TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 28
“It’s interesting. If you bring down the crow that’s the master of the Empire’s underbelly, you’ll get a very good evaluation.”
Gardar seemed quite confident in his skills as he swung his greatsword around.
“Both participants, get ready, start!”
In the meantime, the host announced the start of the battle.
Gardar charged at him with a rush, still holding his greatsword.
At the same time, his robe fluttered, revealing his true form.
Upon seeing this, people belatedly realized his identity.
“Is he a child of the Freya, the battle race?”
His deep green eyes and the unique tattoo drawn on his body.
The Freya, a minority tribe living in the most rugged mountain range in the Empire, known as Freya, named after the mountain itself.
Gardar was a child of that Freya.
Freya is the place in the Empire where World Erosion is said to be the most severe.
Having grown up there, the Freya are naturally outstanding in martial arts, hence called the battle race.
If he’s a child of such a battle race, wouldn’t he be able to defeat even the Night Crow?
That thought crossed their minds at that moment.
However, their thoughts began to change not long after.
Kraush did nothing but dodge Gardar’s swinging greatsword.
“Hey, he’s just dodging.”
“Is there no chance for a counterattack?”
Seeing this, people thought he was just busy dodging, but that perception gradually changed over time.
Gardar’s attacks were fierce.
However, no matter how fierce the attacks were, if they didn’t land a single hit, it was a different story.
Kraush didn’t take a single hit from Gardar’s attacks.
It was because he dodged all of his attacks at a level close to precognition.
“No, that’s not it.”
“He’s doing it on purpose. He’s deliberately dodging!”
Those who saw this were shocked.
Because it was clear that Kraush was deliberately toying with his opponent.
It was a performance that could only be shown if there was a significant skill gap.
“What’s with that agility?”
“He’s the Night Crow! Does the title of Assassin Family come for nothing?”
“They mocked the name of the Assassin Family, living in the underbelly, but who knew he’d be this good?”
“The child of Freya can’t do anything.”
People couldn’t help but be amazed.
Even if it’s just a jest, the Night Crow is called the Assassin Family.
Perhaps because of that, Kraush’s nimble dodging made them even more convinced that he was indeed the Night Crow.
“Ugh, you rat!”
Even Gardar, who was facing Kraush, couldn’t hide his impatience.
Even if he’s from the battle race Freya, he’s still a 15-year-old boy.
With his mental maturity not fully developed, his movements began to become more and more constrained due to Kraush’s agility and the gaze of the crowd.
“Ugh!”
Thus, in an attempt to shake off his constrained body, he inadvertently swung his greatsword widely.
Whoosh!
Where the greatsword had swung past.
Gardar’s eyes widened in surprise.
Because the figure of Kraush, who had been there just moments ago, had disappeared.
“You were too hasty.”
At that moment, a voice came from behind him.
Smack!
Kraush’s fist, swung at him, landed squarely on his back.
Thud!
At the same time, the additional strike of Inch Strength went off, wreaking havoc inside Gardar.
“Gah!”
Gardar, unable to withstand the shock, rolled on the ground.
Even with a trained body, it was impossible to block Inch Strength.
Having exhausted his stamina from the intense movements and struck by Inch Strength, Gardar passed out.
And the referee, having confirmed this, immediately raised his hand towards Krad.
“The winner is Krad!”
“Woooooow!”
At that moment, a tremendous cheer erupted from the audience.
It was a natural reaction after witnessing the skills of the Night Crow, who had been shrouded in mystery.
‘But I’m not actually the Night Crow.’
Kraush, who had actively utilized the rumor spread by Sigrid, laughed inwardly.
By now, the real Night Crow must be extremely confused.
‘And he’ll come for me.’
They wouldn’t just leave a fake Night Crow alone.
Krad’s gaze briefly met Gardar’s.
He felt sorry for him.
Originally, he would have been a candidate for the championship.
‘Anyway, another child of Freya is already confirmed to enter Rahelrn Academy, so it won’t matter to Freya.’
He meant the true child of Freya from the Skyborne Generation.
With that thought, Kraush moved on.
At that moment, he met someone’s gaze from the audience.
It was Sizelry, smiling faintly at him.
Despite the warning, her participation in the Martial Arts Tournament meant she had caught on to Sigrid’s plan.
Because Sizelry was smart.
-Night Crow, what a splendid identity.
Though her voice didn’t reach him, Kraush read her lips.
She was teasing him, knowing full well he wasn’t the Night Crow.
Kraush left her be and moved to the waiting room for the exam.
‘I’ve laid the bait.’
Now, all that was left was to wait for someone to take the bait.
Clack, clack-
As Kraush walked down the corridor, he heard footsteps approaching from the opposite direction.
Realizing the footsteps belonged to another participant, Kraush looked up.
There stood a man.
He had long limbs and a tall stature, with long, dull black hair.
His eyes, which seemed to lack light, met Kraush’s, and he slightly raised the corners of his mouth.
“Is it fun to impersonate the Night Crow?”
Just as Kraush thought he heard his voice.
A white blade rose from below and stopped right in front of Kraush’s neck.
Because Kraush had grabbed his wrist.
“Wow, I didn’t expect this.”
Kraush looked up at him with a wry smile.
“I didn’t think you’d fall for it right away.”
Whether this was good luck or bad luck.
The real Night Crow had come to punish Kraush.
＊ ＊ ＊
Since ancient times, crows have been regarded as ominous beings that feed on corpses.
They are the closest to death and linger beside those who are dying.
The Night Crow, bearing the name of such a crow.
One of their assassins stood before Kraush at that moment.
However, Kraush tilted his head upon seeing the Night Crow member in front of him.
“Huh?”
A brief, questioning voice escaped his lips.
At that moment, another sword flew from the opposite side of the arm Kraush had grabbed.
Kraush dodged the sword flying toward his head with ease and kicked the man’s stomach, pushing him back.
The man who was hit in the stomach stepped back a few paces, showing no sign of pain.
Seeing this, Kraush became even more convinced.
Of the true identity of the one standing before him.
“I didn’t know this.”
Kraush did not know much about the Night Crow.
The main reason was that they had disappeared while Kraush was attending Rahelrn Academy.
That rumor had spread quite widely.
The kids from the Empire were making such a fuss about the Night Crow being eradicated.
After that, he had not heard any news about them, except that the Night Crow was actually a hidden weapon of the royal family.
He never thought that the true identity of the Night Crow would be that guy.
‘Did Arthur take him in?’
As expected of a Regressor.
He must have known all this in advance and acted accordingly.
‘That’s why they disappeared during my time at the Academy.’
And this time, it seems Sigrid was using the Night Crow before Arthur.
Since she worked with Arthur, she must have known their true identity already.
“Impressive, isn’t it?”
In the meantime, the man twisted his neck and spun his sword in a strange pose.
“Since you impersonated the Night Crow, you must have some skill, huh?”
With that, he showed a relaxed smile.
And as soon as that smile ended, another sword flew at him.
Kraush, having drawn his sword, deflected it directly.
The man chose a quick attack, but Kraush’s blunt sword deflected all such swords.
He couldn’t catch up to Kraush with swordsmanship.
At that moment, the man’s mouth opened wide.
Soon after, what popped out of his mouth was a dagger coated with poison.
Kraush lightly tilted his head to dodge the dagger, and then an arm suddenly emerged from between his clothes.
It was an arm made of black bone.
That arm reached out to Kraush in an instant, immediately touching his body.
Seeing this, a vicious smile appeared on the man’s face.
Because he was sure Kraush was dead.
“What are you doing?”
However, Kraush looked up at the man, perfectly fine.
“What.”
In that moment of his confusion, Kraush’s fist swiftly rose and struck his jaw.
Then, the man rolled on the ground, his vision shaking.
Kraush stepped on the fallen man’s chest and brushed off his hands.
“Death Techniques created by World Erosion don’t work on me.”
Because Extreme Blood Immersion Poison can block all such Death Techniques.
“The power of World Erosion? What are you…?”
Seeing Kraush use the power of World Erosion, he wore a shocked expression.
Kraush looked down at him and scratched the back of his head.
He had intended to lure out the Night Crow and make a counter-proposal to help them escape from Sigrid.
But it seemed he would have to adjust a few things now that it had come to this.
“Ebelasque.”
So Kraush called out that name.
At the moment that name was called, the man’s body froze stiff, and Kraush asked while looking at him.
“Where are you now?”
“Uh, what, uh, what’s this, what’s this. You!?”
At that moment, the man let out a voice that sounded confused.
Seeing the man’s intense reaction to just five letters of a name, Kraush loosened his neck.
“Is Sigrid holding your heart right now?”
“Hic, hic!?”
He even let out a scream.
Because the man who seemed to know everything about him was the embodiment of terror.
Looking at him, Kraush spoke calmly.
“Let’s make a deal.”
“A, a deal?”
“I’ll get your heart back for you.”
At that moment, the man’s face changed for the first time.
No matter how Kraush knew about him, it was a statement Ebelasque could not ignore.
“In return, tell me everything about the plan Sigrid drew up to get your heart back and what she made you do.”
And then Kraush urged Ebelasque to betray her.
A World Erosion Being whose heart was taken by the Empire’s royal family for a thousand years.
Necromancer.
Ebelasque Benapoch.
To her.