Illusion Sword Master

＜ Darkness Descending Upon the Empire (3) ﹥

Unlike what was said about Ghouls being formidable enemies, Lord Roland was effortlessly tearing them apart like a wolf among sheep.

The knight, strengthened by Oracle, wielded his sword with the most certain and effective violence.

Every time his sword moved, the Ghouls’ severed limbs flew into the air.

Many Ghouls, fearless of death, charged at him, and some even managed to land an attack.

However, the knight’s body, protected by Oracle, only suffered minor injuries. Lord Roland crushed the head of the Ghoul that attacked him without flinching.

If it weren’t for the magic that amplified his destructive power, he would be an existence that wouldn’t die easily.

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He was the kind of knight I once admired.

In a world without tanks or fighter jets, knights were human weapons that could replace them.

Lord Roland, with his Golden Lion’s Fang, was an exceptional existence among them.

Confirming his martial prowess, I couldn’t help but think somewhat optimistically.

“Maybe this will be resolved easily. Good thing I didn’t run away.”

So far, all I had done was take down the Ghouls one by one as they tried to attack Lord Roland and Cherizia.

The Ghouls didn’t think about evasion or defense and simply charged forward, making them easy to suppress.

After cutting off their relatively weak ankles with my low-flying swords, I could slowly disable them as they crawled on the ground.

I may not be as strong as Lord Roland, but I had become much stronger than I was a year ago.

“If I were bare-handed, I would have been torn apart by now.”

These monsters, with their severed limbs still crawling towards me, would have ripped me to shreds if I hadn’t learned magic back then.

“You fiends! Creatures born from the power granted by the ancient gods! Faithful servants blessed by the gods themselves!”

Marquis Marcel, enraged by the Ghouls’ annihilation, didn’t seem to be in great danger.

Not because of my proven abilities, but because Lord Roland, who had slaughtered over a dozen Ghouls without breaking a sweat, stood before me.

“Fortunately, the Ghouls’ level was relatively low. But don’t let your guard down. Battles against Black Mages are full of variables.”

“We can’t afford to be complacent in the face of an unknown enemy.”

Even in a favorable situation, one must always strive to do their best while preparing for the worst.

“I should keep some strength in reserve, just in case things go wrong.”

Marquis Marcel was so enraged that he was tearing at his own hair, revealing his balding head.

A gruesome sight that made my appetite dwindle.

Perhaps it was a type of Black Magic that was draining my mental strength.

“I’ll count to three and charge in. Please provide support.”

One.

I carefully placed Cherizia in a safe spot. Since the Ghouls were defeated, I didn’t need to carry her anymore.

“Just hide here and escape if necessary.”

“Yes… be careful.”

I raised my two swords high with my freed arms.

Two.

The Oracle emanating from Lord Roland’s body grew thicker, and his sword, wrapped in Oracle, glowed blue.

Sword Oracle.

When the sword, coated with aura, was wielded by the knights, it could even cut through steel.

Count Merchsel’s hair was disheveled, and his bald head was revealed, as he let out a mad, old-man-like roar.

Three.

“Hahp!”

Roland Knight stomped the ground.

The 10-meter distance between him and Count Merchsel instantly narrowed.

I also lowered my raised arm, pouring all my strength into it, and threw my sword. The two swords, accelerated by my magical power, tore through the air, chasing after Roland Knight.

“■■■! ■■■■!”

As Count Merchsel let out a cry that was not human language, thick, crimson tentacles burst out from his back.

Innumerable tentacles wrapped around his body, making it impossible to count them at a glance.

When my sword, infused with magical power, touched the tentacles, I felt the power of the mana that formed the magic weaken.

At the same time, I realized it.

Ching! The two swords were repelled, flying back.

“What’s going on?”

This was a bewildering situation.

I quickly focused my mind and tried to use my sword magic again, but my sword continued to be repelled.

Roland Knight was in the same predicament, unable to land a significant blow on the count.

His sword, coated with aura, managed to pierce the tentacles, but it lacked the power to cut through them and reach the count’s body.

“There’s no opening.”

While Roland Knight fought, I tried to attack the count’s body, but the tentacles connected to his body repelled my sword without fail.

“If we keep this up, we’ll only waste our strength. We need a different approach.”

As I thought this, a part of the extended tentacles entwined with each other, forming a spiral-shaped lock that covered Roland Knight.

Ching-ching-ching!

Roland Knight blocked it with the flat of his sword. The aura on the sword split, and a blue spark flew out.

The balance of power tilted in favor of the count.

Roland Knight couldn’t withstand it and was forced to retreat. The ground where he stood cracked, and two long, thin fissures appeared on the stone floor.

“Huahahahp!”

He let out a strange cry, barely managing to repel the tentacles.

“Knights! Mages! I am neither! I know. Those who said they respected me were secretly looking down on me!”

Count Merchsel, instead of continuing his attack, became intoxicated with an ecstatic, fanatical fervor, spewing out his own story without being asked.

Thanks to this, we were able to catch our breath for a moment.

“Then! The great ancient god sent his apostle to choose me! Behold! This magnificent and powerful authority! Your crude techniques can’t even scratch the solid foundation of faith!”

I ignored his nonsense and said, “It seems that the tentacles have resistance to mana. Every time they touch, the connection with mana weakens.”

“I felt it too. It seems we have no choice but to use a power that surpasses it to land a single, decisive blow. Do you know any other magic?”

“Yes. I only know how to use magical power.”

I had honed my magical power to the extreme under Professor Dars’ guidance.

Thanks to this, I had no flaws in terms of the speed and precision of my magical power’s execution.

However, I lacked overwhelming destructive power.

The most crucial part in this situation was the task left to me by Professor Dars.

─ “The foundation is perfect. Now, all you need to do is learn how to maximize your output and increase your combat power.”

I thought it was a problem that could be solved with time and method.

Neither I nor Professor Dars knew that we would be fighting a dark wizard during the break.

“Is that so…?”

Lord Roland let out a sigh.

“Wouldn’t it be better to go back and ask for help now?”

“No.”

Lord Roland shook his head decisively.

“There are seven kids who need to be saved. If we sacrifice them, Marquis Mercer will become even stronger. We can’t let a monster like that roam free in the imperial capital.”

This frustrating human.

Then shall we die together?

I tried to express this as calmly as possible.

“So, what do you plan to do?”

“I’m not sure, but I have a method.”

“Of course, Lord Roland, I believe in you. What’s your method?”

“You will make the great ancient god happy with your death here!”

The Marquis, who had finished speaking, once again unleashed his dark magic, and our operation time was up.

“If I fail, take Cherzia and escape. Go find the Third Prince. He will protect your and Cherzia’s lives.”

Lord Roland left behind a worried expression, rather than explaining his plan, and once again struck the ground.

In an instant, his sword shone with a dazzling light.

I forgot about the urgent situation and stared blankly at the scene.

The green, particle-like mana emitted from his body took the shape of a sword, becoming a Sword Aura.

The continuously gathering mana increased the size of the Sword Aura.

The particles vibrated and oscillated, forming a blade made of mana.

This was the next stage of the Sword Aura, the power of a Sword Master that all knights aspired to.

It was the Ore Blade.

Since Lord Roland, who was not a Master-level knight, was forcing it out, it looked extremely unstable.

The mana, which was taking the shape of a blade, was also scattered and re-gathering repeatedly, and Lord Roland’s complexion rapidly worsened.

It seemed that Lord Roland was only allowed one attack.

The knight’s sword and the dark wizard’s magic clashed once again.

The blade pierced the magic.

“Uaah!”

Lord Roland let out a loud cry, clenching his teeth. The green blade pierced deeper. The magic that formed the dark wizard’s magic dissipated, and a crimson mist burst out.

It’s done.

If we just go a little further, we’ll reach the Marquis’s neck.

However, the time granted to Lord Roland’s power ended faster than that.

Paff.

The Ore Blade dispersed, and the sword shattered into pieces.

And, the dark wizard’s magic, which was like a whip, struck Lord Roland’s body.

Puff!

Roland’s body was slammed against the wall.

This is bad.

“Hahahah! The old gods are blessing me, and I won’t be affected by your curse!”

There’s no time to be disappointed or surprised. There’s no time to check if Roland is alive.

The tentacle that destroyed the journalist is approaching me.

I drew my sword with my magic and jumped onto it.

Using my aerial swordsmanship, I quickly created some distance and checked, and the tentacle that was targeting me had changed direction.

“Ahaha!”

It was Cherzia.

That’s right.

From the Earl’s perspective, Cherzia is much more important than I am. Didn’t they say she’s a crucial sacrifice for the ritual?

If I take advantage of this moment, I might be able to save my own life.

Roland?

I know very well about the sense of justice and mission that this journalist carries, even if I’ve only seen it today. He’s a necessary person for the empire, which is heading towards its demise.

If I can make friends with him over a beer in the future, that would be great.

But I don’t have the obligation to risk my life for him.

I’ve done what I can.

Cherzia?

She’s an amazing girl, too. She’s thinking of saving her friends by re-entering the ritual. She has magical talent, and she’ll definitely become a hero in the future.

I don’t need to risk my life for her, either. It’s because of that brat that I got caught up in this mess in the first place.

However…

“Why are you looking at me like that? You don’t have to feel sorry.”

The girl’s eyes, watching me as I flew away with my sword, looked familiar.

“Please, don’t go!”

“Ah, Master! My legs won’t move!”

“The situation is bad. If you leave, we’ll be annihilated.”

My comrades, subordinates, superiors, and friends on the battlefield had those same eyes in their last moments. Eyes filled with despair, disappointment, betrayal, and fear.

I couldn’t abandon them back then.

That’s why I know better than anyone.

That risking my life won’t bring about a miracle.

That the price of taking on danger with insufficient power is only greater despair.

I decided to prioritize my own survival above all else. My responsibility only goes that far.

The girl seemed to want to say something and moved her lips.

I stopped flying for a moment.

“Go on. Say it. I’ll listen to your last words.”

Cherzia didn’t make a sound, but spoke with her lips.

“Go that way.”

And she pointed somewhere.

It was the exit.

It’s like when I was chased by the monsters and had to run to Lord Roland’s side.

“Huh. Did you really understand and come to me?”

My head was complicated.

“Edan, run away. Let those who can live, live. I would have done the same.”

One person among the many I couldn’t protect, who remained as my greatest regret, came to mind.

“Damn it.”

I changed the direction of my sword and unfolded my fastest sword flight.

“Damn it. Damn it. Damn it!”

I guess I’m pretty fed up.

Not only did I want to survive, but I also wanted to live like a human being.

I was more afraid of living like this than facing the threat of death.

“You bastards! You’re ruining everything after I showed you mercy!”

The Count, who noticed I was charging towards him, shouted in anger.

I hurriedly withdrew my tentacles, which were heading towards Cherzia.

There were tentacles everywhere, and I could feel them coming from all directions.

One of them grabbed the flying sword.

This is a trap.

Before the sword lost its balance and fell to the ground, I used it as a pivot to jump and pulled out the remaining sword.

There were both good and bad points.

The good point was that Lord Roland’s Oracle Blade didn’t deal a fatal blow to the Count, but it did succeed in reducing his power. His tentacles had decreased in number and thickness.

The bad point was that there was no guarantee my attack would work.

I floated in mid-air, holding the sword, and activated my magic.

I recalled Lord Roland’s Oracle Blade, which I had seen earlier.

Of course, I couldn’t replicate it with my own hands.

I just applied it to create a similar illusion.

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“Mana compression”

In an instant, I used all my magical power to create an illusion of the sword being crushed.

“Uggghhh…”.

My head felt like it was going to explode. Maybe it really would. I gritted my teeth, enduring the pain. It was all the same whether I died now or later. I ignored the pain and focused my mind.

Magic is the manipulation of pure mana.

Oracle is the emission of mana incorporated into the body without any technique.

If I could compress magic to one point, I might be able to play a similar role to Oracle, albeit inefficiently.

Compared to Lord Roland’s incomplete Oracle Blade, my magic was crude, but I still poured more magic into it.

Zzt. The uncontrolled mana vibrated. The sword cracked, and the surroundings shook.

When my mental strength reached its limit, I swung the compressed magic sword towards the Count.

I imagined the compressed magic would rotate like an electric saw, cutting off the Count’s tentacles and tearing his body apart.

“Uaah! Pulse Slash!”

I don’t know why I suddenly shouted out the technique’s name. Maybe it looked cool.

My unknown talent, which was neither sword nor magic, awakened.

Severed.

With a sense of something cutting, I lost my mind.

＜ Darkness Descends on the Empire (3) ﹥ Ends