Chapter 41

The Swordsmanship Genius Possessed by a God — Chapter 41

________________

A pool of blood spread across the ground.

Looking at the demonic human's pitch-black blood, Allen finally caught his breath and spoke.

“You should have fought as a swordsman instead.”

The nameless demonic human.

No, the swordsman.

Allen addressed him respectfully.

“Then things might have turned out differently.”

Setting aside the fact that he was a demonic human, his swordsmanship had been excellent.

If he hadn't become fixated on the Demon Sword, and if Allen hadn't borrowed the Demon Sword's power, it would have been Allen lying on the ground now.

That remained true even after the man was wounded.

Although becoming a demonic human had given him extraordinary vitality, he was still strong.

The same was true of his Demonic Beast Transformation.

The fight had ended easily only because Allen knew its weakness, a weakness learned through the sacrifices of countless members of the suicide squad. If the demonic human had completed his transformation, the battle would have been far more difficult.

All things considered, it had been no easy fight.

“Please...”

Looking at the demonic human's corpse, now blackened like a monster's, Allen spoke respectfully.

“In your next life, live as a true swordsman instead of a monster like this.”

After slowly steadying his breathing, Allen turned his head.

There was no group that remained unaffected by the death of its leader.

He could sense the enemy forces wavering after the demonic human's death.

The Second Squad's morale, on the other hand, soared.

“The squad leader won!”

“We won!”

“Finish off the rest of them!”

While Allen had been fighting the demonic human, every member of the Flying Sword Division's Second Squad had gathered here.

The Second Squad had concentrated on preventing the other enemies from interfering with Allen's fight. Victory had seemed to favor Allen, and in the end, he had indeed won.

Mary approached Allen after his victory.

“Are you injured anywhere?”

Allen nodded and spoke.

“I'm fine. More importantly, don't let a single one of those bastards escape. And if possible, capture at least one alive.”

Apart from the demonic human, the enemies weren't particularly skilled.

They were opponents Mary and the other Second Squad members could easily subdue.

“Understood. Please get some rest now, Squad Leader.”

“No. I'm heading straight to the main force.”

“Right now? But...”

Allen's complexion had grown paler than before after unleashing so many techniques in succession. It was a sign that much of his mana had been depleted.

Moreover, the wounds on his body were by no means shallow. Even if they weren't severe enough to be considered critical, he was clearly in poor condition.

“Let me go instead. You need to rest, Squad Leader.”

“No.”

There was a reason Allen insisted on going personally despite his poor condition.

“There's a reason I have to go. And we don't have time to waste here.”

“But...”

“Right now, the best way you can help me is by clearing a path, Deputy Leader.”

Allen entrusted Mary with securing their escape route.

She was the most skilled member of the Second Squad. He could safely entrust her with either the front or the rear.

At Allen's firm words, Mary nodded and turned around.

“Understood. Then follow me.”

“Let's go. Quickly.”

Allen followed behind Mary.

Or rather, he was about to.

“E-excuse me!”

If not for Renard's voice calling out at that moment.

Wondering what was wrong, Allen and Mary turned toward Renard simultaneously. After hesitating for a moment, he bowed his head toward Allen.

“Th-thank you.”

The demonic human lay on the ground, his body split apart.

Renard was thanking Allen for avenging his father.

Allen could see Renard's clenched fists trembling.

If circumstances had been different, Allen would have liked to talk with him about many things.

But there was no time for that now.

“Renard.”

Startled by Allen calling his name, Renard raised his head.

Meeting his eyes, Allen spoke.

“If you ever feel inclined, come to Vishken and look for Allen Vishken. Tell them you've been invited by me.”

“Allen Vishken...”

“That's right. I'll see you again.”

Flash.

Having said what he wanted, Allen left with Mary.

Watching Allen's figure rapidly disappear into the distance, Renard muttered,

“...But did I ever tell him my name?”

________________

Whoooooosh.

Biting winds swept through the Sword Graveyard.

An ominous wind.

At its center, the Lord of Steel Castle stood holding the Demon Sword, showing no reaction, as though his mind had gone blank.

“What's wrong?”

Sensing something ominous, Glacius asked.

The Lord of Steel Castle did not answer.

Realizing that something had gone wrong, Glacius attempted to approach him.

At that moment,

“Wait.”

Lucas, standing among the Vishken forces on the opposite side, stopped Glacius.

“Don't approach him.”

He had sensed something strange as well.

The difference was that, unlike Glacius, who had tried to approach, Lucas had ordered the swordsmen of the Flying Sword Division to retreat even farther.

Sure enough.

Something strange happened immediately afterward.

Shing.

“...!!!”

Glacius was startled.

Without warning, the Lord of Steel Castle began drawing the Demon Sword.

“Castle Lord!”

“I said stay where you are!”

A sharp shout stopped Glacius as he tried to rush forward in alarm.

At the same time—

Whoosh!

The aura Lucas unleashed pushed Glacius and the Imperial knights backward.

Glacius, momentarily forced back by Lucas's aura, shuddered.

‘He's stronger than me.’

The level of mastery Lucas revealed through his aura was higher than that of Glacius, an Imperial Master.

Having revealed his presence as commander of the Flying Sword Division, Lucas blocked Glacius's approach and glared at the Lord of Steel Castle.

By then, the Lord of Steel Castle had completely drawn the Demon Sword and was holding it in his hand.

Whooooo.

Ominous demonic energy poured from the faintly glowing red blade.

A smile appeared on the Lord of Steel Castle's lips as he gazed at the Demon Sword with an enchanted expression.

Seeing this, Lucas spoke.

“He's been possessed by the Demon Sword.”

“Th-the Castle Lord?”

It was First Squad Leader Kasar who asked in surprise at Lucas's words.

Unable to understand the situation, he asked,

“Why? Didn't they say it would be safe as long as no one drew the Demon Sword?”

“That's right. That was my understanding too. The Demon Sword's power and soul were supposed to be sealed within its scabbard.”

“Then why...?”

“One of two possibilities. Either the family's information was wrong...”

Lucas continued as he drew the sword at his waist.

“Or that isn't the real Demon Sword.”

“You mean it's a fake?”

“The odds are even. But one thing is certain. The Castle Lord has been consumed by that sword.”

Swish.

The Lord of Steel Castle, who had been gazing at the sword in rapture, turned his eyes toward Lucas.

With the whites of his eyes turned blood-red, the Lord of Steel Castle asked,

“So you must be the leader here.”

It was not the Lord of Steel Castle's voice.

The voice echoed unnaturally and made those who heard it feel nauseated. It sounded as though several people were speaking at once.

Lucas nodded and stepped forward.

“For the moment, it seems so. Who are you?”

“I am Belvemos.”

“Belvemos? Not Kaglos?”

The name was different from what he knew.

That meant the Demon Sword was a fake.

Lucas sensed that none of this was a coincidence.

‘Someone set a trap.’

Just as Allen had said, everything had happened too suddenly and too conveniently.

Traces of the Demon Sword, which had eluded them for so many years, had appeared far too abruptly.

The Sword Graveyard. The Rock Mercenary Corps. The porter. Even the existence of a sword possessing mysterious power.

It was as though all of these things had been arranged to advertise that the Demon Sword was here.

‘We've lost the real Demon Sword... No, that's not the problem right now.’

Securing the Demon Sword was important, but the enemy before him took priority.

The greatest problem they faced

Was the identity of the demon that had taken possession of the Lord of Steel Castle's body.

After all, a being capable of possessing the Lord of Steel Castle could hardly be an ordinary demon.

“I am Lucas Vishken, commander of Vishken's Flying Sword Division. The person whose body you have taken is one of Vishken's seven castle lords.”

Lucas first attempted to negotiate.

“He is important to us. Release him. If you do, I'll promise you another body. But if you refuse, we cannot simply let you leave.”

Glacius was startled by Lucas's words and sent him a telepathic message.

—“Flying Sword Commander. Are you serious?”

He was worried that Lucas might hand over one of the Imperial knights to the demon.

Fortunately, however, Lucas had not meant what he said.

—“Don't worry. I have no intention of keeping a promise made to a demon.”

It was a deception intended to fool the enemy.

Lucas believed that, no matter how powerful the demon might be, it would not willingly fight such a large number of swordsmen.

Sure enough.

“What kind of body?”

Hearing Belvemos's question emerge from the Lord of Steel Castle's mouth, Lucas felt that the negotiation was working.

No matter how powerful the demon was, its current body was merely borrowed. As long as the original owner's will remained alive, it was impossible to wield the borrowed body's full power.

Accepting the negotiation was therefore a reasonable choice for the demon as well.

“I'll find you a body suitable for you. However, there's a condition.”

“Let's hear it.”

Belvemos's response was surprisingly compliant.

A trace of wariness appeared in Lucas's eyes, but the fact that they could communicate was positive.

“Release the Castle Lord, then put the Demon Sword on the ground. From that moment onward, I'll find you a new body to possess.”

“Release this fellow and abandon the sword? That doesn't sound like a proposal that benefits me.”

“If you can't trust my word, we'll have no choice but to force you to release the sword. And if that happens, the extermination of a demon named Belvemos will begin right here.”

Belvemos fell silent for a moment at Lucas's words.

He appeared to be considering the proposal.

Glacius sent Lucas a telepathic message.

—“It seems to be working.”

—“We don't know that yet. Don't let your guard down.”

After that brief exchange,

Belvemos, borrowing the Lord of Steel Castle's body, spoke with a sigh.

“...Very well.”

His answer came more readily than expected.

Immediately afterward,

The Lord of Steel Castle's grip on the Demon Sword loosened.

The sword slowly tilted, and clang.

The Demon Sword fell to the ground.

Whoooo.

At the same time, the crimson light drained from the Lord of Steel Castle's eyes.

The bloodshot whites returned to their original color. Focus returned to his eyes, which had briefly grown vacant.

The Lord of Steel Castle staggered violently and dropped to one knee.

“Urgh...”

That groan belonged to the Lord of Steel Castle himself.

“That was... a truly wretched feeling.”

It was a human voice, not the demon's echoing speech.

The first to react to the Lord of Steel Castle's change were the swordsmen of Steel Castle.

“Castle Lord!”

Several swordsmen rushed forward, overjoyed that their lord had regained consciousness.

They could hardly contain their relief at seeing their lord safe.

In that fleeting moment,

‘Something's wrong.’

Lucas, the very person who had conducted the negotiation, felt a strange sense that something was out of place.

‘...It's too easy.’

It was the same feeling he'd had when they thought they had found the Demon Sword in the Sword Graveyard.

Everything seemed to be falling into place far too easily.

He couldn't shake the thought: Could things really be resolved this simply?

Sure enough.

“Are you unharmed?”

“That damned sword...!”

“Be careful not to touch the sword!”

Just as a group of swordsmen approached the Lord of Steel Castle,

“Stay...”

The Lord of Steel Castle struggled to speak.

“Stay... back!!!”

His sudden shout thundered through the valley.

The next moment,

Grin.

The Lord of Steel Castle's expression changed abruptly as he seized the sword he had placed on the ground.

Whoosh!

Red sword energy traced a half-moon through the air.

Three swordsmen of Steel Castle had rushed closest to him.

Red lines appeared across the necks of those men as they ran toward their lord.

Splaash!

Before their severed heads could even fly into the air, the Lord of Steel Castle's body spun like a whirlwind.

Two swordsmen following behind were split apart at the waist.

They didn't even have time to scream.

They had been running toward their lord, never imagining that he would cut them down.

It wasn't carelessness.

Trust.

Belvemos had exploited that very trust.

Slaaash!

Blood coating the Demon Sword sprayed across the ground in a straight line.

Having swiftly cut down more than a dozen swordsmen, the Lord of Steel Castle—

No, Belvemos—looked toward Lucas.

“This is how you tell a lie.”

His eyes curved into crescents.

Belvemos spoke as though he were beside himself with delight at the situation.

“You little brat.”