Chapter 158: Lake of Swords (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 158: Lake of Swords (2)
Rumble, rumble, rumble.
“What is that sound?”
Weapon, who had been watching the vote count on the screen, perked up his ears.
At first, he thought it was thunder, but as he listened closer, it didn't seem like it.
…This was not a sound made by nature. It was the sound of something being artificially broken and destroyed.
A series of loud roars echoed through the election hall. The floor vibrated as if an earthquake had struck.
Weapon slowly looked up. The screen, hanging like a chandelier, shook precariously.
Bzzzt— Static flickered across the screen, and then pop—the fuse blew.
“Huh? What's going on? The screen went black.”
The cadets, who had been fully engrossed in voting, began to murmur. Then, one by one, their shoulders began to tremble.
They hadn't fully grasped the severity of the situation yet. It was merely an instinctive reaction.
“…What's going on? Why won't my body stop shaking?”
“M-me too. I've been getting chills for a while now.”
Anxiety instantly spread across the cadets' faces. As the election hall fell into an inexplicable chaos...
The faint rumbles exploded into a deafening roar that shook the entire hall. The floor, walls, and ceiling heaved violently.
The screen shook wildly before plunging downward like a puppet with its strings cut.
It happened too suddenly. The cadets standing directly beneath the screen couldn't react in time.
A pitch-black screen looming over their retinas. That was the last thing the victims saw.
Kyaaaaaaaah!
Someone screamed. A female cadet, her face turned ash-gray, pointed a trembling finger at the shattered screen.
“P-people...”
A crimson liquid seeped out from beneath the half-crushed screen. A metallic, fishy odor hung in the air. It was the smell of blood.
“Someone's dead!”
Several cadets had been crushed to death instantly under the massive screen.
Their bodies were completely pinned, with only their arms sticking out like insect antennae.
The academy's cadets were undeniably hero candidates. But at the same time, they were still teenagers.
Someone had died. A friend they had been laughing and chatting with just moments ago was crushed like a bug.
That sight alone was more than enough to paralyze the cadets' minds.
Fear spread like a rapid contagion. In an instant, the election hall turned into a living hell.
Escape was urgent. But in the collapsed order, the cadets only pushed and shoved one another.
The crowd tangled and snarled in utter disarray. Even amidst this, the earthquake showed no signs of stopping.
Weapon's mind went completely blank. A scene of carnage straight out of an apocalyptic movie was unfolding right before his eyes.
However, it wasn't this commotion that truly unnerved Weapon.
The hair standing on end, the tingling sensation slicing through his entire body, and a sinister energy polluting his mind.
This was likely why the cadets were turning as wild and violent as beasts.
Even Weapon himself was struggling to maintain his sanity. It felt as though his cognitive faculties were being gnawed away bit by bit.
Having gone through various ordeals with the Boss, Weapon had also developed his sensory perception. That was why he could tell.
Mana. Having personally experienced the mana of the Mermaid and the Cow King, he knew.
Furthermore, Weapon instinctively sensed that the entity emitting this mana was on an entirely different level, defying any comparison.
The Majin Mermaid, a pillar of the demons, and the Cow King Minotaur, an A-rank magical beast.
Just how many beings in this world could make those two look like mere insects?
The deduction wasn't difficult. Beings of that caliber were extremely rare in this world.
“Ugh!”
Just imagining it made him gag, a groan escaping his lips.
Weapon wiped the gastric juice from his mouth with his sleeve. Then, with a dazed expression, he watched the chaotic scene.
The cadets were hitting and scratching each other in a frenzy. The closer they were to the main gates, the worse their condition was.
Their eyes rolled back, showing only the whites, as they foamed at the mouth. Their minds had been completely shattered by the drowning pressure of the mana.
He wished he could at least thrash around like them.
Because his consciousness remained intact, Weapon had to endure this terror in its rawest form.
Weapon shook his head to clear his thoughts. He forced his stiffening mind awake. These negative thoughts were also the influence of the mana.
I have to pull myself together.
Weapon snapped his head around to look at Kang Geomma. Geomma's shoulders flinched.
Of all the times he had seen him, Kang Geomma's expression was at its darkest. To be precise, it looked completely rotten.
Usually, Kang Geomma's eyes were calmly settled. It was rare for him to show any emotion.
But right now, all sorts of turbulent emotions were reflected in Kang Geomma's eyes.
Seeing that, Weapon felt his heart sink.
If the Boss looked like that, the situation was spiraling out of control. It meant they were utterly fucked.
With trembling pupils, Weapon clutched his head. Just as his barely-holding sanity was about to be blackened and corrupted in an instant...
Kang Geomma spat out a curse.
“Fucking hell.”
Just that one word. Was there any other word that could serve as such a perfect one-line review of the situation?
A surge of energy, like a rising dragon, coiled around his tightly clenched fists. Cold sweat pooled in his palms.
This is, without a doubt, mana on the level of a Corps Commander.
The reason for this disaster? He had absolutely no idea.
The only precursor had been the relentless rain over the past few days.
The wind and rain had been a bit severe, but how could anyone have known that was the starting point of a catastrophe? Fuck.
What was the use of analyzing the cause in a situation like this? Reflecting on it now was just a foolish waste of time.
Would you argue cause and effect with a natural disaster? A miserable accident. Disasters always strike without warning. The descent of the 5th Corps Commander, Agor, had been the same.
The situation was indeed despairing. Even compared to the incident on Avallon Island, this was the absolute worst.
“…….”
Kang Geomma swept his gaze across the election hall.
Groooooan—
Panicked cadets were clawing at the walls or throwing up. It was due to the Fear radiating from the enemy outside.
With their fragile bodies and minds, they wouldn't be able to withstand this mana.
Cadets from the upper classes and seniors alike were collapsing left and right.
Candidates like Leon, Kim Woo-jin, and Den Range were all barely managing to catch their breath, with Kang Geomma being the sole exception.
First, calming the situation is the priority.
He had to quiet the interior first. Only then could he go outside and confront the enemy.
If the cadets were to rush out like this, they wouldn't even have bones left to bury, let alone corpses.
What lurked outside was, at the very least, a demon of the Corps Commander class.
I need to calm the atmosphere first.
Kang Geomma quietly closed his eyes. He regulated his breathing. Using his Mental Rank, he cooled his head and chest.
Kang Geomma repeated the words "coolness" and "composure" to himself. He condensed his refined inner state into the tips of his toes.
He snapped his eyes open.
`[The Blessing of Transfer is manifested.]`
Boom—!
Kang Geomma stomped his right foot violently onto the floor. At the same time, he scattered his blessing in all directions.
Whoosh.
A pure white light spread out like a veil from beneath Kang Geomma's foot.
The light raced across the entire floor of the election hall without leaving a single gap. A gentle energy enveloped the cadets.
The male cadets who had been clawing at the walls like madmen stopped. The female cadets who had been grabbing each other by the collars released their grip.
Transferring the Mental Rank of the [Blessing of the Sword God] to the cadets via the [Blessing of Transfer].
It forcibly restored the reason of the cadets whose eyes had rolled back. It was, so to speak, a sharing of senses.
The cadets who had fallen into the swamp of madness regained their senses. A spark of intelligence began to return to their vacant eyes. The chaos was subsiding.
Kang Geomma stepped onto the center of the stage. Amidst the gathering of dazed gazes, he spoke in a calm, low voice.
“Everyone, pull yourselves together.”
His volume wasn't loud. Yet, his voice carried with absolute clarity.
“As you've just experienced firsthand, this is no simple earthquake. It's the Fear being radiated by the enemy outside. Since it's enough to throw the majority of you into a panic, it's likely a monstrous bastard.”
Kang Geomma continued.
“I don't know why that thing raided this place. Judging by its mana, it must be a top-tier monster among monsters. It's only natural that you'd foam at the mouth and panic. However—”
“…….”
“—you are cadets of Joaquin Academy. You are the next generation of heroes tasked with protecting the world from demons.”
“…….”
“Did you all doze off during class? You must have heard it until your ears bled. Heroes are those who arm themselves and prepare for a noble battle.”
“…….”
“But if you're going to throw a fit before the fight even starts, let alone act nobly, who are the people supposed to trust? Are you planning to make fools out of the public who looks up to us?”
“…….”
A heavy silence settled over the room. Kang Geomma locked eyes with Weapon, who was standing nearby, and spoke.
“Weapon, you're smart, so I don't need to explain for you to grasp the situation, right? Contact the academy, and keep these guys locked down here. Do whatever it takes.”
At those words, Weapon's face turned pale.
“Boss... Don't tell me you're, again...”
Kang Geomma placed a hand on Weapon's shoulder. He smiled bitterly.
“If we just stay here, we'll all be wiped out anyway. I don't know what's going on, but it's only quiet for a brief moment right now. It's only a matter of time before the enemy breaks in. I'll buy us some time before that happens.”
“…….”
“Weapon, instead of wasting time worrying about me, come up with a plan. That's your job.”
With those final words, Kang Geomma patted his shoulder. Then, he hopped down from the stage.
With his hands shoved into his pockets, Kang Geomma walked steadily toward the exit.
The dazed cadets hesitantly parted to make a path for him.
Kang Geomma walked through the split sea of people, clicking his tongue inwardly.
Dammit.
Though he didn't show it, he was also incredibly uneasy.
He felt like a death row inmate waiting for his turn at the guillotine.
The opponent was, at the very least, a Corps Commander. Their strength would go without saying.
He didn't even know how he had managed to subjugate the 5th Corps Commander, Agor.
Back then, he had just swung his sword as if possessed. And the Sword Emperor had been with him, too.
But this was someone presumed to be even stronger than Agor.
He had to engage in a fierce battle with such a monster for 60 seconds.
He had been walking a tightrope ever since being thrown into this world, but today was truly a path of thorns.
Kang Geomma moistened his parched lips. He scratched the back of his neck roughly, his fingernails digging into his skin.
Even so, he had to force himself to look relaxed. It hadn't even been a few minutes since the cadets had regained their senses.
If he showed any weakness here, these young kids would fall right back into the abyss.
If you've put on a tough front, you have to carry it through to the end. Even if it meant fighting a natural disaster.
Step, step.
Reaching the main gate, Kang Geomma turned his head halfway back.
“Don't do anything stupid, and stay put.”
Kang Geomma left. The cadets stared blankly at the space he had vacated.
* * *
I stepped out of the election hall. As expected, the scenery was a total mess.
Everything was flooded. I couldn't even see the ground. Only the annex building stood isolated like an island.
Whirlpools on the surface of the water distorted the space.
I looked up slightly. The sky was ash-gray. Lightning tore through the atmosphere, spitting out fierce, explosive roars.
I felt a faint presence. Looking to the side, I saw a familiar person lying there.
“Manager Seong.”
“G-Geomma...”
Manager Seong barely managed to reply. Upon checking his condition, I couldn't help but frown.
His condition was terrible. He was missing an arm and a leg.
He had lost so much blood that his face was as pale as a corpse. The color of death hung heavily over him.
Manager Seong moved his blue, lifeless lips.
“Cough, i-it's dangerous here. You must run away quickly.”
I crouched down in front of him and asked.
“What happened here?”
Manager Seong pointed into the distance with his one remaining hand.
A figure floating gently in the air. It was a woman in a hospital gown.
I narrowed my eyes to get a closer look. Then, I identified who she was.
“Supervisor Ha?”
Her body belonged to Supervisor Ha? This was unexpected. It was a variable I hadn't even considered.
There was no time to reflect. I stared intently at her.
Ha Na-eun's eyes were cloudy, perhaps because the descent was still in progress. But from the looks of it, the descent was nearly complete.
As I stood there watching, Manager Seong added.
“I-I don't know why, but Supervisor Ha ended up like that. Ugh.”
Manager Seong struggled desperately to explain the situation.
“…She's not the kind of girl to do this. She must have been possessed by evil. P-please, save her...!”
He sobbed, grabbing the hem of my pants. I could feel his desperation through the fabric.
Even though she was likely the one who had put him in this state, Manager Seong was worrying about his subordinate first. And this man was dying.
I felt a pang of sorrow, but in the end, I shook my head.
“Supervisor Ha is currently possessed by a Corps Commander. There is no way to save her. And you, Manager, are in no condition to worry about others.”
I reached my hand out to him.
`[The Blessing of Painlessness is manifested.]`
`[The Blessing of Regeneration is manifested.]`
`[The Blessing of Transfer is manifested.]`
“T-this is...!”
“It's not a cure. Your body is already too far gone. But it should at least ease the pain.”
I manifested three blessings simultaneously. Among them, the Blessing of Painlessness only consumed 4 seconds.
Although Manager Seong wouldn't escape death, his pain would be lessened on his final journey.
It was the final courtesy I could offer to a good man.
I slowly turned around. A chilling ringing echoed in my ears. It sounded like nature itself was screaming.
Softly.
The floating Ha Na-eun landed softly on the surface of the water.
Ha Na-eun's tightly closed eyes snapped open. A pale blue ghostly fire flared in her eyes. Her hair and clothes fluttered as if she were submerged underwater.
This is driving me crazy.
She was no longer Ha Na-eun—no, she was no longer human.
“Greetings.”
Its lips parted. The voice flowed into my ears like ripples of water.
“My name is Vesna. Sister of Agor and the 3rd seat of the Demon King's Army. What is your name, insignificant creature?”
“Damn it, of all things, skipping the 4th Corps Commander and going straight to the 3rd...”
Vesna's eyebrows arched slightly.
“What are you babbling about?”
“Never mind. By the way, do you demons take classes on this at some academy? What's with the 'insignificant creature' talk?”
Honestly, I didn't even know what nonsense I was spouting. It seemed my brain had been completely consumed by the need to act cool.
Shring.
I drew Murasame and the Ten-Thousand-Year Frost. The blades were drawn halfway. This would be more than enough for an introduction.
Vesna's pupils distorted upon seeing my sashimi swords.
“It was you! You sword-wielding insect! The one who killed my sister!”
Vesna roared in fury.
I loosened and retightened my grip on the hilts. Then, I stared straight at her.
“The 5th Corps Commander, Agor, talked big just like you.”
`[Your Mental Rank increases.]`
`[An aura of intimidation is added to your words and actions.]`
`[The Blessing of the Sword God is manifested.]`
Taking a single deep breath, I spat out my words.
“Right up until she got her ass kicked.”
++++++++++++++++++++++
《May the Blessing of God be with you.》