Chapter 157: Misunderstanding (2)

A few more days passed, and the sun set once again.

There were far more empty mansions than expected.

Even though countless knights and soldiers scoured the area like hounds, not a single solid clue surfaced.

This time, it was a massive mansion located on the outskirts beyond the inner walls.

It seemed quite old—more worn down than the other abandoned ones.

“How long are we supposed to keep doing this?”

“How would I know? We’re just following orders from above.”

“It’s already been a full day. Wouldn’t they have already escaped outside the castle by now?”

“With thirteen people in tow? That’s impossible.”

The knights’ complaints stretched out endlessly.

They had been running around nonstop from morning till night—it was only natural.

Of course, they had found traces here and there.

Following those, they had arrived at this mansion.

“What could they possibly gain from kidnapping nobles? It’s not like there’s anywhere to run anyway.”

All city gates were still sealed shut.

By royal decree, no one was allowed to leave beyond the outer walls.

The search continued.

Then, a sharp groan burst out from one side.

“Keuk—!”

Kwaaang!

As a rough noise echoed through the air, knights and soldiers nearby rushed toward the source.

When they arrived, a massive man with dark, tanned skin was standing over several fallen knights.

On his shoulder rested a single-edged blade as thick as an arm.

“Wh–who are you?!”

Sensing an ominous aura from the man, everyone tensed up.

The man snorted and spoke with disdain.

“So these are supposed to be the knights of the Mineta Kingdom? I heard Harlan Mineta ascended the throne—but it seems the kingdom’s hit rock bottom.”

A man who dared to utter the king’s name so casually—

The knights, of course, couldn’t let that pass.

They immediately drew their swords and surrounded him.

“How dare you speak His Majesty’s name in such a tone! Do you wish to lose your head?!”

The one who shouted at the front was the Knight Commander, Luteo Candir.

At that, the man smirked faintly and stepped down from atop the knights he had been trampling.

“To think you’d point your swords at me… I suppose I should commend your courage. Should I say, it’s fitting for Mineta’s knights?”

“Cease that arrogant tone at once!”

“Stop barking and come at me already.”

A crackling bloodlust emanated from the man—yet, that was all.

Luteo Candir believed he still had the advantage.

He gave a sharp signal with his eyes to the other knights.

Tatak—!

In an instant, aura flared from Luteo’s sword, carving a gleaming arc through the air.

Swoooosh!

But that wasn’t the end.

The other knights lunged in perfect sync, striking at the directions the man could possibly dodge toward.

Chachachang!

Yet, their blades struck only empty air.

The strange, misshapen sword that had rested on the man’s shoulder seemed to vanish and reappear in a blink.

Luteo, his aura-clad sword slicing through nothing, stared blankly—bewildered as if under a spell.

“Wh–what did you just do?”

“You couldn’t even see that? So the knights of Mineta Kingdom really have all gone soft.”

A knight’s sword was supposed to embody pride and conviction.

Hearing such words was a humiliation they could not endure.

“Are you angry now? Then what are you waiting for? Come at me!”

With that shout, the man’s blade moved.

His long arm swung wide, cutting through the air.

It looked like an ordinary strike.

Luteo didn’t lower his guard. He poured more aura into his sword and countered.

Chaaaaaang! Kangg—! Hoooh!

As the sharp blades scraped and clashed, Luteo’s body was suddenly hurled backward.

Thud—!

“Khugh!”

He was completely overpowered.

His back slammed against the wall, blood spilling from his lips.

He had suffered internal injury from the shock.

“So this is the best the leader of these fools can do?”

“E–eliminate him! Kill him now!”

The other knights, pressured by the man’s overwhelming presence, encircled him and swung their swords in unison.

Chachang! Chachachang!

As before, gusts of sword wind whirled around the man.

The arm holding his sword vanished and reappeared at blinding speed.

Kwaang! Kwakwaang! Kwaaang!

Knights flew in all directions, struck by attacks they couldn’t even see coming.

As chaos unfolded, something clicked in Luteo Candir’s mind.

“C–could it be you’re the one who kidnapped the nobles?!”

There was no other way this situation could make sense.

But the man’s expression twisted further at that accusation.

At the same time, the curved tip of his eerie blade came to rest before Luteo’s throat.

“Is this the neck that’s been spouting nonsense?”

It looked like he’d strike any second.

No one dared move in the suffocating tension that followed.

The man hadn’t even used aura.

And yet, Luteo—himself a Sword Master—was completely helpless.

“If you’re useless trash, dying here isn’t such a bad end.”

“……”

Crash—!

The window shattered, and someone burst through.

“Wait!”

The newcomer was Charoen, the Branch Leader of the Black Crescent Moon Mineta Branch.

Charoen immediately stepped between the two men.

Seeing him, the man’s smirk deepened even further.

“It’s been a while… Charoen.”

“It really has, Rashid. When did you get here?”

“Two or three days ago, perhaps.”

“Since you’ve come to Mineta, shouldn’t you have stopped by the branch first?”

“It’s not even urgent. There’s no need. Besides, I already have that guy’s leash in my hand. You haven’t lost it, have you?”

He was referring to Turklan.

Rashid knew well about his connection with the Black Crescent Moon. Turklan was also one of the few individuals Rashid personally acknowledged for his skill.

If they were to lose hold of Turklan’s weakness—his wife—the Black Crescent Moon’s head might soon be torn off.

“There’s no way I’d lose him. More importantly… Sir Candir, please take your knights and continue searching elsewhere.”

“…Understood.”

The knights who had been lying around groaning slowly rose and followed behind him.

Once silence returned, Charoen glanced outside before continuing.

“Has the situation in Moratz been dealt with?”

“For the most part. But was it really necessary for me to come here?”

His tone was utterly disinterested.

Still, Charoen had called him because he was needed.

“It’s Turklan, after all. And he came with someone you might find interesting.”

“Someone that interests me?”

Rashid’s interest lay only in strength.

If someone holding a sword wasn’t worth his attention, he simply killed them.

“There’s no reason you’d provoke my curiosity for nothing.”

“Would I lie to you?”

“Who is he?”

“At the very least, he’s equal to Turklan—perhaps even stronger.”

Rashid’s eyes flashed sharply.

“Is that true? If it’s a lie, you’ll have to put your neck on the line.”

The tip of his sharp blade was once again pointed forward, carrying the weight of genuine intent to strike.

Charoen, however, remained unfazed.

“Whether you like him or not is your choice. I’m merely suggesting you take a look.”

“You know what happens to those who catch my eye for the wrong reason.”

“If that’s all that awaits me, then so be it.”

There was no immediate weakness he could use to restrain Raion.

In that case, overwhelming him with sheer power would be the easiest method.

Of course, if Raion was at least Turklan’s equal, it wasn’t likely Rashid could subdue him so easily.

“You sound quite confident.”

“You won’t be disappointed. But it’s troubling—we still haven’t found the missing nobles.”

It was a matter that involved the royal family—something that couldn’t be ignored.

On top of that, it was tied to the important issue of forming an alliance with the Moratz Kingdom.

Regardless of Mineta’s internal politics, even the Dior Empire was keeping an eye on this situation. They absolutely had to recover those nobles.

“Can’t they be tracked at all? What about magic?”

“No use. We’ve found traces here and there, but that’s all.”

“I don’t know then.”

There was simply no clear solution.

All they could do was continue searching.

.

.

.

Setting the search aside for now, Charoen entered the palace with Rashid.

Their destination was the Taron’s Palace.

As they walked, Rashid’s expression grew colder.

“So, the man you spoke of… he’s there, isn’t he?”

“You can feel it?”

“For that level of presence? Equal to Turklan? Your judgment’s slipping, it seems.”

Rashid’s pace quickened toward the path leading to the palace.

Before long—

Even Charoen, who hadn’t sensed anything at first, began to notice the aura.

It grew stronger as they approached.

Blending into the darkness, the two silently concealed their presences and reached the rear garden of the palace.

Beyond the bushes, a shirtless man was moving slowly, empty-handed.

It was Raion Dragonia.

‘That’s…’

Each motion was incredibly slow.

They looked simple, yet Rashid’s expression turned grim.

Charoen, on the other hand, thought Raion was simply training.

‘So he’s able to contain such immense power…?’

Charoen could feel the immense energy flowing around Raion’s body.

It was so vast that even grasping its depth was nearly impossible.

Watching from a distance, Rashid found himself breaking into a cold sweat.

‘That… that’s a monster…’

He didn’t say it aloud—but his heel unconsciously shifted backward.

Something deep inside him seemed to stir.

Perhaps because of that eerie sensation—

Charoen, who had been holding his breath beside him, felt a strange unease.

‘What’s going on with him?’

What could possibly make Rashid—the man who wouldn’t back down even before a legendary dragon—behave this way?

In the end, Rashid quietly began retreating.

Charoen, bewildered, wanted to ask why, but he said nothing and simply followed.

Before long, they had left the forest surrounding the palace entirely.

As if exhaling a breath he’d been holding, Rashid finally let out a sound.

“Are you… all right?”

“……”

He said nothing, continuing to walk down the quiet path.

When Rashid suddenly stopped, Charoen asked again.

“…Is something wrong?”

“That man… Turklan brought him here?”

“Yes.”

“Was he really persuaded? Under what terms?”

The mercenaries of the Black Crescent Moon always moved for profit.

The same must have been true for Raion Dragonia, the mercenary they had just witnessed.

“The condition was Adamantium—to forge a sword.”

“Adamantium? If that’s the case… I suppose it’s possible.”

“So even you acknowledge his skill.”

The slightly teasing tone in Charoen’s question might have irritated him, but Rashid didn’t mind.

He could only recall the martial flow he’d just witnessed from Raion Dragonia.

“Could you handle him…?”

“…What?”

“He’s stronger than I am. That’s why I’m asking if you could handle him.”

“Did I hear you correctly?”

Rashid was one of the most powerful mercenaries within the Black Crescent Moon.

That was precisely why Charoen had planned to use him to pressure Raion Dragonia.

It was hard to believe what he was hearing now.

“Are you truly saying you couldn’t defeat him?”

“…I can’t say for sure.”

There were countless variables in a sword fight.

Yet the power Rashid had just felt from that man was so deep, he couldn’t even grasp its full extent.

“Then perhaps this could be an opportunity for us.”

“You mean he actually listens to you?”

“It’s easy to spot those driven by greed. Besides, Turklan’s with him, isn’t he?”

He’d seen them moving together in the prison.

Which meant—perhaps—they shared a similar weakness.

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