Chapter 80
Chapter 80
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: Land of the Exiled Knights (7)
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A sword is meant to be held in the hand and swung.
Sure, you could just throw it, or propel it with mana like the Heavenly Thunder I used last time, but to execute a proper technique, you have to hold it and swing it.
However, those who have reached a high realm can swing it without even holding it in their hand.
It's called Telekinetic Sword because they wield it with their thoughts, or Sword Control Art because they command the sword.
‘The Sersega in the Paladin Order was good at this.’
It's a technique that can only be used after reaching 9th rank and attaining enlightenment.
But I had already mastered it back during my days as Archbishop Hausel.
And now, I had the Demon Spirit Sword Xantia, plus the support of the Demon Sword Igzard.
Even with only 6th rank mana, I could execute the technique.
“What?!”
I could see Elias flinch in surprise.
He had sensed the dagger flying through the air and was shocked.
He drew his own sword to knock it away, but the dagger changed its trajectory midair.
“……!”
Slash!
The dagger, infused with pitch-black energy, grazed Elias's shoulder.
“How are you using Telekinetic Sword……!”
Elias swung his sword in panic to counter.
But it was useless.
The dagger, controlled by my thoughts, moved with dazzling agility, targeting every gap in his defenses.
“Sion Aleyas! How…… how are you using Telekinetic Sword?!”
Elias was completely thrown into confusion.
“Telekinetic Sword is a power that only those who have reached 9th rank and attained enlightenment in pursuit of even higher realms can use! How can a brat like you wield Telekinetic Sword?!”
“Who knows, maybe it's the power of the Demon Spirit Sword?”
“D-Demon Spirit Sword?”
Only then did Elias seem to realize that the sword I had launched looked like an ominous black blade.
“C-Could this be the Demon Spirit Sword Xantia?!”
“You recognized it quick.”
“Y-You bastard…… Aren’t you the heretic?! Using a wicked sword like that—how dare you call yourself a paladin?!”
“I got permission from the Cardinal, so shut your mouth.”
“Cardinal?”
“If you don’t believe me, go ask in the Papal States.”
As I shot back, I drew Ashurai.
With my current mana, handling both Xantia and Ashurai at once would be tough, but I could land a solid hit.
[Planning to draw out every last drop?]
‘The opponent is 9th rank. No room to hold back.’
[Understood.]
With Igzard’s affirmation, I drew out my power.
Mana surged through Ashurai with crackling electricity, realigning itself.
Ashurai, wrapped in fierce lightning, launched toward Elias.
* * *
Thud!
While Elias was distracted by the dagger flying through the air, a sudden sword pierced deep into his shoulder.
“Argh……!”
Unable to endure it, Elias fell from his horse.
It wasn’t fatal, but it was an injury unlike any he had ever experienced.
“S-Sion Aleyas, you bastard…….”
Gritting his teeth, he forced himself back up.
At this point, he couldn’t afford to hold back any means.
Elias resolved to use Great Crimson Lotus and began drawing up his mana.
But right then—
“You still can’t use Sword Style.”
“……!”
Hearing Sion’s words, Elias froze solid.
“Of course not. You’ve forcibly boosted your mana using the Dialogue Church’s forbidden arts.”
“Y-You bastard…….”
“You only have 9th rank mana. The rest of your skills are sorely lacking. It’s a waste of 9th rank mana.”
“Shut up……!”
Elias raised his voice.
Sion’s assessment was spot on. Elias had only forcibly increased his mana capacity; he didn’t possess the true prowess of a 9th rank like Johan or Greta.
That’s why he couldn’t even attempt Sword Style. It was a power only for those who had reached 9th rank, attained enlightenment, and transcended their limits.
“To be honest, I don’t think the method you all tried was inherently bad.”
“W-What?”
“If you want to get stronger, you have to use whatever means necessary. Of course, without crossing certain lines.”
Elias couldn’t believe his ears.
How could a paladin of the Paladin Order say something like that?
“But if you can’t even properly utilize the power you gained that way, that’s another story.”
“Ugh…….”
“If you’ve obtained 9th rank mana, you need the skills to wield it properly. Otherwise, you should feel ashamed.”
There was no flaw in Sion’s words.
In truth, Elias did feel ashamed.
He had always felt that way. Seeing true 9th ranks like Johan or Greta filled him with inferiority.
But thinking ‘I’m still young’ let him escape that feeling. He could hone his skills over time and eventually match 9th rank prowess.
‘But this guy……!’
Looking at Sion Aleyas right in front of him, an uncontrollable sense of inferiority surged.
He couldn’t even console himself with ‘I’m still young’ in front of someone not even twenty.
How could he exhibit such superior skills with less mana?
“Ugh!”
Elias gritted his teeth.
To vent this emotion, he had no choice but to kill this guy right here.
No matter how skilled he was, overwhelming him with 9th rank mana would secure victory.
“Sion Aleyas……!”
He charged with a scream.
Enveloping his body in Great Crimson Lotus flames, he aimed to end it in one go.
That’s when he felt a chilling sensation from behind.
“……!”
Whoosh!
An ice spear suddenly flew from behind and embedded in Elias’s back.
“Gah!”
As he staggered, vomiting blood—
A black Demon Spirit Sword sliced through the wind and pierced his chest.
* * *
“You finally took him down.”
As I extracted mana from Elias’s corpse, Dietrich’s voice came from behind.
“He wasn’t much of a 9th rank.”
“No, without your help, I would’ve lost.”
“My liege could never lose…….”
“Even so, he had 9th rank mana.”
I had already depleted a lot of mana using Heavenly Thunder.
A head-on clash would likely have ended in my defeat due to mana shortage.
But while I kept his attention, Dietrich struck from behind, allowing me to finish him with Xantia.
“Dietrich, I’ll withdraw from this area for now. You stay and keep gathering intel.”
“Understood.”
“But watch out for Johan Edel Felt and Greta Edel Felt. They might sense your presence.”
After sending Dietrich off, I rode to rendezvous with my subordinates.
[Sitting still to digest the mana would be ideal, but riding off right away feels like it’ll give me indigestion.]
‘Don’t use such human expressions, Demon Sword.’
[It’s a metaphor. Anyway…….]
Igzard muttered contentedly from within me.
[No matter what, a 9th rank is a 9th rank. I absorbed quite a bit of mana.]
‘Yeah, I think I’ve accumulated a good amount too.’
I had just absorbed mana from Elias’s nine circles. It didn’t just restore my spent mana—I had permanently integrated some into my own circles.
Now, I would surpass 6th rank and possess 7th rank mana.
‘One step closer to 9th rank.’
The 9th rank mana I held during my Hausel days.
I was gradually approaching that realm again.
* * *
Gayerant.
The Edel Felt family’s stronghold in the northwest of the continent, a fortress near the Winter Mountains.
There, Greta Edel Felt was meeting her father, Johan Edel Felt.
“Family Head, time is of the essence.”
Greta knelt before her father and spoke.
“We must contact the Paladin Order. We need to pull every string to resolve this incident as quickly as possible.”
“…….”
“If they learn that your grandson Sion is dead, Ianus won’t stay quiet. We have to use every means to smooth it over.”
They should frame it as him wandering off and getting killed by bandits.
But internal cover-ups alone wouldn’t suffice. They needed to mobilize Paladin Order knights sympathetic to the Edel Felts.
“Father, if necessary, I’ll go to the Paladin Order myself. If I step in to mediate…….”
“How pathetic.”
Johan, who had been silent, finally spoke.
“Why go to such lengths?”
“Family Head, the current situation…….”
“We killed Sion Aleyas. Announce it as such.”
“Family Head……!”
Greta’s eyes widened.
“How long are you going to wait for opportunities, Greta?”
“F-Family Head, it’s still too early. A full confrontation with the Paladin Order…….”
“It’s been years since you said that. Our current forces are sufficient.”
“Father!”
Even as Greta raised her voice, Johan didn’t bat an eye.
“Do you think our political maneuvers will work on Ianus after losing his grandson?”
“Ugh…….”
“It’s pointless. Better to declare it openly and boost our allies’ morale.”
“That means…….”
“It’s time to settle the score.”
As Johan spoke solemnly—
Someone burst in from outside in a panic.
“J-Just now, a short message via communication magic!”
“What is it?”
“Young Master Elias was found dead! It appears he was killed while pursuing Sion Aleyas!”
“……!”
Greta swallowed hard.
Elias, with 9th rank power, defeated by Sion—this was beyond expectation.
“I see.”
But Johan’s expression didn’t change.
He even nodded slowly, as if it was good news.
“Now it’s truly irreversible. Isn’t it, Greta?”
“F-Father……!”
“Issue orders to all knights.”
Johan declared solemnly.
“The Holy Knight Order will finally move.”
* * *
After rejoining my subordinates, I slipped out of Edel Felt territory and headed to a nearby city.
It had communication facilities, allowing real-time contact with Paladin Order headquarters.
“This is all the information I can provide, Aunt.”
“Ugh…….”
Helena, connected via communication magic, groaned as she heard my report.
“Brigade Leader Bernhard didn’t send you to investigate something like this, did he? Why bring back news this huge?”
“But isn’t it important intel?”
“They were using Dialogue Church sorcery to build their power— is that really true?”
“Yes, without a doubt.”
“If you say so, Sion, then it must be. Hmm…….”
“I couldn’t confirm the civilian conscription and soldier training, but it’s probably true as well.”
“Hey, Sion.”
“Yes?”
“There’s some news that just came in.”
“What is it?”
“The Independent Knight Brigade’s 1st Unit, which was operating with you, was wiped out. Their leader, Ridcamp, seems to be dead too.”
“…….”
“Not sure if they got hit while securing conscription evidence…… but it has to be their doing.”
Ridcamp was a 7th rank knight.
No way he fell to monsters or bandits.
“We can’t sit idle any longer, Aunt.”
“Yeah, I’ll report to Father.”
Once Helena analyzed the intel and submitted her report, even the pro-Edel Felt knights in the Paladin Order would be silenced.
“A subjugation force will be formed soon. Get ready.”
To subjugate the Edel Felt family, the Paladin Order began to move.