I Obtained Sword God Level Talent

62 – 062. The Western Border (2)

After knocking down the Little Sect Leader, Geum Ha-rin, and bidding farewell to Senior Sword Demon, we moved quickly along the main road.

“We’ll be there soon!”

Friedrich shouted from inside the speeding carriage.

Sure enough, a quick glance outside revealed a scene of people swarming a village at the end of the road.

“Is that where the subjugation force is gathered?”

“Probably. The situation is already as dire as it can get.”

The Crown Prince replied, his face slightly tense.

As he said, the situation was indeed critical. Dozens of soldiers at the garrison had already died, and all the magic tower mages dispatched to resolve the matter had been annihilated.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright? No one has yet been able to determine the cause of this phenomenon.”

“Well, I’m not exactly fine. I gotta earn my keep, right?”

I had already consumed an incredible elixir called ＜Plum Blossom Divine Pill＞ from Friedrich. Thanks to that, I had reached the 7th stage, the realm of the absolute pinnacle.

“However, the fact is that there is no clear solution in sight. A subjugation force was hastily formed, but there are no reports of any progress.”

I nodded quietly at Friedrich’s following words.

It had been hundreds of years since the last Demon Kind invaded the human realm. With even records of them being faint, it was impossible for humans to withstand their surprise attacks.

“That’s why I’m here.”

“…Brother!”

Friedrich looked at me with shining eyes.

At the same time, Ariel and Cheon Hwa-yeong also gave me gazes full of trust. They all seemed to think I would resolve this matter without any harm.

*Fwoosh!*

Along with the snorting of the thoroughbred horse pulling the carriage, we entered the village. The small village was already packed with people from nearby nobles, the magic tower, and the church.

“First, we should find somewhere to leave the carriage.”

“Understood.”

As I spoke after getting out of the carriage, Friedrich disappeared somewhere with the coachman who was also acting as a driver.

“Frey. So…what are you going to do now?”

In the chaotic atmosphere of the village, Ariel carefully asked for my intentions.

“…….”

Quietly observing the inside of the village, I couldn’t say anything particular.

It was a deed of Demon Kind. I knew that much. But that didn’t mean I had a ready solution to resolve the situation.

“First. Gotta meet the head of this subjugation squad.”

“Uh-huh. What next?”

“……We go in. Over there.”

*Swish.*

Raising my hand, I pointed to the distant sky.

A shocking sight lay there. The sky above the garrison at the western border, around it was a green ‘dome’ of a barrier.

‘That barrier, it’s definitely not the subjugation squad’s work.’

The medium for a mage’s barrier is naturally ‘mana’. When gathered, natural mana has a characteristic bluish glow, but the color of that barrier was an ominous green.

“Brother! I’ve left the carriage.”

“Alright.”

“Now, what are you thinking of doing? Do you have a plan?”

“I told Ariel and Chun Hwa-Young already, but I’m planning to meet the subjugation leader first.”

“Hmm, I understand. It’s embarrassing, but I think my status will be helpful.”

That was when Friedrich returned. He got things done faster than expected. It seemed his status as royalty had been a great help.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, sir!”

And so, we headed to where the subjugation leader was.

It was an inn located on the outskirts of a chaotic village, and we could meet the leader on the first floor of the inn.

“Welcome. I’m Marquis Randel, the temporary commander of the subjugation force.”

The head of this hastily formed subjugation squad was a noble in his forties.

His short, neatly kept appearance and tight-fitting light armor seemed to reflect his character.

“This is Sir Frey, who has recently become renowned, and Lady Ariel. And lastly, Ms. Chun Hwa-Young, who decided to support us.”

After a brief greeting, Friedrich introduced us to him.

“Oh ho! Indeed, your spirit is vigorous, proving the rumors aren’t false.”

His gaze, laden with weight, turned to us. Marquis Randel’s face was covered with a thick layer of exhaustion. He probably spent all his energy trying to stop the spread of casualties whose cause was unknown.

“How is the subjugation plan progressing?”

I, who had been silent, threw a question at him. He lowered his eyes for a moment, then spoke in a somber tone.

“It’s a complete mess. We still haven’t clearly identified the beasts’ identity, nor the cause of the deaths. We just have a suspicion that they’re ‘demonkin’.”

“……I see.”

I closed my eyes slightly and nodded in reply.

I expected it. Demonkind were beings like that by nature. Their power, defying the laws of physics, was utterly lethal to humans living under mana theory.

“However, it seems a light of hope has finally dawned upon us.”

“Light of, hope?”

The marquis, his face weary, gave a faint smile.

Then, he spoke with a confident voice.

“Yes. Just the fact that the Holy Grail Knight is here is a great strength. But, two masters from the Eastern Continent have agreed to help with this subjugation.”

“Wait, could it be…?”

“Elder! Please, come out!”

Marquis Randel called out to a corner of the inn.

“Hee hee.”

Two figures emerged at that voice.

“What a coincidence.”

One was Sword Grandfather, Sword Demon, wearing a benevolent smile.

“……”

The other was Geum Harin, avoiding my gaze. She was covering the left side of her face, looking embarrassed; it seemed the spot where I’d punched her was still sore.

“What is this.”

Not hiding my bewildered expression, I immediately questioned the two of them.

Meeting him on the road, and punching Geum Harin?

Well, I could understand it. They too seemed to have some reason for coming to the Western Continent.

But.

“I never thought the Elder’s business would be ‘demonkind’ subjugation.”

“Hee hee! Isn’t life just the same everywhere?”

“…….”

I shut my mouth at Sword Demon’s slippery answer.

It seemed likely that, just like us, Sword Grandfather and Geum Harin had been invited for demonkind subjugation. There was no other reason for two masters of the Heavenly Demon Cult to be here.

“Oh my, it seems the two of you know each other? How unusual. The Holy Grail Knight and the Great Protector of the Heavenly Demon Cult……”

Marquis Randel exclaimed in admiration as he looked us over.

…Frankly, it *is* strange. Officially, my affiliation is with the Papal State.

The heart of the Papal State and the head of the Heavenly Demon Cult. It had that kind of feel, but the marquis’s reaction was utterly natural.

“They are individuals with whom I have a personal connection.”

“Mmm. I suppose so. Anyway, I intend to establish a ‘Special Task Force’ separate from the subjugation party right here. It’s a temporary organization, of course. You don’t need to feel burdened at all. Absolutely not.”

Special Task Force?

The rather unconventional tone turned my gaze to Marquis Randel.

Most of the high-ranking nobles of Silvering were generally narrow-minded and dogmatic.

What could you do? That was just a characteristic of the ruling class in a feudal society.

But, Marquis Randel seemed to be an exception to that rule. After a short conversation, he struck me as a man who pursued quite rational decision-making.

“Very well.”

“Heh heh. I think so too.”

At my agreement, the Sword Demon also declared his consent.

Slightly, my eyes flicked to him and then to Kum Harin standing beside him. I expected some dissatisfaction aimed at me, but she had been silent since earlier.

“Hah, hah! Finally… is this where things begin?”

Frozen still by Kum Harin’s appearance, Chun Hwa-yeong fanned her face and spoke.

“Yeah! Little brother, you’d better devote all your strength to assisting big brother.”

“What! Little brother?!”

“You’re nineteen, aren’t you? I’m twenty, and the older brother and the Saintess are older than that. Naturally, you’re the youngest.”

“Ugh!”

A helpless laugh escaped me at Friedrich and Chun Hwa-yeong’s banter.

Their back-and-forth had a talent for lightening the mood. It was when they were in the middle of their squabble that the Sword Demon, who had been quietly smiling, spoke.

“Subjugation Leader, will this Special Task Force act under your command?”

“…That’s not the case. All of you are more capable than I. You should pursue solutions to individual cases independently.”

Indeed.

My judgment of him being a rather rational person for a great noble was not wrong. It was thanks to the sigh that Marquis Randel let out.

“Then.”

*Swoosh*, the Sword Demon’s gaze shifted toward a corner of the inn. There, a large window was wide open. Through the window, a barrier emitting an ominous aura could be seen.

“How about we depart tomorrow morning?”

“Very well.”

Meeting the Sword Demon’s gaze, I immediately expressed my agreement.

‘Now that a demon species has descended upon the earth, it’s best to handle things as swiftly as possible.’

The nobles of the West had failed to resolve it, and even the renowned magic tower had lost its disciples without even identifying the cause.

…Which meant, there was a high chance that solving this matter would be a race against time.

* * *

“…＜Divinity＞ approaches.”

A pitch-black altar, filled with darkness. The man sitting in the middle of the hastily constructed altar slowly opened his eyes and spoke.

His entire body was shrouded in deep shadows. Through the gaps in the shadows, his raw, red muscles and flesh were exposed. A sight gruesome enough to make an ordinary person faint.

“The Pope, Sullivan, is it?”

His cold gaze turned outwards. There, his massive barrier, stretched out for kilometers around.

“Heh heh! Isn’t this for the best?”

The man wore a satisfied smile.

It was a makeshift barrier, but its performance was exceptional. Aside from those humans they called ‘6th-tier’ beings, no one could pass through it.

Which meant…

“Those humans, who tear each other apart and are divided. There’s no way they’ll join hands and come together.”

That was the ‘human’ as he understood it.

The strongest experts of mankind, called transcendentals. The possibility of those b*stards cooperating was extremely low. Therefore, he would just lie in wait here, and pick them off one by one.

“Soon, a delightful battle will unfold.”

The man savored the coming future, a chilling grin twisting his lips.

Tzzzzt…

A small ‘stone’ in his hand emitted a faint light.