Weapon Master of the Count’s Family

Chapter 76: The Queen’s Tears (3)

While Gaiard went to meet the queen,

I was engaged in a desperate battle in the chapel.

Behind me, divine flames; in front, fiery bastards… They’re coming at me with everything they’ve got.

The chapel was engulfed in a golden sea of flames fueled by holy power.

Curiously, the golden flames didn’t burn everything like real fire.

They were flames aimed solely at burning me.

The only saving grace was that, as a human and not a monster, they weren’t entirely lethal to me.

“You are indeed human. But that doesn’t mean these flames have no effect. I can clearly sense an unholy power within you.”

However, my body currently held the power Gaiard had given me.

Since the Saint’s flames weren’t completely nullified,

he relentlessly drove them forward with fierce momentum.

Whoosh!

The flames weren’t the only persistent threat.

At the door, half of the Executors, including Aster, had gathered.

If I hadn’t been desperately holding the door, they would’ve already stormed in and overwhelmed me.

I have to keep them out, no matter what.

I guarded the door without sparing an ounce of strength.

Clang!

“Don’t you realize further resistance is pointless?”

“Pointless? Just keeping you lot here is me doing my job.”

By holding back half their forces, Gaiard wouldn’t go down in vain.

The problem is I might die in the process.

But I had a trump card.

I drew on the power Gaiard had given me.

“Hup!”

“…This is!”

Recognizing the unholy aura that had blocked her ultimate technique, Aster stepped back from the chapel’s threshold.

The Saint, too, seemed to sense the danger and gathered the chapel’s flames into his hand.

“You no longer even bother to hide such blasphemous power! The heavens will judge you!”

The Saint unleashed the gathered flames at me.

Swirling flames, combined with aura-infused strikes from Aster and all the Executors, came at me simultaneously.

To survive this, I have no choice but to use that bastard’s move.

Feeling the tension in my sword hand, I made the best choice I could.

In my mind, I recalled the greatest sword-wielding powerhouse I’d ever met.

Sword Saint Robern.

Only the continent’s finest swordsmanship could save me from this crisis.

If you can block this, I’ll die willingly, you island bastards.

I knew the Executors were the kingdom’s top forces.

But would they still be the best on the continent?

I never once thought so.

The continent was teeming with far stronger, monstrous beings,

and when it came to swordsmanship, Robern was undoubtedly the greatest.

“Take it.”

One strike.

My feet pressed into the ground like an unshakable mountain,

while my sword tip roared like a storm shaking the continent.

A sword that cleaved mountains and shattered skies.

Utterly simple, yet an unavoidable streak of sword aura.

Splat.

The moment a red light bloomed from my sword,

the world seemed to split perfectly in two.

In reality, the chapel and every attack flying toward me were cleaved in half in an instant.

Their attacks didn’t even graze me, disintegrating in midair,

and the halved chapel began to collapse slowly.

It was only possible due to an utterly perfect and razor-sharp sword strike.

“Argh!”

But humans were different.

Sensing the aura of death, all the Executors ducked to dodge the strike.

However, those who dared to block paid a heavy price.

The Saint, who had relied on divine power, was one such case.

Thud.

Overconfident in divine power, he suffered a grievous wound as his right arm was severed.

“Aaagh!”

Despite the Saint’s screams, no one moved to help him.

They stood frozen, wary of me blocking their path.

This power is incredible. For a moment, I mimicked Robern’s sword.

It cost most of Gaiard’s power, but it was worth it.

I’d secured my life and crushed their morale.

The problem is I’m out of juice…

The question was how quickly they’d figure that out.

“Kill him! Now!”

The Saint roared in rage.

But the Executors hesitated.

If I unleashed that strike again, even they could die.

“What are you doing! Kill him!”

“Shut up!”

I fired a sword aura backward.

The Saint barely dodged it by throwing himself aside.

“Argh!”

And that was the clue.

“Charge! That attack was his all!”

It was a clear chance to finish the Saint.

If it had been that earlier strike.

But I didn’t,

and the crucial aura from Gaiard was barely detectable.

Damn it. They figured it out.

The Executors charged again.

Clang clang!

Still, with the Saint down, I thought holding out would be easier.

That is, until I saw an arrow streak past his face.

Boom!

The arrow exploded, spreading thick green smoke through the chapel.

The Saint’s face, inhaling the smoke, showed bulging veins,

and his limbs stiffened, stretching out as he froze.

Paralytic poison? Oh no…

Someone had released paralytic poison inside.

Beyond Aster, I glimpsed someone in a hood.

That bastard.

Even I couldn’t withstand paralytic poison.

So, I forced my way through the door despite the risk.

Clang clang!

Slash!

In doing so, I took unintended wounds,

and now faced all the Executors plus this unknown figure.

Time to run.

Bloodied from breaking through the door, I had no choice but to run toward where Gaiard had flown.

I figured I’d bought enough time for him to meet the queen.

As I ran, an arrow struck the ground in front of me.

Thud.

A fuse burned at the arrow’s tip.

Explosive arrow!

Boom!

As the explosion hit, I used its force to propel myself forward,

clearing a small wall with ease.

Tap!

Beyond the wall, I saw Iris striking a red sphere with their swords.

Gaiard’s barrier.

As I appeared, Iris stepped back, wary of me.

So they met. But why can’t I see the exit?

The exit that appeared after overcoming my worst memories was nowhere in sight.

Wondering if something was still unresolved, I stood between Gaiard’s barrier and Iris.

“Don’t even think about interrupting this touching reunion.”

Since I wouldn’t die anyway, I was ready to fight anyone from the kingdom with all I had.

Seeing this, the Iris members facing Gaiard felt awe.

His body is battered, yet he has such fighting spirit…

Where did this guy come from? He might be more dangerous than Gaiard.

Meanwhile, Aster, arriving soon after, felt a fleeting sense of humiliation.

Despite being clearly weaker, my aura was undeniable.

With Executors and Iris, they outnumbered me, yet what was this situation?

“What are you all standing around for! Are all the Executors ready to throw their pride to the ground?”

There was no hierarchy among Executors.

Yet, they weren’t offended by Aster’s commanding tone.

They raised their weapons and charged at me in unison.

I, too, rushed to meet them.

Meanwhile, as the barrier lifted, Gaiard, watching the scene, sensed the moment of farewell approaching.

“Bellain, I have to go.”

“Gaiard…”

“Knowing you’re alive is enough. So forget me now.”

Gaiard wanted to embrace the queen.

But even in this unreality, it would trouble her.

Holding back, he sent her a tender gaze instead.

“Goodbye…”

Leaving her sad voice behind, Gaiard soared into the air.

Extending a hand to envelop the queen in a barrier, he unleashed all his power.

“Raaagh!!!”

Power condensed from pain.

Squeezing out his clan’s blood endlessly,

a writhing red sphere formed.

Gaiard caressed it with his fingertips and quietly dropped it below.

Boom!!!

As the sphere hit the ground, it exploded, and a wave of blood engulfed the palace.

The red tide surged relentlessly, submerging everything in blood.

That wasn’t the end.

Gaiard’s eyes flashed fiercely, and as he infused more power, the wave solidified instantly.

The flowing blood froze in a moment, turning into thousands, tens of thousands of sharp thorns that pierced the palace.

Stab stab stab!

Having cleared the surroundings, Gaiard descended.

“You’re not dead, are you? If those guys survived, there’s no way you’d die.”

“…”

Exhausted, I could only raise my middle finger.

“Still the same. Fine. I met the one I wanted to meet. What’s next?”

Too drained to speak, I gestured toward a direction.

It was the door to the queen’s quarters,

now glowing brightly.

“Going through there ends this regression?”

I nodded.

“Then let’s go.”

Gaiard led me out of this chaos, leaping toward the glowing door.

He glanced briefly at the barrier protecting the queen.

Stay well, Bellain.

***

The moment we crossed the door, I regained my vitality.

“Almost died, damn it.”

“Watch your language. How are you so uncultured?”

“Sorry, born this way, so no manners.”

“By the way, where are we…”

A pitch-black void.

Familiar to me, but new to Gaiard.

“Wait. The master will show up. Oh, he’s already here.”

I pointed ahead, where a figure resembling Hel stood, unnoticed until now.

He seemed genuinely impressed by me bringing Gaiard out.

“Impressive, truly.”

He clapped, showing respect.

“In all my time here, you two are the first to not be consumed by the nightmare. To not be overwhelmed by endless despair.”

“I brought him out, so let us leave now.”

“One question first. How did you get out?”

A sincere question,

and I answered lightly without thinking.

“You let go of your heart.”

In truth, I had no choice but to do so in the face of the inevitable,

and Gaiard quietly let go of his lingering attachment.

“That’s it?”

“Yeah.”

“Hah, the more I see, the more it’s a shame.”

The figure snapped his fingers.

Another door appeared and opened on its own.

“I’d love to keep you by force, but if Hel found out, he’d raise hell. Go, both of you.”

With a wave of his hand, we were sucked toward the door as if pushed.

Crossing it, black water poured from all sides.

“Mm!”

Looking back, the door was gone.

Instinctively, I swam upward.

“Pwah!”

The black water rippled.

And there, I saw the familiar structure, the Citadel.

“We’re out! We made it!”

“Yeah, we did.”

Gaiard was already out of the water, flying low.

“Grab me. Swimming that far is too much.”

“No. Get here yourself.”

He genuinely started to leave.

“I said grab me! It’s an order!”

“No—ugh!”

At that moment, Gaiard felt his heart constrict and fell.

“This is impossible. No way…”

“Let’s go together.”

While Gaiard was stunned,

I grabbed his back to keep him from flying off.

“Fine, let go! I can’t fly unless you do.”

Gaiard grabbed my arms and took off again.

“How do you still have the power I gave you? That was supposed to be in the memory!”

“Really? I don’t know.”

I played dumb.

Gaiard belatedly realized I’d steadily grown in his memories.

“You tricked me!”

“What? You gave me the power of your own will. I didn’t suggest it first.”

“Damn it! I’ll drop you!”

He said that, but he couldn’t let me go.

Beyond our bond through the essence, my grip alone surpassed his strength now.

Meanwhile, Gaiard was past his prime, just entering recovery.

The mighty figure who once terrorized the kingdom was no more.

“Use all the power I gave you to break this bond! I didn’t know it’d come to this!”

“Nope. I knew what I was doing. If you’re upset, get stronger than me. Then I’ll use up your power.”

“You bastard!”

As we bickered and flew, the Reapers surrounded us, a rare sight.

“They’re already welcoming us? Touching.”

“You think that’s a welcome?”

Unlike before, the Reapers didn’t attack upon seeing us.

Wearing emotionless masks, they simply followed our path.

Finally, as we crossed the Citadel’s wall, Nidra, the Reapers’ leader, appeared.

“How…”

Nidra stared at us with a look of disbelief.

He never imagined we’d emerge from the Black Sea again.