Chapter 126

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Despite being constantly ignored by its wielder, the holy sword’s power was extraordinary.

It wasn’t called a holy sword for nothing. It was an artifact created by ancient seers, foreseeing a coming threat.

A sword with its own will couldn’t be ordinary.

Yet, it had remained silent, waiting for its wielder to acknowledge it.

A tool shouldn’t act on its own. And part of it was curious to see how far its arrogant wielder could go without its help. But then, an enemy appeared.

A significant threat, even in the holy sword’s eyes. It was only natural.

This was a blood demon, a being that required a nation’s full might to confront.

The holy sword, unconsciously, unleashed its power to protect its wielder. It was a simple release of energy, but it was enough to harm the blood demon.

The Mud Guardian was stunned.

He had divided his hearts. As long as one remained intact, he couldn’t be killed. It had always been that way.

But a flash of light from the sword had engulfed him, and now, all seven of his hearts were burning.

‘What is happening?’

[What did you do?!]

He sounded like a cornered dog, trembling and barking at a larger, more fearsome being. And Hans, the target of his fear, was thinking…

‘What the hell? What just happened?’

He was undoubtedly the most bewildered person present.

The holy sword he carried, against his will, had suddenly emitted a light, and now the blood demon was on the verge of death? And he had no control over it?

Chills ran down his spine.

The holy sword’s danger level in his mind increased slightly. But he quickly revised his assessment.

He had faced countless crises and overcome them all. He would turn this into another opportunity.

He smirked.

“What’s wrong? Is a great blood demon already scared?”

[What did you do?! How did you damage all my hearts…!]

‘All his hearts? Did it really damage all of them?’

[Commander! The hearts are being destroyed! What’s going on?!]

[The heart here is being destroyed too!]

Hans quickly processed the information and reached a conclusion.

The holy sword’s light had damaged all of the Mud Guardian’s hearts. If left alone, it would die.

‘This is going to be easier than I thought.’

It was time to press his advantage. He deliberately kept the communication device active, speaking loud enough for his voice to be transmitted.

“Do you still not understand? Your mistake was challenging me, no… challenging us!”

[W-What?!]

“We carry the hopes of a better future, the lives of our friends, comrades, even our families!”

[…]

“A pathetic vermin like you, content to wallow in your fortress, was never our match!”

He had often wondered why villains in movies and shows always listened to the protagonist’s speeches.

The answer was simple, the power of their words.

Even nonsense, repeated often enough, couldn’t be ignored. Especially when spoken by the Commander of the Royal Knights.

So, Hans launched into his speech.

He had two reasons.

One was to buy time. The Mud Guardian would die eventually, there was no need to fight it directly.

The second reason was to cultivate his image.

Words held immense power.

Every word spoken etched itself into people’s memories, shaping their perception of him.

‘I have to project an image of confidence and conviction.’

That was how he would earn the unwavering loyalty of the Royal Knights. But Hans had overlooked one thing. The power of words could affect enemies as well.

[…I see. So that’s how it is.]

“Huh?”

[For a hundred years, I have guarded this place, believing it was the path of loyalty. But… I became complacent, forgetting the pride of battle.]

“What?”

Hans was the first to sense the shift in the atmosphere.

The creature, which had been ranting like a third-rate villain, suddenly spoke with a chilling calmness.

‘What should I do? Should I attack now?’

Asking the holy sword for help again felt awkward, and he would win eventually anyway.

But his thoughts changed abruptly. He felt something pierce his body, accompanied by the sound of crumbling.

‘What was that?’

“From this moment forward, I will face you as a warrior.”

“What? A warrior?”

“Yes, not as some mud… but as a true guardian…!”

Countless fragments coalesced.

The pulsating flesh swelled, and then, it emerged.

A knight clad in black armor, wielding two swords.

Hans clicked his tongue.

‘Am I imagining the Dark Souls soundtrack?’

He quickly surveyed his surroundings. All the entrances to the courtyard were sealed by red flesh.

‘Oh, for fuck’s sake.’

“With my divided pride now unified, I have only one heart.”

“…”

“A warrior’s pride. And an honorable death.”

“Seriously…”

To an outsider, it might seem absurd, but to Hans, facing an armored knight with two swords was terrifying.

‘Wait, let’s talk this out!’

But before he could speak, time stopped.

The familiar sensation of the world turning to grayscale, frozen in time, except for him happened.

He could finally see it.

The guardian’s two swords, inches from his neck.

‘Holy shit, I would have been dead without Time Stop,’

He quickly retreated and released Time Stop.

[Commander?! What’s happening?! Commander!!!]

[The heart is gone! And the ceiling…!]

[Teacher! I can’t get through!!!]

“Don’t panic.”

Unable to focus with their frantic calls, Hans responded coldly. But his words had a different effect on his unit members.

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Yuren looked up.

The ceiling had collapsed, and the flesh was decaying. The outside influence was weakening. This was both a crisis and an opportunity.

Regaining her composure thanks to the Commander’s words, Yuren roared.

The dragon’s cry shook the fortress, and the unit members began to gather.

“Yuren! The Commander’s in danger!”

“There’s no way through!”

“Calm down. We’ll figure something out.”

“If Teacher is in danger, I…!”

“Don’t be ridiculous. He’s our Commander.”

🚨 Important Notice 🚨

); }

Cluna understood their concern. It was natural to worry when someone precious was in danger. But to her, Hans was more than that.

He was the one who had always led them, a human with a short lifespan, yet possessing unimaginable strength. She couldn’t fathom the reason, but his achievements were undeniable.

And he had just declared their purpose to the enemy.

[Do you still not understand? Your mistake was challenging me, no… challenging us!]

[We carry the hopes of a better future, the lives of our friends, comrades, even our families!]

[A pathetic vermin like you, content to wallow in your fortress, was never our match!]

Even under the command of a brilliant leader, casualties were inevitable in war.

Many would mourn their loss. But they had to keep moving forward.

For the sake of a future where no one had to die, a future where even grief was forgotten.

Yet, their Commander had chosen to confront that grief head-on.

Cluna longed to break through the barrier herself. But after hearing his words, how could she cling to her own desires?

She erased her smile.

“As you wish, Commander.”

The Commander’s will was to support the troops fighting outside and secure victory.

He would undoubtedly handle the Mud Guardian himself. At least, that’s what she believed.

‘Someone help me, please!!!’

It seemed his inner cries were going unheard.

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[Translator Notes]