Demon Sword Master of the Holy Sword Academy - Volume 11 - Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

A DEMON SWORD USURPED

The Seventh Assault Garden’s Area VI, the Special demi-human ward’s fourth underground level. The Dark Lords’ Armies have bought off all the warehouses present, using it as their secret base.

“So…,” said a beastman warrior clad in a tailored suit. “Where is this so-called Zol Vadis?”

“E-erm, well, you see…,” the maid girl stammered, breaking into a cold sweat.

Sitting there was a saber-toothed tiger beastman, his fur the color of steel. He had one eye, burning a bright blue. He was seated on a transport box for materials with all the haughtiness of a Dark Lord.

The beastman didn’t know Shary, but she knew him very well. This was, after all, one of the eight Dark Lords who had brought horror and annihilation to the ancient world—the Lord of Beasts, Gazoth Hell Beast.

Wh-why is the Lord of Beasts here?! Shary’s head was full of panicked thoughts as she kneeled before this Dark Lord.

—It all happened thirty minutes ago.

This Dark Lord appeared suddenly in a café in the Central Garden, where Shary and the Septentrion sisters were working and demanded she bring him to the Dark Lord Zol Vadis.

And so still none the wiser as to what was going on, Shary took him to a place where they wouldn’t be seen.

Why was the Lord of Beasts, said to have perished a thousand years ago, in this place and era?

No, I suppose the Dragon Lord was resurrected as well, so it’s not that strange that the Lord of Beasts returned…

But either way, the problem was that the Lord of Beasts was seeking to meet the Dark Lord Zol Vadis…and clearly not for peaceful purposes. All the Dark Lords but Shary’s master were always bloodthirsty and combative.

He’s probably looking for him to learn why he’s placed the beastmen races under his control.

But her master, Leonis, was currently away, and since he left his kingdom’s management in Shary’s hands, handling this situation fell to her.

…Incidentally, the Septentrion sisters suggested assassinating him, but Shary rejected the idea instantly. They would fail and die trying. The only way she had was possibly unleashing Rakshasa, who was sealed in her body. The Everdark Queen could possibly put up a fight against the Lord of Beasts, but a battle between those two juggernauts would no doubt leave the Seventh Assault Garden, Leonis’s kingdom, in ruins. It was, at best, a last resort.

…I doubt even Queen Rakshasa would be able to beat the Lord of Beasts at the height of his power, though.

“I’m not asking a second time,” Gazoth Hell Beast growled. “Where’s Zol Vadis?”

“…!” An overpowering sensation washed over Shary.

A normal human would have had their soul knocked out of their body from sheer terror. But as an aide of the Undead King, she was able to withstand it.

…I cannot let him find out my lord isn’t here!

If he found out the Dark Lord wasn’t present, the Lord of Beasts would try to steal away the Demon Wolf by force.

“My honorable master, Zol Vadis, is currently in the Dark Lord’s Castle.”

“And where’s that?”

“Yes, it’s his other castle, located away from the Seventh Assault Garden.”

“Aye, take me there, then.”

“Lord of Beasts, may I ask you a question first?” Shary looked up, working up the courage. “What do you intend to do when you meet Zol Vadis?”

“Stupid question. I’m gonna beat him to a bloody pulp.”

I knew iiiiit! Shary screamed internally.

“I-is there no place for…dialogue and discussion…?”

“Hmph, with a scoundrel who has the arrogance to assume the name of Zol Vadis? No point in talking to them. It’s probably some remnant of the Dark Lords’ Armies from a thousand years ago taking his name…”

…He was sharp. Probably his beastly intuition.

“No, my master is the true Dark Lord, Zol Vadis,” Shary said bravely.

“I don’t care either way. Bring me to him.”

“…I cannot.” Shary shook her head.

The Lord of Beasts looked down on her with sharp eyes. “Will butchering ya here make the Dark Lord come over?”

“…?!” Shary gulped.

I have devoted my existence to my lord. I’m not afraid to die for him.

She brought her hands together and squeezed her eyes shut.

“…Hmph.” The Lord of Beasts shrugged, like he’d lost interest in her. “Fine then. I’d rather not resort to this…” The Lord of Beasts crushed the metal box he was sitting on with one hand. “But I’ll just tear his territories apart one by one until he shows up.”

“What?!” Shary was stunned.

The Lord of Beasts was serious, that much she could tell.

The Seventh Assault Garden is my lord’s kingdom…

And Leonis left the kingdom in her care. She had to protect it, no matter what.

“V-very well, Lord of Beasts!” Shary pursed her lips and reverently bowed her head. “…I will show you to the Dark Lord’s Castle, where my master resides.”

Shary made her pained decision. Still, she couldn’t let him destroy the Seventh Assault Garden, and so she had to at least stall for time until Leonis returned. She would use multiple teleportation gates to make detours to the Dark Lord’s Castle and gather as much information as possible on Gazoth Hell Beast.

…But really, my lord, please hurry back!

“Ugh…”

When Leonis opened his eyes, he saw a bloodred sky spanning as far as he could see. The colors of Leonis’s Realm of Shadows were gone—this was the sky of the Void world.

“What…happened…?” He sat up and whispered in a daze.

“Lord Magnus—” He heard someone behind him.

Turning around, a black shadow wolf emerged from the wreckage.

“Blackas, you’re still alive…,” Leonis said, relieved his sworn friend was unharmed.

“Yes. It did consume much of my power, though…”

“I understand, don’t exert yourself.” Leonis shook his head and got to his feet. The area was covered in rubble and a large amount of Machina Soldiers. The underground part of the ruins had a large hole at its roof, which had been shot through.

So Schwertleite self-destructed…

The sheer power of the explosion tore through the Realm of Shadows’ boundary barrier, and the shock waves of that vast energy must have blasted through the ruins. The most Leonis could do was set up a barrier to protect him and Riselia—

“Right, Riselia!” He raised his voice in alarm.

“The minion girl is sleeping over there.” Blackas tugged on Leonis’s sleeve with his teeth, urging him to turn around.

Riselia was lying atop the rubble like she was asleep. She was in her uniform, her True Ancestor’s Dress gone.

“She’s only unconscious. She must have depleted her mana.”

“…Right.” Leonis gripped Riselia’s hand, relieved.

“Schwertleite called Riselia ‘master,’ but…”

But still, would she go as far as self-destruct for her…?

Leonis looked at the aftermath of the explosion around him. It was an intense blast, to be sure… But given its intensity, the damage didn’t seem to travel too far. This was, after all, an explosion paid for with the price of a Dark Lord’s life. Even if breaking through the Realm of Shadows’ boundary barrier dampened its power, it should have been able to reduce the entirety of the area surrounding the Ur-Shukar’s ruins into scorched earth.

It’s like the energy of the explosion was unleashed so it would climb to the sky…

Did Schwertleite do it to spare Riselia from damage? But more importantly still…

That Undead King…

The monstrous cadaver that appeared from the empty sky. Its form was the very image of the Undead King from a thousand years ago, the same form Leonis was supposed to incarnate into… And it wasn’t just his appearance—that Undead King matched Leonis’s might at his peak and wielded powerful spells of the highest order.

“Blackas…,” Leonis turned to the black wolf. “What do you think that was?”

“…Mm.” Blackas gestured like he had paused for thought before carefully speaking. “In my eyes, it looked like you, Lord Magnus.”

“…So you think so, too.”

“And it wasn’t just how he looked. He had the same presence and aura I recall you having.”

“If you say so, then there’s no doubting it…”

Leonis looked around.

I don’t feel him anymore now…

It seemed even he didn’t expect Schwertleite to self-destruct. It was hard to believe he’d have time to cast a defensive spell.

I imagine even he wouldn’t be able to shrug off that explosion at point-blank range… Mm?

But then, Leonis’s eyes widened in alarm as he recalled something important. With all the surprising developments coming such quick succession, Leonis nearly forgot, but—

“…The staff.”

“Mm?

“Where’s the Staff of Sealed Sins? He took it from me!” He looked around in a panic.

But the staff was nowhere to be seen. What if the Staff of Sealed Sins itself was caught up in the blast and shattered to bits? It was a mythology-class sorcery tool, making it precious, but if it ended up getting destroyed in the explosion, Leonis could do nothing about that.

However, the Demon Sword within the staff was another story. A Demon Sword granted to him by the goddess wouldn’t break, no matter what happened.

“Mm. I shall go look for it.” Blackas made to leap into a gap in the rubble.

“No, Blackas, wait.” Leonis stopped him. “I’ll look for the Demon Sword. You go look for the priest.”

The former staff officer of the Dark Lords’ Armies, Nefakess Reizaad. He must have been involved in some way with the Undead King’s appearance.

“Very well. I’m sure he’s gone already, but I should be able to pursue his shadow.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Blackas nodded and disappeared into the shadows.

A crimson flame that could burn away the sky consumed the Sakura Orchid capital. The Star of Calamity burned red in the heavens, and glared down at her.

A figure blacker than the darkest pitch marched through the city. A faceless figure which, on that fateful day, gave Sakuya her Demon Sword. A figure who was like an amalgam of darkness.

I am future, or perhaps past. Or perhaps karma. Void. Destiny—

The dark amalgam spoke words, its voice like song, like a curse.

Whose…memory is this…?

It’s not mine, it’s…her memory…

When she woke up, Sakuya found herself lying on a cold, stone floor. It was the underground corridor where she had dueled her sister.

“Nn…” As she got up, Sakuya winced from pain that washed all over her body.

“You shouldn’t move yet,” a familiar voice above her said. “I did apply some basic healing, but still. I swear, why do you need to be so reckless?”

“…Arle?” Sakuya craned her neck, looking up.

An elf girl looked down at her, seeming fed up. Arle Kirlesio. She vanished earlier in the woods and went her separate way. She did find her ribbon lying around in the ruins’ underground section.

“So you did find your way here.”

“I should be saying that.” Arle shrugged. “I was sure you returned to the humans’ city by now.”

“…I appreciate the healing. Thank you.”

“Well, I did owe you one.”

Sakuya slowly sat up, leaning her back against a wall.

“Did you find anyone else except for me here?”

“Your friends? No, I haven’t seen them.”

“…I see.”

She was asking about Setsura, though… But either way, it seemed she disappeared before Arle showed up.

…She didn’t finish me off. Why?

Sakuya touched her neck, and felt the marks at the spot where the sharp fangs bit into her.

“…”

She had taunted Sakuya, telling her to stop her if she could. However…

To me, it sounded like you weren’t challenging me. You were asking me to stop you, Setsura… Sakuya whispered in her heart, looking down the corridor where her sister disappeared.

“I heard a loud explosion while you were unconscious,” Arle said.

“An explosion? What happened?”

“I don’t know. I could go and check, but…”

“I’ll come along.” Sakuya got to her feet, still wincing from the pain.

“You shouldn’t overexert yourself when you’re injured.”

“I’m fine. And I think that explosion…,” Sakuya trailed off, swallowing her words.

…has to do with a Dark Lord I know.

“…My Demon Sword is gone!” Leonis shouted at the sky.

The skeletons he called to help comb through the area all turned to face him. He couldn’t find the Demon Sword, not even a fragment of the Staff of Sealed Sins, and to begin with, he couldn’t sense the sword’s presence.

If the Deus Machina’s explosion didn’t destroy it… It must still be in the hands of that thing that looks like me.

“He shouldn’t have had time to cast a teleportation spell…”

But he certainly had enough power to probably do whatever he pleased. If he really was the Undead King—

Does this count as singing one’s praises…? Leonis whispered to himself ironically and looked up to the sky.

The Demon Sword Dáinsleif was more than just a powerful weapon. It was given to him personally by Roselia Ishtaris, stood as proof of their bond, and was meant to serve as his guide to her reincarnated body.

For now, I should go to the surface. I won’t find anything down here.

Leonis returned the skeletons to his shadow and returned to Riselia’s side. She was still asleep, but then, he heard someone approach him from behind.

“I thought I’d find you here, boy.”

“Miss Sakuya…”

He turned around and saw Sakuya step over the rubble and walk over to him, accompanied by another familiar girl. Arle Kirlesio.

…She came here too, come to think of it.

“Is Miss Selia okay?” Sakuya asked.

“She’s all right; she’s only asleep,” Leonis nodded.

Sakuya looked relieved.

“You look awful. What happened?” Arle asked.

“Well, a bunch of those magical machines blew up all at once. When I came over, the whole area was blown away.” Leonis lied.

“…So the Machina Soldiers self-destructed. I see.”

She bought the lie, since she already knew what the Machina Soldiers were. Sakuya, on the other hand, eyed him suspiciously. Getting carried away and showing her too much of his Dark Lord powers made her figure out his secret.

“Nngh, aah…”

They heard a soft groaning.

“Miss Selia, are you up?” Leonis asked.

“Leo… And Sakuya, too…” Riselia rubbed her eyes sleepily.

“Don’t push yourself too hard.” Leonis supported her body.

“For now, let’s rise to the surface. This place could cave in on us.” Arle suggested.

“…True.” Leonis nodded.

“…Why aren’t Selia and the others back?” Elfiné finished reading the report and got to her feet.

Two hours ago, the intelligence bureau received a report that the Elysion Academy students who all had vanished were discovered on the other side of the Void tear. Elfiné hurried over to the capital’s information bureau to confirm the situation, only to find Riselia and the others’ names weren’t on the list.

“We don’t know the details…,” said an employee of the Anti-Void Intelligence Bureau. “But Princess Chatres told us that Excalibur Academy’s eighteenth platoon stayed behind on the other side of the Void tear to investigate.”

“…An investigation? Just them, alone?”

“Yes, apparently. Princess Chatres implored them to return, but, erm… Since the eighteenth platoon is an Excalibur Academy unit…”

“They’re under a different chain of command, and even the princess couldn’t force them…” Elfiné massaged her temples, a mixed expression on her face.

…I can see Riselia deciding to stay behind.

Riselia did have an exaggerated sense of responsibility. She’d have insisted on bringing back at least some information on a Hive if it would benefit mankind. She always voluntarily investigated Void Hives, which was only natural, given how she had lost her old home country during a Void Stampede. If there was some sign, some omen that would help detect a Stampede ahead of time, they may have been able to prevent the Third Assault Garden’s destruction.

That regret lingered in Riselia’s heart to this day.

“There was probably no stopping her…” Elfiné sighed.

For the time being, just finding out she was all right was enough.

I mean, she should be all right… He’s there to protect her.

Leonis, who was with Riselia, wasn’t the ten-year-old boy he pretended to be. He seemed to be trying to hide his power, but Elfiné knew he was capable of more than he let on. He could fool cameras, but not the Eye of the Witch.

“This information is confidential—”

“Yes, I know.”

The general public hadn’t been informed of the mass disappearance yet. If news came out that the third princess Chatres and a group of Holy Swordsmen students went missing while the people were already anxious over the massive tear that had appeared in the sky, they would go into a panic.

The only ones who were kept up-to-date on the situation were the Imperial Knights’ top brass and those affiliated with the Anti-Void Intelligence Bureau, which Elfiné was a part of.

“Let me know if you learn anything new about the eighteenth platoon,” Elfiné said, before she left the bureau’s building.

She called for an unmanned vehicle at Central Garden station so she could return to the hotel and begin working on a report about what lay on the other side of the tear. Elfiné was part of Excalibur Academy, but ever since the tear had appeared, all students with Holy Swords who had probing abilities were temporarily transferred to working with the Imperial Knights.

It looks like the knights really are thinking of sending in knights to investigate the tear…

She could volunteer to join the unit and sneak into the tear that way. Users of probe Holy Swords were always in high demand.

…I’d rather bring Sakuya with me, if I’m going to go in there, Elfiné thought to herself as she checked the mail in her tablet terminal.

Having Sakuya with her would be encouraging, but Sakuya had been missing and out of touch for a few days now. Elfiné didn’t remember seeing her in Elysion Academy on the day of the incident, so she was probably wandering around somewhere like she always did, but…

As she waited for the vehicle to arrive, Elfiné decided to try solve a puzzle to pass the time, but then—

“Elfiné Phillet.”

“Huh?” Elfiné looked up.

Men wearing visor-type terminals surrounded her without her noticing.

“…!”

There was no one else around, and while this wasn’t a packed station at the best of times, having absolutely no passersby in the area was still unusual.

…I was careless.

Using a Holy Sword inside the city was strictly forbidden unless one had approval, but if she had the Eye of the Witch activated, she’d have been able to detect that she was being followed. And if she were Sakuya, she’d have no doubt spotted these people, too. But Elfiné, having grown accustomed—and even reliant—on the Eye of the Witch’s probing powers, had her senses dulled when it wasn’t active.

“Count Deinfraude sent us to bring you to him,” the man standing opposite her said with an emotionless voice.

Phillet Company private militia… Elfiné surmised.

They handled jobs for that man, namely ones that had to be kept away from the public eye. Some of their most elite members were Holy Swordsmen.

“I’ve cut ties with him.”

“He says he wishes to speak to you about Master Finzel.”

“…”

Finzel Phillet. Her older brother, and the mastermind behind the D Project. His whereabouts were considered unknown… But she had seen him become a Void monster, only to get swallowed up by a Void crack.

…I had a feeling this time would come sooner or later.

But it was faster than expected, and she certainly didn’t anticipate Deinfraude resorting to force in the middle of the city. Did he know the circumstances behind Finzel’s death…?

“—We ask that you come with us peacefully.”

“I’m sorry, but I have to refuse.” Elfiné took a step back. “Tell him I said that if he’s that eager to see his daughter, he should come to me with his own two feet.”

“…It seems we have no choice. We were told not to resort to violence, but…”

“Eye of the Witch, Activate!”

Elfiné tried to manifest her Holy Sword, but right as she did, an unpleasant sound blared out.

…Is this a Void EMP?

The half-materialized Holy Sword broke apart into particles of light, and she fell to her knees. “This is a Holy Sword jamming system that put a Void’s roar into practical use. It’s still in development, but it’s proven effective against Holy Swords that require extreme focus,” the man in the visor explained indifferently.

Manifesting a Holy Sword requires great mental acuity. One of the first things taught in the Academy was how to build up one’s mental fortitude. Trained Holy Swordsmen needed to be able to activate their Holy Swords even under the stress of combat with the Voids, and in Elfiné’s case, the Eye of the Witch required extreme concentration to control, meaning there were times she wasn’t able to properly activate it.

“Why did you develop a Holy Sword jamming system…?”

This was a system developed against the Holy Swordsmen, not the Voids that were mankind’s enemies. Why would the Phillet make such a thing…?

The Phillet private militia surrounded Elfiné.

“Tie her up. Carefully.”

“Well, Dragon Lord? What does this mean?”

“…”

Veira remained silent as she looked up at the celestial globe projected onto the ruins’ ceiling. Having activated the Azure Fort’s Almagest, she was able to see the changing of the celestial bodies over the last thousand years, but what she saw defied belief.

“…About eight hundred years ago, the world God divided in two.”

Into this world, and the world on the other side of the Void tear. It wasn’t that the Gods, Dark Lords, and countless monsters were all wiped from history… They were corrupted by the emptiness and flung to the other world.

How did this happen?

Who brought this upon the world?

“…Rivaiz, we should go back to Leo’s place for now.”

“To the Undead King’s place?”

“Yes. We’ll need his wisdom for this.” Veira nodded and turned on her heels. “Because the Almagest predicts that the two worlds will go back to being one soon.”