Chapter 451 - Misidentification
The sorcerer, Merisa, commanded.
"All fleets, halt."
The Empire's fleet, spread wide in a fan-shaped formation as they scouted the territory of the Black Volcano, came to a stop in midair.
The sword saint, Fribalt, asked.
"What's wrong?"
"The traces are gone."
That intruder is cautious.
By erasing his tracks over a wide area, he thoroughly prevented anyone, including the Empire, from attempting to pursue him.
The only reason they had managed to chase him this far was purely thanks to Merisa's magic...
"For the traces to suddenly vanish. There's no way he suddenly changed the method of erasing his tracks, or simply evaporated into thin air."
The deviant, Grizzwold, stared intently at the field of black rocks.
"Oh, then that means he must be down below."
"Yes, that's right. I confirmed an artificially created passage up ahead."
As a
"Judging by the strata, it looks like it was made a long time ago, perhaps created by that expedition the Dwarf clans once sent? Anyway, at the end of it, there's a cliff. The shape is... yes, like a crater."
"The Black Volcano, huh."
"They say it vanished into history, but it must have sunk underground. Fascinating. If we study the geology, we might uncover something quite interesting."
According to the history of the Dwarves, the Black Volcano that existed 300 years ago was recorded as being even larger than the Red Volcano.
But if it hadn't collapsed, and instead had simply disappeared deep underground... just how immense a tectonic upheaval must have occurred?
It was an event difficult to comprehend with common sense.
As a Mage in pursuit of the unknown, a strong curiosity gleamed in Merisa's eyes.
"We'll have to come back another time."
"Merisa."
"I know. Anyway, unless the intruder suddenly disappeared through spatial teleportation, he must be somewhere down at the bottom of that crater. It's so deep that we can't check from here."
"That's enough."
The sword saint, Fribalt, raised his left hand.
A sealing order.
When the commander of the Empire's colossal airship, the "Atorium", issued his command, a special compound magic circle composed of dozens of magic arrays activated.
The power of the three massive airships hovering nearby was linked together with that of the Atorium.
Artifact,
The sealing-type artifact, having absorbed an immense amount of power, distorted space and created a faint cylindrical barrier that surrounded the entire vicinity.
Inside and outside were now divided.
As long as that existed, passage from the inside to the outside, or the outside to the inside, and even crossing through space itself, was impossible.
"Now that it's trapped, it's time to capture it."
Grizzwold loosened his shoulders, gripping one of the twin axes strapped to his back. Its size alone could easily cover up both Fribalt and Merisa.
To call it a one-handed axe was absurd, for it was far too heavy and enormous.
"Looks like we'll have no choice but to enter the enemy's lair directly. What will you do, sword saint? Since you're in charge of this matter, we'll follow whatever you decide."
"The three of us will go in."
Fribalt did not even hesitate.
If they weren't of a level comparable to the Empire's Lords, then far from being helpful, they would only get in the way.
That was the instinct of Fribalt, who had personally confronted the intruder at the Red Volcano.
'Sometimes instinct is the greatest foundation for action.'
This was both the saying and the teaching of his master, the Transcendent of the Empire, known as the Sword of Arnak.
"As I've said before, the intruder possesses an artifact-level weapon capable of manipulating the earth. Be prepared."
"How many times do I have to tell you? Don't order me around. And besides, I already know how I'm going to subdue him."
Merisa stroked her ring.
It transformed, reshaping itself into a massive staff.
"If the decision is made, let's hurry and move in. Before the Oathkeepers interfere. I have an unpleasant feeling, like that Leona woman will arrive soon."
"Gahaha, isn't that less interference, and more just you not wanting to see her face?"
"Same difference."
Despite the looming battle with an unknown force, there wasn't the slightest trace of tension, yet none among the Empire's soldiers criticized them.
They weren't the kind of novices whose skills would waver due to atmosphere.
It was then.
"...!"
Sharpened senses reacted.
All at once, they stopped speaking and cast their eyes toward the ground, where a figure emerged from between the black rocks.
A human form.
An unrecognizable exterior.
The intruder.
"...didn't think he'd come out on his own. What's he planning?"
"Doesn't matter. Better this way."
Fribalt gripped the railing.
"No need to descend underground."
The sword saint leapt down.
***
No matter how thoroughly one erased their tracks, if it was the Arnak Empire, they were bound to find a way to pursue. But the speed exceeded expectations.
Verden stepped out into the open world.
The first thing that caught his eye was the Empire's fleet of airships floating in the sky, and the translucent cylindrical barrier enclosing the surrounding area.
'The coordinates are distorted, space has been sealed. They must have used some kind of artifact.'
Even if he cast
Until Gharun finished his creation, Verden had no intention of leaving anyway.
"...."
Two presences drew closer.
Tap.
A familiar man landed.
The very same sword saint of the Empire he had faced at the Red Volcano.
The man sent him a cold gaze.
Kuuuuuuung!
Next came the arrival of a hulking old man.
His appearance alone was imposing, and his presence no less than that of the sword saint.
'Another of the Empire's Lords, perhaps.'
And from the deck of the largest Imperial airship, a woman with a similar presence to the two of them was watching.
A Magus, but something about her was different.
A special trait?
Well, whatever.
Three Imperial Lords were deployed to the volcanic region, plus the Empire's massive fleet──a force powerful enough to wage war against any nation stood before him.
'So, Warlord Legrit didn't come, then.'
That was fortunate for Verden.
The matter of the Ark was a strict secret, so he couldn't risk betraying knowledge of it.
In any case, he hadn't planned on discarding the
"Oh, so it's true your form can't be properly recognized. An artifact that can completely deceive our senses and perception... must be an ancient artifact. Quite the exciting prospect."
The fierce-looking old man grinned wickedly as he stared at Verden.
Srrrng.
The sword saint, without a word, drew what appeared to be an ordinary sword.
"Merisa Fesfield of the Imperial Magic Department, Grizzwold of the Legion, and I, Fribalt. Right now, three of the Empire's Lords are gathered here. And the Empire's fleet is aiming its sights on this place."
A ripple surged from Fribalt's sword.
"There will be only one warning. Resist, and you die."
Yet, for words meant to display force, his killing intent was not that thick.
Naturally so.
The true purpose was to capture the intruder alive, to uncover what he was, and which faction he belonged to.
The Arnak Empire waited for Verden's answer.
It was then that an uninvited guest barged in.
Kwaang───Kwagwagwagwagwa!
A human fell from the sky like a meteor, smashing the ground to brake their descent.
From head to toe, every inch was covered in thick white armor, no spot left exposed, a massive heavy lance gripped in the right hand, a greatshield in the left.
The long, dark blue hair spilling from outside the helmet revealed it was a woman.
"All forces, halt."
The third-ranking figure of the Oathkeeper faction.
The deputy commander who assisted the captain of the Knight Order of the Logos, Leona of the Quake.
"From this moment, the disposal of the Red Volcano intruder is mine to oversee."
Her cold voice allowed not the slightest room for compromise.
***
"Ha, barely arrived and already spouting nonsense."
Watching the situation from the airship, Merisa activated her mana circuits.
"We were the first to discover the intruder, so what business does a latecomer like you have interfering? Have some tact, will you? This is the Empire's matter, so get lost, now!"
Wrapped in a mist of mana, her eyes gleamed sharply. Her hostility toward Verden, whom the Empire was supposed to face, was outshone by her enmity toward Leona.
Leona spoke.
"I refuse."
The reply was a short rejection.
"No, I said this isn't your affair, didn't I? Ever heard of first-come, first-served?!"
"I refuse."
"Why you...! Do you want to die first?"
"I refuse."
"So 'refuse' is all you know how to say? Parrot."
"Not permitted."
Though Merisa feigned casting magic with a threat, Leona did not budge, maintaining the same attitude.
But the quarrel was superficial. Everyone's nerves were focused on Verden.
'So, they're squabbling over who gets to capture me first... two factions vying for my custody, is that it?'
Verden let out a hollow laugh.
Until now, he had maintained silence.
[Ainber] had no function to alter one's voice, and manipulating wind to distort it would likely not work either.
But even without speaking, there were many ways to convey intent.
"How absurd."
The tremor of space.
Not a voice, but vibration itself carried his will to all present.
"First, it would make sense to subdue me."
"I agree."
The first to respond was the old man, who shattered the blackened ground as he charged forward.
Agility and speed unsuited for such a massive body.
If compared, he was a perfect superior version of the Platinum-rank adventurer, the Butcher Galliark.
Shwiik───
A one-handed axe the size of a man came slicing down vertically toward Verden's shoulder.
"...!"
But it did not connect.
An unseen barrier of space repelled all force.
Even with strength and weight applied, the axe did not budge. Grizzwold twisted his lips.
"Spatial magic, huh... doesn't seem like a magic item or artifact, so this confirms you're a Mage. Fine, what's next?"
He flaunted his bravado, as though he relished the battle itself beyond the Empire's command.
Verden's current purpose was the same as at the Red Volcano, to buy time.
Until Gharun completed the staff.
'But I won't use the same method as before.'
Holding back while fighting was impossible here. Their strength and numbers were no joke. Each of those four was a national-level force, beyond even that.
Not to mention the Empire's colossal airship.
Therefore.
'I will suppress them all.'
If Verden had revealed himself as a Transcendent earlier, the Empire would have deployed Transcendents or forces of equivalent might.
But by hiding his true power, even showing himself pushed back by the sword saint, he had sown the seeds of 'misjudgment' everywhere.
As a result, the Empire miscalculated Verden's level.
Even if the Empire later assessed the truth and sent reinforcements, Verden would already be long gone, back to the Central Continent.
The design was complete.
He activated the mana circuits throughout his body.
Mana surged within, filling him rapidly as it raced through.
In an instant, vast physical force erupted in every direction, splitting the black earth, while strange shifts arose even in the yellowed sky.
And then.
Arcane Path,
Verden opened his second Path.
Reveal power, yet conceal identity.
In other words, he needed to use strength unknown to the world, to implant in both Empire and Oathkeeper the perception that he was a being separate from "Asher."
Blood-red mana gathered in his palm, taking form.
The Spear of Ruin.
At the same time, Verden bound space and gravity together, dragging Grizzwold in with immense force, then spun, hurling the spear.
Grizzwold barely managed to block with his axe, but soon his expression twisted.
Something was wrong.
At the instant the blood-red force touched, his energy seemed to scatter───
"Damn...!"
Tuuuuuuuuuuum!
A dark shockwave exploded, and Grizzwold, called the Deviant for his unmatched endurance, was hurled far away, unable to withstand it.
An overwhelming, indescribable presence.
Facing it, Fribalt felt a deeply familiar impression.
"This is...."
"What?! That's supposed to be national-level strength?!"
Merisa screamed.
Being especially sensitive to mana, she discerned Verden's true nature.
"He's a Transcendent!!!!"
Verden moved beside the sword saint.
Fribalt reacted reflexively, thrusting his sword with a wave.
It struck cleanly──but was only a clone.
Yeolpa,裂波.
Using the reversal of his center of gravity, Fribalt spun, unleashing a wave of sword aura, but when it collided with the Spear of Ruin, the technique was shattered.
A fleeting gap.
Into that interval slipped Verden's fingertips, touching Fribalt.
Quinter Casting.
Five overlapping waves of gravity pierced through Fribalt's body.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaang!
Even the sword saint lost grip of his blade, slammed into the darkness-stained cliffside.
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