------------------
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
------------------
Chapter 171
The reason this plan had such an extremely low success rate was simple: there was no way the Holy Kingdom would leave the saintess alone for two whole days.
What drew my focus, however, were the master-level combatants I sensed among the Holy Knights.
— Lord Leon, the Holy Kingdom’s forces have begun to move. It seems they’re advancing in unison toward the same direction. The Festad Avenue.
[Multiple hostiles confirmed. Five master-level combatants detected.]
Diablo relayed the information, while the librarian simultaneously reported the presence of high-level threats.
“I’m already on my way.”
There sure were a lot of them.
Fortunately, all five were converging on the same location.
When I turned my head, I saw that Saintess Nadia had already begun her prayer.
Nadia ten Lilibel—the false saintess branded as a heretic.
For someone like her to vanish without a trace and then reappear, kneeling in prayer before the most sacred statue in the Holy Kingdom?
To the Holy Kingdom’s leaders, it must have seemed absurd.
That unstable saintess, who couldn’t even manifest proper miracles, is suddenly performing a ritual in plain view?
But they couldn’t ignore the figure standing by her side: High Priest Dibl.
The upper echelons of the Holy Kingdom would quickly realize that something was wrong.
Dibl, a man who had remained completely neutral for years, suddenly revealing his support for the saintess was a glaring anomaly.
For the Holy Kingdom, it was akin to a massive, dormant force that had once stood idle suddenly baring its fangs in defense of a heretic.
As the upper ranks scrambled, Diablo skillfully and covertly gathered his forces, blocking off the major routes.
The number of allies he had rallied was far greater than I had anticipated.
However, as he had said, they were still not enough to stop master-level combatants.
Those were my responsibility.
Five Holy Knights, clad in radiant armor, strode forward.
The high-ranking priests had yet to reveal themselves.
Each of the knights was a sword master, ranging from early to mid-level.
Every single one of them was considered a strategic weapon—warriors of immense power.
Yet, all I did was steady my breathing and face them.
Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gak!!!
I stepped onto the avenue and drew the Obsidian Fang, the sword with mithril inlays crafted by the dwarven master, Verus.
If I revealed my demonic sword, there would be no point in wearing the mask.
I had to remain the nameless mercenary collaborating with Diablo—not Leon of Cascadia.
As I swung my blade, a shockwave erupted, carving a massive line across the road, cutting off the knights’ advance.
“…….”
Their instincts made them halt, their eyes all turning to me at once.
“Who are you?”
“You may not pass.”
At my words, the eldest knight at the front narrowed his eyes with a glacial glare.
“A heretic’s pawn, are you? I’ll handle him. The rest of you, quickly suppress the heretic before she desecrates the holy relic.”
At his command, the other knights simultaneously unleashed their divine aura, ready to strike.
Yeah, that’s the logical response.
After all, it was absurd for a single person to stand against five sword masters.
Even if they sensed that I was powerful, they likely assumed I wouldn’t be able to hold my own against all of them.
Tuh-uhng!!!
One of the knights surged forward, moving like a bird of prey soaring through the sky, attempting to bypass the line I had drawn.
However, I calmly lifted one foot, still holding my sword.
“I told you—you cannot pass.”
Tuuuu-woong!!!
As my foot lightly tapped the ground, dozens of magic circles instantly flared to life, forming chains of elemental mana that shot forth, attempting to ensnare the knight.
Tuh-uhng!!
Yet, it seemed ineffective against a sword master.
With a flash of his aura-coated blade, he sliced through the chains, dispersing them.
However, doing so forced him back, successfully pushing him outside the line once again.
“A mage, huh?”
He scowled, realizing that despite my sword, I was wielding magic.
“A little of both,”
I replied.
“An arrogant brat, I see. What are you waiting for?! Move now! Apprehend the heretic immediately!”
At his command, the remaining four knights surged forward.
No longer concerned with what I was hiding, they deemed it impossible for me to hold off all four of them at once.
“Do not blame me, heretic,”
The elder knight sneered.
He brandished his sword and charged, his speed nearly unimaginable.
Four knights streaked past, aiming for the saintess.
The fifth, the most formidable of them, came directly for me.
There was no feasible way for me to physically stop them all at once.
I wasn’t omnipresent.
I could only be in one place at a time.
So—
“I’ll simply trap you all.”
[Overlord]
[Transcending the Limit]
[Colosseum of Link]
A fake circle is superimposed over the seven existing circles.
The launch platform for 8th-circle magic is ready.
I immediately conjured a massive, sturdy barrier that enveloped the entire area.
My task was simple: prevent these people from reaching Nadia’s location for the next two days.
Kwaaang!!!
The swordmasters, attempting to smash through the sudden wall, were astonished when their aura blades failed to even scratch it.
“W-what the?!”
“Stop wasting your energy. That thing won’t break so easily.”
“Y-you… just who are you? To cast such high-tier magic in such a short time…”
“There’s only one solution. Would you like to hear it?”
“…….”
“Most magic loses its effect when the caster is incapacitated.”
It would be wiser for you to focus on me rather than exhausting yourselves on that wall.
As I spoke, an elderly paladin charged at me with a menacing aura.
------------------
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
------------------
My gaze shifted to the sword of the Paladin Commander.
At the same time, my aura erupted, and my body seemed to briefly step out of the time axis, creating distance between us in an instant.
Kaaaang!!!
His blade clashed against what seemed like an invisible force, reverberating with a faint, dull ring before being repelled.
“An unusual swordsmanship. It’s far too refined to belong to a heretic.”
His reaction speed was considerable.
Though his level was around mid-tier swordmaster, his seasoned composure surpassed what mere skill ranking could define.
“I am Rehelon Ban, Paladin Commander of the Holy Kingdom. What is your name?”
“If I intended to tell you, I wouldn’t be wearing a mask, would I?”
“Arrogant brat….”
Unlike the ethereal sword, the Blacknight Blade was sturdier than ordinary swords, but it couldn’t withstand my swordsmanship indefinitely.
In other words, after prolonged use, I would have to repair the blade by using the Heart of the Machine God.
Fortunately, such a failsafe existed.
Otherwise, my weapon wouldn’t last long.
“No choice, then. Subdue him quickly and proceed with the mission!”
At Rehelon Ban’s command, the five swordmasters simultaneously unleashed their aura blades and charged at me.
* * *
The Saintess’s Prayer.
In the upper echelon of the Holy Kingdom, the high priests gathered for an emergency meeting regarding the current situation.
“Who would have thought that High Priest Dibl would step forward in person?”
“Wasn’t he strictly neutral, never interfering in politics?”
“And yet, he is now protecting the Saintess.”
Even though they had meticulously planned the removal of Saintess Nadia, the high priests hadn’t expected High Priest Dibl to personally intervene.
No one knew how the Saintess had managed to win him over, but the fact that Dibl had taken action meant he had a scheme in mind.
“He’s clearly aiming for a grand spectacle—to make it look like Nadia Ten Lilibel is summoning an angel before the eyes of the public.”
If an angel were to appear, she would no longer be considered a heretic.
Of course, they could still claim it was a trick and dismiss the event afterward, but with Dibl involved, things became complicated.
He held enough power to tear apart anyone involved in this conspiracy.
“We’ve already dispatched five swordmasters under official orders. Dibl may be formidable, but he won’t be able to protect her from the combined might of five swordmasters and the Holy Kingdom’s forces.”
Before Dibl could sway the people with his deception, they needed to reach Saintess Nadia, subdue her, and drag her away.
Though they had only been able to send part of their standing forces from the capital due to the sudden nature of the plan, it didn’t matter.
Even the five swordmasters, who usually remained reserved, had been mobilized under the pretext of defending against the so-called "capital incursion."
Their commander, Baril, was currently absent, but it made no difference.
“Report.”
“Speak. Have you captured the heretic?”
When one of the high priests asked the priest delivering the report, the man hesitated with a sour expression.
“Well, um…”
“Quit stammering and speak quickly!”
One of the impatient high priests barked, making the priest flinch.
“The first wave of forces has been blocked by an unknown resistance.”
That was still within expectations.
It simply meant Dibl’s forces were stronger than anticipated.
“What about the swordmasters? Where are they, and what are they doing?”
At the question, the priest cautiously answered.
“We are not entirely certain, but… all five of them appear to be battling a single masked individual. The surrounding area has been sealed by an impenetrable barrier, preventing anyone from entering or leaving.”
What kind of nonsense was this?
Bang!!
“Are you telling me that the Holy Kingdom’s five elite swordmasters can’t handle one person?! Did the Empire’s Sword Saint show up or something?!”
“It doesn’t seem to be the case…”
“Ugh…”
“Do not worry. Sir Rehelon is there. The undefeated paladin commander, remember?”
The high priests, reassured by the remark, nodded in agreement.
“Yes, you’re right. We should hear good news shortly.”
However, within the massive barrier, things were unfolding far differently than they expected.
Kaaang!! Kaaang!!
Rehelon Ban’s relentless, swift sword strikes repeatedly cut into Leon.
Their coordinated assault was unexpectedly formidable, and Leon, needing to conceal all identifying traces, was forced into a defensive stance.
He could only focus on dodging and blocking.
Fortunately, their lack of familiarity with magic allowed him to create variables through his spells and dictate the flow of battle.
“You are far more formidable than I expected. You fight as though you’ve battled against multiple opponents countless times before.”
“Well… it just turned out that way.”
------------------
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
------------------
