Sword Pilgrim

Kwajijijijik!!

"Avoid!"

Lightning coruscates all over its body.

The fulminating blue lightning strikes mercilessly in all directions.

Kwang! Kwaang!!

I hurriedly rolled over, but there was an indescribable chill rolling up my left arm.

I twisted my body quickly to move out of the way.

Kwajik! The claws of the thunder wolf dragon tore through the air behind me.

Kwaaang–!!

Where his claws struck the ground, lightning writhed, and trees exploded and burst into splinters.

In the aftershock's wake, I quickly got up from where I'd fell about a meter or so away.

I felt surprised and terrified, a chill of terror seeping into my bones[1]. A little late, and my left arm would've been torn off.

I drew the Tyrant Sword from my waist at once.

Kuung–!

The gravitational force became heavier within the radius equal to the sword's reach.

The ground dented in a circle, and the spiritual power of one, two, and then three peaks of Six Peak Flowers technique circulated into the veins.

All preparations, completed.

A suffocating stillness engulfed the surroundings.

However, the attack of the thunder wolf dragon ended unexpectedly and anticlimactically.

"It ran away."

There was no sign of the bastard.

It'd long since disappeared.

Removing the power of gravity, I looked around.

Bruns was hiding in the bushes, shivering, and Helena and Alfredo were covered in dust.

"Just now, that was… Right?”

"That's right. It was that thunder wolf dragon."

"Wow, that's crazy. Are you trying to hunt something like that? No, can you even catch it?"

The bastard's speed was enough to deserve the phrase "fast as lightning".

The destructive power of its lightning-wreathed claws which struck with such speed was beyond imagination.

I honestly didn't think it would be that much. If it weren't for Instinctive Intuition, noticing its surprise attack would've been difficult.

‘Wasn't it supposed to be a cub?'

Most likely Bernard, that old man, had been wrong.

"I have to catch it."

"Why?"

"If I leave it alone, the damage to the North will gradually keep increasing. The beasts will gather around him into a horde."

If I left it alone, it'd become a problem.

And if I caught it, I could make the lightning ability of the Thunderbolt Sword even stronger.

The total number of beasts in the North had diminished significantly decreased due to the orcs. I might never get a chance like this to catch it ever again.

‘Because I'm not sure how long the quest will last.'

I had to do it while I still could.

Its strength was higher than expected, but not enough to leave me completely helpless.

"It's being pretty arrogant."

Because it had no competitors in the North.

In other words, most of the guys who stirred shit in the North had died.

Since the powerful creatures had disappeared the forest, it must've been enjoying the whole place as its own territory.

Otherwise, it wouldn't have shown off its power so arrogantly.

"Ah! Callius! He went after a horse! Aren't we short of one?"

"Maybe it took one away."

"So that's why it attacked, it was trying to catch a horse."

"What about my saddle?"

"Yes? Uh… I guess it was taken together, right?"

Paduduk.

So basically the Saddle of Humasys was also gone. Just one more reason to catch it.

"This cheeky bastard…"

What a wicked thing to do.

"But it's really violent. I think I'll have to subjugate it… I didn't know it would be so vicious."

"Maybe somebody's already provoked it."

"Yes? Who?"

"Didn't I tell you? Some people went hunting before me. I don't know if they're still alive."

"We're alive."

Speak of the devil and he shall appear[2].

Ryburn walked out of the forest, probably chasing the thunder wolf dragon.

Of course, he wasn't in very good shape.

"This isn't right."

How many battles had he fought with the thunder wolf dragon? He was in far too shabby a state.

His trademark glasses were broken, making his piercing eyes stand out, and the armour he was wearing was shattered and charred by lightning.

"Did you run into that bastard?"

"A couple of times, yes."

Also, is the boss the boss?

Even after clashing twice, there didn't seem to be any major injuries on him.

"How was it?"

Ryburn took a deep breath.

"The first time, we suffered a lot because we couldn’t respond to its surprise attack, and the second time we waited for it in ambush, but in the end it got us instead. It's a natural hunter. It was toying with us, throwing out thunderbolts at unmatched speed, and never standing still for a proper fight."

Ryburn and the other inquisitor-captains had encountered the thunder wolf dragon on the very first day, but they couldn't even fight a proper battle.

If they fought for a little while, it ran away, and if they were careless, it came back for another surprise attack.

"It's evil."

"It has the blood of a dragon. Besides, wolves are naturally intelligent animals."

Was it hunting those who'd come to hunt it instead by making good use of its special skills?

After all, only this kind of bastard would drop a quest.

‘Besides, that Blue Lightning.'

The power of the lightning was not to be underestimated.

"Paladin Helena. What are you doing here?"

"I have business in the North, but I didn't know you were here."

Just die.

At Helena's almost inaudible murmur, Ryburn let out an awkward laugh.

"Did you two know each other?"

"A long time ago, he got suspicious and dug into our family."

A heretic inquisitor's suspicions would naturally lead to interrogation and damage to the family.

It was deeply fatal for the Bolivian Merchant Group who engaged in commerce.

"Because of you, many families had to cut a deal at the time, and our limbs still shake when we think back on the money we lost, you know?"

"I was just doing my job."

"And what about the compensation for those who were harmed because of that stupid job?"

"I clearly expressed my own apology and delivered my compensation back then."

"A few swords and an apology letter? You really don't think that's the end of it, do you?"

"I…"

"You two are being noisy. This isn't important right now, first we have to catch the thunder wolf dragon. We can talk privately later."

Helena frowned as if she didn't like it at all and turned around.

"Where are you going?"

"You say you have to catch the thunder wolf dragon? I'll figure out its location on my own."

As she walked away with Alfredo, she tapped the twin swords on her back.

Helena's twin swords.

「Death Sword – Rosetta」.

With her shadow, tracking the thunder wolf dragon wasn't an impossible task.

"I'll let you know when I find it."

Helena beckoned to her shadow and disappeared into the forest.

"Where have the other captains gone?"

"They scattered to search on their own. It's supposed to be new and inexperienced, so we didn't decide to come together."

"You could end up defeated in detail."

But it was fine if they suffered from surprise attacks.

"I'm confident in my own skills. If others get done in by it… there's nothing I can do about it. I can only take revenge with my sword."

They were people with no sense of camaraderie.

Of course, it'd be strange to wish for comradeship with people who belonged to the Church.

All they have is their faith in God and their obsession with swords.

"Master Callius. No, would it be right to call you Count Jervain, now?"

"Whatever's convenient."

"Count, then. You've met the thunder wolf dragon. How was it? Do you have a chance of winning?"

I nodded.

There is a chance.

It was stronger than I'd expected, because it inherited the blood of a dragon, but the thunder wolf dragon was still a young cub that'd just become the ruler of this place.

Its arrogance was sky-high.

The fact that it's just attacked them meant it was intoxicated with its own power.

Else it'd have acted a bit more carefully and cautiously.

So there was a chance.

And one curious thing.

‘You're asking me…'

Was it a provocation? I couldn't know for sure.

But what needed to be done was clear.

"My sword didn't work on it. The scales were too hard."

"The poison didn't work? "

"Right. My poison, against its scales…"

The Steel Justice Heretic Inquisitor –

His Poison Akasha, didn't work.

"Is that so."

Ryburn won't be of much help in hunting the thunder wolf dragon.

The moment that thought hit my head –

As if it was natural, I drew the sword from my waist. A sword with a beautiful blade that escaped the loose cloth that had wrapped it.

Judgment Sword – Medea.

I brought it to Ryburn's neck.

"What are you doing? Count Jervain."

"Do you know the name of this sword?"

"What the hell is it?"

"It's the Sword of Judgment. It's a sword that judges the opponent. If there is even a single lie in the answer to my question, you will die."

At first, I'd had a lot of trouble hiding in Tristar because of him.

Afterwards, I did get some help, but I naturally didn't hold many good feelings towards him.

But apart from that –

If the roots are rotten, they must be pruned – for the sake of the Carpe and the Order.

"Aren't you afraid of God's wrath? Turning the Inquisition into an enemy! Turning the Church into an enemy!"

"I am laying the groundwork to destroy the rotten roots of Carpe."

I pushed divine power into the Judgment Sword.

Its gleaming tip touched Ryburn's neck.

"Ryburn. Have you ever worked for the empire?"

"Not even once!"

If what he said was a lie, the sword would be dyed black.

But if it was the truth, there'd be no change.

I wished in my heart for it to be a lie. But unfortunately, there was no change.

"My apologies."

When I lowered his sword, Ryburn expressed his dissatisfaction with a wrinkled expression on his face.

"What the hell was that!"

"Judgment Sword – Medea. It's an ancestral sword passed down from generation to generation in Jervain. It makes it possible to discern lies from truth. If what you just said had been a lie, Ryburn, the sword would have turned black and your head would've fallen on the ground."

To be honest, there wasn't any possibility of that.

I knew the Steel Justice Heretic Inquisitor.

Ryburn du Valus was a devout believer of Valtherus. But I'd decided not to blindly trust my metaknowledge, so I tried it out.

The result, as could be seen.

"… This was rude. But I've heard of the Judgment Sword once. Discernment of lies. I've seen records that the Church had previously requested to borrow the Judgment Sword from Jervain."

Ohh, did that happen?

"Naturally, they would've been rejected.”

"Yes…"

There was no way the family would lend an outsider a sword made from the lord who'd protected Jervain all her life.

"Your faithfulness is guaranteed by me and the Judgment Sword."

"…"

Ryburn's grievances visibly rose to the tip of his tongue, but in the end he couldn't spit them out.

I was a count. The one who would become the future Lord of the North, and above all else –

‘He couldn't respond.'

Until my sword brushed against his neck.

Ryburn, didn't dare react.

Even though he'd already become mentally and physically exhausted, he couldn't help but feel shaken.

‘Is that the true power of the relic?'

He didn't know.

He didn't know, but he had to seize it.

It wasn't him who had to be interrogated by the Church to confirm his faithfulness, but Callius!

"Bruns, come along. I can roughly guess where the thunder wolf dragon is."

"Yes! Master!"

Watching Callius enter deeper into the Black Forest, Ryburn stroked his neck once.

That moment when his Adam's Apple bobbed up and down –

The servant of the already gone Callius –

Bruns, bit his lips.

"…"

Ryburn furrowed his brows. And as he was going to draw his beloved sword, Poison Akasha –

"I'll take the lead!"

The man ran away, using Callius as a shield.

Ryburn trailed after him, feeling an inexplicable displeasure.

Editor's Notes:

[1] 간담이 서늘했다 (lit. gallbladder/chatter felt cold) – idiom meaning very surprised and terrified. The second part of the sentence has been added to the translation to keep some of the flavour.

[2] 호랑이도 제 말 하면 나타난다더니 (lit. even a tiger appears when you talk about it).