51
Chapter 51
I naturally rejected Zero's proposal, and the fight began.
Our skills were nearly equal, but I had the burden of protecting the Imperial Princess, while my opponent had allies to assist him.
Already injured, I eventually lost my right arm.
I didn't just lose my arm; my life was on the line, but the enemies suddenly retreated just as Old Man Daph arrived.
If he hadn't arrived, both the Quasar Imperial Princess and I would have died on the spot.
After returning, I told the Old Man about them, and since he knew nothing of the organization, I decided to investigate myself.
Vicious Exile.
A secret organization that began operating across both the Eastern and Western Continents five years ago.
They primarily targeted high nobles and royalty, throwing territories or nations into chaos to embezzle wealth.
It consisted of twelve executives, each identified by codenames like animals, numbers, or colors.
My efforts yielded little result.
Even the Beluga Intelligence Agency, rumored to know exactly what the Quasar Emperor ate for breakfast, couldn't devote all its resources to them.
I obsessed over it until just before my retirement, yet I couldn't uncover their exact purpose or scale.
Still, I managed to find one thing.
The identity of the man named Zero who cut off my arm.
The executives were so well-hidden that even their codenames remained unknown, but I deduced it based on the group's name—meaning cruel exiles—and the words he spoke.
"...I'll let you live for old times' sake."
Latius.
He was a fellow former Black Agent of the Intelligence Agency, but he was reported dead during a mission two years before I officially became one.
The agency records explicitly listed him as deceased, and Old Man Daph had even confirmed the charred corpse himself.
However, after an exhaustive investigation, I discovered the truth: he had faked his death.
When I casually asked the Old Man about him without revealing that Zero was Latius, I learned he had been quite extraordinary.
Like me, he became a Black Agent at sixteen and reached the pinnacle of his craft within two years.
Until his disappearance, he was the best agent of his era and a leading candidate to succeed the Old Man as Director.
He had prepared so thoroughly to evade the agency's eyes that I only managed to find out he had crossed over to the Western Continent; his tracks vanished after that.
I had reluctantly given up on revenge and headed to Seinti, but now my archnemesis is right before my eyes.
'Why am I like this?'
'He's the one who was there when my arm was severed.'
Technically, it was Zero and not that woman who cut my arm, but she had attacked me too.
I pulled a mask out of my Subspace and put it on.
Officially, Blue Mist was known to have died after completing his final mission.
Given the intelligence of Vicious Exile, who ambushed me as if they'd been waiting behind the Perot forces, they might know I'm alive, but it doesn't hurt to be cautious.
After checking the mask, I threw a flying dagger.
Thwack— Thwack—
The two men beside the silver-haired woman collapsed without so much as a single scream.
However, the silver-haired woman easily caught my flying dagger in her hand.
"Oh, and what's this situation now?"
She remained completely composed despite the attack.
Unlike last time, she wasn't wearing a mask; she had silver hair, blue eyes, and a small, delicate face.
"I'm the one who wants to ask that. Why is a member of Vicious Exile here?"
Her expression stiffened slightly at my words.
"I don't think an insider sent you. Or is this a smokescreen? First, let's get rid of that pathetic mask."
As she spoke, she cast off her robe and charged at me with incredible speed.
Clang—
She lunged with a freakishly curved, crescent-shaped sword, forcing me to block with my dagger and step back.
"You've got a violent streak. Did Zero come with you?"
"Oh, you even know about Lord Zero? I guess you're no amateur, an insider, perhaps... Ah!"
Taking advantage of the gap in her speech, I launched a flying dagger infused with magic.
As expected, she tried to dodge rather than block, but the dagger followed her movements and pierced right through her wing.
It was the Flying Sword Technique I had used with Amelia in the past.
"How... How dare you touch my wing... Ah!"
I pierced the other wing with another flying dagger.
"Who gave you permission to open your mouth? I'm the only one asking questions here."
"How dare a mere human stand before me!"
She soared into the air and hurriedly took a defensive stance, but it was strange.
Avians cannot fly once their wings are injured.
I had targeted her wings first specifically to prevent her from escaping.
Fortunately, it seemed the Avian had no intention of fleeing.
She dove toward me with speed, but far from being worried, I felt disappointed.
Her skills hadn't changed much from four years ago, but mine had.
Creating an Aura Blade on the dagger in my right hand, I sliced her two incoming swords in half.
Swish—
Simultaneously, I grabbed her by the collar with my other hand and slammed her into the ground, using the force of her descent.
Thump—
The situation was entirely different now.
It wasn't two against one, and I had no injuries or the burden of protecting the Quasar Imperial Princess.
"Ugh..."
I placed my foot on the head of the woman who was groaning as she lay face-down in the dirt.
"I'll ask one more time. Is Zero here?"
"A Sword Master in a backwater place like this... Ah!"
As I pressed down harder with my foot, she struggled desperately.
"Last chance. Where is Zero?"
"Lord Zero is in my heart!"
I didn't know what she was talking about, so I decided to leave her to the Intelligence Agency for now.
Once they start torturing her, something will... Huh?
Suddenly, a blue light erupted from the woman, and she vanished.
I immediately spread my magic power around, but I couldn't feel a trace of her, let alone an accomplice.
There was no change in the surrounding atmospheric magic; what happened?
'Hey Bio, you say that Avian is your archnemesis?'
'Precisely, one of them. More importantly, do you know anything about that blue light from before?'
'This just got complicated.'
'How so?'
'The thing that woman used to disappear was an Emergency Escape Stone.'
'An Emergency Escape Stone?'
'An invention of Elia, the alchemist from the Seven Stars.'
An invention of the Seven Stars?
'Then those Vicious Exile bastards found the ruins of the Seven Stars?'
'It could be the organization, or she might have found it personally. Either way, it's certain she or her group is connected to the ruins. Elia left on a spaceship, after all.'
* * *
It would have been a disaster if not for the Emergency Escape Stone Lord Zero gave me.
"Eagle, how did you get here so suddenly... Huh? You said you were going to check out the mine candidates, so why do you look like a mess?"
I didn't particularly like the way Wolf asked, as if he were clueless, but I could tell that the masked Sword Master I met earlier was unrelated to him.
"I ran into a Sword Master. It's a long story. Where is Lord Zero?"
"Zero said he'd be back in a bit. A Sword Master? Care to explain yourself properly?"
"I'll tell you both once Lord Zero gets here."
"Judging by how you suddenly appeared, you must have used an Emergency Escape Stone. What happened?"
I was about to give a rough explanation when the door opened and Lord Zero stepped inside.
"Lord Zero!"
"Eagle? What's with your state? Did you two fight?"
"No."
"I ran into a Sword Master on my way to the mine candidates."
"A Sword Master?"
"They ambushed me, killed my subordinates, and knew our organization's name. They even asked if you were here... Lord Zero?"
Lord Zero's expression hardened.
"Explain everything from the beginning."
I described the events in detail.
"So you're saying you got your ass kicked by some stranger and then ran away?"
That damn wolf!
"I told you they were wearing a mask!"
"Eagle, Wolf, both of you stop."
It was a low voice, completely different from usual.
He seemed quite angry.
"I'm... I'm sorry."
"Who do you think you're ordering around? Did I say something wrong?"
Is this idiot completely clueless?
......When Lord Zero looked up and glared, Wolf bowed his head like a dog with its tail between its legs.
"S... sorry."
"No one comes to mind. I'll have to double-check, but none of Beluga's Sword Masters have come to this area."
"Are you sure it was a Sword Master?"
At Wolf's question, Lord Zero looked at me.
"I saw it clearly. It was definitely an Aura Blade. My Sharinak wouldn't have been sliced like that otherwise."
"That's true. Any other details? If you spoke, maybe their voice or build?"
"The voice sounded young. Late twenties or early thirties. Height was similar to yours, Lord Zero."
"Hmm, while becoming a Sword Master slows aging and restores youth, they should still be in their late thirties or forties..."
Lord Zero fell into thought, and as the silence stretched on, Wolf spoke up cautiously.
"Um, then what about the operation? Everything is ready, but wouldn't it be better to cancel it now?"
"No. The operation proceeds as planned."
"What?"
"But the opponent is a Sword Master!"
"If they know our organization's name and your codename, we should be cautious..."
"It's a bit strange, but I have a rough idea of who it might be."
"Who is it?"
"There's only one place that would recognize you and know my codename."
The way he looked at me suggested he thought I knew as well, but I was completely clueless.
"The Beluga Intelligence Agency. Didn't you encounter Blue Mist, who was guarding the Quasar Imperial Princess?"
"But Blue Mist is dead..."
"Even if he's dead, he could have passed on information before he went. We didn't confirm the kill. He might even be alive."
"I don't think so. When he cut my Sharinak, he used his right hand."
Prosthetic arms cannot conduct Aura.
Even the top-tier ones developed by Quasar's First Magic Tower a few months ago—which replicate 70% of natural limb sensation—only mimic feeling; using Aura remains impossible.
"Then is it Blue Mist's successor? To be a Sword Master as a successor is quite impressive."
"That's strange. Black Lion mentioned that the agency's current ace is a woman. Was her codename Blue Rain? He didn't say she was a Sword Master."
"There was another famous figure besides him back when Blue Mist was active."
"What? Wasn't Blue Mist considered the most dangerous in the Beluga Intelligence Agency?"
Had I been mistaken?
"Ghost."
I had heard of him.
The legendary thief said to steal everything without leaving a trace.
"Ghost is part of the Intelligence Agency?"
"You must not have known. I once received an offer myself, though I declined because I detest tedious work like thievery."
If the Beluga Intelligence Agency is involved, isn't this dangerous?
"Zero, I still think continuing the operation is too risky. You know better than anyone how relentless the agency can be."
I trust Lord Zero implicitly, but for once, I agree with Wolf.
"I'm saying this precisely because I know. Quitting now would be even more dangerous. If you suddenly shut down your business and disappear, you'll be the first one they investigate."
"Is... is that so?"
"The agency is no pushover, but they don't know us well. Well, not us specifically."
"As expected of Lord Zero!"
"As long as we follow the plan, there will be no issues. We proceed as planned."
* * *
"Wow, I can see the island."
"I guess we've arrived."
Ria suffered from severe seasickness, so I stayed by her side nursing her. Hearing my friends, I looked out and saw a breathtakingly beautiful island.
I wish Instructor Bio had come along too...
Since almost all the other first-year theory instructors were coming, I asked Instructor Amelia just in case, but she told me Instructor Bio hadn't signed up.
Shortly after, the ship docked at the port.
Once we disembarked and finished the head count, we headed straight for the forests of Creta Island.
As we passed through the city, I noticed how lavish it looked, even in broad daylight.
There were many buildings that seemed far taller than those in the Capital, and the roads and facilities were all spotless.
Of course, since we were here for field practice, we'd be spending all our time in the forest until Friday.
"May unnie, they say we finish at 10 o'clock on the last day, but the return boat isn't until 5 p.m., so we'll have plenty of free time."
"Let's go shopping together!"
"I've already looked up some great places to eat."
"S... sure."
We haven't even started the practice yet, but I'm slightly worried that everyone is only thinking about having fun.
After walking for about thirty minutes past the glittering city, the forest began to appear in the distance.
As we walked further, I saw knights in silver armor, wizards in robes, and rangers in light gear carrying massive longbows.
They seemed to be the members of the Southern Legion who were said to be accompanying the practice.
"It's the instructor!"
"Oh, it really is the instructor!"
The instructor?
We had come on the same boat, so I wondered why they were reacting this way, but then I looked ahead and gasped.
Standing beside the Southern Legion was a handsome man in a familiar uniform, smiling brightly at us.
"Hello, everyone."
It was Instructor Bio.