Chapter 1146: Showdown (17)
The day after discussing Kabahim’s monarch and the remains of the Dead God.
Lennok stood in the drill ground, built for knight training, located on the outskirts of the royal palace.
Thump!
The mana threads, snagging on a protruding stone, rapidly contracted.
Grabbing the mana threads with both hands and pulling them taut, light flashed from all directions.
He slipped past the swords of the two knights, swung from either side of Lennok, deflecting them in opposite directions.
Swoosh!!
Circular ripples spread forward and backward from Lennok, accompanied by an ear-splitting whoosh.
“Ugh…!”
The knights clicked their tongues, gripping their swords and twisting their bodies, rotating around Lennok at incredible speed.
The dirt ground of the drill field continuously exploded, raising pillars of sand, through which silver sword blades flashed.
The knights burst through the acrid sandstorm, accelerating as they bounced between the drill ground’s outer wall and the ground.
But Lennok, without moving from his spot, effortlessly deflected all the sword slashes from the two knights pressing in from both sides.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!!!!
Scores of circular ripples overlapped and burst in the air between Lennok and the two knights.
The knights’ swords were roughly deflected, unable to even reach Lennok’s immediate vicinity.
Amidst the countless flashing sword-lights and the glowing mana threads, time seemed to stand still.
The expressions of the knights, who were slowly accelerating around Lennok, were etched with astonishment.
“Unbelievable. What kind of combat skill is this…!!”
“How can he use spells so quickly—?”
Whoosh!!
Before they could finish speaking, a mana thread shot out, grazing the cheeks of both knights and bouncing away.
The taut threads, pulled like bowstrings, intricately wove together in the air, pulling against each other and instantly seizing the knights’ bodies.
Only then did the knights regain their senses and begin to gather mana with all their might.
Lennok whipped his mana threads like a whip, while the high-ranking knights accelerated and swung their swords, evading his trajectory.
Despite matching Lennok’s mana threads and speed bare-handed, their balance remained unshaken.
At the culmination of the swift offense and defense, moving so fast that the surrounding scenery appeared blurred, the two knights twisted their bodies simultaneously and assumed their stances.
Clang!!
Stepping back two paces, they drew their swords. Channeling mana with all their might, they struck with invisible speed.
[Crescent Moon Slash]
[Falling Star Rush]
A sword-light that curved circularly, cutting through the air the moment it was swung.
A charge that accelerated, pushing the entire body’s weight forward like a cannonball.
The moment the flashing sword-light rained down and carved distinct sword-lines onto the ground.
[Gate to Heaven Activation]
A colossal, triangular shield unfolded before Lennok, receiving all the sword slashes head-on.
Crash!!!!
As the sword energy and the Gate to Heaven shield collided, a circular shockwave erupted, violently shaking the drill ground.
Yet, despite receiving the attacks almost simultaneously, there wasn’t even a scratch on the shield’s surface.
The moment the knights, seeing the violently vibrating shield, raised their swords with grim expressions.
“That’s enough.”
“……!!”
Lennok, having instantly slipped through the gap between the two knights using Flicker, extended his hand sideways.
Clatter-clatter-clatter!!!!
The black mana threads wrapped around his left arm spun at tremendous speed, obscuring Lennok’s left hand.
The moment his left hand, concealed within the black rings, clenched into a fist, grasping a crystalline light.
Both knights were flung in different directions, crashing with tremendous force.
Boom!!!!
The impact shook the drill ground, which was built outside the royal palace for knight training.
“Ugh…!”
“Urgh, my back…”
Amidst the swirling dust, groans could be heard as the two knights struggled to their feet.
A young man with short, thin blond hair, giving off the impression of a delinquent.
A heavily-built giant, grunting and clutching his back.
“Let’s take a short break and resume.”
Lennok, standing in the middle of the drill ground, slowly dusted off his hands and spoke.
“If we continue like this, I might lose control and kill you.”
“What?”
The blond youth’s eyebrows twitched at Lennok’s words, and he snapped his head around.
The young man spat on the dirt ground and stared at Lennok with a sullen expression.
“No, Scion. You shouldn’t say that. We were just helping you out because you said you wanted to try His Majesty’s gift, weren’t we?”
“What are you implying?”
Lennok scoffed.
“It doesn’t seem to be my fault that you can’t be proper training partners.”
“No, after beating us half to death just now, what kind of…!!”
“Lyell, he is His Majesty’s guest.”
The giant, who had dusted himself off and stood up, called out to the blond youth and turned.
“It’s only natural for our distinguished guest to misunderstand with your impudent manner of speaking. It would be better if you said nothing at all.”
“Damn it, Albian, how well-spoken do you think you are?”
They exchanged exaggerated complaints, but Lennok knew well how skilled the two knights he had just faced were.
Though a light spar, these were knights capable of engaging in a proper skirmish against Lennok, even if only for a moment.
Despite being thrown to the ground without even protective armor, neither of them had a single scratch.
Among Kabahim’s knights, they were undeniably top-tier powerhouses in terms of both experience and talent.
Lyell Calberg, Commander of the 7th Division of the Royal Capital’s Ten Royal Knights of Rectitude.
Albian Royce, Commander of the 9th Division of the Royal Palace’s Ten Royal Knights of Rectitude.
They were the commanders of the Royal Capital’s knight divisions Aron had assigned for Lennok’s escort after their discussion about the Dead God.
A lavish, even extravagant, arrangement to assign the Royal Capital’s strongest warriors as personal bodyguards.
But Lennok knew that such treatment also included a purpose of surveillance, to ensure the blood relative of Ban-gung did not escape.
“But the martial prowess that the distinguished guest displays is truly nothing short of awe-inspiring.”
A sharp-featured woman, who had been watching the spar from outside the drill ground, spoke.
Florian, the 4th Division Commander, slowly walked over and smiled with her eyes as she looked at Lennok.
“I never dreamed that such a noble bloodline would possess such outstanding skill.”
“Enough with the unnecessary talk, let’s start again.”
Lennok glanced sideways, spinning the mana threads wrapped around his left arm.
“I think I can get the hang of it with just a little more practice.”
They had been sparring with the knights for nearly half a day, but this spar was the result of Lennok’s request, not the knight commanders’.
Although the knights had shown reluctance, they couldn’t refuse Lennok’s pretext of wanting to test the shield gifted by Aron.
After beating up the hesitant knights a few times, they, too, had become fired up and actively engaged in the recent spar.
However, Lennok’s request for a spar, using the Gate to Heaven as an excuse, wasn’t merely because he wanted to fight the knights.
‘I think I can somehow manage to use the Forbidden Armament while keeping it hidden.’
Clang!!
Lennok fell into thought, looking at the crystalline gauntlet hidden amidst the bundle of mana threads wrapped around his left arm.
‘If I wrap it with mana threads to conceal its form and presence, and manipulate perception, I should be able to use the gauntlet while hiding it, but…’
Up until now, he had only used the Forbidden Armament for firepower projection, so he hadn’t worried about it.
But if Lennok intended to cooperate with Aron’s plan, he needed to refine his use of the Forbidden Armament more precisely.
‘If Aron discovers the Forbidden Armament’s existence in this situation, my options will be severely limited.’
The Forbidden Armament, crafted from the blood relative of Ban-gung, was a divine artifact that allowed the manipulation of spellcraft within the realm of concepts.
If Lennok were to open The Gate, he would inevitably have to use the Forbidden Armament in that process.
But if Aron discovered the Forbidden Armament, Lennok’s identity as not being Ban-gung’s blood relative would be exposed.
To accompany Aron while concealing his identity, he had to use the Forbidden Armament in front of him without revealing its existence.
The commanders of the Ten Royal Knights of Rectitude were all high-level physical superhumans, monsters whose physical abilities were amplified several times over by the Royal Capital’s blessing.
If he could use the Forbidden Armament while concealing its presence even against these superhumans, he should be able to do so in front of Aron as well.
Fortunately, after several trial-and-error attempts, he was starting to get a rough idea of how to handle the gauntlet.
‘The Forbidden Armament is a medium for manipulation spellcraft, replacing mana threads. If perceived, even vague or abstract concepts can be manipulated.’
This gauntlet, crafted from the blood relative of Ban-gung, was itself an extremely powerful manipulation spellcaster and a proxy for spellcraft.
Therefore, Lennok, equipped with the gauntlet, could ‘grasp’ and ‘wield’ all sorts of phenomena and concepts without using mana threads.
A divine artifact with boundless applications, save for the immense mana and will-thought it consumed.
He had demanded the spar with the knights, using the Gate to Heaven as an excuse, to confirm whether he could deceive even the high-ranking knights’ perception abilities.
However, the other knight commanders seemed not to have noticed that fact, instead marveling at Lennok’s prowess in the current spar.
“To use such heavy and bulky armor so skillfully… it’s truly remarkable.”
The large knight, Albian, looked at Lennok with a surprised expression, carrying his greatsword on his back.
“It’s truly difficult to acquire skill or experience through sparring rather than actual combat. But noble blood seems different from ordinary humans like me.”
“This time, I’d like to change opponents.”
Lennok ignored Albian’s words and gestured toward the outside of the drill ground.
“Who is the strongest among those three?”
Three knight commanders stood at the edge of the fortress outside the drill ground, watching them.
A stern young man with navy-blue hair. An old man with grizzled white hair. A boy with a perpetual smile.
Like those gathered here, Lennok had seen these knights once during his audience.
Among them, the boy knight, Uzel, had even spoken with him while guiding Lennok to the royal palace armory.
“Scion. I apologize, but they probably cannot participate in the spar you desire.”
However, Florian shook her head with a troubled expression at Lennok’s words.
“Their knight divisions are not directly under the Royal Capital, and they are forbidden from drawing their swords near the Royal Palace.”
“Don’t worry. As long as the Scion wishes, we will keep fighting until he wants to stop.”
Clang!!
Lyell, who had drawn a long sword from his waist, grinned.
“If it’s His Majesty’s command, I can even get beaten up all day. Dying is out of the question, though.”
“An interesting answer.”
Lennok chuckled.
“Are you afraid of death, for a knight loyal to the royal family?”
“Well, yeah. I swore to die only when His Majesty permits it, after all.”
“……”
Having accompanied them for almost a day, he knew they weren’t always so rigid.
But every time he heard an answer like that, he was reminded of their absolute loyalty to the royal family as knights.
Even Lyell, the casual 7th Division Commander, possessed an absolute loyalty to the royal family.
Right now, that fact felt more human than a boundary—
“Most importantly, if I’m here, I can skip those annoying joint training sessions. It’s a chance to legally get out of training, isn’t it?”
“Lyell.”
“Sigh…”
Florian and Albian stared at the smirking Lyell with dumbfounded expressions.
“His Majesty wouldn’t have entrusted us with the distinguished guest’s escort for such a frivolous reason.”
“Is it acceptable for a commander of the Royal Capital’s knights to shirk his duties in such a manner?”
“Ah, you don’t have to worry about that.”
As the two chastised Lyell, a boy’s voice was heard beside them.
Uzel, approaching with a bright smile, placed a hand on his chest and nodded.
“I’ve already postponed this quarter’s joint knight training schedule by a few weeks.”
“……What?”
“If a commander of the Royal Capital’s knights worries about missing joint training, wouldn’t their work efficiency decrease?”
In the subtly awkward atmosphere, Uzel flashed a refreshing smile.
“In that case, it’s better to postpone the joint training schedule so everyone can participate after this matter is concluded.”
“……”
Lyell and Albian grimaced, speechless. Florian also wore a displeased expression.
They might have chastised Lyell, but the other commanders likely didn’t want to participate in bothersome joint training sessions either, opting to postpone them.
“Hmm, Sir Uzel. That’s not entirely wrong, but…”
“There’s no need to—”
“I’ve already reported it to the Royal Secretariat, was something amiss?”
“……”
Albian and Florian grumbled internally, unable to admit they disliked training. Uzel watched their expressions with what seemed like ecstatic delight.
“That psychopath of a bastard…”
“Great Scion.”
Pretending not to hear Lyell’s quiet whisper from behind him, Uzel turned his gaze to Lennok.
The moment he lightly smiled and flicked his hand, the sword hanging at Uzel’s waist was drawn in a flash.
Clang!!
The sword draw was so fast that even Lennok’s senses, which had been observing his every move, couldn’t properly catch it.
“If the distinguished guest wishes to practice, I am also willing to assist.”
Uzel smiled and gestured with his sword.
“Would you grant me the honor of crossing swords with the Great Scion?”
“No. Let’s stop here.”
“……Excuse me?”
“Time is up, after our conversation.”
Seeing Uzel’s expression momentarily become awkward, Lennok looked up.
“It seems I need to make a decision soon.”
Whoosh!!!!
After finishing the spar, Lennok emerged from the bathroom, having washed himself.
The spacious bedroom was filled with luxurious decorations that hurt the eyes.
The chefs entered as the door opened, bringing in carts laden with food and unfolding a table.
The menu consisted mainly of appetizers and salads that were easy on the stomach, with acidic dishes to stimulate the appetite.
Ever since Kabahim’s monarch declared Lennok to be a blood relative of Ban-gung, Lennok’s treatment as an officially recognized royal guest had transformed to an entirely different level.
From various gifts and ceremonial robes to accommodations, consumables, and even such food, it was no longer surprising.
The other chefs bowed and filed out of the room, leaving behind one chef who was still setting the food.
The chef stood with his back to Lennok, leisurely placing dishes.
“Your order is a mess.”
Lennok chuckled, looking at his back.
“If you want to make it obvious, do you really need to use such a clumsy method?”
“……Ah.”
The chef, who had been quietly setting down a plate, froze in place.
The chef straightened his back, slowly turned around, and grinned.
“No, if you knew, couldn’t you have told me from the start?”
Swoosh!!
As he wiped a hand across his face, the face of a young man, powdered stark white, appeared.
Lennok’s eyes glinted as he looked at the illusionist, who had appeared by evading the surveillance of the entire royal capital.
“You’re quite late. Where have you been all this time?”
“Ha…”
But the Clown, instead of answering Lennok’s question, tilted his head back, one hand on his face.
As the Clown lowered his gaze, an triumphant expression, like someone who had guessed the right answer, appeared on his face.
“I knew it.”
“What nonsense is that?”
“I clearly mentioned Victor’s origins before, didn’t I?”
The Clown said in a voice filled with self-admiration.
“The bloodline of an Ascendant. A descendant of the cursed Ban-gung. And I’ve guessed correctly again.”
“……”
The Clown puffed himself up excessively, looking at the silent Lennok.
“Even if you deny it, you can’t deceive someone rational and logical like me. After all, Victor’s manipulation spellcraft was qualitatively different from the friends I’ve killed.”
“You’re spouting nonsense, knowing it’s because of the Forbidden Armament. You don’t have time for such talk right now.”
Lennok shook his head irritably and leaned back on the bed, staring at the Clown.
The Clown, who knew about the Forbidden Armament’s existence, couldn’t possibly be unaware that this situation itself was influenced by it to some extent.
He didn’t want to deal with a mad illusionist who bragged about his correct judgment despite knowing that, but there was a discussion that absolutely had to happen now.
“Aronbaiger Kabahim is treating me with extreme deference, deliberately separating me from my existing companions, including Freya. You know that, right?”
“……”
“He’s probably assuming the possibility of my colleagues or companions being among my retinue and deliberately trying to prevent contact.”
Lennok’s eyes glinted.
“You, too, know this, which is why you contacted me using illusion magic.”
“……Hmm. I don’t like serious discussions too much.”
The Clown averted his gaze with a smiling face.
“I’m quite exhausted from sneaking in here. Wouldn’t it be better to start with something more amusing?”
“Aronbaiger Kabahim intends to process the Dead God’s remains into a Forbidden Armament. In that process, he wants me to directly open The Gate.”
Lennok ignored the Clown’s words and rapidly explained the situation so far.
The relationship between Ban-gung’s blood relative and the blessing. Why Aron desired the god’s power, and what could be done with the Forbidden Armament created this way.
However, Lennok was not immediately rejecting Aron’s plan, but rather considering cooperating with him for another reason.
“Regardless of the plan’s success or failure, cooperating with Aron is clearly the quickest way to meet the ‘Dead God’.”
“……”
The Otherworldly Sanctuary existing beyond The Gate. The remains of the Dead God resting there in death.
It was undeniable that Aron’s plan was the fastest way to make contact with the Dead God.
Lennok’s dilemma was how far he should cooperate with Aron’s plan.
He didn’t know how getting entangled with Aron would affect the infiltration operation.
Betraying Pandemonium at this point, with the operation well underway, was meaningless.
At the very least, he thought it necessary to hear the opinion of the Clown, who was commanding this operation.
“Aha.”
The Clown, hearing Lennok’s words, tilted his head and then spoke.
“Well, why not?”
“What?”
“Processing the Dead God’s remains into a Forbidden Armament. That sounds fun just hearing about it.”
The Clown cackled.
“However, the ability of such a Forbidden Armament, being the power to use Apostle Spellcraft without offerings, seems a bit trivial.”
“Trivial…?”
“Even if the objective itself isn’t false… it’s impossible that ‘merely’ that is all that can be done with the Dead God’s remains.”
The Clown leisurely picked at a canapé on the table.
“It seems he’s plotting something interesting. Just play along, and if things go wrong, just flip the table, why not?”
“……”
The Clown grinned, watching the silent Lennok.
“Well, frankly, it’s not my business, so I don’t really care—”
“You’re right.”
Lennok looked up.
“Trivial. Hiding something. You’re definitely right about that.”
“Victor?”
“Proceed with the operation preparations among yourselves.”
Lennok walked, overlaying an illusion spell over his mask.
“I need to find out what Aronbaiger Kabahim is hiding in this royal capital.”
“……Oh dear.”
The Clown tilted his head.
“Did I just lose a key operative right before the operation?”
Whoosh!!!!
Under a dark, rainy night sky.
A downpour streamed from the storm clouds that had gathered since evening.
Lennok, hooded, stood before a dilapidated fortress, getting drenched in the rain.
Kabahim’s royal capital’s back gate. An abandoned, dilapidated fortress, untouched by human hands, reached by following the underground waterways outside the royal capital.
“You’re here.”
Aron, who had been standing without bothering to avoid the pouring rain, turned as he sensed Lennok’s presence.
“This will be the most suitable place to open the backside of The Gate.”
“……”
Aron slowly moved through the downpour, gathering mana.
“I will now begin preparations to ‘pull out’ the Dead God.”