Emperor of Steel [EN]: Chapter 45

7. Acquiring Treasure

1

Clang!

“Failed again this time! What on earth is the intelligence department doing?” Rudolph, the Emperor of the Baroque Empire, fumed, addressing Count Voltaire in his office. He was an absolute emperor, revered by all, yet when it came to Luke, things never seemed to go his way.

“I apologize, Your Majesty! Our investigation suggested that even with reinforcements, the monster army was unstoppable. It appears they had a great deal of luck,” Voltaire replied, citing the final battle at Akvar Fortress as an example.

According to their spies, the monsters, on the verge of capturing the fortress, had suddenly fallen into chaos for an unknown reason. Once they lost control, they were easily routed.

“It seems an unknown force intervened. Considering the number of monsters attacking the fortress was less than expected, it’s certain that someone powerful was involved.”

Rudolph pondered Voltaire’s claim for a moment, then asked, “Who do you think intervened, Count?”

“Well, in my opinion, the most likely suspect is the Volga Republic.”

“Those republicans?” Rudolph questioned.

“They are nearby and could try to detach Navarr from our empire by saving it,” Voltaire explained. The Volga Republic had more than enough motive to do so.

However, Rudolph seemed to think differently. He tapped the armrest of his chair and asked, “Is there any possibility that Luke did it? I can’t shake the feeling about that guy.”

“I also looked into it, just in case, but he was with the reinforcements at Akvar Fortress the entire time,” Voltaire responded.

“Is that so? Then it must be those Volga bastards. Those thieves are now trying to interfere with our vassal states…” Rudolph frowned slightly, then asked as if something had just occurred to him, “Oh, by the way, what’s the situation with the magic world, now that it’s split in two?”

“Yes, the existing Magic Alliance, led by the Veritas Magic Tower, and the Magic Alliance Reform Assembly, led by the ten magic towers that seceded from the Magic Alliance, are engaged in a power struggle,” Voltaire explained the situation to the Emperor in more detail.

After hearing the story, Rudolph leaned closer, a subtle expression on his face, and asked, “But, is there any solid evidence that the Veritas Magic Tower is learning black magic?”

In fact, there was substantial evidence and a witness. The Baroque Imperial Family had been receiving help from the Veritas Magic Tower, and the lich Arsen, who had been fostering the tower from behind, for generations.

Arsen’s help was also crucial in Rudolph becoming emperor. It was Arsen who had made it appear that the previous emperor, heartbroken after losing his beloved third prince, Reikart, had died of a sudden illness.

If this fact were revealed, the political damage to the imperial family and the emperor himself would be enormous, so it had to be kept a secret. However, Rudolph, feeling constrained by what had happened, hoped there might be a way to retaliate against the Veritas Magic Tower or Arsen without implicating the imperial family.

“Well, they are such insidious people, they might really be learning black magic. But even if they are, they will be hiding it thoroughly.”

“Then, how about we investigate it ourselves?” Voltaire was startled by the Emperor’s unexpected suggestion.

“We, Your Majesty?” he asked.

“Yes, I wanted to deal with those arrogant bastards anyway, and if we find evidence, we can make them kneel before us, can’t we?” Rudolph replied.

“But if we get caught, we could have a very unpleasant situation with the Veritas Magic Tower,” Voltaire cautioned. The imperial family and the Veritas Magic Tower had been in a cooperative relationship for the past 500 years. If they were to investigate their weaknesses while they were so sensitive and get caught, he was not confident he could handle the fallout.

That was how much power and hidden strength the Veritas Magic Tower possessed, which even the imperial family could not ignore. Just look at what had happened recently. Four of the ten magic towers were pushed out of the Magic Alliance after accusing the Veritas Magic Tower.

“Although the Veritas Magic Tower’s behavior is questionable, if we start unnecessary trouble, they will not stand still. It’s just a possibility, but they might even turn against the empire.”

“So, you’re saying they might side with the republicans?” Rudolph asked.

“In the worst case, yes. The magic towers are organizations that pursue their own interests, just like trading companies. If you try to undermine their very foundation, they will not remain passive,” Voltaire explained.

As Count Voltaire strongly dissuaded him, the Emperor clicked his tongue in disappointment. “Rather than that, Your Majesty, the movements of the Holy Artenia Empire are strange,” Voltaire said, changing the subject.

“The Holy Empire?” Rudolph asked.

“Yes, we confirmed that the Pope died recently. But for some reason, they are delaying the announcement of the next Pope. Considering the custom of announcing the next Pope immediately after the death of the previous one, this is very unusual,” Voltaire explained.

“Isn’t it just a delay in the decision?” Rudolph asked.

“According to our spy who infiltrated the Elcasel Order [a religious order], even the conclave [a meeting to elect a new Pope] has not been convened. It’s as if the high priests and holy knights have agreed to keep their mouths shut at some point…” Voltaire replied.

“Then, what about the likely candidates for Pope?” Rudolph inquired.

“Archbishop Constantine has been seen, but the whereabouts of Archbishop Michael are completely unknown. We suspect there may have been a conflict between the two sides or an assassination,” Voltaire answered.

“Something must have happened,” Rudolph concluded. It was a situation that was suspicious enough. If the conclave was not convened and one of the likely candidates for Pope was missing, something was definitely amiss.

In any case, the Baroque Empire could not afford to neglect monitoring the Holy Empire’s movements. The Holy Empire of Artenia was a country with a long history of over 1,000 years, and in terms of population, territory, and national power, it was the only country on the continent that could compete with the Baroque Empire.

Recently, the Volga Republic had been bothering them from the north, but in terms of national power, Volga was only one-third of the Baroque Empire. If Emperor Rudolph was prepared to suffer great losses, he could have conquered the Volga Republic at any time. However, he did not do so because it would only benefit the traditional power, the Holy Empire.

“Anyway, because of that, I would like to send more spies to the Holy Empire. What do you think?” Voltaire asked.

“Hmm, if we know the situation of their leadership, we can use it to our advantage. Okay, I approve,” Rudolph replied.

Voltaire, having received the Emperor’s approval, immediately went to the intelligence department and selected dozens of capable spies to send to the Holy Empire. After Count Voltaire left and he was alone in his office, Rudolph frowned and muttered, “Hmm, what is that old geezer doing right now?”

The old geezer was the lich Arsen. Rudolph did not think that the man, who loved the Veritas Magic Tower so much that he did not hesitate to become a cursed being, would remain still during this situation. He was sure that he was plotting something somewhere.

“We need to make a move while he is distracted by the ten magic towers,” Rudolph thought. He was aware of Arsen’s ambition. The chaos in the magic world that was happening now might have been instigated by him from behind. Once he had somewhat pacified the magic world, there was a high possibility that he would turn his attention back to the Baroque Empire. No, Rudolph thought that he would definitely do so.

“But it’s too much of a burden to make a move right now, and if I just watch, I’m worried about the future…” Rudolph pondered. When you don’t know what to do, you should ask an expert. So, the Emperor called Meishin, the head of the black magic corps that he had been secretly raising in the imperial family. He was the one who had secretly checked if Luke had a curse on his body when Luke had come to see the Emperor before.

“Did you call for me, Your Majesty!” Meishin, with a gloomy aura, wearing a black robe, entered.

“Yes, I called you because I have something to ask you,” Rudolph said. He explained the situation in detail. After listening to his story, Meishin thought for a moment and answered, “If it is difficult to directly deal with the Veritas Magic Tower, you can make them fight with another group.”

“With another group?” Rudolph asked.

“They are already fighting with those so-called reformists. You can make them fight each other,” Meishin replied.

“That’s right, there was such a way! But how do we make them fight?” Rudolph wondered. The two sides were quite hostile, but they were not at war. In such a situation, if they made a clumsy move, their identity would be revealed.

Meishin, as if he had already thought about this, answered without hesitation, “Some of my subordinates are from the ten magic towers. I will have them attack the Veritas Magic Tower’s branches.”

If the Veritas Magic Tower’s branch was attacked and burned, and the traces of magic used in the attack were from one of the hostile ten magic towers, they would naturally be furious and seek revenge. Then, war would be inevitable.

“Hahaha, that’s a very good idea. Then, I will entrust this matter to you, so do it cleanly,” Rudolph said.

Meishin sensed that this was the Emperor’s test. If he showed his skills here, he would receive more favor, and if he failed, his current position might be in danger. He answered with determination in his eyes, “I will definitely accomplish it and make Your Majesty happy.”

2

The crisis in the Duchy of Navarr, which began with the monster wave, was barely suppressed in two months. The reason why the monsters suddenly went wild at the end of the battle at Akvar Fortress was not revealed, but they succeeded in driving the monsters out to the western prairie. However, Luke could not return home immediately. He was ordered to stay in the Duchy of Navarr for a while in case the monsters invaded again.

“Hmph, I knew it,” Luke thought. He figured the Emperor must be jealous of his successful mission and had left him in the boonies. But he didn’t really care. Whether he was here or back in the Empire, he just had to serve out the rest of his military service.

The knights were the same. No, they secretly enjoyed being treated like saviors, surrounded by handsome men and beautiful women.

“Hey, Alex. Are you going out again today?” Kaper, who had returned from his afternoon training, asked his friend, who was getting ready to go out in new clothes.

“The young lady of Baron Osher asked me out on a date,” Alex replied.

“Didn’t you have a date with the young lady of Viscount Charles yesterday?” Kaper asked.

“Hah, I’m just too handsome,” Alex boasted.

Kaper made a disgusted face at his friend’s boasting and said, “Ugh! You’re going to rot to the bone.”

“Leave him alone. When else will he live like this?” Kaper turned his head, his eyes widening at Anna’s cynical voice from behind.

“What? Are you going on a date too?” Kaper was surprised to see Anna in a dress.

Anna blushed slightly at his gaze and replied, “Sir Philip said he was bored and asked me to go out with him.”

“With the instructor? Weren’t you in love with your lord?” Kaper asked.

At those words, Anna snapped back, “Hmph, I don’t like him anymore. I’m very disappointed!” She turned her head sharply, as if a cold wind was blowing, and left the building she was using as a dormitory.

“Even if he’s a womanizer, how could he sneak into the room of a twice-married widow late at night…!” She had accidentally seen Sebastian, disguised as Luke, entering Princess Magreta’s room at Akvar Fortress. She had assumed that Luke was playing around with the seductive princess and had given up on her unrequited love. Of course, this was her misunderstanding, but unfortunately, there was no one to clear it up.

“Anyway, I’m going out tonight, so take care of the house,” Alex waved his hand at his friend and left the dormitory, whistling. Kaper, who was suddenly left alone, began to wonder if he should go meet a noble lady. However, unlike the smooth-talking Alex, he was rather shy, so he soon gave up and picked up his sword. “Tch, what am I thinking? I should just train my swordsmanship more,” he muttered.

“Why are you staring at me so intently?” On his way back from meeting the Duke, Luke, who had run into Magreta in the palace garden, tilted his head as she stared at him. However, Princess Magreta was also feeling the same question. “It’s really strange,” she said.

“What’s strange?” Luke asked.

“It’s like… you’re not the Marquis I knew,” Magreta replied. While at Akvar Fortress, Magreta felt a thrill and excitement all over her body just by looking at Luke. But since returning to Avignon, that was no longer the case. Even when she looked at him, she felt no particular emotion, as if she were looking at a stone on the side of the road. No, he just seemed like a tool for her ambition, as he had when they first met.

Instead, whenever she saw the spotted cat, known as the pet that the Marquis had picked up at Akvar Fortress, her heart would strangely beat, and a sweet sigh would escape her lips. Especially when she made eye contact with that cat named Sebastian, she would feel dizzy and her underwear would get wet.

“I’m crazy! I must be really crazy!” She felt self-loathing, thinking that she was now even having lustful thoughts about a cat.

I wondered if I had accidentally inhaled some aphrodisiac during a magic experiment, but there was no logical explanation for it.

So, I even suspected that the vengeful spirits of my two husbands, who had their mana drained and died young, had cursed me.

I even frequented the temple, which I never used to do, but it had no effect at all.

Whether I felt self-loathing or anxiety about the curse, those feelings melted away whenever I saw the cat, Sebastian.

“Meow!”

Just as Sebastian strutted past with a haughty air, Magreta’s body began to heat up.

“E-excuse me.”

Magreta left Luke behind and chased after Sebastian.

However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t catch the cat, and she became furious.

“What are you all doing! Catch him right now!”

“Yes?”

“I said, catch that cat! If you let him get away, you’ll all die!”

Startled by Magreta’s shout, the maids and guards began to chase Sebastian.

However, Sebastian, who was not an ordinary cat but the self-proclaimed greatest phantom thief of the demon realm, was not easily caught.

He dodged and ran away as if he were teasing them.

‘Good grief, the princess has become addicted to Sebastian’s pheromones.’

Luke, who was watching from afar, wore a dumbfounded expression.

He had already found Magreta’s behavior strange and had asked Sebastian about the reason.

And he heard the full story.

“Master, one of my ancestors was an Incubus. So, when I feed on the emotions of human women, they sometimes experience pheromone addiction.”

How absurd that story was.

Anyway, the maids whispered behind their backs about Magreta’s obsession with Sebastian.

They were probably saying all sorts of things, like she was a pervert obsessed with a cat or a lewd woman.

Whether she knew it or not, Magreta only scolded the innocent maids and guards.

“Ugh! You still haven’t caught him?”

“P-please kill me.”

“Do you think I won’t kill you just because you say that!”

As Magreta’s frustration reached its peak, the maids were at a loss.

At that moment, a guard came running from the other side, holding a cat in his hand.

“Your Highness, I’ve caught him.”

“Really? Let me see!”

Magreta’s expression quickly changed, and she took the spotted cat that the guard had proudly caught.

After examining the cat, she frowned and threw it into the pond.

“This isn’t Sebastian!”

Meow—!

The cat, who was only guilty of resembling Sebastian, struggled in the pond before getting out.

The wronged cat was able to escape, but the guard who had caught him was at a loss, facing Magreta’s angry gaze.

“How dare you try to deceive me?”

“Y-Your Highness, I was just told to catch a cat…”

“Drag him out and behead him right now!”

“Hieeek! Please forgive me…!”

Luke was speechless as he watched the guard being dragged away.

In the Southern Continent, ‘deceiving the monarch’ was a very serious crime.

It was no different in the Lodesia Continent.

But to end the life of a diligent knight over just one cat.

‘She’s a truly terrible woman.’

Even if she was possessed by a demon, deciding life and death so arbitrarily was proof that her character was flawed.

‘Well, it’s unlikely that a witch who followed in the footsteps of the Arachne Magic Tower [a magic tower known for its dark and twisted practices] would have a proper personality.’

Anyway, seeing Magreta made Luke realize how kind Reina was.

Even though they were both princesses, Reina always tried to help the poor who were treated unfairly as much as she could. And she always treated the people around her kindly and gently.

No wonder people praised her as the Saintess of Lamer.

‘I wonder where she is now. I hope she’s safe wherever she is…’

Luke, who had a gloomy expression due to his worries about Reina, shook his head and calmed himself.

Sighing and worrying wouldn’t help the dark elves find Reina any faster.

If he had the time, he should try to become stronger.

To defeat his enemies.

“Kitty, please let me hold you just once. Huh? I’ll give you delicious food.”

While Luke was lost in thought, it seemed that Sebastian had reappeared in front of Magreta.

Magreta, who was impatient, tried to tempt Sebastian with various foods, but there was no way a demon would fall for such things.

Perhaps feeling sorry for the pathetic Magreta, Sebastian sighed and approached her, jumping into her arms.

“Ahhh…!”

Magreta’s body began to tremble as if she had malaria as she held Sebastian. Her eyes glazed over, and her face filled with joy.

– Sebastian! I have something to do, so come with me right now!

Sebastian, who received Luke’s telepathic message, escaped from Magreta’s arms and hid in the bushes.

“Aang! Kitty, don’t abandon me!”

Leaving Magreta’s sobbing voice behind, Luke left the palace.

3

Some time later, Luke stopped in a forest north of Avignon.

This secluded forest was filled with large trees, and there was a small basin inside.

Arriving at the basin, Luke turned around and said,

“Sebastian, Belpar!”

“You called, Master.”

“What is it you want us to do today?”

The two demons appeared from under the trees.

“Today, I plan to summon a demon.”

“Oh! Is my replacement coming?”

Belpar asked with a delighted expression.

He had been treated poorly while traveling with Sebastian, so he was eager for a replacement.

But, unfortunately, Luke shook his head.

“No, this time I plan to summon a stronger one. So, I want you to create a barrier so that the noise here doesn’t leak out.”

Luke had absorbed a considerable amount of mana while subjugating the monster army.

However, the mana of the monsters was of low purity, so he failed to create the sixth Black Circle [a level of magical power].

So, he planned to summon a mid-level demon or higher and take all of its abilities and demonic energy.

He was creating a barrier to prevent the Avignon Duchy army from being alarmed and rushing over due to the commotion that would occur.

“Sigh, I wish you would just make a replacement for me.”

“Stop grumbling and get to work, Belpar.”

As Sebastian and Belpar created the barrier, Luke began to draw a summoning magic circle on the ground.

Originally, the summoning of demons was random, but a stronger demon could be summoned depending on the amount of sacrifice.

To summon at least a mid-level demon, Luke sprinkled more of his spiritual blood on the magic circle.

Whoooosh!

The magic circle disappeared, and a dark subspace opened up.

But nothing came out of it.

‘What? Did it fail?’

Just as Luke was thinking that, the subspace suddenly seemed to tear open, and a demon with a snake lower body, a human female upper body, and four arms each holding a sword, popped out.

“Good heavens! That’s a Naga!”

Belpar, who was watching Luke from a distance, had a surprised expression. The Naga was very powerful, ranking among the top of the mid-level demons.

How did he know that?

Because she was the 7864th subordinate of the Vampire King Leviathan, to whom Belpar belonged.

As if she had heard him, the Naga turned her head towards Belpar.

“Oh ho ho! I haven’t seen you for a while, so you were in the middle realm. And did you just call me a ‘bitch’?”

As killing intent shot out from her eyes, Belpar was startled and immediately knelt down.

“I-I’m sorry, Naga-nim. I must have been out of my mind for a moment.”

The Naga was one of Belpar’s superiors, and her swordsmanship with four swords was quite high-level, even in the demon realm.

The swordsmanship of one arm was at the mid-level of a Sword Master [a highly skilled swordsman], so fighting the Naga felt like fighting four Sword Masters.

In addition, the Naga had the special ability to control water and poison.

Even most demons would often kneel before this attack that exploited their weaknesses.

‘Oh dear, I wanted a replacement, but a senior came!’

Belpar looked like he was about to cry.

He thought that Luke’s skills would be enough to defeat most mid-level demons.

But the Naga was different. She was an existence that even high-level demons were reluctant to face.

“For now, I’ll deal with your punishment later, but shall I see the human who summoned me?”

The Naga turned her head towards Luke. And after looking him over, she narrowed her eyes and asked.

“Ho ho, you have a pretty good soul. Why don’t you make a contract with me? If you make a contract with me, I’ll let you get everything you want. Of course, you’ll have to give me your soul in return.”

“There’s only one thing I want. And that’s you.”

“Me? Oh ho, is that your preference? Well, I’ve been starving for a long time, so I might as well have some fun…”

“Shut up and offer me your demonic energy and power!”

Luke, who was tired of listening to the Naga’s nonsense, drew his sword and began to attack.

The purple aura that emanated from his sword grazed the Naga’s neck.

If the Naga had been just a little slower to dodge, her head would have been rolling on the ground.

“You trashy human dare! I was going to play with you since you looked cute…”

The Naga, who never expected to be attacked by the summoner after coming to make a contract, exploded in anger.

The Naga, who had imbued her four swords with poisonous demonic energy, rushed at Luke like a venomous snake hunting its prey, swinging her swords fiercely.

Shwack! Thud!

Swoosh—! Clang!

It wasn’t that the surrounding rocks were shattered or that the large trees were uprooted.

However, the speed of the swords that moved like lightning and the sharp killing intent were more intense than when Luke fought Shykan.

The fight was as Belpar had expected, with the Naga having the upper hand.

The power of the swordsmanship from one arm was formidable, but the different swordsmanship from four arms made it impossible for the opponent to even come to their senses.

In addition, the Naga, whose lower body was a snake, moved quite differently from humans or other demons.

Her speed of attacking and retreating was extremely fast, and she also showed unexpected transitions and offensives.

“Ho ho ho! Why are you struggling so much? When did you say you would offer me your demonic energy and power?”

‘Crap! Swordsmanship and magic alone won’t work.’

Although he had mastered the Gold Sword [a specific sword style] and trained steadily, Luke’s current skills were only slightly above the highest level of Expert.

He was barely able to withstand the Naga because he had made up for that deficiency with white magic and black magic.

However, his goal was to catch the Naga, not to withstand her.

Luke activated the ability he had taken from the demon.

“Hap, Build Up!”

“What?”

As Luke unleashed the special ability of the Two-Demon race with a shout, his body swelled up and his muscles were strengthened.

At first, the Naga thought he was just imitating a demon.

However, she couldn’t help but be surprised when her sword, which she had struck down, bounced off Luke’s arm, which had become as hard as a rock.

He had unleashed the real power of a demon.

“T-then, could you be… !”

“Sonic Wave!”

A sonic shockwave flew towards the Naga, who was reminded of an existence that had been the object of fear among demons hundreds of years ago.

Kwaaaang!

“Kyaaak!”

The sonic wave, which was unleashed in the Build Up state, was so powerful that the Naga’s body, which had been pushed back, crashed into the large trees.

She was only able to stop after breaking several thick trees, and even then, if she hadn’t crossed her four swords to block the impact, her upper body might have been torn to shreds.

‘To think he’d use a demon’s power to steal a demon’s strength… is that guy really a descendant of Seymon?’

In reality, he was Seymon himself, but the Naga couldn’t know that, and Luke had no intention of revealing it.

Luke, closing the distance to the Naga in an instant, sharply glared at her.

‘This is, Petro Light!’

The surprised Naga hurriedly threw herself backward.

However, she was a fraction too slow, and one of her left arms began to turn to stone.

“Damn it!”

The Naga severed the arm that was petrifying.

She could regenerate the arm later, and if she left it, the petrification would spread through her body.

But just as she had saved herself, Luke launched a completely new attack.

Thud!

‘What is this? A golem made of steel?’

Appearing behind the Naga was a warrior-class Gigant Achilles. The construct, which had been quietly resting in the bracelet’s subspace after being pushed back by Kratos, was summoned by Luke.

As soon as it appeared, it swung its steel fist at the Naga.

“Kyaaaaak!”

The Gigant usually only moves when a rider is in the cockpit in its chest.

However, since the Gigant was originally based on a golem, Luke could control it sufficiently with marionette magic.

Of course, its power was weaker than when directly piloted, but it was enough for a surprise attack like this.

The heavy steel Gigant’s blow, carrying its full weight, inflicted a considerable impact on the Naga.

“Kuek! Keoeok!”

The Naga, sent flying, vomited black blood.

Belpar, who had been anxiously watching the battle with Sebastian, was delighted and clenched his fist.

At this rate, Luke might win, and the humiliation of being disciplined by his old superior might be avoided.

But the Naga was not dead yet. And she hadn’t used all of her abilities either.

“You damn human!”

“Huk! Master, dodge!”

From the Naga’s wide-open mouth, a green mist, like a dragon’s breath, spewed out.

The green mist contained a deadly poison. The grass and trees where the mist passed withered and turned black instantly.

Even the steel Achilles corroded and turned red as soon as it was touched by the poisonous mist.

Luke had already sensed the danger and dodged before hearing Belpar’s warning.

But the problem was that there weren’t many places to avoid as the Naga was spraying the poisonous mist indiscriminately.

‘Then I’ll have to escape into the air!’

Perhaps because the Naga’s poison was heavier than air, it only spread along the ground and not upwards.

Luke flew into the sky using Fly magic.

But then, the Naga jumped out of the poisonous mist and rushed towards Luke, who was floating in the air.

“You’ve been caught, you stupid human!”

The Naga grinned triumphantly and wrapped her snake-like lower body around Luke’s body. She squeezed him as if to crush him, while sucking the moisture from his body.

“I’ll turn you into a dried-up husk!”

“M-Master!”

Sebastian and Belpar, who had taken refuge in a place free of the poisonous mist, looked at the sky with pale faces.

If Luke died, they would be free, but they wondered if that terrifying Naga would leave them alone.

She would surely try to kill them, saying they were in league with the human.

‘No, if Master dies, we’re done for too!’

Having realized that, the two immediately flew into the sky and rushed at the Naga. Sebastian threw sand in the Naga’s eyes, and in that opening, Belpar stabbed his sword into the Naga’s lower body.

But they failed to save Luke with that surprise attack. Instead, they only angered the Naga.

“How dare you!”

“Hieeek! I’m sorry!”

When the Naga bared her teeth and snarled fiercely, Sebastian quickly surrendered.

But the Naga mercilessly swung her sword down. No, she was about to swing it down.

“Who told you to interfere?”

‘Huh?’

At the sudden voice, not only the two demons but also the Naga were surprised.

With a sharp tearing sound, all of the Naga’s remaining arms were severed.

Thanks to that, Sebastian survived, and the Naga’s expression twisted in shock.

The one who had appeared behind her and launched a sharp sword attack was none other than Luke.

“H-How! I’m holding you… !”

“What you’re holding is a piece of wood.”

At Luke’s words, the Naga released her lower body that was holding him. It was just a dried-up piece of wood.

“I saw through your plan. I knew you would definitely rush at me if I escaped into the air.”

He realized that the indiscriminate spraying of poisonous mist was all a setup.

So, Luke cast illusion magic on a piece of wood he had cut nearby, changed it to look like him, and sent it flying into the sky first.

And the Naga had fallen for that bait.

Luke, who had used invisibility magic and flown into the sky, was planning to exploit the Naga’s weakness. But he never expected his subordinate demons to interfere.

“Give up. You have no chance of winning now.”

“Kuek, do you think I’ll be defeated so easily!”

The Naga tried to wrap her snake-like lower body around Luke.

At that moment, Luke activated the second stage of his Build Up ability.

As his strength and speed increased more than three times that of the first stage, Luke cut off the Naga’s lower body with his sword and punched her torso, slamming her into the ground.

“Kiyaaaak!”

A terrible scream burst from the Naga’s mouth.

“Thank you for giving me a good battle experience. Now, quietly become my meal.”

Whiririk!

As soon as Luke deployed Black Bind, black tendrils that sprang from the ground wrapped around the Naga’s body.

The Naga, feeling her magic and strength being drained at a terrifying speed, struggled in fear.

“No, save me! I’ll do anything, please!”

But Luke did not listen to the Naga’s pleas.

The mid-level demon, who had been quite notorious in the demon world, became a sacrifice for Luke’s growth and met her demise.

Woo-oong!

“Finally, my black magic has reached the 6th Circle.”

Luke, having absorbed the magic and strength from the Naga, felt his Black Circle grow even stronger and smiled with satisfaction.

Not only had his black magic reached the 6th Circle, but he had also gained the Naga’s ability to control poison and water.

Poison Smog and Water Control were those abilities.

By gaining the abilities of a mid-level demon, Luke’s combat power had become even stronger.

“Congratulations, Master.”

“Congratulations!”

Sebastian and Belpar quickly approached and flattered him.

Luke, who had seen them throw themselves into danger for him, looked at the two demons with a fresh perspective.

“Oh, right, Master, this…”

“What is this?”

“It’s the sword the Naga was using.”

While Luke was assimilating the power he had obtained from the Naga, Sebastian and Belpar cleaned up the surroundings.

Then, they found the four swords that the Naga had been using and brought them to Luke.

‘The Naga’s swords…’

Luke, examining the four swords, involuntarily exclaimed.

He hadn’t noticed it during the fight, but they were amazing master swords. The four swords, each with a different shape, were flawless in every aspect. They were not only shaped for their intended use but also enchanted with magic that enhanced swordsmanship.

The names of the swords and the blacksmith who made them were engraved on the lower part of the blade.

“Iron Master Zig…”

“He’s a very famous blacksmith who was renowned in the middle realm 1000 years ago. They say he made hundreds of master swords in his lifetime.”

“I know him too.”

Luke’s brow furrowed.

The Oriharukon holy sword, ‘Valiant,’ which Rakan had used to kill him in the past, was also made by Zig.

Zig, who had learned his skills from the dwarves, was quite eccentric, and he had made not only holy swords but also demon swords with black mages.

Because of that, he had once been pursued by the Elkasel Order [a religious organization], and he had also lived in hiding in a rural village, making everyday items such as kitchen knives and sickles.

Joseph III, the Pope at the time, who regretted his talent, forgave him after hearing his confession and assigned him to make the bells of the cathedral.

“They say that even demons coveted Zig’s swords, and that was true.”

“Of course, among the demons who like swords, some even received Zig’s swords as offerings instead of souls.”

It seemed that the Naga had obtained some of the swords that had flowed into the demon world in that way.

‘Iron Feather, it looks sleek and is enchanted with lightweight magic and wind magic. Is it a sword used for quick attacks?’

In contrast, the greatsword called Dragon Tooth, which was enchanted with gravity magic, was quite heavy and had a jagged, ferocious appearance. If you were hit properly, even a Gigant would be smashed in one blow.

‘What is this? Demon Slayer? Why does a demon have something like this?’

It was a sword used to slaughter demons, as its name suggested.

It was cross-shaped, and it seemed that it was originally enchanted with light magic, but there were traces that the Naga had removed it.

‘Fortunately, it seems like I can restore it. I’ll have to take a look at it later.’

The name of the last sword was Blood Shock.

This sword, with its red blade, had a sinister aura that was almost like a demon sword. The blade was shaped like a fine saw, and it seemed to be used to inflict fatal wounds and induce massive bleeding at the same time.

Moreover, it was enchanted with black magic, Life Steal, which was a very vicious enchantment that forcibly absorbed the aura of the opponent who was stabbed by the sword.

‘If the Naga had used the full potential of these swords, I would have been the one who died.’

Luke didn’t know, but the Naga had great limitations in using the abilities of these swords because she was a demon.

In the first place, these swords were the works of human artisans, so they were made with a structure optimized for the operation of human mana and aura.

So, unless it was a demon with a human-like appearance, a half-human, half-beast demon like the Naga could not use them properly.

Still, the swords themselves were so good and looked decent, so the Naga continued to carry and use them to show off.

She probably never thought that she would pass them on as spoils of war to someone else like this.

“This Blood Shock would suit you, Belpar. You can use it.”

Luke gave one of the four swords.

“Oh! Thank you, Master!”

Belpar, who had been eyeing Blood Shock for a long time, was delighted and received the sword.

Looking at Belpar, who was so happy that he hugged the sword and rubbed his face against it, Luke added.

“The reason I gave you the sword is that I want you to become stronger. To achieve my goal, I have to fight many battles. So, you too should steadily train your swordsmanship and improve your skills so that you can be of help to me.”

“Huh? Training? I’m a lower-level demon vampire, though?”

Belpar made a sullen expression.

Demons do not train. Their power is either innate or accumulated by absorbing it from other demons.

This was the same for Belpar. He had only added swordsmanship as a combat technique to his innate abilities, but he had not trained separately.

“There’s no rule that says demons can’t train. Even insignificant humans become stronger if they train, so how much stronger would a demon become if they trained?”

“W-Well, of course, but I want to live according to my fate… No, I will work hard.”

When Luke slightly raised his eyes, Belpar quickly changed his mind.

Seeing that, Sebastian was relieved that he was not a combat specialist.

“The swordsmanship you are learning is not bad, but it would be good to learn Silver Sword if possible. Since it is said that even a bull’s horn can be pulled out at once, I will teach it to you right now. From now on, watch my movements carefully and memorize them.”

Luke meticulously taught him the Silver Sword technique.

He intended to make Belpar stronger, but he also had another intention in mind.

‘If Rakan in the grave finds out that I taught my swordsmanship to a demon, he’ll jump out of his grave, right?’

So, Luke thought that it would be really nice if he could see the expression he would make.

But since the dead cannot come back to life, it would only remain a small hope.

Whatever the reason, Luke honed his swordsmanship even more while guiding Belpar.

It was not the time to be happy just because he had defeated one mid-level demon.

To win the upcoming battles and overthrow the Baroque Imperial Family, he had to become stronger than he was now.

‘And also to defeat that guy, Arsen…’

Luke, dwelling on his old grudge, tightened his grip on the sword hilt.

In his eyes, which were following the trajectory of the sword cutting through the air, a flame that would not easily go out flickered.