Episode 191
“Excuse me! You can pass by!”
The empire’s border guards, who had openly demanded bribes and even turned their backs when posing as peddlers, froze and saluted.
Even though the flags they are holding and the patterns on the knights’ armor clearly indicate that they are nobles from another country, their attitude is as if they are treating superiors from their own country.
It was all because of the golden dragon symbol engraved on the invitation card Logan presented.
“Are you finished checking?”
“Yes! I confirmed it was genuine. Sorry for the delay.”
The imperial senior knight’s attitude was overly polite, and the same was true for other knights who appeared to be his subordinates.
As all the knights had their heads down, the frozen soldiers behind them looked pitiful.
The only thing they did wrong was to stop a suspicious armed group and 20 people who clearly looked like knights from another country.
‘Is there such a difference in attitude?’
During the time of the Independence Army, or even if it wasn’t my previous life, when I came recently for the Crowne, the attitude of the imperial border guards was extremely arrogant.
Of course, it would be strange if the way a peddler and a national envoy were treated was the same, but the attitude felt excessive.
“This is all…”
An invitation fluttered from Logan’s hand.
The knights’ eyes moved busily according to the gesture.
The sight of an immediate reaction to a piece of paper with the imperial symbol engraved on it was both funny and chilling to a corner of my heart.
He is a ruler who makes soldiers on a distant border pretend to die with just a single invitation…
Once again, thoughts about the person who invited him entered my mind.
‘Emperor….’
Sigmund van Saint III.
As soon as he ascended to the throne, the emperor annexed Asman, a powerhouse in the western part of the continent, and expanded the empire’s territory by one-third.
And according to his past life, he is one of the greatest conquering monarchs in the history of the Ares Empire, who will completely subjugate Grandia and the eastern small kingdoms in five years.
Even after he completely conquered the Eastern Continent and handed over the throne, he was called Sangyeong and exercised enormous influence on the empire.
‘That kind of person is looking for me… Why?’
It’s something I’ve been thinking about since I first heard it, but I couldn’t help but focus on one reason.
‘It’s most likely because of the weapon.’
Among them, a repeating crossbow.
The repeating crossbow was originally a weapon introduced by the Empire in the War of Conquest of Grandia, and was probably already in development at this point.
Is there someone who used the weapon they are developing in a neighboring country first?
It seemed like even he himself was curious about that guy.
‘Well, I guess I should call it a stomachache.’
I said I made it first, so what should I do?
However, he would not immediately do something to himself, who had been personally invited by the emperor.
Even if it were for another reason, the posture he had to take was the same.
‘Be as polite as possible, but look like you don’t know anything.’
It is better to be ignored than to be highly regarded by the emperor of an empire.
I can’t believe I’m gathering my thoughts like that.
“Master, you must leave now.”
Victor, who was speechless as he was thinking too long, came to the side and urged him on.
“Ah… okay, I should go.”
Even if it’s not for the reason you thought, just go ahead and confront it.
Just meeting the emperor in person and confirming his true identity would be helpful in making future plans.
Purr.
After calming his mind while listening to the sound of horses trotting, Logan started galloping toward the west again.
* * * Since the date was set so tightly from the beginning, the group had no choice but to continue running during the day.
Then, when the sun went down and it was time to camp, Logan repeated sword training and meditation.
Although I could feel the gaze of the knights around me, there was nothing better than training to calm my anxious mind.
Expectations and worries about the emperor, and problems with the territory or kingdom that might arise while he was away.
Those complex thoughts seemed to melt away the moment I swung the sword.
“Master, may I ask you to spar with me?”
“Of course. Don’t be like that.”
It would be even better if the drivers could see and learn from themselves in the process.
Logan willingly accepted Victor’s request to spar.
‘Training in this situation… It’s definitely amazing, Logan McLane.’
Luther Kyle’s eyes were complex as he sat leaning against a large tree and looked at the vacant lot.
‘You’re saying you’re not nervous even though you’re on your way because the emperor has called you.’
Normally, he wouldn’t be able to sleep well, but that red-haired kid didn’t change his behavior at all for several days.
I knew very well that he had a surprising level of strength for his age, but…
‘I guess it means his bowl is also big. He definitely deserves to be called a hero.’
Luther smiled bitterly.
I feel admiration, but also feel bitter.
Anyone who feels that he or she is the stepping stone on which the hero stands will have no choice but to do the same.
The culprit who lost his freedom by being demoted in title, having half of his territory confiscated, and being tied to the Knights of Esperanza under the Sword Duke.
To be honest, it would be a lie if I said I had no resentment.
But….
‘It’s all my karma. The reason I keep wanting to blame others is because I am narrow-minded.’
I burst out laughing.
He was ‘swept’ by his father-in-law and started a war.
It was a pretext for the generous treatment he received, but he knew very well that this was not true.
I agreed to these things because I was also greedy.
If you try to make lame excuses for falling while being greedy to gain something beyond your capabilities, you will only make yourself worse.
Right now, I’m just thankful that my life was saved and that my immediate family, Gasol, was safe.
As he controlled his mind, the words of the enemy who had overpowered him and defeated him, and at the same time the benefactor who had made it possible for him to receive this generous treatment, came to mind again.
– I want you to help my student. Of course, I’m not forcing it. If you watch and think that he is a worthy talent… I
laughed again as the old face with which I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of love and hate flashed before my eyes.
‘I don’t know yet, swordsman. But I don’t really like living life as it goes by.’
As soon as Luther made his decision, he stood up.
He then shouted at the young hero who was much younger than him and had a bright future.
“Hey, kid. If you’re going to spar already, how about trying it with me?”
An empty space that is momentarily immersed in silence.
The giant grinned, receiving the attention of everyone in the group.
“I’m always welcome.”
Logan was happy to hear Luther’s words.
In fact, as I was getting a feel for Aurors, I was getting a little nervous about the subtle sensation of being able to catch it and not being able to catch it.
In such a situation, sparring with a superhuman felt like welcoming the sweet rain after a long drought.
“But even if it’s sparring, I don’t know how to fight gently. Because of my fighting style, that doesn’t even reach 30% of my original skills. Is that okay?”
“You can give it your all. In case you’ve forgotten, not even Lord Wicken could defeat me.”
Luther Kyle’s expression hardened slightly at those words.
“…At this point, I need to make it clear to you that I am different from that horse’s bones.”
The superhuman, smiling fiercely, pulled out a war hammer as big as the body of an adult from his back.
It looks like it’s about to rush in at any moment, brandishing its warlord.
But instead of doing so, the giant looked around and frowned.
“Hmm… I don’t want the campsite I worked so hard to build to collapse, so let’s move.”
A sudden act of consideration that brings disappointment to the faces of the knights who were looking forward to the sparring match with sparkling eyes.
Logan chuckled at the giant’s subtly kind consideration and followed behind him.
thud.
“Come now.”
A large clearing in the forest a little away from the campsite.
With those words, a fierce spirit surged from Luther Kyle’s entire body.
A pressure that makes its huge size look even bigger.
“Then I won’t hesitate.”
Logan let go of the pressure and rushed towards Luthor.
An optical illusion that only shows the starting and ending points.
Luther saw someone familiar in Logan’s movements that seemed to compress space in an instant.
Those creepy, ghost-like movements.
‘Swordsmith!’
The moment he gritted his teeth, the war hammer horizontally swept the space in front of him.
Pfft!
A powerful blow that seemed to burst the air in front of him.
However, the target of the attack was no longer there, and before I knew it, the golden Force Blade rising from Logan’s sword was curved like a snake and was aiming for Luthor’s neck.
‘back!’
Luther ignored the attack and swung the hammer backwards.
Kwaaaaang!
A strong crash sound.
But as expected, Luther’s face hardened even more as he felt the hand’s shock.
His own attack missed, and the enemy’s attack hit his vital spot exactly.
From the first move, we were pushed out of the fight.
‘…If I do this wrong, I’ll be embarrassed.’
His complexion hardened at the difference in speed, which was greater than expected, and it was the same for Logan.
“Isn’t it against the law to wear aurors all over your body?”
Even though the snake blade he was confident in hit Luther’s vital point, it bounced back without causing the slightest injury, and the enemy’s attack was so terrifying that even if he was hit by just one hit, it would be as if he would cross the nether without being injured.
“Hmph. If you feel unfair, you can use it as an auror.”
Luthor, wearing an auspicious red light all over, spouted out absurd words and raised his war hammer again.
With just one exchange, it was confirmed that the opponent’s movements were faster than his.
‘No matter how slow I am, that only applies to superhumans.’
Although Logan’s movements that transcended the realm were absurd, he had his own way of dealing with it.
Because I have had the experience of competing with opponents who targeted my weaknesses in similar ways throughout my life.
“Take it!”
The war hammer approached like lightning and struck vertically.
But the moment I hit it, the enemy was no longer there.
At the same time, he felt a sword strike aimed at his side, but Luther paid it no heed and added more force to the attack.
Wow!
Logan, who skimmed Luther’s side and tried to aim for the back again, lost his balance ‘for a moment’ due to the shaking ground.
However, in that brief moment, Luther Kyle’s war hammer, reversed, was falling on his head again.
‘Tch!’
The attack, which was barely avoided, struck the ground again and caused a small earthquake.
After repeated movements several times, Logan jumped slightly to avoid the shaking ground immediately after the attack and immediately aimed at Luthor’s neck.
Perfect counter. That’s what I thought…
As if he had been waiting for that moment, Luthor’s war hammer rushed towards Logan’s front at twice the speed before.
“Ugh?!”
Instinctively, I activated my Wind God boots and accelerated through the air, and a mass of red aura passed right in front of me.
Pfft!
The moment Logan felt his entire body tingling in the aftermath of the bursting air, he flew away and took a step back.
Then, Luther, with hot steam rising from his whole body as if the sweat had evaporated, was seen licking his lips regretfully.
“Are you intentionally making a difference in attack speed?”
“If it’s slow, there’s a way to disrupt the timing. If you get used to it, you’ll have no choice but to suffer even if you know it.”
“… That’s interesting.”
“well. Wouldn’t it be fun for you?”
“No. It’ll be fun. “You may have hidden it from me too.”
“What?”
The moment Luther tilted his head,
the Force Blades on Logan’s beloved sword, Lux, gathered at the tip of the sword.
Flashing.
Ugh.
At some point, an auspicious golden light that felt completely different from before. “…Auror?! Are you sure?”
“I’ll learn how to do it properly, Lord Luthor.”
Luthor
‘s eyes grew twice as big as he watched.
Logan, who was sweating coldly on his forehead, swung his sword with a pale smile. .
