Chapter 16 : You’re supposed to use it like this.

The moment the two swords clashed, a sharp metallic sound echoed through the world.

The shockwave pushed the surrounding air away explosively, and an invisible storm spread in all directions.

“Kkweeeek!”

The first to be swept away was Rupia.

Rupia tumbled and rolled like a bug.

Normally, I would have rushed straight to Rupia, but this time, I didn’t have the energy for that.

[Kyleen Harbert]

Race: Human
Title: Commander of the Yuren Del Empire’s Knight Order
Rank: S
[Stat Details]
Strength: 99
Intelligence: 90
Magic: 82
Skill: 88
Health: 1000

I never expected to face such a monster right after infiltrating the system.

It’s not just the stats, but more importantly—

[Characteristic Details]
Sword Master (S)

This girl, like me, was called the pinnacle of swordsmen, a Sword Master.

With our swords locked, Kyleen casually asked.

“Good sword. Where did you make it?”

Instead of answering, I twisted my body.

Once again, sparks flew, and the air seemed to tear apart with an ear-splitting roar.

Amid the superhuman speed of our sword strikes, Rupia didn’t make a single mistake.

Her relaxed expression suddenly changed.

The ground beneath us shook as if it would crack from the vibrations of steel, and the air grew taut and cold.

In this clash with no retreat, even a single breath could tip the scales.

“Hey, hey! It’s a Death Knight!!”

At the same time, my disguise was undone, and someone among the crowd screamed like a shout.

The crowd, now in a panic, began to move.

Faces filled with fear, people shoved each other as they backed away, and some even tripped over their tangled feet.

The only people left in the plaza were Kyleen and what appeared to be her knights.

“Commander! Are you alright?!”

“Don’t interfere. That’s an order.”

During the dozens of exchanges, a faint heat rose in Kyleen’s gaze.

Trying to hide her excitement, her mouth twisted as if she swallowed an uncomfortable emotion.

I glanced slightly behind me.

Rupia, her disguise now undone, was surrounded by knights, huddled like a mouse.

“Ugh, ugh, gahhh! Oh, it tastes bad…!”

I couldn’t watch any longer.

I turned my back to Kyleen and fired a new spell in the direction where Rupia was.

Kyleen didn’t miss that brief opening.

Kwadduk!

A terrible sound rang from my spine.

Where the blade passed, it sizzled like it had been burned, and for the first time in a long while, I felt intense pain.

Borrowing the power of Sofien, and using the holy sword technique defying destiny was incomparable.

However, I couldn’t stop. Gritting my teeth, I embraced Rupia and broke through the encirclement.

“General! Y-your body…!?”

Kyleen’s magical attack far surpassed the undead healing I relied on.

Around the statue of Carlos, dozens of knights formed a circle, trapping us.

Kyleen charged into that arena like a beast.

The sound of swords clashing and the ringing of metal filled the air as it shattered.

She took a step back and avoided the following attack. At the same time, she immediately counterattacked, never missing the gap.

As her sword brushed past my shoulder, a cold aura enveloped me, even in that brief moment.

Kyleen no longer hid her expression.

Her eyes seemed to reflect madness, as if her long thirst had been quenched.

“More! Show me more!”

Her voice cracked with excitement, and the sword in her hand flew as if dancing.

I too charged forward without retreat. The two swords crossed at a breathtaking speed, leaving afterimages of light.

Step by step, Kyleen’s smile grew wider.

Her whole body was ablaze with heat, and for the first time in a long while, I felt the vivid sensation of battle, my bones aching.

My sword grazed her cheek, but she didn’t seem to care at all.

In fact, her bleeding face became even more manic, and she swung her sword again.

As time passed, I was the one at a disadvantage.

The sword mark on my spine was cracking as if it would shatter.

‘It’s time to retreat.’

The situation wasn’t good, and my condition was far worse.

Kyleen, who had been silently observing me, spoke in a slightly angry tone.

“You’re not focusing properly. I’m on the verge of reaching my peak, yet you keep breaking the mood.”

She had a good eye.

Without hesitation, Kyleen approached me.

With each step she took, the sword in her hand emitted magical energy, pressuring the surroundings.

“Why aren’t you looking at me properly? Is it because of that little brat, or is it the Demon King that’s distracting you from fighting properly? You keep trying to retreat.”

Her madness was now turning into obsession.

“Look at me properly. You can’t run, and even if you do, it won’t matter. I’ve taken a liking to you. No matter where you are, how you are, or in what form you remain, I will find you. I’ll tear apart every territory you’ve passed through and find your dungeon. If necessary, I’ll invade the demon realm to find you and finish this.”

“Heh, heeek…?!”

Rupia, behind me, froze up like a frightened puppy, her eyes wide.

I barely managed to push away her persistently pressing sword and replied.

“Outstanding swordswoman, don’t get excited. I didn’t infiltrate with the purpose of invading the human empire.”

“You’re not invading because you can’t. Even without a tongue, you should speak properly, right?”

Kyleen sneered and pointed the tip of her blade as if to carve out the truth.

“We’re different. Hundreds of Demon Kings, hundreds of dungeons are scattered, but we are one emperor, one empire. We have the power to sweep away your monsters.”

“…Foolish. Do you know why the empire’s walls are so unnaturally high?”

I took two steps back and spoke.

“The purpose of the empire’s foundation was not invasion, but defense. Unlike the demon realm, which is scattered, it is a unified empire, and therefore, that peace must be protected.”

She immediately followed with two steps forward.

“Heh, what does a monster like you know about the human empire?”

As if she didn’t want to listen anymore, Kyleen attempted to continue her sword dance.

“My human self built this empire,”

I spoke the truth that Kyleen and the other knights would never acknowledge.

Her footsteps paused for just a moment.

For a moment, the air seemed to sink heavily, but then Kyleen took a step forward as if nothing had happened.

…So, you’re going to dismiss this as the mad ramblings of a monster?

There was no longer any way out.

Pfftt!

I swung my sword and lightly tapped the statue of Carlos behind me.

This time, Kyleen’s steps completely halted.

A stillness descended around her. An indescribable anger and murderous intent.

“That… is not something a monster like you can touch.”

Kyleen’s voice was low, but hidden within it was the emotion of something about to explode.

But she was wrong. My purpose wasn’t to desecrate the statue of Carlos.

What I needed was the whistle in his hand, hanging like an ornament, “The Dragon’s Oath.”

“…Do you know what this is?”

“It’s the achievement of the one you just touched. Proof that he subdued a dragon. Even the strongest monster, the dragon, will run with its tail between its legs when that whistle blows.”

Heh.

I let out a hollow laugh, and Kyleen narrowed her eyes.

“What’s so funny?”

“You don’t know what a dragon is.”

You’ve probably never even seen one.

If you knew anything about dragons, you wouldn’t dare say such a thing.

The reason I left “The Dragon’s Oath” for the human empire wasn’t to prevent dragon invasions.

It was left as a last resort when the empire’s fall was imminent.

Dragons cannot be killed by a human alone, nor do they surrender.

That’s why I barely got an oath from them.

I raised the whistle to my mouth in full view.

Before Kyleen could say anything, I blew into the whistle with my magical energy.

-!!

The sound of the whistle lingered deeply, yet overwhelmingly strong. All eyes in the plaza focused on the sound, and silence fell.

At some point, the flag on the castle tower flapped violently, as if about to be torn by the wind.

“…!”

A shadow passed across the vast plaza.

Someone briefly blocked the sun overhead. Kyleen and the knights blinked, trying to discern what it was.

As the gust of wind surged and the shadow grew closer, Kyleen was the first to confirm the presence.

Even she, with her keen eyes, looked unsure if what she saw was real.

Finally, a tremor was reflected in her pupils.

“Ugh, th-that… that…!”

A sturdy, scale-covered body like a fortress, eyes blazing like the sun, wings calling the storm, and massive claws that could crush mountains.

The only monster that could surpass the human empire’s walls, the king of all monsters, and the hero of myths had descended into reality.

“D-Dragon! It’s a dragon—!!”

Kwoooo—!!!

In response to the humans’ cries, the dragon roared, shaking the very earth.

The roar contained overwhelming majesty and destructive power. People were swept away by the gusts, collapsing.

The sight of them being blown like dust, helplessly scattering, was terrifying.

Kyleen couldn’t close her mouth, her face frozen.

Rupia, clinging to my side, was gasping like a broken machine.

Only I moved slowly towards the creature.

“Igdras.”

The dragon stopped its fiery rumble and looked down at me slowly.

-You’ve become a skeleton in the time I haven’t seen you.

“You’re still alive.”

-Too many have called upon me using your name. Since the empire broke its promise, I did not respond.

I nodded silently. The rumors about the Dragon’s Oath had certainly spread like that.

“Do you still remember the oath from over 800 years ago?”

-Of course. You are the great knight.

Igdras snorted, releasing flames.

The fire spread as if alive, scattering the air in chaos.

Looking at the primitive human knights as though they were about to be devoured, Igdras demanded an answer.

-Do you want the empire to fall, or do you want to become the ruler of a new empire? What must I do, who should I turn to ashes?