Chapter 204
Chapter 204
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Guardian of the Empire (3)
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The emperor stared rigidly at the knight who resembled him.
He narrowed his eyes, clearly enjoying the sight of my true abilities.
Kagak—!!
Gilbert's greatsword clashed noisily against Irina's longsword.
Sparks flew in all directions, heating up the arena.
“…!!”
My figure, unyielding in strength.
Gilbert glared murderously at my black pupils visible beneath her blade.
The stance of drawing his sword with the intent to kill, no matter the opponent.
A true veteran knight who had spent his life on battlefields where death was ever-present.
“Kraaa!!”
The greatsword knight pressed me with all his might.
My feet, firmly planted on the arena floor, began to slide backward bit by bit.
Then the captain shoved my blade aside and spun at blinding speed.
He raised his sword high into the air.
—————!!
Like the humans in myths who lifted the earth, he brought down the greatsword with savage force.
At that moment.
Kwaaang—!!
Except for me, who blocked the sword aura with my longsword, the entire ground split apart.
As if clawed by a beast.
「…」
The day Irina's imperial palace crumbled.
It was identical to the marks etched into the outer walls.
Seeing it made my once-cooled heart burn hot again.
“Strange…”
Gilbert, who had unleashed the sword aura, rested his greatsword on his shoulder.
Then he gazed at me, silently extending his sword into the air while holding his defensive stance.
“Somehow, this sword feels familiar.”
He shook his head at the odd sense of dissonance from clashing with this peculiar blade.
But soon, his instincts as a former captain made him raise the greatsword again.
「Why? Does it feel like you've faced it before?」
I parted the thick dust cloud and closed in on him, relaxing my guard.
“…!!”
I bent my knees.
Then I thrust out my longsword while extending one leg.
The lethal blade surging toward his face.
He urgently gripped his greatsword with both hands and twisted it to deflect my trajectory.
“Using a longsword like a rapier in an instant…?”
Until now, against Dark, he had only smashed down mindlessly with his sword.
At this sudden change in swordsmanship, Gilbert immediately retreated.
Then, I gripped my longsword with both hands and raised it high.
Next, I crossed my wrists left and right, aiming for his thick neck.
“…!!”
At yet another shift in technique, he grabbed the flat of his greatsword with both hands.
He used it like a shield to protect his neck.
“Hup…!!”
To counter the changing swordplay, he matched his steps to his weapon.
As expected of a veteran knight, he adapted to the shifts.
But this was only the beginning.
——————.
I twisted my wrist repeatedly while swinging the longsword raised high in the air.
The assault soon shifted to a one-handed grip, stabbing wildly like a shortsword.
Kigigik—!!
When the shortsword was blocked, it reverted to a longsword.
Then it extended its length with sword aura, whipping around.
“Hah… haah…”
Two-handed sword.
One-handed sword.
Even zweihander.
As attacks mimicking every weapon style from the battlefield assaulted him relentlessly, Gilbert breathed raggedly.
His wrists began to tremble, as if dreading what strike would come next.
“Am I… trembling?”
The opponent before his eyes was clearly just a young whelp.
Yet every time their swords met, the emotions he felt were the complete opposite.
If the longsword broke, he wielded the dagger of the man he killed.
If the dagger's teeth shattered, he smashed down like a mace until his foe died.
It was eerily reminiscent of a madman holding a pass alone and slaughtering hundreds.
“Gilbert, you're getting too worked up…!”
“My apologies…”
The senior who had been watching the former captain stepped forward.
He infused his twin daggers with deep blue mana and joined the duel.
————.
He slipped in against me as I pressed Gilbert.
He swung both daggers like the fangs of a massive serpent, targeting my side.
「Hup…!!」
In response, I twisted my wrist on the gripped longsword.
This allowed me to deflect both daggers at once.
Kaaang!!
“Thank you, Liam…!”
Then, Gilbert found an opening.
He swung his greatsword with enough force to cleave my body in two.
—————.
I spun my body along his trajectory.
Then I immediately swung my sword to meet his blade.
“Hold him like that!”
As the two knights' blades locked, Liam hurled a dagger.
I charged like a rhinoceros, making our blades slide against each other.
This let me spin both Gilbert and myself to dodge the dagger.
At the same moment our swords crossed, I twisted my wrist to slash at his neck.
“Krgh…!!”
Gilbert barely blocked with mana.
However, the deep blue flames blazing on him began to flicker out.
“Fall back!”
The senior captain Liam charged at me with his remaining dagger.
He crouched low to brace against my long longsword strikes.
The moment I raised my sword into the air, he lunged to pierce my heart.
With his junior captain badly injured, he needed a decisive finish.
He knew that if he fell, I'd have a huge advantage with my longer reach.
「…」
Against other foes, that sudden rush would have prompted an instinctive greatsword swing in retaliation.
But I didn't.
I knew exactly when assassins aimed for the killing blow.
I'd witnessed every moment when my subordinates died to the black knights.
‘I never forgot a single instant.’
I didn't swing down the raised sword on instinct.
‘The moments you bastards killed my men.’
I twisted my body sideways to evade his dagger's path.
Then.
‘That timing.’
I seized the arm of Liam surging toward me with my free hand.
And smashed down with my elbow on the arm holding the greatsword.
“Hugh…!!”
His wrist bent backward.
Overwhelmed by the pouring pain, he collapsed to the floor without a word.
“This is ridiculous…”
Fortunately, his mana shield held, preventing a fracture.
But his arm trembled wildly, proof of the agony that nearly reversed his joint.
“Liam!!”
Gilbert, regaining his senses, shouted in a loud voice.
He looked heartbroken, as if he'd lost a comrade on the battlefield.
「Fascinating.」
I stared blankly at the greatsword knight worrying over his comrade.
Then, with unfocused eyes as if standing on a past battlefield, I spoke.
「So even black knights make voices like that…」
Gilbert stared at me, uncomprehending my words.
「We're all the same people, so why were you so cruel back then…」
I shook my head, expression saying I couldn't understand.
Then, I infused white aura into my longsword and raised it high.
“Krgh…!!”
Gilbert gripped his greatsword tightly with both hands.
He parried my descending longsword repeatedly.
Kaaang!!
But the more he blocked, the more his blade began to waver.
Kigigik—!!
The more they clashed, the further he was pushed back.
Soon, Gilbert was cornered at the edge of the arena.
His wrist twisted, and he finally dropped his sword.
——————.
His massive greatsword clattered onto the arena tiles.
The harsh metallic clang filled the circular stadium.
After that sharp sound announcing the duel’s end.
The Lustium arena fell silent.
Everyone stared only at the two fallen captains and the one directional knight.
「…」
The arena floor, torn to shreds by Gilbert's strike.
Dust rose from it, stirring a wind of grit.
The faint sound of wind filled the hushed stadium.
When even that faded.
Gilbert looked up blankly at the knight gazing down at him.
And he realized.
If they had faced mere hundreds of soldiers and a few commanders…
The man before him had slain multiple captains of his own caliber.
“We've lost.”
The burly man bowed his head.
The moment his knee touched the ruined arena floor.
「Waaaaah—————!!」
The massive Lustium arena erupted with cheers louder than ever before.
Among them was the voice of the woman who shared my memories.
“Bale…!!”
Irina's sea-blue eyes wavered.
Transparent tears streamed down her soft cheeks.
But I didn't see the princess.
With those horrific memories now vivid.
I stared rigidly at Rozanna and Leon, the culprits behind it all.
「…」
The emperor followed my gaze to his wife and son.
Then, with a faint smile, he asked.
「Sir Bale seems quite interested in you two.」
My dress shirt torn in places, dirt smeared on my face.
Leon stared down at my eyes gleaming through my black hair.
Just months ago, he had been like a fawning fox.
To think it was all a ploy to destroy him.
Realizing this, the crown prince felt deep rage and fear.
His clenched fist trembled faintly.
「Leon, have you perhaps committed some unforgivable sin against him?」
The emperor asked his son leisurely.
「If so, you'd best apologize quickly.」
Leonhardt crossed his arms alone.
「I've conquered five nations at that age myself. Blood was boiling back then.」
He spoke as if worrying for his son while teasing him.
「Whatever I set out to do, I achieved.」
The emperor closed his eyes as he said this.
But soon, an inner unease creased his brow.
The man who had vowed a wish befitting the empire, if not for himself.
He suddenly grew curious about that man's wish.