Chapter 141

Theo could read Lezé’s intentions clearly.

“Are you planning to take Cassandra amidst all this chaos?”

“Mind your words, little brother. Your mission was simply to hand her over to us, wasn’t it?”

“My orders changed just a moment ago. I’ve been instructed to relocate Cassandra to a safer place.”

“Oh, is that so? Then don’t worry. We’ll ensure her safety ourselves.”

“Are you officially in charge of this mission, Sister?”

Lezé smiled without responding.

Theo was now certain of his suspicions.

“So, you’re not.”

“I’m a successor. In emergencies, I have the authority to make appropriate decisions and issue commands.”

“And your ‘appropriate decision’ is to hide Cassandra from our other siblings?”

“That could be one example. After all, it’s obvious how the elders of Winterhall would treat her if they took notice of her.”

As expected.

Theo gritted his teeth.

Lezé no longer seemed interested in hiding her true intentions. Cassandra’s prophetic abilities could drastically shape the future, depending on how they were used. With Cassandra, Lezé could solidify her hold on the throne.

And if Lezé knew Cassandra’s true identity?

That would be catastrophic. She would wield her power recklessly.

Theo knew all too well about Lezé’s hunger for power—and how it often blinded her. It was this very flaw that had led to her defeat against Torkel.

“Are you not even going to ask for Cassandra’s opinion on this matter?”

“Why are you clinging to her like an amateur? You know as well as I do that she’s safest under my protection. If necessary…”

Lezé’s eyes curved slyly.

“Since you seem to share a special bond with her, I might even let you visit occasionally.”

Her implication was clear: You need Cassandra’s abilities too. Join me.

In other words, submit to her authority.

Theo knew that Lezé would likely keep Cassandra hidden forever, ensuring that her powers never left her grasp.

Theo made his decision.

“Understood.”

“Oh? And?”

“I cannot entrust Cassandra to you, Sister.”

“What?”

Theo reached into his inventory and pulled out Aegir’s Helm, placing it over his face.

Click!

“Didn’t you just say, Sister, that in emergencies, successors have the authority to make their own judgments and issue commands?”

The platinum armor unfurled from the helm, encasing Theo’s entire body in an instant.

It was as if Kriemhild, the warrior once revered in the Floating Archipelagos, had been reborn in the heart of the continent.

“In that case, as a rightful successor, I will act according to my judgment.”

Theo drew Drake’s Blade, activating his inner aura.

Ssssshhhhhhh—

Hot steam rose as the blade turned red-hot, dragon scales materializing along its surface.

BOOM!

SCREEEEEECH!

“You’re willing to start a civil war over one child? And you’d go so far as to challenge your sister? You’re even more foolish than I thought, unable to separate personal feelings from duty!”

Lezé’s expression twisted in disbelief as she dragged Grim Reaper’s blade along the ground with a screech. Her Reaper Division swordsmen prepared to intervene, but she waved them back with a sharp gesture.

“Fine. This works for me. I had a question I wanted to ask you anyway.”

FWOOSH!

Black flames surged wildly along Grim Reaper’s blade, licking at the air with violent intensity.

Purgatory Forge.

It was the technique that had earned Lezé her nickname, Black Reaper.

Fine, then. If I can’t bring you under my control, it’s better to crush you before you become a threat.

Lezé resolved to end this quickly. While Theo’s strange armor and blade exuded a certain aura of danger, she didn’t consider him a real match.

She was one of the top five candidates for succession, having defeated countless members of the Ragnar bloodline, even those of distant branches. She was already recognized among the Nine Dragons of the future generation.

Losing to a fledgling like Theo was unthinkable.

And I’ll figure out what he did to Grim Reaper while I’m at it.

Lezé poured more power into the black flames, striking at Theo’s neck with devastating force. The blade’s speed and sharpness made it feel as if the very fabric of space was being torn apart.

Theo raised Drake’s Blade to parry the blow.

Lezé smirked inwardly.

Purgatory Forge wasn’t just some ordinary fire-based technique. Its flames would cling to an opponent, burning until their very life essence was consumed. Combined with Grim Reaper’s extraordinary abilities, the destructive power was unparalleled.

To think he could block it with a mere blade, and one not even fully reinforced with aura—it was sheer arrogance.

“System override.”

Theo’s quiet murmur reached Lezé’s ears.

CLANG!

Suddenly, the black flames surrounding Grim Reaper vanished, extinguished as if they’d never existed.

But that wasn’t all. The flow of mana into Grim Reaper was abruptly severed, and the backlash disrupted its circuits entirely. It was as though the weapon itself was vehemently rejecting her.

Lezé’s body stiffened, her movements momentarily paralyzed.

What the…?!

Theo seized the opening, adjusting his swing mid-strike. Drake’s Blade slashed across Lezé’s abdomen.

BOOOOOOOM!

“Damn it!”

“Lady Lezé!”

The Reaper Division, caught completely off guard, rushed to assist her.

But no one was more shocked than Lezé herself. Forced to draw a dagger from her belt, she barely managed to deflect Theo’s attack. The sheer force of the blow sent her tumbling backward, crashing into the ground with a violent impact.

“What did you do to Grim Reaper?!”

“Who knows?”

Theo had already activated Wind and Thunder Form, closing the gap between them in an instant.

Beneath his helmet, his eyes glowed with an eerie light.

“To put it simply, it’s responding to its true owner.”

“…!”

A system message appeared in Theo’s vision.

[The Primeval Dragon’s Relic: Grim Reaper has recognized its rightful owner.]

[Grim Reaper will reject all interference from unauthorized users.]

Grim Reaper’s rightful master was no longer Lezé—it was Theo.

Unaware of this fact, Lezé bit her lip hard, her frustration boiling over.

The unthinkable had happened.

To her, Grim Reaper wasn’t just a beloved weapon—it was a memento, a keepsake from her late mother. A relic that her mother had entrusted to her with her dying breath.

“This weapon will always protect you, Lezé. So don’t cry.”

But Theo paid no attention to Lezé’s anguish. Instead, he swung Drake’s Blade again and again, relentlessly pressing the attack.

Shhhhhhhh!

Crash! Boom! Crash! Boom! Boom!

Every time Drake’s Blade struck, bolts of lightning rained down, throwing Lezé into disarray. Her movements grew increasingly erratic as she struggled to maintain her composure.

Without the proper flow of mana from Grim Reaper, her responses were slow, and it was nearly impossible to counter effectively.

Letting go of Grim Reaper would have been the rational choice—it might have given her a better chance.

But…

That’s not an option!

Lezé couldn’t bring herself to release the weapon. The thought of parting with Grim Reaper, even for a moment, filled her with dread. If she let go, she might never regain its favor.

“Lady Lezé, we’ll help you!”

“Step away from Lady Lezé, Theo Ragnar!”

The Reaper Division scrambled into action, trying to flank Theo and rescue their leader.

Theo smirked, his tone mocking.

“You’re here to take Cassandra, right? Is it wise to leave your positions like this?”

“…!”

“…!”

As Theo’s mocking words struck home, the Reaper Division hesitated, and their formation faltered. In that instant, someone else broke through their shaken defenses.

It was Selford, Arin, and Ray—waiting for Theo’s signal to intervene.

“Seriously, Theo! Stop giving me these impossible jobs!” Ray grumbled as she joined the fray.

“Let’s go! Grab her!”

Without hesitation, Ray scooped Cassandra into her arms, while Selford and Arin took up defensive positions on either side, holding off the Reaper Division’s approach.

Even though the Reaper Division was Lezé’s elite guard, they were up against Ragnar’s pride—the White Dragon Vanguard, the clan’s finest warriors. The Reaper Division, skilled as they were, could not easily overpower them.

Moreover, the Reaper Division had a critical disadvantage: they had been delayed for too long by Theo.

From the distance, faint cries echoed through the air.

“—Holy Light of Divine Justice!”

“—Purge the heretics!”

The voices of fanatics roared, their chants filled with fervor.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The Reaper Division collectively looked up in alarm.

“Why are there so many heretics here?! All their sins must be washed clean with blood!”

A new force joined the battle for Cassandra—the fanatics of the Holy Flame Cult.

Dozens of them, led by a bishop-level figure, swarmed into the battlefield, immediately clashing with the Reaper Division.

Arct had hoped to avoid relying on them but had no choice but to summon this particular support.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

“Everyone, hold your positions! Focus on them first!” Lezé commanded, her tone sharp and decisive.

She was torn between two critical objectives: Should she stop the advancing cultists, or should she pursue Cassandra?

If their formation collapsed, the Reaper Division would be overwhelmed and annihilated by the cultists. However, letting Cassandra escape would mean losing a crucial piece in her political ambitions.

The decision did not take long.

Protecting the Reaper Division’s safety came first. To secure their survival, the formation had to hold.

With the cultists now engaging the Reaper Division, Selford and his group seized the opportunity. From the shadows, the massive, shadowy form of Umbra emerged, ready to take flight.

“We’re ready!” Selford shouted.

The skies belonged to the White Dragon Vanguard, as always.

As Umbra’s wings unfurled and began to ascend, both Selford and Arin were confident that no one would be able to follow them now.

***

“This was your plan all along…!”

Lezé ground her teeth as she watched Umbra flap its wings powerfully, carrying Selford and his group higher into the sky.

“You were the one who defied Deungryong’s orders and acted on your own in the first place, Sister,” Theo said calmly.

“That child will only bring more chaos in the future!”

“But that doesn’t give you the right to manipulate her life against her will, does it?”

Theo’s composure remained unshaken, his voice sharp with resolve.

Clench!

Lezé’s realization dawned painfully.

Theo was not someone anyone could control. He was a force unto himself, running parallel to her path but never intersecting.

“I’ll come back to retrieve Grim Reaper later. Until then, take good care of it,” Theo said with a cold smile, backing away.

Then, with a graceful leap, he flung himself into the air.

Lezé tried to pursue him, but Theo was faster. Using telekinetic chains, he latched onto Umbra’s leg and ascended with it into the sky.

“Aaaaah!”

Lezé let out a frustrated scream, her voice echoing across the battlefield.

The Reaper Division, the Holy Flame Cult, and even the Azure Crane Corps all stared up helplessly, like dogs chasing a bird far out of their reach.

“Ha! It seems your execution was flawless,” said Deungryong, a faint smile playing on his lips as he observed the scene from a distance.

Meanwhile, Arct, his face hidden beneath his mask, betrayed no visible emotion. His sunken eyes glimmered faintly, making it impossible to discern his thoughts.

“Ugh, I thought I was going to die,” Selford groaned.

“Surrounded by enemies, fighting over a successor’s claim... I honestly thought we were going to get crushed like shrimp caught between battling whales,” Arin added with a sigh of relief.

The two of them finally allowed themselves to relax, slumping onto Umbra’s floor with audible thuds.

Theo, still dangling from Umbra’s leg, transmitted his thoughts telepathically.

「I’m sorry for dragging you into this.」

“Sorry? Come on, this was a team mission. But honestly, you’ll never understand how us ‘shrimp’ feel, hanging around you all the time,” Selford replied with a smirk.

「Is that so? By the way, you might want to be a bit more cautious about your surroundings.」

“What?”

Startled, Selford jumped to his feet, glancing down below.

Just outside the estate, a dense perimeter of soldiers had formed, blocking every possible escape route.

「It seems Troivan came prepared for this.」

Flags bearing the insignia of Troivan fluttered in the wind, accompanied by banners from several other groups.

Each one was familiar to Theo.

The Rose Family.

The One Sword Society.

The Black Shadow Blade Corps.

The Wandering Knight Alliance…

All traitor factions that had turned their backs on Ragnar to align with Troivan.

“Damn it… there’s way too many of them,” Selford muttered, his voice heavy with frustration.

Below, countless soldiers raised their crossbows, iron-tipped arrows aimed squarely at Umbra and its passengers.

This is the life of the bastard son of a sword clan, Theo thought, his gaze fixed on the storm of enemies gathering below.