332 – Division -5-

The falling sword energy began to shake the battlefield.

– Bang…!

– Boom, boom, boom!!

– Roar!!!

Rowen’s aura, imbued with moonlight, was shattering the battlefield and the screams began to echo on the ground.

“It’s the lion of the empire…”

As Rowen’s sword energy hit the ground, the panicked heretics began to scream and fall into chaos.

The falling sword energy began to spread delicate blades as it hit the ground. It was just a single stroke of swordsmanship.

– Splat!!!

It was dyeing the earth red.

Histania’s swordsmanship.

“[Nameless (無名).]”

Because it’s the swordsmanship that divides the world.

The eyes of the confused heretics were infected with fear. The lion of the empire has come, so run away.

Heaven beyond heaven (天外天).

Rowen’s sword, which transcends the realm of humans, was making hearts pound violently.

A conversation about fleeing was exchanged from the mouth of the archbishop confronting Hannah.

“Damn it, didn’t the other apostle say they were buying time?”

“Let’s retreat for now. Shigi.”

“Ugh…! Wait a moment…! Tamsim, behind! Look behind…!”

“Ugh!! This woman!”

A voice promising the next time echoed above Shulia, who was overwhelming Ruin.

“I’ll tear you to pieces next time.”

“Cough… Screw you.”

Balak, standing on the corpse of the heretic, let out a small laugh as he watched the brilliant sword energy falling from the sky.

“A monster.”

The aura of the Empire’s sword, unchanged through the ages, was awe-inspiring. I thought I had reached a certain level of strength through blood-spitting effort, but the Empire’s sword was beyond that category.

“I can’t keep up.”

Balak let out a hollow laugh as he beheaded the heretic. The giant greatsword danced forward. Towards the familiar one. And slowly walked towards the benefactor.

“…”

I let out a hollow laugh as I watched Rowen’s sword energy falling from the sky.

‘He is a monster.’

The realm of the Empire’s sword described in the novel, what should I call this? Should I say it’s like a beast? I could imitate it, but the perfection that couldn’t be imitated made me laugh hollowly.

“Crazy person.”

No words came out.

The explosive martial prowess had a power beyond what I imagined. As if shouting that I, standing here, was the Empire’s sword.

But still.

I think I can reach it.

I moved my body slowly to clean up the battlefield with a small smile.

Not yet. This war isn’t over yet.

I felt a familiar presence approaching from behind. The steps of a man with ferocious and violent power were coming towards me.

‘Looks like he’s here.’

I slowly turned around and met the man’s eyes, and as soon as our eyes met, I greeted him with a faint smile.

“Long time no see.”

“…”

“Judging by your complexion, it seems things went well.”

“…”

Balak, holding the greatsword, reddened his eyes once and nodded. Seeing a sturdy man redden his eyes didn’t feel very good, but a smile appeared on his peaceful-looking face.

Balak spoke to me in a trembling voice.

“Thank you.”

“…”

“I don’t know how I can repay this favor, but….”

The hand holding the greatsword was trembling.

I smiled faintly and brought my finger to my lips.

“Shh. Let’s tidy up first.”

I lightly kicked off the ground and left the spot. Then I approached Hannah, who had fought her best.

“Steward!”

I smiled as I supported Hannah, who had driven a sword into the heart of the Archbishop of Greed.

“You’ve worked hard.”

“…I knew you would come!”

“You were amazing.”

“Hehe… No, I wasn’t.”

“You faced two archbishops. That’s incredibly impressive.”

“What did I do…”

Hannah, who was in my arms, smiled bashfully and rubbed her face against my chest. Although she couldn’t cut off the breath of the Archbishop of Envy, thanks to Hannah, many lives were saved. If even one archbishop had moved freely on this battlefield, the damage wouldn’t have ended here. I patted her head with gratitude.

‘I didn’t know you would kill Greed….’

See, I told you, you have talent.

I smiled as I looked at the rising moon.

*

“The currently identified casualties are about 80, with no fatalities.”

“That’s a relief.”

“It’s a miracle.”

Having quickly set up a shelter, I began to talk with Malik, Rowan, and Balak. Although calling it a shelter was a stretch, as it was just a single bonfire, it was still a place to calmly discuss things.

Rowan, with his arms crossed, bowed his head and sighed.

“My late arrival was a mistake.”

“…”

“I tried to come quickly, but the chancellor held me back.”

“Thank you for just being here.”

Rowen glared at me once, then let out a small laugh.

“You are everywhere.”

“We just happened to be going the same way.”

“Did you come for the holy sword too?”

“I came to watch.”

“Puhat… I’ve never seen someone as interesting as you.”

Malik nodded in agreement with those words.

They seemed harmonious.

It felt like the first time I felt warmth in the Histania family.

‘It seems like things have changed.’

Looking at Rowen’s eyes, I felt like many things had changed. I could feel warmth in the way he looked at Hannah. He didn’t tell her to stop wielding the sword when they met. I felt a strange sense of relief in Rowen’s worried face as he stared at the fallen Hannah.

Malik slowly stood up and began to report on the situation.

“The damage to our camp is beyond imagination.”

“…”

“We couldn’t even reach the temple, and 80% of our troops were injured….”

“…”

I shook my head in response to Malik’s words.

“Maybe it’s fortunate that it ended with this much damage.”

“Fortunate…?”

“If this number had entered the temple, our side might have all perished except for a few.”

Rowen nodded slightly in agreement.

“That’s certainly true.”

I turned my head to look at Balak, who had placed his greatsword beside him.

“And isn’t there someone who can tell us in detail about the ‘damage’ on the heretic side?”

“…”

Rowen looked at Balak with suspicious eyes. He wondered if he could trust someone who had been a heretic. Although he had seen him oppose the heretics, he had to consider that it might be a strategy, so Rowen asked me.

“Is he trustworthy?”

In response to Rowen’s unabashed suspicion, Balak nodded.

“The sword of the empire.”

“`

“…Did you call me?”

“Yes.”

“Speaking informally on a first meeting, that’s quite uncomfortable.”

“…”

“Speak.”

“Do you have children?”

At Balak’s question, Rowen nodded in response. Then Balak exhaled and spoke slowly.

“Thanks to the author’s help, I was able to save my daughter’s life.”

Rowen nodded at Balak’s words and said.

“Is that so.”

“…”

“Can you swear on your daughter’s name for that statement?”

-Nod.

“Alright. I’ll believe you this once.”

“I appreciate your trust.”

Balak slowly began to speak about the situation of the heretics.

“The number of heretic troops involved in this operation is about 130. Among them, 80 have died. That’s about 60% casualties. The heretics have also suffered significant damage.”

That’s good news.

It means we’ve dealt a blow to the heretic forces.

“Thanks to the girl lying here who killed the Archbishop of Greed, the heretics’ morale must be at rock bottom.”

“…She’s my daughter.”

“Are you boasting?”

“Yes.”

“I’m envious.”

I almost laughed.

Rowen’s lips had a contented smile as he proudly spoke of his daughter.

I held back the laughter that was about to burst out and focused on Balak’s words.

“The retreated Archbishop seems unlikely to return to battle. They all suffered severe injuries from your sword.”

“I just swung it around randomly, but it seems I hit the mark.”

“Are you serious?”

“`

“No.”

“…”

“Anyway, it’s almost impossible for them to return to the battlefield. Dark wizards can only be treated by wizards with special properties.”

“…”

That means.

“So, it’s worth a try.”

Balak shook his head.

“No.”

“Why not? All the archbishops are injured, and the number of heretics has halved. If we push forward, we can seize the victory, can’t we?”

“That’s true, but.”

Malak looked at the temple and smiled bitterly.

“Because there are apostles.”

“…Apostles.”

“Half of the damage we took in the recent battle was caused by the apostles.”

“…”

“There are three apostles in there. Do you think we can break through the front?”

“…”

“Even if we safely enter the temple, if the three apostles ambush us at once, that would be a big problem too.”

“…”

“My opinion is that now, when the morale of the heretics is low, is the perfect opportunity to retreat.”

I raised my hand.

“Excuse me.”

“Speak.”

“Aren’t I here?”

“…Hmm?”

Rowen nodded at my words.

“That’s right. You are here.”

“If I, the purest heart in the world, participate in the exploration, we can obtain the holy sword.”

“…?”

“…?”

“…?”

“Yes?”

I bowed my head with an awkward smile in response to those who had a huge question mark above their heads.

“It’s embarrassing if you stare at me like that.”

“…”

“Why.”

Rowen let out a hollow laugh and began to organize the situation. If we apply Balak’s opinion to the current situation, it means that time is running out.

“Then we need to move quickly to retrieve the holy sword. Is that what you’re saying?”

“That’s right.”

“The injured.”

“We plan to send Balak to the front and move them to a safe place.”

“Then let me ask again.”

Rowen asked the question again, looking straight into my eyes.

“Can we trust that person?”

I looked at Balak and spoke with certainty.

[Balak Lv. 91]

[Occupation: Archbishop of Despair]

[Affinity: 100]

Favorite conversation topics: Daughter, benefactor, revenge against heretics, sword, faith, gratitude

Disliked conversation topics: Heretics, distrust, disease, shackles

I smiled with confidence and said. I knew this day would come, so I planted the seeds.

“He is trustworthy.”

“Hmm…”

“…”

“Understood.”

Rowen looked at Hannah with a cold voice.

“We will send the severely injured to the front first.”

Hannah raised her body and said in a surprised voice.

“I can go too…! I can go too!”

“…”

“Please wait a moment. If you take the potion, you’ll be fine soon…!”

“No.”

I firmly refused Hannah’s request. The risks that arose from the moment things went wrong were beyond the scope. Honestly, I might be able to secure the holy sword.

Three apostles.

Two surviving archbishops.

Even though Elysia was on our side, the weight of the apostles we had to deal with was pressing heavily on our shoulders, so I couldn’t make a hasty decision.

“Why…”

Hannah bit her lip tightly. Seeing her eyes getting wet, I sighed lightly and nodded.

“Let’s go on a date alone next time.”

There were four people to enter the temple.

Rowen. Yuria.

Ricardo and Mikhail.

We moved with the thought of destroying the holy sword if necessary.

Of course, Malik was.

– Take me with you too.

He was kicked out for being stubborn.