The Sword Genius of the Magic Empire - Chapter 87



Only Noblemtl

Going down into deep water.

I glance around. This place was once submerged. It seems to have once been the entrance to the castle.

Perhaps it was because the ground of the island where the castle city was located sank beneath the lake. Despite being underwater, this place did not appear to be damaged much.

As if time had stopped in the past.

Keep swimming down.

As the ruined walls of the past passed by and the shadows of the rippling water surface began to disappear, Enoch’s eyes widened as he parted the water.

In deep water.

The great entrance of the flooded castle gate. On the land of the past, lost in time and lost in sound,

A silver knight was kneeling.

A knight who had his long two-handed sword planted in the ground and held it with both hands, kneeling as if praying to something, and quietly met his end.

He was a knight wearing a silver helmet and armor and a blue cloak. Even looking at the armor alone, his physique looked quite small.

And the sky-blue mana that Enoch had been following was flowing out from the longsword that the knight was holding.

So, was that article a blackmailer?

Enoch swam closer to the knight.

Even though it had been in the water for a long time, strangely enough, the metal surfaces of the knight’s sword and armor were not at all mossy or corroded by water.

Come to think of it, didn’t Jechoeom’s sword also corrode despite being left in the dungeon? Perhaps the metal used by those who project unique mana doesn’t rust.

Enoch reached out and grabbed the longsword the silver knight was holding in his gauntlets.

widely-

Then, the leather joints of the armor that had been corroding in the water loosened due to that small impact. Each part of the armor began to break apart in the clear water of the lake and quietly floated.

The article began to lose its shape very slowly.

Through the years.

The silver gauntlets, helmets, shoulder pads, and breastplates that had been sleeping under the water. All the traces of shining steel quietly rose around Enoch, past and present.

And the next moment.

In an instant, the underwater world that had been completely blue turned upside down.

It was only after Enoch realized that the world of nothingness had begun to activate. After staring blankly at it for a moment, Enoch quickly came to his senses.

Currently diving.

If you enter the world of nothingness here, you will drown.

The moment Enoch’s spine became cold─

? Inner World Glass Shards Activation: Inheritance Temporarily Suspended

A short message flashed through my mind. My vision, which had been turning upside down, suddenly returned to reality.

Enoch sighed in relief.

I don’t know if I can control my inner world yet, but I’m glad I acquired Persona’s magic.

“town.”

But before I knew it, my breathing was getting harder and harder.

Grabbing the scabbard of the knight that was floating up from the water along with the fragments of armor, Enoch, who had the sword in his hand, began to swim towards the light of the water with all his might.

The breath I had taken in was already reaching its limit. My lungs were becoming cloudy as if they were running out of oxygen. But before I lost my strength, fortunately, I saw a glimmer of sleep.

with a splash.

I barely managed to get my body to the surface and hold on to the ground. I was panting for breath, probably because I had been underwater for too long. But there was no time to rest.

If things continue like this, it’s obvious that it will collapse soon.

Passssss.

Looking around, small pieces of rock were already falling. Anyone could see that the collapse was imminent.

It must be because of the explosions in the hallway earlier.

Enoch hid his sword by wrapping it in a bomb-proof robe.

As planned, I secured the sword of the Black Sword. Now I have to get out of here as quickly as possible. Just as I was thinking that and taking a step forward─

─Clang!

Underneath the feet that have just stepped forward.

There was an eerie sound of a mechanical device being pressed. The movement stopped for a moment. A chill ran down my back.

Only then did Enoch slowly look around.

-Swoosh

A historic site that is currently being submerged.

The old center of the ancient citadel of Rhodes.

The darkness of that great passageway stared blankly at him like the eyes of a giant monster.

A place where, according to the original, there would be no people.

But in the corridor where it should have been… … .

‘It’s a trap.’

In the thick darkness, the red LEDs of the artifacts installed as if surrounding him blinked, mocking Enoch as he was completely blocked from his escape.

If you look around, you will see countless bomb artifacts placed throughout the dark passages.

Without realizing it, dry saliva ran down my throat. Anyone could see that it was a thoroughly designed trap. There wasn’t even room to take a single proper step.

The moment Enoch realized that fact─

“How about it? Should I give you a quiz?”

Someone’s voice dug into my ear.

It was a voice heard from above.

Enoch slowly raised his head.

The top of a half-collapsed giant pillar in the corridor.

A girl was sitting on the edge, her legs crossed, her chin resting on her hand, looking down.

White skin and jet-black hair flowing down.

A girl with bright yellow eyes that seem to suck people in and shine in the darkness, staring at me.

Enoch immediately figured out the identity.

flare.

A short skirt and tank top that generously reveals the body’s feminine curves, just like in the original.

She was wearing a black jacket half-down, revealing her shoulders and chest, and she was quietly smiling as she looked at Enoch in the darkness.

“Come on, let me guess.”

Her bright yellow eyes shone brightly.

“That thing you’re stepping on. Is that a bomb?”

Flare twitched his legs from where he was sitting on the pillar and smiled faintly as if teasing his prey.

“You never know. Maybe it’s not a bomb, but a surprise gift that’s empty inside. Right?”

Enoch looked at her with calm eyes.

There was silence for a while.

Flare was still looking down at me with an incomprehensible, faint smile on his face.

The look in his eyes was like a researcher looking at a lab rat. It was a little creepy.

“Okay, it’s time to choose.”

She slowly raised one arm to the side.

In her hand, she held her horse’s saddle.

─Detonator.

A trigger device that is operated by grasping it with one hand.

A modern metal horse harness of similar form.

In the original, that was clearly the trigger that activated the magic. Just like an actual C4 bomb, he grabbed it and activated a powerful explosive magic.

Flare asked again with a meaningless laugh.

“What do you think? Do you think you know the answer?”

“Well, I get the gist of it.”

“… …Huh? Do you think you understand?”

Enoch’s calm answer. Flare tilted his head at that strange answer.

Enoch raised his leg and stomped hard on the explosive artifact he was standing on.

Suddenly, a beeping electronic mechanical sound rang out.

The explosive magic was immediately deployed and activated. A strong impact erupted from beneath Enoch’s feet, and a shockwave swept through the passage.

Kuuuuung!

A strong vibration spread throughout the surrounding area.

Shards of stone shattered and flew around with a loud noise. Dust rose and the violent earthquake shook the huge underground cavern, sending rocks crashing down from the ceiling.

If you look at his actions just now, it is a situation where you could easily see Enoch committing suicide.

however.

Flare’s eyes, which were staring blankly at the center of the explosion, were slightly narrowed, not even paying attention to the rocks falling from the ceiling.

“… … That’s unexpected. You.”

After the aftershocks of the explosion had died down and the dust had cleared.

Enoch was standing there, unharmed. His clothes were quite tattered, but he didn’t seem to have any major injuries. Flare said, narrowing his eyes.

“I never would have imagined that you would just step on it.”

It was only natural. Enoch glanced at Balchi.

In the first place, this isn’t an artifact that has explosive magic with real lethal power.

「… … When Flare is teasing an opponent, it is said that the artifact that he places under his feet is a mine with explosive magic that has minimal power.」

“According to her guerrilla subordinates, it seems that that was Flare’s way of greeting her… … .”

The leader of the Vendetta guerrilla group that appeared in the original work.

flare.

We all already know about her playful and sly personality.

If that’s the case, there’s no reason to waste time. I don’t want to.

“Hahahaha! I like it, you!”

She laughed, her chin resting on her hand, as if it was funny.

“Usually, when someone steps on it, it just makes them tremble. How did you know it was fake? It doesn’t seem like they used defensive magic or anything. Even if the power was reduced, it would have blown away your ankle, but it’s fine.”

“No need to know. What’s your business?”

“Of course, because I’m interested in you.”

Flare uncrossed his legs and stood up.

Then he put his hand on one of his hips and gestured to the bomb artifact that had disappeared, leaving a large soot mark on his foot.

“Honestly, I was wondering how great it must be to be so famous these days. Are you really missing something? Usually, people get so scared that they pee themselves.”

“Public urination is not my style. What a shame.”

Flare seemed to like the answer, smiled once, and shrugged his shoulders.

“What? Anyway, if we want to become friends in the future, we should introduce ourselves first, right? My name is… … .”

“Flare. Stop wasting time. Get to the point.”

For a moment, Flare’s eyes narrowed.

“…You know?”

“To some extent.”

“I guess you’re from Elseid, which has great information power? That’s right, it’s a codename, but everyone calls you that. You’re from Vendetta. Right now.”

“Let’s stop wasting each other’s time. I have something to ask.”

Enoch glanced behind him.

“On the way here, other roads were blocked by explosions. Did you guide me there?”

In fact, other passages that I saw along the Mana Line of the Black Sword had their entrances destroyed by the installed explosives.

Flare smiled faintly, as if he found it amusing.

“Well, I won’t deny it.”

“What is the reason?”

“Well, I was curious about you personally. Don’t you get excited just by seeing pictures in the media or on the news? You have to see celebrities who are just starting to rise in the spotlight in person at least once.”

Flare smiled and lightly touched her lips with her index finger.

“Oh, right! From what I heard, even within Vendetta, there seems to be quite a bit of interest in you recently?”

“Vendetta, me?”

“Then. That Tantalus also said he saw an interesting kid in Leopolis. I was curious about who was getting such praise from such an oddball, so I came to see it.”

Enoch narrowed his eyes.

“Tantalos. What did he say about me?”

“Ha. That weirdo shares information or data he knows with someone? That’s a really funny joke. Any dog ​​passing by would laugh. I just heard rumors.”

She shrugged her shoulders as if incredulous.

Well, that’s not wrong.

The original description was like that too.

“Tantalus did not actively share his personal research or goals within Vendetta.”

That’s why Tantalus’ actions and motives aren’t revealed much in the original work.

Well, at least Tantalus didn’t share any information about the sword or the sword itself. That’s a good thing.

“I think the story of the Suin tribe’s village is well known.”

“Ah, the village of the Suin tribe? Even I, who am not a member of the Destruction Command, know that much. I heard that the Vendetta agents under Tantalus who were deployed there were severely damaged?”

“If you brought up Tantalus even knowing that, did you come here to seek revenge on him?”

“Huh? Revenge?”

Flare opened her eyes slightly provocatively.

And then he started laughing out loud.

“Ahahaha, Tantalus’ revenge? Ahahaha… …!”

She laughed for a long time, then glanced down with a cold smile on her lips.

“That’s the funniest joke I’ve heard in a while. Tantalus’ ‘revenge’, that kind of thing doesn’t even need to be said.”

“No need to seek revenge?”

“Of course. You seem to have a huge misconception about that weirdo in the first place. He’s… … .”

Kurrurur.

The next moment, he cut her off.

There was a loud noise and a great shaking all around. The collapse of the Rhodes Cave was imminent.

“Oh, that’s okay. I just came to see your face today.”

Flare glanced at the hem of the robe in Enoch’s hand, and something wrapped around it.

“That. That’s your purpose, right? I don’t know what you retrieved from that water, but I’ll give it to you. The orders didn’t say anything about retrieving anything like that.”

She glanced over, waved her hand slightly, and then disappeared around the corner.

“Then I look forward to your future activities. See you again~”

As her light words echoed through the passage and disappeared, Enoch slowly exhaled the breath he had been holding.

flare.

One of the most powerful battle magicians from the original. Although he was one of the characters whose secrets were kept secret throughout the story…

‘I never thought we’d suddenly meet in a place like this.’

If she had tried to fight, would she have won? Enoch shook his head slightly at his own question. I don’t know. At least it wouldn’t have ended with a graze.

Although it was for spec-up, I was quite tired from coming here right after the joint mission ended. It was fortunate that it ended without a fight.

But just then, the ground beneath my feet shook violently. For a moment, a shocking fact flashed through my mind.

Oops. Rhodes will collapse soon!

And the next moment.

Huge rocks from the ceiling fell one after another. Debris and dust erupted and the ground shook.

Kwaaaaaaaang!

Suddenly, a loud crash rings out beneath your feet, and a large crack appears between your feet.

Enoch opened his eyes wide.

However, I was wearing a heavy bomb-proof robe and was exhausted from swimming. It was then that I realized that my reaction was a little late.

The ground and ceiling, which had been weakened by the explosion on the upper floor, also shook violently. Cracks split like spider webs, and the ceiling of the passage collapsed all at once.

Enoch staggered from the impact and fell backwards, unable to keep his balance.

“… … !”

As he turned his eyes to the empty feeling in his back, the ground collapsed and a huge crater gaped open as if it would swallow him up.

A chill ran down my spine for a moment. The entire passageway around me was collapsing. At the feeling of emptiness, with no foothold, a threat flashed through my mind.

If this continues, I’ll fall into that abyss─

─Ta-at!

Just then, I suddenly felt a soft sensation wrapping itself tightly around my side, along with a feeling of floating.

And then, from the side, the bright voice of a girl I had become accustomed to pierced my ears.

“What do you think, I’m not late this time!”

The one who lifted Enoch up with his slender arms and jumped into the air, kicking off the collapsing floor, was none other than Sirocco.

She leaps upward, kicking off the crumbling ground one after another as if playing a jumping game.

I leapt up with Enoch towards the unbroken ground in one breath. The wind blew madly across my cheeks.

A beat later, I remembered what Shiroko had said.

[Of course! Last time I was frozen like an idiot, but this time, if something like this happens, I can save you!]

Enoch chuckled for a moment. The feeling of floating rapidly and the wind blowing through his hair felt quite pleasant.

“Sure. It’s not too late.”

It was the right decision to recruit Sirocco as the first follower.