Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Time of Liquidation (3)
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“Dwarves have begun attacking the inner keep!”
“……I’m going to lose my mind.”
Jerome Mechelder clutched his face with both hands.
Just hearing that Martin had killed Simon Royce was enough to make his head throb.
Even if his succession rights had been stripped, he was still Nicholas von Royce’s own grandson, wasn’t he?
‘And to top it off, he’s already killed Stefan Rustal.’
First his grandson by marriage, now his own blood.
What reaction would Nicholas have?
The mere thought made his mind reel, and now, in the midst of all this, a horde of dwarves had come charging in.
On top of that, the outer wall—known as an impregnable fortress—hadn’t held out for even an hour. It was more than enough to maximize his headache.
“How long do you think the inner keep can hold?”
“The knights and mages are putting up a fierce fight, but it’s only a matter of time before it falls!”
“Send a message to the Adventurer’s Guild branch chief right now! Tell the adventurers to join the defense!”
“B-but they say war isn’t their concern…….”
“You’ve got some nerve spouting that nonsense. Tell the branch chief this exactly: if they keep dragging their feet, I’ll expose every dirty deed they’ve done in the black market.”
“Understood!”
The secretary rushed out of the office.
As if waiting for that moment, another secretary entered, his face deathly pale.
Jerome instinctively knew his ordeal wasn’t over yet, and it proved true.
“Urgent report! A large group of elves has raided the black market and completely burned down the slave market! Numerous VIPs have been taken hostage!”
“……Damn it all.”
Unable to contain his rage, Jerome spat out a coarse curse.
Events that would be overwhelming even if just one occurred were piling up one after another.
No solutions came to mind.
And separately, something else gnawed at him.
‘Dwarves and elves both came in groups, so no matter how stealthily they moved, they’d leave traces.’
Yet there hadn’t been a single report of spotting them.
Everyone had been too busy monitoring Martin, who was sweeping through the north.
His thoughts reached that point, and Jerome’s face twisted.
‘Did he deliberately kill Simon Royce to draw all attention to himself?’
Considering the current situation, it was highly likely.
Thud!
Jerome shot to his feet.
“Where is the young lord right now!”
“We received word an hour ago that he entered the Gourmet District!”
“And the White Dragon Knights?!”
“I confirmed just now on my way in—they’re still at the city hall!”
“Send troops immediately to subdue them! If they resist, kill them—no mercy!”
“Understood!”
“Even if things are chaotic, there’s no need for great worry. No matter how much they rampage, their numbers are limited.”
With those words, Jerome flung open the office window.
He leaped out and dashed straight toward the inner keep.
He intended to personally lead the troops and crush the dwarves.
But his plan fell apart.
Boom!
The firmly shut gates crumbled in a heap.
‘It’s not cannon fire.’
Something more powerful than artillery had demolished the gates.
Realizing it was the attack of a true powerhouse, Jerome tensed up.
Crash!
A roar echoed as fragments of the gate scattered everywhere.
Following that, the dwarf elder, Paolo, entered the inner keep.
Spotting Jerome, he grinned.
“So you’re the one. The leader of this cursed city.”
“And what if I am?”
“What else? You’ll pay for your crimes so far. With your life, naturally.”
Thud!
Paolo stomped the ground with his right foot.
Cone-shaped spikes erupted from the earth, all hurtling toward Jerome.
It was the activation of his unique ability, ‘Rock Manipulation’.
But Jerome didn’t stand idle.
“Hah!”
With a shout, he thrust out his right fist.
His single blow pulverized the dozens of spikes in an instant.
And that wasn’t all.
He activated his acquired unique ability, ‘Body Hardening’.
It was an extension of physical enhancement, but far more special.
His body became as hard as diamond.
Using this, he excelled at blocking attacks from those stronger than him.
‘Kill him, and the dwarves will collapse.’
Jerome instantly decided and charged at Paolo.
Watching this, a savage smile crept onto Paolo’s lips.
“Bold spirit.”
Thud! Thud thud!
Rocks around them floated up and gathered toward Paolo’s hammer.
They soon formed a massive hammer, which Paolo gripped firmly with both hands.
Jerome sneered at his foe.
‘As if a mere rock lump can beat me.’
Finally, the distance closed, and Paolo swung the rock hammer.
Jerome didn’t defend.
He planned to tank it with his bare body, then drive his fist into the enemy’s torso.
But then—
Boom!
A cone-shaped spike burst from beneath Jerome’s feet.
It struck him squarely in the jaw.
“Gah!”
With a short cry, Jerome staggered.
It didn’t hurt much.
But the intense dizziness made it hard to control his body.
‘No, not good!’
Losing control weakened his Body Hardening for a moment, and in that gap, Paolo’s hammer smashed into Jerome’s head.
“Argh!”
A wretched scream escaped as crimson blood sprayed from Jerome’s mouth.
Overwhelmed by agony and vertigo, his body collapsed to the ground.
He struggled to move, but his limbs only trembled.
“Those who over-rely on their abilities meet pathetic ends.”
Paolo stomped on Jerome’s chest.
Then he aimed his restored hammer.
“You knew our kin were enslaved, yet you turned a blind eye. Your greater sin was allowing the slave market to exist at all. Your life isn’t nearly enough to atone, but I’ll take it for sure.”
“Please wait a moment!”
Paolo halted as he was about to swing down.
He turned to look at a woman—it was Sien.
Just before leaving, Martin had told her the truth and entrusted her with one mission.
She had bided her time to fulfill it, and as soon as the White Dragon Knights cleared the way, she rushed here.
“Why stop me, member of the Adalbert family?”
“He’s the mayor of a city recognized by the Empire. I can overlook you starting the fight, but killing him will lead to irreversible consequences.”
“I don’t care if it sparks all-out war with the Empire. Getting revenge is enough.”
“Please hold back just this once. The young lord swore it. He’ll punish him under imperial law. He swore on the Adalbert name, so please believe him this one time.”
Tremble.
Paolo’s eyes wavered at Sien’s words.
It would be hard to ignore Martin’s proposal, unlike anyone else.
Thanks to his tip-off and help, they’d at least partially settled their long-held grudge.
Moreover, if not killed by his hand but punished by imperial law as Martin said, this mayor scum would die stripped of his honor too.
Paolo glanced at the other clansmen gathered around.
Their faces were fierce, but none opposed Sien’s view.
“No helping it. I’ll follow your advice this once. But I want to attend that trial for sure.”
“Of course.”
Sien answered with relief.
She quickly hardened her expression and stared at Jerome.
“Jerome Mechelder. For abetting and operating the slave market, you are under arrest.”
“Can you handle the consequences? Do you know who’s behind me…… Gah!”
Jerome couldn’t finish.
Sien had kicked him hard in the face.
“Whoever’s behind you doesn’t matter. We’re Adalberts.”
“Many White Dragon Knights know honor. I can trust you a bit.”
“I’ll strive to live up to expectations to the end.”
Sien spoke with sincerity.
Feeling it, Paolo smirked and nodded.
* * *
Aura blade flames licked around Heinz’s sword like fire.
Its sky-blue hue didn’t quite mimic real flames, though.
Boom!
Martin precisely blocked the enemy’s sword strike by raising his holy sword Kaizen.
In the process, he twisted his blade slightly to dissipate all the impact.
‘They say his swordsmanship talent is the continent’s best…….’
Heinz frowned.
Their swordsmanship realms were both at the 4th Circle, equal.
Yet despite his superior mana reserves and physical prowess, every attack was effortlessly countered.
The result of Martin’s overwhelming sword skill.
In other words, technically, he wasn’t Martin’s match.
‘Then I’ll just overwhelm him until he falls.’
With swords locked, Heinz flicked his left hand.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Massive streams of water poured from empty air.
Vibrating finely to sharpen like blades, no less.
‘Impressive as expected.’
Creating such a wide-area attack using only atmospheric moisture was undeniable.
But since he’d seen it before, countering was easy.
Proving it, Martin calmly flicked his left hand.
Hum.
Space warped, forming a black hole that swallowed the water streams in an instant.
He’d blocked the attack effortlessly, but couldn’t relax.
Even while using his unique ability, Heinz unleashed ferocious sword strikes.
Each clash scattered light shards and shockwaves.
Buildings around them crumbled, roads cracked.
“Hah!”
Heinz coated his aura blade with water edges.
He closed in on Martin, aiming to slash down.
Flinch!
But then—
Martin’s pitch-black eyes entered his vision.
Just that sent chills down his spine, and Heinz reflexively halted.
Slash!
A golden aura blade slash grazed past his face.
Strands of his bangs scattered, severed.
Hum.
At the same time, Martin vanished and reappeared behind Heinz.
Stepping into a thrust, he shot out his left fist. Heinz twisted desperately, raising his sword.
Boom!
An explosion rang out.
‘What power…….’
Heinz was genuinely flustered.
Cracks formed in his aura blade enhanced with water edges.
Even his right arm gripping the hilt went numb.
Martin was said to have weak physical stats.
How could someone like that unleash such devastating fist arts?
Swish!
But Heinz had no time for other thoughts.
Martin, seizing the chance, thrust wildly.
Each strike came as fast as mana gun bullets.
Yet incredibly precise too.
Boom boom boom!
Heinz countered fiercely in turn, but soon regretted it.
He couldn’t seize the initiative from Martin at all.
Injecting more mana into his aura blade, unleashing his unique ability madly—nothing changed.
“Hyah!”
Dozens of water streams encircled Martin and Heinz.
As if ready to self-destruct.
But it didn’t faze Martin.
He used spatial movement to escape easily, widening the gap to over 100 meters.
The water streams halted and dispersed.
“When I heard from Sword Saint that you landed a hit on him, I thought he went easy. But no. Your sword talent is spine-chilling.”
“Not planning to go easy just because you flatter me.”
“I admit it. You’ve earned the right to be arrogant. To win, I’ll have to go all out.”
Saying that, Heinz raised his left hand.
“Do you know, young lord? That the Gourmet District is closest to the Devritz River.”
Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!
As his words ended, massive water streams erupted beyond the walls.
Dozens of them.
“No matter how old I get, with terrain like this, I can’t lose even if I wanted to. So I declare: this place will be your grave today.”
“Now I really need to retire to the back room. Senility’s fully set in.”
Martin scoffed.
He knew the river was close.
And that it favored Heinz.
But that changed nothing.
He would be the victor.
* * *