Episode 160: Lake of Swords (4)
Weapon grabbed his sweaty head.
“Manager… Am I doing well right now?”
As Kang Geum-ma said, I contacted the Academy first. And I tried desperately to calm the turbulent atmosphere at the election site.
Of course, it was impossible for Weapon to control this many people alone.
But some surprising people helped to quell the commotion.
“Don’t you remember what guy number 7 just said?! Those so-called hero candidates are possessed by Pier and can’t fight, how pathetic!”
Den Range shouted. Kim Woo-jin also joined in.
“I received a call from the Academy saying they will be here in 10 minutes. In the meantime, please refrain from showing off your pitiful appearance.”
Both of them knew that now was not the time to be competitive.
They are far inferior to Kang Geum-ma in terms of talent.
My pride doesn’t allow it easily. However, before going out, I couldn’t help but be impressed by the leadership that Kanggeomma had shown.
That’s why the two of them agreed to help Weapon.
Besides, aren’t they still members of the student council?
It was hard to inspire courage like Kang Geum-ma, but he could at least control the panicked cadets.
‘Thanks to the current student council president and vice president, the confusion is quickly clearing up.’
Yet, instead of sighing in relief, Weapon bit his lower lip. He felt a deep sense of helplessness.
That was all he could do. Preventing the cadets from going out with the presidential candidates. That was all he could do.
You can’t go into battle with the chief. Weapon was clearly aware of that arrangement.
If it’s a mediocre enemy, you can give them a buff from behind. However, if it’s anything more than that, you’ll be a hindrance.
Still… Is it really right to just suck my thumb here? In the first place, is it even okay for me to be next to the manager?
The manager has always been able to overcome situations on his own. Rather than becoming a burden, I thought it would be more helpful to the manager to disappear into the back alley.
For a short time, Weapon was lost in countless thoughts.
Then someone slapped him in the face with all their might.
match!
A loud noise caught her attention. Regardless, Saki struck Weapon’s other cheek as well.
match!
Then he grabbed Weapon’s shoulder and shouted.
“Hey, you idiot! Kanggeomma trusted you and left this place to you, and you’re going to make that kind of expression?!”
The weapon touched both cheeks. His lips burst. He tasted blood in his mouth. The archer’s hands were so cold.
“Weapon, what you’re feeling, I’m feeling the same right now, right? The swordsman asked you to do it. How long are you going to be foolish when you’re trusted so much? And how can you just do what you’re told and then despair? Come up with a solution. Remember those words, do you understand? Your current attitude is betraying the swordsman’s trust!”
“… … .”
Weapon stared at Saki intently, then quickly brushed his hair back. He came to his senses. A sharp pain physically caught his attention.
… But it would have been better if I had said it out loud. My brain was buzzing from the slap.
How hard did you hit him?
Weapon only sighed briefly, but did not open his mouth to say anything. If he were to say anything and get hit again, one of his teeth would fall out.
Saki said in a low tone.
“And I’ll do what I can. Weapon, you and I both owe our lives to the Sword Master. And… … .”
She muttered sobbingly, talking to herself without expecting an answer.
“Because I can’t just leave the person who is most precious to me alone.”
“… … ?”
Saki didn’t wait for the answer to come back. She stomped her feet and stepped onto the stage. Her strong will was placed alternately on both feet.
Saki opened her mouth as everyone’s attention was focused on her.
“How are you feeling?”
The cadets looked puzzled by the sudden words. Saki’s eyes, looking at them, turned fierce.
“You guys, you always ignored Geomma, calling him a special promotion student or something. Calling him a commoner or a noble. But Geomma didn’t even react.”
Silence fell on the polling place. One by one, people lowered their heads.
“You are students of Joaquin Academy, so you should know that the enemy outside is not ordinary. But that guy, Geumma, went out without hesitation.”
Saki clenched her fists. Her moist eyes were a faint red.
I was angry. I was upset. Maybe it was self-deprecation or venting anger.
Even he himself, who was claiming this to them, was of no help to Kang Geum-ma at all.
I also understand Weapon’s feelings a hundred times over. She also hated and loathed herself so much that she wanted to die.
But that doesn’t mean I can just sit back and do nothing.
“Why? To protect you who poured out contempt and ridicule. I went out alone!”
Saki, overcome with emotion, finally collapsed and let out her final rage.
“If you have a conscience, at least pray for the one fighting for you outside. Please… … .”
Saki put both hands together in front of her chest. Her hands were trembling.
Starting with her, the cadets began to clasp their hands together. Each hand that had gathered in front of their noses contained its own will.
Support for Kang Geum-ma, a desire to live, a means to overcome fear.
So they closed their eyes and prayed. There was no specific object in particular.
I just begged, not knowing if it would be the light that would brighten the world or the darkness that would turn the world black.
Man, who had lost his way, was only looking for a transcendent being.
* * *
The voice of Vesna, the commander of the Demon King’s 3rd Army, trembled.
“You, you… … .”
Kanggeomma standing still. His once black hair was now completely bleached and white.
“You bastard, have you awakened?”
Often, humans who have crossed the line have experienced changes in their appearance. This is commonly called awakening.
I know I’ve seen it a few times in the First World War.
There were even some among the seven disciples of the damned hero of the poem.
Blacksmith Aaron Nibelung, Shin-gung Seong Na-yeon, Geum-rang Phrygia Midas, and Yaksha Hojo Moriyasu.
The Awakened ones borrowed from some being who bestowed protection to expand the limits of their power. Naturally, there was a price to pay.
His own life. The reason why Chilgeol died so short was because of that.
Nevertheless, they sacrificed their lives in protest against the demons. They willingly sacrificed themselves for the survival of humanity.
Thanks to that determination, the scales of the two forces, the Demons and the Humans, tilted heavily toward the Humans.
They cornered the demons with their overwhelming power and eventually achieved victory.
It was a shameful past. Just thinking about it made Vesna shiver.
But since then, no Awakened Ones have appeared among humanity.
That is why the Demons knocked on the closed gates of the human world and were able to descend.
But why now?
“… … .”
Kanggeomma stood still and looked up at the sky. Without moving at all, just blankly.
Even though it was just that, my heart started pounding with anxiety. Emotions I had never experienced before were written all over my face.
700 years ago, what hero had ever given such a feeling? It was a thrilling presence.
To be exact, it was impossible to figure out. As for Vesna, she was not a being that could be chosen by anyone.
It is impossible for a being one level lower to see beyond what is above it.
The world that we thought we were walking on the same land was not the same.
Ironically, Vesna’s thoughts didn’t go that far.
“…Was my sister affected by that power?”
As if responding to a call, the gaze of the strong swordsman that had been hovering in the sky came down.
Sssss.
Light was leaking out of his cloudy eyes. His face was extremely still.
“What are those eyes, you little creature! It would be a great mistake to put me on the same level as my sister!”
Vesna chanted her magic with an urgent look. It was the strongest skill she could wield.
“Aqua Furnishment”
Magic that has reached the extreme of water, also known as the punishment of water.
Kugugugugugugu!
The magical power spread out in all directions. In the next moment, hundreds of thousands of precisely constructed water spears rose into the air.
Each and every one of the bars compressed by Vesna’s magic possesses incredible power.
Now that I’ve come this far, I have to kill Kanggeomma. Even if I lose the bowl, it’s not the time to feel regret.
“I will destroy you early, and cut off the buds of your vain hopes.”
Vesna raised her hand. The spear tips all converged on where Kanggeomma was standing.
widely!
As soon as he snapped his fingers, the blade that had been trapping the sword in a cage came rushing in.
Papapapapapapapapang!
Hundreds of thousands of bars poured down toward Kanggeomma. The shock wave caused the lake to rise high and spread mist. The wall of the annex building collapsed, scattering debris, just from the sound of the explosion.
There was no emotion on Kang Geum-ma’s face as attacks poured in from all sides.
He just raised two sashimi sticks. He didn’t dodge. He just took on all the attacks from a dozen or so people.
The actions and decisions were unconscious. Kanggeomma was completely immersed in a sweet intoxication. This was because his consciousness and cognition had already flown away.
I swung the Murasame in my right hand. It deflected hundreds of bars. The sensation of it was tingling. However, without hesitation, I swung the Eternal Frost in my left hand as well. This time, too, the magic was cut down and dissipated one by one.
A single blow hit Kanggeomma’s thigh. A chunk of flesh was torn off. Blood overflowed and seeped into the lake. The vital energy was drained from his body.
Kanggeomma immediately manifested [Protection of Regeneration] with a blank expression on his face. The flesh quickly tangled and healed. He continued to move his arm without even checking.
Even the act of healing was a distraction to him. He felt hazy, as if he were having a vivid dream. It was an ecstatic dream from which he never wanted to wake up.
He could cut and slice something without stopping. The pleasure was enveloping every corner of his body, but he had no time to waste on mere wounds. He straightened his back even as he staggered.
Vesna chanted her magic wildly and scattered it. The number of spears continued to increase. One, the thorns split smoothly as the blade swung.
Proliferation and suppression were happening at the same time. It was a fight beyond the boundaries of time. Space also appeared distorted and uneven.
The blade and magic collided, sending shockwaves in succession. A loud noise that shook the entire place. At that moment, the axis of the earth shook violently.
Finally, the wall of the building collapsed, exposing the inside of the election hall.
The cadets who had been praying raised their heads. The next moment, they saw a contest between magic and swords.
? ? ?
But even when I tried to look straight at them, my pupils rolled in different directions. It was a conflict of too high a level for them.
In the face of overwhelming fear, humans realize how insignificant they are, and their brain refuses to understand.
“Sword Demon!”
Saki stretched out her arms and called his name loudly. Then, without hesitation, she ran out of the polling place.
