Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Warning (2)
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“Doesn’t this seem suspicious?”
A young investigator muttered to his senior while examining the cave.
The senior investigator rummaged through the debris scattered around the cave and shot back.
“What nonsense are you spouting out of nowhere?”
“No, but think about it. Who is Agito? He’s a high-ranking member of Yulan who shook off the Church’s pursuers multiple times.”
Yulan wasn’t your average group of black mages.
They were small in number, but each member was extraordinarily skilled.
Skilled enough that even the Holy Knights dispatched by the Church ended up as their prey.
“Of course, Agito belongs to the curse school, so his combat prowess is on the weaker side.”
Compared to the necromancy school that commanded undead or the frenzy school that enhanced their own bodies for battle, the curse school lacked direct combat ability.
“Even so, does it make sense for a high-level black mage like Agito to lose his life to some rural noble?”
But that was only relative.
Even a regular knight would struggle to take down a curse master of Agito’s caliber head-on.
“What if that Demian Haksen guy…… is a Yulan spy? Maybe he disguised someone else’s corpse as Agito and handed it over to the Church.”
The senior investigator nodded at his junior’s suspicion.
“I had the same thought as you.”
“So I’m not the only one who finds it odd!”
“But what can we do? Lady Agnes hasn’t said a word about it.”
Agnes was a Holy Knight who had executed countless heretics up to now.
The young investigator knew she wouldn’t just overlook something he’d noticed.
Yet Agnes harbored not the slightest suspicion toward Demian Haksen.
“Still, shouldn’t we at least suggest it?”
“Finish the investigation first, then we’ll talk. Focus on the job for now…….”
“Demian Haksen is not a spy.”
The two investigators jumped in shock at the sudden voice from behind them.
Agnes was staring at them with her signature expressionless face.
“I understand your suspicions. But Demian Haksen is not that kind of man.”
The two investigators could only blink at Agnes’s words.
“B-But how on earth did he kill Agito? It just doesn’t add up.”
The young investigator mustered his courage to ask.
Agnes answered immediately.
“Didn’t you already hear how he did it?”
“Pardon? We heard?”
The young investigator suddenly recalled what Demian Haksen had said.
-I just dodged roughly and cut his throat.
A thick look of bewilderment spread across the young investigator’s face.
“N-No way, so that ‘dodged roughly and killed him’ part was…… literal?”
Agnes nodded.
“When that man’s servant brought Agito’s head, I didn’t intervene right away. I watched him instead.”
In truth, Agnes had already suspected Demian Haksen.
It didn’t make sense for a big shot like Agito to die so easily.
The situation left her no choice but to suspect him.
“But honestly…… he was a terrifyingly skilled fighter. Shockingly so.”
And the moment she saw Demian Haksen fight, she had no choice but to dispel all doubts.
“He faced dozens at once without taking a single hit. He overwhelmed them instead.”
Agnes still couldn’t forget it.
Demian Haksen dodged attacks coming from all directions by the barest margins, like the thickness of a sheet of paper, while cutting down his enemies.
Every movement was meticulously calculated.
It was so unreal that she wondered if she was watching a perfectly staged play.
“The most astonishing part…… was that the man deflected magic.”
At first, the two investigators didn’t grasp what she meant.
“One of the Black Snake gang members used a magic artifact to fire a fireball. Demian Haksen swung his sword and altered its trajectory.”
Only after hearing Agnes’s explanation again did they understand.
No, truth be told, they still couldn’t comprehend it this time either.
“Is that…… even possible?”
People struggle just to block a sword swinging right in front of them.
Deflecting magic? Unbelievable.
“It is possible. I’ve heard the Empire’s Swordmaster, the ‘Sword Saint,’ is a master of the flying sword who can parry any attack, even magic.”
The two investigators’ mouths fell open.
In other words, it was a feat only achievable by master-level experts.
“I-If that’s true, then Demian Haksen is…….”
“An incredible powerhouse and a genius beyond compare. There’s no way Yulan would use someone like that as a mere spy. Even deploying him as a combat operative would inflict massive damage on the Church.”
Agnes spoke with utmost seriousness.
“Then, does that mean Lady Agnes came here in person because of that man?”
“The reason I followed you all is Yulan.”
Agnes cut him off firmly.
No one in the Church was unaware of the deep grudge Agnes held against Yulan.
“But I do have business with that man as well. If possible, I want to bring him to my master. If I miss this chance and the other five great saints learn about him, it’ll be a problem.”
The Azure Flame Brigandin held a position in the Church that even a king would envy.
And Agnes was the most outstanding among his disciples.
For such a person to praise him so effusively without a hint of pride.
“So please put your suspicions aside and focus on the investigation.”
The investigators had no choice but to nod.
* * *
The investigation only wrapped up after four hours.
Unfortunately, the aftermath of the battle had reduced everything to rubble, so there wasn’t much information to glean.
“You’ve all done well.”
Even so, Agnes encouraged the investigators without a trace of disappointment.
It was then, as Agnes and the investigators emerged from the cave.
They were greeted by a bizarre sight the moment they stepped outside.
“Huh?”
“What’s that?”
The air was swirling in eddies.
Leaves in the surroundings rustled noisily in sync with the flow.
At the center stood Demian Haksen.
Demian Haksen sat on a rock with his eyes closed.
With each breath he took, the air’s flow accelerated and then slowed again.
“What is that?”
“It’s insane.”
The investigators watched in fascination.
As ordinary people, they couldn’t comprehend it.
‘……Lord above.’
Only Agnes recognized the absurd feat Demian Haksen was performing.
He was subjugating and absorbing all the ambient mana scattered around him.
‘What am I even witnessing?’
Agnes was well aware of the cultivation method she had passed to Demian Haksen.
She knew its immense value, which was why she had given it to him.
Tyrant’s Crushing Sword itself wasn’t all that impressive.
But Tyrant’s Power Accumulation Technique was different. It was a cultivation method anyone would covet.
‘To master Tyrant’s Power Accumulation Technique to its peak while we were investigating…….’
Tyrant’s Power Accumulation Technique gathered and absorbed surrounding mana.
Thanks to that, it accumulated mana far faster than other methods.
Once mastered to its peak, it went beyond merely drawing in ambient mana—it allowed one to dominate it.
That was exactly what Demian Haksen was doing.
Using Tyrant’s Power Accumulation Technique to dominate the surrounding mana and absorb it.
“Hoo…….”
Demian Haksen stopped breathing.
The air’s flow cut off abruptly.
“Is the investigation finished?”
Demian Haksen asked Agnes and the investigators.
Agnes nodded dazedly.
“It seems Lord Demian…… has made some progress.”
“Yes, I got a little taste of it.”
Demian Haksen flashed a grin.
He seemed satisfied with his own achievement.
“It’s already evening. Let’s head back. Father will have dinner prepared…….”
Suddenly, Demian Haksen’s face hardened.
He turned his gaze toward the direction of his territory.
“The vermin have arrived.”
Agnes blinked at the sudden harsh words. Demian Haksen bowed his head to her.
“Something urgent has come up, so I’ll go ahead. Take your time.”
Without waiting for a reply, he kicked off the ground.
Before Agnes could stop him, Demian Haksen shrank to a dot and vanished.
She couldn’t help but be shocked again by his speed.
‘He’s moving with mana?’
Using mana could amplify physical abilities.
Demian Haksen’s superhuman speed was all thanks to mana.
‘But Demian Haksen shouldn’t have had mana like that.’
Back in Landwalk City, Agnes had once infused holy power into Demian Haksen’s body to examine his internals.
At the time, the amount of mana he possessed was exceedingly scant.
With such a tiny amount, he couldn’t move that fast.
‘Thanks to Tyrant’s Power Accumulation Technique? No, even with that, he couldn’t have accumulated so much mana in that short time.’
Even if Demian Haksen had reached the peak of Tyrant’s Power Accumulation Technique, he’d only been cultivating for 3-4 hours.
Yet his speed surpassed that of an average formal knight by far.
‘Could it be…… he’s utilizing his mana with that much precision?’
The more precisely mana was controlled, the greater its efficiency, as less was wasted.
The Sword Saint, hailed as a genius among geniuses, was famous for drawing twice the efficiency from the same amount of mana.
In Agnes’s view, Demian’s efficiency wasn’t just double.
‘Just how far do his limits go?’
At this boundless talent, Agnes felt chills run down her spine.
* * *
The Viscount Haksen territory.
Three men appeared on the main road leading there.
All three wore full plate armor that covered their bodies and rode fine-bred horses.
They were clearly no ordinary folk.
“Ugh, we’re finally here.”
One knight stretched as he spoke.
The forced march over the past two days had left them quite fatigued.
“Hey, Olfys. What’s that smell? It’s nasty.”
Another knight grimaced.
Olfys, the one who had stretched, smirked.
“Lavender, you city bumpkin, this is the smell of cow dung. Savor this precious aroma.”
“Cow dung? Ew.”
The knight called Lavender began brushing off his armor with his hand.
Seeing this, Olfys burst into laughter.
“Idiot. You think that’ll make the smell go away?”
“Damn it, got any perfume? Give me some if you do. What if it sticks to me!”
As the two knights bantered, the remaining knight spoke curtly.
“Quiet.”
At the low, commanding tone, Olfys and Lavender shut their mouths immediately.
The knight who silenced them gazed silently at the Haksen territory.
“Is that the Haksen territory?”
“Yes, Sir Geric.”
Olfys’s lighthearted tone turned solemn in an instant, as if it had all been an act.
He had no choice. Unlike the squires Olfys and Lavender, the man before him was a formal knight.
One skilled enough to receive orders directly from the Ryanbloom Marquis.
“We’ll finally meet him. That wastrel bastard who insulted Lord Erwin and tarnished the Ryanbloom Marquis Family’s reputation.”
Viscous killing intent flickered in Geric’s eyes.
Olfys and Lavender swallowed dryly, overwhelmed by his aura.
“Olfys. What mission did His Excellency give us?”
“Yes! To capture Demian Haksen!”
“Grabbing that trash isn’t hard…… but it’s not enough.”
Geric’s killing intent thickened slightly.
“Not just Demian Haksen—the entire Viscount Haksen family must pay. Don’t you think that’s only right?”
“Yes!”
“Absolutely!”
The two knights replied swiftly.
Geric was known for his loyalty but savage temper.
He had once whipped territory folk for failing to show proper respect to the marquisate’s banner.
Considering Geric’s personality, they had to agree even if they didn’t mean it.
Otherwise, they might suffer before the Haksens did.
“Let’s go.”
The three knights headed for the Viscount Haksen manor. A servant was sweeping at the entrance.
“Hey.”
Lavender called out to the male servant.
The servant paused his sweeping and looked up.
“Eek! You scared me!”
The servant yelped in surprise. Lavender was startled in turn.
“K-Knights? What brings you to our territory?”
The servant asked, trembling.
Lavender felt a faint sense of superiority at the servant’s servile attitude.
“We’re here to see Demian Haksen. Tell him to come out now.”
Lavender raised his voice.
The servant’s eyes went wide.
“Why do you want to see the young master?”
“You don’t need to know that. Just relay my message to Demian Haksen.”
“I can’t do that.”
Lavender scowled at the servant’s words.
“What did you say?”
“How do I know who you are to summon our young master? I can’t do it.”
The servant shook his head.
“If you want to see the young master, tell me your names and where you’re from. Then I’ll pass it on.”
Ha.
Lavender let out a hollow laugh and glanced at Geric.
He’d been itching to crush the Haksens, and here was the perfect excuse.
“What’s your name?”
“Victor, sir.”
“Victor, huh. Victor.”
Lavender approached Victor. Sensing the ominous vibe, Victor backed away.
“W-Why are you coming closer…… Gah!”
Lavender smashed his gauntleted fist into Victor’s gut.
Victor doubled over, dry-heaving.
“W-What was that for out of nowhere…… Ack!”
This time, a fist to the head. Victor tumbled across the ground.
“You trash, do as you’re told! Who do you think you’re defying!”
Lavender stomped on Victor. Victor curled up, but it was futile.
Before a knight’s trained body, an ordinary man’s was far too frail.
“What is this commotion!”
“Victor! What’s going on!”
Servants from the manor rushed out.
But they froze at the sight of the knights.
“V-Viscount! Get the Viscount!”
One maid panicked and ran back inside.
Moments later, Viscount Haksen and his family emerged.
“Stop this at once!”
Only after the viscount’s shout did the knight cease his kicks.
But Victor was already covered in blood.
“You’ve finally shown yourself.”
Viscount Haksen erupted in fury at the sight of Victor’s state.
“What is the meaning of this! Knights beating a commoner like this!”
“Compared to what the Viscount Haksen family did to the Ryanbloom Marquis Family, this is nothing.”
At the mention of the Ryanbloom Marquis Family, Viscount Haksen’s face stiffened.
“Viscount Gilbert Haksen. The marquis demands Demian Haksen. Hand him over quietly, and no harm will come to your territory.”
“Demian? You’ve come for Demian?”
“Indeed. He must pay for insulting Young Lord Erwin.”
Viscount Haksen’s eyes wavered. He bit his lip.
“I cannot hand over my son!”
Perhaps not surprising, Geric showed no particular reaction.
“Are you sure you won’t regret it?”
“Of course not!”
“Then no choice. Raze it all.”
At Geric’s order, Lavender and Olfys drew their swords as if they’d been waiting.
Azure smoke began to rise from the razor-sharp blades.
“A-Aura? You really mean to kill people?”
Viscount Haksen cried out in alarm.
Geric replied calmly.
“No one dies. We’ll just smash everything.”
Aura-clad swords sliced through rock like water.
With knights’ physical prowess added to such fearsome weapons, this small territory would become a wasteland in the blink of an eye.
Geric’s words were neither bluff nor exaggeration.
“What are you waiting for? Get to it.”
“Yes, sir!”
Lavender and Olfys split left and right, starting by smashing nearby doors and walls.
Viscount Haksen shouted in horror.
“S-Stop!”
But the two knights ignored him completely.
“You bastards! I said stop!”
As Viscount Haksen lunged at the two knights.
“You vermin must be out of your minds.”
At the third party’s voice, Geric and the two knights turned.
Faded brown hair.
Eyes that somehow chilled to the bone.
“Didn’t you hear me say stop?”
Demian Haksen was approaching the three knights.