Emperor of Steel [EN]: Chapter 87

2. The Activated Trap

1

Shu-gak!

Gregory’s sword sliced through the air with lightning speed.

Luke hastily deployed a defensive spell, but it was completely ineffective.

It wasn’t that Gregory’s hyper aura [a powerful energy field] had shattered his magic defense.

The attack hadn’t been aimed at him.

The one struck by Gregory’s sword was none other than Nanas.

“Wh-Why…?”

Nanas, her throat slashed, staggered, clutching at the wound with both hands before collapsing to the floor.

The Undying Legionnaires stared at Grand Duke Gregory, their faces etched with disbelief.

Why would the man who claimed his duty was to vanquish evil strike down Nanas, who had revealed the truth, instead of Luke, who had mastered the dark magic of the Demon King Seymon?

The question was answered when Gregory spoke again.

“If it were the old me, that sword strike would have been aimed at you, Marquis Luke.”

“…Have you changed your mind?”

At Luke’s question, Gregory shook his head after dispelling his magic.

“No, my conviction to eradicate evil remains unchanged. I have simply come to realize that you are not tainted by evil.”

After the civil war in the Holy Empire, Grand Duke Gregory had investigated Luke’s character.

He couldn’t accept it simply because he was a descendant of Rakan or because Reina had feelings for him.

“You fought for the weak and the poor. You waged a territorial war against Count Monarch for the sake of oppressed refugees, and you protected the unfairly treated fairies. Moreover, you saved our Holy Empire from the brink of civil war.”

“That was…”

“Was it possible because of the power of dark magic? His Holiness the Pope was right. You abandoned the pride of a hero’s descendant for the sake of the weak. And even while embracing darkness, you did not succumb to evil but instead cultivated justice.”

Unlike Luke, Nanas had resorted to blackmailing others with their secrets and sought to fulfill her own ambitions.

It was clear which side was evil.

“That is why I struck down that fairy woman. Because I judged it to be the right thing to do.”

“A commendable judgment.”

Luke, with a faint smile, expressed his gratitude to Gregory.

However, he had no intention of stopping there.

Just as Gregory had revealed his convictions, he felt he should do the same.

“I am grateful for your trust. However, I am not as righteous a man as you believe, Your Grace.”

“Not righteous?”

“That’s right. I have things I hide from my vassals, even from Reina. I have resorted to underhanded tactics to achieve my goals. I have even acted knowing that my actions would cause the deaths of countless people.”

The Undying Legionnaires, who had seemed somewhat convinced, turned their gaze back to Gregory.

They were ready to draw their swords against Luke at his command.

“The things you saw as good deeds, they were nothing special when you think about it. The territorial war, the involvement in the Holy Empire’s civil war, it was all because of Reina.”

“Is that so? Why did you come to love Her Holiness so much?”

To Gregory’s question, Luke answered honestly.

“Because she is someone who trusts me more than anyone else and understands my position.”

Her angelic beauty and the intriguing status of being a princess of a fallen kingdom were not the initial focus of his interest.

He was interested because she resembled Katarina, but if that was all, he wouldn’t have been so drawn to Reina.

Reina had trusted his position as someone who had mastered dark magic.

Moreover, she had even understood his actions during his time as Seymon after reading his old diary.

“How could I not love such a person?”

“Indeed, your feelings for one person have brought you this far. But…”

Gregory, showing a hint of something lacking, asked again.

“Is that all? Do you have no other convictions?”

To that, Luke answered without hesitation.

“I want to create a world where people can live like people.”

“You mean the world is not like that now?”

At Gregory’s question, Luke’s eyes shone intensely as he spoke.

“There are many beasts wearing human skin. Don’t you think so, Your Grace?”

“…”

Gregory agreed with the question in silence.

Until recently, the Holy Empire was overrun with priests who craved wealth and power, selling God for their own gain.

They were not worthy of being called priests.

They even committed acts that were beneath human decency. Those beasts had not yet been completely purged.

“Creating the world you speak of will be more difficult than you think.”

“I don’t believe I can change the whole world alone. But if I can show the possibility, wouldn’t more people have hope and take action?”

“Even if it means risking being branded with infamy?”

“I am fully prepared for that.”

Grand Duke Gregory stared at Luke, who did not avert his gaze, for a long time.

A strong, clear, and distinct gaze.

He could not see him as someone tainted by evil. He was like a bright star shining in the dark night sky.

“All of you, lower your swords.”

“Your Grace?”

“This man has no evil intentions. He simply has a unique conviction.”

“But, this man admitted himself that he has caused the deaths of countless people!”

The oldest of the eleven Undying Legionnaires stepped forward to protest.

However, he was left speechless by Gregory’s next words.

“Have we not also caused the deaths of countless people in the name of God’s will?”

Until now, the Holy Empire had waged numerous wars in the name of holy wars.

But were all those wars truly holy, as their name suggested?

“Th-That is…”

“Looking back, many innocent people died and were injured in those holy wars. Yet, we justified our actions in the name of God’s will. Can that truly be considered right? Can it truly be called God’s will?”

Luke was as surprised as the bewildered Undying Legionnaires.

His first impression of Gregory was that he was no different from the old, rigid Rakan.

But now, Gregory’s thoughts were very different from back then.

“Marquis Luke is aware of his own faults and problems. That is why he has not been tainted by evil, even after wielding the power of darkness.”

“I don’t understand. I am too foolish to comprehend Your Grace’s words.”

“That is understandable. I was the same way before.”

Gregory nodded in understanding at his subordinate’s lament.

After his first confrontation with Luke, he had repeatedly pondered and strived to understand what was right and what was wrong, as he had promised Reina.

He reread the scriptures he had already memorized, had more conversations with people than before, and listened to their stories.

The person he had talked to the most recently was Priest Luther.

As the head of the Holy Assembly, Priest Luther, who had been at the forefront of helping the poor, knew the injustices of reality and the problems of society better than anyone.

Thanks to the various stories he had heard from him, Gregory was able to break free from the mindset that was bound by faith and swordsmanship.

Gregory turned his gaze back to Luke and said,

“Marquis, show us that you are not tainted by evil.”

“Understood.”

Unlike Luke, who answered confidently, Hwangbo-sung and Angri’s group wondered how he would show it.

It was not as if they could perform good deeds or show their faith in this place.

But Luke knew a very simple method.

Sreureung!

Luke drew his sword.

His sword seemed to shine brightly, and soon a powerful golden aura of light blazed intensely.

“G-Gold Sword!”

“It’s the same as His Grace!”

The Undying Legionnaires were well aware that Gregory’s swordsmanship was influenced by Rakan’s Gold Sword [a legendary sword technique].

Since the Gold Sword’s origin was connected to the Holy Sword of the Holy Empire, Rakan’s swordsmanship was excellent in its ability to subdue demons and destroy evil.

However, the fact that Luke, who had mastered dark magic, was displaying a golden aura with the power to subdue demons and destroy evil, which was the opposite of dark magic, was a huge shock.

“Can you believe it now?”

“Hmm…”

“Dark magic is not inherently bad. Just as poison can be used as medicine, dark magic can also be used to save people.”

Hwangbo-sung, who had actually been saved by dark magic, respectfully bowed to Luke when he looked at him.

The Undying Legion did not know what had happened between the two, but they were convinced by the Gold Sword alone.

Above all, their idol, Grand Duke Gregory, had acknowledged him.

Watching them slowly lower their swords, Luke inwardly sighed in relief.

He had expected a fierce battle with the rigid holy knights, but fortunately, the situation had been resolved easily.

However, the situation was not completely over yet.

“How unexpected. I thought two lions would be fighting each other.”

“Who is it?”

A fairy woman appeared, speaking as she revealed herself.

To Luke’s question, she replied with a cold smile.

“I am the ‘real’ Nanas.”

2

“You’re the real one?”

At Luke’s question, Nanas nodded.

“Yes, the person Grand Duke Gregory killed was a subordinate mage who looked similar to me.”

This was the first time Luke and Gregory had seen Nanas.

Therefore, they had no way of knowing her face, and they had not had enough time to conduct a proper investigation.

That was why they had not realized when the fake had appeared.

Of course, even if they had investigated beforehand, it would have been difficult to find out, given the closed nature of the fairy society.

“You foolish woman. You should have just stayed hidden.”

One of the Undying Legionnaires scoffed and drew his sword.

However, Luke stepped forward and stopped him.

“What are you doing, Marquis?”

“I want to show you that you’re doing something pointless.”

“What do you mean? Then, could it be…?”

“Yes, that’s a magic-created illusion. The real person is probably hiding somewhere, watching us.”

As if to prove his words, Luke shot a Fire Arrow spell at Nanas.

The magical fire arrow passed through, and at the same time, Nanas’s illusion rippled like the surface of water.

The Undying Legionnaire frowned at the sight.

“Such cunning…”

“Hmph, if it’s about cunning, is there any race that can match you humans?”

Luke retorted at Nanas’s sarcasm.

“It was you fairies who taught us to be so cunning. Especially magic and knowledge, the fairies passed it down, didn’t they?”

“Kuh, you’re right. It was a great mistake by our ancestors.”

Nanas, whose expression had briefly twisted at Luke’s rebuttal, smiled sinisterly.

“But there was something our ancestors didn’t teach you. And that is right beneath your feet.”

Tak!

After finishing her words, Nanas lightly snapped her fingers.

Then, the glass floor of the hall cracked, and the building began to shake violently as if an earthquake had struck.

Urrrrrrung!

“Wh-What is it?”

“Are they planning to bury us with the building?”

Everyone hurriedly tried to escape from the building.

However, as if they were blocked by some kind of barrier, their bodies could not leave the building.

“Th-This is!”

Wajangchangchang—! Walleureureureu!

While everyone was panicking, the glass shattered all at once, and the building collapsed.

Even in that urgent situation, Luke noticed that some of the building’s debris was not falling directly to the ground but was combining with other debris in mid-air, transforming into a specific shape.

‘Could this be…?’

There were trap-type magic circles.

When a target approached, the magic materials scattered around would move to pre-set locations, completing the magic circle and activating the magic.

‘But looking at the shape being constructed now, it’s far from a magic circle.’

It was like a giant cage made of glass and steel frames, or rather, a birdcage.

When the shape was completed, Luke’s group and Gregory and the Undying Legionnaires, who had been floundering in mid-air, landed on the floor.

Although the height was about 10 meters, there was no one among them who was weak enough to die from that height.

Cheocheocheocheok!

Hundreds of fairy warriors, led by High Rune, appeared as if they had been waiting, and aimed their bows and crossbows at the cage.

In their center stood Nanas.

This time, it was not a stand-in or an illusion, but the real one.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Grand Duke Gregory glared at the fairies with a cold gaze.

The fairies, meeting his gaze, involuntarily took a step back.

The only one who was not intimidated by the terrifying force of the Sword Sage was Nanas.

“It’s as you see. Marquis Luke and Grand Duke Gregory, you two will have to become our hostages. That way, the spoiled princess who calls herself the Pope will listen to us.”

“You’re going to hold us captive? Do you think you can do that with this cage?”

Gregory found Nanas to be utterly ridiculous.

Although they had fallen into the fairies’ trap, he judged that a cage with a magic circle or barrier would not be able to stop him.

“I’ll destroy this crude trap with a single strike!”

He raised his voice in anger and drew his sword as fast as lightning, striking down on the bars made of glass and metal.

The hyper aura of the Sword Sage, which could cut through anything.

With that power, the bars would be shattered in one blow, and the nearby fairies would be turned into a pile of flesh.

Luke’s group and the Undying Legionnaires believed this and showed no sign of anxiety or doubt.

Kkaang—!

With a loud clang, Grand Duke Gregory’s sword, imbued with hyper aura, was repelled.

“No way…?!”

The surprised Grand Duke struck his sword repeatedly, but the result was the same as the first time.

He could not even make a small scratch on the bars, and the hyper aura, which he had unleashed with all his might, disappeared as soon as he struck.

Nanas, seeing this, smiled wryly as if she had expected it.

Luke’s group and the Undying Legionnaires could not hide their bewilderment.

“Your Grace, what on earth is going on?”

At the question of a young Undying Legionnaire, Gregory looked at the hand that had held the sword and clenched it tightly.

His fist was trembling, unable to exert any proper force.

It felt as if he had fought a powerful enemy and was exhausted.

“My power… the aura has been sucked away.”

“What? What do you mean?”

Unable to understand, several Undying Legionnaires drew their swords and struck the bars.

They also failed to break the bars.

The aura covering their swords was cleanly absorbed somewhere the moment it touched the bars.

‘Could it be dark magic?’

Luke, who had been watching from behind, carefully examined the bars, wondering if they might be related to dark magic. Judging by how they absorbed aura, he thought they might be similar to the Black Bind he used. However, no matter how closely he looked, he couldn’t find any traces of dark magic. “You wench! What kind of sorcery are you using?” “Sorcery? This is merely a natural phenomenon,” Nanas sneered at the outburst of one of the Undying Legionnaires. “Water flowing from the mountains goes to the sea. The wind also blows in a certain direction depending on the season. Then, what about forces like mana, aura, or divine power?” “What, what are you saying?” Among those trapped in the bars, only Luke understood Nanas’s explanation. Old documents he had seen while researching the essence of magic in the past. Those documents, discovered in ancient ruins, contained information about the aether [the fundamental substance believed to fill the universe], the root of all power, along with the ‘theory of circulation’. Just as a river flows into the sea, and that water evaporates again to rain on the land, so too does the aether that fills the world. “You all know that there are mana fields in various parts of the continent, right?” “Of course…” “If a mana field is a place where mana gathers like a lake, then the place where you are standing now is like a vortex that swallows everything.” “A vortex?” “Just as water swirls and drains somewhere, so too do mana, aura, and divine power. Not only that, but your life force is also being depleted. Though it may not be noticeable yet.” The Dark Forest was a vortex that sucked in aether and life force. Into that vortex, Nanas had constructed a kind of structure that had been secretly passed down since the Avalon Empire. That structure served to amplify and enhance the power of the vortex. Because of that, over 100 elves died during the process of setting up the trap here. Those who survived were in such a state of severe exhaustion that they were barely clinging to life. “It absorbs everything? Then is this a cursed land?” Nanas shook her head at Gregory’s question. “It’s not cursed, it was made that way from the beginning. The gods you of the Holy Empire love so much made it that way. They made everything in this world circulate instead of being eternal.” Born, growing, and then dying when old, the corpse becomes fertilizer to sprout new life. And the life that sprouts and bears fruit feeds another life. As Nanas said, everything was circulating. ‘That’s right. Mana, or rather, aether, also circulates. This place is the final destination and the new starting point of aether.’ Luke roughly grasped the principle. But knowing it didn’t help him escape the current situation. Because he couldn’t use magic or aura. “I, I’ll use a teleport scroll…” One of Hydra’s assassins tore a teleport scroll he had received from Luke. However, the scroll only flashed briefly, and the teleport magic did not activate. The scroll’s magic was absorbed into the barrier the moment it tried to activate. “The scroll doesn’t work either!” “My Lord, what should we do?” Angri and the assassins lamented, and Luke spoke in a calm voice. “Don’t panic. If you are elite assassins, respond calmly.” He pretended to be calm on the outside, but Luke was frantically racking his brain. Just before the assassin tore the teleport scroll, he had tried to take out Gigant from the subspace of his magic bracelet. If aura or magic didn’t work, he had planned to break the bars with physical force. But the subspace didn’t open. Like the scroll, the ancient artifact was also unusable. ‘Is there no way?’ He couldn’t recklessly use his own power. Otherwise, he would end up like the exhausted Gregory or the Undying Legionnaires. ‘First, I need to buy time somehow. I need to buy time and look for a way to escape…’ However, Nanas was reading Luke’s thoughts. This was the second time she had used this trap. Having experienced killing Kamarov and Gawain in the past, she knew well what kind of psychology those trapped in the trap had and what actions they would take. “Marquis Luke, and Grand Duke Gregory. I won’t kill you two. Instead, I’ll make it easier to keep you as hostages.” Nanas, with an evil smile, raised her hand and then lowered it. At that signal, the elven warriors simultaneously shot their bows and fired their crossbows. 3 Whoosh— Shhh! “Those bastards!” Luke hastily deployed a shield spell. But the magic disappeared as soon as it was activated, and his magic was sucked into the barrier. ‘Ugh, to this extent!’ Luke felt a considerable sense of exhaustion for a brief moment due to the suction. He could understand why Grand Duke Gregory had looked exhausted after just a few sword swings. This phenomenon occurred not only to Luke but to everyone. Naturally, they couldn’t block the dozens of arrows flying through the bars at all. “Kuaaak!” “Keek!” “Kuh! Be careful, my lord!” Several assassins and Undying Legionnaires were hit by arrows and died. Fortunately, Luke was safe thanks to Hwangbo Sung blocking the arrows with his arm. Gregory was also able to get away with just a hit on his shoulder, thanks to his subordinate shielding him. “My Lord, they’re about to shoot again!” At Angri’s urgent voice, Luke quickly gave an order. “Use the corpses as shields!” At those words, the assassins quickly made a wall out of the corpses, and the Undying Legionnaires, who were in no position to be picky, also relied on their dead comrades. Seeing this, Nanas sneered. “As expected, you’d resort to that. But can you last long with those lumps of meat?” As Nanas said, aura flickered from the elven warriors who were about to fire their second volley. Instead of coating the arrows with aura, they were using aura to pull the bowstrings more strongly. Naturally, the power was bound to be stronger. Shhh! Thwack! “Kuaaak!” “Aaaak!” Another half dozen assassins and Undying Legionnaires fell as arrows pierced through the shield. “Damn it, you cursed bastards!” The enraged assassins threw daggers at the elven warriors. But since their power was being absorbed by the barrier, they didn’t fly far and fell to the ground. “How can this be! Is there really no way out!” The Undying Legionnaires slammed their swords into the ground, expressing their frustration. They couldn’t believe the reality that they had to die helplessly in this vile trap. ‘What should I do? Should I draw on my last bit of strength?’ Luke was inwardly conflicted. He had another power besides magic and swordsmanship. If he drew on that power, he thought he could somehow hold out. But it was a gamble. If he failed to escape even after using that power, he would end up as Nanas’s hostage. ‘Damn it! If I had known this would happen, I would have brought more subordinates!’ He couldn’t help but resent himself for being so careless, thinking that he could easily wipe out the elves alone with his strengthened power. Seeing Luke’s regretful expression, Nanas gave a sly smile. “Hoh ho ho. It’s time to finish this. Everyone, attack all at once…” Just as she was about to give the order, a large flame suddenly erupted from behind. ‘I have to stop Elder Nanas!’ Erewyn, who had gone to meet Brat and heard the news that Nanas was setting up a trap in the Dark Forest, ran with all her might. She had guessed who her trap was targeting. Finally arriving at the Dark Forest, she saw Luke and his group in danger and immediately activated an attack spell. “Fire Wall!” The flames, activated with 7th circle magic, erupted from under the elven warriors’ feet, causing an explosion. Kwaaaang—! “Kuaaaaak!” Over a dozen warriors caught in the explosion screamed and fell down. “Wh, what is it?” “Who is it?” It wasn’t just Nanas and the elves who were surprised by the sudden situation. Luke’s group, who had been falling into despair inside the bars, also opened their eyes wide and watched the situation. “An intruder! An intruder has appeared!” “Quickly search the surroundings!” High Rune and the elven warriors frantically looked around, trying to find the intruder. However, they couldn’t find Erewyn, who had cast an invisibility spell immediately after using the Fire Wall spell. Shortly after, she appeared right in front of Elder Nanas. Srrr! Erewyn, who had released her invisibility spell, revealed herself and pointed her staff at Nanas’s heart. “Y, you are…!” “It’s been a while, Elder Nanas.” Nanas’s face hardened at the appearance of the unexpected person. Conversely, Luke smiled brightly. He never thought he would be so happy to see Erewyn. That was how precarious the situation was for him and his group. “Everyone, put down your weapons. Otherwise, Nanas’s life will be in danger.” At Erewyn’s cold warning, Nanas gritted her teeth. “Erewyn Lesa, are you finally going to abandon the fate of the elves?” “No, I’m trying to stop you so that I don’t abandon it.” She retorted to Nanas and once again warned the elven warriors who were still holding their weapons. “I said put down your weapons. Do you really want to see Elder Nanas die? Put down your weapons and release them!” Pzzzt! A clear spark flew from Erewyn’s staff. It looked as if a powerful electric shock would burst out at any moment and pierce Nanas’s chest. Nanas gave an order to High Rune and the elven warriors who were hesitating about what to do. “Never mind me, shoot them.” “Elder Nanas, you really…” “I can give up my life, but I cannot give up the revival of Avalon.” Erewyn shuddered at Nanas’s stubbornness. She knew that her will to revive the ancient magic empire had turned into madness, but she didn’t know she was this crazy. “What are you doing not shooting! Shoot them now!” At Nanas’s shout, some of the elven warriors once again aimed their bows at the bars and pulled their bowstrings. “No!” Erewyn hurriedly turned her staff and cast a spell. Kwarurung! The powerful electric shock that burst from the staff shattered all the arrows that were flying towards the bars. Thanks to that, Luke’s group was able to overcome the crisis, but Erewyn had lost sight of Nanas. “Be careful, Erewyn!” Thwack! Before Luke’s shout, the ice lance that Nanas had thrown reached Erewyn first. “Kuh!” Nanas raised her hand again to launch a magic attack on her, who was staggering with a pierced shoulder. “You’re weak, Erewyn. Do you think you can stop me with that kind of mindset?” Kwaang—! The Titan Fist magic that flew as soon as Nanas lowered her hand struck Erewyn’s frail body. Erewyn, who had hastily squeezed out her magic power, deployed a shield spell, but she couldn’t completely block the Titan Fist, which had the power to break even Gigant. Erewyn, pushed back by the impact, rolled near the bars. “Ugh… cough, cough!” “Erewyn!” Luke looked at her with pity as she struggled to get up. Erewyn, who was coughing up blood, gave a faint smile at Luke’s gaze. “So, there are times when you look at me like that.” He, who had always shown her a cold expression. It was just pity, but for the first time, he showed her a warm emotion. “Hey, what are you trying to do? Stop it!” Luke tried to stop her, but Erewyn didn’t listen. Despite the fact that her mana circle was not normal due to the injury and the impact of the Titan Fist, she focused her magic power on her staff. And she gritted her teeth and activated the magic. “Fire Explosion!” “Everyone, get down!” Kwaaaang! As soon as Luke shouted, the group inside the bars lowered their bodies, and a blast of fire shook the bars. Erewyn, who knew that directly attacking with magic was useless, tried to break the bars with an indirect impact by detonating magic near the bars. But even after being hit by the indirect impact, the bars were still intact. Since the basic design was done by the dwarves, it was made to withstand considerable impact. If Erewyn’s condition had been normal, it might have been possible. But in the current situation, such an assumption was meaningless. “Cough, cough! I, I’m sorry. I failed…” “Erewyn! Hey, get a hold of yourself!” Erewyn, who had used up all her remaining energy in the previous magic, lost consciousness without finishing her words. Due to her injuries and the influence of the Dark Forest, Luke could feel her meager life force rapidly depleting. If left like that, she would really die. The disciple of the great sage Erenes, who was his comrade, was about to die. Pzzzt. Some of the strings that had been holding Luke’s reason in his head snapped. “Is everything lost…?” Hwangbo Sung, seeing Erewyn faint, muttered in his native language without realizing it. He had tried so hard to break the bars, but his martial arts didn’t work. So he tried to summon Mokwoo. But even that didn’t work. When an unexpected savior named Erewyn appeared, he had a glimmer of hope, but it was shattered in vain. No, it didn’t seem to be completely shattered in vain. Because Luke’s eyes were completely different.