Academy’s Genius Swordmaster

[Translator – Peptobismol]

Chapter 252: Clash (5)

“Ugh!”

Shullifen was struck by the Protection of the Stars. He didn’t have time to react. His body was flung beyond the edge of the Sky Tower.

“Damn it, Shullifen!”

Ronan shouted. It felt like the situation was reversed from last time. He immediately tried to use his aura to pull Shullifen back. Alon’s voice quietly chanted.

“—Let there be a storm.”

“What?”

Suddenly, translucent wings sprouted from Alon’s back. The air around them compressed rapidly. Ronan’s eyes widened.

“That damn…”

It was a familiar scene. Ronan hastily took a defensive stance but was a moment too late. Boom! A storm erupted from Alon, sweeping everything around him.

“Keuk!”

Ronan was thrown back like he had been hit by a battering ram. Alon immediately jumped off the Sky Tower after Shullifen.

“Shit, wait!”

Ronan cursed as he flew through the air. The power of the storm was unlike anything he’d faced before. The way Alon could continuously use such powers was infuriating.

But he couldn’t just sit there and do nothing. If this continued, he would fall from the Sky Tower. Switching his core, Ronan activated two auras simultaneously.

Slash! Glittering roots sprouted from his feet, wrapping around his lower body. It was Dolon’s aura, the first one he had stolen.

Next, an image of a large feline paw enveloped his right arm. Varen’s aura strengthened his arm until it bulged.

“You old demented bastard!”

Ronan roared as he drove his sword into the ground. Scrape! A long line was carved into the top of the Sky Tower as his speed decreased. He finally stopped just before reaching the edge.

“Shullifen!”

Debris fell behind his half-dangling heel. Barely avoiding a fall, Ronan rushed to where Shullifen had fallen. He looked down urgently but saw no sign of the two.

“Damn it.”

Ronan bit his lip. He could guess Alon’s plan. Alon knew Shullifen couldn’t break the Protection of the Stars and planned to quickly eliminate him and return.

It was a truly villainous plan. Ronan sighed deeply as he looked down the Sky Tower.

‘When am I supposed to go down there?’

Of course, he knew what he had to do. Even if Shullifen survived the fall, he would die if left alone. Deciding to leave future problems to his future self, Ronan was about to jump off the tower when he heard a voice from directly below.

“It’s over…”

“Eh?”

Ronan froze mid-jump.

‘Is my hearing failing?’

He listened again. Though he couldn’t hear the voice again, he sensed someone moving and mana fluctuating below.

What’s going on? He quickly turned around and ran down the stairs. His footsteps echoed loudly as he descended.

Reaching the lower floor, Ronan gasped at the sight before him.

“What the…!”

Shullifen and Alon stood half a step apart, facing each other. Ronan had expected them to have fallen to the ground, but it seemed Shullifen had used wind magic to stop their fall.

“Ugh… Keuk…”

Blood was gushing from Alon’s mouth. Shullifen’s longsword had pierced his back. The cold, gleaming blade protruded, scattering light.

Blood trickled down the blade, soaking Shullifen’s hand. Alon seemed frozen in place, likely because the sword had pierced his heart. Ronan’s jaw dropped.

“You.”

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Despite the Protection of the Stars still surrounding Alon, Shullifen’s body was blocked by the strange barrier, unable to move forward.

But the sword, the Garcia heirloom, had pierced through the Protection of the Stars. Shullifen, staring into Alon’s eyes, spoke.

“The past ends here.”

“How… did you…”

Alon said, his voice trembling. The sensation of the blade piercing his chest felt incredibly real. Breathing heavily, he chuckled bitterly.

“No… this is my punishment. For not resisting the temptation… of momentary pleasure.”

“Punishment?”

Ronan asked. Alon weakly nodded.

“Yes. As a Garcia who rose through the sword, I should have resolved things with the sword, even if it meant risking my life… but I succumbed to the temptation of using external powers to easily deal with my enemies…”

His cracked voice was full of regret. Despite everything, it seemed Alon still had some pride left as a warrior.

But having given in to temptation, there was no room for leniency. There was no sympathy for someone who sold their soul to the bald bastards.

Clang. The swords in Alon’s hands fell to the ground.

The Protection of the Stars surrounding him slowly crumbled. The light faded from his dark blue eyes, which resembled Shullifen’s.

Shullifen confirmed that Alon was no longer breathing and pulled out his sword. Thud. The once towering figure crumbled to the ground.

Even without knowing the full story, it was a pitiful end. As an archbishop, Alon held one of the top positions within the cult, yet he had fallen so easily. Ptu! Ronan spat on his corpse and wiped his mouth.

“What did you do?”

“I don’t know. I swung the sword in desperation, and it went in.”

Shullifen briefly explained the events leading up to the moment. Just as Ronan had suspected, Alon had planned to eliminate Shullifen, who couldn’t break the Protection of the Stars, before returning to finish off Ronan.

He had tried to stab Shullifen in the chest while in mid-air, and Shullifen had fought back with all his might, swinging his sword. He continued.

“As you know, Alon was a perfect fighter in both offense and defense. But in the moment he tried to kill me, he became like any other fanatic who wielded the barrier, neglecting his defense. Thanks to that, I was able to pierce his heart with my sword.”

“So that’s why he said what he did at the end.”

Ronan nodded. If Alon had focused on pure swordsmanship instead of the barrier, his plan to take them out one by one might have succeeded.

It was worth regretting. Biting his lip, Ronan muttered.

“…I almost died.”

“Agreed.”

Shullifen sighed softly. Despite the anticlimactic end, Alon had been incredibly strong.

The fact that he had managed to handle both him and the future greatest swordsman of the Empire by himself was astounding, even considering Shullifen’s incomplete growth.

The realization sent chills down his spine. But now wasn’t the time to dwell on their narrow escape. There was still a crucial matter to address. Taking a deep breath, Ronan spoke.

“So how did you break the Protection of the Stars?”

“As I said earlier, it just went through.”

Shullifen explained that he had simply swung his sword, and it had cut through the barrier. Unlike Ronan, he hadn’t sliced through it effortlessly; it had felt like cutting through a very thick hide. Ronan frowned.

[Translator – Peptobismol]

“Damn it, think harder. Was there anything different from usual?”

“Hmm…”

Shullifen swallowed hard. Ronan impatiently ran his fingers through his hair.

His heart pounded rapidly. It was the first time he had seen anyone other than himself, the Savior, or Abel break through the Protection of the Stars.

He didn’t know if Shullifen had met some unknown condition or if he had discovered a new power within himself. But one thing was certain: this could be a significant discovery that might save the world.

‘We can fight against those bastards.’

Ronan recalled the previous catastrophe. Despite the efforts of many strong warriors, the giants turned the world into a living hell in just twenty days.

The main reason why the Imperial Army, the archmages, and even the dragons, known as the celestial creatures, lost to the pale bald giants was because they couldn’t break through their damn barrier. No matter how powerful an attack was, it was useless if it couldn’t penetrate the barrier, leading to a one-sided beating.

‘What changed?’

Ronan’s mind raced. He needed to identify what had been different, to sort out his thoughts while he had some time.

His heated mind reviewed everything from yesterday to today, from their arrival in Adren, the encounter with Orsay, the thrilling chase with the Dragon King, to the recent battle.

“Wait a minute…”

Suddenly, a difference struck Ronan’s mind like a bolt of lightning. He lowered his gaze to Shullifen’s sword.

“Did my blood get on that sword today?”

“What?”

Shullifen raised an eyebrow. It was the only potential clue they had.

It might be unrelated, but it was said that the Savior, suffering from an illness, needed his brother Abel’s blood to recover. Additionally, Cain, Abel, and Ronan himself could all cut through the Protection of the Stars and magic.

It occurred to Ronan that perhaps this mysterious power came from their blood. It might be a baseless speculation, but it was worth trying.

He was about to speak to Shullifen when—Boom! the wall suddenly collapsed, and a massive figure burst through. Alon’s body was crushed with a sickening sound. Ronan cursed in shock.

“Shit, what is it now?!”

【Cough, Cough!】

A low, hoarse cough echoed through the room. The figure’s body was covered in countless wounds. Seeing the torn wing membranes, Ronan blurted out in astonishment.

“Orsay?”

It was undoubtedly the Dark Dragon Orsay. The wounds were gruesome, almost unbearable to look at, but the white ice encasing the injuries prevented further bleeding. Just then, a familiar face popped up from behind Orsay’s thick neck.

“O-Orsay! You need to get up. If this keeps up…!”

【Hehe… I know. Mage.】

Orsay replied with a cough. Seeing Aselle in a similarly battered state, Ronan’s eyes widened.

“Aselle?”

“R-Ronan?! Shullifen? What are you doing here…?”

“It’s a long story. Why is she with you?”

Ronan asked, his gaze shifting to the woman leaning against Aselle. It was Naransonia, the confidante of the Dragon King.

She was unconscious, not opening her eyes. Her back was soaked with blood, indicating a severe injury.

Ronan, unaware of Naransonia’s involvement, couldn’t grasp the situation. He was curious but had no time to ask. A voice like thunder echoed above them.

【Cease your futile resistance.】

The three people and the dragon simultaneously looked up. They froze in place. Beyond the gaping hole in the wall, a massive dragon, possibly the second largest in the world, flapped its wings, staring at them.

【This is the end of the line for you.】

Azidahaka spoke. His appearance had changed noticeably. Except for the middle and right heads, almost his entire body had turned white.

“…Damn it.”

Ronan narrowed his eyes. The color was eerily similar to the skin of the giant he had seen before. Several dragons, likely his subordinates, circled around him.

The strange currents swirling in the brightening night sky hinted that something other than rain might soon fall from the heavens.

****

【…What on earth has happened here?】

Navardose muttered. She had just woken up from a month-long slumber. The scene before her was too horrifying to behold. Inside the sky fortress of Drimore, dozens of corpses lay scattered.

Corpses were a common sight. Slaying the outer space monsters was their duty and daily life.

But unlike usual, the bodies lying before her now were not those of monsters but of the immortals who had fought alongside her. Her companions, who once soared the skies together, and elves who chose the greater good over peace, lay in pieces.

Even her own blood relatives. Navardose’s gaze turned to Bnihardo.

【My daughter.】

【M-Mother…】

Bnihardo spoke. One of the few survivors, she was using her own body to plug a hole in the Star’s Armor. It was a crack caused by the giant breaking through. Everyone had tried to stop him, but it was impossible.

“Kreeee!”

“Karruk!”

Behind the crack, monsters had already gathered, forming another black wall. It was the largest number of monsters she had ever seen. The sharp teeth and claws clattered against her scales, causing Bnihardo to groan in pain.

She looked like the boy in the old story who tried to stop a dam from busting with his own body. Navardose, who had been staring blankly, gently gestured. An invisible force pushed Bnihardo aside.

【M-Mother! The crack will…!】

Bnihardo’s eyes widened. As she had expected, the next moment unfolded as she feared. Boom! The monsters that had been clustered together poured in like an avalanche.

“Kreeee!”

“Grrrr! Krrrek!”

Indescribable screams echoed. The monstrous cloud, moving with grotesque movements, seemed ready to engulf Drimore at any moment. Navardose took a deep breath.

【How dare you…】

The atmosphere began to shift. The sound of wind being sucked in spread under the starlight. A glowing light, reminiscent of embers, swirled in her expanding flame sac.

【No way!】

Bnihardo, realizing what was happening, shrank back. Navardose was preparing to breathe fire. Despite her injuries, she moved the surviving comrades inside the fortress to safety.

The moment the monstrous horde reached Navardose’s sight, her mouth opened, unleashing a tidal wave of flames. Boom! The light was like the birth of the first light in the universe, illuminating a corner of space.

【Ugh!】

Bnihardo turned her head. She spread her wings wide to shield the others’ retinas from burning. There were no dying screams. The Flame Dragon’s flames engulfed the monsters in less than a second, incinerating them completely.

Navardose exhaled the remaining embers from her lungs and spoke.

【Summon the children and seal the crack. I will go to Adren immediately.】

[Translator – Peptobismol]