Serpent Moon Blade
Chwiruruk……!!!
Daran Samakal's blade whipped through the air like a living serpent.
"Serpent Moon…… It's been a while."
Adel stared at the sword he'd drawn, murmuring as if struck by a wave of nostalgia.
"You really think you can take me on with that? You know what I'm talking about. You've felt the wall yourself."
Daran's shoulders twitched—he'd been pierced right to the core.
"Your body lacked the flexibility for Bi-Gung swordsmanship, so you made the blade soft instead. And you think a desperate hack like that can beat me……?"
Sakang—!!
Daran answered by thrusting his arm forward. The triple sword lunged at Adel's vitals like a thing alive.
"Guess the Young Palace Lord didn't tell you."
Adel didn't budge even as the blade hurtled toward him.
Pubek! Puck! Kagagagak……!!
Daran's sword clashed against the walls all around. The flexible blade's strength was its freedom, but the alley was far too narrow for it to unleash its full potential. Every wild swing gouged deep scars into the stone.
"A light sword doesn't suit you."
"……Shut up!"
The wall, shredded by the snaking blade, finally crumbled in a cascade of rubble. With the obstacles cleared, Daran's triple sword grew even fiercer.
Bi-Gung Swordsmanship – Serpent Moon.
Thud—one step forward, and Adel swept Nazas downward.
Kang!!
A clear ring of metal, and the tip of the triple sword bounced away.
"……?!"
Then, as he slashed left, Daran's blade met it perfectly—as if Adel had measured it out beforehand. Despite the erratic trajectory, Adel seemed to know exactly where it would come from.
[For a 'follower,' you're being awfully generous.]
Kalderet knew Adel could have taken Daran's life a dozen times over already.
Kakang……!!
Sensing something was wrong, Daran hastily withdrew his blade.
Tadadadak……!!
Adel didn't miss the opening, diving straight into Daran's guard.
"Th-this……."
Daran panicked, scrambling to block, but it was too late to recover his drooping triple sword.
Puck!!
Adel uppercut his jaw.
Grabbing the reeling Daran's collar and yanking him close, Adel leaned in.
"Karin Samakal not only summons the Water Spirit King but reached mid-tier aura too…… Looks like you couldn't even manage a spirit, let alone aura."
"Shut up!!"
Daran gnashed his teeth and shoved at Adel's hand gripping his collar.
Kwak—!!
But Adel only tightened his grip.
"……Guh!"
Daran couldn't hide his shock at the overwhelming strength pinning him down.
He's so small—how does he have this much power……
His eyes trembled as he stared up at Adel.
Thud!
Still clutching the collar, Adel kicked Daran's leg out from under him. His body floated into the air before slamming into the ground.
"Now, let's take this one step at a time. Why'd you tamper with the North Sea map and spread it across the continent?"
"……Why did you desert folk come all the way to this distant North Sea?"
"You're seriously asking me that right now?"
Adel stared at him in disbelief.
"Obviously because of the map you spread."
"That's what I mean…… Why you desert folk, and not the ones we wanted?"
"The ones you wanted?"
Kwajik—!!
"Guh!"
Adel stomped mercilessly on the fallen Daran's back. A choked gasp escaped his lips.
"Man, that stings. Here I am, the guy who actually figured out the map's secrets and tracked it all the way here."
"Ugh…… ugh……."
"Who were the ones you wanted?"
"……P-Pirates from the Garam Archipelago."
Daran forced the words out.
"Pirates? Why them?"
"You're asking the obvious. The Archipelago King commands the ancient beast, the Kraken. A power that can truly raise waves."
He continued haltingly.
"With that strength, they could shatter the North Sea ice. We planned to use the Archipelago King's greed to open the entrance to the glacier-sealed ruins."
"So even Bucket Serpent getting the map in Ruinxen wasn't coincidence."
Adel was floored.
"All to open the Abyssal ruins sunk in the sea. Once the iced path clears, kill them off."
"……Pirates anyway. Everyone would cheer their extermination."
"You think the Archipelago King would play along? Their fleet rivals a kingdom's navy. Luring them here would've put Bi-Gung in real danger—didn't consider that?"
"……Bi-Gung's already in enough danger. At least visible enemies are easier."
"What does that mean?"
Adel caught the sigh in Daran's voice—something was happening here and now.
"The Palace Lord is gravely ill. Poisoned by the magic of the Snow Mountains, one of the three Forbidden Zones."
"……She went into the Snow Mountains? Challenging a Forbidden Zone without even Kiransha, the North Sea guardian god."
It was suicide.
"Even your father, contracted to an upper god of earth, only lingers at the fringes. Looks like your mother pulled off something insane."
That was when it happened.
Adel wasn't addressing Daran.
Thud—a boot stepped forward from the alley's shadows, back against the wall.
"……!!"
Daran Samakal gaped at the sight of those boots.
"S-Sis……."
"Kiransha's illusion…… That was your doing? What a foolish thing to pull."
Karin's hardened face left Daran unable to meet her eyes.
"……When you went to purge North Sea beasts, Mother gained new insight into Bi-Gung swordsmanship. She headed to the Snow Mountains to test her achievement."
"Even so, a Forbidden Zone isn't for human hands."
"You know how she is. To reclaim past glory, she believes she must remain the pinnacle of the Eight Armies."
"Holding that rank without a god's blessing is impressive enough."
"The central continent vies for hegemony. Mother saw this as the last chance for North Sea supremacy."
Adel finally pieced it together.
"But that ambition backfired. Hanna Kran of Spirit Formation couldn't take Cove, and my father, the White Ghost of Ulan, failed the Forgotten Temple."
He looked down at Daran.
"Charging into a Forbidden Zone bare-handed…… No artifact in North Sea can fully block that poison."
Kaduk—
Daran glared resentfully but couldn't argue. It was true.
"……You're right. Despite no god's blessing, Mother delved deeper into the Snow Mountains than any of the Eight Armies."
The depths of a Forbidden Zone…… If true, that's incredible. She gained new insight, like Daran said, and it must've been a massive breakthrough.
Adel grew curious about her swordsmanship.
Having witnessed Alkan Temir's Heaven Kill, he'd gained new archery insights—but he also yearned to refine his own sword realm.
Father wields a sword too, but he adapts any weapon as needed, unbound by form.
The strength of the man himself.
Purely in sword achievement, it'd be Bi-Gung's lord alongside Mack Max, current head of the Sword Assembly.
But Mack Max bore Clotho, upper god of blades.
Setting raw power aside, in depth of attainment, the Palace Lord far surpassed.
Maybe she could help perfect my swordsmanship.
Adel wryly smiled at the prospect.
Right now, saving the Palace Lord's life came first.
"Treating magic poison requires a god's blessing. A powerful one with recovery."
"Foolish…… Abyss is the abyssal sea god. A sea god with healing means Pola, god of the light sea."
"I know. But the sea gods are unique twins. Awakening Abyss will weaken Pola's seal too. That's the gamble."
[Treating poison by unleashing more? Fat chance that thing helps you.]
Kalderet snorted at Daran's words.
No one else could hear, but Adel agreed.
"I'm not rebelling. Her time's running out."
"What about the Holy Kingdom? Heard a saintess appeared in the Nell Church lately."
"Holy Kingdom's long soured on North Sea. Nell won't send a young saintess here."
Hmm…… Contacting them now, those old church fogeys won't budge easily. Even if they did, it'd be too late.
Adel listened quietly.
"They want the Palace Lord dead anyway. I've been away too long…… Didn't know Bi-Gung was in this state."
Karin Samakal eyed her brother.
"Execute that con man immediately. And you—however much for Bi-Gung, deceiving Mother demands payment for your deeds."
"……I'm sorry."
"No, Young Palace Lord. Hold off on Makullan for now."
"Why?"
"Daran, this whole scam came from his head, right?"
"……Yes."
"He's a con artist, but no empty braggart. Him being here means he deciphered the map like me."
"Hmm……."
Karin nodded at Adel's words.
"I was first verified by Leviathan Guild. Means he came straight here without them."
"He decoded it solo."
"Yes. Better to use him than kill. And give the Palace Lord hope. Magic ties to the mind. Learning the winter god was fake could shatter her will."
"Hmm…… What then?"
"I'll find the Abyssal temple with Makullan. Luckily, I can wield some Kraken power too—enough to navigate the sea maze."
"……No way."
"Yes. He's Haien Temir's eighth son."
"……!!!"
Daran dropped to his knees, bowing his head.
"F-Forgive my ignorance."
Adel waved him off.
"But even awakening Abyss doesn't guarantee finding Pola."
"True. But odds just improved."
Ting—
Adel tossed a key from his pocket.
"……!!"
Karin's eyes widened as she caught it.
"This……."
"Yes. Pola's key. Summons the light sea god. You're in luck, Young Palace Lord. I've been hunting sea gods myself."
Adel told her.
"With Bi-Gung's help, we'll find the ruins faster. And boost chances of curing the Palace Lord."
"R-right…… I'll prepare at once."
Hope lit her eyes.
[Why not mention Kiransha's relic?]
Kalderet asked once they left.
"Tell them that, and they'll kill me to steal it."
Adel replied.
"But knowing about Pola's key? They'll scour every inch for Abyss temple."
[Clever. Using them to pick your nose without lifting a finger.]
"Wise."
"That bastard…… Just show up. You're dead."
Before dawn broke over the harbor, Makullan paced furiously, muttering curses.
"Makullan."
"Oh……!! You're here, Lord Daran!!"
Makullan shouted gleefully at the voice calling from the shadows.
"Like I said yesterday. Some punk ruined our plan……."
That was when instinct—honed from a lifetime of cons—screamed danger.
"That punk's here."
Adel waved from behind Daran.
"……Hup!!"