episode_0091

The Sword Hero.

The weight carried by that title is anything but simple.

Especially among humans.

The First Hero.

The founding emperor who established the empire.

And since then, no human has ever inherited the title of the Sword Hero.

It wasn’t for nothing that the empire desperately tried to create a Sword Hero.

Over time,

most of them had given up.

But when a candidate for the Sword Hero—one said to slay geniuses—appeared, the empire itself moved.

“…….”

Clara calmly observed Han Yuseong.

She still had room to spare. Unlike her sister, who was struggling to fend off the undead,

Clara’s abilities were specialized for support.

“Hey! Quit staring and help already!”

“…….”

Veronica’s sharp yell made Clara sigh inwardly as she assumed a prayer stance.

‘I just want to watch a little longer.’

Things were getting dangerous.

Though the knights were assisting,

Veronica was the one holding back hundreds of undead all by herself.

Once Clara stepped in to help,

Veronica finally began to regain some breathing room.

‘Tch, so she wanted to watch too?’

Honestly, she was curious.

What kind of sight would Han Yuseong show them?

With Clara’s support, Veronica stole a glance at Yuseong in her brief moment of respite.

Han Yuseong stood still, staring at the enemy.

The being who had introduced himself as Alber.

That being was glaring at Yuseong with a hardened expression.

[So it was you. The so-called Sword Hero.]

Yuseong didn’t answer.

Alber found that strange.

But it was also somewhat odd.

As if—

‘He became a completely different being in an instant.’

That was the impression he got.

It shouldn’t be possible.

His mind couldn’t comprehend it.

But one thing was certain.

The being before him was their natural enemy.

In other words—

[I’ll kill you.]

Thud.

Alber lunged forward in an instant, wielding the dual-sword technique his beastkin race prided itself on.

‘I’ll give it everything.’

He had to.

His opponent was that formidable.

Clang.

Yet, his sword was blocked with a single hand.

“You’re still as filthy as ever.”

Yuseong spoke. His expression was devoid of emotion.

Like someone looking at dust and stating it needed to be cleaned.

Alber gritted his teeth at those words.

They were humiliating.

He wanted to retaliate immediately—to tear him apart and desecrate his corpse.

But—

[I can’t move…?]

His sword was stuck as if glued in place.

“[Adhesion]—a power of mine. Useful against idiots like you.”

With those words, Yuseong twisted his sword.

[Ghk—!]

Alber was hurled straight into the wall.

“Get up.”

[You bastard…!]

Alber forced himself up, glaring at Yuseong.

Thud.

Yuseong took a step forward. Alber felt his body flinch.

‘How…?’

Why was such overwhelming pressure radiating from him?

Even if his true form descended, he couldn’t guarantee victory.

A monster like that stood before him.

“I’d like to teach you more… but we’re running out of time, and there are others to deal with. Let’s end this here.”

[Who said you could decide that?!]

“Didn’t I tell you before?”

Yuseong’s voice remained steady as he watched Alber struggle.

“You downgraded your swordsmanship to fit your current state, adapting it to suit yourself.”

Yuseong—

The Holy Sword had told him that.

He raised his sword.

Not the usual plain blade.

A sword radiating dazzling light.

A golden sword, as if declaring itself the Holy Sword, bathed in divine radiance.

“I’ll show you.”

Heaven Sunder.

Rumble—!

Crimson lightning.

And the black aura of battle intent coiled around it. Not a thin blade-like form.

Like starlight falling from the night sky.

The crimson power entwined with the Holy Sword.

Sword Aura.

“This is the secret technique of the human race—one you should have properly learned.”

And then—

From above to below. The sword descended.

Gooooooo—!!!

The sun revealed itself.

I stared blankly at the devastation wrought by the Holy Sword.

The swordsmanship the Holy Sword called Heaven Sunder.

Its power was nothing short of absolute.

‘What kind of absurd…’

Alber was obliterated, his soul beyond recovery.

The undead forces following him were annihilated in the aftermath.

‘The problem is…’

The Saintess, Veronica, and Clara were unharmed.

But the two knights weren’t so lucky.

They, too, were caught in Heaven Sunder and perished.

‘No, maybe I should be grateful for this.’

I looked at the Holy Sword.

Its dazzling light had long faded. Now, it looked like an ordinary sword.

“If I use this power, I won’t be able to speak for a while.”

Before unleashing it, the Holy Sword had told me that.

“So, refine the swordsmanship I showed you during that time.”

It was a ridiculous request.

After experiencing Heaven Sunder, I understood.

‘This power is too much for me to handle right now.’

Sword Aura.

A power beyond sword energy.

I couldn’t manifest it yet. And the swordsmanship called Heaven Sunder—

‘Is a technique that utilizes Sword Aura.’

……Just how long did it plan to sleep after saying that?

A month, at least? Not that I couldn’t understand why.

With that thought, I let out a deep sigh.

Surviving the crisis was good.

But problems remained.

“…….”

Veronica stood with her arms crossed, lips tightly sealed.

Clara, in contrast, stared at me with sparkling eyes.

‘……Well, Veronica’s reaction makes sense.’

She had begged me multiple times, as the Sword Hero, to defeat the Genius Slayer.

But whenever I refused, she always said the same thing.

That I was the Thief Hero.

Yet what she saw today—

‘Was the Sword Hero.’

Even if it was unavoidable, I had still lied to her.

But—

‘Well, if she presses me, I’ll just shrug it off.’

What else could I do?

With that thought, I looked at Veronica. Her expression was a mix of displeasure and…

Something oddly satisfied.

Then, with a “Hmph,” she cast a healing light on me.

“……?”

“What? Hurry up and get out. I don’t want to stay in this wretched place a second longer.”

“Thanks for dealing with the enemies.”

“…….”

“Hey!”

Veronica yelped at Clara’s words.

“W-when did I ever say that?!”

“But earlier… Wasn’t it obvious?”

Ignoring Veronica, Clara stared at the Holy Sword, now an ordinary blade.

Her gaze seemed to ask: Is this really the Holy Sword, the symbol of the Sword Hero?

“Yeah. It is.”

“But why do you have it, Yuseong?”

“……Just holding onto it for now.”

“Hah? You’re temporarily holding the Holy Sword?”

Veronica looked at me like I was insane.

“Then what about the Genius Slayer? Did you defeat him?”

“I don’t even know what he looks like.”

“No, I— Ugh, whatever. Let’s just get out of here.”

Veronica led the way up.

And then—

“Thank goodness……”

Soon after, we reunited with the clan members. Erme’s relieved face was the first thing I saw.

Glasses adjusted his spectacles with a relaxed smirk.

“Told you. Yuseong would come back just fine.”

“Says the guy who was shaking all day from anxiety.”

Ahem. “Anyway, glad you’re back.”

Glasses stood beside me as he spoke.

Looking at the gathered clan members, it seemed no one had died.

……Though they all looked half-dead from exhaustion.

‘They must’ve been through hell.’

Well, the political fallout of nearly getting the Saintess killed would’ve been brutal.

As I thought that—

“By the way, Yuseong. Did you see a guy wrapped in black bandages?”

“The one targeting Veronica?”

“Yeah.”

“He’s dead.”

“Figured. But it’s weird. The one we fought was a mage-type. We never saw the one who tore the priest apart.”

“…….”

So.

There was another one.

Those guys were no joke.

Even if our side had strong fighters,

aside from the blue one, the bandaged enemy was no pushover either.

If he hadn’t suddenly turned on his own team, we might’ve taken losses.

“Are you okay? You look exhausted.”

Clara smiled faintly as she addressed the group.

“……More than anything, I just want to go back to the clan building and rest.”

“Now that we’ve regrouped, let’s retreat.”

Erme seemed reluctant, glancing back below.

But eventually, she agreed to withdraw.

‘Maybe she wanted to find Alber.’

No, knowing Erme, she definitely did. I recalled what I’d taken from Alber’s body and showed it to her.

“What’s that?”

“Came from another guy.”

“……You killed the bandaged one and him?”

Erme’s eyes widened.

“No, he killed the bandaged one himself. Made it easier for me.”

“……Still, it must’ve been tough.”

I looked at Erme.

Her scarlet eyes, like the hues of twilight.

Her gaze seemed to ask—

‘How did you pull it off?’

After leaving the labyrinth,

I headed straight home.

Simply put, I was exhausted.

Half-asleep, I arrived to find—

An odd presence.

“…….”

Tied-back golden hair.

Eyes glowing red. Dressed in black pants and a black blouse, with a coat draped over her shoulders.

‘A cursed sword?’

Holding a blade inscribed with crimson runes against a black background,

the woman stared straight at me.

“So you’re the—”

“……What, a burglar?”

“Sword Hero… What?”

My words made her look baffled.

I immediately hit the security alarm.

Soon after, guards arrived.

“You reported an intruder…? We’ll take her away at once.”

“W-wait! I have business with you—!”

“You fool! Do you even know who stands before you?! The direct disciple of Vulcan!”

“I’m not his disciple.”

“Ah, my apologies. We were told to say that…”

The guard rubbed his hands apologetically.

“No, I’m from the empire—!”

“You dare?! You’ll be locked in solitary for this!”

It was summer.