Chapter 110
Chapter 110
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: Not a Legend, But a Legend (14)
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# 110
#18 Their Circumstances: The Circumstances of a Certain Villain's Lackey I
"For now, starting with this place..."
Thanks to the Empire's pursuit, nearly all of the Anti-Empire Army had been captured, but that didn't mean there were no survivors.
And the place where we survivors had gathered was none other than the students' stronghold—specifically, Arsia's base.
With three academies currently allied, we'd obtained top-secret intel that they were gathered at Arsia's main base. We resolved to ignite our final spark here.
My role was to turn this gate into a magic tool!
By placing this gate, which operated on mana, under my control, I would block the students' escape once we seized the castle.
Of course, the students here were Arsia's elite, capable of wielding sword auras, and Marsis students who could unleash grand magic!
If they put their minds to it, they could smash this makeshift gate for the Imperial Tournament anytime.
That's why Marsis students in uniform were near me, reinforcing the gate with defensive enhancement spells.
"This side's done."
"Mine's finished too."
I nodded to my fellow organization members, and we awaited the counterattack that would soon begin.
"You've secured complete control of the gate, right?"
"And the reinforcements on the gate are perfect too, yeah?"
"Yeah, this gate's been fortified so well it can withstand even a swordmaster's sword beam a few times."
I nodded back at the guy's confident words.
He might not know much else, but when it came to barriers and support magic, he was renowned in the organization.
He wasn't some weakling who'd fail against mere student attacks!
"Yeah, now we just wait for the boss to make his move... Huh?"
Suddenly, something came flying from far off at high speed.
"What's that?"
"It's a tree branch. Probably carried by the wind?"
"Doesn't it seem weirdly fast for one?"
"It's still just a branch, whatever."
"True enough."
A single tree branch hurtling toward us at high speed.
We watched it leisurely.
After all, we had nothing to do until the boss declared the start of battle.
The branch flew straight ahead and lightly tapped the gate...
BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!
"Huh?"
"Wha?"
Not a tap, but a massive boom—and the gate vanished.
"Hey, was that branch under illusion magic?"
"Has to be, right? It didn't just break; it ceased to exist. Gotta be illusion magic."
We stared blankly at where our mission—the gate—had disappeared, when a shout filled with killing intent rang out.
"Hand over Nerkiaaaa!"
More than ten students in Yuglasia uniforms charged in.
And those students trampled right through the spot where the gate enchanted with illusion magic—or so we thought—had been.
""What the hell?!""
The Anti-Empire Army's counterattack went awry before it even started.
#19 Their Circumstances: The Circumstances of a Certain Villain's Lackey II
"Change quickly! Don't forget the armbands! If you're mistaken for students and attacked, you're on your own!"
One by one, the surviving organization members began gathering.
My job was to quickly dress them in Arsia or Marsis uniforms here and infiltrate them into Arsia's base up above.
The groundwork we'd laid by sneaking in before the Imperial Tournament was finally paying off.
"Not enough Arsia uniforms!"
"Damn it, dress them in Marsis ones first! There aren't many Marsis students here yet, so don't send them out! Oh, and tell the ones leaving: if anyone asks, say you're first-years no matter what!"
At my irritable orders, everyone sped up, changing clothes and receiving their assignments.
Even the Empire wouldn't suspect this place.
After all, they wouldn't imagine an Anti-Empire Army secret base right under the Imperial Tournament arena they'd built themselves!
"This is the organization's final blaze! We have to show the world there's hope to topple the Empire!"
After the Great War, no one even thought of fighting the Empire anymore.
It had become the world's undisputed strongest power.
The only victorious nation to emerge without noticeable losses.
But as the world's strongest, plenty of countries opposed the Empire.
They just stayed silent out of fear of its might.
If the incident we caused spread across the world in that situation?
If, during the Imperial Tournament celebrating the Empire's birth, the students hailed as the Empire's future were taken hostage?
Seeing the supposedly impregnable fortress shaken might spur nations that had been suppressed or endured until now to act.
And if they moved, others would join for their own gains.
Even if they just shook things up from outside, it would create openings for us inside the Empire.
Toppling the Empire... wouldn't be impossible!
"Move faster, hurry!"
As more people gathered with time, a hot something welled up in my chest.
After skulking like rats while the Empire watched us warily, now we stood boldly before them!
That's when it happened.
'What was that?'
Something felt like it passed right through me.
This sudden irritating feeling... what was it?
"What're you doing standing there? Move it!"
There, right in front of me, was a guy blankly holding a uniform.
Yeah, it was because this idiot was dawdling.
I'd ordered him to change quickly, but...
"I can't. Who the hell are you to order me around like that?"
"Huh?"
He tossed the uniform aside and approached me.
Was this bastard defying orders?
"You wanna die?"
"Wanna die? Who do you think you are?"
This guy's beyond words.
I drew my sword from my waist and pointed it at him.
He drew his too and aimed at me.
"You were just digging like a mole!"
"You're lower rank than me!"
Clang!
Our swords clashed.
It wasn't just us—uproar and swordfights broke out across the organization.
Something felt off, but punishing this insolent punk took priority.
"Die!"
"You die!"
And so, the Anti-Empire Army's downfall began silently with inexplicable internal strife.
#20 Their Circumstances: Lisen de Roa's Circumstances
"Get lost!"
"Argh!"
"You too!"
"Guh!"
"Bring out that Nerkia bastard!"
"Cough..."
After obliterating the gate with Mistilteinn, I charged straight in.
I blew away the two idiots staring blankly right at the gate and focused on toppling enemies toward what seemed like the command center.
This should draw out Nerkia... but he wasn't showing.
"Fine, I'll sweep them all until he does!"
"You think we'll let you?!"
Kaaaaang!
The jet-black scythe and crimson blade collided with a thunderous roar.
"Damn it, go find Lady Aris, you flat-chested twerp!"
"Wait, what did you say? Every time you see me, your insults get pettier. Just my imagination?"
It wasn't.
I felt it every clash, but this girl was the enemy.
A very strong one.
Unbelievable for a Marsis rookie with the shortest training among the Empire's Four Great Prestigious Academies—she adapted and grew so fast.
This adaptability felt like facing a Yuglasia student!
If she'd joined Yuglasia, we might've gotten our first Night Self-Study skip a month sooner. She was that talented.
But she was the enemy.
Against enemies, use any means, give it your all to crush them.
That's Yuglasia education.
The stronger the foe, the more contingencies you prepare.
"Ah, my mistake. Such rudeness to the Lady of House Nermia."
"Yes, even for wild Yuglasia, this is too much..."
One good rule against strong enemies: enrage them.
[Anger clouds the mind. Especially for magic users.
by-Apostle of the Evil God, Professor Niserwin]
"Calling no breasts 'flat' ones. Mistaking what isn't there for what is. My apologies, Lady Nermia."
"Fine. Die."
With her growling voice, her blade of fire blazed hotter.
I watched it shift from sunset red to blue flame, then white-hot, thinking this might be dangerous.
'Not silver, so fine.'
Satisfied it wasn't the scariest color—silver—I raised the pitch-black scythe opposite the white flame.
"Where is Nerkia?"
"Ask the King of Hell in the afterlife, you perv!"
Whoosh!
Space itself burned as she swung the white-hot blade down.
Even Loki's Scythe might not block this.
"Mistilteinn!"
"Burn it all, Leviathan!"
The white-hot blade and world-killing branch collided.
Screeeeech!
"Ugh!"
"Wha... guh!"
A piercing high-pitched sound rang out as the weapons met.
A brain-rattling noise.
Nearby Arsia students merely hearing it vomited blood and collapsed!
The shockwave spreading with the sound cracked surrounding buildings.
"Urk."
"Ngh..."
Even we felt it!
-What's this? Why the screech?
-The clash of same-tier weapons. From the same world, too.
-Same tier? It's the world-killing branch, right? Kills immortals? And it's same tier?
-That fire sword burned my old world to ash once. If Mistilteinn kills immortals, that's the world-burning, reborn apocalypse blade.
-Wow, world-killing spear versus apocalypse sword at the Imperial Tournament. Epic event scale.
Grumbling at Loki's response, I couldn't take my eyes off the enemy.
"Impressive, Lady No-Breasts."
"...You're impressive too, perv."
She took the shock closer than me and looked fine.
No, her rage-fueled haze even cleared.
"Sorry, Lady No-Breasts. Even if I'm a perv, I'm not a lolicon... Those meager breasts don't move me."
So I upped the provocation to rile her again.
Might get disciplined later, but no choice.
Killing Nerkia was more urgent!
But she didn't react as expected.
"Not a lolicon? For a perv, you're a decent one. Pedos deserve death... but I'm fifteen now? Just starting to grow?"
Crazy, only fifteen?
I knew she was young, but one year younger than Lady Aris hit hard.
"Opening."
She exploited that split-second gap and lunged.
"Urgh."
Five spells deployed instantly.
Three exploded before me, a massive ice block dropped from above.
"Urk."
The ground turned to swamp, restricting movement!
"But Loki's Shoes work anywhere!"
Loki's Shoes let me move freely even in mud.
Dodging all spells and her incoming white-hot blade.
This time, I hurled Mistilteinn while swinging the black scythe.
"Tch."
She clicked her tongue and retreated, disappointed. I spun the scythe in one hand, eyeing her.
"Just tell me where Nerkia is, and we both save energy..."
"Our president isn't here... but even if he was, I couldn't hand him over easily. And... Imperial Tournament has one winner. No reason not to fight!"
With that, she charged again. I sighed inwardly.
Until I take her down...
Killing Nerkia will be tough.