Chapter 70: The Blade Emperor (4)
The stares around them felt sharp as blades. Though such occurrences were a daily reality in the wilderness, the entire camp’s attention was fixated on the scene. Was it simple wariness toward strangers? Or were there hidden motives behind those gazes?
For now, Saeorin focused on the immediate task at hand: dealing with the man before her. A sly smirk tugged at her lips as she recalled what Kanok had said before the mission: act as though you aren’t part of Azure Wings.
How should she proceed? As Saeorin sifted through the memories etched in her mind, an image emerged of a convincing persona—a swordsman who was noble, arrogant, and cruel. A demeanor fitting for a land where strength dictated everything.
‘This should work.’
The moment she made her decision, Saeorin’s aura shifted. The calm, controlled energy she had been exuding erupted outward. A chilling, blade-like force swept over the surroundings, pulling everyone’s attention.
“You… did you think I wouldn’t notice?”
“Guh… urgh…”
Her cold voice sent a jolt through the man, who coughed up blood. His tongue, torn and ragged from the shattered bottle, lolled limply in his mouth. Even with treatment, he might never regain his sense of taste—or speak clearly again.
The man trembled uncontrollably, unable to spit out the shards of glass that filled his mouth.
The longer Saeorin let her thoughts wander, the more the atmosphere grew tense and suffocating.
Her haughty demeanor and icy aura painted her as a noble, untouchable figure. Even her hesitation seemed deliberate, as if she were deciding which part of the man to cut first.
‘He never showed mercy…’
In her memories, the swordsman she emulated never spared those who tried to kill him. He left no potential threats alive, no matter how small. Should I do the same?
Life in the wilderness was cheap, after all.
But this man wasn’t a Reincarnator. I didn’t want to kill him.
Having made up her mind, I drew my sword.
Shrring—
The White Dragon Sword slid out effortlessly, its pristine white blade streaked with a vivid crimson line.
The form of a white dragon shimmered faintly as it reacted to my mana, mixing with a menacing red glow.
Whoosh!
With a casual swing, the blade sliced cleanly across the man’s wrist. His severed hand fell to the ground with a dull thud.
Yet no blood poured from the wound. Through the hand still gripping his throat, I channeled mana into his body, altering the Whirlpool Splitting Technique. Instead of rupturing his internal pathways, the mana surged through his arm, constricting the blood vessels and halting the bleeding.
I spared his life, taking only his right hand. By my reasoning, it was a merciful decision.
But others saw it differently.
To them, it was brutal. A swordsman robbed of his hand was no longer a swordsman. In the wilderness, that was as good as a death sentence. This moment solidified the impression of Saeorin as a terrifying figure, despite her small frame.
“Holy…”
“S-Saeorin…”
Even Theo and Flora couldn’t hide their shock. The cold, ruthless persona Saeorin had just displayed was so far removed from her usual self that they might have mistaken her for someone else entirely if they hadn’t known her.
“What are you standing around for? Make them the same,” I said, my tone laced with authority.
It took them a moment to process my words. Realizing I was addressing them, Theo and Flora exchanged glances before drawing their swords.
Slash—
The remaining men, now disarmed in the most literal sense, couldn’t even scream properly. They clutched their mouths and the stumps where their arms had been, choking back ragged breaths. The metallic scent of blood wafted through the chilly night air, spreading across the camp.
Each of them had received their punishment. As I briefly debated whether to let them go, my gaze fell on the leader’s sword.
In the wilderness, resources of any kind were precious. Not taking the spoils of a fight would only invite suspicion.
I looked down at the man and spoke coldly.
“If you want to live, hand over everything you’ve got.”
The man didn’t dare refuse. Clutching his severed wrist, he staggered back to his tent, returning moments later with a large bag.
By dawn, the five disarmed swordsmen were driven out of the camp, their severed limbs marking them as easy prey.
Sure enough, shadows trailed after them. It wasn’t long before five corpses were left to rot on the barren plains.
“This is useless… and so is this…”
My interest lay in the swords the men had left behind. My small hands fidgeted as I picked up and examined each blade, searching for anything of note. Any clue, no matter how small, could be valuable.
I delved into the memories imprinted on the swords. But none of them contained anything useful.
The blades had passed through too many hands, and the fragmented memories they carried were faint and meaningless.
“Table manners? Beard trimming techniques…?”
Each sword’s memories reflected the life of its wielder. For blades used over a long period by the same person, those memories were often significant. But for these swords, frequently traded or new, the memories were trivial at best.
Frustrated, I tossed the five swords into the tent.
Theo, sipping hot milk, watched me with an amused expression. The cold, ruthless aura I’d displayed earlier was gone, replaced by a pout that made me look more like a sulky child.
‘Adorable…’
To Theo, this side of Saeorin was endlessly endearing.
Step, step.
Light footsteps drew both my and Theo’s attention. Flora approached, lightly shaking a small leather pouch in her hand.
“I sold everything.”
“They actually bought that stuff?”
“Of course. I didn’t get much for it, though…”
Flora had just returned from selling the bag of spoils they had taken. It didn’t matter that the items were clearly stolen; trading stolen goods was commonplace in the wilderness. No one batted an eye.
She naturally settled next to Saeorin, much to Theo’s barely concealed envy. Though Theo had grown much closer to Saeorin, Flora remained the only one allowed to sit close. Whenever Theo tried to move nearer, Saeorin would subtly shift away.
“I heard something on my way back,” Flora said. “Lately, Reincarnators have been heading west. It’s not confirmed, but there’s another rumor—‘The Blade Emperor’ has made an appearance.”
The name caught everyone’s attention. For members of Azure Wings, The Blade Emperor was a title they couldn’t possibly forget.
His real name was unknown, but the title came from his ability to control ten thousand swords and command ten thousand soldiers.
He was a Reincarnator who had emerged from obscurity, avoiding Azure Wings’ gaze while steadily regaining the power he had once wielded.
The rumors about him were endless, but no one had actually encountered him. Still, his existence was undeniable. Even the commander of Azure Wings was pursuing him.
“Where was The Blade Emperor seen?” Saeorin asked.
“Coincidentally, also in the west.”
“What’s in the west, anyway?” Theo chimed in.
No one had an answer. They all wondered the same thing: what was drawing the Reincarnators to the west?
After a moment of silence, Saeorin made a decision.
“For now, let’s head west.”
Flora and Theo nodded. Their destination was set.
The next morning, after finishing breakfast, the trio prepared to leave. Saeorin’s gaze lingered on a large horse nearby.
Traveling the wilderness on foot was a dangerous gamble; having a horse could drastically increase the chances of survival.
Unfortunately, they had no horses. Before entering the wilderness, they had returned their borrowed mounts to the relay station.
Buying new ones wasn’t an option, as the value of horses in the wilderness skyrocketed.
A well-trained steed could cost several times, even dozens of times, its usual price.
“Let’s go, Rin,” Theo said, calling Saeorin by her alias.
As members of Azure Wings, they couldn’t use their real names during this mission. Instead, they adopted simple aliases: Rin, Lora, and Tess.
The names were common enough to avoid drawing attention, yet distinctive enough to prevent confusion.
The vast wilderness stretched out before them, thick with an oppressive air of death. Even wild animals were nowhere to be seen. On this barren land, devoid of grass or life, finding anything alive was a rarity.
“This place is the worst,” Flora muttered.
“The air’s so heavy… It feels like it’s ruining my skin,” she added with a pout.
“All of this is because of the Reincarnators. If they didn’t exist…” Theo grumbled.
The three of them chatted freely as they walked. The barren expanse was so empty that they were confident no one else was around.
As the sun set and the moon rose high into the night sky, Saeorin found herself gazing upward, unable to look away.
“Saeorin?”
“Yeah?”
“Why are you staring at the sky?”
“I don’t know.”
Answering Flora’s question, Saeorin tilted her head in confusion. She didn’t understand it herself. Whenever she regained her senses, her eyes were always locked on the moon above.
It was a massive, radiant full moon.
Suddenly, Saeorin felt a faint vibration through the ground. It wasn’t the sound of footsteps—it was faster, heavier, and rhythmic. In that instant, she realized the source of her strange feeling.
Excitement.
Her heart pounded violently, her blood coursing rapidly through her veins. Her pupils constricted as her field of vision expanded. Every nerve in her body sharpened.
‘What is this?’
Before she knew it, her hand had drawn a sword. Not the White Dragon Sword—the Moonlight Sword rested firmly in her grip.
She felt intoxicated, as though drunk on the sensation. Even the breeze brushing against her skin felt exhilarating.
“They’re heading toward us, aren’t they?”
“They’re on horseback… and they don’t look like they have good intentions,” Theo said grimly.
Flora and Theo had also noticed the approaching group. From the faint outline of the ridge, they could see dust clouds rising as shadows advanced rapidly.
A group of riders was heading straight for them.
Before anyone could react, Saeorin suddenly darted forward.
Her movement was bizarre. She wasn’t simply running—her body was low to the ground, moving like a four-legged beast.
“What’s wrong with her?!”
“Let’s go! Follow her!”
Theo and Flora shouted in alarm and hurried after her, trying to catch up.