Chapter 614
Chapter 614: Now, in this dream. (1)
The scene in the dream was beyond Ghislaine’s control. She could only view it from a limited perspective.
Most of it revolved around the battle between the hero and the adversary. From their fight, Ghislaine learned and observed much.
At times, the two would not appear at all. During those moments, she witnessed large-scale wars between armies.
The fights between dragons and giants, the battles of the Human Alliance against the Cracked Beings, and the occasional glimpses of the leaders of the Human Alliance.
That too was beneficial for Ghislaine. She saw what strategies and tactics they employed, how they succeeded and failed.
However, in this dream, unfamiliar figures emerged that she had never seen before.
Boom!
Among the members of the Salvation Society, there were four individuals who stood out as distinctly stronger than the other judges.
As they appeared, the soldiers of the Human Alliance grew tense and shouted.
“The Apostles have appeared!”
Hearing that, Ghislaine tilted her head.
‘Apostles?’
Were there beings referred to by such a name in the Salvation Society?
She had heard of priests, judges, and executioners, but this was the first time she had come across the term ‘Apostle.’
The Apostles seemed to be serving right beside the adversary. It appeared they occupied the second highest position within the church after the adversary.
In any case, they were powerful. Wrapped in a black mist, their attacks swept away the soldiers of the Human Alliance like autumn leaves.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The strength of the Apostles was enough to make Ghislaine tense. Even those known as the Seven Greats of the continent in her past life felt lacking compared to the Apostles she was witnessing now.
‘Shouldn’t Ereness or the Dwarf King step in?’
The hero had to face the adversary. From what she had seen, there were indeed remarkable individuals in the Human Alliance, but it would be too much for them to take on the Apostles.
However, Ereness and the Dwarf King were busy fighting off other priests on both sides. At this rate, the center would be overwhelmed by the Apostles.
At that moment, the army of the Human Alliance retreated, and the four individuals moved toward the Apostles.
Boom!
Suddenly, the four individuals emerged, surprisingly putting up a fight on equal footing with the Apostles.
Ghislaine examined each of the newly appeared figures closely.
The first man had disheveled hair and dark circles under his eyes. From the robe he wore, he seemed to be a mage.
Aside from his gloomy and depressed expression, he appeared fairly cute and youthful. Of course, given that he was participating in this war, he couldn’t be that young in reality.
He looked weak on the outside, but the skill he displayed was surprisingly impressive even to Ghislaine.
“Hellfire.”
A single phrase emitted from the mage’s lips pierced through the air.
In that moment, dazzling white flames erupted in the void. The man was effortlessly casting a 9th circle high-tier spell as if he were breathing.
The horrifying fireball rushed toward the Apostles like lightning.
Boom!
The black energy that surged from the Apostle clashed with the fireball, causing an explosion. Flashes of light and darkness intertwined, shaking the surrounding space.
The mage’s gaze sparkled. As his fingers danced, dozens of magic runes were drawn in the air instantaneously.
Right after, a storm of magic, blending fire, ice, and lightning, surged toward the Apostles.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Apostles were formidable too. The black energy emanating from their bodies squirmed as if alive, consuming the spells.
Sometimes, that darkness sharpened like an arrow, launching toward the mage.
The duo’s battle continued to be extremely close. The attacks they exchanged were so powerful that they distorted the very fabric of space and time around them.
While Ghislaine marveled at their prowess, she scrutinized the mage closely.
‘Is he the ancestor from the Mage Tower that Jerome mentioned? The companion of the hero?’
After the battle with Gathros, Jerome had shared various stories.
The ancestor of the Mage Tower who was a companion of the hero, and the magic he created to thwart the adversary.
He had known of the adversary’s existence even before Ereness spoke of the ancient war.
‘This mage certainly fits the description!’
The majesty displayed by the mage was nothing short of extraordinary.
Ghislaine slowly turned her gaze to the others.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A knight clad in shimmering silver armor faced off against the Apostles, wielding a gigantic shield.
The knight’s sword cut through the air with a heavy descent. His swordsmanship could be described as classical among classics, the essence of martial arts itself.
Within what seemed like simple movements lay the wisdom of thousands of years and countless experiences in battle.
Boom!
Every time the knight’s sword clashed with the Apostles, a thunderous shockwave echoed. His sword was not merely a weapon; it embodied his will.
Within that powerful and straightforward strike lay an unwavering resolve.
The Apostle danced like a shadow, seeking openings in the knight’s defense. Yet the knight’s shield stood firm like a living castle wall.
No attack or trickery could penetrate his defense.
Every movement of the knight was precise. Each motion showcased the very essence of knight-hood.
Courage, honor, loyalty.
All these virtues were intertwined within his sword and shield.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
As the clashes between the two repeated, the air around them grew heavier.
The Apostles could not penetrate the knight’s formidable defense. However, the knight also struggled to inflict harm on the Apostle, who moved like a ghost.
Their confrontation was akin to the eternal dance of light and shadow.
Ghislaine’s expression began to harden as she observed the knight’s movements.
‘That swordsmanship…’
Ghislaine had studied numerous sword techniques across the continent. While the swords of knights may seem similar, upon deeper inspection, none were identical.
Thus, by analyzing the swordsmanship in detail, she could recognize its characteristics and differences.
Coincidentally, Ghislaine was well aware of the technique the knight displayed.
‘The sword of the Radran royal family!’
The swordsmanship and mana circulation method that could only be utilized by the Royal Family of Ruthania.
After seizing the kingdom, she naturally examined the royal swordsmanship and mana circulation method in detail.
The current Knight Commander, Count Palantz, had also mastered the royal sword given by Berhem. It was that overwhelming support that enabled Count Palantz to reach the realm of the superhuman.
Ghislaine had even experienced that sword’s power while fighting Count Palantz.
Seeing such royal swordsmanship left Ghislaine a bit flustered.
‘Was the founding king of the Ruthania Kingdom also a companion of the hero?’
But that contradicted what she had heard from Berhem.
— The founding king was said to be… a servant of the saint.
No matter how she looked at it, he didn’t seem like a servant. “Outstanding knight” fit him much better.
Perhaps the one who had been a servant was recognized for his talent and character, eventually becoming a knight. Such cases were not unheard of.
Ghislaine examined the knight’s face closely. But soon she had no choice but to frown.
‘His face… is concealed.’
A dark shadow loomed around his eyes. Because of this, she couldn’t discern his precise features. The only hint was the slightly revealed jaw, indicating the knight was young.
Until now, no one’s face had been so obscured in her dreams.
Either something was wrong with the dream itself, or it simply wasn’t the right time to reveal it. Regardless, there was nothing Ghislaine could do.
Sighing, Ghislaine turned her head to another side.
There, an even more astonishing sight unfolded.
‘Huh?’
Swish!
It was a mysterious woman with her jaw hidden by a mask. Her hands moved elegantly through the air.
In that moment, like a galaxy pouring forth, hundreds of daggers appeared around her.
The brilliantly shining daggers were so beautiful that they captivated everyone’s attention.
With a graceful flick of her finger, the daggers began to dance in unison.
They moved in the air like a swarm of fireflies, tracing complex patterns. The trails of light left in the air resembled a living work of art.
As her gaze fixed on the Apostles, the movements of the dancing daggers changed. All the daggers aimed their sharp ends at him.
The previously calm air became charged with tension in an instant.
Swish!
After a moment of silence, hundreds of daggers were launched toward the Apostle like a storm.
The daggers sliced through the air with sharp sounds. Their speed and power were breathtakingly overwhelming.
Boom!
The Apostle’s eyes gleamed. Black energy began to swirl around his entire body.
In a situation where all escape routes were blocked by the falling daggers, he moved like lightning.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Apostle’s limbs moved so swiftly that only afterimages remained. Every time he struck a dagger aside, light flared, and the trajectory of the daggers twisted.
In the tension that felt like time had stopped, the duel between the two continued. Neither side was giving ground; they maintained a precarious balance.
Only the silver trails remained visible in the air. The brilliant traces of light intertwined with the Apostle’s black energy, creating a breathtaking view reminiscent of stars scattered across the night sky.
‘Belinda… no, mother’s technique…’
That was the secret technique of the former leader of the Shadow Knight Group. An ultimate technique far superior to what Belinda had shown.
If she were trapped in that display, she wouldn’t easily escape.
Ghislaine suddenly recalled a conversation she once had with Belinda.
— A single family monopolized the leader position for generations? In this kingdom?
— Yes, it’s a legacy passed down through the ages. Only from Anette’s family could one learn the vision and hold the position of the leader of the Shadow Knight Group.
Then that person is…
‘Huh? So that makes them a distant ancestor from my mother’s side?’
For some reason, it seemed that the descendant of that individual had settled in the Ruthania Kingdom after the war.
The technique passed down from there to her mother continued through Belinda until now.
Seeing such unexpected figures in succession left her dumbfounded.
Ghislaine quickly turned her head to the last remaining individual. She had to check that person as well.
Boom!
Unlike the other three people, there was a man dressed very lazily swinging a sword.
The sword in the man’s hand wasn’t ornate. The rough, rugged blade bore countless battle scars.
Shing!
Every time he swung the sword, it felt like the air around him froze.
The man’s stance was a world away from orthodox swordsmanship. It resembled a wild wolf hunting its prey.
Boom!
The man’s sword moved countless times toward the Apostle. His swordsmanship lacked rules and formality. It was a primal, instinctual style overflowing with wildness.
His movements mirrored that. Though the Apostle’s attacks rained down, the man gracefully evaded them as if he were dancing.
His movements resembled leaves gliding on the wind, making them hard to predict.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The shockwaves generated by their clashes filled the surroundings.
The man’s swordplay transformed continuously. It was impossible to pin down which style he employed.
Sometimes his attacks were as fierce as a blizzard, and at other moments, they glided smoothly like ice.
Sometimes he acted passively like a coward, while at other times, he struck with the majesty and straightforwardness of a knight.
His swordsmanship changed endlessly according to circumstance and timing.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The duel between the two raged on. The clash between the man’s sword and the Apostle’s energy shook the very air around them.
As Ghislaine watched that battle, her eyes began to tremble in bewilderment.
‘That sword.’
If the man’s level were lower than it was now.
If several crucial components were missing from his swordsmanship and mana circulation method.
And if his swordsmanship and mana circulation method were reformed to align with those missing parts.
Then that would become the feral teeth of the wild wolves roaming the vast northern lands, a sword technique that Ghislaine was very familiar with.
‘The sword of the House of Perdium!’
There was something lacking in the family’s swordsmanship and mana circulation method.
Because of that, the ancestors of Perdium could not advance beyond a certain level.
Ghislaine had pondered this mystery but never grasped the reason. Therefore, she just outright revamped the family’s mana circulation method.
Yet right now, within this dream.
The swordsmanship of Perdium was unfolding in its complete form.