Chapter 248: Without Any Cost (12)

The heavy noises drew closer with startling speed. It sounded like footsteps shaking the earth. Isaac hadn’t sensed it yet, so I was the only one who could feel it.

Detection.

I activated the skill to get a clearer picture.

Thump.

As if responding to me, the thunderous steps suddenly became more measured. The shift was subtle but significant. It was easy to guess why, because this area had once been an imperial field base. Even without knowing the full story, anyone would hesitate at the sight of corpses strewn across the land.

When I fully activated Detection, my range expanded dramatically. With focus, I could hear sounds from hundreds of meters away, leaves falling under their own shadows, snowflakes drifting to avoid footprints, trying to land in untouched places. Compared to that, careless human conversation was easy to catch.

"When did they raise such a force?"

"Did they use the—?"

It wasn’t entirely clear yet. The distance was still considerable, and the unfamiliar terms they used blurred some of the meaning.

Thump. Thump. Thump...

They were getting closer. Mixed into their conversation was a faint, metallic creaking. As they drew near enough, their words became sharper and clearer.

"That idiot brigade commander. He should’ve sided with us from the start."

"He was better off as a sergeant, not a general. Useless old fool..."

Thump.

Their steps were quiet, but the weight pressing into the earth was unmistakable. It didn't sound like humans, but the weight of massive iron pillars. Even without seeing, I could tell that it was the iron men of the Confederation.

This... feels larger. Heavier. More formidable than the ones I’d seen before. Is this, as Isaac predicted, the Confederation coming to strike a deal?

"To leave such clean, smooth wounds... Could it have been a corbin blade with hydraulic gear?"

"

Hmph

. This is imperial territory. Think like an imperial when you’re here."

A steel shield bent like sugarcane.

Creak!

"You see, this is what makes aura so terrifying. It’s the reason we iron-born still fear flesh-and-blood warriors. Among high-ranking knights, you’ll see it often enough."

"

Hoo...

"

"Unless they’re swordmasters, they can’t stop us. Aura or not, a punch from a steel fist can reduce a human into paste."

𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Their low, cruel laughter vibrated through the air.

"So that’s it. Did councilor Karin somehow persuade the imperial knights to defect?"

"

Hmph

. Councilor? She’s just some wench. Probably shook her ass and begged for it. To pull this off, it would’ve taken more than one. How many guys do you think she serviced?"

"Old habits die hard, I suppose. Comes with living in noble households. From what I saw, she did have a sharp tongue."

"What, you speaking from experience?"

"I meant her speeches in parliament... Though I’m sure her tongue is just as skilled elsewhere."

"

Haha...

"

"Ha... Ha..."

Their laughter, transmitted through their gear, grew steadily closer.

Do they think I'm with the imperial knights? Who is this councilor Karin?

Whoever these men were, they were clearly my intended counterparts for the deal.

Three hundred meters.

I walked toward the men, hoping they’d spot me from afar.

Isaac caught on to my movement. "What? Is something coming?"

I nodded. "I think you were right."

Isaac shrugged arrogantly, as if it were the natural outcome. "Well, obviously."

I glanced at the crow puppet and kept walking. This version of Isaac was different. His advice had been sharp and accurate. Compared to the confused, sealed-in-a-medal Isaac from before, this version of him spoke with clarity, proving what it meant to survive half a life in war.

Thump. Thump...

The iron men were finally within visual range.

"You should wave or something. Let‘em know you’re friendly," Isaac suggested.

"

Hmm

."

"They're probably all your fans, you know. Hiding like this is rude."

Once again, Isaac’s advice was spot on. I took it as my cue to repay him and waved.

"There he is!"

"Target spotted!"

They charged forward the moment they saw me.

"Those are some seriously high-level units... Why weren’t they on the front lines?"

"High-level?"

"Yeah. They’re way more polished than the ones we cut down in Moonlight Valley."

Isaac was right. They weren’t just large. Unlike the previous units with crude blades jammed onto their arms, these iron men had full, proper equipment.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The three titanic figures approaching were fully armed, like elite warriors. The leading iron man held an enormous crescent blade, metal from hilt to tip. Its heavy, black blade radiated true killing intent.

"Something’s off."

Crash! Boom!

With each step, they crushed the cleanly slain corpses beneath them. Ashes from burned supplies exploded into the air like black smoke. This wasn’t an approach. It was a charge.

"All units, charge from five angles!"

"It's been a while since I’ve fought an aura user."

"Why’s he alone? Where’s his squad?"

"Idiot’s just waving at us. Must be Karin’s contact. Let’s take him out first!"

Why... is the conversation heading this direction?

Before I could finish the thought, the lead iron man closed the gap and brought down his massive blade.

Whoosh!

The downward strike was fast, clean, and efficient. Wielded by a four-meter-tall monster, the descending arc of the crescent blade tore the air apart with a scream.

Swoooosh!

At the same time, a second blade came slicing from the side. Even calling it a blade felt like an understatement, because it was long enough to be mistaken for a building column. The strike was simple but deadly, a textbook execution of a dual-angle assault, and each blow could easily cut down five men.

Kreee!

A sharp screech rang behind me. A crow flared its feathers in irritation.

"You bastards... You dare act against my predictions?" Isaac grumbled loudly.

Pop! Pop-pop!

Isaac unleashed a blinding flash of light right in front of the iron men.

"Wh-what the hell?"

The two flinched for just a moment, enough time for me to slip away from their strike range.

"..."

It had been a while since I last counterattacked an incoming blade directly. The situation was so unexpected that even I found myself a little shaken.

"Take him down quickly and find the mage!"

Whooosh.

The iron man at the center, his twin crescent blades moving with the finesse of a master, swung down again from above. Even as I moved back, he extended the handle mid-swing, ensuring the strike wouldn’t miss.

That's a bit... excessive, isn’t it?

Darkness.

A black aura burst violently from my blade.

[Attack Power increased by 35%.]

The enemy was coming in from above. I launched myself upward, headlong into the massive descending strike.

A cold, dark arc flashed across my vision. A rising diagonal slash carved through the air, narrowly missing a direct frontal clash. I felt resistance. It was subtle, but present. A lesser foe wouldn’t have even made me feel that at all.

"Wh-what... what is this?!"

Inside the hulking machine whose head I’d just severed, a human screamed. His face tilted up toward the gaping sky through the newly opened gap. I thought about grabbing him and demanding answers, but his forehead slid off, revealing the red pulp inside. Warm brain matter seeped out, halting any further conversation.

One down.

"The inner core was protected by dual-layer gauntlets... and yet the corbin blade cut straight through?!"

"S-Swordmaster! He’s an imperial swordmaster!"

If they met a real swordmaster, they’d be foaming at the mouth and killing themselves out of fear.

Are the likes of the marquis or the duke stuck in Ember right now?

Regardless, the iron men in front of me weren’t weak either. My dwarven-forged blade, which hadn’t chipped once despite cutting down countless armors and soldiers, now had a slightly nicked edge. Maybe the accumulated fatigue was catching up to it. Either way, if one of the three fangs cried out in pain, switching to another was a matter of respect for the weapon.

I drew a fresh sword.

[Sword Energy Lv. 3: Maximum Output.]

I needed to take care of my weapons. Clashing directly against a massive blade wasn’t wise. I angled myself to dodge the incoming swing from the left, sliding my blade into the joint of the armored arm where the plating was thinnest.

I unleashed a curved, darkened slash at full power. There was no resistance, just a clean arc that tore through with surgical precision.

Thud!

A massive arm hit the ground.

Splat!

The inner limb controlling the machine burst like a fountain, sending a spray of blood everywhere. Lady Succubus once told me tales of a race that avoided the sun and lived by drinking blood. Seeing blood wasted like this made me wonder if they’d weep in despair.

"

Guhhhhh!

"

A moan that barely qualified as one slipped out as the second pilot died instantly. Now there was only one iron man left. He held a long spear, the kind that could impale ten men in one thrust.

The iron man hesitated, then called out to me, "W-Who... who are you?"

I’d come here in peace from the start.

I lowered my sword slightly, signaling a willingness to talk. "Who did you think I was when you attacked?"

He approached me warily. "I-I thought... we assumed you were turning your back on the Empire and joining us. D-did you do this all alone to aid the Confederation?"

Ah, now we're getting somewhere.

"That’s right. So why did you attack me?"

BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!

"No more questions!"

The iron man lunged and fired a barrage of explosives from his elbow.

"Die! Just DIE!"

Darkness.

[Defense increased by 50%!]

This kind of convenience was hard to give up.

Frost.

The fiery explosions froze in midair. The bombs launched from his elbow turned white, frost creeping across them as they softly dropped to the ground.

"Was that a suicide attempt?"

I had hoped to leave at least one alive, but he’d chosen death, so I answered accordingly. I drove my blade straight through the armpit joint. A clear sensation traveled through the sword as it cracked the soft skull inside.

Srrk.

I slid the blade out of the metal plating. I reminded myself again to take care of my weapons. Whether I had to be more careful or because the new sword was fresh, the blade hadn’t chipped this time.

As I withdrew the sword, the iron man collapsed into the pile of corpses, lifeless after losing its pilot.

Isaac, clearly shaken, swore in disbelief. "What the hell is this insane crew?"

"Even you didn’t expect this?"

"It’s not just that... but seriously, why the hell are they all dying without saying a damn thing about what’s going on?"

Suddenly, I heard another voice.

"My apologies. It seems I ended up spectating without meaning to."

From within the forest, a person I hadn’t even sensed stepped out. They wore a gray cloak pulled over their head. In fact, it felt like they appeared out of nowhere and hadn’t stepped out of the forest at all.

Unlike when the three iron men charged in, a shiver crawled up my spine. I felt a real, tangible sense of danger. I hadn’t sensed them at all. Out of everything I failed to detect, they had one thing in common. They were the ghosts of the imperial palace.

So... they’ve finally come for me?

Click.

For the first time on this entire battlefield, I placed a second hand on my hilt. I formed a center stance, a middle guard that allowed me to shift between offense and defense at a moment’s notice.

There were twenty paces between us. Just as I lined up my sight, locking onto their entire frame like a landscape painting, the cloaked person gently slipped their hood back.