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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Ruby
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Once again, light dawned.
The sun rising on the horizon.
Right after waking up, this time there were no achievement reward notifications or other pop-ups in front of Yuma’s eyes.
There was an expected reason for this.
Having already received an achievement for defeating the Black Dragon, which was stronger than Ades, the King of the Giant tribe, it seemed likely that this didn’t meet the conditions for an achievement.
‘To achieve further growth in stats, do I ultimately need to use the Dragon Heart?’
The Dragon Heart obtained from the cave in Rubelt territory, which served as the dragon lair of [Elcam-Acreon].
‘That’s an issue to consider after resolving the imperial succession first.’
He needed to secure the auxiliary materials required for consuming the Dragon Heart.
And those didn’t exist in this middle world.
After organizing his thoughts, Yuma put on his black coat and went outside.
The White Night Clan had been bustling with activity since morning.
Crackle… Crackle… Whoosh!
Yuma watched as the massive giant, Ades, was consumed by the thick flames.
Stab!
Stab!
Stab!
The White Night Clan warriors were stabbing their swords, blazing with white sword energy flames, into Ades’ body.
If the actors of this act weren’t the White Night Clan, if the subject wasn’t Ades, it might have seemed quite brutal.
But what they were doing now felt very noble.
It was the liquidation of the karma that had been oppressing the clan for over 400 years.
The giant, who had seemed like he would never disappear from this land, was slowly vanishing, engulfed in white flames.
Even if they wanted to use by-products like the skin, they couldn’t.
Befitting the final moments of a Giant who had lost his divine power, the flesh was slowly rotting away.
The clan members, unable to bear watching Ades naturally decay on this land of White Night Clan, were burning Ades with their own hands.
It was an act of rest, signaling the liquidation of karma and the clan’s new beginning.
The warriors each stabbed their swords once.
The last White Night Clan warrior standing with a sword was Bell.
White flames bloomed from Bell’s sword.
A sound of tearing flesh echoed.
The mages intensified the power of the red flames burning beneath the giant.
They were ending their long-standing karma.
The White Night Clan members watched as the giant disappeared, engulfed by the red flames of judgment.
Yuma also watched the scene to the end from a distance.
Swish─!
Swish!
The White Night Clan warriors raised their swords vertically.
“The White Night Clan walks a new path!”
Luke’s cry echoed across the land of White Night Clan.
The liberation ceremony came to an end.
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Yuma looked at Bell, who had approached his side.
Bell’s pink eyes stared intently at Yuma.
“God of War,” Bell said softly.
“I heard that’s what you’ve been called until now.”
Yuma nodded.
It was a title that made him cringe no matter how many times he heard it.
“…You deserve to be called that. That counterattack yesterday─it was a high-dimensional technique that can only be described as godly. Returning the opponent’s attack exactly as it was. How can you realize such an ultimate martial art?”
Outwardly, Yuma showed no change in expression, but inwardly he was very impressed.
No one until now had so perfectly grasped the principle of Absolute Counterattack.
‘As expected.’
Those unreasonably amazing characteristics were indeed not just for show.
Bell slowly continued speaking.
“And it’s not just about completely returning the opponent’s attack… You add even more powerful energy to the original attack when sending it back. With chillingly precise and powerful sword energy… right?”
She had noticed not only the principle of Absolute Counterattack but also that it added 10 times the attack power at the moment of counterattack.
Yuma slowly nodded.
“That’s right.”
Bell had firmly misunderstood that the method of strengthening attack power was through sword energy.
Yuma made a mental note to answer like that the next time someone asked.
Bell stared at Yuma intently with her pink eyes.
“How exactly did you do it? Hm?”
Those two eyes were brimming with curiosity and reverence.
Yuma shook his head this time.
How could he possibly explain the principle?
“You can’t do it.”
“…You mean even if you explained it to me, I wouldn’t be able to do it?”
“That’s right.”
Bell furrowed her brow.
It sounded like a very firm verdict.
─This is not a sword path that a martial artist of your level can unleash.
That’s how it came across.
But Bell couldn’t deny those words at the present moment.
No matter how much she swung her sword, slashed, and stabbed,
This man in front of her had killed Ades, the King of the Giant tribe, whom she couldn’t even inflict a single critical hit on, with just one strike.
The black light of Ades that was struck down in an instant like a death sentence.
And the divine might that reversed it effortlessly.
Even now, recalling that moment sent chills down her spine.
And the calm face that unleashed such martial prowess and then gazed at the sky nonchalantly.
‘Beyond that level of swordsmanship…’
To achieve that level of power.
How many enemies must he have slain? The number of lives might reach thousands, or even tens of thousands.
She thought she had somewhat grasped what martial arts was.
However, the divine might Yuma had shown yesterday made her feel that everything she had built up as common sense and knowledge until now was twisted.
Bell slowly opened her delicate lips.
“From now on, I’ll call you my lord. Remember that, my lord.”
“Call me as you like.”
Yuma said that as he slowly walked away.
It was to fetch the luggage he had prepared in his quarters.
Bell stared intently at Yuma’s retreating back.
‘I’ll reach it.’
Even if it took years.
Even if it took decades.
No, even if she could never reach it, she wanted to go as far as she could.
As close as possible to that God of War.
The sword genius bestowed by heaven made that vow as she looked at Yuma.
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Yuma gazed at Luke, who appeared before him after he had packed all his luggage.
He noticed that Luke’s expression had improved considerably compared to when they first met yesterday.
The karma of the clan that he had been shouldering.
Now that the karma had been cleared, it was understandable for a person to change overnight.
“All members of the White Night Clan will become your sword, Yuma.”
Shing
Luke took out a sword and raised it respectfully with both hands, looking at Yuma.
It was a sword still sheathed in its scabbard.
“This is merely a gift given to you as our benefactor.”
Yuma accepted the sword.
Shing…
As he slightly unsheathed the sword, a clear ringing sound echoed through the space.
“This sword is called Requiem.”
Requiem.
The blade evoked the image of frost in midwinter.
It was a famous sword on par with Axion, which he had been favoring recently.
A durable famous sword was always welcome.
“Thank you.”
Yuma put [Requiem] into his spatial pocket.
“Will you depart today?”
“Yes.”
It was a matter of imperial succession.
There was no benefit in dragging it out.
He had gathered all the keys to the oracle.
Now all that remained was to bring them before Imperial Princess Brigitte and see the result.
“In about a week, we’ll arrive at the imperial palace of the Astes Empire. Make sure Bell can contact you then.”
Luke nodded deeply.
“Thank you. Well, I’m not worried because my daughter seems to adapt well wherever she goes.”
Yuma thought the same.
Bell was so bright that it was hard to believe she had been confined to the limited space of the White Night Clan for 20 years.
That must have been possible because the bond of the White Night Clan and their trust in each other was so strong.
Yuma spoke again.
“On the way up, I’ll inform the upper echelons of Pineon about the clan’s existence. Some of those who were close to Conqueror King Kament might have heard about the White Night Clan.”
Don’t touch the White Night Clan.
That’s what Yuma intended to say.
“Don’t worry.”
A faint fighting spirit emanated from Luke’s body.
He seemed to be restraining his fighting spirit since Yuma had now become his superior.
“Those who touch White Night Clan will only witness the terror of White Night Clan.”
Indeed, they were beings who could show such confidence.
They were just overshadowed by the immense talents of Clan Head Luke and his daughter Bell.
Among the 60 White Night Clan warriors who were perfectly prepared to stand on the front lines, there were hardly any below the level of Advanced Sword Expert.
With as many as 10 at the Master level, it was beyond compare.
Thump Thump Thump─
Heavy footsteps reached Yuma’s ears.
The 60 or so warriors who had lined up behind Clan Head Luke knelt on their right knee and struck their swords beside them, taking a posture of loyalty.
Luke had also taken the same posture.
“God of War Yuma, from now on, you are the master of this sword called the White Night Clan.”
After Luke’s words, all the warriors opened their mouths.
“We swear our loyalty, my lord.”
A heavy resonance reached Yuma’s ears.
A military group capable of annihilating a small kingdom.
That was the White Night Clan.
And that White Night Clan had come under Yuma’s command.
Yuma slowly opened his mouth.
“Enjoy this world until you’re sick of it. I’ll call when I need you.”
“Loyalty─!!”
Yuma left that scene of loyalty pledge with a majestic and quick pace.
‘It’s cringeworthy.’
It was disgustingly cringeworthy.
They ate breakfast.
Since it would be a while before they saw her face again, the clan members flocked to Bell.
“Bell, serve Lord Yuma well.”
“Don’t be insubordinate.”
“You need to curb your temper a bit… understand?”
“Take good care of Lord Yuma! Sis!”
Young and old, men and women alike, all talked about Yuma rather than expressing concern for her.
“Argh! I’ll handle it just fine!”
Beyond Bell’s irritated cry, the voice of an old woman flowed gently.
It was the voice of Dilike, an elder of the White Night Clan.
“I heard that the reason the God of War came to this land was to take you away.”
Dilike’s characteristically kind voice echoed in the ears of all clan members.
“In many ways, you’re like a blessing to our clan, Bell. You’ve protected many of the clan’s children with your swordsmanship.”
A young girl sitting demurely next to Dilike raised her hand.
“…Yes, she saved me. Big sister is like a blessing.”
She was usually a quiet, introverted child.
At this moment of farewell, she had stepped forward unknowingly.
To express her gratitude to Bell.
Bell smiled brightly.
“…Thank you, Dilike.”
Then she approached the girl.
“Yohena.”
She patted Yohena’s blue hair.
Dilike raised her right hand.
And with a gesture of respect, palm down, she pointed at Bell.
All 120 clan members raised their right hands, pointing at Bell like Dilike.
“May the blessing of frost always be with our precious Bell.”
Starting with Dilike’s words.
All clan members chanted those words.
“May the blessing of frost always be with our precious Bell.”
Bell bowed her head at this send-off filled with clan custom.
“I’ll be back. Everyone.”
And as Bell stood up, she walked slowly forward.
There stood Yuma, Cloney, and Hestia.
“Have you finished your goodbyes properly?”
Bell answered Yuma’s question.
“Yes, we’ll see each other again soon anyway.”
“That’s right.”
For saying that, it seemed the lingering feelings hadn’t quite faded yet.
Yuma walked forward.
Cloney and Hestia followed behind him.
“It’s a nice tribe.”
Cloney nodded in agreement with Hestia’s words.
“It really is.”
Bell, who had momentarily stopped walking, waved big to the clan children who were still waving at her, then ran towards Yuma’s group.
“I’m coming with you, my lord!”
And so, one more member was added to the party.
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