Illusion Sword Master

＜ Holy Sword Black Thunder (1) ﹥

Manticore was fleeing deep into the great forest, its enormous wings flapping rapidly.

‘Sigh. Why did it have to come all the way to the south and cause trouble?’

I was riding on Black Thunder’s back, pursuing Manticore with aerial combat.

Having experienced countless battles with unpredictable situations, I was still not accustomed to chasing enemies.

If the enemy fled, it was a good thing – I wouldn’t have to fight anymore. But it didn’t suit my personality to chase after them and put myself in danger.

Especially when the enemy was a massive demonic beast infamous on the front lines.

Manticore had suffered considerable injuries from the initial attack, bleeding profusely, but even in that state, it could easily take down ten knights.

‘Well, I suppose demonic beasts exist here too.’

My body was burning with heat, and I glanced to the side.

“Today, we won’t let it escape! Die!”

Mencar, clinging to my waist, was chanting magic spells with an excited tone, as if riding a thrill ride.

─ Whoosh!

Every time she swung her arm, a massive flame sphere over a meter in diameter would erupt from her fingertips.

Mentka was originally a prodigy, and when it came to simple firepower, even geniuses like Sera and Roem couldn’t compare to her.

She had already single-handedly incinerated hundreds of orcs during her trainee days.

With me, she had acquired the mobility of a magician, making her virtually unbeatable.

“Hit me! Don’t dodge, just take it!”

However, her innate problem of low accuracy and delicacy remained unsolved, and her fierce attacks failed to hit the rapidly flying Manticore’s body.

─ Whoa!

The stray fireballs fell in a diagonal line, burning the innocent trees and demons on the ground.

As we flew through the forest, turning it into a sea of flames, Mentka looked up at me and said,

“Ethan, can’t you go any faster?”

“This is the maximum speed.”

Airborne swordsmanship was a technique that consumed a lot of mental energy, and maintaining this speed at an altitude of several dozen meters was already an impressive feat.

If we forced ourselves to go any faster with a passenger on board, we risked crashing embarrassingly.

“Why? Just fly up there and stab that guy in the butt with your sword!”

Mentka seemed to think of me as some kind of superhero, but I was just a capable inspector.

“It’s not possible, so it’s not possible.”

I replied firmly to her tantrum.

“Tch. If you can do anything, then why… ······.”

Mentka muttered something, but her voice was drowned out by the subsequent noise.

─ Vroom!

The sound of a thin membrane vibrating rapidly.

Either the fireballs had disturbed a beehive on the ground, or the demons were retaliating against us for invading their airspace, as bee-like demons burst forth from below.

The bees, as large as humans, seemed capable of piercing human bodies with their physical strength alone, crushing bones.

“Ethan, block them.”

Mentka ignored them, focusing solely on the Manticore, so it was up to me to intercept.

I deployed my airborne swordsmanship.

Swoosh!

Six swords emerged from their scabbards, drawing a circle around me.

I enchanted the swords with lightning magic.

─ Bang!

When the bees entered the interception range, I released the stored blue electricity, accelerating the swords.

The swords, now straight and extended, pierced the bodies of the bee demons while simultaneously setting their wings ablaze.

A kind of railgun, I called this technique the “Ethan-style Brain Buster.”

As the bees’ bodies, charred black, fell to the ground, Mentka…

─ Whoosh!

【Kkkkkkkuueee!】

“Got it!”

The dreadful scream of the Manticore and Mencra’s excited shout intersected.

Her attack had finally hit its mark.

The flames she had unleashed didn’t quite hit the Manticore’s body, but they did manage to burn half of its wing.

The Manticore’s body lost balance and precariously flew away, disappearing into the giant trees of the Great Forest.

“Edan, let’s chase after it!”

I hesitated for a moment.

‘We’ve gone too deep in.’

The distance between us and the main troop had become too great during the pursuit of the Manticore.

The knights were busy fending off the monsters summoned by the Manticore, making it difficult to expect a swift reunion.

It was worrisome to venture deeper into the Great Forest with just the two of us.

“We need to kill it now! If we miss this chance, it’ll be even harder to kill it next time.”

Mencra, sensing my hesitation, urged me on.

It was a reasonable argument.

The Manticore, as a monster, had intelligence and would become even more cunning if it managed to escape.

‘We’re not in a situation to…’

The dangers within the Great Forest were not something to be resolved, but rather something to be kept at a distance.

I was just a stray who had wandered in, thinking I could try to take advantage of the situation, but it seemed I wouldn’t be able to.

If I returned to the capital, that would be the end of it.

Of course, I would soon be dragged to the western front lines, but what was the point of staying here and fighting against monsters?

But…

‘Ah, if I let it go, it’ll try to catch that thing again.’

The image of Mencra, who had received the curse of the Dark Mage and yet still fought recklessly, was etched in my mind.

Even if she died, it would be her own choice and her own fate, but my heart still ached because I had grown attached to her.

‘This is it. I feel like I’m letting go of a child.’

Anyway, I had decided to wrap up my duties as a comrade and an inspector with this incident.

I had already given her enough leeway.

“Mencra, this is the last time I’ll do as you say. There won’t be a next time. Got it?”

“Uh? Wh… Why? There are still many monsters to catch.”

She seemed puzzled.

“Ah, if it gets dangerous, I’ll just run away.”

I had decided to chase after the Manticore, so there was no more time to waste. I lowered the altitude of my aerial sword and resumed the pursuit.

The dense foliage within the Great Forest was an unfavorable environment for the Manticore, with its large body, to escape.

It was slow going, as it had to break through the small trees with its body, allowing us to quickly close the distance.

Before long, the Manticore stopped and turned around.

It seemed to have realized that it couldn’t shake us off and had decided to confront us.

【Hsss…】

As the Manticore prepared something and took a deep breath…

“Now’s our chance.”

Mencra, who had landed on the ground, lowered her stance and gathered mana around her.

─ Oooooh……

I can feel the massive mana flow gathering around her.

“It’s coming, something big.”

I raised my guard to prepare for the worst, ready to protect her with my swordsmanship.

【■■■! ■■■■─!】

Manticores gathered their breath and let out a mighty roar.

This was a kind of incantation to summon the demonic beasts.

The ground shook as the beasts within a few kilometers responded, and the sound of their footsteps was deafening.

Various demonic beasts emerged from the surrounding underbrush, their forms twisted and grotesque.

“One, ten, hundred, thousand……there are too many to count.”

The sheer number of demonic beasts formed a thick encirclement.

【Khufu! Chuiik!】

Manticores, with their human-like rotten flesh, contorted their faces into a twisted grin.

Their raised eyebrows seemed to be laughing at us.

Although I didn’t fully understand the demonic beasts’ psychology, they seemed delighted to have trapped their long-time tormentor.

“That guy still hasn’t suffered enough.”

Despite being surrounded by the enemy’s massive army, I felt an unusual sense of ease.

When the encirclement tightened, Mencía, who had been crouching, suddenly sprang up.

─ Whoosh!

A wall of flames erupted.

She stretched out her hand towards the demonic beasts charging at her, and in sync, towering trees and massive flames of the same height spread out in all directions.

─ Wahhh!

The swirling flames engulfed the demonic beasts, leaving behind only charred, shriveled corpses.

The number of enemies was no longer a problem.

Any enemy that couldn’t withstand her flames was nothing but a mere insect.

Mencía, with a joyful expression, wielded her hook-like hand like a commander’s baton, and the flames responded by devouring everything around her.

This was an infinite, pure, and unbridled destructive impulse.

Truly, it was the “Crazy Flame”.

I gazed at her in awe for a moment.

“Has she become even stronger?”

It was as if she was proving that there was no limit to her talent, just like during her student days when she was already considered a masterpiece.

I couldn’t maintain a spectator’s stance anymore.

Manticores began to move, targeting Mencía’s back.

With its red, mana-resistant magic, it pierced through the flames, its heavy body flying through the air with half-spread wings.

“Mencía!”

Her magic, which embodied the concept of destruction, was capable of ignoring even its own demise.

My warning didn’t reach her as she slaughtered the demonic beasts with her magic, lost in a state of ecstasy.

I enchanted the Black Thunder I was riding with lightning magic.

As I activated the Neurocrusher, I glared at Manticore’s head and dropped down vertically.

It swung its scorpion-like tail to counterattack.

─ Chiying!

I stopped its charge and brandished Black Thunder, blocking its path once again.

Manticore’s front paws clashed with my great sword.

“Kuk!”

I had to firmly fix my lower body with my aura to maintain balance.

Manticore was a monster that could easily devour a few ordinary knights, having firepower beyond the norm.

Each of its movements reminded me of the formidable Bishaku, the Bone Collector, I had fought before.

I used my aura to make up for the significant difference in physical strength and faced it head-on.

“This guy is tough.”

Manticore swung its front paws simultaneously, using its long tail like a whip or a spear to target my openings.

I activated my swordsmanship to counter its attack.

“It seems I’m getting used to this kind of thing.”

Just then, I sensed a ominous energy beneath my feet.

A massive amount of mana was gathering to set the place ablaze.

“Right. Minka was Minka, after all.”

I believed she would adjust her attack range considering my position. I was too careless.

I immediately dodged out of the attack range.

─ Whoosh!

A whirlwind of flames erupted from where I had just been, engulfing Manticore.

“Die! Die!”

Minka, who had cleared the surrounding demons, unleashed a barrage of magic at Manticore.

She poured all her remaining mana into the attack, intensifying the flames.

【Kwueek─Kwueeek!】

The flames engulfed Manticore, which let out a scream of agony as it thrashed about.

Minka’s words were indeed true – it was a tough guy.

Manticore, which had been struggling, shook off the flames and leaped away.

Minka and I jumped over it, and the demon began to flee.

If I let it escape now, it would be a disaster.

I reflexively chased after it.

I deployed my sword wings with Black Thunder and fired six great swords simultaneously using Neurocrusher.

─ Puff! Puff!

Manticore, weakened from the previous flames, couldn’t deflect my attack.

I imbued the swords lodged in its body with Neurocrusher magic.

─ Zzip! Zzip!

A purple current connected the swords, stiffening Manticore’s muscles.

I caught up to it and mounted its back, brandishing Black Thunder.

“It’s really tough.”

Indeed, monsters were monsters.

─ Crunch!

The guy’s neck was stiff, resisting with all his might, but it didn’t cleanly sever.

“Just stay still. If you move, it’ll hurt more.”

I focused my mana on Black Thunder and activated the shockwave slash.

─ Whud.

The mana vibrating around the blade’s edge dug into the guy’s neck.

I added more force, pushing it completely out.

I pressed down on my body, surrounding myself with a stronger aura, and moved the sword a few times, as if chopping.

Squirt. Thud.

The severed, disgusting head fell to the ground.

But…

From the already dead Manticore’s body, a red, dark aura burst out and gathered around the ash-colored gemstone on my sword, which was decorated with Black Thunder’s blade.

To be exact, the gemstone was absorbing the aura from the Manticore.

Ssssss……

When the gemstone finished absorbing the aura, the Manticore’s body, which had once boasted its grandeur, shriveled up like a mummy.

“What the…?”

The dwarven blacksmiths, who had suffered from exhaustion, had accidentally decorated my sword with this gemstone, which was originally used in dark magic rituals.

“I didn’t feel any function from the gemstone itself, did I?”

I knew from experience that the gemstone absorbs demonic aura.

I thought that, like Maktober’s ritual, some special process was necessary for it to take effect……

I examined Black Thunder closely.

Clearly, even after absorbing the Manticore’s aura, I didn’t feel any aura.

The material, the aura it emitted, the weight, and the gemstone’s appearance and color were all the same as before.

My pondering was cut short.

It was because I belatedly realized that someone was watching me.

“……”

The knights of the 3rd Knight Regiment were staring at me with dull faces.

Coincidentally, the direction the Manticore had fled and the direction the knights had arrived from were the same, so I ended up facing them while riding the beheaded monster’s body.

“What, did you see that?”

I had defeated the monster and absorbed its aura.

The scene just now would be suspicious to anyone who saw it.

“Inspector, where’s Minka?”

Hermann, the regiment leader, asked. Thankfully, he didn’t mention the recent incident.

“She should be back there. She’s safe, so don’t worry, but just in case, please send someone to escort her.”

“It’s our job to take care of that. You, go bring Minka.”

Hermann sent a few knights to escort me, saying to me:

“……You really did defeat the Manticore.”

I was quite surprised, but I tried to maintain a calm demeanor.

“I’ve heard that your swordsmanship is exceptional, but it wasn’t an exaggeration. Thanks to you, we’ve resolved a troublesome issue. We still can’t welcome you, but we won’t forget that we owe you one.”

Herment spoke with an unusual politeness, unlike his previous rough demeanor.

“It’s not like I didn’t recognize them; it’s just that I was late in doing so. The knights seemed to have seen the entire process of me pursuing Manticoeur.”

“There’s no need to be concerned. I’ve only done what needed to be done.”

As someone who was used to being pierced, I responded calmly and humbly, while keeping an eye on him.

If our conversation could end on a harmonious note, that would be great.

“But what was that just now?”

Herment asked about what had just happened.

“What are you talking about?”

I pretended not to know.

“It was a scene where I killed Manticoeur and the dark magic was absorbed by your sword…”.

Damn it. They had seen everything.

Only those who borrowed the power of the devil could wield the dark magic that controlled the crimson magic.

Black magic was a sin that bordered on treason.

That’s why Herment’s attitude was extremely cautious. Depending on the situation, I might receive a severe insult.

“How should I react? Should I get angry and lash out? Or dare to suspect them?”

No.

Even if I let it slide for now, it would only fuel their suspicions.

But I couldn’t tell them the truth either.

No matter what my circumstances were, it was certain that I was using an item related to black magic, which was crucial in black magic rituals.

If I had only possessed the ash-colored gemstone, there wouldn’t be a problem.

After all, no one knew the true identity of that item.

However, now that I had revealed my connection to black magic, I had to resolve the situation carefully.

If I didn’t, I might get caught up in a mess later on.

In the worst-case scenario, I might even be framed.

“Ah, I don’t know.”

After a moment of contemplation, I drew out Black Thunder in front of them.

“This sword contains the essence of the dwarves’ technology.”

“Ha! While dwarven-made swords are exceptional, I’ve never heard of one that can wield dark magic like that. Except for the legendary sacred sword that disappeared long ago, I’ve never heard of such a sword.”

One of the knights intervened.

Knights were a breed that loved swords more than their own lives. They wouldn’t easily fall for lies related to swords.

“Whoa, did I reveal too much?”

I, too, had never heard of a sword that showed special effects with black magic.

Unless it was a legendary sacred sword imbued with divine power, like the one the knight mentioned.

“It’s too late to hide it now.”

The lie had already begun, and there were only two paths to take.

Would I get caught?

The only path left for me was to make everyone believe the lie.

“I’ll be honest with you, since it’s too late to hide it.”

I stroked Black Thunder with a serious expression.

“In fact, I obtained a sacred sword that can defeat the devil, a sword that has chosen me.”

My choice was the latter.

“Is it said that I received the selection of the Holy Sword? Is that sword the Holy Sword?”

One of the knights couldn’t help but interrupt.

“I don’t know if the sword in the legend is true, but it’s an extraordinary weapon that’s unmatched. This sword is one that no one can properly wield except me, and even as a mage, I couldn’t fully understand its mysterious realm.”

“The sword is a tool to fulfill the owner’s will, not a tool to judge the owner.”

Another knight stepped forward, a giant resembling a gorilla.

“Try it yourself and you’ll know.”

I handed him Black Thunder.

It was uncomfortable to entrust my beloved sword to a stranger’s hand, but it was a necessary process.

“Huh. Unbelievable.”

The knight’s face turned red with astonishment as he received the sword, and he struggled to hold it.

“Yes?”

The Black Thunder, which I could wield with one hand, became incredibly heavy in his hand, as if it weighed dozens of times more, and it fell to the ground.

“Ugh…”.

He tried to swing Black Thunder several times, but his awkward stance and unbalanced center of gravity made it impossible.

“Huh… It seems that’s true. I’ve used many swords, but it’s as if the sword is really rejecting me.”

The knight declared his defeat with a bright red face.

Of course, this was because I had secretly manipulated the sword’s energy to hinder him.

I retrieved Black Thunder from him, putting on a faint smile.

“It’s also thanks to the mysterious power of the sword that I was able to overcome all sorts of hardships in the West. Whenever I fought against the endless hordes of orcs and felt exhausted, the sword would whisper to me. It would tell me to get up and defeat those evil creatures, to accept my fate as the sword’s master…”

Even if the southern knights were wary of me, they must have heard the rumors about me being a legendary hero.

Although Menteca had half-killed me, hadn’t they seen me track down the Manticores and easily take their lives?

This farce could be convincing now.

“It’s just for a short while, anyway.”

The knigh

As long as they had the thought, “Oh, is this real?” until I left, that would be enough.

After all, if I left the South this time, I wouldn’t be coming back.

“… Although it’s hard to believe, since I’ve seen it, I can’t help but believe. I apologize for the trouble, Inspector.”

The situation was resolved with Hermon’s recognition.

And so, another lie was added to the world.

＜ Holy Sword Black Thunder (1) ﹥ End