Chapter 68
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Emperor Sword (1)
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Just like that,
after acquiring the two fateful opportunities, including the Emperor Sword, as quickly as possible,
I set off toward the academy at a brisk pace to return.
Then,
using the spatial transfer device that I had grown utterly sick of during the Founding Festival week,
I began my journey back to the capital.
The view shifted in an instant.
The first time I experienced it, the device had induced severe motion sickness,
but perhaps because I'd used it multiple times during that short week of the Founding Festival...
Now, I could travel to the capital using it without any nausea,
completely accustomed to it.
'No matter when I come here, it's always impressive...'
Upon arriving in the capital,
medieval-style buildings, refined and luxurious, filled my entire field of vision.
The capital never failed to amaze,
perfectly blending fantasy and medieval vibes into an awe-inspiring atmosphere.
However,
right after the Founding Festival,
the streets were far less crowded than during the event...
At that moment,
I started heading toward the place I'd spotted from the observation deck,
the site for undergoing the trial.
The spot that had been bustling with festival crowds during the Founding Festival.
The capital's central plaza.
Arriving there,
unlike before, the plaza lacked throngs of people,
and in its center stood the statue of the first king... the Emperor.
'Made it...'
And this statue of the Emperor right before my eyes
was the hidden location for acquiring the Emperor Sword skill.
Approaching the statue head-on,
I placed my hand on the sun emblem carved into its front,
closed my eyes as if in prayer,
and began reciting the line I'd seen countless times in the game.
[A foolish descendant seeks to witness the life of the Emperor.]
"A foolish descendant seeks to witness the life of the Emperor."
[Please, test my worthiness as Emperor.]
"Please, test my worthiness as Emperor."
In Frontier Chronicles,
this was the Emperor's trial required to obtain the Emperor Sword.
Quietly murmuring the phrases to enter the trial,
even with my eyes clearly closed... a bright light pierced the darkness,
gradually filling my vision.
And soon,
as the light that had consumed my entire view faded...
along with the unfamiliar sensation in my body,
only the darkness from closing my eyes remained before me...
However,
compared to before,
something felt different.
The wind brushing against my body,
everything...
was unlike the atmosphere of the capital's plaza.
A more raw, untamed wind swept over me,
and the more I sensed it,
the more chilling mana permeated the air...
'It worked...'
All of it proved that I had successfully entered the trial for the Emperor Sword.
Feeling that sensation,
I slowly opened my eyes.
A vast, untouched grassland stretched before me,
and then...
"Who are you?"
A chilling, sharp metallic sensation pressed against the back of my neck,
accompanied by a cold, dignified voice laced with mana that echoed across the plain.
A completely unfamiliar voice,
and a highly dangerous situation.
But I didn't panic
or feel surprised.
Deaths in trials weren't real anyway...
'I've been through this scenario multiple times in the game...'
Entering the Emperor's trial always triggered this exact event.
The identity of the overwhelming presence behind me was...
'Reinhardt.'
Reinhardt.
The founder of the empire
and first king.
In other words, the Emperor of the Empire.
The core of the Emperor Sword trial,
a being who even now possessed power on the level of a Sword Saint.
'Exactly Sword Saint level...'
That's why the Emperor Sword trial had no separate level restriction,
but demanded at least near-top-tier prowess.
'At least you're no small fry... Help me, you.'
Only someone of that caliber could endure until Reinhardt uttered, "You, become my comrade."
"I'll ask one last time. Who are you?"
As those thoughts raced through my mind,
as if he could wait no longer,
the chilling sensation stabbed sharper at my neck,
and his voice grew more intimidating.
And I,
channeling the overwhelming presence of the Pioneer to dominate Reinhardt,
responded.
"Lower your spear, Reinhardt."
I'd already decided how to act.
[Title {Pioneer} assists your action.]
From past experience,
I didn't know the principle behind it,
but the Pioneer's action assistance always produced the optimal result with its cheat-like performance.
And that applied to releasing killing intent or aura as well.
Thus, bolstered by the Pioneer's assistance,
"Kgh..."
I could emit an aura surpassing even Reinhardt's.
And in that instant,
Reinhardt, overwhelmed by my unleashed presence,
stumbled in his stance for a moment.
I didn't miss that opening, empowered by the Pioneer's aid,
{Defying Heaven}
Attack damage increased by 1000% for 1 minute.
with my aura shifting explosively in an instant.
BAM-!
I slammed the future transcendent,
the great Emperor of the Empire,
into the grassland like some academy cadet.
"Gah!"
'Oof...'
Afterward,
as I marveled briefly at Reinhardt, embedded in the ground and groaning in pain from the heavy impact,
I seized the moment he dropped his spear from the shock,
snatching it up swiftly.
"You... Who are you...?"
Then,
now weaponless, Reinhardt rose,
putting distance between us in a flash while speaking in a tone brimming with wariness and hostility.
'Fast...'
That sequence of movements was incredibly swift and precise,
hard to believe for someone I'd just smashed into the dirt, even with Defying Heaven active.
'Winning outright is impossible.'
His display confirmed my assessment once more.
'If I could land a single blow, victory might be possible...'
At this point, Defying Heaven granted attack power rivaling a Sword Saint or even Eris.
Successfully landing a Defying Heaven-enhanced strike
would make winning straightforward...
'But he won't let it hit.'
The earlier moment was a fluke.
No way a fully alert Reinhardt would allow a sluggish, purely power-boosted attack.
'That's why it's all about bluffing.'
Bluffing, exactly.
I lacked near-top-tier power in every aspect except raw attack with Defying Heaven.
So, from the start, hit hard,
implant the maximum impact.
That was the key to clearing this trial in my current state.
'I figured it'd take a few tries...'
As I'd thought earlier, the Emperor's trial wasn't lethally punishing on failure;
you could retry after a day.
I'd attempted the bluff expecting a few failures,
but...
'Looks like it worked on the first go...'
Watching Reinhardt eye me warily, not daring to move rashly.
The bluff had landed perfectly in one shot.
"Reinhardt, I'll help you found your empire."
Seeing that, to give him no opening, I pressed on quickly.
To avoid exposing my bluff.
At least for now,
while Reinhardt believed I wielded power comparable to his.
Before he turned hostile again,
I tossed out an offer he couldn't resist.
"Just who are you? How do you know that...?"
Hearing his question laced with wariness and enmity once more,
I drove in the clincher.
"This is a deal. In exchange for my help, you help me find the Genesis Dragon."
The Genesis Dragon,
Eris, in other words.
There was no real reason to find her here,
but framing it as a transaction with my proposal
would at least quell his suspicion and hostility for now,
even without full trust.
And I knew...
"The Genesis Dragon...? Hah... Seeking the dragon that vanished after sealing the nightmare..."
If he was the Emperor I knew,
he couldn't refuse this deal...
"Fine. If you help with my cause, I'll assist to that extent."
And as expected,
came his affirmative reply.
"Wise choice."
Hearing that, I responded lightly, satisfied,
and slowly approached, extending my hand for a shake.
He smiled brightly too,
gripping my hand...
"But..."
or so it seemed?
"Don't we need to settle the score first?"
BAM-!
"Gah!"
Without a chance to react, Reinhardt yanked my hand,
slamming me smoothly into the ground.
'Fuck...'
I barely clung to my slipping composure to maintain the bluff,
able only to curse inwardly.