Chapter 28
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Demon God’s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker – Kawaii]
Chapter 28: Revelation (1)
“Lady Chelsea!”
As Damien Haksen stepped out, Rebecca rushed forward and supported Chelsea Goldpixie.
“Re…Rebecca… Did you see? What did that guy do to me?”
“Ye…yes your majesty, I…I saw.”
“I…I’ll definitely kill him. And make him regret what he did to me…”
Chelsea murmured, trembling in anger, with irritation in her eyes.
“Mustang Fury!”
Chelsea Goldpixie stood up abruptly and shouted. In response, a middle-aged man came running through the door leading to the adjacent room.
“Yes…yes! Mustang Fury reporting, I came as soon as I heard you call!”
He seemed to be a middle-aged, with a noticeably thick belly.
“What’s going on? Why didn’t the enchantment work on him !”
“I, I don’t know. Occasionally, there are people with strong immunity to dark mana. Perhaps he was one of them…”
“You incompetent fool!”
Chelsea threw a teacup that was on the table towards Mustang Fury. The cup hit Mustang Fury’s forehead squarely.
“That guy… can’t be left alive. I’ll definitely kill him. So he’ll regret spouting those words to me today!”
Chelsea Goldpixie’s eyes gleamed fiercely.
“Guillaume Blackwing? Where is he?”
“He…he’s at the tavern. He said he needs to relieve his stress because of what happened today…”
“He’s enjoying at the tavern the day before the duel?”
Chelsea Goldpixie’s gaze became sharp.
Mustang Fury sweated profusely, nervously reading Chelsea’s mood.
“Bring him to me right now! I won’t let him go unpunished!”
“My l…lady, please calm down! I…I’ll bring him here right away and make him explain!”
Upon hearing this, Chelsea forcibly suppressed her anger.
“…Tell me, can Guillaume Blackwing really defeat Damien Haksen?”
“Y-Yes! Who is Guillaume Blackwing? He is our masterpiece! I have never seen a knight with a more excellent affinity for dark mana than him.”
“Such a person suffered humiliation from Damien Haksen during the day?”
“That was an unexpected situation…If he was using a weapon, the outcome would be completely different.”
Mustang Fury spoke confidently.
“My lady, please endure a little longer! We, the Yulan, will place the Duchy in your hands!”
With Mustang Fury’s assurance, Chelsea spoke with a venomous expression.
“Make sure to keep your word. Otherwise, you might be the first to die.”
Mustang Fury’s face turned pale.
***
“Indeed, a dark mage was hiding in the vicinity.”
On the restaurant’s roof, Damien was crouching down, eavesdropping on the conversation between Chelsea and the dark mage.
After leaving the restaurant, Damien had immediately jumped onto the roof. Using his mana, he enhanced his hearing and listened intently to the conversation inside.
“It’s not just a simple alliance. Chelsea Goldpixie is controlling the dark mage as if He was a pawn.”
That’s what the conversation seemed to imply. However, Damien felt something uneasy about it.
‘Those dark mage bastards don’t submit to anyone like that..’
The dark mages Damien knew were venomous, with poison instead of blood running through their veins. They wouldn’t yield to anyone so easily.
Above all, the organization to which the dark magicians belonged was the issue.
‘Mustang Fury, that man, he mentioned something about Yulan.’
Yulan.
It was a group that Akitora, the dark mage who had cast a curse on Haksen Territory after receiving a mission from the Black Serpent gang belonged to.
Yulan was a dangerous group of dark mages, dangerous enough for the Church to actively track and pursue them.
Would dark mages from such a place obey a novice like Chelsea Goldpixie?
‘What on earth are they aiming for?’
Suddenly, a certain conversation from Damien’s memory popped up.
“Do you know what dark mages desire most desperately? It’s settling in one place.”
It was something Dorugo, in his past life, had said to Damien. Strictly speaking, it couldn’t be called a conversation, as Damien wasn’t in a situation to speak at that time. Moreover, Dorugo believed Damien had completely lost his mind.
In essence, it was just Dorugo ranting.
“The life of a dark magician can be summarized as a wanderer. You have to hide from people’s gaze and escape from the Church’s pursuit. Eventually, everyone earnestly desires it— a place to settle.”
It explained why dark mages, particularly, sought to infiltrate society.
‘They are trying to use Chelsea Goldpixie to dominate the Duchy.’
No dark mage lives for long if they are caught by the Church, there has been no case of a dark mage returning alive after being persecuted by the Church.
Hence, Yulan would likely be seeking a powerful shield to protect themselves.
So, it seemed that Chelsea Goldpixie was the chosen one. There was no doubt that they planned to use her to gain control over the Duchy.
‘These vermin are causing trouble beyond their scope.’
The behavior of Yulan, aiming to dominate the Duchy using Chelsea, seemed to overlap with the actions of Dorugo, who had treated Damien as a slave in a past life.
‘I’ll thoroughly crush that plan.’
Damien’s eyes glowed ominously.
Damien quietly returned to the guest room.
Upon reaching the guest room, Damien first infused the bracelet with the dark mana he had stored within his body.
‘The more I see it, the more useful it becomes.’
The bracelet, obtained by killing Yulan’s lieutenant Agito, had the ability to store and conceal any energy.
Thanks to it, Damien could hide the absorbed dark magic seamlessly.
‘I wish I could just discard dark magic from my life.’
Damien hated both dark mages and dark magic itself. He wanted to erase them completely from this world.
Yet, the reason for collecting dark magic was to be prepared for any unexpected events.
‘You never know what might happen in life.’
Damien, who had been thriving as a mercenary, saw his life fall apart after encountering the Archlich Dorugo.
To prevent such unforeseen situations, he stored dark mana.
After storing all the dark mana in the bracelet, Damien drew out the Thousand-Mile Sword.
[Changing the name of the sword Cheonligum to the Thousand Mile Sword]
‘Rather than going to the Duke and explaining, it’s better to show it to him directly.’
Damien’s plan was simple.
He intended to destroy the dark magic entrenched in Guillaume Blackwing’s body.
When dark magic is destroyed, the released dark mana will expose the existence of the use of dark magic by Guillaume Blackwing to the world.
‘Fortunately, the Resonant Sword Art is suitable for such tasks.’
[TL/N- The resonance Sword art is the name of the technique used by the Sword Musician]
Damien lightly flicked the edge of the Thousand-Mile Sword with his finger.
Buzz.
Just a slight impact made the sword vibrate fiercely.
After infusing magic into the Thousand-Mile Sword, Damien flicked the sword again.
Buzz.
The vibration became even stronger. Simultaneously, a nearby window shattered.
“It’s not going to be easy, indeed.”
Damien frowned in dissatisfaction.
Originally, Damien had intended to break a chair, not a window. However, due to not properly controlling the vibrations, the window ended up breaking.
“How did the Sword Musician control this?”
The Sword musician possessed not only sword skills but also a talent for sound. He was naturally gifted with a strong musical sense and perfect pitch.
Damien, however, lacked the same musical sense as the Sword musician Therefore, while he understood the techniques and principles, he couldn’t use them proficiently.
‘I’ll need some practice if I intend to use it in the duel tomorrow.’
Damien spent the night practicing with the Thousand-Mile Sword.
And just like that the sun rose and the day of the duel came.
The people in the palace gathered at the training ground on time. They were there to witness the duel that was happening today.
Among them were the numerous knights of the Duchy, and there were also knights participating in the duel as representatives against the Marquis.
“Who do you think will win, Sir Pavel?”
One of the candidate knights asked Pavel, a knight with a sturdy build and short height, about his opinion.
“If we only consider reputation, Guillaume Blackwing is likely to win.”
Although he was a knight from a distant land, Guillaume Blackwing’s reputation was so remarkable that it had reached the Apple kingdom too.
“Then, do you think we’ll finally be free from the clutches of that demon?”
The candidate knight asked, trembling.
In recent days, the duel knights had been subjected to beatings disguised as training by Damien Haksen. Resisting only resulted in brutal retaliation, and attempting to escape led to being chased down.
What particularly tormented the duel knights was Damien Haksen’s bizarre striking technique. No matter how hard Damien Haksen struck, the knights wouldn’t sustain any visible injuries.
Therefore, the duel knights couldn’t even complain to their superiors.
“If Guillaume Blackwing wins, it might be possible.”
With such a significant collision, the losing side would likely leave the Duke’s service.
If Damien Haksen loses, the duel knights may finally be liberated from those dreadful days…
“But somehow, I don’t think that person will lose…”
Pavel Vermound thought of Damien Haksen.
With his eerie swordsmanship, seemingly lost emotions, and finally, brutal tactics, he was a fearsome individual, enough to send shivers down the spine just by imagining.
“Well, even so, it’s natural for Guillaume Blackwing to win, isn’t it?”
It was when a fellow knight chuckled and spoke that a man entered the training ground, shouting with incredible vigor.
“Huuaaah!”
He was incredibly tall and had a muscular build, especially his long and thick arms that resembled wooden logs.
“That man is Guillaume Blackwing…”
Pavel Vermound stared at him with a curious expression.
It was evident at a glance. Even if they were at the same level, Guillaume Blackwing was much stronger.
“Damien Haksen! Come up here! Today is the day I’ll crush you!”
Guillaume Blackwing, who had climbed onto the training ground, shouted loudly.
Pavel Vermound couldn’t help but frown at his behavior, which reminded more of a gladiator than a knight.
Although skilled, he was an individual without any refinement or dignity.
“Sir, he’s here.”
At that moment, a knight shook Pavel Vermound’s arm and pointed somewhere.
Damien Haksen had just revealed himself on the training ground.
“So, you ddn’t run away? Huh!”
Guillaume Blackwing, who spotted Damien Haksen, laughed fiercely.
In contrast, Damien Haksen yawned, looking quite relaxed.
“Oh, I didn’t get much sleep last night. My shoulders are stiff.”
Damien Haksen massaged one shoulder while tilting his head from side to side.
There was no trace of determination or tension. Guillaume Blackwing scoffed at his attitude.
“He’s really asking for death.”
A fierce energy started emanating from Guillaume Blackwing. Faced with this rough energy, Pavel Vermound swallowed nervously.
Guillaume Blackwing seemed even stronger than he had thought.
Guillaume Blackwing stared at Damien Haksen as if he was about to charge at him any moment.
However, the actual combat did not begin.
“It seems I’m a bit late.”
The reason was the arrival of the Duke on the training ground.
“Damien, did you sleep well last night?”
“I was practising for the duel so I couldn’t sleep properly.”
“Oh well. I don’t know what you were so engrossed in, but don’t forget about sleep. Sleep is the best medicine, they say.”
After warmly greeting Damien, the Duke approached Guillaume Blackwing.
“Guillaume Blackwing.”
“…Yes, Your Grace.”
Guillaume Blackwing responded while giving a sidelong glance at Karl Heimlich standing beside the Duke.
“I hope you gracefully accept the outcome.”
The Duke’s tone suggested that the result was already determined, causing Guillaume Blackwing’s face to turn grim.
“Yes, I will do so.”
However, with Karl Heimlich present, he couldn’t explode in temper.
“Well then, no need to drag it out. Let the duel begin.”
The Duke’s declaration echoed.
As soon as the duel began, Guillaume Blackwing rushed into the training ground.
He held two axes in one hand each, and the axes were adorned with sharp blades.
“Damien Haksen!”
Unable to contain his passion, Guillaume Blackwing shouted loudly. In response, Damien Haksen frowned.
“Noisy brat.”
Despite the discomfort, Damien Haksen instinctively analyzed Guillaume Blackwing.
/Muscles in both arms are equally developed. It means he is ambidextrous.
Even when using dual weapons, the technique can differ based on whether one is right-handed or left-handed. Guillaume Blackwing was ambidextrous, indicating a flawless technique.
“The depth varies with each step. It means he is not proficient in manipulating mana.”
Inability to control magic consistently results in differences in the force applied to the ground, creating variations in depth with each step.
/I should stop analyzing here./
At best, he was a fake knight who elevated his status with dark magic. Damien found no value in further analysis.
“Not dodging? Are you planning to block me head-on?”
Guillaume Blackwing, who approached closely, raised his axes.
“There have been more than a few fools who tried to block me head-on and ended up dead!”
Power surged into Guillaume Blackwing’s forearm, and the two axes fell towards Damien.
Damien blocked the axes with his Thousand-Mile Sword. Upon collision, the Thousand-Mile Sword vibrated ominously.
A low hum reverberated as shockwaves emanated from Damien, shattering the ground around him.
The shockwaves reached Guillaume Blackwing, sending him flying. Guillaume Blackwing somersaulted through the air before landing on the ground.
“What, what did you just do…?”
Guillaume Blackwing stared at Damien in bewilderment, and others were equally astonished.
“What…what is happening right now?”
“I…I don’t understand either.”
“There was a sound, and suddenly Guillaume Blackwing went flying?”
No one had seen such a defensive technique before, leading to confusion.
“…That.”
Only one person, Karl Heimlich, recognized the technique Damien used.
The Duke turned to Karl Heimlich and asked him,
“Do you know about the technique Damien Haksen used?”
“A few years ago, a knight employed by the Duke used a similar technique.”
Karl Heimlich looked at Damien with amazement.
“It was a highly unusual technique, and the memory stuck with me. I never expected Damien Haksen to be capable of using it.”
After a moment of recollection, Karl Heimlich spoke to the Duke.
“If my memory serves me right… You might witness something even more interesting.”
“Where did you learn such a strange technique?”
Guillaume Blackwing got up and rushed towards Damien.
Damien ran his fingers along the blade of the Thousand-Mile Sword.
As the blade gradually vibrated, the vibrations intensified with each passing moment.
When the vibration peaked, Damien flicked the blade with his fingers.
Instantly, a shock wave hit Guillaume Blackwing’s abdomen.
“Oof!”
Guillaume Blackwing stopped, letting out a scream. Once again, he looked at Damien with confusion.
“This guy… keeps doing weird things…”
Damien flicked the blade once again.
This time, Guillaume Blackwing’s face contorted as if being struck by an invisible club.
“Ugh!”
Damien flicked the blade again, and this time, the impact hit Guillaume Blackwing’s side.
“Argh!”
Guillaume Blackwing swung his axes wildly with both hands. However, the axes hit nothing.
“What, what is that? Could it be that Damien is using magic?”
“But Damien is a knight, isn’t he?”
The guests were perplexed by this bizarre sight.
“This guy! Can’t he just fight properly?”
Guillaume Blackwing, enraged, swung his hand axe. A red aura was emitted, flying towards Damien.
Woooom.
At that moment, Damien’s resonating sword changed. What was solid before became sharp.
As the sharp resonance echoed, the aura sent by Guillaume Blackwing was split in half. The aura lost its center and dispersed.
“…What?”
In an unimaginable turn of events, Guillaume Blackwing froze in confusion.
Seizing the opportunity, Damien resonated his sword again.
At that moment, Guillaume Blackwing urgently slammed the ground and leaped. The training ground floor seemed to be sliced like a blade had passed through it.
“You…you lunatic!”
Guillaume Blackwing, bewildered, rushed towards Damien. Damien glanced at the approaching Guillaume Blackwing.
‘I should stop playing around.’
To test the capabilities of Guillaume’s techniques, Damien had toyed with Guillaume Blackwing for a moment.
Now it was time to reveal the truth to the people.
‘The terrifying aspect of the Resonance Sword Art is not in its ability to handle large-scale battles but in its capacity to inflict internal injuries to the opponent through sword resonance.’
The Resonance Sword Art uses sword resonance as its principal energy.
Originally, this technique could not inflict internal injuries.
However, reaching the peak of the Resonance Sword Art allowed the Sword Musician to influence the opponent’s internal body.
‘However it didn’t work against masters.’
Masters had bodies trained to the extreme, coupled with incredibly precise manipulation of mana.
That’s why inflicting internal injuries to them through the Resonance Sword Art was almost impossible.
‘But it is undoubtedly still useful.’
Damien flicked the Thousand-Mile Sword. The resonance of the sword began to echo softly.
He held the vibrating Thousand-Mile Sword with both hands. After raising it high into the sky, he swung it forcefully towards the ground.
A tremendous sound enveloped the conference room to the point where the people shook their heads from the reverberation.
Guillaume Blackwing’s body shook violently in the massive wave, causing him to freeze in his place.
“You…you…”
Guillaume Blackwing’s face gradually turned pale.
“Ugh…!”
Guillaume Blackwing spewed something from his mouth.
It wasn’t blood. Rather, it was a much darker and sticky substance.
“Why…why is Guillaume acting like that?”
“Something seems off.”
The substance Guillaume expelled touched the ground. In that moment, it transformed into gas, spreading in all directions.
A pitch-black mist filled the conference room. The faces of the people who witnessed it stiffened.
“This…this couldn’t be…”
“In this world, there is only one type of mana that is black in color.”
“It’s… Dark Magic!”
The guests screamed in horror.
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Demon God’s male Disciple]
[Quality Checker – Kawaii]
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