NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4
“This… this brat….”
Thud.
The lightly swung sword shattered the thief’s skull and headed toward the ground.
Through the green scents of the forest, a sharp, metallic smell of blood invaded. Evading the blood that sprayed through the air, I quickly cut down two others nearby.
All the sounds that had filled the surroundings vanished completely.
“……”
I nonchalantly shook the blood off the sword while my gaze continued to examine the masked ones.
Now, realistically speaking, the caravan’s escort force isn’t the best in the world.
If those masked people were knights, all the people from the caravan would have been killed the moment the masked ones rushed in.
The opportunity was now, while these masked ones were holding back, trying to minimize the damage.
“Guh…!”
“Aaaah!”
I jumped into the space between the thieves encircling the caravan and swung my sword around.
After severing the heads of those who were unable to react to my sudden appearance, I slashed the arms of others who were only now thrusting their swords at me.
As they stared in shock at their fallen comrades splashing blood all around, I swept my sword a few more times, taking them down.
Even before the heads of the thieves started to hit the ground, I pushed hard off the ground with strength concentrated in my lower half.
I quickly neared the masked ones, making sure I hadn’t lost sight of them even while dealing with the thieves.
The masked ones drew their swords when I broke free of the encirclement, but they seemed caught off guard by the speed at which I closed the distance, reacting too slowly.
A slow reaction spells death. I struck with lighting speed at the one closest to me.
Clang!
One of the masked men was cleanly sliced in two and collapsed.
Before I could catch my breath, a slash came toward my back.
I twisted my upper body to evade the thrust aimed at my heart, then I quickly swept my sword sideways.
A smoothly severed neck fell to the ground.
“You bastards!!”
Another masked man shouted and swung his sword, his bloodshot eyes glowing red with rage.
Even so, his rash strike carried considerable force. Blocking the downward strike from the masked man, I heard a sharp metallic sound, and sparks flew.
Clang!
The arm of the masked individual wielding the sword began to tremble. The pressure pushing down the sword grew stronger, and the crossed swords shook slightly.
With no time to breathe, I bent my knees as though struggling, then suddenly pushed forward and turned.
The sword of the masked person, now slipping off my blade, came crashing down, and they lost their balance. As they tried to pull their embedded sword out of the ground, I hit the back of their hand with the hilt.
“Aaaagh…!”
With the masked individual now defenseless, I swung my sword toward the neck.
The unpleasant sensation transmitted to my fingertips.
Something wet landed with a thud on the ground.
“……”
Breathing calmly, I observed the remaining ones.
Perhaps startled by the swift elimination of three of their members, they now simply circled me while keeping their distance, no longer advancing.
The weakest three out of the seven were quickly taken care of.
“… Four to go.”
The first principle in a battle is morale.
They had tried to pressure me with numerical superiority at first, but I crushed that advantage by splitting someone in half. While they might have seen limbs severed, splitting someone in half must be a new experience.
They would hesitate to engage in sword-to-sword combat after witnessing it.
Unavoidably, they would react passively to my attacks, and with such hesitation, they would naturally make more mistakes.
More mistakes lead to more gaps, and exposed gaps mean death. And if they show no gaps, I’ll simply overpower them.
“Assume a knight-level threat and respond accordingly. Don’t get cocky.”
Following the lead one’s order, the other three slowly increased the distance between them.
“The caravan seems to be holding up fine.”
I quickly glanced back at the state of the guard force. Despite quite a number being killed or injured, about half of the bandits were also dead, and I could see a few bandits already attempting to retreat as they realized the situation was turning against them.
The situation at the rear will soon be brought under control.
All that’s left is to deal with these masked ones.
Having redirected my gaze, I raised my hand.
Click.
The masked ones waiting for their chance while aiming their swords instantly rushed forward, one after another.
“Arrogant bastard! I’ll kill you!”
“Let’s do it!”
“Don’t engage in blade-to-blade combat! Maintain distance and seize an opening!”
Swords from three directions rained upon me in a chaotic manner.
I deflected one, twisted to evade another, and kicked a stomach.
These three, unlike others who fight without unity, seemed to have practiced together frequently. Their attacks and defenses were seamless.
Bewildering footwork.
A momentary strike slipping through a gap, piercing towards a spot.
Gracefully flowing movements that deflected the strength of the sword.
Their movements were so disorienting that the thrusts towards me appeared elongated.
Each individual was weaker than me, but they compensated wonderfully for each other’s shortcomings, relentlessly pressing me without any gaps.
“Hmm…”
It’s been quite a long time since the territorial battle in Hausen’s territory.
As the battle continued, a burning sensation rose within the previously calm interior of my body. While receiving and deflecting the torrent of blows without thinking, the heat turned into flames, engulfing my entire body.
The swirling flames felt constricting, my fingertips tingling, and my breaths became rapid.
I want to throw up everything right now.
Riding on this feeling, I swung my sword directly at the masked individual in front of me.
“What the… Ck!”
“Hans!”
“What a lunatic!”
Without any trick, purely filled with all my might, that single swing split Hans into two.
For a brief moment, the other two stopped their movements, seemingly shocked.
I am not the kind of person to overlook an obvious opening like that.
“Guh…! What strength…!”
Surprisingly, the masked individual somehow deflected my lightning-fast strike.
However, unable to handle the residual force of the blow, they lost balance and fell.
I swung my sword at the head of the masked individual, who stared at me in terror.
“Hood!!”
The remaining masked one screamed and rushed recklessly toward me. The form and precision of their swordsmanship disintegrated. They shouted while wildly swinging their blade.
“You dare… You dare to kill my brothers!! I’ll kill you!!”
The eyes of the masked person were bloodshot with anger.
Through their excitement, the momentum of their swings was forceful. A dull wind pressure rose wherever the blade passed. The rage-induced intensity of this masked person was scorching.
However, the previous precise and sharp momentum was gone.
Clang!
A clear metallic sound rang out as the masked person’s sword flew into the air. The completely defenseless body. I swung again.
Thud.
The lifeless head of the masked man rolled helplessly on the ground. The sword embedded in it fell out.
The tangled brown earth turned deep crimson with spilled blood.
‘Only the last one left now.’
I stared for a moment at the severed head before turning my gaze away.
The presumed leader stood silently, eyes closed, drawing out their sword.
Simultaneously, as they slowly opened their eyes, a chilling pressure began radiating from them.
The faintly glowing blue eyes.
The cold, descending pressure. The subtle oppression enveloping my whole body.
“…Tch.”
Could it be… a mana manifestor?
In this world, too, exists a mysterious force called mana.
Mana manifestors show abilities far surpassing ordinary humans such as heightened senses and powerful physical strength.
Moreover, the weapons they handle become razor-sharp and sturdy enough to cut through steel.
In the frontier, I had no chance to encounter mana manifestors, and the people I saw were limited to my master and the captain of the knight brigade under Housen the Earl.
That they’re rare is why I’m meeting them all here.
They sent high-level individuals just to kill some frontier noble, huh? That’s certainly the central nobility for you.
The quietly gathering momentum manifested through the leader’s sword as they spoke.
“You… will not escape unscathed.”
“Are Bryden’s knights boiling honor into soup? Running around hiding your faces and carrying out assassinations?”
“What… the hell?”
The masked person froze mid-step.
Their glowing blue eyes flickered. I guessed right with the swordplay used by three of them. Note taken: the Viscount Bryden.
“…What nonsense. Enough already. Die now.”
In the blink of an eye, the masked person disappeared.
A sharp, cutting whistle split the air.
The cold air from the left side. The figure must already be near me.
I swung my sword toward the space where the powerful pressure was detected.
Clang!
The force of the impact I felt through my hand pushed me back. The masked figure was similarly driven back and spoke.
“…Not even a mana manifestor, and you block this?”
The wide-open eyes of the mask could be seen.
They were clenching and relaxing one hand, as if it had received a shock.
Lightly shaking off the tingling sensation in my hand, I glanced briefly at the caravan side.
‘The side of the caravan is done, I assume?’
All the outlaws sprawled on the ground as corpses.
There were no longer the sharp clashing of weapons or the sound of cries. The caravan’s people watched silently, holding their breaths.
I gave a light grin when I saw Rani flailing in the air among the merchants.
We’ve exposed too much already. We should end this quickly.
Gripping my sword tighter as the heat swelled again inside me, I stared at the masked individual.
“Almost there with manifesting mana? Tch.”
Once again, the figure disappeared from my line of sight.
A strong presence was felt in the air.
Compared to earlier, both the aura and the sound slicing through the air were different. They must have poured full mana into this strike.
‘If so…’
I gathered all my strength throughout my body.
My solid, muscle-packed body swelled. The sword trembled from the immense force of my grip.
“Huff…!”
Exerting all my strength to swung the sword must indeed be the first time since the territorial battle.
I swung my sword toward the sharp, skull-splitting intent piercing the air.
Clang!
A violent explosion echoed as the sword of the masked person was cleaved in two.
At the same time, my own sword shattered into pieces.
“What?”
The masked person fell dumbfounded to the ground. Their body froze in a staggered stance, their brain failing to process the sudden event.
I don’t let such openings go unused.
With the stunned figure still standing there, I drove my fist into their abdomen.
***
The capital of the Altain Empire, Palamtiar.
At the heart of the sprawling capital stands the Imperial Palace.
The Palace towered majestically, proving the Empire’s might, standing tall at the heart of the city.
At the center of this massive palace…
Empress Iris Falenbek Altain quietly stared at the documents placed on the desk.
The document contained the personal details of a certain young noble.
[Black Falcon, Rank In (Person) File]
Baron Cain MacBilian.
The eldest son of the MacBilian family, ruling the small village of Ruben under the jurisdiction of Hausen the Earl in the northeastern part of the Empire.
Inheriting the baron title at a young age after his father, killed in the northern front, and his mother, who passed away due to illness.
Made his first appearance during the territorial battle between Earl Hausen and Count Crel three years ago.
Referred to as Sword Breaker in parts of the northeast.
Details regarding military strength and assets are unverifiable.
Currently designated as a candidate for the national letter and is en route to the capital.
After reviewing the document, Iris closed her eyes.
“Another one about to die, I suppose.”
How many now?
Countless lives have vanished.
First was her mother. Then, her siblings. And those who had stayed by her side.
The nobles consuming everything around them have now begun to kill each other.
The lamentations of the people during council meetings.
Though the citizens of the Empire pray for the grace of the royal family, Iris could not answer their cries.
Her life as a puppet, surveilled in every move.
Nothing more than a tool for the nobles who nod and approve orders they are given.
In the vast and empty Audience Chamber, Iris remained silent with her eyes closed.
Perhaps her tears had dried up, for none came forth.