Chapter 63 – Welcome

The Ability Supremacists. Radicals. The blasted malcontents gnawing at the heart of this nation.

When intelligence was gathered that they were secretly coalescing, inching their way towards the Capital, Special Forces Captain Hanover immediately summoned Shabel, ordering him to proceed ahead.

It was bait. Like swarming insects, they had deliberately fragmented the Special Forces and investigative teams into different regions. But the main force secretly slipped away.

Outnumbered, outmaneuvered, but it was not yet too late. Moving together would only waste more time. Shabel, alone, could halve it.

“These unspeakable fiends! Not long ago they buried the Empire’s young heroes beneath the earth, and now they dare to instigate another calamity…!”

It was infuriating. At a time when everyone should be united to overcome this disaster.

Worse, it wasn’t just monsters anymore, but a new enemy, a stronger and more terrible foe, the Demons themselves, and still they chose to fracture further.

No, they were right to be cut down the instant they were sighted. Mercy was a luxury they did not deserve.

Like insects, they were of no help, yet they laid their eggs everywhere!

Just as Shabel stepped into the Capital,

– *Kwaaang!*

“Damn it…!”

Throughout the Capital, flames, explosions, and thick smoke were already rising.

Such incidents were not unheard of. Rather, it was something that erupted with unsettling regularity.

They understood. To sunder Ability users and the normals, all that was required was more Gates, and more monsters.

At first, they would blame the former. But with time, they would gradually, subtly break.

In the ceaseless fighting, one side was heralded as heroes, so why did they not protect everyone perfectly? While the other gave everything to protect, yet still faced criticism.

A rift once opened could never be closed. He had to stop them before that point.

“Senior!”

“Ah! You arrived quickly!”

His opponents were not ordinary humans. They wielded abilities, but were not allies.

Therefore, from this point on, they were monsters. Beings harmful to all of the Empire.

Thus, the verdict delivered upon them was singular. As it had always been, and as it would always be: unconditional execution.

“Leave this place to me.”

“Eh? But Senior? We can help too!”

“You lot head towards the other Sealstone, not this one. Now.”

The enemy knew about the secondary Sealstone. If they only targeted one, they were imbeciles.

If the Empire has been suffering against their ilk for over a decade, then it simply makes no sense.

‘If one is going to start something, it must be grand. Yes. It must be worthy.’

Shabel clicked her tongue and waited a moment, watching as something began to writhe and rise from the smoke.

She wished it were a monster. She could hack it to pieces then without a trace of that unpleasant feeling in her heart.

But alas. It seemed that today, Shabel’s blade would once again be stained with someone’s blood.

“Shabel.”

“Pathetic things. You show yourselves only now?”

This was a district where the Gate dared not open its maw, where even monsters hesitated to tread. Yet, it was being brought to ruin by humans, no less. As much as she was an Elf, she couldn’t quite comprehend it this time.

Those who proclaimed that Espers were superior, that only they had a right to exist in this world.

But if one considered it, did this Esper power even exist from the beginning? Could they dare to say that some must be extinguished, for something that hadn’t even existed for a hundred years?

“We’re late.”

“’We’re late’?”

Shabel glanced back, almost nonchalantly.

The Sealstone was intact. The soldiers who guarded the vicinity had suffered great losses, but they had at least bought some time with their resistance.

The Sealstones of the other districts would be the same. Even if one or two were destroyed, they had spares, so they could be replaced in a matter of hours at most.

‘And yet, they dare say “late” before me.’

Was it just baseless confidence? Were they trying to sour her mood because their plans had gone awry?

No. As impure as their intentions were, they weren’t fools to that extent.

There was something else at play. A smile graced Shabel’s lips as she slowly drew her sword.

“But to stand so confidently before me, it must mean you have some assurance.”

“We may not win, but we are prepared to die together.”

“To die together, one must at least be able to hold out for a while. Are you truly so confident?”

Then, three figures, two men and a woman, stepped forward. Their abilities appeared to be of the defense and barrier types.

Behind them were those with weaponry and martial arts abilities, and at the very rear, those who could manipulate fire, ready to launch long-range attacks.

The intention was clear. They intended to cling and drag her down.

If that proved impossible, the fire-wielding Espers would set the district ablaze, creating maximum chaos.

Their intent was to concentrate Shabel’s attention, and that of the other Espers, to this location, drawing as many forces as possible.

“….”

Shabel momentarily glanced towards the Imperial Palace. It seemed that the real threat was there.

“Hmm.”

But soon, she thought, they should be fine. And decided to focus solely on the enemies before her.

She had heard the news. That some students from the Cradle had received an Imperial order and entered the Palace today.

Starting with Luciel, her own student, and then the student council president of the Cradle, and the valedictorian of the second year. And finally…

“You seem to want to finish this as quickly as possible. It will be difficult. We only need to stall….”

“What nonsense are you spouting, you imbeciles? ‘Finish this quickly’? Where would I go? Why would I?”

“…?”

“On the contrary, I intend to crush each and every one of you who would dare try to hinder me, thoroughly, starting from now. There is no need for me to be hasty.”

She cared not a whit what machinations you plotted, what deeds you were setting in motion.

For such is the way of the sword. Such is the way of the swordsman. While sheathed, one might contemplate and train as though they were a monk, but that is only until the battle begins.

When the blade must fall. When the moment to draw comes. The black-clad inspector does not hesitate. She merely swings, and swings again.

‘Knowing nothing of who dwells there, in that place, the lot of you.’

To wish that nothing happens, that is supposed to be the true essence of an ability-user from the Empire.

Yet, simultaneously, being one who yearns to witness the strength of others, she also desires that *something* occur.

Still, she cannot forget. The aura of that youth, Deus, at the moment of their clash.

Though she’d struggled to suppress it, it was by no means the look of one pushed back, or even one fiercely battling. Rather, it was more akin to watching a child’s playful antics!

A pity. Truly a pity. If she were there, she could truly absorb it all into her eyes.

If only it weren’t for those fools. Yes. Truly, eliminating them from this world is the only right answer.

“Not that I wasn’t lamenting the fact that you left behind only a bunch of simpletons.”

Sometimes, it seems, the world misunderstands one thing about her. They see her as a knight, a woman of honor.

It is not entirely wrong. Because she loves the romance of it all, she strives to be honorable. Because that is the image of one who wields a blade.

But, one thing. If you compare her to those knights who show mercy even to their enemies, that is one-hundred percent wrong.

— *Sreung*

She offers no mercy, ever. The hearty laughter, the silly jokes, the seemingly clumsy appearance – all of it. Those are only shown to allies she can trust.

The only thing enemies will ever see. A true sword demon, focused solely on the act of killing with two swords in hand.

“Shall we dance the sword dance together for old time’s sake?”

“…All of you, begin the assault! No matter what, we die together here! If that’s impossible, then at least inflict an injury! Even if it’s for a moment, just stop her from moving!”

Shabel smiled. Brightly, eerily.

It took but a few minutes for the beautiful woman to transform into a blood-soaked murderer.

*

“The gate has opened.”

The man with the yellow eyes spoke, glancing at the man and woman beside him.

“Ultimately, that b*tch hasn’t returned. Whether she simply hasn’t returned *yet*, or whether she’s unable to return at all. Even that much, we cannot know.”

“….”

“As you both know, I despise that woman. But simultaneously, I do not deny that she is a crucial asset to our forces. Therefore, it means that beyond this gate lies a formidable foe that surpasses our expectations.”

The man and woman slowly nodded. One of them opened his mouth.

“Therefore. The enemy beyond the gate. Do we unconditionally avoid combat with this ‘Dawn’?”

“If possible. Still, we must gather energy, so destroy and kill as much as you can. However strong they may be, they cannot block everything alone. With the two of you, a perfect combination even we acknowledge.”

Moreover, this time, we’ve decided to push ourselves harder than ever. He didn’t voice the last sentence, the yellow-eyed man merely nodded.

“Go.”

Giving a light bow, the two flew beyond the gate.

Black darkness and the semblance of blood seeping in, only to be replaced by an utterly unpleasant light.

“You understand the plan, yes? Hagenti.”

“Of course. Harpas. As we proceed, we will immediately head for the weakest point, destroying and killing everything in our path. We avoid engagement as much as possible.”

“Don’t forget. If we meet and start fighting again and mess things up, he’s going to be really mad.”

The two demons exchanged back and forth about the prearranged operation.

But originally, the truth was that ‘operation plans’ never last for more than 10 minutes.

“Welcome.”