## Ch-58.
—
Estor Orsia.
A name he knew.
The grandson of the Sword Emperor, who stood as the Heavenly Demon’s rival among the Martial Zeniths. A genius who had reached fifth rank at the age of twenty-one.
Sword Dragon Estor Orsia.
For one of the later-generation prodigies to bear the character *Dragon* (龍) in their epithet meant extraordinary talent and skill. Among those who had just come of age in the later generation, only three bore that title: the Sword Dragon of the Orsia family, the Tyrant Dragon of the Hwangbo clan, and the True Dragon of the Dancheon sect.
Among them, the one considered peerless was the Sword Dragon.
Having reached fifth rank at twenty-one last year, he was called the masterpiece of the Orsia family—hailed as the greatest martial house on the continent—and regarded as someone who would one day surpass even the Sword Emperor.
A man whose lineage and very name were radiant. One could not help but hear rumors of him without even trying.
Naturally, this was Yuri’s first time seeing him in person.
*Why the hell is that bastard here?*
There was no awe at meeting a celebrity.
Yuri had never bothered to look into what the Sword Dragon did day to day or where he was. It wasn’t that he had no interest at all.
A genius hailed as the Orsia family’s masterpiece.
Though Yuri did not think highly of the Sword Emperor or the Orsia family itself—that was a matter of the *game*. He had been warned countless times not to equate the game with reality.
If the praise showered upon the real Sword Emperor and the Orsia family was genuine, then how great was the Sword Dragon’s talent truly? Yuri had once wanted to compare that lauded genius to himself.
But not today.
In this situation, the Sword Dragon’s presence and rampage were nothing but variables.
Yuri hadn’t infiltrated this assembly with any meticulous or grand plan, but even so—this sudden outbreak from the Sword Dragon was blowing everything apart.
“How dare you, how dare you!”
His fury was understandable.
As he had said, this was the “Panteleon Outer District.” Even if the Orsia family and the Selvis Magic Tower, who ruled Panteleon proper, did not consider the outer district part of their domain and did not even issue citizenship.
To the Orsia family, the outer district’s residents were nothing but a nuisance—people who had arbitrarily occupied land outside the city, borrowed the city’s name, established their own rules, and paid no taxes.
It wasn’t that they lacked the force to suppress them.
The Sword Emperor himself did not need to move. If the family simply released its knights, the outer district could be cleared.
They *could* do it—yet chose not to. That alone could be called mercy.
And now, in that mercy, heresy had taken root and was holding an assembly.
From the Sword Dragon’s position as a scion of the Orsia family, fury was only natural.
The problem was that he was alone.
Not only was the Sword Emperor absent—there did not seem to be a single Orsia knight accompanying him.
Right now, the Sword Dragon was rampaging solo, pouring golden sword aura from his long blade.
Even by the force of his aura alone, he was powerful. It was hard to believe he was only twenty-two this year—his sword aura was fierce, sharp, yet grand and imposing.
“Orsia…!”
“Why the Orsia family?!”
The cultists gathered for the assembly could not approach him and continued retreating. It was not only the strength of his sword aura, but the oppressive weight of the Orsia name itself.
Some of the quicker ones had already fled the underground chamber.
“Do not run!”
The Sword Dragon roared.
He leapt high to block the exit and swung his sword midair.
Kwa-kwa-kwa!
The sword aura embedded in the arc spread wide through the air and rained down like a storm of slashes.
“Drop your weapons and remove your masks! Kneel and blaspheme the evil god! Those who do not will all die!”
Though he blocked the nearest exit, a place like this had more than one.
The Sword Dragon glared at those escaping and shouted,
“It’s useless to run! I will return with my family’s knights!”
That bastard.
Yuri’s face twisted beneath the mask.
That statement proved he was truly alone.
In other words, if the Sword Dragon did not return, the knights would not come.
“Drop your weapons! Remove your masks! Kneel and blaspheme the evil god! Then I will hear you out!”
As his furious shouting continued, the cultists’ attitude shifted.
Even if they fled now, it was certain he would return with the Orsia knights.
Evil Hamlet could exist as a lawless domain under the rule of strength only because Panteleon ignored it.
If Orsia’s knights invaded, Evil Hamlet would collapse like a sandcastle. Criminals unrelated to the cult would be slaughtered first. And once that began, even cultists who desperately hid would inevitably be captured.
There was only one way to delay that outcome.
“Fight!”
They had to capture the Sword Dragon.
At the very least, imprison him for a few days—long enough for the cultists of Evil Hamlet to flee.
“Don’t kill him! Capture him!”
If they killed him, they could never withstand the Orsia family’s wrath.
This wasn’t about taking a hostage.
“Fine! Come at me!”
The Sword Dragon roared.
There were dozens of blue bracelets signifying fifth rank, and red bracelets signifying possessors—yet whether he understood that or not, he showed no fear.
*Even if he knew, he’d be the same.*
Considering how he had burst in and rampaged alone in front of hundreds, that simply seemed to be his temperament.
[CatPanties-nim, what do we do?]
Haryeong whispered, surveying the surroundings.
[We’re hiding our identities, aren’t we? It’s one thing to deal with cultists—but if we get entangled with the Sword Dragon, with the Orsia family, things will get troublesome.]
The Orsia family belonged to Pride—the group of the most prestigious and ancient houses within the Western Family Alliance cartel. In pure military power, they would sit among the upper seats even within Pride.
[If we remain here and get lumped in as cultists, it’ll be difficult to get out of this.]
It wouldn’t be impossible.
If necessary, they could contact Elena and prostrate themselves to gain Heavenly Thunder Orca’s guarantee. Or, if that was distasteful, they could seek help from the Tang Clan.
But neither option was desirable.
[Let’s run.]
So Haryeong proposed retreat.
[Ca-CatPanties, what should we do?]
The voice reaching Yuri through magic belonged to Point-Ignition.
He kept glancing nervously at the Sword Dragon.
[I think we should join the others and subdue him.]
[That bastard’s really strong.]
It was an honest assessment.
Three cultists wearing blue bracelets—no, four including the mage supporting from behind. Add two possessors wearing red bracelets taking positions and waiting for an opening—
Yet the Sword Dragon did not retreat.
Rather, he poured out sword aura relentlessly and pressed them back.
Being the same rank did not mean equal skill.
At lower ranks perhaps—but at higher ranks, the gap within the same rank widened greatly.
The Orsia family’s masterpiece—the greatest martial house on the continent.
If likened to something, the Sword Dragon was a thoroughbred refined to the extreme.
Even without training, his body would grow to overwhelm ordinary people. Skeleton, muscle fibers, organs, meridians—his entire physique was born in optimal harmony for martial arts.
And it wasn’t merely talent left unpolished. His effort had refined it further. His family had spared no support.
The difference was inevitable.
Not slight—overwhelming.
The quality and quantity of inner energy filling his dantian were different.
The sturdiness and breadth of the meridians through which it flowed were different.
The strength of muscles reinforced by inner energy, the resilience of his bones, his innate senses—
All were different.
Moreover, the Sword Dragon’s vantage point was far too high. If they stood at a similar eye level, he might have been overwhelmed and cornered by the assault of many. But to the Sword Dragon, who already looked down from above, the fact that his opponents were numerous was no great inconvenience.
Senses honed razor-sharp. Training from childhood that bordered on real combat. His innate instinct swung the sword through intuition, and the experience he had built up swung the sword in the realm of the unconscious.
“Gaaah!”
The body of a fifth-rank cultist who had been receiving his blade head-on split in two. The Sword Dragon’s sword aura was so violent it was hard to believe it belonged to the same rank. After only a few direct clashes, the opposing aura shattered and inner energy drained rapidly.
*Even wearing him down with a rotation would be difficult.*
Yuri stepped back and assessed his strength. His inner energy was deep, and its control and cohesion were excellent. Each time he collided with an opponent’s aura, he destroyed it, while his own remained unwavering—selfish bastard.
Yuri was similar in that regard, which meant both had learned divine techniques. But in sheer depth of inner energy, the Sword Dragon would likely surpass him. Even if Yuri had built his energy quickly through talent with mana, superiority of talent aside, the Sword Dragon would also possess mana affinity. And on top of that, he would have consumed as many elixirs as possible—treasures most would never taste in a lifetime.
*Can I win?*
He felt the faint tickle of competitive spirit in his chest.
But to let that spirit sway him into attacking the Sword Dragon now—that was something only a true lunatic would do.
[Sword Dragon is strong, but if you help, CatPanties, we can subdue him.]
[Hmm…]
[Running is meaningless! For the sake of the other believers, we must hold him here!]
[I want to run…]
[If you run! I—I will report you to the cult as a traitor! And if I am subdued by the Sword Dragon here, I will tell him about you too—!]
Of course you would.
Yuri nodded.
[Then it can’t be helped. Point-Ignition, attack first. When there’s an opening, I’ll go in.]
[Understood.]
Point-Ignition raised his finger. A crimson line shot toward the Sword Dragon. Having just cut down a possessor wielding a spear, the Sword Dragon snapped his head around.
Slash!
A flash of golden speed cleaved the explosion in two.
“Trifling.”
The Sword Dragon growled, showing no sign of fatigue. Under that murderous gaze, Point-Ignition flinched and tapped Yuri’s shoulder.
[Q-quickly…!]
Yuri drew up his inner energy.
[I’m going.]
He raised both hands. Point-Ignition kept his finger aimed at the Sword Dragon and nodded repeatedly.
Thud!
His gaze remained fixed on the Sword Dragon—but his fist shot sideways.
The casual no-look punch shattered Point-Ignition’s jaw precisely.
“Ghk—!”
Point-Ignition’s body lurched. Yuri swung again before he could scream or convulse. A hand cloaked in aura filled his vision.
That was the end.
“…?”
The Sword Dragon, who had been glaring in this direction, widened his eyes. Haryeong beside Yuri blinked in equal shock.
Under their gazes, Yuri slowly removed the mask he wore.
“To think someone would rampage before me.”
He did not release the face-altering technique yet. There were still many watching eyes. He swept his gaze around.
“Sword Dragon Estor Orsia. I know you’re skilled—but you’re recklessly arrogant.”
“You… who are you?”
“Someone with the same objective as you.”
Yuri turned toward the cultists, thick disgust in his eyes.
“I infiltrated with effort to kill them. Because of you, Sword Dragon, things have become troublesome.”
“What?”
“Tch. I planned to move when they were stripping and rolling around.”
He glanced at Haryeong, who blinked beside him.
“Isn’t that right?”
“Yes. If they had been drunk and high, shaking their hips, it would have been much easier. Sword Dragon’s rampage made it difficult.”
Though there had been no prior explanation, Haryeong responded without hesitation.
“I had even decided who to kill first to steer the fight smoothly.”
“As expected of you, noona.”
After echoing her words, Yuri turned back to the Sword Dragon. The latter looked unable to process the situation, as if suspecting it all to be deception.
“Fight your battle, Sword Dragon.”
Yuri did not bother to convince him further.
Whoosh!
He leapt lightly, closing in on a stunned cultist nearby. The man shrieked and swung his sword, but mere sword energy could not stop Yuri’s kick.
Crack!
His leg smashed through the sword energy and blasted the cultist’s head. Yuri stepped off the collapsing corpse’s back and launched toward another.
Haryeong did not remain idle. She gripped daggers in both hands. Because of the Sword Dragon’s watchful eyes, she could not fully unleash her concealed weapon techniques, but she hardly needed to throw them to deal with cultists.
Most of the fifth-rankers and possessors—the real threats—had gone to face the Sword Dragon.
“Ha.”
Two newcomers. Cultists falling one after another. It seemed they truly shared his purpose.
*Strong.*
Even as he swung golden sword aura, the Sword Dragon watched Yuri and Haryeong.
Both handled aura adeptly—at least fifth rank. The woman still masked. Despite wielding short daggers, she handled blades as skillfully as any swordsman. Her footwork—vanishing and reappearing—and her serpentine attacks were particularly striking.
*Not orthodox martial arts. Dark path… assassin techniques.*
Her skill drew the eye. Under other circumstances, he might have watched more closely in admiration. But he could not afford that now.
His gaze was drawn far more to the man.
He was deliberately not using his arms.
It was obvious at a glance.
Yet his kicks were not crude. His inner energy was precisely controlled, no excess in movement. He was battle-hardened.
He had never heard rumors of a martial artist famed for using feet alone. Judging by appearance was unreliable—but he did not seem very old.
*Who is he?*
Having heard rumors of cult activity, the Sword Dragon had infiltrated Evil Fragrance alone, without informing his family.
He knew it was reckless.
At first, he had only intended to gauge the scale and return with the family’s knights—but he could not hold back. He had believed there was no need to. There were many, but none worthy of tension.
Yet that man made him feel tension.
If he had truly been a cultist…
*Who is he?*
The Sword Dragon questioned it once more.
