[Translator - Pot ]

[Proofreader - Kawaii ]

Chapter 323: The Man Who Will Succeed Me

While Allenvert held off Ivan, Zamuel and Ghir blocked Casimir.

“Out of my way.”

Casimir’s martial skill was truly a marvel.

‘The power sword style of the North, combined with the steadfastness of the Royal Guard.’

It even seemed to have a touch of the royal family’s martial arts, exuding a certain kind of dignity.

“Damn it.”

Though they had the advantage of numbers, it was a two-on-one fight. And yet, the ones being pushed back were Zamuel and Ghir.

Stab!

As Ghir sacrificed one of his own arms to trap Casimir’s sword, Zamuel immediately tried to cut him down.

Splat!

But Casimir’s sword, having passed through Ghir’s arm, immediately deflected the blade.

“Kuh… that hurts.”

The deep gash on Ghir’s arm began to heal rapidly.

“What monstrous life force.”

“It wasn’t completely severed.”

Ghir grinned. The cut was deep, but it seemed his bone was fine.

“The rabid dog of a lowly assassin clan has gotten too arrogant.”

Whack!

Kicked with lightning speed, Ghir was sent flying backward.

“Damn, he’s tough.”

Ghir muttered, wiping away blood.

“He’s different from Duke Montera.”

He was strong, yet also possessed a fluid grace and technical skill.

His build was slightly smaller than his brother’s, but he was still a giant of a man, and he was unbelievably flexible for his size.

‘And he’s precise.’

“You. Did you face my brother?”

Casimir asked while overwhelming Zamuel.

“Huh? Yeah, of course. He was as strong as they say.”

“…”

Casimir fell silent, as the reality of his brother’s death hit him anew.

“Why the silence? Are you in mourning?”

Ghir taunted, baring his teeth.

“He’s dead, you know. Khahat!”

“You bastard!”

Enraged, Casimir’s sword shattered Zamuel’s blade.

“!”

It was a technique that increased the intensity of his Sword Aura for an instant to strike a weak point and break the sword.

‘Danger…’

Just as the chilled Zamuel was about to retreat, Casimir appeared before Ghir with ethereal footwork.

“Die.”

An unavoidable strike aimed for Ghir’s neck.

‘Damn it. Is this how I die?’

Even in the face of certain death, Ghir did not lose his smile.

He was a mutant who had never known fear since the day he was born.

“I don’t think so.”

“?!”

But in that moment, the ground beneath Ghir’s feet turned to ice, and some force pushed him, causing him to fall backward.

“!”

Rudgarda, who had pushed Ghir away, attacked Casimir, but she couldn't last two exchanges.

“Get lost, you mountain barbarian.”

This time, just as Rudgarda was about to meet her death…

“For a man who was the Grand Commander of the Royal Guard, you sure look down on the mountain folk.”

KWAAAAAAAANG!

Knut’s fist, appearing from behind, pushed Casimir back.

“Am I wrong?”

“Heh, so a guy who crawled out of some backwater corner of the North has made it big, is that it?”

Knut couldn’t continue his words.

“Keok!”

As Casimir’s sword strike cut his shoulder, this time, Verdzig appeared and attacked Casimir.

Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang!

Five exchanges in an instant. Verdzig, who had met Casimir’s sword head-on, said.

“Everyone, fall back.”

“So you are Verdzig Grunewald.”

Casimir narrowed his brow.

“You are much stronger than I heard. You are not far from the realm of the 8th-tier.”

“My younger brother faced your older brother.”

Verdzig said.

“So it is only fitting that I face the younger brother.”

“…Unless you bring your father, you cannot face me.”

“Of course.”

Verdzig smirked.

“Therefore, the one who will face you is…”

Zamuel, having switched to a new sword, stood as if to surround Casimir.

“Did you think the two of you could take me on?”

Casimir sneered.

“You must understand. I have not yet surpassed the wall of the 8th-tier.”

“Hmph.”

Casimir snorted and lowered his stance.

“How dare you break my beloved sword. I must repay this grudge.”

The two men attacked Casimir in concert.

“Insolent fools.”

Even with two 7th-tier warriors attacking him, Casimir held the advantage in a direct confrontation.

However, the two were bridging the gap in skill with a strategy where Verdzig faced him head-on and Zamuel provided support.

‘…Calm your heart like water.’

Casimir once again took a deep breath to steady his mind.

‘Otherwise, they are not opponents I can defeat easily.’

But this was not a situation where he could win just by calming his own mind.

The young masters on the enemy side who had just been fighting him were now engaging the top masters of the 3rd Prince’s faction.

“Are you planning to deal with the rest while I’m tied down?”

Verdzig answered Casimir’s question.

“Even if you know that, there is nothing you can do.”

The Serpent of the Apocalypse would not let go of its prey so easily once it had caught it.

.

.

.

Ivan and I naturally crossed swords, then, as if by mutual agreement, we moved our fight to a different location.

“No one will be listening here. Come on, let’s talk while we fight.”

“I don’t know what you’re up to.”

We were now fighting almost as equals.

“Karzan, you’ve gotten stronger again in such a short time.”

I used various techniques of the Silent Night Soul-Soaking Divine Art, occasionally mixing in the abilities of the Seven Stars of the Black Sea Technique, to make up for the current gap in our realms.

“Was Duke Montera strong?”

“He was.”

“I wanted to face him. A pity.”

Ivan’s sword seemed to blur, then changed its trajectory as freely as a snake, aiming for my vitals.

KAANG!

As I deflected it and retreated, I unleashed a mana wave and stomped the ground, slightly disrupting Ivan’s center of balance.

“Hmph!”

Even with just that, I could feel the power and speed of Ivan’s sword decrease considerably.

“A technique I haven’t seen before.”

“It’s a method Duke Montera favored.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Ivan observed my technique for a few more exchanges, then nodded.

“Indeed, it contains an exquisite subtlety. He must have been a great warrior.”

“He was a superhuman who had reached the 8th-tier. Of course he was a complete warrior.”

I retorted.

“He was strong, and he died with honor.”

“Is that so?”

Ivan said.

“Let me tell you something as well. Valkenhain has already fallen.”

“!”

“The Ebony Oath has been recovered. And Grunewald will soon fall as well.”

“…Really?”

“Once he obtains the Dragon Heart, he will be invincible. He is invincible even now, but he will truly reach the realm of the 9th-tier and become a Demon God.”

Ivan aimed sharply for my neck with a technique he had never shown before.

“Whoa, shit.”

It was a move that even I almost fell for.

But I raised my voice, pretending to be unfazed.

“Why the long face? We haven’t lost it yet, have we?”

“I’ll be honest.”

Ivan sighed.

“It’s all gone wrong. It would have been more likely for Valkenhain to protect the Ebony Oath.”

“What?”

“It would have been much easier to fend off Amilcar alone.”

“But Grunewald has my father, Lord Leszek, and Lord Geninghen.”

“There is no way to stop the Dark King now that he has gone there. Therefore, the Dragon Heart is as good as recovered.”

Ivan stated it with certainty.

It was a statement that revealed just how highly he regarded the Dark King.

“The Dark King is on a different level. No, he is a being that cannot be explained by the words ‘different level’.”

Ivan spoke with a face that had given up all hope.

“It’s over. I will do my best. If you still win, then I suppose that would be a good thing.”

I deflected his sword and said.

“Why are you being so extreme?”

“I’m telling you the truth.”

“I get it, so let’s stop with the side talk.”

I said.

“When you fight, just focus on winning, you idiot. If you keep making excuses, it feels shitty even if you win.”

“You have a point.”

Of course, even as I said this, I was actually just stalling for time against him.

“Ehehehe.”

“What are you laughing at?”

“Because I want to. Why are you making a fuss about me laughing?”

In truth, this was a fight where I would win even if it ended in a draw.

‘Because Siena and Skella have gone to capture the 3rd Prince.’

I temporarily erased the thoughts that Valkenhain had fallen and that Grunewald was in danger from my mind.

There was nothing I could do about it, so I just had to focus on the here and now.

‘As long as I hold on, an opportunity will surely come.’

I do not give up.

***

Without a shred of exaggeration, it was a truly mythical battle.

“That is the Elder’s martial art.”

Georg felt a surge of emotion that went beyond awe.

“A realm reached by walking the path of a seeker his entire life.”

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

Geninghen grinned.

“From the moment he wakes until he sleeps, and perhaps even in his sleep, that man thought of nothing but martial arts.”

Those were the words of a close friend who had watched him from the closest distance for the longest time.

“He never got tired of it, never grew weary.”

And so, he was wielding his sword from a realm that had transcended the clan’s martial arts, a realm where he had forgotten and recreated forms and styles, and then forgotten them again.

He cut the clouds, parted the sea, and left scars upon the earth.

“And yet.”

Georg murmured.

“So few of his attacks actually reach the Dark King.”

The Dark King, without even opening his eyes, handled all of those techniques without the slightest difficulty.

“There’s no way he didn’t know that.”

A look of pity flashed in Geninghen’s eyes.

“He must feel a sense of despair. But in his final moments, he has decided to throw himself into the fray as an elder of the clan, for the clan’s future.”

Because he knew that…

Geninghen had no intention of letting things flow that way.

“Clan Head, just watch. This old man will take care of everything.”

“Yes? What do you…”

“Hehe, just watch.”

Geninghen formed a hand seal.

“Now, die.”

Just as the Dark King’s sword was about to violently tear through an opening in Leszek’s defense that shouldn't have existed…

Fzzt!

Geninghen’s teleportation spell swapped Leszek’s position.

“Hm?”

“What are you doing, Geninghen?”

The Dark King and Leszek both turned their heads toward Geninghen.

“Hehe. It’s too early for last words.”

“What do you mean?”

“What do you think I mean, you bastard?”

Geninghen slowly began to float up, as if it were now his turn.

“We’ve both confirmed the difference in our skills, haven’t we? I’ll admit it. Dark King, you are so incredible that you cannot be defeated even by the Sword Saint’s blade.”

The Dark King smiled slightly and asked.

“You sly old snake. What are you scheming?”

“Well, just wait and see. First, we’ve confirmed that we can’t stop you.”

Geninghen looked behind him.

“Hey, Clan Head. And Leszek. Isn’t their goal to recover the Dragon Heart, not to burn Grunewald to the ground?”

“…So?”

Leszek asked in return.

“Just give him the damn thing.”

“What? What crazy…”

Leszek stopped short.

It was because of the shape of Geninghen’s hand, formed at an angle only he could see.

‘…That’s.’

Leszek recognized it.

It was his friend’s signal, one he only sent when he had an ace up his sleeve.

‘This bastard is plotting something.’

How many years had they been together? The phrase ‘telepathy’ might as well have been made for them.

“Absurd.”

Leszek sent back a hand signal of his own.

“Do you have some idea?”

It was his way of saying he would play along.

“Who knows. For now, it means we can’t stop him, so we should give him what he wants.”

And so, the two began their own little play.

“And you say a chance for a comeback will come if we do that?”

“Didn’t you say it yourself? That if Allenvert inherits the secret arts you’ve mastered and the clan Head’s martial arts, he might be able to become that bastard’s rival.”

The Dark King, who could no longer listen to this, interjected.

“That whelp who is weaker than even you? What absurd nonsense.”

“Hehehe. You do not know. That child’s talent is something that has never before existed in this world.”

The Dark King’s brow twitched.

It was because those words reminded him of a certain swordsman whose talent he had been wary of and had killed long ago.

[Clan Head, trust me and play along with what I say. We have to surrender.]

Georg, who heard the telepathic message, gave a small nod.

[Thank you.]

Geninghen spoke to the Dark King.

“We surrender. Take the Dragon Heart and get lost.”

“…Are you serious?”

“In exchange, you will withdraw. You will need time to train as well, so we will train Allenvert and have a final showdown with you.”

The Dark King tilted his head.

“What is that boy, that you would go this far?”

“You ask the obvious.”

This time, Georg answered the question.

“He is the man who will succeed me.”

…It was a statement that also declared who the next Duke of Grunewald would be.

[Translator - Pot ]

[Proofreader - Kawaii ]