Chapter 73 : Chapter 73
Chapter 73. The Knight Who Lost His Honor (2)
There was no place in the mansion where blood hadn't splattered.
The red sin followed him wherever he moved as if to record what he had done.
Assinsao’s mansion, which had been full of people’s screams and crying sounds just a moment ago, was full of silence.
Except for the sound he just heard.
The blond-haired man drew his sword toward the place where the sound came from.
Bringing his ear to the door and confirming the breathing sound of a living thing, he quickly threw the door open.
“Oh my…….”
What was hiding there was a young boy not even five years old yet.
In the eyes of that child, who seemed to have run away while sleeping wearing pajamas, there were fear and terror, but a small silver dagger was held in his two hands.
Seeing that appearance, the blond-haired man bit his lip.
“Do not hesitate.”
“……Is this truly the will of the Goddesses?”
The blond-haired man asked the middle-aged man standing behind him while trembling the hand holding the sword.
“Do not doubt the family’s decision. We are the people closest to the Goddesses.”
The middle-aged man put his hand on the blond man’s shoulder and spoke.
“This is an honorable deed.”
Tears formed and flowed from the eyes of the blond man looking at the young child before his eyes.
As he shed tears, the young child trembling in fear also shed tears together.
“That child is the last Assinsao.”
It was an honorable deed.
“Was it truly an honorable deed?”
No one answered the man’s question.
There was no place in the mansion where blood hadn't splattered.
Even on the sword of the man who was shedding tears.
***
In the last life when Blanc came here, there was only a large crater due to the meteorite’s fall.
However, now before Blanc’s eyes, there was a forest full of green and a collapsing mansion there, so.
Blanc felt anew that he was in a different timeline.
“Move.”
At Blanc’s order, the Gray Knights moved.
The Gray Knights attached by Ronbrando infiltrated inside through the balcony on the 2nd floor of the mansion according to the existing plan.
“We enter through the front gate.”
Blanc and Cadmus' knights drew their swords and entered inside the collapsing mansion.
-Our primary objective is rescuing Tarania.
The Cadmus Knights boldly entered inside the mansion without hiding their presence to draw the old armor’s attention.
Puddles where water gathered as much as the weight of time inside the mansion and thickly grown vines welcomed them.
“My Lord.”
“Do not be agitated.”
The center of the mansion’s lobby entered like that.
Amidst the sunlight shining through the collapsed gaps, there was Tarania.
Tarania bowing her head as if unconscious on a gigantic old chair.
And the old armor standing like a decoration behind the chair.
‘That is…….’
An existence of unknown identity.
That old armor defeated the Gray Knights, detained Tarania, and summoned him here.
Like the Phoenix, the possibility was high that it was an existence related to Ulrich’s arrangement, but even so, he couldn't not think of the worst possibility.
“Prepare for combat.”
At Blanc’s order, the Cadmus Knights formed a formation centering on Blanc.
-Are you the one who handles the White Thunderbolt?
The armor, noticing Blanc’s presence, walked out from behind Tarania as if it had no intention of hiding its identity.
“That is so.”
Blanc retorted coldly drawing his sword.
‘Come a little more!’
Blanc tried to grab its attention by acting largely to lure the old armor approaching him, but.
-Tell your subordinates on the 2nd floor to take the woman. Since I have no more business with her.
‘This…….’
Even though his stratagem was seen through, Blanc did not show it and continued the conversation with the old armor.
“Is there meaning in being polite now after achieving your goal taking a colleague hostage?”
At Blanc’s cold ridicule, the 2 Ghost Fires inside the half-broken helmet narrowed.
-I lost honor.
“Seems you lost a lot of other things besides honor.”
Despite Blanc’s provocation, the old armor continued what it had to say.
-Are you an honorable one?
At the old armor’s sudden question, Blanc paused for a moment.
-The mage who transcended time told me.
The old armor raised its greatsword.
-That he would call the one who would let me regain honor.
The old armor’s white Ghost Fires burned up.
“It’s coming!”
-I shall check if you are that one!
The old armor rushed at Blanc with a speed unbelievable for a heavy body.
“How dare you!”
“Try piercing through us first!”
Simon and Rakshar quickly blocked Blanc’s front and stopped the armor, but.
SCREECH.
The greatsword struck down with an ominous metallic sound.
Rakshar, who took that impact head-on, couldn't even scream a sliver and was smashed into the wall.
“You bastard!”
Simon, who succeeded in finding the armor’s gap utilizing the opportunity created by Rakshar, dug in sharply toward that spot with clever swordplay, but.
‘Nothing there!’
It was a spot where a living person would have suffered a fatal wound, but at Simon’s fingertips piercing the armor, only an empty sensation hovered.
“Wake up!”
Hansen blocked the armor’s strike on behalf of the bewildered Simon.
Simon came to his senses at the shout Hansen let out and quickly widened the distance.
And at that moment when the Cadmus Knights were dealing with the old armor.
The Gray Knights who jumped down from the 2nd floor succeeded in rescuing Tarania who was unconscious on the chair quickly.
“My Lord! Success!”
Blanc, who was waiting for those words and preparing, overlaid the white world he pulled up from his imagery world onto Aselheit’s sword.
“The world I made is burning white!”
White light burst out from Aselheit’s sword.
-White Thunderbolt!
The old armor admired seeing Blanc perfectly reproducing the traces of Assinsao that existed only in its memory.
“Haaap!”
Assinsao’s, no, Cadmus' secret technique filled with Demon-breaking energy shot in like a meteor shower from the tip of Blanc’s sword.
-Magnificent!
Simon clenched his fist seeing Blanc striking toward the old armor.
Because there had been no existence that blocked that strike until now.
Before long, the armor’s greatsword and Blanc’s sword met, and a gigantic white flash poured out.
The knights had no choice but to turn their heads for a moment at that blinding light.
“Did it!”
Simon smiled brightly without doubting Blanc’s success, but.
At the spot where the flash burst out, the spectacle they expected did not exist.
-It was a magnificent strike.
There was only an existence emitting white steam from its whole body having blocked Blanc’s strike.
-Although the old Form and Formula are lost, you have equipped something quite decent instead.
“You bastard…… What is your identity.”
Blanc chewed and spat out the question toward the armor that blocked his secret technique.
-I am one who has lost honor.
The old armor’s Ghost Fires burned white.
-And the one who killed the last Assinsao.
‘……!’
Blanc was astonished at the armor’s answer and quickly gave strength to his sword to break away from the battlefield for now, but.
The armor, saying it wouldn't let him, swung the greatsword at unbelievable speed and battered Blanc wildly.
‘Kugh!’
The ever-changing and light movement of the gigantic greatsword seeming to ignore physical laws.
At that movement, Blanc was very surprised, but he fully utilized the senses built up through training with Edwin to defend against them.
However, no matter how proficient in swordsmanship Blanc was, it was impossible to deflect all the impact given by the armor of unknown identity.
‘Damn it!’
“My Lord!”
Seeing Blanc struggling, Fabiano and the Gray Knights extended their swords to rescue Aselheit’s knight, but.
They were just a little late.
“Kuh!”
The armor, discovering Blanc’s gap, launched a strong kick to his abdomen.
He barely lifted his sword to block, but Blanc, unable to perfectly offset that formidable impact, fell far away.
“Kuaaaaa!”
Seeing his Lord falling away, Rakshar screamed a ferocious shout again and charged toward the armor.
The Gray Knights and Cadmus' knights rushed simultaneously and launched attacks at the armor, but he was leisurely counterattacking the fiercely rushing knights as if it were nothing.
“Damn it…….”
Seeing the knights fighting hard, Blanc let out a groan.
‘It won’t work like this!’
It was an armor where the weaknesses a human should naturally possess did not exist.
Blanc knew he had to suppress the armor using mighty power rather than digging into weaknesses, but.
‘To think the White Thunderbolt doesn't work…….’
It was the first time an existence didn't work against his secret technique, the world burning white.
However, Blanc did not give up and stood up staggering.
‘I go my original way!’
Even if failing once, striking twice, three times, until it works was originally Blanc Scar’s method.
Even if he gets hurt.
Blanc roughly spat out spit mixed with blood and tried to enter into his imagery world again, but.
There was a faint sound holding him.
“My…… Lord.”
“Tarania.”
Coincidentally, the spot where Blanc was bounced off to was right next to the unconscious Tarania.
“Tarania, are you alright?”
Blanc lowered his body and supported her who barely regained consciousness, but Tarania shook her head and looked at Blanc.
“I don't know where and what you did, but your soul has become stronger.”
“What does that…….”
Blanc thought Tarania was talking nonsense due to injury and exhaustion, but the blue jewel embedded in her right eye was shining.
“……A gigantic blessing resides inside My Lord’s soul. Pull that up.”
“……What do you mean?”
Instead of answering, Tarania brought her face close to Blanc and met his eyes.
“It seems you haven't realized yet. I will guide you.”
Even though the shouts and screams of knights were heard nearby, Blanc fell into his imagery world following the path inside Tarania’s eyes without realizing it.
“Don't let it reach My Lord!”
Hansen realized that Blanc and Tarania were preparing the next move and moved the knights to buy time.
-Things like flies!
The old armor raged at their obstruction and swung the greatsword, but the knights clung on without giving up.
They burned their bodies so he couldn't approach Blanc.
While the knights fought hard like that.
‘This is?’
Blanc felt a blue energy he hadn't felt until now inside his imagery world entered following Tarania’s guidance.
Blue energy with a holy feeling hovering.
It was the Goddesses’ energy seen through the Saintess' eyes.
It was the Goddesses’ energy that had reawakened Blanc’s soul strongly, which had been collapsing after seeing the true form of the Void beyond that universe.
Blanc grabbed that energy residing inside his soul and surfaced above the water of consciousness.
And at that moment.
In the real world.
-……This is?
The old armor, grabbing the collar of a Gray Knight, felt an unusual energy starting from Blanc, threw the knight he was holding to the floor, and looked at Blanc.
Blanc’s hair, following Tarania’s guidance under the knights’ protection, started to undulate as if entered into water.
“Phew…….”
Although there was Tarania’s guidance, Blanc, having created a new imagery world inside his soul, was in a state where mental power was greatly consumed.
However, even if gasping for breath, his eyes were shining bluely without any shaking.
The old armor felt realized that he had crossed another wall watching Blanc’s eyes.
“The one who killed the last Assinsao. Is that all of the identity you possess?”
Blanc standing up staggering.
At his question, the old armor answered.
-The mage who transcended time told me.
Blanc straightened his body using Aselheit’s sword as a support while listening to the old armor’s answer.
-That the person who would turn back my wrong would come.
“Haaap…….”
-That person shall be one who handles the White Thunderbolt.
“Yes. I am the very one who inherited the White Thunderbolt.”
At the answer of Blanc who finally stood up, the old armor burned up white Ghost Fires and spoke.
-That person was said to be the most honorable one among those he knew!
“Knights! Buy me time once more!”
At Blanc’s order, all knights nearby burned their last resolve and jumped toward the old armor simultaneously.
-What is honor!
At the greatsword the old armor swung, Rakshar screamed once again and fell away.
Gray Knights quickly filled that spot and went in, but the old armor was an existence with power and technique transcending human standards.
-Tell me!
The old armor walked out toward Blanc one step at a time.
-Show me!
The knights clung persistently to stop his advance, but the old armor only swatted with the sword as if brushing off annoying fly swarms.
At his violent attacks, Gray Knights fell away, and finally, Hansen collapsed sitting down.
-To me who killed the last Assinsao!
Now between Blanc and the old armor, only Simon remained, keeping his position in front of Blanc holding blood in his mouth.
-Move!
“A knight does not move for what he must protect!”
At Simon’s resolute shout, the old armor paused for a moment.
There was a time when he too shouted such honorable words.
The old armor caught by the memory of the past for a moment.
Simon did not miss that gap and stabbed his sword accurately toward the armor utilizing his specialty.
Simon’s sword flashed pitifully and shot toward the old armor.
However.
CLANG-!
A sharp rupture sound.
With that sound, Simon’s sword lost its light.
And at that moment Simon’s sword broke.
From behind Simon, mighty blue energy started to explode out.
Simon smiled with all his might toward the old armor feeling that energy even while collapsing.
Blanc, who finally succeeded in overlaying the blue world containing the Goddesses’ energy onto Aselheit’s sword thanks to the knights’ protection.
From him, blue energy was undulating.
“Did a thing like you dare ask me if I am an honorable one?”
When Blanc opened his eyes, a blue universe unfolded inside his eyes.
“I am one acknowledged by the pinnacle of all knights.”
Blanc raised Aselheit’s sword high.
Aselheit’s sword spewed out blue energy and lit up every corner of the mansion.
“And one acknowledged by the Goddesses. You obscure filthy things.”
-Show me!
The old armor was shaking its body, which had become shabbily rusted and covered in moss, watching the world Blanc was trying to perform.
-Show it to me! Show me what I lost!
As per the old armor’s wish, Blanc filled Aselheit’s sword with the Goddesses’ energy to the brim and poured the Goddesses’ will onto the world.
“The world I made shall burn white following the will of the Goddesses!”
A wave of blue color containing the Goddesses’ will poured into the old armor.
The old armor reached out its hand toward the blue wave approaching him.
-……Is this truly the will of the Goddesses?
The question his past self harbored.
-It was not!
‘This is an honorable deed.’
-It was not!
However, the knight shining bluely in front of him was shining honorably following the will of the Goddesses.
The old armor howled watching the glorious scene he had desperately wanted but hadn't been able to have.
-Ulrich Tiedemann! You kept the promise!
Even in the moment his body collapsed at the energy Blanc shot out.
***
“Are those 2 people honorable ones?”
At the question of the blond-haired man, the mage wearing a hood answered.
“Among those I know, they are the most honorable ones.”
The blond man checked his armor for the last time and stuck his gigantic sword into the floor of the mansion.
On his neck, a necklace engraved with a red jewel.
And behind the chair sitting, a skinny dried tree branch was planted.
“……I shall trust your words and wait here.”
Tears did not flow from the eyes of the blond-haired man sitting on the gigantic chair.
Because he became a body that could no longer shed tears.
Regretting everything he had done, he hardened coldly.
“I promise. When you open your eyes.”
The mage who transcended time promised.
“You will regain honor.”