Chapter 78 : Iron Rule

Chapter 78: Iron Rule

Squish, squish.

Soaked in blood, our footsteps sounded damp.

It had been easy.

Getting this far.

Those Ailun warriors, said to be stubborn and arrogant, had pissed their pants and fled.

Of course, it was thanks to the Magical Armor.

If I hadn’t had it?

Even I... perhaps even now, might not have been able to overcome the magicians.

Even if I had broken through, I would have been blocked by six hundred Experts and been forced into a desperate struggle.

It was thanks to the Magical Armor.

But looking at it another way—

It was just Magical Armor.

Ailun, once boasting of being the strongest in Norberju, collapsed because of a single artifact—just one artifact, which had been common in the ancient era.

This world was so unbearably fragile...

‘It makes me anxious.’

I didn’t think it could endure.

Something terrifying and horrific, with no edges in sight, was lurking somewhere in the distance...

When it finally cast its shadow, would we really...?

‘I need to hurry.’

I had to seize Ailun quickly.

I needed the strength to prepare.

Creak—

I opened the largest and most ornate gate of Haarun’s palace.

Through the crack, the first thing I saw was pale blond hair, almost faded, and green eyes.

It was Haarun.

“So you’re alive?”

There had been so many rumors of his death.

At my question, Haarun raised his hand slightly in acknowledgment.

“I’m alive.”

“You seem stronger.”

“I didn’t make it to Grandmaster, though.”

He looked far too unscathed.

Had he perhaps taken an Elixir?

As I stared at him intently, Haarun sighed.

“Honestly, I was expecting this. I thought if you came charging in like this, then maybe I could kill you.”

He scratched at his glimmering light blond hair.

“But... I didn’t even get a scratch on you, not a single drop of blood spilled.”

The tone of his voice sounded rather deflated as he said it.

He asked me,

“Did you come here to kill me?”

I shook my head.

“No.”

I strode forward.

Two Swordmasters and sixteen Peak Experts were stationed around Haarun, but I paid them no mind and boldly cut through their midst.

Halfway up the steps leading to the throne, I sat down carelessly and looked down at Haarun.

“I came to talk.”

“Talk?”

Yes. Talk.

I wanted to kill as few as possible.

The more I killed, the more Ailun’s public sentiment would plummet into the gutter—and then I’d have to kill even more.

I had shown off my strength plenty; now it was time to ask.

“Surrender.”

“Surrender?”

“Yes. Honestly, I don’t have time to be tied down by Ailun right now. I’m looking at something much bigger.”

I sharpened my will like a blade and glared at Haarun.

He flinched and shut his mouth, just as he had been about to retort.

“Just think of it as waiting twenty years. No—ten years will do. Once I’ve seized something far greater, I’ll hand this measly Ailun back to you.”

Haarun didn’t answer.

Instead, his fist clenched so tight that his knuckles turned white.

A moment ago, there had been a trace of resignation in his green eyes, but now they burned with heat.

“Stand up.”

“Must it really be this way?”

“I said, stand up.”

What a pity.

This meant much more blood would have to be spilled.

Step.

I slowly descended the stairs until I stood face-to-face with Haarun. Two Swordmasters and sixteen Peak Experts raised their Aura against me.

“Hey! You lot, your opponents are over here!”

Katrina drew her sword and stepped forward. Behind her, the rest of the sixteen siblings backed her up.

The tense killing intent wrapped around the entire hall.

But I merely stared silently into Haarun’s eyes.

He drew his sword.

He aimed the blade at me, holding it level with the ground, above his shoulder.

A faint golden Aura Blade flared to life.

That was a bit unexpected.

“So this time you’re striking first?”

This guy, who always sent his guards in first and only swooped in for the final blow?

At my words, Haarun gave a bitter smile.

So bitter that self-loathing seeped through it.

“Thanks to you, I realized a few things.”

It felt like he had changed.

Not something that happened often...

It almost felt like a shame to kill him.

Vwoooom—!

But already, Aura surged from all sides.

Haarun’s Aura intertwined with that of his subordinates, bursting with even fiercer light.

‘Aura amplified between Peak Experts and Swordmasters...’

Even for a Grandmaster, this wouldn’t be easy.

“Serinne. Ionis. You two take command and handle the small fry.”

The one who said that was a Swordmaster I had never seen before.

‘So that’s Torban of Thunder’s Roar.’

A Swordmaster said to be the leader of the Seven Champions of the Storm.

In the past, he had often been compared to Kxias—a remarkable figure.

“Yes, Torban.”

“Understood.”

They were Serinne of Quick-Kill and Ionis of Sky-Charge, also famed warriors and members of the Seven Champions of the Storm.

“Khhh—this is exciting! I’m thrilled!”

It was Barkan the Irresistible.

His heart pounded so wildly it was almost deafening.

Katrina shouted furiously at him.

“Hey! Barkan! You’re supposed to fight me!”

But Barkan paid her no heed.

And so, the battle lines were drawn.

Haarun, Torban, and Barkan—the three Swordmasters—along with ten Peak Experts pointed their blades at me. The remaining six Peak Experts moved to check my siblings.

With a playful tone, Haarun said,

“Sorry. I’d like to have a flashy one-on-one duel too... but I just don’t have the confidence.”

At his words, I answered sincerely.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about.”

After all,

“It won’t matter.”

[Awakening of the Sword Spirit]

[Acceleration]

[Tempest]

Kwaaaaang—!

By the time the storm that burst from behind me whipped my hair about, it was already over.

“Uh...?”

Amid the raging winds, Haarun stood with his lips parted stupidly.

“Cough...”

He belatedly spat blood.

“What... what is this....”

A single slash after an explosive charge.

That one strike shattered Haarun’s sword, which had been brimming with Aura.

The Shockwave, bursting forth with that Aura, must have wrecked his insides.

“Gghk...”

“Ugh...!”

His subordinates, who had been sharing Aura with him, suffered the same fate. Vomiting blood or groaning, they staggered and collapsed.

“What... are you, a monster? I can’t even put up a fight....”

So saying, Haarun slowly sank down.

I leveled my sword at him.

“Just surrender.”

At that, Haarun gave a faint laugh.

His green eyes, still not dimmed, looked at me as he asked,

“What about you? Would you surrender?”

Me?

I thought about it for a moment.

The conclusion was simple.

‘I would.’

A hundred times over. If it meant saving my siblings.

But it seemed Haarun took my brief silence to mean something else.

“See? You’re the same as me.”

...Honestly, he and I could never see eye to eye.

Haarun quietly held my gaze.

As if he wanted to read into my heart.

“Tell me... could you spare my men?”

“We’ll see.”

It felt like a half-hearted answer, yet Haarun gave a satisfied smile.

Spreading his arms wide, he tilted his head back as though relieved.

“Kill me. I’ll die as a king.”

So. This was the end.

Thrust—

I drove my sword through Haarun’s heart.

I hadn’t wanted to behead him.

Haarun closed his eyes.

“Brida....”

Even now, with his last breath, he whispered the name of his lover who was already gone.

He really had changed, this guy.

Somehow, my strength ebbed away.

‘Today... I don’t want to kill anymore.’

So I thought, as I looked back at Haarun’s retainers.

For some reason, all of them had already lowered their blades.

Except for one madman.

“Ahahaha! This is it! This is what I wanted!”

Barkan the Irresistible.

Alone, he hefted a massive greatsword, stomping forward to charge at me.

“Show me! The ultimate power!”

Since he asked me to show it,

I did.

Kwaaang!

I didn’t slash with my sword.

I had already cut down too many today.

Instead, with the fist that wasn’t holding my blade, I drove a blow into his chest.

“Cough!”

Barkan’s armor shattered to pieces.

Grinning with blood streaming between his teeth, he bared his smile.

“Yeah... this is it....”

Slooowly—his body toppled backward.

“That was... fun....”

Thud!

He sprawled out flat, no longer breathing.

Anyone else?

With tired eyes, I looked around. Haarun’s retainers were slowly dropping to their knees—except for one.

What was this about now?

The one who answered was the Swordmaster known as Torban of Thunder’s Roar.

“Lord Haarun left... a testament.”

He approached respectfully and handed me a letter.

It was written by Haarun’s own hand.

[It’s nothing much, just wanted to ask a favor, so I’m leaving this letter.]

So it began, the contents simple.

“So... Haarun told me to take over Ailun?”

“Yes. He said if he were defeated and killed, we were not to resist further, and to follow Lord Ransen.”

I glanced back at the letter.

[Ah, I did say it well enough... but there’ll probably still be plenty who won’t listen. If possible, try to go easy on them. Handing over Ailun... it’s just that I don’t want to see my men dying anymore. That’s all. Please, Ransen.]

Hah, seriously....

Before, he treated his men like expendable tools.

Even when his lover died, he didn’t bat an eye.

And now—this letter, those last words....

It felt truly strange.

Slowly, I turned my gaze.

All were kneeling except for one warrior, who still pointed his blade at me.

Dark wine-colored hair, mid-forties.

Aura shimmered with determination along the edge of his sword.

“And you? One of those who won’t listen?”

At my question, he ground his teeth.

“Kashimir Gulak. I... I cannot acknowledge you.”

Hah.

Impressive.

Isn’t the Roberland way to kneel first and mutter dissent later?

Such a straight-backed man. Not like the rest here.

I let out a sigh and shook my head.

“Go. Just go.”

“...? What do you mean?”

“I said go. We’ll talk later.”

I had killed enough today.

I had achieved my purpose.

I never expected Haarun himself would name me as the new ruler of Ailun.

This outcome was far better—perhaps even the best result I could have hoped for.

So it was fine.

There was no need to slaughter everyone blindly.

“Go.”

At last, Kashimir Gulak lowered his blade.

He shot me a fierce glare before leaving.

What remained were my slightly dumbfounded siblings, and the sixteen former enemy captains kneeling quietly.

‘The situation looks pretty good.’

Each of them had made a name for themselves as warriors of Ailun, and were key figures in their respective regions.

If they truly followed me, ruling Ailun would be all too easy.

Just as I was thinking that—

Squish, squish—

Someone walked into the great hall, their steps splashing in blood.

I had sensed a presence earlier, but only now did it make a move.

One ordinary man entered, while two Swordmasters waited by the gate.

Come to fight?

I asked with my eyes.

Ssshhk—

‘?’

The two Swordmasters immediately lowered their gaze.

So, not here to fight.

Instead—

Squish, squish—

The ordinary man, radiating no Aura, approached me, the hems of his trousers soaked through with blood.

*         *         *

Renajora Chemien of the Thousand-faced Caravan.

Staying in Ilunael and still debating where to place his bet, he was the first to notice the upheaval at Haarun’s palace.

“Ransen stormed in?!”

At once, he set out with two Swordmasters as escort and came to the palace.

He couldn’t just send people.

He had to come himself. Only then could he judge the situation accurately and plan accordingly.

And indeed, that was the right choice.

‘Insane. Completely insane....’

What in the world had happened here?

At the entrance to the Inner City, magicians had blocked the path. When he forced his way past them and went further in—

Corpses, corpses. Only a hall painted crimson with blood.

Ailun’s once-arrogant Experts were in panic, trembling like frightened animals.

After crossing that sea of blood and finally reaching the great hall, what he witnessed was Haarun lying dead.

And before the one who killed Haarun—Ransen—Ailun’s generals were kneeling.

‘Ah...!’

The calculation was quick, effortless.

He straightened his posture and stepped into the hall.

Squish, squish—

Not caring that his expensive clothes were soaking up blood.

Stopping at a respectful distance, he bent on one knee and gave his greeting.

“I pay my respects to Lord Ransen.”

“Who are you?”

“I am the humble merchant, Renajora Chemien, offering my sincerest salutations.”

Renajora Chemien, the Thousand-faced Caravan.

He had an iron rule.

‘Trust my own judgment above the world’s judgment.’

However—

‘If that judgment proves wrong, then I must kneel faster and differently than anyone else.’

That was his second iron rule.

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