149th Chapter
Ray gently lowered the fork he had been about to lift.
Seated beside an old man, Ray appeared calm at first glance, but he didn’t dare breathe freely, only blinking his eyes.
Ray wondered if the old man standing beside him was indeed the person he suspected.
He hoped it was a mistake, but his instincts had already confirmed the truth.
“…”
As the silence stretched on, the tension in the surrounding area rose sharply.
One knight, gripping his sword tightly as though his hands might tear apart, finally mustered the courage to take a step toward the old man.
At that moment,
a change occurred.
Sssshh!
A surge of blue mana flowed outward from the old man like wildfire.
The intangible mana present in all things began to take form and rise up.
From the ground, grass, trees, bricks, and even the bodies of people, the dormant mana awakened, responding to the old man’s will, glowing and floating upward.
The darkness receded.
The swirling flow of mana enveloped everything, dyeing the outside scenery a vivid blue.
“Kuh…!”
One graduate spat out blood.
The core’s mana, which should have obeyed its original master, now straightened up and started beckoning to someone else.
Everyone looked again at the one their mana pointed toward.
Now it was clear.
The diminutive frame of the old man could easily be described by hundreds of titles. But they were all meaningless.
All praises directed toward the old man could be summed up in one word:
The Empire’s Swordmaster.
The pinnacle of humanity still alive, a transcendent figure who had achieved this state with a human body alone.
Ernst Prislan.
Bang!
Knights who realized the old man’s true identity plunged their swords into the ground and fell to their knees en masse.
The clanging sound of armor filled the air before silence returned once more.
“…”
Ray barely managed to swallow the blood rising in his throat.
His core’s mana kept twisting. Only then did Ray fully realize what kind of space he had entered.
Absolute Domain.
The transcendental technique that only those who have reached the Master level can manifest.
Within the boundaries of the Absolute Domain, the Master exercises overwhelming control over mana.
Control so absolute that it can even disrupt the mana within another’s core.
“…”
Ray couldn’t decide how to act in this situation.
The existence of a Master, something he had never encountered before, was far beyond imagination—irrational and overwhelmingly powerful.
A sudden thought crossed his mind.
What if things went terribly wrong, forcing him to face the Swordmaster?
If survival depended solely on defeating the Swordmaster…
“Can I… survive?”
Ray was no weakling.
Through techniques like Spatial Blade, Moros, and Overdrive, synergies allowed him to wield far greater power than an average graduate.
Even a pure knight without any special combinations would need an entire squad of graduates to bring Ray down.
However, Ray instinctively knew he could not defeat the old man before him, no matter what.
Even if every means at his disposal worked perfectly and luck was on his side, failure was inevitable.
If the opponent had been a 9th Circle Grand Mage, Ray might have dared to hope for a slim chance of victory at such close range. But against the Swordmaster, all struggles would be meaningless.
‘This is what a true Lord-level power feels like…’
There were a few individuals hailed as nearing Lord-level status. They were undoubtedly beyond ordinary strength.
But the true Lord-level existed on a completely different plane.
The opponent was a monster, and Ray felt powerless.
Ray questioned himself amidst his torment.
‘If I use my final means…’
Could he possibly take the Swordmaster down with him?
It was possible.
Using that method, he could kill even a Swordmaster.
However, there were no guarantees. There was at least a thirty percent chance he’d die alone without achieving anything.
Ray’s gaze darkened.
Even though Ernst was one of only two Swordmasters in the Empire, the gap between them was too vast.
Ray felt the doubt rising in his chest, sensing what he would fight and prepare for in the future.
On the other hand, a flicker of interest crossed Ernst’s lips.
Through his transcendent senses, Ernst realized that someone was assessing him.
How many people in the Empire could dare to perform such reckless evaluations while facing a Swordmaster?
Ernst carefully scanned Ray using the flow of mana.
The bracelet on Ray’s wrist was an artefact, but it wasn’t currently active. Moreover, there were no signs of physical alterations or disguises on Ray’s face.
This meant the face before him was genuine.
Still harboring some doubts, Ernst sharpened the flow of floating mana and pressed upon Ray.
Tzzzzip!
Wounds began to appear all over Ray’s body.
If he remained still, his entire body would soon be shredded.
Realizing that enduring silently wouldn’t make Ernst stop, Ray activated his core.
Drdrdk!
Ray’s mana spread out in all directions, repelling Ernst’s pressure.
Ernst attentively observed the mana flowing from Ray.
It was extremely refined and possessed immense counterforce.
No abnormal methods, such as contracts with demons, could produce mana with these characteristics.
Having ceased the pressure, Ernst took one step closer to Ray.
“You’re an enigmatic being.”
“…”
Ray maintained his silence.
While looking at Ray, Ernst examined the reactions of Mohammed and Sir Jenkins, knights of the Phillip’s County.
The two knights were unsure how to handle the current situation.
However, they didn’t reveal any confusion or suspicion about Ernst’s sudden actions.
This implied that they were somewhat aware of Ray’s achievements.
“This is truly fascinating.”
Ernst retracted the force that had dominated the surroundings.
The surging blue mana currents settled back to their places.
With the removal of the Absolute Domain, the darkness that had been pushed away descended once more over the landscape.
Short breaths could be heard here and there.
Only now did Ray exhale the breath he had been holding.
The wrinkles around Ernst’s eyes curved slightly.
“What is your name?”
After a brief pause, Ray realized there was no way to avoid answering and opened his mouth.
“My name is Ray. I have no surname. I am a knight who has sworn loyalty to the Phillips County and serve Sir Jenkins as my master.”
Upon hearing the response, Ernst scrutinized Ray’s facial features.
Considering the stage of physical development and the condition of his facial features, Ray was likely quite young.
Ernst’s lips stretched into a long smile.
Ernst delivered a highly condensed proposal to Ray.
“Would you consider a betrothal with my great-granddaughter?”
The shoulders of the kneeling knights trembled.
According to the family tree, there were several individuals who could be considered Ernst’s great-granddaughter, but only one was ever referred to by Ernst himself as such.
This was an absurd proposal, so much so that the knights staring at the floor widened their eyes in shock.
At that moment,
Alessya, her face pale, abruptly stood up from her chair.
Good heavens, a betrothal with the Swordmaster’s great-granddaughter?
It was incomparably better than becoming the son-in-law of the Phillips County.
If Ray accepted the offer, Alessya would be discarded like trash on the street.
Against the head of the Prizzran Clan, there would be no place to appeal losing a fiancé.
Envisioning a bleak future of crying alone in a dim room, Alessya summoned all her courage and shouted.
“T-That is absolutely unaccep- Ugh!”
Ray immediately grabbed Alessya’s chin and forced her back into her seat.
Though Alessya’s near-heroic bravery was admirable, this was not a situation where rash actions could preserve one’s neck.
“Ughhh!”
‘Just sit quietly!’
After subduing Alessya, Ray let out a deep sigh.
He had been startled momentarily, but thanks to Alessya, some of the tension eased.
Ray tried to regain his usual composure.
Although it wasn’t entirely successful, his tongue was looser than before.
Forcing a smile onto his lips, Ray responded.
“I appreciate the offer, but I’ve already promised marriage to four others.”
So what?
If he already had promises, why not just dismiss them?
Everyone thought this, but Ray continued resolutely.
“If I were to marry your great-granddaughter, she would become my fifth wife. Would that be acceptable to you?”
The kneeling knights shuddered again.
What audacity was this madman displaying before Ernst?
It was a situation where getting decapitated by an enraged Swordmaster would be unsurprising, yet Ernst’s reaction was surprisingly lenient.
“Five? Can’t you move her up in rank because of my face?”
Ray glanced sideways at Johanna.
Upon reflection, perhaps some flexibility was in order.
“Hmm… Up to fourth position seems possible. Beyond that, it’s impossible.”
Johanna inexplicably felt irritated.
The knights, still kneeling, trembled continuously as they listened to their conversation.
This crazy guy was joking around with Ernst.
“Fourth position, huh…”
Regardless of others’ reactions, both Ernst and Ray exchanged gentle smiles toward each other.
On the surface, it seemed peaceful. However, the overflowing tension soaked Ray’s body.
Ernst paused briefly to think.
At such a young age, Ray had reached this level, and his momentum was as rough and sharp as a sword sweeping across a battlefield.
To Ernst, Ray was a puzzling existence, but regardless of his past, he was someone who must be recruited.
Even if Ray had killed hundreds or thousands of innocents, Ernst could cover for him.
Unless Ray openly rebelled against the Empire, Ernst could erase all his sins.
The marriage proposal contained such implications.
Yet Ray had rejected Ernst’s offer.
Why?
Was it because, despite possessing extraordinary talent, he was just a country bumpkin who lacked discernment?
Or had he panicked due to the suddenness of the situation?
Or perhaps, he carried some unforgivable flaw?
Whatever the reason, there was no need to rush for an answer right now.
“I’ll keep an eye on you.”
The Imperial Capital and its nearby cities were under Ernst’s control.
Every move and location of Ray would be reported to Ernst in real-time.
Ray couldn’t escape.
Realizing this, Ray stiffened his expression.
Clunk!
After delivering the unilateral announcement, Ernst turned around without adding further words.
Just like when he first appeared, the small-framed old man cloaked in black robes slowly left the building.
The knights remained kneeling, unable to lift their heads until the old man’s lingering presence faded away.
Imperial Capital (1)
