Academy’s Genius Swordsman

#289

“I’ve arrived.”

Ronan stopped. The sanctuary of Dynhar, or the heart as it was called, still stood in grandeur even after three years.

In the middle of the space covered with white tiles, a huge chunk of magic stone was floating, larger than an average farmhouse. Now that I looked at it, it seemed similar in style to the seed vault or something like that where Elsia lived. The savior, looking around, let out a sigh of admiration.

“Ah… Time has passed, but it’s still the same. It’s truly the remains of those who were closest to the stars.”

“What on earth is this place?”

“The bridge and power plant of the greatest ship in the world. It’s still amazing even when you look at it now.”

“ship?”

Ronan tilted his head. Instead of answering, the Savior extended his finger and pointed at the crystal. Now that he thought about it, he didn’t seem to have any intention of getting off even though they had reached their destination.

He couldn't figure out what was going on. Ronan followed his orders. There were traces of his past battle with Terranil everywhere. The Savior, who had arrived in front of the crystal, tapped him on the shoulder.

“This is the engine. It is the essential power plant for moving a large ship. It was developed by the geniuses of the time.”

“I don’t know what an engine is, but it’s something like a heart, right?”

“Yes. The heart. Your native friends’ analogy was spot on.”

The Savior nodded. Suddenly, a voice of thunder and gusts of wind rang out from behind.

“Whoa···gasp, I finally got it!”

“Ro, Ronan! Let’s go together!”

When I turned my head, I saw the native brothers catching their breath that had risen to their chins. It was quite admirable that they had followed me so quickly, even though they couldn’t even handle Mana properly. The savior continued speaking while looking at the tattoos engraved on their bodies.

“The tattoos on those guys’ bodies are a kind of identification code. In the past, not just anyone could pilot this ship. Only those who had undergone genetic modification to enhance their sensitivity could become crew members, and evidence of their bloodline was tattooed on their bodies for generations.”

“Th-th-the-shit, I don’t know what you’re talking about. First of all, where the hell is the ship?”

“I made a mistake. It’s faster to see once than to hear a hundred times. Just wait a minute.”

Suddenly, the Savior raised his hand in the air and muttered something. Then, the tiles in front of him flipped over and a huge rectangular solid emerged. Dozens of mechanical devices were attached to its smooth surface. Ronan raised his eyebrows.

“This is···.”

I remembered it unmistakably. It was a rectangular solid that clearly held the secret of the ruins. Since the angry gust of wind had manipulated it, Dainhar had become completely fortified.

It was originally placed under some stairs, but it seemed that the Savior had called it. The angry gust of wind that had just caught up with Ronan shouted with his eyes wide open.

“That, that must not be touched! It can only be touched on the day of promise!”

“Today is that day.”

The savior answered dryly. And without a moment’s hesitation, he put his hand on the machine. Kukukung…! After pressing a few buttons, the ground beneath his feet began to shake as if an earthquake had occurred.

“Nimi. What the hell are you trying to do… Huh?!”

Ronan was about to say something when a searing pain rose deep inside his body. He clutched his chest and staggered as if he was going to collapse. The Savior glanced at his son and chuckled.

“That’s right. It’s finally started. There’s no way there won’t be side effects.”

“Fuck, what the heck is this···.”

“I told you, there would be side effects from the treatment. The curses that were broken down inside your body are now being expelled from your body. It will probably hurt a lot.”

Ronan gritted his teeth and could not continue speaking. The excruciating pain that felt like his organs were boiling was something that could not be endured with just grit. The startled Gust and Thunder brothers supported Ronan.

“Ro, Ronan. Come to your senses!”

“You must not die!”

The Savior closed his eyes. With each movement of his hand, the vibrations shaking the relics grew stronger. The black magic stone, which seemed to be an engine, was blinking madly.

“Don’t worry, the pain will subside soon. Think of it as the bird’s struggle to break the egg. Ronan, you were born with a talent that surpassed mine from the start.”

“Ugh···Ugh!”

“I feel like I’m comparing you to Iril and belittling you, but that power is also quite terrifying. I’m just thankful that you grew up to be a good child who wouldn’t abuse that power.”

Ronan barely raised his head to look at the back of the Savior. The sparkling mana was continuously rising from the small shoulders. The amount was so vast that it looked more like a small volcano than a person.

He was humming something to himself, but the surrounding noise was so loud that it was hard to hear.

“···Fly. Fly again.”

However, I couldn't shake the feeling that it looked dangerous. It was like watching the last eruption of an old volcano. It seemed as if it would cool down as soon as it spewed out all the lava.

“······!”

He wanted to say something, but his voice wouldn't come out. Then, the excruciating pain struck Ronan once again, sweeping through his senses. He felt the curses that had been squeezing his heart begin to die. The Savior glanced at his son and finished his song.

“Let’s fly just one more time.”

****

“This, this is ridiculous···.”

Bishop Theresa muttered. She was on the ramparts of the fortress, watching the fall of the Order in real time. The star protection that protected the fortress, which she believed would never be breached, was about to break.

“This is the end. Never back down!”

“You fucking fanatics, you’ll pay for what you did!”

The Allied forces were now simultaneously attacking the last two remaining fortifications. The soldiers' shouts shook the pure white earth. Every time the catapult bowed, diluted bullets shot out in parabolic arcs.

Bang! Bang! A loud noise erupted as various projectiles struck the shield. The believers let out a sigh of despair as they saw the Allied Forces swarming like a swarm of bees. The number had been reduced considerably due to the activities of the artificial giants and the siege, but it still seemed to be at least a hundred thousand.

Their blood-drunk spirit was so high that it seemed as if it would tear the sky apart. The flags of the Allied Forces were fluttering in the seven fortresses that had already fallen. The corpses of artificial giants were scattered everywhere, gushing purple blood.

“How did it end up like this···!”

Theresa chewed her lower lip. Everything happened in an instant. The Allied forces were far more powerful than the Order had anticipated. The sabotage that had been going on for hundreds of years was now in vain.

The artificial giants, who were the secret weapon, were only showing good performance in the beginning, but were falling helplessly without being able to defeat the strong forces of the Allied Forces. If things continued like this, not only would they not win, but they would not even be able to keep the time the Archbishops had instructed them to hold out. Suddenly, a loud voice rang out from the sky.

【Stop these rascals and bring me the leader!】

It was a familiar voice. Theresa raised her head and chewed on her lower lip. An unprecedented massacre was taking place above the sky. The artificial giants' dying words could be heard sporadically.

【Crack!】

【Ignorant dragon. Why…Kwak!】

Every time Orsay, holding the spiral spear, disappeared from sight, the artificial giants fell. He was flying at high speed with only his wings spread out in his human form.

【for a moment···】

Slap! A huge hole opened up on the chest of the giant who had been struggling. Purple blood and internal organs came out sticking to Orsay's body, but he didn't care at all. Before the giant could even realize his own death, the head of the giant right behind him exploded.

“Dragon···!”

A cracking sound came from Theresia's mouth. It would not be an exaggeration to say that one of them had killed half of the artificial giants. Orsay was completely controlling the air superiority of the battlefield, displaying great performances that did not belittle his legendary name as a dragon. At that moment, a shout erupted again from near the castle walls.

“Come out!”

Theresa lowered her head again. This time, a black weretiger was running towards her, holding a sword. Black mana was rippling and swaying above the frosty blade.

Zypha, who had gathered enough aura, swung his crescent sword. Kwaaaaang! A black line was drawn across the star's protection, and a huge crack appeared. His aura, which tore space apart with force, had already taken three-digit lives since the offensive began.

“Didn’t you go over there?”

Theresia muttered. I thought you were attacking Fort 7, but you came here. The believer next to Theresia cried out at the sight of the shield shaking precariously.

“My Lord, Bishop! If we continue like this, we will be broken through. We must retreat!”

“Shut up!”

Crack! Teresia swung the sword in her hand. The head of the believer who had been advocating retreat fell to the ground. The believers who had been shaking around her froze for a moment.

“We must hold on! That is our only hope. If we are not prepared, the moment that Navardo dies, our headquarters will be blown away!”

Theresa raised her sword and pointed to the sky. The tip of the sword, glistening with blood, pointed to the Doge of Navarre, who was fluttering in the air. In her mouth, still in the form of a dragon, the primordial flame condensed and shimmered.

The original light and heat were so strong that it felt like seeing another sun rise. It was the first bomb that would be hurled toward the headquarters the moment all nine fortresses collapsed.

No matter how strong the protection of the archbishops was, it was not thought that they could stop something like that without harm. The believers nodded their heads, recognizing that there was no place to retreat anymore.

“Okay, I won’t run away!”

“Come on, I’ll fight. For the church!”

“That’s it! I, Theresa, am with you!”

Theresa raised the sword she was holding higher. She was glad that she had somehow managed to raise morale. She also knew that it was a hopeless situation with no answer, but there was no other way than to fight back.

'I'll do it somehow. Somehow···.'

The only hope was the leader and the archbishops who had disappeared. She had strengthened her resolve and was about to focus on Mercury again. Crunch! A small hole appeared in a corner of the shield and darkness descended.

“Hey, what is this?”

“Ugh! I can’t see ahead!”

It was a terrible darkness where you couldn't see even an inch ahead. Bewilderment erupted everywhere. Theresa, who had come to her senses, was about to activate one of her powers, the whirlwind. Suddenly, an eerie voice came from her ear.

“Where is the leader?”

“omg···.”

Teresa was paralyzed. It was a voice so eerie that it made her blood freeze. Then she realized that she could no longer hear the voices of the believers. Bam! The darkness that had been enveloping the surroundings disappeared in an instant.

“What, what is this···!”

Theresa's eyes widened as if they were going to pop out. A hellish scene unfolded on the walls. The hundred or so believers who had been talking just a moment ago were all lying neatly in rows, like dried mummies. Pale-faced men and women were lounging over the corpses, licking their lips.

“Children of the Night.”

It was not difficult to guess their identity. Vampires. And vampires of the Warsaw clan, known to be the most powerful. The Shadow Archduke, standing behind Theresa, placed his hand on her head and spoke.

“I ask again. Where is the leader?”

“Mom, I don’t know! Let go of this···”

She was about to say something. The Shadow Grand Duke put strength into his outstretched hand. Crunch! Theresa's head burst with a crushing sound. Blood, brain fluid, and brain fragments embedded in the skull scattered everywhere. The Grand Duke wiped his hand and muttered softly.

“···Balzac.”

His eyes were burning with rage at losing his brother. Teresa didn't say anything, but it was obvious anyway. The leader must be in that pale castle.

“I guess I should open the door.”

The archduke who muttered like that was heading towards the castle gate. Kwaaaaang! With a loud explosion, the castle gate collapsed as if it had exploded. Zaipa, who had finally broken through the defense barrier, entered the castle. He turned the sword around and grabbed it and opened his mouth.

“Don’t leave a single one alive.”

“Wow!!”

The soldiers came rushing in like an ebb tide. Most of the remaining believers gave up their resistance and began to run away, but there was no place to run to. The protection of the stars that had covered the fortress was falling apart.

With this, all but one of the forts fell, seven hours after the general offensive began.