[Translator - Kiteretsu]

    [Proofreader - Kyros]

    Chapter 92

    The drake carrying Kaylen landed at the spot where Bormian had perished.

    As the aura that had enveloped its entire body disappeared, the drake shuddered violently.

    「Ugh... This hurts. I feel like my body is going to tear apart.」

    "It''s because it''s your first time."

    Even a seasoned drake would struggle with the aftereffects of executing a Dragon Strike, so it was understandable that this one found it difficult.

    "Take some rest."

    Kaylen dismounted from the drake and gazed at the spot where Bormian had vanished.

    ‘It seems it can''t regenerate in broad daylight.’

    When he first encountered the Black Skull in the palace annex, it was a headache because it kept reviving even after being defeated.

    However, despite the dark mana being far stronger this time, the enemy did not return.

    ‘Still... something remains.’

    On the scorched land, as if struck by a meteor, a small amount of dark mana wriggled and coalesced.

    ‘Its life force is quite persistent.’

    Kaylen approached the gathered dark mana.

    The dark mana, about the size of a fist, failed to take any proper form and clumped together like a ball of cotton.

    ‘I can sense thoughts.’

    Kaylen considered annihilating it instantly but changed his mind and reached out toward the dark mana.

    「Ugh... Ugh... My clan... must survive...」

    A groan filled with pain emanated from the remnants of thought.

    Even after being struck by a Dragon Strike, it had somehow survived.

    However, the damage was evident as the thought-form gradually shrank.

    If left alone, it would likely disappear.

    Kaylen observed it silently before suddenly—

    Grab.

    He seized the clump of dark mana and absorbed it.

    「Ugh... Ugh?」

    For a brief moment, the thought-form was bewildered by the unexpected absorption.

    But then, it realized this was an unexpected windfall.

    ‘Even if I was outmatched in combat...!’

    Now that it had entered his body, the situation had changed.

    Mind control was Bormian''s specialty.

    After all, it had spent centuries infiltrating the royal palace and manipulating people.

    Since the Sword Master had foolishly absorbed it, it was only natural to seize control of his mind.

    With that thought, Bormian eagerly moved toward Kaylen’s head.

    Wriggle. Wriggle.

    It reached his head without any resistance.

    ‘He’s not blocking me...?’

    Things were going too smoothly, and a sense of unease crept in.

    Still, Bormian proceeded with the task of taking control of Kaylen''s mind.

    It spread itself wide, encasing the brain, and gradually infused dark mana.

    As soon as the dark mana from the thought-form touched Kaylen’s brain...

    Swish.

    It was absorbed instantly.

    ‘Wait...

    This isn’t what I intended.

    Something''s wrong.’

    Bormian tried to adjust its mana in a panic, but—

    "Yeah. No matter how strong a Sword Master is..."

    "It should be impossible to exert such power."

    Even after witnessing the Sword Master''s astounding prowess firsthand, they couldn’t help but hold onto their beliefs.

    This was, after all, the age of Meisters.

    Knights struggled to even reach the level of Sword Expert, and due to the inefficiency of Mana Suits, they had long been looked down upon.

    Could someone from such a knightly background truly wield that kind of power alone?

    Given their existing knowledge, the Meisters found it hard to accept.

    ''Yes, the Sword Master is strong. But...’

    ''The Mana Suit must have played a huge part.’

    Indeed, no matter how they thought about it, it had to be the Mana Suit.

    Even after witnessing the scene with their own eyes, most of the Mage Meisters reached the same conclusion—

    The Sword Master was powerful, but the Mana Suit must have played a crucial role.

    Meanwhile, the royal knights, who had been watching Kaylen from the beginning, were still unable to recover from their shock and awe.

    "So this... is a Sword Master."

    "To think such power was possible with aura alone..."

    "How can a person move like that?"

    All of them were elite knights, possessing skills beyond that of ordinary Sword Users.

    Yet even to their trained eyes, the Sword Master''s movements were almost imperceptible.

    They could only catch glimpses when he momentarily paused.

    And each time they saw his Aura Sword, it filled their hearts with a sense of awe.

    ‘The Aura Sword... it was truly a beautiful blade.’

    ‘His Sword Area was overwhelming. Truly, a Sword Master commands their domain.’

    ‘If I could reach the ultimate level, would I be able to wield such power?’

    In the place where Necropolis had been completely annihilated, the knights desperately tried to imprint every trace of the Sword Master into their memories.

    ‘Come to think of it, the gauntlet had "Myorn Workshop" inscribed on it.’

    ‘Did that workshop craft the Mana Suit the Sword Master wore?’

    ‘Myorn... I feel like I’ve heard that name somewhere before.’

    Some knights pondered over the Mana Suit the Sword Master had worn.

    Given that he had chosen to wear it, the workshop’s craftsmanship must be exceptional.

    Though few knights could afford such a suit, they still made sure to remember the name.

    Lost in lingering admiration for the Sword Master’s presence, they remained deep in thought—

    Until the sound of approaching footsteps broke their reverie.

    Step. Step.

    The Mage Meisters approached with smiles.

    "Alright, knights. It''s time to clean up and inspect the area."

    One of the Meisters gestured around the surroundings with his finger.

    There was nothing left to clean up except for the scorched and shattered debris.

    ''How are we supposed to clean up all of this?''

    A middle-aged knight stiffened his expression and asked,

    "By ‘clean up,’ do you mean...?"

    "Check for any remaining undead and remove anything unsightly."

    The young Meister spoke with a bright smile to the older knight.

    Despite being merely a Meister assigned to the Royal Civil Squad,

    And the knight being the Deputy Knight Commander of the royal forces...

    "...Understood."

    The knight bowed his head deeply to someone young enough to be his son.

    "You should hurry. His Majesty is expected to arrive soon."

    "His Majesty is coming?"

    [Translator - Kiteretsu]

    [Proofreader - Kyros]