Chapter 117
Chapter 117
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: The Spear of Skazana
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The black aura spear that had been charging ferociously scattered away like mist dissipating.
Altros, who had been watching the scene, widened his eyes.
“What?!”
Parsia glared at Altros and added a single phrase.
-Those who seek to shatter this world’s peace cannot be forgiven.
A magic missile made of wind shot from her palm like a bolt of lightning.
Altros quickly shouted.
“Absolute Shield!”
A black barrier unfurled, blocking the attack.
Boom!
An enormous explosion rang out, and fierce winds whipped in all directions.
“A spirit?!”
Altros’s face hardened.
The young upstart from the Julius Count family, Millerph, and even the Demon King’s power-enhanced Dark Spear—all nullified by this mysterious spirit.
It might be best to retreat for now.
“Next time, I’ll definitely kill you.”
Altros turned his head toward where he had thrown the Spear of Skazana.
He witnessed the spear hovering in midair, flying off somewhere.
“What trickery is this?!”
He bellowed and reached out toward the spear.
The spear halted dead in the air.
“That’s no toy for the likes of you!”
Millerph charged in, hurling a fireball.
“Get lost!”
Altros swung his arm.
A black aura blade flew like a dagger, piercing and extinguishing the fireball before hurtling toward Millerph.
“Shield!”
Millerph swiftly erected a barrier and followed up with a Reactive Shield.
‘What? Double casting…?’
Altros’s face showed a flicker of surprise.
Moments later, the aura clashed with the barrier.
Boom!
With a massive explosion, the barrier shattered into pieces, sending Millerph flying backward.
“Ugh…”
He groaned, unable to rise, as if reeling from the impact.
He could only glare at Altros with eyes full of contempt.
Seeing Millerph go down, Arthur yelled.
“Millerph!”
He summoned K1 Rifles into both hands and unleashed a barrage without mercy.
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat—
Aura blades rained down on Altros.
But they were all blocked by his barrier, dealing no damage whatsoever.
“Shallow attacks like that won’t work.”
-Is that so?
An unfamiliar woman’s voice rang in his ear, and wind power infused Arthur’s aura blades.
Their speed and power doubled as they hammered the barrier.
Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom!
The supposedly impenetrable defense began to crumble bit by bit.
Cracks spiderwebbed across the barrier with breaking sounds, and Altros’s face darkened rapidly.
“This can’t be…”
A defense spell that could effortlessly block a 7th Class attack was falling apart.
Meaning Arthur’s strikes surpassed 7th Class power.
That revealed the identity of the spirit before him.
Parsia, the supreme wind spirit!
Known to wield power rivaling at least a 7th Class mage.
This was spiraling into the worst possible scenario.
It galled him to abandon the Spear of Skazana after fifty years of effort to claim it, but he had no choice.
He’d content himself with today’s taste of battle.
“Next time, I won’t let you slip away.”
Altros clenched the hand he had extended toward the Spear of Skazana.
A pillar of black light flashed where he stood, and his figure vanished.
A teleport spell, usable only by 8th Class mages.
Millerph, who had aimed for that very sight, gaped in shock.
“Th-this is…”
Altros was gone, but the glimpse of his abilities left him stunned.
Parsia stared at the spot where Altros had stood for a moment, nodded, and turned away.
She looked at Arthur and spoke.
-He fled to Marquis Mandora’s territory.
“It’s disappointing to let him escape, but it’s a relief it ended like this.”
A shadow fell over Arthur’s face as he gauged Altros’s strength.
Even with Millerph linking up with him and Parsia joining the fray, they hadn’t subdued—let alone defeated—him.
This was absolute power.
He also realized the gap in strength with the emperor was wider than expected.
“We need a full reevaluation.”
Arthur dismissed his weapons and glanced at where Millerph had fallen.
The mage had risen, clutching his chest as he approached.
His face was pale; he’d clearly taken damage from Altros’s attack.
“You okay?”
“It wasn’t a direct hit, so I’m fine.”
“Good.”
As Arthur sighed in relief, the Devil Squad arrived.
Dark quickly dismounted Britannica and hurried to Arthur.
“Are you alright, sir?”
Arthur nodded and asked.
“What about you?”
“No issues.”
“The enemies?”
“We killed them all except one, whom we knocked out and bound.”
Dark pointed to the black-robed man he and Mulan had captured.
“Head back to the castle with Millerph right now. I’m going to meet Marquis Valtre.”
“I’ll accompany you.”
“No need. And I’m not alone.”
Arthur nodded toward Parsia, still hovering in the air.
Seeing her, Dark boarded Britannica without another word to prepare to leave.
While waiting for his white steed, Millerph stared intently at the spear Parsia held.
‘So that’s the Spear of Skazana.’
The legendary weapon Altros had desperately tried to seize.
Even uncontrolled, it had displayed tremendous power.
If he mastered it and channeled higher magic through it…
He could block it once with all his might, but afterward, it would be tough.
Protecting the Spear of Skazana from him was a stroke of immense luck.
That said, it was surprising that Lady Parsia had aided the Young Master.
Perhaps this incident would grant him the spirits’ power as well.
And if he even awakened the Emperor’s Temperament…
The Oscar Empire—not to mention unifying the five continents—seemed all too possible.
He’d then use that might against the Demon King.
‘There’s much to prepare.’
Millerph mounted his white steed with a resolute gaze, as if having made a decision.
He bid Arthur farewell and swiftly departed with the Devil Squad toward the territory.
Once they were out of sight, Arthur turned to Parsia.
“Why did you help me?”
-You are the hope of the spirits.
“What?”
Arthur blinked in confusion.
Parsia met his eyes squarely and continued.
-A being capable of breaking the Spirit King’s seal has appeared after a century. The spirits hope you’ll free him and bring peace to the spirit realm.
“Hmm…”
-Appearing without a contract violates spirit realm law. But with the consensus of the other spirits, I could intervene.
“Consensus?”
-I’ll accompany you until you’re safe from enemies.
“So you’ve been following me since the Alpha family ritual?”
-Yes.
“Not a bad deal, but ‘hope of the spirit realm’…”
As Arthur shook his head, burdened, his eyes kept drifting to the spear Parsia held.
It was the one Altros had wielded—an ordinary-looking shaft radiating extraordinary menace.
“Mind if I take a look at that spear?”
-Hm.
Parsia glanced at the spear thoughtfully, then nodded.
-I have his permission.
“What are you talking about?”
Arthur tilted his head, puzzled, as he took the spear from her. As he examined it from all angles,
-A familiar aura. Who are you?
“…!”
Arthur’s eyes widened.
A gruff man’s voice emanated from the spear.
Having experienced this before, Arthur quickly calmed himself and responded as usual.
“Arthur Julius. Successor to Teheran Julius.”
-So it was you. I am Skazana.
‘The Spear of Skazana!’
Arthur’s eyes gleamed.
-A rare chance to communicate, and it’s with a brat. What a shame.
“You sound just like that other guy.”
-Who else have you met besides me?
“There’s another cocky bastard who rivals you. And spears aren’t really my thing.”
Arthur handed the spear back to Parsia without regret and mounted Kan.
“I’m off to see Marquis Valtre. Follow if you want.”
With that, Kan bolted off like lightning.
Parsia looked at the Spear of Skazana.
-I’ll keep you safe until we find a secure place. Bear with it.
-We must find a new master. His power grows stronger by the day.
-I know.
Parsia’s face darkened.
She gripped the Spear of Skazana tightly, gazing at Arthur’s receding back.
-We’ve bet everything on him.
-Your opponent is the Demon King. No brat can handle him.
-For now, perhaps. But if he claims the Emperor’s Sword…
-The Emperor’s Sword…! Was that who the brat just mentioned?
Parsia nodded with a voice full of conviction.
-Watch. He’ll surpass even Teheran.
***
“Notiang!”
Valtre sobbed, cradling Notiang in his arms.
“What in the world is going on?!”
“…I merely did what needed doing.”
“Why are there so many things I don’t know?!”
“Valtre…”
Notiang pulled something from her blood-soaked bosom.
It was the fragment that had briefly staggered Altros earlier. Unlike when it had shone brightly before him, it now looked utterly ordinary.
“…Keep this on you at all times.”
“What is it?”
Notiang drew a long breath and explained calmly.
“It’s like the heart of the Spear of Skazana. It’s required to awaken the spear. And it holds the power to seal dark forces.”
“How did you get something like this…”
“It was the previous family head’s… request. Cough!”
Blood poured from Notiang’s mouth. Valtre shook his head, silencing her.
“Don’t say another word! Peron will be here soon. Just hold on a little longer.”
“My son-like Valtre…”
Notiang gripped his hand tightly, a faint smile on her lips.
“Thank you… for growing into such a fine man. I believe… you’ll bring glory to the Tomoya family.”
“I will. So stay by my side and watch. Promise?”
“I’ll always watch…”
Notiang’s eyes slowly closed as her head lolled limply to the side.
“…!”
Valtre’s eyes bulged in horror.
“No, no! Nanny, you can’t… you know you can’t…”
His trembling hands gently shook her.
As her arms fell slack, Valtre screamed until his throat seemed ready to burst.
“No! Cough!”
He too spat up a mouthful of blood.
“Your Excellency!”
Peron, the Tomoya family’s guardian mage, had just entered the basement.
He rushed to Valtre, casting a heal spell, then checked Notiang’s condition.
‘Damn, too late…’
Valtre seized his arm and shouted.
“Save her, now!”
“…I’m sorry.”
As Peron bowed his head, Valtre raged.
“What nonsense is that?! Save her, no matter what!”
“Your Excellency, calm down first…!”
In that instant, Peron’s eyes flashed as he whipped his head toward the stairs. There stood a man in mysterious black armor and a bizarre helmet—Arthur.
“Who the hell are you?!”
Every eye turned to Arthur at his shout.
The knights, spotting the intruder, surrounded him and closed in.
“Another one?!”
“Once I’ve spotted you…”
As Peron prepared to unleash flame magic from both hands, a chilling killing intent washed over them.
He glanced back swiftly.
Valtre had risen, cradling Notiang, radiating terrifying malice.
His eyes were turning red.
“Your Excellency, you mustn’t lose control!”
Peron hastily cast a mind restoration spell, but it was futile.
“Save Notiang…”
“Your Excellency…”
Peron despaired at the sight of him teetering on the brink of rampage.
“Is this how it ends…?”
He slumped to the floor. As the knights froze in fear,
Arthur had silently approached Peron’s side.
“Disappointing. To think you planned to fight the emperor in this fragile mental state.”
Frowning, he drew up mana.
Summoning a Benelli M1, he aimed it at Valtre.
“Get a grip.”