Chapter 158
Chapter 158
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 158
Chapter Title: The Gold Dragon Banner
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***
“The defenses are thorough, and with Giant Wolves posted everywhere, infiltration won’t be easy.”
Ghost looked down at the foot of the mountain after hearing the report from his subordinate who had scouted Grada Castle.
One way to gauge the enemy’s strength was to check the basics.
By assessing the level of their fundamentals, he could roughly estimate the quality of their forces.
Security was the foundation of foundations, and solid security meant they stuck to the basics.
There was no need to even confirm the presence of their knight order.
Helm Del, the veteran of a hundred battles, had likely played a major role in boosting their forces.
But the one who had taken out the execution squad wasn’t Helm Del—it was someone else.
Perhaps it was that person’s doing.
‘This guy’s really got me curious.’
As Ghost’s gaze deepened, his eyes caught the flag hanging from the castle tower.
A gold dragon on a red background!
It was the flag the Julius Family had used during the war against the Demon King a century ago—the very flag that had inflicted indelible shame and humiliation upon the Namshar Empire.
‘Never thought I’d see the real thing.’
The Julius Family had its own separate banner.
To designate this one as the kingdom’s flag meant they intended to remind neighboring countries exactly what the Julius Kingdom was.
It was a way to indirectly flaunt their power and pressure the surrounding territories.
Until now, reports related to the Oscar Empire had barely mentioned the Julius Kingdom—likely because they had kept all this hidden.
Otherwise, there was no way intelligence on the Julius Kingdom would have been omitted.
Why?
With this level of strength, they could have maintained their past glory all along.
He grew curious about why they had pretended to be a fallen count family.
These were people who had endured all sorts of contempt and humiliation for so long—they couldn’t be taken lightly.
“Figure out everything about the Julius Family before we attack them.”
The Dark Unit bowed their heads and dispersed.
Left alone, Ghost stared at Grada Castle.
He didn’t know how much power they were hiding, but it wouldn’t be enough to stop him.
Unlike their outward appearance, the internal atmosphere must be chaotic, and taking out a few key figures would cause it to crumble like a sandcastle.
It would be a kingdom that blazed like a meteor for a brief moment before vanishing.
Even if there was someone surpassing Helm Del, Ghost believed in himself.
And in the worst case, there was Patrium, who would turn him and the Dark Unit into “Immortal Knights.”
Ghost glared at the Julius Family’s flag fluttering in the wind, his killing intent surfacing.
“I’ll tear that flag down first.”
***
Thanks to Arthur’s advice, Helm and Skevin gained great insight. The knights also learned things they had misunderstood or never known before.
And they became utterly captivated by the allure of the “Creve Maha” that Arthur had demonstrated.
They were eager to receive instruction from Helm and Skevin as soon as possible.
After offering his advice, Arthur climbed to the western wall and surveyed the territory.
He too had gained some realization while advising them.
He had felt it every time he fought monsters, but the dagger had clear limitations on a large scale.
He thought of the Emperor Sword embedded in Lumacas’s Lair.
He hadn’t pulled it out yet, but to defeat the Demon King, he would need to wield the Emperor Sword.
Even without the Demon King, he would face stronger monsters ahead, so learning swordsmanship seemed necessary.
The swordsmanship that Teheran had mastered through Kanmurasas’s arrangement lingered in his mind.
But since he had never properly wielded a sword, he would need someone’s help at first—and that was when Skevin came to mind.
Footsteps climbed the stairs, and Skevin and Helm appeared.
“Perfect timing.”
Arthur smiled and greeted them.
Skevin spoke with an earnest expression.
“Your Majesty, I have a request. Could you guide us for just thirty minutes a day?”
“I ask the same.”
Helm bowed politely as well.
After Arthur left the training grounds, the two had demonstrated what they learned to each other, but old habits made it difficult.
They understood it in their heads, but their bodies wouldn’t follow.
If they had plenty of practice time, they could correct habits one by one, but with enemies potentially attacking at any moment...
To save time, they decided to ask Arthur for help.
Skevin bowed deeply as well.
“It’s shameless, but I beg you. I want to master it quickly and teach the knights.”
“Convenient. I had a favor to ask too.”
Arthur met Skevin’s eyes and continued.
“I want to learn swordsmanship.”
“……!”
Skevin’s eyes widened in an instant.
Arthur possessed Teheran’s mighty weapon.
Something incomparable to any ordinary armament—yet now he suddenly wanted to learn swordsmanship. Skevin was dying to know why.
“Why the sudden interest in swordsmanship?”
“Stronger monsters will appear ahead. I can handle ogres with a dagger, but anything beyond that will be tough.”
“Then summon Lord Teheran’s weapon. Surely it hasn’t become unusable...”
“No, it’s not that.”
Arthur looked at Skevin and Helm with a serious expression and revealed the truth about the Emperor Sword.
And the fact that only the Emperor Sword could annihilate the Demon King.
“The Emperor Sword...”
Skevin had believed the Emperor Sword was destroyed in the final battle with the Demon King.
He had assumed Arthur’s weapon was another armament capable of annihilating the Demon King.
But if the Emperor Sword still existed, there was no need for further thought.
“I’ll teach you right now.”
“Why the sudden change?”
Arthur tilted his head at Skevin’s excited demeanor.
Helm was puzzled by Skevin’s uncharacteristic behavior.
At their reactions, Skevin looked back at them strangely.
“Why are you acting like that?”
“Why are you?”
“You’re not seriously asking because you don’t know, right?”
“Know what?”
At Arthur’s utterly clueless response, Skevin glanced at Helm.
“Lord Helm, you don’t know either?”
“What do you know that’s making you act this way, Lord Skevin? Anyone who wields a sword knows the common lore.”
“Ah......”
The Emperor Sword was known to the world as the king of swords.
The light sword that illuminated darkness!
And it was said that whoever possessed the Emperor Sword would rule the world.
That alone made it an extraordinary sword.
But that wasn’t all.
This was something España Maximus—his grandfather—had told him, a secret known only to a few.
Naturally, he assumed Arthur and Helm were among those few.
Arthur had inherited Teheran’s legacy, and Helm was one of the empire’s top-nine powerhouses.
His grandfather had likely meant the elite among elites.
Skevin met Arthur’s eyes.
“Your Majesty, the one who possesses the Emperor Sword...”
He explained that they would receive the protection of the spirits and gain the power to drive the dead from darkness.
And that receiving the “Emperor Sword’s” approval was one of the three conditions to become an “Immortal Knight.”
“......!”
Arthur’s eyes flashed.
Immortal Knight!
Wasn’t that what the Namshar Empire’s Artisans coveted?
He hadn’t known the Emperor Sword held such a secret.
But he couldn’t blindly believe España just because he said so.
Moreover, Millerph had never mentioned it.
“Hmm......”
Arthur’s expression turned cautious.
If it was true, he needed to gain Cassandra’s recognition within the Emperor Sword as soon as possible.
With the Emperor Sword, he could easily resolve their current situation.
But the level of strength España described was far beyond Arthur’s current capabilities.
There was no way to achieve it.
‘It’s not time yet.’
As Arthur showed regret, Skevin fell into thought.
-Remember, awakening the Emperor Sword requires noble sacrifice.
‘Why did Grandfather say that? What does noble sacrifice mean?’
Thinking back now, his grandfather had revealed an enormous truth.
And the worry crept in that “noble sacrifice” might mean someone’s death.
There was no need to burden Arthur with this too.
He decided to keep it buried until the right time.
Helm also pondered the Emperor Sword after hearing Skevin.
The meaning he knew was different.
The sword that calls blood!
The sword of chaos!
And...
The sword of ruin!
‘I have no idea what’s true anymore.’
Helm’s mind grew endlessly complicated.
They silently gazed at the territory.
After a long while.
Arthur spoke.
“Everything has its time. I believe the Emperor Sword will come to me when the moment arrives.”
“I think so too.”
Skevin agreed and asked Helm.
“You think the same, Lord Helm?”
Helm nodded.
“We just need to stay true to the present, as always. Hahaha!”
Skevin laughed loudly to lighten the heavy mood.
Helm, sensing his intent, smiled faintly and asked Arthur.
“Your Majesty, when can we start receiving instruction? I’m ready anytime.”
Arthur nodded.
“Let’s start tomorrow. Skevin, teach me the basics of swordsmanship from tomorrow too.”
“Understood!”
Skevin and Helm bowed deeply.
Arthur looked toward the western mountains, thinking of Cassandra dwelling in the Emperor Sword.
He had never seen her form, but from the title “King of Spirit Kings” and her arrogant tone, he could guess her nature.
Heaven above, earth below, I alone am supreme.
Likely a being overflowing with arrogance, convinced she was the world’s greatest and omnipotent.
To claim her, he would need overwhelming power to crush her.
He decided to check if it was still embedded properly and ask her directly if España’s words were true.
Arthur climbed onto the castle wall’s parapet and whistled.
Skevin realized he was calling Khan.
“Where are you going?”
“Got somewhere to be briefly.”
Confirming Khan below, Arthur leaped down.
Skevin and Helm calmly watched Arthur mount Khan and head toward the western mountains.
Helm smiled faintly.
“At some point, my goal changed.”
“How so?”
“Becoming as strong as His Majesty.”
“You will grow endlessly strong, Lord Helm.”
Skevin smiled meaningfully and continued.
“My dream is to become the guardian deity of the Julius Kingdom.”
“Aren’t you already His Majesty’s guardian knight?”
“No.”
Skevin met Helm’s eyes.
“Only when we possess power so overwhelming that no one can challenge the Julius Kingdom—only then can we truly be called guardian deities, don’t you think?”
“I get it. If that happens, His Majesty won’t need to step in.”
“His Majesty won’t have to stain his hands with blood. He’ll devote all his time to building a new world.”
“Just hearing it feels good.”
Helm smiled faintly as he looked at the sky, while Skevin envisioned his words and vowed firmly.
“I’ll make it happen.”
***
“Wait here. I’ll go down and come back.”
Arthur stood before the cliff, gazing at the vast forest sprawling below.
At the edge of this forest, a massive monster horde was preparing for war.
Thousands of ogres alone, and even more high-ranking monsters.
Recalling that scene still sent chills down his spine.
But comparing then to now, he had grown unrecognizably stronger.
His followers were growing stronger too.
Just as he had fought to the end against the Demon King on Earth without giving up, the same here.
There was no such thing as surrender.
As Arthur stared at the distant horizon with resolve etched on his face.
“......!”
He sensed a presence.
A movement so faint he wouldn’t have noticed it normally.
Better than Jackal.
Arthur heightened his senses to the extreme and scanned the surroundings.
One presence was watching him from the 9 o’clock direction.
Arthur pondered briefly, then smirked.
‘Follow if you dare.’
He leaped down the cliff.