Before ascending the staircase, I turned back one last time.
Some of those who had sustained injuries were staggering to their feet. It seemed they had some spirit, being from the Empire’s Intelligence Department.
However, there was no way they could oppose me in such a state, with shoulders shattered or spines broken. They were not even my match in perfect condition.
It would only take a few minutes to subdue the journalists of the News Department trying to make their last stand.
Standing before the staircase, the bodies sprawled out beside me piled up one by one. There were about eight of them; it seemed this was the extent of the personnel present.
The total number must have been in the dozens. If I had faced all of them, my chances of winning would have been slim.
That was why I had chosen a surprise attack.
In the end, it wasn’t a bad choice. I rubbed my still-bleeding forearm.
It was a wound from a dagger. Whether they had applied some anesthetic or not, the sensation in my arm was already dull, despite me trying to suppress it with magic. My stamina was also quite depleted, as my breath was slightly ragged.
I needed to reach a swift conclusion.
The echoes of my emotions still lingered. By reflex, my body swayed a couple of times.
As I climbed the staircase, I slipped into a strange dream, my mind hazy from the anesthetic.
It was a luxurious bedroom. An elder, coughing, caught my attention.
His frail appearance was obvious, but his gaze was sharp. Fiery blue eyes were directed at me.
Just as his mouth was about to open.
I snapped back to reality.
Before long, I had reached the second floor. The building occupied by the News Department had a high ceiling, but in any case, stairs were still stairs.
It didn’t take long to get here.
And there was only one room on the second floor.
“Department head’s office,” I pushed the door open hastily as soon as I saw the nameplate.
Inside the spacious room were bookshelves placed at each corner. Countless documents were housed within, and cozy-looking furniture peeked out from various angles.
A woman reading documents leisurely was seated opposite me.
Her neatly trimmed brown hair fell over her nape. The hairpin nestled in her bangs was particularly striking.
At first glance, she was merely a pretty girl. She even gave off an impression of being cute.
Her emerald-colored eyes briefly glanced my way. She smiled, wearing an enchanting smile.
“Welcome, Lord Handaxe… It was noisy downstairs; did something happen?”
“…… The hospitality of the News Department is remarkable.”
Chuckling, the woman covered her mouth with her hand and burst into laughter at my remark. That playful demeanor was akin to someone greeting a familiar friend.
It was a strange sight. After all, she was called the “Queen of the Martial Arts Festival,” known for her extensive social circle and friendly nature. It wouldn’t be weird for her to treat anyone warmly.
However, this was a story meant for interactions with normal opponents.
This did not seem like appropriate behavior towards a man whose uniform and cape were stained with blood, with droplets falling from the axe blade he held.
Yet, she showed no signs of wanting to retract that relaxed attitude. The corners of her eyes formed a gentle curve.
It was a playful smile. Documents were tossed onto the desk with a thud.
“What a stubborn source… aren’t you a bit too aggressive?”
“Since I owe you a lot.”
At my frank words, she nodded as if in agreement.
“Yeah, it was enjoyable. I was able to find lots of intriguing stories after a long time.”
Then, the woman yawned, stretching as she stood up. With her hands casually behind her back, she walked towards the desk.
Her pale green eyes, turned away from the sun, glimmered mischievously.
They looked like a snake that had discovered its prey. Her aura shifted dramatically.
A dense magical energy rose like toxic smoke. Even though the curtains were not drawn, the surroundings began to darken ominously.
Ordinary magic could not take on such strong hues. This was also one of her aura characteristics.
‘Neoris,’ the Queen of the Martial Arts Festival.
A fourth-year student from the Academy swordsmanship department, and a commoner.
She had risen to fame more for her information and connections than her skills. I had heard rumors that she wasn’t an outstanding student who could even reach Expert level.
Yet, what was this aura that was now coloring the room like a hazy mist?
Instinctively, I tightened my grip on the handaxe. The feeling was ominous.
Could I finish this in a short confrontation?
Regardless of my inner turmoil, Neoris, the senior, tilted her upper body slightly and asked me.
“…So, what do you want from me?”
“Leave my acquaintances alone in the future.”
It was a straightforward response.
“Hmph,” the woman gave a meaningful smile. So, I added.
“If you don’t want to get hit.”
It was a warning I meant genuinely.
Neoris nodded as if she had expected as much. Then, she stroked her chin, showing a moment of contemplation.
A light chuckle escaped her lips shortly after.
At first, it was just a small sound, but that clear laughter grew louder over time. She laughed heartily for quite a while.
As if she had heard the most amusing joke, she brushed the tears that had gathered at her eyes with her delicate fingers.
She spoke with lingering laughter in her voice.
“…I don’t want to.”
At that moment, a bright smirk floated across her face.
Suddenly, I sensed something falling from the ceiling. I immediately dove aside.
In the spot I had just occupied, a dagger imbued with black aura was embedded. My eyes widened.
I hadn’t noticed a thing. To think it held such a vivid aura; I had never encountered such an unusual aura characteristic.
But that wasn’t all.
Like raindrops, daggers rained down from the air. I rolled my body to evade them.
Arriving beneath the reception table, I heard daggers embedding into the surface above.
There must have been at least ten. Twenty, or maybe even more.
How could she carry so many daggers?
Waking from those immersed doubts was Neoris’s gentle voice.
“It won’t help to hide; after all, it’s already too late.”
Still with her hands behind her back, she walked leisurely, slowly approaching me.
Should I escape?
However, I quickly dismissed that possibility. The anesthetic was causing my mind to turn increasingly hazy.
Running away wouldn’t solve anything. It was rather a time to seize an opportunity.
I held my breath and tucked the handaxe against me.
The measured footsteps drew closer. And the moment she got within my reach.
I crouched down, lifted up, and the reception table abruptly flipped over. It was enough to momentarily obscure Neoris’s view.
I kicked the table immediately.
I had hoped for even a slight delay, but dark streaks had already been drawn across the table. The rapid-fire assault was unimaginable.
If I took a hit from that, I wouldn’t even be able to recover my bones.
I had to settle this before then. Gritting my teeth, I swung my handaxe down on Neoris, table and all.
A clang echoed through the air.
The sound of blades clashing together only meant one thing.
Despite the vision obscured, it indicated she had accurately perceived and blocked my attack route. It was an impossible reaction under normal circumstances.
While I was stunned, a pitch-black thrust penetrated my side.
I twisted my body and narrowly evaded that blade. My outstretched arm was fluid. I had only one option left.
I relaxed my grip on the handaxe. My two hands attempted to seize the arms that appeared before me.
Even if I might be pushed back with her weapon, I could overpower her with the Holy Kingdom’s vision martial arts.
Like a snake, my arm entwined around. But Neoris’s response was no trivial matter.
Her arm advanced into my embrace. Before I knew it, a hand that approached my chest shoved me forcefully away.
Of course, I wasn’t one to retreat so easily.
I shook off one of her arms aside with a clap and pressed deeper into Neoris’s embrace with my remaining arm. Neoris also tried to repel my arm.
We twisted and turned, attempting to shake off each other’s bearings multiple times.
In the end, Neoris was the one who yielded. She dropped the dagger she had kept clutched until then.
As if vanishing like smoke, the knife disappeared, an ability whose nature I couldn’t even comprehend.
Yet, it was an opportunity. While Neoris paused, I yanked her arm towards me.
And in the moment that followed.
With a thud, a dagger fell onto my shoulder.
Once again, there was no warning. As my eyes darted towards Neoris, she wore a smile.
“I told you; it’s already over.”
Ah, I finally had to accept it.
I didn’t know the principle, but Neoris was managing this space.
It might have been her aura characteristic. An aura distorts reality with imagination, sometimes manifesting special powers.
I had never heard of anyone possessing such a unique ability.
It was a power closer to magic than aura. There seemed to be some trick involved, but pondering that now was futile.
Still, in the stilled time, I nodded.
“…You’re right.”
Then I pulled Neoris’s arm towards me, and the look of surprise in her eyes widened unexpectedly after being struck by the dagger.
Under normal circumstances, it would be expected for there to be at least a moment of rigidity because of the pain.
However, unfortunately, the dagger that struck her was the one dampened with anesthetic, and any pain was only a daze.
I pressed into Neoris’s embrace. Her arm soon rested on my shoulder.
There was only one technique left to employ.
Holy Kingdom’s vision martial arts, Moon Flip.
With full power, I executed the throw, striking Neoris like a beam of light.
With a bang, shockwaves reverberated, and wooden shards scattered into the air. A small amount of blood erupted from Neoris’s mouth.
It was a strike—at least, the first blow.
