Becoming a Swordmaster by Reading

Chapter 109. Espionage (6)

Roden instinctively turned his head towards his back, where he felt a chill.

And there, he could see the figure of someone riding towards him.

‘Latif!’

Roden, with his good memory, recognized the opponent's identity at a glance.

At the same time, he felt a sense of tension.

This was because he also remembered that Latif's level was 6-star.

‘Can I really win?’

He had this thought for a moment, but Roden shook his head.

After all, he was the only one here who could face Latif.

It was inevitable, as the distance to the 3rd Corps was far due to his deliberate surprise attack on the rear of the raiding party.

It would take some time for strong individuals like Alexis, Tobias, and Michael to reach the place where the Special Task Force Company was.

‘Above all, I am also a 6-star knight now.’

In other words, it meant that Roden would not be pushed back in an aura-versus-aura confrontation.

‘So it's worth a try. And if I must fight, it's better to strike first.’

Having organized his thoughts, Roden started to run towards Latif with a determined expression.

The two were about to clash.

But before that, there was someone who blocked Latif's path.

Stop.

It was Thaddeus.

Neigh!

Latif, who had suddenly stopped, calmed the rampaging horse and shouted.

“Whoa, whoa. What are you doing! Get out of the way!”

“I can't! If you fight that bastard now, you will be in danger, Commander!”

“I don't care! As long as I can kill that bastard, I don't care about anything!”

“Are you saying you're going to die a dog's death just for the sake of revenge!”

Thaddeus raised his voice passionately, and only then did Latif feel his head, which had been boiling with anger, cool down a little.

But that didn't mean Latif's thoughts had changed.

The reason was explained by Latif's own mouth.

“We are going to lose here anyway.”

That was right.

The raiding party led by Latif had completely lost their will to fight with the appearance of the Special Task Force Company.

The fact that the archers, who should have been holding back the 3rd Corps by firing arrows from the high ground, had all lost their lives was decisive.

Moreover, there was a severe lack of infantry and cavalry in the rear of the raiding party to stop the attack of the Special Task Force Company.

This was because all the troops were at the front, facing the 3rd Corps.

So, as Latif said, there was no way for the raiding party to win here.

In the first place, it was even questionable whether there was a way to get out alive.

In the end, if they were going to lose anyway, the only thing to be gained from this fight.

It was to cut off Roden's head and achieve revenge.

This was Latif's judgment.

“……”

Thaddeus, also knowing how desperate the current situation was, could not easily continue speaking.

But he quickly came to his senses and persuaded Latif.

“But even if you succeed in your revenge, it will be the end if you die now. You will just be a nameless knight who has lost all his honor and only succeeded in revenge!”

“Even so, I don't care.”

“No! I care! I, who followed you to the end, trusting you even in despair!”

“……”

“So, please survive for now. Then you will surely be able to make a comeback, Commander. And someday, you will be able to get another chance for revenge. I will hold them off here.”

“……”

Facing Thaddeus's determined gaze, Latif was at a loss for words.

And in the end, he had no choice but to nod.

“……I'm sorry.”

And so, Latif slipped away through a narrow path between the gorges.

Thaddeus watched him go for the last time with a smile on his lips.

Then he hardened his expression again and looked resolutely at Roden, who had come almost right in front of him.

“You will not move a single step from here!”

Certainly, Thaddeus, a 4-star knight, was a fairly strong opponent.

Worthy of being classified as a strong man within the Imperial Army.

But,

Slice.

Thaddeus's head was sent flying without him being able to block a single one of Roden's sword strikes.

This was because he had swung his sword, imbued with the power of a 6-star knight, before Thaddeus could even react, using the Drawing Sword, a secret technique of the Colombo Swordsmanship.

Thud, thud, thud, thud.

And so, Roden passed by the headless Thaddeus.

Belatedly, Thaddeus watched the world spin around and thought for the last time.

‘I can't let him go like this……. So futilely…….’

***

Finally, the 3rd Corps succeeded in defeating all the troops of the raiding party.

With Latif having deserted the battlefield and Thaddeus having lost his life so futilely, the raiding party could not hold out any longer.

In the end, they threw down their weapons one by one and surrendered on the spot.

“We have won!”

“Long live the Allied Forces! Long live!”

And so, the soldiers of the 3rd Corps savored the joy of a great victory.

Michael watched them and quietly panted.

Then he muttered to himself.

‘We won.’

Michael had also fought alongside the soldiers from the middle of the battle to lead this battle to a great victory.

Because of that, he couldn't help but be a little out of breath.

However, the great victory in this battle was not due to Michael.

No matter what anyone said, it was thanks to Roden and the Special Task Force Company.

‘……I still can't believe it.’

Michael was amazed by the performance of the Special Task Force Company, which he had checked intermittently during the battle.

It was only natural, as most of the soldiers of the Special Task Force Company had reached the rank of 1-star.

A unit where almost all the soldiers knew how to use aura.

It was to the point where he couldn't believe it even after seeing it with his own eyes.

And the Special Task Force Company, as if to prove their level of aura, pressed the raiding party hard.

The Special Task Force Company was even able to finish off the enemy faster than the much larger force of the 3rd Corps.

‘How on earth did he train the soldiers?’

Michael couldn't help but have such thoughts.

And he was able to realize anew how great Roden's abilities were.

‘So he's not just good at planning military strategies.’

In fact, this operation alone was unbelievable.

No matter how much he had conducted espionage and acquired quality information, it was not an easy task to create such a perfect plan and achieve the results.

But Roden had done it.

He couldn't help but be astonished by this fact, and to think that he had also trained the soldiers under his command so well.

Michael felt quite complicated emotions at this fact.

It wasn't simply because he was surprised by Roden's abilities, which were beyond imagination.

It was because his mistake could be covered up thanks to today's great victory.

‘If we succeed in taking Kroxen Castle as well, no one will remember my mistake.’

But to think that he was able to achieve such a result thanks to Roden, whom he had tried to kill several times.

Michael felt an indescribable emotion at this fact.

It was for this reason that he naturally began to look for Roden as soon as the battle was over.

But,

‘Huh?’

Strangely, Roden was nowhere to be seen.

Just in case, he went to the Special Task Force Company, which was still standing in the rear of the raiding party, but it was the same.

In the end, Michael couldn't contain his curiosity and asked one of the Special Task Force Company soldiers who was nearby.

The soldier's identity was Federico.

“Where is the Special Task Force Company Commander?”

At Michael's question, Federico was silent for a moment and then answered calmly.

“He is currently pursuing the enemy raiding party commander.”

“What? Alone?”

“No. The Infantry Platoon Leader and the Cavalry Platoon Leader followed a little later with some troops.”

Even after hearing Federico's explanation, Michael's expression did not brighten.

It was only natural, as the paths in the Lewich Gorge were very complex.

In other words, it meant that Chevalier and Liviano, who had started a little late, might not be able to meet Roden.

To think that he might be fighting a one-on-one duel with the raiding party commander, who was presumed to be at least a 6-star expert, alone.

It was a situation where Roden's life could be in danger.

Michael, who did not know Roden's level accurately, judged it this way.

“……Where did he go?”

And so, Michael, who had been assessing the situation for a moment, asked Federico an additional question.

“This way. He went this way.”

As Federico pointed to a path in one of the gorges, Michael mounted an ownerless horse and moved in that direction without hesitation.

Alexis, who had been celebrating the victory with the soldiers, belatedly witnessed the scene and opened his mouth.

“Where are you going……”

But he couldn't finish his sentence.

This was because Michael had disappeared into the gorge a step faster than him.

***

Meanwhile.

As Michael had predicted, Roden had not been able to meet Chevalier and Liviano.

For that reason, he was pursuing Latif alone.

‘……Did I lose him?’

The paths in the gorge were more complex than he had thought.

So from a certain point, it became difficult to pursue Latif with confidence.

‘It can't be helped. I have to go back…… Huh?’

Roden, who was about to turn his horse around, felt an unusual presence and instinctively tilted his head back.

Swish!

At the same time, a shadow shot out from somewhere and swung a sword.

And so, the sword passed exactly where Roden's head had been.

“A pity. I could have completed my revenge so easily.”

The identity of the shadow was Latif.

However, Roden looked surprised rather than pleased at the fact that he had succeeded in catching up with Latif.

This was because the attack just now was very quiet and sharp, despite being imbued with the power of a 6-star aura.

What was even more shocking was the fact that he had succeeded in such an attack while on horseback.

“……A secret technique?”

“What else would it be? By the way, your courage is commendable. To chase me all by yourself. Thanks to that, I got a chance for revenge.”

Latif smiled as if pleased.

But he couldn't hide the anger that lay beneath.

Roden noticed this and deliberately provoked Latif.

“Your subordinate who blocked my path couldn't buy any time and lost his life in a single stroke. Is that the revenge you're talking about?”

“Shut up!”

At the story that Thaddeus had lost his life, Latif lost his reason and rushed at Roden.

And so, once again, that incredibly powerful yet very quiet attack was unleashed from Latif's hand.

Roden frowned as he calmly blocked the continuous attacks.

‘Even though our swords are clashing, I can't feel his presence. And this is probably not the only secret technique Latif can use. I shouldn't drag this on for too long.’

Although he thought this, Roden did not think he would lose this fight.

The reason was simple.

Latif did not yet know that he was a 6-star knight.

For that reason, Roden had a chance to catch Latif off guard.

The reason he was currently using only 5-star aura to block Latif's attacks was to aim for this opportunity.

“Kuhahaha! Die! Die!”

Every time he was attacked, the power of the aura enveloping Roden's sword weakened slightly.

Latif confirmed this and burst into a mad laugh, and his attacks became even rougher.

It was an act of completely looking down on Roden.

And so, a presence was felt from Latif's sword, which had been almost imperceptible like a shadow.

And,

‘Now!’

Roden did not miss this opportunity and used the Phantom Sword to increase the number of his sword strikes.

Then he used the Linked Sword to overlap the attacks and the Heavy Sword to increase the weight and add power to the sword strikes.

Latif sensed something was wrong and prepared for Roden's attack, but it was useless.

Roden had used the Serpent Sword to twist the sword path strangely.

In the end, Latif allowed an attack combined with the power of the Linked Sword and the Heavy Sword to his abdomen.

The power was so strong that it was useless even though he had deployed the aura barrier, a technique unique to 6-star knights.

Stab.

Latif's eyes went wide in surprise as the sword plunged deep into his abdomen.

But Roden paid him no heed and pulled the sword out of his abdomen.

Splurt!

At the same time, a huge amount of blood poured out.

Roden watched the blood soak the ground and was certain.

That Latif would collapse to the ground just like this.

But,

“Re…… cover.”

At some point, Latif, who was holding something in his left hand, uttered this activation word, and the wound on his abdomen began to heal.

Vwooom.

The thing Latif was holding in his left hand.

It was, surprisingly, an artifact.