[Translator - Pot ]

[Proofreader - Kawaii ]

Chapter 293: A Single Dagger

On a night when only moonlight shattered upon the dark waves, Verdzig secretly prepared for departure with the 8th Prince’s retainers.

The force was to be transported by three warships, deliberately disguised as pirate ships.

“Wow, that’s a lot of troops.”

Venion said, overseeing Verdzig’s departure preparations.

“It’s only natural, isn’t it? I absorbed the forces of both the Bergen and Agrippa clans into my own.”

“Haha, you’re right about that.”

Within a few days, the two in-law clans were completely ruined.

With physical evidence and witnesses apprehended, they had no way to escape Venion’s interrogation.

Especially since the Black Serpent Duke had acted with perfect justification.

“Bergen will go to the Young Master, and Agrippa will go to the Third Young Master.”

Venion said, and Verdzig nodded.

“This was the best option. We need those who will drown in their sins.”

Count Bergen and Lawrence, who had been detained, were to be confined until their deaths, and several other retainers would likely face execution.

“Verdzig, you bastard!”

His mother, Emengarde, appeared in his mind, her eyes bloodshot, spewing hatred.

“I won’t forgive you. You’re not my son!”

At that, Verdzig had replied.

“Mother, those words pain me a little.”

However, he continued.

“I already gave you a choice. Even now, you can beg Father for forgiveness and abandon this sinking ship.”

“You bastarddddddd!”

Even with clan ties, not everyone can be of one mind.

Knowing this well, he couldn’t help but feel a bitter taste in his mouth.

“Will Somerset be alright? It won’t be easy for him to take over Agrippa with his skills.”

Venion chuckled as if asking.

“Why would you even ask that?”

“We’ll assist him from behind.”

“Ah, I see.”

If that were the case, what problem could there be?

While he wasn’t pleased that Somerset had sided with Allenvert, it wouldn’t significantly alter the overall situation anyway.

“Young Master, you can depart now. Rest assured, there were no prying eyes.”

Venion took out a large crystal ball from his pocket.

“This is a communication crystal ball. You can use it to contact me.”

Verdzig took it and asked.

“What about Allen?”

“He has deeply penetrated the mountain range and is currently quietly scouting the enemy’s main camp to carry out the decapitation strategy.”

Verdzig immediately understood.

“Using the entire main camp as a decoy? That’s a bold strategy.”

“It’s probably because if they decide to run, the time taken would increase indefinitely.”

“Indeed.”

If it didn’t end quickly, there was a high risk of the battle becoming a stalemate.

It was a comprehensible strategy.

“Second Young Master, how is the 8th Prince?”

“He wasn’t an easy person to deal with.”

“Watch him closely. See if he truly has the caliber to ascend the throne in place of the First Prince, and if he is a person of integrity who knows how to reward merits.”

Verdzig chuckled at that.

“Birds of a feather flock together. I’ll check what kind of snake lives beneath that good-natured exterior.”

Venion nodded.

“Good. I wish you good luck.”

Verdzig asked.

“Do you mean that? You’re Allen’s mentor, aren’t you?”

“Of course, I wish for the Fourth Young Master’s victory, but…”

Venion turned his back.

“I also hope for a result that allows the Second Young Master to maintain his honor and concede.”

Verdzig also turned his back and walked towards the ship, saying.

“Unfortunately, that won’t happen.”

***

“No, it’s like this: stand a little crooked and lift your chin a bit.”

“Like this?”

“Yes, that’s it. Put a little more arrogant and twisted feeling into it.”

“Wow, this is hard.”

Zizek was receiving intensive lessons from Jeffrey.

“The Young Master has a habit of occasionally touching his sword hilt, and he unbuttons his clothes one by one.”

Under Jeffrey’s tutelage, Zizek was flawlessly becoming Allenvert himself.

“Look, your expression is too bland right now. Put a little more force into your brow—”

“Whoa, damn it.”

Zizek, looking at himself in the mirror Jeffrey held up, was genuinely impressed.

“Wow, this is ridiculous. If I had been born with this face, I wouldn’t have lived in the underworld.”

“That’s impossible talk.”

Just as Jeffrey clicked his tongue, about to scold him.

Piiiiiiiiiiiiing!

A whistle signaling a night raid echoed, and lights rapidly flared up everywhere.

“Enemy attack! It’s an enemy attack!”

When the anticipated night raid finally occurred, Jeffrey immediately gripped his sword.

“Wow, it’s here.”

Zizek looked at him and solemnly instructed.

“Brother Jeffrey, please handle it.”

“...I see why the Young Master works you so hard.”

Jeffrey sighed and exited the tent.

“All forces, take up your weapons and hold your positions!”

In fact, the forces of the Shadow Division, who protected the vanguard and rearguard, along with the forces of Haglandere, were gathered here.

‘We’ll hold out against the enemy attack here for as long as possible.’

They needed to buy time without letting the enemy suspect anything amiss.

That way, the strongest spear would pierce the enemy’s heart.

‘But it’s not so easy this time, is it?’

The speed at which the first line was breached, and the aura emanating from the enemy, were both unusual.

‘...I need to be careful of poison too.’

But it was fine. Many capable seniors like Balthazar, Harold, and Turnak were present.

***

“Something’s wrong.”

How many hours had passed?

Grimnar narrowed his brows, watching the fierce battle unfold.

“It’s strange that Allenvert still hasn’t come forward, and the deployment is also a bit questionable.”

Above all, top-tier martial artists who could be called the enemy’s strongest forces, such as Ulbhild, Rudgarda, and Knut, seemed to be absent.

It wasn't entirely unbelievable that they might be hard to spot in a chaotic melee, but...

Grimnar trusted his primal instincts quite a bit.

“It seems they’re plotting something.”

He considered that the enemy might have also assigned capable trackers.

Especially since the opponent was none other than Eisenach, the royality who ruled these mountains.

‘If that’s the case—’

Grimnar lowered his gaze.

His fingers were steeped in a terribly black venom.

“This place won’t be safe either.”

A small smile appeared on Grimnar’s face as he murmured.

“Come.”

He turned his head and looked at the Poison Bird trapped in a cage.

“Allenvert” .

He muttered as he took Nocturban out of the cage.

“Even if you can kill me, it will be difficult for you all to avoid death.”

At the very least, mutual destruction.

That was Grimnar’s plan.

“If I cannot sit on the throne, no one else can.”

Malice was poison.

Thus, Grimnar was a more excellent poison master than anyone else.

“Activate the trap, and deploy the encirclement to draw in the specters of Eisenach.”

Chiiiiiiik!

A drop of venom flowing from his fingertips caused the tree to rot away.

***

“This way.”

With Kreutzel’s help, we traversed the rugged mountains.

“Wow, this is driving me crazy.”

We climbed canyons, leaped over waterfalls, passed through rock faces, and when we encountered clusters of demonic beasts and monsters, we unfurled our black wings and flew.

“Even if we have to take the shortest route, if it weren’t for us, everyone would have fallen behind.”

Knut said, and he was right.

“Sister, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. This is also a form of training.”

That was true.

Should I say it was literally a full-body workout? It was amazing that simply traversing the mountains required drawing out the maximum physical ability, mana, and martial arts.

‘Indeed, before nature, humans are nothing.’

Such a thought naturally came to mind.

Thus, watching Rudgarda and Knut cross the mountains with seemingly little effort compared to us, one truly felt that living in harmony with nature made humans this strong.

‘Grunewald and Eisenach. They are indeed bodies with truly remarkable bloodlines.’

Turning these two clans into enemies, and above all, becoming the enemy of Young Master Allenvert, Grimnar’s demise was only a matter of time.

“...It’s there. We’ve arrived.”

It was a step-like hilly area with fierce winds.

Its four sides were embraced by cliffs, and its center looked like a landscape formed by cooled lava from an ancient explosion.

‘The terrain itself emanated a murderous aura.’

Clusters of sparse trees lined the area, and thick moss in the tree crevices exuded a salty dampness, like the smell of poisonous plants.

It was literally poison-land.

The currents carrying poison felt like a ‘light tingling’ on the skin.

It was a gloomy and alien heartland of the mountains, where both humans and beasts could easily get lost and become disoriented.

“He hid in a place just like him, I guess.”

I infused mana into my bracelet and drew a single sword.

I had given Voyager of the Night to Zizek.

Now that I had deeply cultivated the Ink Soul Sacred Shadow Technique, a thin and light sword posed no problem for me.

‘Now then.’

I closed my eyes and unleashed my Insight Star.

Thousands of thread-like sensory filaments meticulously swept the surroundings.

“There are traps and alarm devices. There are also familiars.”

“Leave it to me.”

Ulbhild dipped her palm into a small stream flowing between the rocks and released ice mana.

“Myriad Petals of Ice.”

Crraaaack!

The shallow water instantly froze, and the spreading cold air immediately froze all the artificial devices, traps, and alarm systems laid nearby.

‘This ability is truly a cheat.’

Once Ulbhild joined us, I couldn’t feel more secure.

Freezing and nullifying traps? It was truly an ingenious idea.

“By the way, he sure spent a lot on expensive stuff.”

Though all of it was useless before Ulbhild’s ultimate technique.

“Allenvert, do you feel it?”

Knut placed his large hand on my shoulder.

“I feel an extremely powerful yet sinister presence. How does it compare to Marquis Belorok’s Four Heavenly Kings?”

“Of course, I can’t tell just from this, but...”

I replied, mixing in a bit of speculation.

“It’s incomparable. It would be more appropriate to compare him to Gelberich, the executor of the Black Society.”

“Is that so?”

Knut chuckled.

“It seems the bastard who dared to assassinate and usurp my grandfather has diligently honed his skills.”

Flames of long-suppressed hatred blazed in Knut’s eyes.

“This is the moment I’ve dreamt of. Not a single day was peaceful during those seven years of nights.”

Knut continued.

“Only on the day I drink liquor from my enemy’s skull will I finally be able to sleep peacefully.”

I also felt my blood boil.

‘Watch over me, Allenvert.’

I thought of the boy who was dying in despair before I regained my memories.

‘Watch closely from there.’

This revenge is for you.

“I’ll take the vanguard and break through head-on.”

At Knut’s words, I asked.

“Brother Knut, are you sure?”

“This was our territory. There’s no need to take a cowardly route to return home.”

“I wish to join too, Young Master.”

Rudgarda also said.

“It’s a battle that needs to end quickly anyway. Breaking through head-on and crushing them like this is the best option.”

Then Ulbhild chimed in.

“In that case, it would be best if I supported you from the rear with my ice martial arts. Even if many enemies rush us, I can deal with them with my ultimate technique, so you two can rampage to your heart’s content and vent your frustrations.”

Listening quietly, I asked.

“...Then what do I do?”

It felt like I wouldn't have anything to do.

“You, of course, should use your proud stealth technique and hide.”

Ulbhild said.

“At the most critical moment, you’ll stab Grimnar with a single dagger.”

[Translator - Pot ]

[Proofreader - Kawaii ]