Chapter 159
Chapter 159
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 159
Chapter Title: Cassandra's Manifestation
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‘What is this?'
The man from the Dark Squad burst out from the forest.
Arriving at the spot where Arthur had stood, he peered down at the base of the cliff.
It was so deep that the bottom was invisible.
Yet the guy had leaped down without a moment's hesitation.
He didn't look like someone about to commit suicide, and judging by his clothes and the aura he exuded, he seemed like a high-ranking figure in the Julius Kingdom.
'What could be down there?'
He had a strong feeling that something tremendous was hidden below.
To prepare for any contingencies, he carved the Dark Squad's code into the ground so his comrades could investigate.
Even if something unfortunate happened to him, this would leave a trail for them to follow.
With that done, he plunged down without hesitation.
As he fell, the man used the surrounding terrain as much as possible to brake his accelerating speed.
This continued for a moment.
A tree branch extending straight out from the cliff wall caught his eye.
'First, stop here...!'
He landed lightly on the branch, but immediately sensed something rushing toward him.
Just as he tried to whip his head to the side, a dull impact struck the back of his neck.
"Huh!"
As the man crumpled to the ground, Arthur swiftly grabbed him and retreated into the cliffside.
With the Dark Squad member slung over his shoulder, Arthur dashed along the branches like a shooting arrow—his movements almost supernatural.
Once inside, Arthur glanced at the dragon emblem carved into the cliff wall.
His necklace glowed brightly, and in response, light rippled across the dragon emblem, revealing an entrance in the wall.
Arthur scanned the surroundings, waiting to see if any other intruders were around.
Sensing no presence, he figured this guy was alone.
He slipped inside quietly, and the entrance sealed behind him.
Entering the cavern, Arthur tossed the man to the floor and headed toward the Emperor Sword.
Even if the guy woke up, he couldn't escape, so there was no need to worry about him fleeing.
More importantly, uncovering this man's identity could wait—first, he needed to meet that one and resolve his questions.
Deeper in the cavern, the Emperor Sword came into view.
Its aura was different from before.
A flame pattern, absent previously, was now embedded in the blade.
It also radiated a proud presence and a powerful aura that deterred casual approach.
It was as if the sword was challenging him: "Can you overcome this and reach me?"
Suddenly, Cassandra's arrogant tone echoed in his mind.
"Arrogance has reached its peak."
Arthur smirked and drew up his mana.
As a golden aura rose like a heat haze, he stepped toward the Emperor Sword.
With each step forward, the sword's pressure bore down on him, binding his entire body.
It tightened his limbs and even constricted his heart with its intensity.
"Is this another test?"
Arthur grimaced but pressed on silently, standing boldly before the Emperor Sword.
He looked down with a mocking sneer, as if it were laughable.
"Hey, enough with the games. Show yourself."
The sword's pressure eased, and that guy's voice echoed in his head.
-You've made it this far, so you've reached five stars.
"Don't test me with cheap tricks."
-Insolent brat. And you're only at five stars.
"Ugh..."
Arthur furrowed his brow.
For some reason, talking to this guy always stirred up irritation.
Even trivial words grated on his nerves.
He truly didn't want to deal with him, but to face the Demon King, he needed this one's help.
If he couldn't endure it, he'd have no choice but to accept him.
-Brat, why are you here? You don't think reaching five stars earns my recognition, do you?
"As if. I came to confirm something."
-How presumptuous. Not even acknowledged, yet you think you can question me? You're definitely different from Teheran.
"I'd prefer you not compare me to him."
Arthur continued with a displeased expression.
"Even if it's once, getting compared constantly sours my mood. What's so great about a guy who died without even defeating the Demon King?"
-What? Uhahaha!
Cassandra sounded incredulous at first, then burst into loud laughter.
"Urk..."
Arthur's head throbbed painfully as the sound reverberated.
As he staggered, on the verge of collapsing, the laughter stopped.
-Ah, I laughed too hard. It's been a century since I heard something amusing. Saying that much means you think you can take down the Demon King?
"This time, I'll make sure to finish him off."
-What? You talk like you've already fought him.
"You'll know when the time comes."
-You intrigued me from the start, but now I see you have a talent for entertaining me. Fine, you've made me laugh for the first time in ages, so ask away. I'll answer this once, specially.
"How touching."
Arthur smirked and relayed what he'd heard from Skevin.
"Was that true?"
-Hmm, I don't know who told you, but you've got it right.
"Hm."
Arthur's face twisted.
When the Nanshar Empire's assassination squad infiltrated Grada Castle and got exposed, Keda had said something.
Artisan's long-cherished wish was the "Immortal Knights."
It was known that Liberto, the emperor of Nanshar long ago, had waged war for territorial expansion.
But after hearing the Emperor Sword's hidden truth, it seemed there might have been another purpose.
If Artisan's wish dated back to Emperor Liberto's time...
Suddenly, Arthur's eyes flashed.
The Emperor Sword!
This could be it.
"The more I learn, the more complicated it gets."
-Brat, was there anything else?
"That's all I heard."
-Hmph, you only brought good news. Listen well. The Emperor Sword is a double-edged blade.
"A double-edged sword? What do you mean?"
Doubt piled up on Arthur's face.
-You said it to me: you'll know when the time comes. Kuhahaha!
Cassandra threw his own words back at him.
'Arrogant, and with a nasty temperament to boot.'
Arthur thought they were truly opposites.
"Ugh."
At least one question was answered, but it birthed another.
With Skevin's words confirmed as true, he needed to probe about the Nanshar Empire.
Artisan was after the Emperor Sword to create the Immortal Knights, the empire's long-cherished goal.
Or if there was another reason...
Suddenly, Altros came to mind.
That guy seemed deeply tied to Nanshar, and Artisan wanted the Emperor Sword?
If the Demon King had possessed Altros!
"Ah!"
The scattered puzzle pieces in his mind clicked together, forming a picture.
Artisan was likely the Demon King's familiar.
Using Artisan to find and destroy the Emperor Sword.
It was the only weapon that could kill him.
Without the Emperor Sword, nothing in this world could stop him.
In other words, achieving immortality.
It was at that moment he wondered if the "Immortal Knights" referred to a monster legion.
A chilling killing intent rose from behind.
The guy had woken up.
"So you're finally awake?"
There was no trace of fear toward the man in Arthur's voice.
He turned around calmly and composedly.
The man who'd been knocked out by Arthur glared at him piercingly.
"Who the hell are you?"
The man's voice was hoarse beyond measure.
"That's what the master asks an intruder."
A fierce aura erupted from Arthur's body, crashing down like a tidal wave.
"......!"
The man's eyes wavered for a moment.
The figure before him was the instigator of the Oscar Empire's turmoil, the eye of the storm.
Arthur Julius himself.
Hearing rumors was one thing, but seeing him in person made the man feel he'd underestimated him.
"Impressive. A Sword Master at your age."
Arthur's face hardened.
The man wasn't afraid—he looked admiring.
By his aura, he wasn't a Sword Master himself.
How could he be so composed?
Arthur observed him closely, inwardly flustered.
Meanwhile, the man eyed the golden-glowing sword beyond Arthur, a strange smile playing on his lips.
Even to an untrained eye, the sword's proud aura marked it as extraordinary.
The emanation from the blade was anything but ordinary.
For a brief moment, greed for the sword overshadowed his interest in Arthur Julius.
He decided to kill the guy and present the sword to the captain.
'Is he alone?'
Confirming no one else after scanning around, the man pulled a gray vial from his pocket.
'That!'
It was identical to the vial containing the Awakening Agent used by Nanshar's assassination squad.
"You're one of Artisan's!"
Arthur's eyes turned icy as he drew up his mana.
His aura exploded outward, and a Sig Sauer materialized in his right hand.
Not to be outdone, the man swallowed the patrium from the gray vial and unleashed his hidden power.
A black aura rose from him.
Arthur frowned at the intensity, leagues beyond any assassination squad he'd faced.
'What the... this guy...?'
Sword Master-level pressure bore down on him, the air thickening until breathing grew labored.
This was surely the man's doing.
But he wouldn't fall for such petty tricks.
Arthur aimed at him.
"I'll send you to hell."
Bang!
The aura bullet from the muzzle flew with blinding brilliance.
"That much light? I'll devour it."
The man sneered viciously and charged, kicking off the ground.
As he drew his sword—
The dragon eye on the Emperor Sword flashed, unleashing a massive aura.
It filled the vast cavern in an instant.
Cassandra's furious voice boomed.
-Demon King's minion!
The aura bound and restrained the man.
"What!"
As his face contorted, Arthur's aura bullet struck his heart.
"This level of attack..."
The man summoned all his mana.
Black aura erupted from his heart, darkening to pitch blackness and repelling Arthur's shot.
Then, Arthur's aura flared brighter, piercing straight through the darkness.
"Cough!"
The man stared at Arthur in disbelief as he collapsed.
A small spark ignited at his heart, consuming him in flames until he turned to ash and vanished.
Witnessing this, Arthur recalled Nigras.
His power only manifested against the Demon King's forces.
Awakening Agent!
Demon King's power!
It was clear now.
Nanshar Empire had fallen into the Demon King's hands.
"Hm."
He wouldn't have come here alone.
Other assassination squads were likely targeting Grada Castle.
Was Keda the target again?
He decided to head back to the castle.
But before that, knowing Cassandra had restrained the man, he couldn't just leave without a word.
He turned to the Emperor Sword, intending a simple thanks.
"......!"
Holy light gathered before the Emperor Sword, and Nigras appeared.
A wind blew from somewhere, and Parsia materialized as well.
Nigras stood before the Emperor Sword, clasping his hands over his chest and bowing deeply.
-Nigras, overseer of light, greets Lord Cassandra.
Parsia lifted her skirt hem in courtesy.
-Parsia, daughter of Elena, pays respects to Lord Cassandra.
Golden aura then rose from the Emperor Sword like thick mist, taking form.
A man appeared.
A flame emblem from the blade's edge adorned his forehead, and his eyes brimmed with arrogance, as if viewing the world beneath him.
Yet an omnipotent power emanated, too profound for casual words.
It was the Spirit King, Cassandra.
"Just as I imagined."
As Arthur smiled faintly, their eyes met.
Cassandra spoke lowly.
"Boy, bow and pay homage to me."