Chapter 209: Iron-Blood Guardian 'Empire' (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 209: Iron-Blood Guardian 'Empire' (3)
The entire conference hall was frozen in silence.
Gulp!
The sound of dry swallowing echoed from here and there.
-To think such a talent would suddenly drop from the sky...
-If we can recruit him into our family, we could shift the balance of power in an instant.
-Becoming a ducal house wouldn't just be a dream. He's on par with the Empire's greatest knight commander!
-With this, we'll definitely win the war against the Murim. Yes, absolutely.
It was a pity he wasn't a noble of guaranteed lineage, but for someone of Grand Sword Master caliber, any difference in social status could easily be overlooked.
Especially now, with the Empire preparing for war against the Murim.
It went without saying just how precious an outstanding talent was.
Just as everyone was shifting restlessly, looking for the right moment to approach Jinhyuk—
"What are you all being deluded by?! Why aren't you thinking of dragging this heretic out immediately for using such wicked magic?!"
A new figure intervened.
He looked to be in his mid-forties.
He was not a martial artist, but the sharp aura emanating from his body surpassed even that of a warrior.
Even without using 'Gluttony's Eye', Jinhyuk could guess who he was.
Duke Beinstern.
The undisputed most powerful man in the Empire who threatened the imperial authority, and an internal spy colluding with the Murim.
Jinhyuk had come face-to-face with the very subject of the information he had received from Gandhara.
"D-Duke Beinstern?"
"A heretic? What do you mean by that?"
At his sudden words, unrest stirred once again.
But Beinstern dismissed everyone's doubts with a single stroke.
"Did you not see him using a black Aura Blade?"
Normally, Aura should emit a blue light.
However, Jinhyuk's Aura possessed a deep black hue due to the effect of the 'Grave of Swords'.
"Come to think of it..."
"The color is definitely strange. That kind of thing... is usually only seen among necromancers or the Murim."
"Does that mean it's not an Aura Blade?"
Unlike the past when it consisted of seventeen kingdoms, the Empire was now composed of seven.
Yet, the fact that it was a holy empire serving the Goddess 'Peris' remained unchanged.
This meant that both the entire populace and the leadership were extremely sensitive to heretics.
Beinstern aimed to exploit this point to pressure Jinhyuk.
"Wow. My identity keeps changing. First a Murim warrior, now a heretic. At this rate, I might be called a demon later."
"If you feel wronged, disarm yourself and surrender quietly. If you do, we will grant you the opportunity to defend yourself through a fair trial and interrogation."
"Can the adjective 'fair' really be attached to torturing someone until they repeat what you want to hear like a parrot?"
Jinhyuk smirked.
He had heard this kind of repertoire so many times that it wasn't even fresh anymore.
Therefore...
"If you have something to say, demand it with your skills."
The tip of his dagger pointed toward Beinstern.
"Your skills are outstanding, but you seem to lack situational awareness. What do you think you can achieve by coming here all by yourself?"
This was the Empire.
And the very heart of it, where the military council was being held.
Even though the Knight Commander had been absurdly overwhelmed by his momentum...
It meant they could call upon a 'true powerhouse' to replace someone like him at any moment.
With those final words.
Step.
Footsteps began to echo.
The air shifted.
'So they're coming after all.'
Jinhyuk's gaze turned toward the door.
He had hoped things might go a bit easier, but it seemed that wouldn't be the case.
"Hmm. I hope we aren't too late?"
A cheerful voice drifted in from outside the conference room.
He looked to be in his early to mid-twenties.
A man in casual attire with blonde hair and green eyes.
At first glance, one might think he looked like an innocent young man from next door, but one must never judge him solely by his appearance.
The strongest weapon possessed by the Empire.
A Grand Sword Master, evaluated as a force that could single-handedly surpass an entire knight order composed of Sword Masters.
'Abraham de Felicia.'
Jinhyuk hadn't expected to meet this stubborn bastard again so soon.
Furthermore, beside Abraham stood Mackenzie, who was counted among the top ten powerhouses in the Empire.
He had thought both of them would have headed to the front lines by now to deal with the Murim...
'Do they have some other scheme?'
He wondered if another variable, not just the Empire, had intervened.
Jinhyuk opened the opponent's status window using 'Gluttony's Eye'.
——————————————————
Name: Abraham de Felicia
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Level: 125
Strength: 72 | Agility: 85 | Stamina: 70 | Magic Power: 36 | Hyper-Sensory: 103
Stat Points Available: 0
Class: Knight
Unique Ability: High-Speed Sword
Skills: Lv35 'Secret Sword Art', Lv35 'Mana Transfer', Lv33 'Anti-Magic Defense', Lv32 'Celerity', Lv30 'Mental Barrier'... Too many skills are listed, switching some to 'collapsed' state.
——————————————————
[Detailed Description: The eldest son of the prestigious Felicia family of the Empire, Abraham sensed mana from the age of five and displayed a natural talent for swordsmanship. At the age of sixteen, he reached the level of a Sword Master, capable of fully manifesting the form of Aura. At twenty-four, he grasped the principles of Aura and ascended to the realm of a Grand Sword Master. He wields his sword for the nobles rather than the Emperor, and is known to be directly aligned with Duke Beinstern.]
[Copy Conditions: Abraham deeply treasures his best friend and comrade, Mackenzie. However, Mackenzie, the perfect knight, has suffered from an illness since childhood that even the court mages could do nothing about... If you poke at that sore spot, you will be able to copy one of the unique abilities or skills possessed by Abraham. (Please accompany this with at least 3 creative remarks.)]
As expected...
Just reading his stats left him with nothing to say but "incredible."
It was impressive enough that his level exceeded 100, but even his 'Hyper-Sensory' stat—which allowed him to predict his opponent's movements—was in the triple digits.
'He's a complete monster.'
His specs were superior to any player or resident Jinhyuk had met so far.
To the point of being completely off the charts.
The goosebumps rising all over his body and his rapidly beating heart felt unfamiliar.
At the same time, a strange sense of anticipation welled up at the thought that the higher he climbed the tower, the more contact he would have with such formidable foes.
'This is an absolute jackpot.'
Now that he had encountered such a golden opportunity, he had to succeed in the copy conditions no matter what.
In particular, 'High-Speed Sword' would synergize well with his currently stored skills.
Assuming he could obtain a higher-tier version of the skill through fusion... well, if he missed out on this, he wouldn't be able to sleep properly for a month.
However...
"……!?"
An earthquake shook Jinhyuk's eyes as he checked the most crucial copy condition.
It was only natural.
Mackenzie, who was perfect in every way, from martial arts to lineage.
His only wound and trauma was none other than his smooth, bald head.
* * *
"Haha. Not at all. You arrived just in time."
Beinstern burst into a hearty laugh, his face looking as if he had gained the most reliable ally in the world.
"That is a relief then. So, is this the intruder who pointed his blade at the Imperial Guard?"
"He's a foolhardy fellow. Teach him yourself, Sir, just how heavy a sin it is to commit such insolence before His Imperial Majesty."
"Understood."
Abraham reached for his sword.
Right then.
"There is no need for Sir Abraham to step forward. Please leave this to me."
Mackenzie took a step forward.
"Are your hands itching for a fight? The Duke gave the order to me."
"It does not look good for the Empire's greatest sword to step forward against a mere intruder."
"Hmm. That is true. What do you think, Duke?"
"As long as that fellow is dealt with, it matters not to me," Beinstern agreed.
Then.
Whoosh!
A two-handed sword, capable of splitting boulders with a single strike, pointed toward the ceiling.
The watching nobles instinctively took a step back.
It was as clear as day that if they got caught up in it, not even their bones would remain intact.
"Gulp. That guy is dead meat."
"To think I would witness that monstrous strength that can sever a wyvern's head in one blow with my own eyes..."
"Forget capturing him alive; it'll be hard enough just to recover his corpse."
However, Mackenzie's confident steps forward...
...came to an abrupt halt at the words that followed.
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
"So you can't bear to trouble the master you serve... What a truly 'hair'-ly escapable loyalty. It's a pity that voluminous loyalty didn't remain on your scalp."
"Gasp!?"
"W-what did he just say?"
"Is he insane?"
The nobles gasped in shock.
It was only natural for them to be flustered, as Jinhyuk had just gouged open a wound that everyone had tacitly agreed was taboo.
Although Mackenzie silently focused on his training, pretending to be strong...
...in truth, there was no one in the Empire who didn't know how much stress he suffered due to his hair loss.
"...Oh dear."
"……!"
Even Beinstern, as well as Penheimer, who had been perfectly acting his part, were taken aback.
'Damn it. I know.'
Jinhyuk knew better than anyone that this was going too far.
But what could he do?
When the copy conditions were set like this, it was a player's destiny to follow them.
"I'll kill you!"
Boom!
Mackenzie kicked off the ground and leaped.
Incongruous with his massive build, the distance between them closed in the blink of an eye.
A blue Aura Blade filled the room.
In contrast, from Jinhyuk's 'Fang', the Aura coating the blade surged nearly a meter high.
Clash! Boom!
As the two swords clashed, blue and black sparks erupted.
A clash of pure strength against strength.
Mackenzie, holding the higher ground, pressed his sword down from above.
Rumble!
"Heavy."
"Stop smirking and focus on the moment. I don't know how long you'll hold out with those weak arms and legs."
"Of course. But even if my limbs aren't muscular, could they be weaker than you, who lacks 'two feet'—or rather, 'hair'?"
"Aaargh!"
Mackenzie instantly broke the balance and swung his sword.
The desk was sliced clean through, leaving a deep gash on the wall where the sword had passed.
However, that strike failed to reach Jinhyuk.
Leaping like a flying squirrel, Jinhyuk headed toward the corner of the conference room.
'That's the second one...'
He wanted to achieve the last one here, but if he kept going, the nobles might get hurt.
'My goal is to prove my worth to the Emperor, not to massacre the nobles.'
Besides, this definitely left a strong first impression.
It was a different start than expected, but starting off this spectacularly wasn't bad either.
"Don't tell me...!"
Sensing something amiss, Abraham immediately drew his sword.
Of course, he was a step too late.
['Glacial Shaping' and 'Frost Mist' are activated!]
Everyone's vision was blurred.
A cloud of ice particles and water vapor began to fill the conference room.
"Tch. Even if you buy time with a cheap trick...!"
There was no way to escape from here anyway.
Or rather, he wanted to say he was just a rat in a trap.
But by the time the vapor cleared, Jinhyuk had long since vanished.
Instead, a single passage leading underground lay wide open on the conference room floor.
And.
"……."
For the first time, a fierce emotion flickered across the face of the Emperor, who had been silently watching everything unfold.