Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Vitero Chezen (3)
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Even as pitch-black night fell, Chezen Castle blazed as brightly as daylight.
Deep within the inner courtyard of the castle, a banquet was in full swing.
It was a lavish affair with gentle music flowing beneath brilliantly burning lanterns, abundant food and drink everywhere.
People elegantly dressed were laughing and chatting, fully immersing themselves in the atmosphere.
I sat atop the walls encircling the inner courtyard, looking down at them.
The guards stood watch without the slightest gap, but none sensed my presence.
“That’s the one.”
Spotting him, the banquet’s star, was incredibly easy.
A massive man towering alone amid the crowd, clad in imperial formal attire.
That was Vitero Chezen.
But he wasn’t the only one I had to kill.
I flipped through the portraits in my hand, checking off each target one by one.
Including Vitero, there were thirteen portraits in total.
A hit list to pick out those among the banquet guests who needed to die.
“I extend my thanks to all of you who have come this far.”
Vitero ascended the dais and spoke. His voice, infused with mana, boomed through the inner courtyard.
Bestowed a fief for his wartime merits, his skills were undoubtedly exceptional.
The rowdy banquet fell deathly silent in an instant.
Everyone focused intently to hear his words.
Just then, I reached the final portrait.
Now it was time for the real banquet to begin.
A flame bloomed from my fingertips, devouring the bundle of papers from the end.
I tossed it into the air. The burning portraits turned to ash in a flash, scattering on the wind.
The famed technique known as Samadhi True Fire.
Then I pointed my lightly dangling hands toward the banquet hall.
My fingers began softly plucking the air like strings on a harp.
Azure beams shot from my dancing fingertips, piercing the banquet hall like rays of light.
Thud-thud-thud!
Blood clouds erupted here and there with the sound of watermelons bursting. The Finger Flicking Art, fired in multiple strands, pierced its targets precisely.
The hall, filled with laughter moments ago, drowned in screams in the blink of an eye.
In the sudden chaos, people crawled under round tables, while the surrounding guards drew swords and scanned their surroundings warily.
“Protect Lord Vitero!”
The soldiers moved in perfect unison.
I leaped down from the walls and landed before the gate linking the inner to the outer courtyard.
“E-enemy!”
Finally spotting me, they surrounded me and leveled their swords.
“Who are you!”
They all stared at me with bewildered eyes.
It was understandable.
Right now, I wore a white lion mask concealing my face.
This white lion mask wasn’t just for hiding my identity.
It symbolized Francia.
Just as the Black Dragon, Baranaktus, represented the Crebon Empire.
The white lion represented the Leonir Lancers of Francia, their sacred beast.
From here on, this white lion mask would become a clear symbol—hope for the people of Francia, terror for their enemies.
That was all Lake had asked of me.
I drew my longsword in answer. The keen blade gleamed coldly.
The distance to the dais where Vitero stood was about a hundred paces.
The space between us was filled with soldiers gripping swords and spears.
“What are you waiting for! Capture that bastard alive and bring him before me at once!”
At Vitero’s bellow, the surrounding soldiers charged en masse. Their reputation for elite guards held true; they were well-trained at the basics.
Impressive, but irrelevant.
I twisted my body to dodge swords thrusting from all sides, and my sword tip traced a silver arc following the motion.
Splurt!
Blood sprayed up within the flashing trajectory.
“Argh!”
I trampled screams as I advanced.
Sword strikes rained down from every direction without mercy.
I overcame them with sheer speed.
Before their blades could reach me, mine struck them first.
In a world slowed to a snail’s pace, I alone moved at my own tempo.
Swoosh—.
Each azure beam sprouting from my fingertips claimed a life as it sliced the air.
I pressed forward at a steady pace, trampling death.
Enemies blocking my path were swept away like leaves in a storm.
A crimson wind blew.
“Stand back.”
A heavy voice descended upon the battlefield, and the soldiers hastily cleared a path.
Heavy presences emerged through the gap.
They exuded a completely different aura from those who had blocked me until now.
“You’ve got some serious skill.”
Vitero eyed me as he spoke.
He still overlooked me from the dais. I met his gaze steadily.
He hadn’t fled yet, so he clearly had something up his sleeve.
He asked,
“Did you come alone?”
“As you can see.”
I played along amiably, even though I could end him in an instant.
His ulterior motives were plain as day.
I’d been waiting for it since earlier.
No rush.
Call it the leisure of the strong.
“Pathetic fool.”
Vitero twisted his lips into a vile sneer.
“Did you think I’d hold this banquet without any preparations, relying only on your puny skills?”
He thrust his right fist toward the night sky. The ring on his pinky glowed blue.
“Today will be the day you die.”
Light poured from the eyes of gargoyle statues scattered throughout the inner courtyard, intertwining to form a massive magic circle in the air.
Security magic had been set up in the inner courtyard, it seemed.
Hummm.
The enormous magic circle, large enough to blanket the entire inner courtyard, condensed toward my feet, shrinking to about a meter in diameter.
At the same moment, immense pressure crushed down on my body.
As if the sky itself were collapsing.
Vitero burst into hearty laughter at the sight.
“Puahaha! From now on, a thousand kilograms of weight will crush your body! Let’s see if you can swing a proper sword in that state!”
* * *
Vitero mocked the lion-masked man’s head caught in his trap to his heart’s content.
Coming alone relying only on his skills—what a madman.
He had prepared thoroughly for any potential assassination attempts.
The lion mask’s prowess was sharp, but with the heavy shackles in place, subduing him was only a matter of time.
“Drag that bastard before me and make him kneel!”
At Vitero’s command, the knights facing the lion mask moved.
Unlike those who had clashed with him before, these were his personal guard, the “Crimson Gale.”
Handpicked knights, so Vitero trusted them implicitly.
Fierce sword strikes enveloped and assailed the lion mask. Their long-shared training made the Crimson Gale’s coordination exquisite.
The outcome was already decided.
The man would kneel before him. Vitero was already curious about the face hidden behind the mask.
Kwaaa—.
Lightning crackled around the man, and a mist of blood rose.
The Crimson Gale members charging at him collapsed like rotten straw bales.
The result was no different from when he faced the regular soldiers.
Even with the gravity security magic active.
“…What the hell?”
Vitero stared dumbly at the scene.
He couldn’t easily accept what was before his eyes.
The lion mask moved fluidly, as if the magic didn’t apply to him.
Had the security magic malfunctioned? No, that wasn’t it.
Unlike before, faint footprints marked the ground with each step he took.
The magic wasn’t inactive—the lion mask was a monster who could overwhelm the Crimson Gale even bearing a thousand kilograms.
“I-it can’t be….”
By the time Vitero reluctantly accepted the reality, the Crimson Gale lay annihilated.
The expressionless lion mask fixed him with its gaze.
“Is that all?”
A bored voice emanated from behind the mask.
Vitero bit his lower lip hard.
The remaining soldiers dared not approach, merely aiming swords from afar.
Escape from the man’s grasp seemed impossible.
“What are you doing! Kill him now!”
No trace of leisure remained in Vitero. He screamed desperately, erecting a wall of soldiers to shield himself.
He had to flee this place.
“Urk….”
But when he turned, the lion mask had already blocked his path.
Vitero hurled a nearby soldier at him to obscure his vision and drew his sword.
A heavy sword aura erupted from his massive frame, slashing downward.
“Die!”
But his blade cleaved only the hapless soldier. Amid the spraying red blood, the lion mask was gone. Vitero whipped around in panic.
Then a warm liquid splashed his left cheek.
…His left arm felt empty.
Looking down, he saw his arm on the ground. Only after registering the sight did excruciating pain whiten his mind.
“Arrrrgh!”
Vitero clutched his shoulder and wailed. The lion mask sneered.
“Such a wimp.”
“You damned bastard!”
Stemming the bleeding from his left arm with mana, Vitero swung his sword with all his might.
“Raaah!”
Azure aura blazed along the blade. Even minus an arm, his sword path was graceful.
Vitero gritted his teeth.
This was the sword that had severed countless Francia necks.
It had never failed him before.
But not this time.
His full-power strike cleaved only empty air.
Whoosh!
Yet he didn’t give up. His bloodshot eyes, enduring agony, locked onto the lion mask.
He glimpsed the man’s form dodging his sword. The movements he’d missed until now came into view.
“Hah!”
With a shout, he twisted his blade after the man.
He could kill him—he was certain.
But against his will, the weight of the sword vanished from his hand.
Then agony returned, more horrific than before.
“Arrrrgh!”
Having lost his remaining arm, Vitero screamed uncontrollably.
His face flushed beet red, thick veins bulging at his temples.
Crack.
A cold blade soon plunged into his chest.
His knees hit the ground against his will.
…Damn it all.
He sensed his own death.
The moment he felt something burning erupt from his chest, a blinding white flash exploded before his eyes.
* * *
Rumble-crash!
A thunderous roar shook the heavens and earth.
The upper section of the tower bearing the imperial flag collapsed at a slant.
Despite the noise shattering the quiet night, the fief remained silent. Not a single resident opened their windows.
They knew the sound came from Chezen Castle.
Unaware of what was unfolding, they held their breath inside their homes.
Thanks to that, Allen and Corern raced through the still, dark silence.
“I never dreamed something like this could actually happen!”
Corern whispered excitedly in a hushed voice.
Quiet though it was, the joy within was greater than ever.
Even in the darkness, his flushed face was plain to see.
He had witnessed Chezen Castle crumbling with his own eyes just moments ago.
Allen strode beside him, nose held high.
“Didn’t I tell you! Our Lord Jenes is utterly ridiculous from his personality on up. When Lord Jenes says something, it becomes reality without fail. Now do you believe me?”
“You’re right, spot on! Every word from you was true!”
Corern nodded vigorously in agreement.
“I was the fool for doubting you, the idiot! Hahaha!”
Corern slapped his own head repeatedly, unable to stop laughing. His upturned lips showed no sign of coming down.
‘Ah, how long I’ve yearned for this day.’
A dream once confined to his mind had become reality overnight.
He wasn’t alone.
Everyone residing in Chezen Fief must have hoped for this.
“Let’s get it set up quick!”
Reaching their destination, the northern plaza, the two sprang into synchronized action.
By tomorrow morning, the residents would learn of Vitero’s death as well.
Knowing how immense their ecstasy would be set his heart pounding with anticipation already.
Meanwhile, Iriel and Veron watched the sequence of events from outside Chezen Castle.