Chapter 388: Human World [R-18] (42)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 388: Human World [R-18] (42)
All eyes turned to a figure emerging from beyond the elegant corridors of Somerset House.
“The commander of the Temple Knights, Alexander.”
A Caucasian man with his golden hair tied up, wearing a cape. His eyes were as cold and emotionless as a balancing scale. The very air seemed to bend with his every step.
Behind him, several elite soldiers of the Temple Knights stood in a line, their faces blank.
“Within these facilities, any armed conflict can be suppressed by force at the Knights' discretion.”
He spoke without even turning his head.
“From now on, the moment the rules are broken, I will not forgive anyone.”
Alexander finished his stiff statement and walked out of the corridor.
As the pressure vanished, a dull, tingling ache spread through my body.
It wasn't simple intimidation. It was the structure of perfected martial prowess, radiating from his very being.
'He's strong.'
Based purely on the aura I could sense, he was either on my level or a paper's breadth above me.
'I'd like to fight him.'
It was at that moment.
“…You bastard, you'd better watch yourself.”
The Nagitsune Guild Leader, Nogi Kazuo, said through gritted teeth. He shot me one last warning with his bloodshot eyes before quietly leaving with his guild members.
I felt a cold hostility at my back, like a promise that he would come for my neck in the near future.
“Whew… I can't believe I'm seeing Sir Alexander here…”
“He's much stronger than the rumors suggested…”
The Halcyon Guild members also muttered, wiping the cold sweat from their brows. Their faces held a mixture of awe and fear.
Just then, Im Hye-rin cautiously approached and stood beside me.
“You caught that blade with your bare hands earlier… Is your hand okay?”
I spread my hand and smiled.
“Yes. Not a single scratch.”
“…Phew. That's a relief.”
Im Hye-rin let out a short sigh of relief. Then she tilted her head slightly and added, “But… I didn't expect that girl to just attack you like that.”
It seems she didn't see me provoke her first.
I shrugged and replied, “It was unexpected for me, too. But she's quite skilled, isn't she?”
“Yes, that girl, Ayame, is famous in Japan for her skills. I heard she's talented enough to be called a next-generation S-class prospect.”
Im Hye-rin sighed and continued, “But I've heard her personality is a bit… prickly. Especially towards men.”
Jung Ji-hun chimed in from the side. “That was quite an impactful first meeting. I wonder what will happen next….”
“Well, we have some time until the briefing. Everyone, go to your rooms and rest up.”
At Im Hye-rin's words, we headed to our respective rooms. As I walked down the hall, I kept thinking.
'Ayame... I like her. I wonder if I'll be able to fuck her this time?'
The memory of her blushing face and trembling body was still vivid in my mind.
After that, even as I unpacked in my room, I wondered what would be discussed at the evening briefing.
And above all….
That man, Alexander, was stronger than I'd thought. This mission might be far more dangerous than I anticipated.
*
Until I was summoned, I was in my room, quietly performing Qi Cultivation.
The sensation of vital energy circulating through my body. As the flow gathered in the dantian below my navel, my body felt both light and heavy.
Just then, my smartphone vibrated.
I slowly opened my eyes and checked the screen.
[Im Hye-rin: Everyone gather downstairs.]
'…It's starting.'
I exhaled slowly and rose to my feet. I stretched, cracking my joints.
“Looks like all the other guilds have gathered.”
The room was quiet, but I could sense five auras cutting across the entire building.
Exactly five large, powerful currents of energy, each with a different nature, occupied the space.
The strongest mass of energy belonged to the man I saw earlier, Alexander, the commander of the Temple Knights. A heavy, yet balanced aura.
The next was a hot, vibrant aura, brimming with life force. That was my mother-in-law's.
Another one. A cool, wind-like flow. That sharp, cold feeling belonged to Nagitsune's Nogi Kazuo.
Then, a pressure as hard and heavy as the earth. That must be… one of the guild leaders I haven't met yet.
And the last one. The moment I felt that aura, I frowned without realizing it.
A shiver ran down my spine. A cold, sticky energy that crept in. A sinister feeling, like an insect burrowing under my skin.
'What a disgusting aura.'
The energy itself felt fundamentally corrupt.
'Guys with auras like that are always up to some weird shit. I'll have to see this one's face for myself.'
I bent and straightened my knees, regulating my breath. Then I opened the door and slowly headed downstairs.
At the end of the corridor, past the central hall, a circular conference room came into view.
The representatives from each guild were seated, with the commander of the Temple Knights sitting alone, a short distance away.
'So I'm the last one here.'
The moment I entered, all eyes turned to me.
Among them, one figure's lips twitched as he glared at me.
Dark, blackish-brown skin. A skull-adorned necklace around his neck, and black lines like tattoos under his eyes.
He was leaning back in his chair with one leg crossed over the other as he spoke.
“How arrogant, showing up last.”
His tone was laced with a foulness, as if he were deliberately choosing his words to provoke.
'Not this black guy.'
I blinked once and scanned the seat next to him.
There sat a person completely covered in a jet-black robe. Their hood was pulled down so low I couldn't see their eyes, and their build was rather small. But… I knew at once that this was the source of that shitty aura I'd felt earlier.
'His whole getup is screaming 'I'm suspicious'.'
I clicked my tongue inwardly. If the Temple Knights were willing to hire someone like that, their recruitment standards must be fucked.
The aura emanating from him was sticky and damp, like flesh-eating insects, and utterly repulsive.
Meanwhile, the black man, realizing I was ignoring him, twitched his brow and spoke again.
“Hey, are you ignoring me?”
I just kept ignoring him. Engaging with him would probably just cause more trouble, and besides, there was no need for me to step in.
“—Evan Carter. You're being loud.”
At Alexander's warning, he flinched and turned his head away.
“Tsk.”
I snorted at the sight of him acting like a scared puppy with its tail between its legs.
'There are guys like that everywhere you go.'
I stood behind Im Hye-rin. Jung Ji-hun, who was standing next to me, smiled and said in a low voice,
“Hmm, Mr. Seo-yun, you seem to be the type who attracts a lot of trouble.”
“You could say that.”
I replied with a smile. “It's a bit tiring for me, too.”
“Haha, still, it's best to be careful.”
He leaned a little closer to me and said quietly, “That guy who just tried to pick a fight, Evan Carter, is a notorious troublemaker in the US.”
“But…” I glanced at Evan and tilted my head. “He doesn't look that strong.”
“Wow, spoken like a true S-class.”
He looked at me with admiring eyes. “But you shouldn't underestimate him. Evan Carter is a special case, even among the S-class.”
“In what way?”
“His defense.”
Jung Ji-hun swallowed once before explaining. “Among all S-class ability users, he's known as the strongest in terms of defense alone.”
“Is that so?”
“That's not all.” He continued, “He's a dual ability user. He doesn't just have strong defense; he also has earth-attribute abilities. He can change the terrain and defend with walls that shoot up from the ground. As long as there's ground, his combat endurance is nearly infinite.”
I nodded and muttered, “And yet, he couldn't do a thing against Alexander.”
Jung Ji-hun let out a small laugh. “You're not wrong about that. They actually fought for real once. It's a pretty famous story… I guess you haven't heard it, Mr. Seo-yun?”
“Ah, well… I just came down from training in the mountains.”
I gave a vague excuse.
Jung Ji-hun seemed to realize I was being evasive and didn't press further. Instead, he nodded and continued.
“Alexander Lucius Craven. The current commander of the Temple Knights, and the man known as the Strongest Sword. It's said that among combat-focused ability users, no one can defeat him.”
“For someone like that to call on us for a mission… it feels incredibly dangerous.”
“Alexander probably won't be making a move himself. He can't venture far from London.”
His words piqued my curiosity. “Can you explain in more detail?”
Jung Ji-hun nodded, glanced around, then lowered his voice to a whisper. “Alexander is a ‘Sworn One’.”
“A Sworn One?”
Jung Ji-hun nodded and added to his explanation. “The Queen of England possesses a special ability passed down through generations called the ‘Pledge’. It dramatically enhances the combat power of the one she makes a contract with. However, the conditions are quite strict.”
“Conditions?”
“The most crucial one is distance. If a Sworn One moves too far from the contractor, their power weakens drastically. In other words, Alexander can only exist as England's strongest within a certain range of the Queen.”
I shifted my gaze sideways, looking at Alexander's expressionless face.
'What, so he's just juiced?'
Just as that thought crossed my mind, Jung Ji-hun gave a small smile and continued, as if he'd read my thoughts.
“Still, you shouldn't underestimate him just because he's outside of England. Evan Carter made that mistake and nearly died for it.”
“Really?”
“Yes. He is strong even without the Pledge.”
After Jung Ji-hun finished, I was lost in thought for a moment. Then, something I'd forgotten to ask came to mind.
“By the way, Mr. Ji-hun.” My gaze naturally shifted to a corner of the conference room. “That person in the black robe over there. Who are they?”
Jung Ji-hun also turned to look at him. Soon after, he narrowed his eyes and muttered lowly, “I don't know their exact name either. There are probably only a handful of people who do.”
He continued slowly, “However, they are famous as a barrier user. The people who accompany them are also shrouded in mystery, but they are all said to be exceptional barrier users. There are, however, a few suspicious rumors.”
“Suspicious rumors?”
“Yes. Stories about them conducting human experiments, or strange rumors about them collecting corpses. Of course, none of it has been officially confirmed. They're just tabloid-level gossip.”
I looked at the robed figure again. They sat without a single movement, completely suppressing their presence, as if they weren't even breathing. The lack of presence, paradoxically, created a strong sense of unease.
'A weird guy followed by weird rumors.'
Just then, Alexander stood up.
“Now that everyone is seated, we will begin.”
His voice echoed throughout the conference room. Instantly, all conversation ceased.
“First, I will address the matter of this request.”
She's not a heroine, but I'm posting this because it came out well
Nogi Ayame
