Chapter 398
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 398
Chapter Title: Stake Your Life
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Revolutionary Army.
An organization dreaming of a free and equal nation.
In the Russikan Nation, ruled by unreasonable dictatorship and brutal labor, there were many who sympathized with them.
But over the past several decades, the revolutionaries had achieved little of note.
Their enemy was simply too powerful.
The Silver Dragon Clan.
A clan that had taken root deep within the imperial family for hundreds of years, dominating Russia's nights.
Especially after the Iron Age dawned, they seized control of the entire nation, branding the revolutionaries as mere rebels and suppressing them ruthlessly.
Of course, the revolutionaries didn't just take it lying down.
They secretly trained Players, smuggled out cutting-edge weapons, and built their strength through all sorts of methods.
But the results were devastating.
High-level Players were hunted down by the Silver Dragon Clan.
The latest tech they'd painstakingly acquired was shattered by even newer innovations.
The gap between the Silver Dragon Clan—which boasted humanity's pinnacle technology, immense economic power, and a mighty army—and the revolutionaries was utterly overwhelming.
Above all, what truly drove them to despair was the existence of the Silver Dragon Princess.
"We've tried everything over the past several decades to at least sever the head of the Silver Dragon Clan."
Dictatorships crumble easily once their dictator dies.
That's why they aimed to spark revolution by beheading the Silver Dragon Princess, their leader.
Poison.
Melee attacks.
Bomb terrorism.
High-level assassins.
Even legion-scale armies.
They deployed countless weapons and methods beyond counting.
"But we could never kill that dictator."
The problem was simple.
The Silver Dragon Princess was far too strong.
They suffered horrific losses without even drawing out her true power—dragonization.
Was it divine punishment?
Or the overflow of madness?
When the previous Great Khan died and the Silver Dragon Clan's oppression slackened, they dared to hope. But that only invited even greater despair.
The new Silver Dragon Princess, Ekaterina, was a more cruel and thorough dictator than her predecessor.
"In the end, we decided to seek outside help to topple that dictator."
They met with various monarchs.
Contacted saints and grand witches.
Even visited the Fairy Kingdom.
The revolutionaries scoured for allies to defeat the Silver Dragon Princess and aid their revolution.
They'd learned from experience that the only way to fell a Transcendent-class powerhouse like Ekaterina was with another Transcendent's power.
"But no one would aid us."
It was a predictable outcome.
The Seven Dragon Society was an organization even Sword Masters dared not touch lightly back when it was called the Demonic Cult.
Much less confront the Silver Dragon Clan, who had swallowed the Russikan Nation and gained military and political might in the process—it was all risk, no reward.
Even this land's lord had fled to the distant north to establish his guild, avoiding the Silver Dragons.
There was no way they'd find other allies.
If anyone could pull off such madness, there was only one.
"That's when we realized. From the start, there was only one person who could free this nation from the Silver Dragon Clan's clutches."
He'd opposed the Seven Dragon Society for centuries.
He'd saved this nation from the Sword Emperor.
Regardless of profit or loss, he protected the world—Humanity's Guardian Deity.
"The Sword Duke."
"...So."
It was so absurd that Rimon, arms crossed, finally spoke up.
He raised one eyebrow and glanced at Aynsha, who was blinking up at him from his side.
"To beg that almighty savior to save this country, you want my little sister to disguise herself as that lunatic princess and infiltrate the Kremlin Palace?"
"That's right."
"One slip-up, and her life is forfeit."
"But this is our only chance to make contact with the Sword Duke."
Sergei spoke calmly.
Letters, phones, messengers—despite every method, they couldn't evade Okhrana and KGB eyes. Until now, they couldn't even reach Rimon.
But opportunity had finally knocked.
Why the Silver Dragon Clan—long-time foes—invited Rimon, and why he accepted, they didn't know. But miss this chance, and there'd be no second.
"Elshar sisters. I beg you."
They'd even staged that sniper attack to prove their resolve.
Yet Rimon hadn't stepped in.
Their last resort: meet and persuade him directly.
But intel showed Rimon was in the Kremlin Palace—an impossible infiltration, even for revolutionaries.
Until a girl miraculously appeared who looked exactly like Ekaterina.
It wasn't safe.
Failure was likely.
But with the Sword Duke as their sole hope.
The revolutionaries, who had devoted their lives to changing this nation, gazed at them with burning eyes and said,
"For our 500 million citizens to escape the brutal dictator's rule and reclaim the free and equal Soviet—please stake your life on it."
"The Sword Duke and Aynsha made contact with the rebels?"
"99% probability."
In a snow-blanketed forest.
A silver-haired girl rode a massive steed through the birch trees.
Ekaterina murmured in admiration.
"Finding those cockroaches who hide like pros so quickly. As expected of the Sword Duke and my little sister."
Trailing calmly behind on foot, the maid with a silver prosthetic arm.
Kana replied softly.
"I informed you of the sniper rifle's origin they used, so tracking them down was straightforward."
"Even accounting for that, it's impressively fast, don't you think? Even if you mobilized Okhrana, we rarely caught rebel tails this quick."
"If we'd handled this, there's a 99% chance it'd be resolved even faster."
"Hm?"
Ekaterina turned at her words.
Seeing Kana's icy expression, she flashed a sly smile.
"Kana, are you jealous of them right now?"
"...I'm simply stating facts as your aide, 100% accurately."
"Feels an awful lot like rivalry for 'just facts.'"
"98% your imagination."
"Where'd the 2% go?"
Kana froze.
Hitting the mark dead-on.
She halted mid-step, silent. Ekaterina narrowed her eyes, then burst into laughter.
"Seriously, Kana, you're almost as cute as my little sister in moments like this."
"......"
"Kana, come here."
Like calling a pet.
The girl on horseback beckoned, and Kana didn't refuse.
Stroking her silver hair was a hand as white and pure as fine jade.
"Don't worry needlessly. My sister being the cutest in the world is truth, but that doesn't mean I'd discard you for her as my aide."
"But if you could, you'd do it 100%."
"Eh, let's skip that. Can't do it anyway—same as not doing it."
"......"
"More importantly..."
Smoothly.
Her stroking hand slid down.
Fingers tracing the junction of prosthetic and flesh—soft chill mingling with firm warmth.
Pain? Or ticklish? Kana shivered at her touch.
Ekaterina smiled at the sight.
"If you ever become truly expendable, Kana, I'll smash you to pieces with my own hands before discarding you."
Sever her limbs.
Brand her with water, fire, electricity.
Rip out her guts.
She'd kill Kana herself.
But spare her eyes to the end, so she could watch.
Hearing the princess's murder threat with such cheerful smile, Kana neither flinched nor feared.
Instead, a pleased smile softened her usual cold face.
"Thank you for the undeserved mercy."
"Mercy? This is nothing between us."
As if it were trivial.
Giggling, Ekaterina withdrew her hand from Kana and urged her horse forward, murmuring leisurely.
"Anyway, it's a dilemma. I planned to just watch for a bit, but if they've already contacted the rebels, time might be shorter than expected."
"Contacting rebels and rooting out Liberation Brigade are different difficulties."
"That's only if my sister behaves."
She was supposed to just pretend to search.
Recalling Aynsha's feats in mere days, Ekaterina grinned delightedly.
"Plus, the rebels idolize the Sword Duke like a messiah. If he reveals himself, they might eagerly help hunt Liberation Brigade."
Despite mobilizing the Silver Dragon Clan's full resources, many fugitives remained because they hid in revolutionary shadows.
But if the revolutionaries actively aided the search, catching Liberation Brigade would be far easier.
"You think that's likely?"
"Nah, not at all."
What was so funny?
Ekaterina giggled.
"As if that man would love being fawned over by rebel scum? He'd hide his identity even harder on purpose."
"I assess 99% likelihood."
"Right? That's why it's disappointing. I wanted to see his face hearing 'savior' talk."
"If you wish, I can have an agent photograph it."
"Nah, that's no good. Seeing it live versus a photo—the thrill's worlds apart."
She waved it off lightly.
Then Ekaterina took up the bow at her side.
Far too large and thick for her petite frame, of course.
A heavy mechanical bow tangled with metals and gears—she gripped it effortlessly.
Drawing an arrow from the quiver.
Nocking it leisurely.
Drawing the string taut.
Familiar hands executed it flawlessly.
Thwang.
The string reached its limit, the bow bending as if to snap—then released.
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!
Dozens of iron birds flying from the forest depths plummeted simultaneously.
Right after.
Kana vanished in a blink, reappearing clutching the dozens of birds.
The string twanged once, yet every bird's throat was pierced.
Ekaterina took one.
As it convulsed, hot blood spilled from its neck, staining her hand. She laughed in delight.
"See? Watching others hunt is no fun."
She shot it herself with the bow.
Inflicted the fatal wound before death.
Savoring its final death throes in her grasp—that was hunting's true savor.
Cheerfully snapping the bird's neck with a crack.
Licking the blood from her hand, exhaling excited breath.
Kana asked,
"Then, shall I torture rebels before the Sword Duke and make them beg their savior for mercy?"
At those words.
Ekaterina's eyes widened like a startled rabbit.
She muttered awkwardly.
"Whoa, never thought of that."
"Shall I proceed?"
"Hmm, tempting... but no. Too blatant a provocation for that man—risky."
She was a bit mad, but not enough to gamble her clan's survival on mere amusement by testing Rimon's patience.
Murmuring regretfully.
Ekaterina flashed a sly smile.
"Besides, thanks to you, Kana, I've thought of something even more fun."