The Strike
The daily routine of the Sealix Knight Squad had become so thoroughly formalized that calling it ordinary would be an understatement.
First thing in the morning, wake up, then equip the Knight Armor piece by piece.
This “piece” part meant swapping it out every single day.
After that, head straight to the Giant Blast Furnace, put in a full day of work until sunset, unwind in the hot springs, and head home.
A routine so mundane it had become second nature.
The friendship with the mages they worked alongside at the furnace had deepened to the point where they were starting to be mistaken for mere laborers rather than knights.
“Steel’s coming out! Come get it!”
“Got it! On my way!”
“Hurry up!”
Inside the Giant Blast Furnace.
The Iron Magic Tower mages and Sealix knights were still so focused on hauling the glowing ingots that they’d forgotten their roles entirely.
The mages had long ago become factory workers in their own eyes.
And the knights had reached the point where sweating through their bodies while using them felt like their true calling.
Lee Dam’s stride was wide, with a rolling ankle and noticeable power in every step.
*Got it.*
*Must keep my eyes on the prize.*
*Why today, of all days?*
*Ah, shit. She’s giving off the most pissed-off vibe ever?*
The mages and knights who kept glancing over at Lee Dam.
It was the perfect description for a woman who, despite her genius, had a terrible temper.
They all hoped the storm that was Lee Dam would simply pass them by without touching them.
But then.
“Yo! Knights! Everyone out!”
The knights dropped whatever they were doing and ran the moment they heard it.
In an instant they were lined up.
Their posture was so rigid it looked like they were presenting before some towering superior.
Tower Guardian Theodore, who had taken over as the furnace work shift leader, sighed as he walked over to Lee Dam.
It was impossible to avoid sighing around her before even speaking.
“What now, Dam? The knights are busy as hell.”
Losing one of their rare capable hands would slow the furnace’s output to a crawl.
Theodore had come to prevent unnecessary calls that dragged the knights away.
“I know. But we’re in a hurry too. We need some big guys.”
“Big guys?”
“This requires overwhelming force.”
“What the hell are you trying to pull now?”
It was rare for Lee Dam to announce her next move in advance.
Theodore wanted to stop it before it happened.
At Theodore’s question, Lee Dam flashed a grin and gave a big thumbs-up.
“I’m heading to the Fire Magic Tower.”
She said it as lightly as if she were heading to the next neighborhood for a scrap.
No, if you really looked at it, she was heading to the next neighborhood for a scrap… anyway.
“The Fire Magic Tower?”
“Yeah. Last time we couldn’t make the Blade right. We promised to have it done by today. If I don’t, I’ll go in the Knight Armor myself and smash the whole thing to pieces.”
“…”
Of course, fighting between towers was forbidden.
But.
The Iron Magic Tower had been lagging behind the other four elemental towers for ages.
Especially after Beldora, a young mage, took over as Tower Master and the power struggle turned even more one-sided.
That was exactly what had changed when Lee Dam showed up and the Knight Armor was developed.
“…Dam.”
The few times she’d been a little arrogant weren’t enough to wash away the resentment built up inside.
On top of that, she’d been secretly skimming Iron Magic Tower resources without delivering any results, and the Fire Magic Tower’s average leftovers were even harder to forgive.
“Hey, make me one of those refined-steel hammers. You’re already a total thug, but when you swing that hammer you’re a complete monster.”
“Yeah? For real?”
While she chuckled and headed off to frantically build a hammer out of refined steel.
“Wait.”
Lee Dam suddenly whipped her head around and glared at Theodore.
“Shit, that wasn’t a compliment at all, was it?”
* * *
Fire Magic Tower.
Once the top dogs among the four elemental towers, they were now dragging their feet.
It wasn’t for any deeper reason.
They simply couldn’t keep up with the pace of the Iron Magic Tower.
While working together with the Iron Tower gave them a slice of the kingdom’s support that was pouring in, it was like trying to keep up with a magpie chasing a goose.
They fell further and further behind.
As a result, they were burning the midnight oil more than ever.
Their skin was already dark from handling so much heat; now dark circles had appeared under their eyes, making them look even more gloomy.
Among them, Sella, who carried the title of Tower Guardian, was especially miserable.
*Ah, I feel like throwing up.*
Just looking at the “Blade” on the table in front of her made her sigh.
It had taken the heat output she wanted and some basic form, but it wasn’t the Knight Armor from the Iron Tower.
In a normal year it might even have won an award at the Innovation Festival.
It was a weapon that used extreme heat as a cutting edge while remaining surprisingly light.
It was, in fact, a legendary invention that could rival any famous blade in history.
*But it’s just a side project for someone else’s research?*
That was how revolutionary and great the Knight Armor was, yet it felt like a bitter loss as a mage to have your own invention dismissed like this.
“Sella, how’s the research going?”
At that moment, Fire Magic Tower Master Chiron entered her lab.
He had thrown himself into Blade research as well.
Since they’d received something from the Iron Tower, they had to give something back.
But at some point he’d stopped helping.
He hadn’t just pulled back.
He was still there, but not really.
“First, it’s done. Fine-tuning is needed, and the mana consumption is higher than expected, so the knight who uses it might be limited….”
“You actually did it.”
“Yes.”
Even so, Sella’s expression was grim.
The inventions the Fire Magic Tower mages had worked through the night on.
They should have been happy. Why didn’t they feel that way?
The problem was right in front of them: the Archmage’s prohibition.
The output limit on the Knight Armor.
Because of that, the Blade was effectively restricted from any external release.
Now their masterpiece was floating away.
Even mages knew when something was finished.
But now the Blade couldn’t even be shown outside.
Inside the tower, combat was forbidden.
And now their own masterpiece was banned from leaving.
What the hell did that mean?
“What’s the point of a blade that can cut anything? There’s no place to use it.”
It wasn’t even meant to be a kitchen knife today, right?
The moment a blade that could cut anything became meaningless.
“…”
So Chiron had stepped back from the research at some point too. Even if he didn’t dare stop it, refusing the Archmage’s orders on behalf of the tower would be impossible.
“Hah.”
“Hah.”
Both of them sighed at the same time.
“M-Master! The woman at the entrance is here!”
Their fur stood on end.
“Who the hell was that woman” was now common knowledge even in the Fire Magic Tower.
“Head straight out.”
The moment they stepped outside, the woman waiting at the tower entrance was…
“Knight Armor?”
Yes, the Knight Armor.
And behind her, a line of hulking knights.
They stood there with expressions that looked like they were ready for war.
Especially the figure inside the Knight Armor.
Even though her body was small, the sheer presence made it easy to tell who it was.
“Ah, when are you coming out?!”
The shrill voice was only one of the many reasons for her impatience.
A hammer made of refined steel hung from her shoulder.
If things went bad, would she really tear the Fire Magic Tower down?
It was an absurd yet strangely frightening aura.
“Ah, you’re out.”
The instant Sella saw her, the Knight Armor nodded.
“Yo, Blade. I’m waiting right here! If you don’t give it to me, I’ll show you how awesome my Knight Armor is— shit! Why the fuck is this so heavy?!”
Lee Dam crouched, panting.
It looked like she’d come to pull a prank, but the knights behind her carefully lifted her.
“It’s actually surprisingly light for armor.”
“We told you we’d wear it.”
“You didn’t even wear the right size in the first place….”
“Ah, it’s seriously heavy.”
While she grumbled, mana started gathering around her.
Blue mana particles swirled around her body and lifted her straight into the air.
“Now I feel way better.”
*What the hell…*
The armor itself was so heavy she’d lifted her own body with mana to compensate.
It looked more difficult at first glance, but Lee Dam was now relaxed, her voice smooth.
“Hand it over.”
Sella gripped the Blade she was holding tighter.
Was this really the right thing to give to that woman?
*Why does this feel so wrong?*
Feeling like the greatest swordsmith in history, handing the ultimate blade to a villain, Sella stepped forward hesitantly.
“Here it is.”
The floating Knight Armor lowered back to the ground.
Lee Dam turned the cylindrical Blade over in her hands.
She couldn’t see her own face because of the armor, so she was even more tense.
“Winston.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Try this.”
Commander Winston stepped forward and took the Blade.
Winston gripped it tight.
The moment he did, the blade shot up with a vivid red glow.
“Ooh!”
“Wow.”
Gasps and cheers rose from the knights.
It was modest, but undeniably an overwhelming presence of heat and power.
The Fire Magic Tower had always believed magic began with a small candle.
Igniting it into an inferno was their job.
*This is the new candle of the era for the Fire Magic Tower.*
A candle that would change the world had just been lit right here.
Sella’s shoulders straightened and she puffed up with pride.
Winston swung the Blade.
The moment it cleanly split in two, fresh cheers erupted.
“This isn’t a joke!”
“If you can cut like this, doesn’t that mean the opponent’s defense is useless?”
“And it’s light!”
The knights were going wild.
Normally Sella should have been happy, but instead she felt a chill and her expression hardened.
“I-I’m sorry, Lady Dam. Actually, there’s a problem.”
“What problem. Mana cost? That can be fixed with—”
“Not that. The Archmage…”
Before Sella could finish, Tower Master Chiron stepped forward.
As the tower master, he knew he bore full responsibility.
“I’m sorry, but Dam. The Archmage has forbidden any external release of the Blade. It’s not just lowering the output; it’s a complete ban.”
“…”
The Knight Armor helmet wobbled.
Unlike the Iron Tower, the Blade was already classified as unable to release externally even if the output was reduced.
No matter how you spun it, it simply wasn’t allowed to leak.
“So it’s impossible—.”
“Shit, if everything’s impossible, what the hell are we supposed to do?”
Grumbling, Lee Dam threw off her helmet and snapped, “The Archmage has never changed once, right? Crazy old power-hungry bastard.”
“…”
Everyone else went mute.
Who else could say that to the Archmage?
Only Lee Dam.
“Hey, tell the furnace to shut down. Total strike. Fire that bastard.”
“…”
“We won’t become slaves, you son of a—”
The knight squad leader’s voice cut off as he stared at the sword in his hands.
Lee Dam’s eyes narrowed, the blue glint in them burning with pure, unfiltered rage.
The giant hammer on her shoulder gleamed like a promise of destruction.
She had come for war.
And war was what she was going to get.