***
For a moment, he wondered if he had misheard.
A successor?
The news that the Knight King Wilhelm had a successor was completely unheard of.
‘He’s a fraud.’
Marquis Weiser calmed his startled heart. Looking back, how many swindlers had there been claiming to be the Knight King’s reincarnation, his pupil, or even the man himself? Especially after the Great Expedition failed, there were bastards in several cities who openly occupied high positions by calling themselves the ‘Knight King’s Pupil.’
But not just a pupil, what? A successor? It was absurd. Even that nonchalant attitude would surely reveal its true colors once his life was at stake.
Marquis Weiser lowered his hand. Just as the knights, who understood the Marquis’s command, were about to take a step forward—
"The House of the Marquis owes the Knight King a ‘Star.’ In exchange, Marquis Weiser, what did you swear to the Knight King?"
"……Stop."
Clack!
The knights, who were radiating a murderous intent, halted their steps. Marquis Weiser’s gaze was shaking violently. He owed a debt to the Knight King. In exchange for the Knight King helping his only daughter, the Pure White Knight Serengeti, to transcend, he had made an oath.
But no one knew that fact. Not even Serengeti herself, the party involved, knew of it. It was a truth known only to the Knight King and Marquis Weiser.
Soon, the man who called himself the Knight King’s successor opened his mouth.
"If you’ve forgotten, I shall remind you."
Gulp.
The sound of someone swallowing hard.
"…I have shown sufficient sincerity, however."
Marquis Weiser replied. I let out a loud laugh.
"Since when did loyalty become an abbreviation for ‘sufficient sincerity’?"
Marquis Weiser had sworn loyalty to the Knight King Wilhelm. Loyalty was an utmost devotion that welled up from the soul, from the heart. One could not simply brush it off as having ‘shown sincerity.’
"Has the man once called ‘The Honorable Weiser’ truly become a fat pig now?"
The knight Weiser had become the Marquis of the Valan Kingdom through that honor and skill. He was a man who knew honor well enough to become the master of the ‘Garden of Knights,’ the place where knights resided.
Marquis Weiser gnashed his teeth.
"Five hundred knights died, and Serengeti became a cripple. What more am I to lose here?"
"Even so, it does not reach the value of a ‘Star.’"
Originally, the value of a Star was more than even this metropolis. There were 244 such metropolises on the continent of Pangenia. However, there were only 32 Stars. Aside from their rarity, the value, symbolism, and transcendence held by the Goddess’s remains were beyond comparison.
"However, I am not a heartless person. I simply wish to hear about my master’s end."
"Are you saying you wish to meet Serengeti?"
"Yes."
There was nothing else I desired. It wasn't as if I was asking for the city, yet Marquis Weiser’s expression remained frozen and would not relax.
"If you are the Knight King’s successor, show me evidence."
"Evidence?"
"Swordsmanship. Or perhaps even an inherited skill..."
I had conveyed the truth that only two people knew, but he could not believe everything through words alone. The Knight King’s swordsmanship, or a skill. After adjusting my posture, I willingly nodded.
"That is not a difficult task."
It was a difficult task.
...What should I do?
✺✺✺
Looking across the training grounds, there was a regular knight with a murderous expression wearing silver plate armor. Holding a sword, he gave off an aura as if he would split me in half.
【Lv. 7】
That person was the strongest knight remaining in this estate. It was because the truly powerful knights had all been ground away by the Great Expedition. Thus, they were handing all sorts of treasures to a mere Level 7 knight.
‘The Blessed Executioner's Sword, the Blessed Silver Plate Armor of the White Knight, even the Blessed Ring of the Royal Family?’
He was literally a blessed knight. To attach the ‘Blessed’ prefix to equipment, a high-ranking priest had to use a Blessed Talisman and perform a miracle through all sorts of effort and prayer. Since he was decked out in such things, he was definitely a burdensome opponent for me, who was only Level 3.
"You don't look like much, so I won't be responsible if I kill you by mistake."
The knight spun the Executioner's Sword excitedly. This knight, who was currently running his mouth, did not know that I was the Knight King’s successor. This duel was being held under Marquis Weiser’s silence.
"……Do as you wish."
Marquis Weiser was quite serious. Confirming whether I was truly his successor was a very important matter to him. Since both the city’s money and talent had evaporated with the Great Expedition, he was currently in the midst of ruin. Perhaps he was thinking that if the Knight King’s successor helped, this city might avoid its downfall.
"So this is the House-Selling Sword I’ve only heard about!"
...He looked happy. Although it was a somewhat familiar expression, it seemed he referred to blessed treasures in that way. And seeing as a guy like that was the strongest knight left in this city, it was clear that the city’s fate had reached its end.
I slowly drew my ‘twin swords.’
"What is this? Those crude swords? And dual wielding?"
The knight snorted and mocked me. To outward appearances, the two swords I drew looked truly pathetic. They were no different from the common weapons found scattered at the entrance of a blacksmith. Above all, dual wielding was a behavior practiced by pathetic guys who only cared about ‘style.’ There had never been a case where a proper swordsman handled two swords simultaneously.
However, these two swords were by no means common.
‘Two Extreme Iron Swords.’
Weapons obtained as Transcendent rewards from Main Quest 3. I had selected two identical Extreme Iron Swords without hesitation.
‘They are for switching.’
The advantage of Weapon Master, one of the hidden traits, was that it allowed one to handle all weapons with considerable proficiency. To utilize that trait to its maximum, I needed weapons to ‘switch’ between. Since they weren't Michaela’s Sword, I couldn't receive the Heavenly Dragon Human effect, but these two swords were perfect for imitating the Knight King.
【 Extreme (極) Iron Sword 】
★ An iron sword that has reached the pinnacle. It was a normal iron sword faithful to the basics, but maximum enhancement and transcendence were carried out simultaneously by a certain eccentric Transcendent.
★ Strength +3
★ ‘Pinnacle’ effect when equipped with other equipment with the ‘Extreme’ title.
★ Sword Proficiency correction +1 Lv
★ Impossible to observe
★ Bound
Extreme, True, Annihilation, Demon-Slaying.
Weapons with these four titles possessed power that could never be defined by ordinary standards. Since I had performed transcendence on such ordinary weapons, the attached stats were disappointing, but the other effects were at an incomparable level.
‘Proficiency correction. It might not seem like much, but nothing is more of a cheat than this.’
As I held the two Extreme Iron Swords in my hands, the related details rose before my eyes.
《 Sword Proficiency is corrected to Lv. 7. 》
《 Sword Proficiency is corrected to Lv. 8. 》
《 Sword Proficiency is corrected to Lv. 10 due to the ‘Pinnacle (+2 Lv)’ effect. 》
The hidden trait ‘Weapon Master’ allowed weapon proficiency to start at Lv. 5. On top of that, the hidden trait ‘Dexterity’ had the effect of adding +1 to all proficiencies. That alone made the base Lv. 6. With the two Extreme Iron Swords and the ‘Pinnacle’ effect, it rose by 2 more levels, reaching 10. No matter what it was, once it exceeded Lv. 10, a pebble became a tower and a water drop became an ocean.
‘It’s not enough.’
However, it was still insufficient to be called the ‘Knight King’s Successor.’ With this alone, I couldn't reproduce the Knight King’s unique appearance. I couldn't even become the dirt under his fingernails. What should I do? How could I be recognized as the Knight King’s successor?
It was at that moment.
《 The ‘Star Successor’ class can read the memories of the previous owner held by the Star under specific conditions. 》
《 Sword Proficiency has reached Lv. 10, and the memories of the Star are read. 》
《 Reproducing the ‘Heaven’ of the Knight King Wilhelm’s swordsmanship, ‘Heaven and Earth’s Creation.’ 》
✺✺✺
"……."
A person becomes a fool when they encounter something incomprehensible that transcends their perception. They fall into a state where they can do nothing but stare blankly. Everyone gathered at the training grounds was like that. Marquis Weiser, Hudson, Isabella, and even the knight who faced him.
‘W-what?’
The knight looked at the ceiling of the training grounds. He had been full of confidence while wearing the blessed treasures. He felt like he could never lose. His opponent was a dual-wielding user who only cared about style. He was a worthless guy imitating a swordsman with two crude iron swords.
However, once the battle began with those two swords, everything turned upside down. Before the battle, he was full of openings, but once it started, the path ahead became bleak. His mind went blank, not knowing where to lunge or attack. And when he snapped back to his senses, he was looking at the ceiling just like he was now.
‘What happened?’
He couldn't understand. It wasn't that the sword was so fast it couldn't be seen. On the contrary, it was slow enough that he could have easily parried it. The mystery of slowness? Such a thing didn't exist. If so, he should have parried it, but he couldn't.
An aura that overwhelmed the surrounding battlefield. Something intangible that didn't exist. That guy suddenly became the Heavens.
"……Ah."
Marquis Weiser let out a small groan. It was only then that he realized he hadn't been breathing.
‘It is truly the Knight King’s swordsmanship.’
The swordsmanship the man before his eyes displayed was in contact with that of the Knight King. That aura that transcended perception and made it impossible to oppose. The only human capable of such a thing was the Knight King Wilhelm. Something that was infinitely slow yet impossible to block, making it impossible to see the whole even with both eyes open. It was like magic, but the Knight King described it as his swordsmanship. If he could manifest that Absolute Territory that no one understood...
‘Ah…….’
Marquis Weiser shivered. The Supreme Knight King. The one called the strongest of humanity, the last hope of humanity. He, who was thought to be dead, had returned.
✺✺✺
A woman lying in her bedchamber with both eyes open, having lost focus. This woman, who showed no sign of vitality at all, was the Pure White Knight, Serengeti. She was alive, yet in a state no different from being dead.
"She returned in this state, tied to a horse. I summoned a Saintess, but she said there was nothing she could do because the curse was too powerful."
Marquis Weiser spoke heavily. Behind him, Hudson was trying his best to endure the tears that were flowing as he looked at Serengeti.
‘The Demon King’s Curse.’
She was currently under the Demon King’s curse. It was a curse that bound one within a dream forever, forcing them to have nightmares. The Demon King’s curse could not be broken by anything. It was the same even if a Saintess or a Holy Emperor tried.
But I had to wake her up. Only then could I hear about my end.
‘Serengeti…….’
My closest aide. The knight who followed me most alongside the five hundred knights. Their deaths had brought no inspiration to me. Because to me, it was just a game.
But seeing Serengeti now, a strange feeling arose. It was a sense of longing. Had I been possessed by this sense of reality that could never be called a game? No, it was time to admit it.
‘It is not a game.’
This place was not a world inside a game. it was another reality.
"I tried every method to wake Serengeti. Rare elixirs, famous healers—nothing worked."
It was one of the reasons the city’s finances were ruined. Marquis Weiser had tried every method, but Serengeti still had not returned.
"…But now, I too must protect this estate. In a month, Serengeti will no longer be here. Duke Sien will accept this child. As for me, I have no other way."
"……!"
Hudson’s trembling grew more severe. His eyes were filled with shock. Duke Sien was the highest-ranking noble of the kingdom who had coveted Serengeti for a long time. Marquis Weiser spoke bitterly.
"I am sorry. For being of no help."
"It’s alright."
But it was truly alright. I brought my hand over her head. At that,
Flash!
A cluster of stars swirled around her and was absorbed.
《 Bestowing ‘Star’s Blessing.’ 》
《 Consuming all Star Power. 》
《 Star Power is insufficient to break the Demon King’s Curse. 》
《 ‘Limit Curse’ has been temporarily lifted. 》
Slowly. Focus began to return to Serengeti’s eyes.