ninth Knight Order was moving busily.
Their position was probably fully exposed after this fight.
“Still a lot left…”
Typical of the Empire.
Even after killing this many, there were still many knights left. If this was only a fraction of the whole order, how much blood would have to be spilled?
Yuri rummaged through a fallen backpack and found a pile of jerky. He popped a piece into his mouth and chewed.
Then he disappeared back into the darkness.
Yuri’s skills were razor-sharp.
If he wanted to, he could do anything.
If he wanted to vanish, no trace remained.
If he wanted to cut, even iron plates would be sliced.
If he wanted to kill, distances closed in an instant.
Now, the Soul Slash flowing through the ley lines had completely merged with chaos.
“Infinite.”
Yuri muttered.
In chaos, there was truly infinity.
Now Yuri understood why Moyongchan had been so wary of the Heavenly Demon’s martial arts.
But he didn’t care.
“Elpeso.”
Among the countless energies, Yuri spotted a single point moving with serene dignity. He was approaching Yuri, accompanied by knights.
No matter who Yuri was, he had no intention of facing so many at once.
He looked up at the sky.
The strangely shining stars filled his vision again.
There was still much night left.
He checked the number of arrows he had.
Enough.
Yuri hid in a tree at a safe distance.
The group of knights centered around Elpeso was approaching.
Yuri erased all traces of his presence so completely that Elpeso passed right beneath him without sensing the enemy.
Their conversation drifted to him.
“There was a sound nearby.”
“We’re changing formation now. Two squads will combine and move in groups of eight.”
“That might be too loose.”
“We’ve already lost this much.”
Elpeso’s tone was calm, but his voice carried a sharp edge.
“This is the only way to keep even the slightest chance. If he wanted to run, he would have left already.”
Elpeso was calculating wisely in his own way.
“Scatter.”
“Yes!”
The knights spread out in all directions.
Now only Elpeso and the four knights remaining by his side were left.
Compared to the opponents Yuri had killed so far, these were on an entirely different level. It seemed impossible to confront them head-on.
Elpeso spoke up.
“He’s still nearby. If we don’t take him out now, there’ll be trouble later.”
One of the four knights accompanying him added,
“By the way, Briol’s strength is incredible. I didn’t know there was someone this skilled besides Fiore.”
“Jared is a name I’m hearing for the first time.”
“Yes.”
“Does anyone know him?”
All four shook their heads. Elpeso sighed.
“Jared, huh. They called him the Beast of Briol. Having a nickname means he’s pretty well-known within Briol. If we let him slip away today, we’ll have to inform the main force and gather intel.”
“Maybe he’s been deliberately kept under wraps. Like Briol’s secret weapon.”
“That’s possible.”
“Aren’t we the same? Should we have brought ‘that guy’ along?”
“No, he’s hard to control. He’s only effective with the Black Knight by his side.”
“This is troublesome.”
Yuri caught a new keyword.
The ‘that guy’ they mentioned must be a hidden asset of the empire.
Calling him a secret weapon suggested he was quite formidable.
Yuri racked his brain, but no memories came to mind.
Compared to the previous life, the war had started much earlier this time. So, this must be a new figure who joined the conflict as history was rewritten.
The knights kept talking.
“I saw ‘that guy’ once. He gave me a bad feeling.”
“Right? His eyes were so dark and sinister…”
Elpeso cut them off.
“Enough chatter. We don’t know where he might be.”
“Yes.”
“Maybe he’s watching us even now.”
“Uh…”
“Don’t think I’m exaggerating. Look at how many have already died.”
“Sorry.”
“They don’t feel like knights anymore. Right now, we’re the prey. He’s hunting us at will.”
Hearing that, Yuri smiled quietly to himself, thinking that thanks to him, Jared’s reputation would only grow.
Elpeso’s group moved slowly, scanning their surroundings carefully.
Yuri drew his bow and nocked an arrow.
He pulled back the string.
Right in his sight was the back of the target’s head.
He wanted to pierce Elpeso through immediately, but it didn’t seem like he could take him down in one shot.
He could feel Elpeso’s entire body tense up. The knights were on high alert after losing comrades to arrows.
Yuri shifted his aim to the easiest target.
He took a deep breath.
And released.
The arrow flew silently.
Without waiting to see the result, Yuri turned away. Whether he hit or missed, he had to leave immediately.
“Gate!”
Fortunately, it seemed he’d succeeded. Yuri moved away as fast as he could.
Elpeso’s shout echoed through the forest.
Yuri grinned and quickened his pace.
Then, he ran into a group of knights.
Now there were eight.
He had to deal with them before Elpeso arrived.
“Hmm…”
Looking at their fierce faces, Yuri realized wiping them all out would be tough.
“Four. That’s all I’ll kill before I go.”
His sword sliced through the night air.
Time seemed to slow.
Caught in a rush of exhilaration, Yuri swung his blade wildly.
Blood splattered.
Beyond the heads of the fallen knights, the stars scattered an eerie glow, lighting up the sky with a strange brilliance.