45. Oracle (2)
45. Oracle (2)
Once again, light arrived.
The sun, rising from beyond.
This time, immediately after he awoke, no notification windows for achievement rewards or the like floated before Yuma's eyes.
There was a reason to expect that.
Since he had already received an achievement for the Black Dragon, which was stronger than Ades, the Giant King, it seemed highly probable that he wouldn't meet the achievement conditions.
'To achieve any further stat growth, I suppose I'll have to use the Dragon Heart after all.'
The Dragon Heart he had acquired from the cave in the Luvelt territory, which served as the dragon lair for [Elkham-Akreon].
'First, I need to resolve the throne succession, then I'll think about it.'
He had to secure the auxiliary materials necessary to consume the Dragon Heart. And those were things that did not exist in this Middle Realm.
Having organized his thoughts, Yuma donned his black coat and stepped outside.
The White Night Clan had been busy since morning.
Tadak... tadak... hwareureuk!
Yuma gazed at the colossal giant, Ades, burning fiercely in the flames.
Puk!
Puuk!
Pubuk!
The warriors of the White Night Clan were thrusting their swords, which blazed with white Sword Aura flames, into Ades's body.
If the perpetrators of that act were not the White Night Clan, and if the subject was not Ades, it could have looked quite brutal.
But the act they were performing now felt utterly noble.
For it was the settlement of the karmic burden that had oppressed their clan for over 400 years.
The giant, who had seemed like he would never disappear from this land, was slowly vanishing, engulfed in white flames.
Even if they tried to use byproducts like leather, they couldn't. As befitting the end of a Giant God who had lost his divine power, the flesh was slowly rotting and crumbling.
Unable to bear the sight of Ades, the giant, decaying naturally upon this land of White Night, the clan members were burning Ades with their own hands.
It was the settlement of karma, and an act of repose signaling the clan's new beginning.
The warriors each thrust their swords once.
At the end, the warrior of the White Night Clan standing with her sword was Bel.
White flames bloomed from Bel's sword.
The mages amplified the firepower of the crimson flames roaring beneath the giant.
They brought an end to the long, arduous karma.
Swept away by the red kalpa fire, the vanishing giant was watched by the White Night Clan.
Yuma also watched the scene from a distance until the very end.
Seureung─!
Seureung!
The warriors of the White Night Clan raised their swords vertically.
"The White Night Clan walks a new path!"
Luke's cry echoed across the land of White Night.
The Rite of Liberation drew to a close.
***
Yuma looked at Bel, who had approached his side.
Bel's pink eyes stared intently at Yuma.
"God of War."
Bel spoke in a low voice.
"I heard that's what they've been calling you, up until now."
Yuma nodded.
No matter when he heard it, it was an exceedingly cringey title.
"...It's well deserved. That counterattack yesterday was—truly a high-dimensional technique that can only be called the work of a God of War. Turning the opponent's attack back at them as is. Just how on earth could you actualize a martial study that approaches such an ultimate?"
Yuma showed no change in expression outwardly, but inwardly, he was deeply impressed.
Because not a single person until now had perfectly grasped the principle of <Absolute Counter> like this.
'As expected.'
[Lv.125] Bel
Innate Traits: Genius (天才), Body-Sword Unity (身劍合一), Heavenly Martial Body (天武肢體)
Those utterly unreasonable traits were indeed no joke.
Bel slowly continued speaking.
"And it's not just returning the opponent's attack perfectly intact... you infuse it with even stronger ki and send it back. Such terrifyingly precise and intense Sword Aura... am I right?"
She had even caught onto the principle of <Absolute Counter>, and the fact that a 10x attack power was added at the moment of counterattack.
Yuma slowly nodded.
"Correct."
Bel had firmly mistaken the method for strengthening attack power as Sword Aura.
Yuma resolved to answer like that next time someone asked.
Bel gazed gently at Yuma with her pink eyes.
"How on earth did you do it? Hmm?"
Those eyes were brimming with curiosity and reverence.
Yuma shook his head this time.
How could he possibly explain the principle?
"You cannot do it."
"...Are you saying even if you explain it, I won't be able to do it?"
"Yes."
Bel narrowed her brow.
It sounded like a very firm sentence.
─It is not a Sword Path a martial artist of your level can manifest.
That was how it came across.
But Bel could not deny those words at this current moment.
Because no matter how much she swung her sword, slashed, and thrust,
the man before her eyes had killed Ades, the Giant King who could not even be dealt a single critical wound, in a single strike.
The black light of Ades's sword that descended in an instant like a death sentence.
And the divine might that reversed it as if it were nothing.
Recalling that one moment still sent chills down her entire spine.
And that tranquil face that gazed at the sky nonchalantly after displaying such martial prowess.
'Beyond that level of the sword....'
To achieve that degree of power.
How many enemies must he have slain spectacularly? The count of those lives could be in the thousands. Or perhaps tens of thousands.
She had thought she had grasped, to some extent, what martial arts was now. However, the divine might Yuma had shown yesterday felt as if everything she had built up thinking of it as common sense, as knowledge, had been twisted awry.
Bel slowly parted her fair lips.
"I'm going to call you Liege from now on. So know that, Liege."
"Call me whatever you like."
Yuma said so as he slowly walked away. He was heading to fetch the luggage he had prepared at his quarters.
Bel stared intently at Yuma's retreating figure.
'I will reach it.'
Even if it took years.
Even if it took decades. No, even if she could never reach it in eternity, she wanted to go as far as she could go.
To the closest point behind that God of War.
Thus, the heaven-sent sword genius swore to herself as she looked at Yuma.
***
Yuma stared at Luke, who had appeared before him after he had packed all his things.
His face looked noticeably better than when they first met yesterday.
The karmic burden of the clan that had weighed on his shoulders.
Since that karma had been settled, it was enough to change a person overnight.
"Every single member of the White Night Clan will be your sword. Yuma."
Cheoeok-
Luke took out a single blade and, looking at Yuma, raised it respectfully with both hands.
The sword was in a sheathed state inside its scabbard.
"This is merely a gift given as a benefactor."
Yuma accepted the sword.
Seureung...
As he drew the sword slightly, a clear ringing sound resonated through the space.
"It is a sword called Requiem."
Requiem.
Its blade evoked the frost of midwinter.
It was a famed sword on par with Axion, which he had been using frequently lately. Famed swords with good durability were always welcome.
"Thank you."
Yuma placed [Requiem] into his Subspace Pouch.
"Will you depart today?"
"Yes."
This was a matter concerning the throne succession.
There was no benefit in dragging it out. He had also gathered all the keys for the oracle. Now, the only thing left was to bring them before Princess Brigitte and see the results.
"I will arrive at the Imperial Household of the Astes Empire in about a week. I'll make sure to have Bel contact you then."
Luke nodded his head vigorously.
"Thank you. Well, my daughter seems like she'll adapt well wherever she goes. Not that I'm worried, though."
Yuma thought the same.
Bel was so bright it was hard to believe she had been confined for 20 years in the limited space of the White Night Clan.
That was likely possible because of the solidarity of the White Night Clan, and their firm faith in each other.
Yuma opened his mouth again.
"On the way up, I'll at least inform the upper ranks of Pyneton about the clan's existence. Among Conqueror King Kamet's closest aides, there must be some who received word about the White Night Clan."
Do not touch the White Night Clan.
That was what Yuma intended to say.
"Do not worry."
A faint fighting spirit leaked from Luke's body. Since Yuma had become his superior now, he seemed to be restraining his fighting spirit.
"Those who touch White Night. Will simply witness the terror of White Night."
Indeed, they were beings capable of displaying such confidence.
It was just overshadowed by the immensely talented Clan Patriarch Luke and his daughter Bel.
Among the 60 fully prepared warriors of White Night who stood on the frontline, there were virtually none below the rank of Advanced Sword Expert.
And a full ten of them were Master-level. That said it all.
Kung kung kung─
A heavy footstep sound reached Yuma's ears.
Before he knew it, over 60 warriors lined up behind Patriarch Luke had knelt on their right knees and assumed a posture of loyalty, thrusting their swords to the side.
Luke was no different, taking the same posture.
"God of War Yuma, from this moment on, you are the master of this sword called the White Night Clan."
After Luke finished speaking, all the warriors opened their mouths.
"We pledge our loyalty. Our liege."
A heavy resonance reached Yuma's ears.
An armed force of a level that could annihilate a small kingdom.
That was the White Night Clan.
And that White Night Clan came under Yuma's command.
Yuma slowly opened his mouth.
"Enjoy this world until you get sick of it. I'll call on you when needed."
"Chung─!!"
Yuma strode away from the scene of the oath of loyalty with aloof, swift steps.
'Cringey.'
Because it was fucking cringey.
They ate breakfast.
Since it would be a while before they saw her again, the clan members flocked to Bel.
"Bel, serve Lord Yuma well."
"No insubordination."
"You have to control your temper... got it?"
"Serve Lord Yuma well! Nuna!"
Men and women of all ages uniformly talked about Yuma rather than worrying about her.
"Uwaak! As if I wouldn't do that!"
Beyond Bel's irritated shout, an old woman's voice flowed out calmly. It was the voice of Dilrike, an elder of the White Night Clan.
"I heard. That the God of War visited this land to take you with him."
Dilrike's characteristically benevolent voice rang in the ears of all the clan members.
"In many ways, you are a being like a blessing to our clan, Bel. You also protected many of our clan's children with your swordsmanship."
The girl who had been sitting demurely beside Dilrike raised her hand.
"...Yes, she saved me. Unni is like a blessing."
She was normally a reserved child of few words.
She had come forward, unawares, at the moment of farewell. To express her gratitude toward Bel.
Bel smiled brightly.
"...Thank you, Dilrike."
And she approached the girl.
"Yohena."
She stroked Yohena's blue hair.
Dilrike raised her right hand. And pointed at Bel with a respectful posture, her hand back facing down.
All 120 clan members raised their right hands and pointed at Bel just like Dilrike.
"May the blessing of frost always be with our precious Bel."
Starting with Dilrike's words,
all clan members chanted those words.
"May the blessing of frost always be with our precious Bel."
Bel bowed her head at the send-off filled with the clan's formalities.
"I'll be back. Everyone."
And straightening up, Bel slowly walked forward.
There, Yuma, Cloné, and Hestia were waiting.
"Did you finish your farewells properly?"
At Yuma's question, Bel answered.
"Yeah, I'll see them again soon, after all."
"Right."
Though, despite saying that, the lingering emotions didn't seem to have quite faded.
Yuma walked forward.
Cloné and Hestia followed behind him.
"A fine tribe."
At Hestia's words, Cloné nodded in agreement.
"Indeed they are."
Bel, who had stopped briefly to wave vigorously at the clan children who were still waving at her, then ran toward Yuma's group.
"Let's go together, Liege!"
And just like that, one more member was added to the party.