[Vol. 8] Chapter 310: The Thief
Normally, a magic lock of this level has an anti-force system. If someone broke it open by force, it should have triggered a loud alarm. But perhaps the mysterious man’s sword skill was too precise, like carefully disarming a bomb, in less than a fraction of a breath he cut off the flow of magic inside the lock. Not a single sound was made.
As if he was already used to doing this, the mysterious man calmly put away his sword and pushed the door open.
Inside, the hall was empty and dim. Looking around, he saw nothing else except a tall, complex piece of metal equipment, several meters high, standing quietly in the corner. Its design was intricate, but its purpose was unknown.
“So… an instrument that can really connect to the faraway outside world does exist…”
His eyes flickered as he stepped forward. But suddenly, a clear female voice rang out inside the hall!
“A great master of the sword, lowering yourself to do sneaky thief work like this… sir, do you not feel ashamed?”
Boom!
The doors behind him slammed shut by themselves as a gust of force swept through the hall. One by one, the magical lamps lit up, filling the once-dark space with bright light. The mysterious man froze for a moment. From behind the shadow of the machine, a tall figure in armor slowly walked forward, her sharp gaze locked onto him.
This woman was none other than Gladys Wickliffe, the Sword of the Lotus, one of the top warriors under the [Empire’s Two-Colored Lotus]. She was a martial arts genius who had already broken into the legendary realm in her early twenties.
It was clear she had known beforehand that an intruder would come today, and had been waiting here in ambush. Someone like her could not have made this decision alone, so it meant that the owner of this palace and of the strange machine, Princess Carinvega herself, must have also been aware.
The mysterious man’s uncovered eyes flashed with realization. He had already understood the situation and, without hesitation, turned to escape.
But just then—!
A radiant chain of light shot at him from the side, moving too fast to dodge. Clearly it had been prepared long in advance. With no other choice, even he was forced to draw his sword and strike!
Clang!!!
His sword light spread out like a rainbow, and even the chain of light, which should not have been something physical, was cut apart instantly. But that single strike had ruined his chance to escape. The next moment, countless magic patterns lit up beneath the hall, forming a prison of light that sealed the entire place.
“...”
Feeling the overwhelming power of the spell formation, the mysterious man raised his head and looked around silently. At last, he stopped moving, giving up on leaving.
From the shadows, another figure stepped forward, holding a staff. It was Rosie, she and Gladys were both wearing full combat gear that maximized their strength. It was obvious they had prepared for this battle in advance. Combined with the high-level sealing array carved into the hall, this was a trap laid just for him, waiting for the prey to come walking in.
Rosie spoke with a mocking tone.
“What a sharp sword… as expected of a Sword Grandmaster. The second strongest of the Swift Wind Style, right below the Sword Saint himself. The first disciple among the Six Great Followers, [Sword of Purity]. Yet here you are, sneaking into the Princess Palace to steal her private property. Doesn’t this go against the upright and honorable name of your school?”
Rosie, the blonde girl, held her staff. Strong legendary-level magic power surged around her body. Clearly, compared to when she was in the Academy City Sainz, her strength had made another important breakthrough.
Although her words carried a teasing tone, her face showed no sign of ease. Even though she had already read intelligence reports about the man before her, only after fighting him just now did she truly understand the level of his sword skills.
A sword that could cut anything, breaking through all defense. Rosie did not know what the Sword Saint’s blade looked like, but just from this disciple before her, the strongest student of the Sword Saint, she felt that his sword intent had already reached the very limit of what she could imagine.
“...Sigh.”
Seeing the two girls block his escape from both front and back, the mysterious swordsman stayed silent for a long time before letting out a helpless sigh. He raised his hand and removed the black cloth covering his face.
Under the veil was the face of a man in his early thirties. Though no longer young, he was far from old. Handsome, with a calm and refined charm, carrying both maturity and approachability. It was the peak of a man’s life, the kind of appearance that naturally gave people a good impression.
But right now, his expression was not pleasant.
“I came here only to finish my mission. I never wished to take lives. Why must you two girls press me so hard? Now that things have come to this… it seems there is no way to end it peacefully.”
Hearing this, Gladys gave a mocking laugh.
“Oh? An old man sneaks into Her Highness’s palace as a thief, and the owner should just pretend to be blind, letting you walk in openly, steal what you want, and leave without trouble? I treated you with the respect of a senior from my grandfather’s time, but I never thought [Sword of Purity] would act so shamelessly. Is this what the Sword Saint teaches his disciples?”
“Hmph!”
The moment her words fell, a sharp light flashed in [Sword of Purity]’s black-and-white eyes. The instant of cold killing intent was so strong that even Gladys, a martial genius who had already reached legendary level, felt her hairs stand on end. Without thinking, she stopped talking and took a battle stance.
But [Sword of Purity] did not attack. He quickly calmed his emotions, his face returning to blankness, and spoke.
“Little girl, the Princess is a true talent of her generation. Out of respect for her, I do not care how you judge me for this matter. But there is one thing, if you dare to insult or slander my master’s character, then today… I will fight you to the death.”
“Tch...”
The knight girl clicked her tongue and turned her head, but chose not to continue speaking. Seeing this, Rosie, who was better at talking, took the chance to voice her doubt.
“Mr. [Sword of Purity], honestly, until just now I could not believe it. As the Sword Saint’s top disciple, and the master of the Swift Wind Sword Sect in the capital, would you really sneak alone into the Princess Palace with bad intentions? With your identity, background, and strength, there is almost nothing in the Empire you cannot obtain. So why do this?”
“And also, this machine’s location and purpose are a top-secret matter in the palace. How did you even know of its existence?”
[Sword of Purity] gave her a calm look, then simply shook his head.
“Little girl, you are clever, though still not as wise as the Princess herself. But have you not heard the saying, ‘The more secrets you know, the more dangerous it becomes’?”