Chapter 41
“Puhahaha! Have you ever seen such a madman?”
Marsian laughed loudly as he faced Priana.
Behind him stood an enormous force.
But what kind of madman is standing alone to stop this?
Maybe the man before him was a tremendous powerhouse, but Marsian was sure he was not one right now.
There’s no one that strong in the Impera Count’s territory, he thought.
That was the conclusion he reached.
Fsss…
Instead of falling for the taunt, Priana breathed aura into his sword.
The sword given by his family glowed faintly, surrounded by a thin ring of aura.
“Aura sword?”
Marsian had assumed this was just some crazy fool — and now the fool was pulling out an aura sword?
As far as Marsian knew, the Impera domain was so poor it didn’t even have proper soldiers.
In such a territory, a knight with an aura sword — not just a soldier — existed?
“…Hmph!”
He flinched for a moment, then sneered. It was because of the aura he saw around the man.
There was only a faint shimmer around the blade.
Far too meager to call the man an overwhelming powerhouse.
‘Must’ve just gotten lucky and hit Rank 4 or something! What a lunatic! If he’s Rank 4, we’ve got over twenty of us!’ Marsian signaled to his fellow White Company members.
“Looks like this idiot doesn’t even know his own limits! Give him a proper beating! We don’t have time to waste here!”
“Sir!”
Marsian considered going in himself, but since he’d been granted command, he wanted his subordinates to do the job.
“White Company! Step forward!”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The Vener Count’s private troops, the White Company, stepped forward.
The soldiers in white uniforms advanced.
They were Vener Count’s elite soldiers, all above Rank 4.
In total, twenty-three White Company members formed a line in front of Priana.
Their formation under his command sent a chill through the air.
“Khehe!”
“Rank 4, huh.”
Priana murmured in a low voice.
He had been training a lot in the Impera Count’s territory for the last few days.
There had been many kinds of training, but the most useful had been exercises that limited the amount of aura used.
They had practiced cutting wasted aura to a minimum and concentrating it only when needed — a kind of aura control training.
Because of that, Priana could hold the aura sword and swing for far longer.
And unintentionally, by minimizing his aura, he’d led the White Company to misjudge him severely.
“What should we do?”
“He may be deceiving us, which isn’t pleasant, but we’ll find out soon enough.”
“Heh. I suppose so?”
“Please prepare recovery-type magic. Can you manage it?”
He wouldn’t lose to a Rank 4 in skill, but if his stamina ran out, anything could happen.
“Yes. Leave it to me.”
As Islin cast her spell, layered runic patterns wrapped around Priana’s body.
“Hah! Do you think that’ll change anything? Hey! Finish him!”
“Charge!”
At Marsian’s command, the White Company charged the enemy.
Blue aura flowed from each of their weapons.
Priana held Jasel lightly and recalled Ian’s words.
‘Don’t waste aura.’
Even as the enemy spears neared, Priana did not emit aura.
‘The moment they touch — release all the accumulated aura at once.’
In an instant, determination flared red in Priana’s eyes.
“Haaap!”
The first clash came.
One trooper’s blade collided with Priana’s.
Judged by the aura he felt, their levels seemed similar.
But at the instant the swords met…
The first victim sensed something was off.
“Hmm?”
Before he could even react to the odd feeling, Priana’s aura exploded.
…KWAANG!
A double-edged aura sword.
It grants a cutting power of a different order — but the risk is huge.
Those with low rank who merely block an aura sword can have their innards twisted.
Public perception that lower ranks cannot beat higher ranks wasn’t just about skill — the biggest reason was this.
“Gyaaah!”
“What, what is this!”
A trooper’s blade was knocked from his hands along with his body.
He shot up into the air, spitting blood, then collapsed to the ground.
“No way… guh!”
They realized the anomaly too late.
Priana’s blade swept through the charging troopers.
Each time his weak-looking aura sword sliced through a soldier, the aura detonated.
With each flash, the troopers vomited blood or suffered mortal wounds and fell.
Priana easily deflected the aura swords hurled at him.
He was confident in his speed.
The enemy blades looked sluggish as a turtle.
After parrying, he seized the brief opening and launched a counterstroke.
Shreek!
“Aah!”
Even taking an aura sword’s force made one’s innards writhe — and then receiving a counterstrike left no chance.
When Priana’s sword carved through, the White Company member’s body split in two and flew.
Red blood stained Priana.
Yet his eyes shone brightly.
“Hmm?”
They’d assumed he was a mere Rank 4 swordsman.
‘That level is surely… Rank 5!’
Marsian needed to pull his men back quickly, but the sudden turn of events froze his mouth.
“Oh—!”
“Pull your men back! He’s Rank 5!!”
“What? Rank 5? Why is a Rank 5 here?”
The troopers widened the distance and surrounded Priana.
It was meant to reverse the tide, but became a poison.
Priana, the swift-sword knight, was best at slaughtering opponents with speed.
Giving him distance now was like putting wings on a tiger.
“Huu…”
Priana bent his torso and caught his breath.
Though his body was covered in enemy blood, he felt refreshed.
‘I thought I fought using a body enhanced by aura. Was that just a needless waste?’
Normally he would’ve felt his aura depleting, but he felt fine.
‘Iain Impera.’
He had come here to find the wandering knight who had toppled him.
‘I never imagined I would gain enlightenment from someone I never expected…’
Ian Impera — a ragged count from a countryside no more than Rank 4.
Priana found himself feeling a certain respect for him.
“Ice Blade!”
The White Company didn’t only have swordsmen.
There were mages positioned for ranged support.
As the magic troopers chanted, circular runes appeared around Priana.
Quak quak quak quak!
Numerous ice blades rose up aiming at Priana.
But where the ice blades passed, there was nothing left.
Crash!
With a sound like the earth being crushed, Priana’s figure had vanished.
“W-where did he go? Quickly, find him!”
Shreek!
A chilling sound filled the battlefield, and eerie silence followed.
“…”
“What the hell are you doing! Move!”
Marsian shouted to his troopers, but they didn’t answer.
…Thud!
Less than ten remained in the White Company.
The mage who had cast spells slumped like a reed cut in half.
Those who collapsed no longer moved; they were dead.
Among the corpses scattered on the ground, only Priana stood tall and proud.
“Anyone else?”
“U-ugh…!”
Marsian stammered, unable to believe the scene before him.
Where had such a powerhouse come from? And why would such a person serve the Impera family?
The White Company, the elite troops of the Vener family, had been wiped out in one blow.
Until a moment ago, they had seemed able to handle anyone.
Only geniuses could reach that realm.
Marsian had surely smashed through a second wall.
But for some reason, he couldn’t even imagine that someone of the same rank could face Priana.
“…No!”
Marsian slammed the reins with all his strength.
Puhhing!
The startled horse bolted forward. Full thrust, he planned to swing an aura sword.
That was Marsian’s intention.
“Die!”
Whoosh!
Marsian’s blade aimed for the back of Priana’s neck.
…Shreek!
But his sword never clashed.
It merely slashed the air, while Priana’s blade cleaved his opponent in two.
The riderless horse, covered in blood, panted heavily.
“Aah…”
The surrounding soldiers froze at the suddenness of it all.
They had eyes, too.
They were the White Company who had been treated better than conscripts.
Though secretly resentful, they’d never dared show it.
They had passed the “first wall” that others hadn’t.
They’d hoped they would one day pass the wall — but were frustrated at still not crossing it.
Even boastful Marsian had broken through the second wall — an enormous powerhouse.
Yet he and his company had been killed in an instant by a single knight.
It was enough to crush morale.
“Ugh…”
One soldier, trembling, managed to raise his spear and point it at Priana.
“…”
Priana cut the spear without a word.
The sturdy shaft was cut as if it were straw against Priana’s blade.
“Courage is admirable, but don’t waste your life needlessly.”
“Huff…”
“Aha!”
A surviving adjutant drew his sword.
He aimed not at Priana but at the other soldiers.
The officer swung his sword toward his men.
“Argh!”
“You bastards! Why aren’t you fighting? Those who flee—!”
Skreeek!
“Guh!”
A sudden dagger stabbed through the adjutant’s throat from behind.
The man who had been wielding his sword toward his own soldiers coughed blood and toppled from his horse.
When Priana turned, Islin shrugged her shoulders.
“There was a lot of talking. You remember what the young master said?”
“That’s right.”
Priana let out a short laugh.
Everything had gone according to Ian Impera’s plan.
From having the Vener Count bypass Mount Cranig rather than go around it, to hiding aura so that higher-ranked players would expose themselves.
Once those leaders were taken out, ordinary soldiers would lose will quickly.
He had even told them to kill any remaining senior who tried to rally the soldiers.
‘Maybe the rumor was wrong.’
There had been rumors that the prodigal son who ruined his house with alcohol and gambling was a lost cause.
That was what Priana had heard before.
But what he felt now was the opposite.
Predicting the enemy’s judgments and planning accordingly.
Most remarkable was that Ian had improved his swordsmanship.
It was different from when he had been obsessed only with raising his rank.
“…Hah.”
His chest swelled.
Whether it was the possibility of enlightenment or the meaninglessness of the years, he wasn’t sure.
“…Everyone listen!”
“Ahh!”
When Priana shouted, the ordinary soldiers crouched down and trembled.
“My master said: spare the lives of those who do not resist!”
At his words, the ashen faces of the soldiers brightened.
“What will you do? Fight and waste your life, or return on your own two feet to your families?”
“Family…”
“I can’t die! Who will take care of my mother then!”
“Me too!”
Clang!
Faced with overwhelming force, one by one the soldiers lowered their weapons.
With their leaders dead, no one remained to command them.
“Priana and Islin are doing fine, right?”
They were probably doing fine.
It wasn’t like Priana would die against Vener’s private troops.
There was a communication magic circle, but now wasn’t the time to use it.
If they were intercepted, the whole plan might collapse.
“Phew.”
I had now entered the Vener Count’s domain.
Priana and Islin would hold the soldiers at the entrance while I settled matters with the Vener Count.
The plan might seem unlikely in theory, but there was no other way.
I guessed he’d show overwhelming force with his entire force — that was the plan.
And surprisingly—
“Hah… Having to work all day with just the two of them. What a joke.”
Only two guards were posted at the Vener Count’s mansion.
‘Phew.’
“So what. Compared to going on the expedition it’s like lying down eating rice cakes.”
“Expedition? Puhaha… a passing dog would laugh! What kind of expedition is that? It’s a massacre.”
“Tsk. True. If they went they might have plundered something from houses. Kheh heh…”
“Ssigh! Thinking about that makes my stomach burn.”
Listening to their talk made my blood boil.
By “plundering houses” they didn’t mean fish; they meant looting innocent villagers.
‘Filthy scum.’
In a world of swords and magic, civilian plunder happened often — not like 21st-century Korea — but it didn’t lessen my disgust.
‘I’ll end this quietly.’
I picked up a nearby suitable stone and tossed it into the opposite bushes.
Rustle!
“Who’s there?”
The two guards pricked up their ears and glanced toward where the sound had come from.
“…What’s that?”
“Probably just a squirrel.”
“Still, shouldn’t we check?”
“Ugh, what a bother…”
One guard strode into the bushes.
Taking advantage of that, I crept up behind the guard standing at the mansion gate.
…Shreek!
“Mmph!”
I covered his mouth so no sound escaped.
The other guard, unaware of his fate, rummaged through the bushes.
“It’s just a squirrel… gah!”
As the man turned, a sword pierced his heart.
He couldn’t even let out a cry; he died instantly.
Vuurrr—
The blood-soaked Dragon-Scale Sword hummed heavily.
It was definitely a good sword.
Its mana-grip felt solid.
[Dragon-Scale Sword: made by dwarf craftsman Bronzebeard.]
—The possessed stats are not yet identified.
Come to think of it, I hadn’t discovered the sword’s abilities yet.
‘Will figure that out later.’
For now, a blade with good cutting power was enough.
It would be enough to cut the Vener Count’s throat.
Clack.
Sheathing the Dragon-Scale Sword, I stepped toward the Vener Count’s mansion.
Vener Count.
It’s time to sever this bitter tie.
