Episode 222. The Scapegoat (1)
“Rubin! There can be no greater initiation than this!”
Haneke shouted. It was a ceremony to announce that the dead general had returned to the world. It was also a ceremony to announce the new birth of the ‘Rosenthaler Beegum’.
Kwakwakwakwang!
Rubin and Haneke leap forward. Light flashes as their swords clash in midair.
As the smokescreen was destroyed, the impact of the clash spread to the forest. The trees near the smokescreen were torn down as if they had been hit by a typhoon.
The two instinctively knew that this blow would be the last of their duel. They wanted to see the fight end even if it meant destroying the entire blacksmith world. But that was not possible.
Wheeeeee.
The air swirled around Haneke. He raised his sword with his eyes wide open. At this moment, his swordsmanship was alive, writhing over the countless corpses in the despair of the battlefield.
Although it was only a single swing, it was a sword strike that contained all seven layers of aura.
Swaaaaaaaaaah.
Rubin ran to meet Haneke’s sword strike. He also grabbed the sword with both hands and took the blow head-on.
Kwakwakwakwang!
A 7-star aura and a 4-star aura. The two Brion auras, with the same roots but completely different branches, clash. The clash of swords drowns out all surrounding sounds.
Although there was an obvious difference in the level of the aura, Rubin had amplified all of his physical senses with the darkness of the sixth star. The strength gathered in his two arms easily withstood Haneke’s attacks.
“… … !”
Haneke’s eyes widened. It was the moment when Rubin began to launch the counterattack he had been aiming for.
Sasaat.
In an instant, Rubin disappeared before Haneke’s eyes. The only thing blocking his attacks was his sword.
‘Behind!’
Rubin, who had disappeared, appeared behind Haneke. The sword alone withstood Haneke’s sword, and Rubin aimed for a blow. That was the end of the duel that Rubin was drawing.
If it had been a real fight, Rubin would have been holding a bloody frost in his hand, but now he had to use only his fists. Rubin’s fist, which had gathered all his dark energy, aimed for Haneke’s shoulder.
“… … !”
But this time Rubin couldn’t help but be surprised.
Haneke boldly gave up the clash with the sword. He put the sword away and turned it into a counterattack. Then he stabbed Rubin in the back.
If the two were prepared to die, Haneke would have had his chest cut by the sword. Rubin would have been pierced by Haneke’s sword.
It was neither anyone’s victory nor anyone’s defeat.
Dooooooow!
However, both of them stopped their attacks at the last moment. Just before the tip of Haneke’s sword pierced Rubin’s chest, Rubin’s sword cut down Haneke.
“Haa… ha… … .”
“If we were lucky, one of them would have died, and if we were unlucky, both would have died.”
“Thank goodness it’s not a real battle. I guess I’ll have to be satisfied with this for today.”
The inauguration ceremony of Bigum and Haneke has ended.
Rayubia, who had been watching, fell to the floor. Elkio’s words that he should remember this sword fight for a long time were not wrong.
“Even if the final blow hadn’t been stopped, the two wouldn’t have succeeded in their attack.”
“why?”
“Because the darkness and the aura must have separated the two.”
This is a space where three forces can directly intervene. And the vessels called Rubin and Haneke were too precious to Amyeon and Auror. They would not have let it be destroyed right before their eyes.
‘Of course, if I had to choose between the two, Auror, Darkness, and Mana would all have tried to protect Rubin.’
Elkio hid his true feelings and changed the subject.
“Now Kamnuit needs to pay more attention to the training grounds.”
As expected, Kamnuit, who sensed something was wrong, was seen hurrying over to me.
If there had actually been an ‘intervention of the oath’, the blacksmith might have been scolded, or even severely disciplined, by the three powers.
It was fortunate for Kamnuit that it didn’t get to that point.
* * *
After that, two months and a few days passed.
With Haneke taking the lead in Brion’s swordsmanship training, Rayubia’s level has grown explosively.
While staying in the Blacksmith World, Rayubia’s aura had reached just before 3 stars. It was amazing that she had reached that level in just 2 months, but when viewed from the perspective of the original world’s time flow, it was nothing short of a miracle.
By world standards, this was accomplished in just two days.
“Brion Auror’s sword vein was opened, and it was thanks to you and Haneke more than anything else.”
Rubin and Elkio were watching the newly created smokescreen.
A dome-shaped training ground located at the bottom of a hill. It was a structure that Kamnuit started and completed immediately after the duel between Rubin and Haneke.
Kamnuit put in a lot of effort to avoid the same unfortunate incident. He even had his durability tested by Haneke.
The dome, which appeared to be glass, was actually made of a lattice pattern upon closer inspection, and contained a much stronger barrier than before.
“How many times have I told you! At that moment, you should have attacked the bottom, not the top.”
“Yesterday you said you were aiming for the top!”
“Does the situation look the same as yesterday and today? Yesterday, Blane attacked from this side, and just now during the sparring, he attacked from over there like this!”
“Wow, Grandpa! You remember all that?”
“You could even recall the sparring match you had with Blaine a week ago, and now you’re just admiring that?”
Now, Haneke and Rayubia were in the final stages of their training. As they trained together, the two became quite close, and their bickering increased.
As soon as she wakes up, she learns sword skills from Haneke and then spar with Blane. That was Rayubia’s recent routine.
Blane was still overwhelming, but he didn’t know what would happen in five years. That’s how much Rayubia had grown. The talent of the ‘chosen one’ was something that no ordinary human could ever catch up to.
Elkio asked Rubin.
“Come to think of it, I can’t leave out Blane’s help either. I’ll repay this debt to him someday. By the way, where is Blane?”
“I went to the blacksmith shop.”
“Ah, it’s finally my turn to receive my weapon.”
I heard it from Kamnuit before. He said it was a weapon that fired loaded bullets. It was a long-range weapon that used only darkness, not aura or mana.
Among the famous blacksmiths of the continent, there were those who could create bullet weapons using aura and mana.
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But even for them, Darkness was an exception. It couldn’t be helped, because Darkness was an unknown power that they didn’t even know existed.
This was also the reason why Rubin chose Blane as his first companion for the mission. Blane was different from Hamil or Kun. Depending on the weapon, his abilities could be amazing or ordinary.
“I’ll return as soon as Blane’s weapon is completed.”
“Are you done with the blacksmith of the other world? The Black Soul Sword, the Big Sword, and Blane’s weapon. Oh, there was one more. That bracelet too.”
Then, Elkio’s gaze turned to Rubin’s wrist. Meanwhile, Rubin had another bracelet in addition to the ‘Glayton’s Bracelet’.
‘Kamnuit said he named the bracelet ‘Lily Bracelet’.’
Elkio didn’t know the exact purpose of the bracelet, or why it had the name of an empire in it.
This bracelet, made after the creation of the secret sword, had a unique color flowing softly along the edge and a translucent film covering the center of the bracelet.
To make the bracelet, the material Rubin gave me was a first-grade magic stone. It was the last of the two magic stones I had obtained through the Jang Educational Committee test held in Capotini.
‘This is the highest level magic stone on the continent right now.’
‘So you’re trying to find a magic stone of the same level installed somewhere else. Hmm, it’s that level of magic tool, it’s simple.’
The ‘Lily Bracelet’ was made in 4 days. The bracelet’s ability is to find 1st grade magic stones.
When the magic stone was recognized, the translucent membrane of the bracelet changed. It was even said that the distance from the bracelet would be distinguished by color and even the direction would be indicated.
However, since it was made using a first-class magic stone, those who were not of the royal family, such as Rubin, could not manifest the bracelet.
‘I wonder if the ‘Lily Bracelet’ will react in a place other than the palace.’
Rubin thought quietly.
A place or object where a first-class magic stone is buried. It was in itself a measure of the interest and importance of the palace.
For Rubin, who is trying to eliminate Telmach, it will be a target that must be intercepted or destroyed.
“Rubin. After we leave here, can you tell me your plans?”
Elkio asked casually. Rubin asked back.
“Are you curious about my plans?”
“You said you were here on a mission from the Emperor. To find the invocation of Brion Auror and capture him.”
The one who manifested the aura was none other than Rayubia, and of course, he had no intention of handing Rayubia over to the Empire. Elkio also knew this.
What Elkio was curious about was how Rubin would deal with it. After all, it was a situation where the Emperor needed a result that would be acceptable.
Rubin answered without difficulty.
“Someone other than Rayubia will step forward.”
“Will you come out? Is it already decided?”
“No, it’s just a drawing I made. If my prediction is correct, there will be someone among the people who can replace Rayubia.”
A person who would be judged by the Empire in place of Rayubia? At that moment, faces flashed through Elkio’s mind.
Chief Inakitu.
The wind of the scars, Imakarum.
And, the flame of the struggle, Kundalit.
So Elkio mentioned their names and asked Rubin if they were on his mind too.
“I can’t tell you that.”
Rubin shrugged.
“And Elkio, that’s not the issue that’s important to you. Once Rayubia has grown to a certain extent and the Sky Castle appears, you two will have to leave the meadow.”
Elkio agreed with Rubin’s concerns. Elkio knew Layubia’s heart well. No matter who was sacrificed, Layubia would not agree.
“… He’ll make a fuss. He’ll just drag me away and kill me.”
When the ‘red clouds’ come, he leaves the Tohun Grassland with Rayubia. Elkio acknowledged that this was the way to save Rayubia.
Fortunately, since the sword mastery here has been raised at an incredible rate, it won’t be long before Rayubia’s red clouds appear before them.
“Hey, Blane is coming.”
Just then, Blane appeared, having received his weapon from the blacksmith. It was time to return to the meadows.
* * *
The eastern watchtower of the Wall.
Kuze and Tina were waiting for Rubin, leaving the two unconscious people sitting down.
“Tina, there are two hours left until sunset.”
“If Rubin doesn’t return by then, you want us to take those two to the Clavicle Tribe area? Then we can withdraw and wait for Rubin.”
Those were Rubin’s instructions. However, Kuze had no intention of just leisurely waiting for Rubin after the withdrawal.
The flight of the Grandbird that I witnessed in the morning, and the numerous syringes that were emitted from that Grandbird.
There was something about the Empire’s secret polar activities, and I was thinking of gathering information about it.
“uh?”
Suddenly Tina looked east and shouted. Kuze just shook his head and didn’t get up from his seat. This time, it must be a lie.
Tina had repeated the same prank more than ten times with Rubin, who had never even appeared. Kuze, who had been surprised and fooled at first, no longer reacted at this point.
Kaaaaaaah.
But this time, something was different. What reached Kuze’s ears was the sound of Roinekrow’s crying. It wasn’t Tina, but another Roinekrow, namely Ohos.
“Ohos has found his master, hasn’t he?”
Tina pointed to one side.
Kuze hurriedly brought the telescope to his eyes and started checking. A group of people were walking towards the entrance of the eastern mountain.
Rubin and Blane were the first to appear, and then Layubia and Wolf also appeared. Above all, Layubia’s change was noticeable. She seemed proud, and she was holding a sword in her hand that I had never seen before.
“By the way, who is that person?”
There’s another person I’ve never seen before. A white-haired old man with an unusual appearance.
The old man smiled, as if he knew that Kuze was looking at him through the telescope. It was as if he had known him well for a long time.
At that moment, the long-awaited message from Rubin followed.
-You arrived on time.
-You’re back, my lord!
-Kuje. First, come down the barrier through Tina and Ohos. Take Imacallum and Kundalit with you.
-Where are you going now?
-First, I need to meet the chieftain.
-Okay, I have something to report. The Empire has been acting suspiciously.
Rubin nodded.
-It looks like Telmah is starting to move.
