My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 76

§ 76. A New Path

A heavy silence descended.

The lingering darkness and encroaching fear vanished at once.

Along with them, the monsters that had been pouring out of the darkness also disappeared.

As if they had lost their reason for existence.

They were sucked back into the darkness from which they were born.

And amidst the collapsed black robes, a pile of bones lay.

Cyan stood before that pile of bones.

“What the heck just happened…?”

Alex looked at Cyan with astonished eyes.

A hazy memory, his mind consumed by darkness.

Yet, even within that hazy memory, there was a clear image.

Cyan, cutting through the darkness and pressuring the Lich.

“Just how…?”

Alex could only stare at Cyan with trembling eyes.

The Royal Knights were no different from Alex.

They had witnessed Cyan’s battle with the Lich with their own eyes.

Moreover, it wasn’t just Cyan.

The soldiers of Ruben were holding back the monsters.

While the Royal Knights were struggling, consumed by the darkness,

the soldiers of Ruben fought against the darkness, battling the monsters.

Alex and the Royal Knights knew what would have happened if they hadn’t been there.

That’s why no one dared to speak rashly at that moment.

In that instant.

Stagger.

Cyan’s body faltered.

Cyan supported himself by planting the SS-rank sword he was holding into the ground.

“Haa…! Haa…!”

Cyan gasped for breath.

At that moment, he felt something hot on his chest.

Cyan raised a hand and touched his chest.

His hand came away covered in sticky blood.

It seemed he had taken a hit from the Lich.

“Cough…!”

His body bent over again, and blood gushed out.

As the tension released, a terrible pain swept over him.

His mind grew faint.

“Damn it…”

Cyan forcibly held onto his fading consciousness.

The battle seemed as if Cyan had overwhelmed the Lich, but that wasn’t the reality.

The Lich was a top-tier undead mage.

An evil being born from denying the death that existence should rightfully accept.

Though weaker than the Demon of Sloth, Nurubia.

A demon was still a demon.

A being that even the Royal Knights, let alone their commander Alex, couldn’t easily handle.

If Cyan hadn’t learned Kyle’s Demonic Soul Asura Sword.

And if he hadn’t mastered the Demonic Soul Control Method.

If he hadn’t been able to resist the Lich’s darkness.

Cyan would have died without even being able to resist the Lich.

“Cough…!”

Even with some training in both, he was in this state.

It was fortunate that his S-rank armor had protected him.

If it hadn’t been for the S-rank armor, he would have died long ago.

‘I need to tell Semir to reinforce the S-rank armor too.’

It seemed he would have to buy reinforcement materials when he returned to Ruben.

Ting!

[Demonic Soul Asura Sword Beginner Proficiency 45.6%(+1.5%)]

He also needed to figure out what to do about this ridiculously slow progress rate.

Cyan chuckled.

“Y-you…! Are you alright!”

Alex approached him in an instant, saying.

Cyan, supporting himself with the SS-rank sword stuck in the ground, said.

“I’m fine… Cough!”

But his physical condition was anything but.

Cyan’s body bent over greatly.

He would have fallen if Alex hadn’t caught him.

“You don’t look fine at all.”

Alex examined Cyan’s condition.

And after confirming his battered state, he shouted in surprise.

“How can you be in this condition…! W-we need to return quickly!”

Alex supported Cyan’s body.

Cyan moved with Alex’s support.

“But how can there be a devil in the Kusla Mountains…?”

Alex muttered as he moved.

Cyan wiped the blood from his mouth with his sleeve and said.

“It’s not a demon.”

“Not a demon?”

Cyan nodded once in response.

“It’s a devil.”

“A, a devil?!”

Alex shouted in great surprise.

At Alex’s cry, the other Royal Knights also showed surprised expressions.

Only the soldiers of Ruben remained unfazed.

“Not a demon but a devil! What are you talking about!”

Alex asked, as if shouting.

Judging by his expression, he didn’t seem to believe it much.

It would be hard to believe.

No, it wouldn’t be believable.

A devil that had disappeared a thousand years ago.

Even Cyan wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t met the Demon of Sloth, Nurubia.

If it hadn’t been for Leah’s testimony, he probably would have dismissed it as a demon.

But the Lich was definitely a devil.

“It’s hard to believe, but… Cough, it’s true.”

“H-how…?”

Alex still wore an expression of disbelief.

Cyan didn’t say anything else to Alex.

Because there was no way to explain it properly.

Soon, Alex opened his mouth again.

“If what you say is true, and that thing is a devil… how can a devil be here in the Kusla Mountains?”

“That’s…”

That, Cyan didn’t know either.

First of all, how the devil had been resurrected was a mystery.

And why the Lich was here in the Kusla Mountains was also a mystery.

Of course… he had a rough idea.

None other than the words the Lich had muttered.

Judging by what he said about the lords’ plans.

It seemed to be related to Nurubia.

The one the Lich called lord was the seven demon lords [powerful demonic entities ruling over different aspects of sin or chaos].

Perhaps… it was related to something Nurubia was looking for.

Nurubia had been looking for something in Ruben.

Maybe the Lich had come to the Kusla Mountains to find that something as well.

Releasing monsters to sweep through the west would fit if it was to find that something.

But what that was remained a mystery.

‘The Mobile Lord Quest doesn’t say anything either.’

None other than the story-linked quest ‘The Truth Kyle Faced’.

Even after facing the Lich following Nurubia, there was no change.

That meant the truth Kyle faced wasn’t simply the fact that a devil would be resurrected.

The reason why Kyle had to leave alone without telling his Arnaise companions.

What was the truth Kyle faced?

And what is the thing Nurubia is looking for—.

Right then.

Flinch.

Cyan’s senses detected something chilling.

A beat later, Alex also stopped moving.

His expression hardened.

Cyan and Alex slowly turned their heads.

The place they looked at.

There was the Lich’s pile of bones, stacked between black robes.

And the intensifying aura of darkness.

Clatter.

The Lich’s bones began to stir.

#

Swoosh─!

A tremendous jet-black magic power explodes around the pile of bones.

The space is filled with darkness, and a thick curtain unfolds.

Whirrrrr─!

The piles of bones soared into the air and began to clump together.

Soon, the Lich’s body began to reconstruct.

“What is that…!”

“No way!”

The soldiers and knights opened their eyes wide and shouted.

And Cyan.

Cyan clenched his sword tightly and stared at the Lich.

Flash!

Red light flashed again in his empty pupils.

【How can this be…】

The Lich muttered.

And in an instant, he forcibly straightened his faltering body.

The body doesn’t have much meaning to the Lich.

There is only one thing the Lich needs to survive as a Lich.

A Life Force Vessel [a phylactery or container holding a portion of the Lich’s soul] that has contracted with the body and soul.

As long as that is alive, this body can be reconstructed as much as possible.

The evil (惡), Lich, born from denying the death that existence should rightfully accept.

But now…

【Cough…!】

The Lich’s body shook greatly.

There was nothing to come out of the gaunt bones.

But a dark darkness was spewed out along with the pain.

At the same time, the Lich could feel the scattering darkness.

Thus, he could recognize that the link with the Life Force Vessel was being severed.

Even though there was no direct hit to the Life Force Vessel.

Now that link was slightly severed.

The Lich slowly raised his head.

There, Cyan was glaring at him, clutching his sword.

He doesn’t know why this is happening.

But one thing was certain.

That human is dangerous.

There were more than one or two suspicious things.

The Lich’s black robe dragged on the floor.

Through it, the Lich could feel an unfamiliar emotion.

The fear that the Lich felt after a really long time.

An emotion that was quite ‘similar’ to it swept over him.

The reason why he defined it as similar was simple.

Because even the Lich himself couldn’t know the fear he was feeling now.

The essence was different from simply being fear.

An unknown something that could not be recognized.

A fear that seemed to drive him insane was spreading.

That’s why the Lich didn’t try to understand this feeling he was feeling now.

【I thought it was too early…!】

But there was no choice.

He had to find a vessel for the resurrection of the lords.

And he had to find the relics that were interfering with the incarnation of those people.

It’s not just a matter of time being delayed.

If he fails here, all plans will go awry.

Although his soul will be severely damaged, he will endure it.

The Lich’s gaunt bones swept through the air.

With it, a terrible malice (惡意) bloomed.

Different from before.

Each and every cell freezes and the heart throbs.

The suppressed ferocious power.

That rampage began to run wild in all directions as it faced a terrible liberation.

A malice (惡意) that cannot be handled just by facing it.

Thud!

Cyan jumped in without hesitation.

He doesn’t know what the Lich is doing, but he can’t leave it alone.

The malice he feels now is unbearable.

Cyan clenched the SS-rank sword tightly.

At the same time, he unleashed his magic power and swung it at the Lich.

Clang─!

But the sword was blocked and a dull roar erupted.

The magic power rippling over the SS-rank sword was blocked by the barrier of darkness and could not move forward.

And in that barrier of darkness.

【To make me incarnate by force.】

The red light of the Lich’s eyes facing each other burned red.

Crack─!

Cyan’s body was thrown away along with the pain that struck his whole body.

Thud!

The body that soared into the air rolled across the floor, and a terrible pain swept over him.

The Lich’s hand swept through the air.

Soon, jet-black magic power was emitted and numerous bundles of magic power were created.

Countless darkness blooms under the sky.

And that darkness left a long afterimage and poured down like a shower.

QuacQuacQuacQuacQuacQuac!!

Ruthless violence covered the entire space where Cyan was and exploded.

Cyan hurriedly moved his body.

“Cough…!”

But his battered body didn’t listen.

The approaching bundle of darkness.

Right then.

Clang─!

Jjeong─!

Someone blocked Cyan’s path and cut down the darkness.

The place he looked up at.

There, Alex was raising his sword and cutting down the darkness pouring down on Cyan.

However, he couldn’t cut down all the darkness.

“Ugh…!”

But Alex didn’t spare his body.

He protected Cyan by taking the darkness he couldn’t cut down with his body.

“Lord!”

“Commander!”

The soldiers of Ruben and the Royal Knights rushed in.

But.

【The clarity of the moment will eventually wither in the deep darkness.】

Kieeeeeeeeeeeek─!

Endless monsters poured out along with the Lich’s incantation.

More than before.

With more madness felt.

“Damn it!”

“Everyone, fix bayonets!”

The soldiers and knights could not approach where Cyan and Alex were.

Bang! Kwakwang!

The bundles of darkness continued to pour down.

Alex cut down the darkness without sparing his body.

The terrible malice felt to the end of his skin.

certain.

That is not an existence that can be explained by the concept of demons.

A devil (惡魔).

The devil who had disappeared a thousand years ago has been resurrected.

He doesn’t know the reason or the cause.

He can’t even know.

But one thing is certain.

He had to let them know.

He must inform them of the resurrection of the devil.

This is not just a problem for the western part of the Empire, but an issue related to the entire continent.

He must inform the Crown Prince of this fact and prepare for it.

But he can’t fight against that evil (惡) right now.

He can’t get away.

So.

“Run away!”

He had to save Cyan.

Alex, cutting through the darkness, shouted to Cyan.

Alex was almost thrilled by Cyan’s martial prowess.

A being completely different from what the rumors suggested.

Especially the swordsmanship Cyan displayed was astonishing.

A martial art far beyond Alex’s reach.

‘It must be an illusion,’ Alex thought.

However, Alex could see in Cyan the potential to transcend the realm of a Master.

‘But… it’s not enough right now.’

That potential hasn’t fully blossomed yet.

It’s not enough yet.

Kwakwang!

“Keuheok… !”

Alex thought, shielding Cyan from the darkness with his body.

He must save him.

Now that the devil has been resurrected.

Perhaps… the nightmare of a thousand years ago could be replayed.

There was no need to delve into mythological stories.

The devil they were facing now was terribly awful.

An era where survival had become a cruel joke.

So, he must save him.

Even if he had to die instead.

Even if all the Royal Knights had to sacrifice themselves.

He had to save Cyan.

That is the only way to prepare for the great threat that will come.

“Right now…! Run away!”

Alex shouted, gritting his teeth.

Cyan couldn’t say anything to Alex’s words.

Because he couldn’t deny the truth of them.

It is impossible to face that lich now.

The awakened devil (惡魔) [literally: evil demon, often used to denote a powerful, malevolent entity].

Although infinitely weaker than Nurvia.

It was impossible for Cyan to confront him now.

Everyone will die if they stay here.

So, as Alex said, one of them had to run away.

Cyan couldn’t say anything, anything at all.

Alex turned his head at Cyan’s appearance.

Then he shouted to the Royal Knights.

“All Royal Knights…! Risk your lives to protect Cyan Elandur and the soldiers of Ruben!”

“Loyalty!”

The Royal Knights raised their swords.

They faced the evil (惡) without anyone running away.

Although they showed an unsightly appearance, they stood firm.

They are the Royal Knights, the Empire’s premier knight order.

All experts.

They were proud knights who guarded the imperial family.

“You have done your duty enough!”

“We’ll take it from here!”

“Run away quickly!”

The Royal Knights charged, risking death.

However.

【No will can overcome a collapsing body.】

With the incantation, the lich’s hand quickly swept through the air.

Each time the gaunt bones brushed through the air, a black light burst out.

Saaak─.

Murderous intent and malice. Despair and anger.

All negative emotions are lumped together and boil over.

“Kkyaaaaaaak!”

The Royal Knights screamed terribly.

Soon, one by one, they collapsed where they stood.

And.

“Keoheok!”

“Captain!”

Even Alex reached his limit.

Falling into despair.

【Foolish souls gathered in faint light.】

The lich laughed wildly.

“No!”

“Run away…! Run away quickly!”

“Kkyaaaaaaak!”

Taint soaks the earth,

The good faith of the sky is slowly eaten away.

Exploding darkness.

There was no end to this rough corruption.

There is only truly miserable malice.

Therefore, it is impossible to confront that evil (惡).

“Uaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”

Someone had to fight.

Jjeoeong─!

A dull roar erupted, and the boiling darkness subsided for a moment.

Looking at that place.

Cyan, who was battered, was blocking the lich.

“You!”

Alex shouted.

And.

“I will not run away!”

“I will fight to the end!”

The soldiers of Ruben stood next to the Royal Knights.

“You guys…!”

“Such fools…!”

They risked their lives to buy time.

Didn’t they come back to hell on their own?

“Are you going to make our sacrifices in vain!”

“Run away, even now!”

The Royal Knights shouted.

But.

“The Lord has not given up!”

“As long as the Lord fights, we will fight to the end!”

The soldiers of Ruben were unyielding.

Rather, they showed firm faith, risking death.

The Royal Knights were momentarily stunned by the sight.

And.

Kwarreureung!

The power felt beyond the barrier.

“Keuek…!”

Cyan’s mind flickered.

【Foolish.】

The lich’s murmur was heard.

Kwajik─!

With an eerie sound, Cyan’s body flew into the air.

Kwadangtang!

The body crashed roughly, and terrible pain swept through.

The lich raised darkness once again towards Cyan.

In the meantime, Alex intervened and blocked it.

But it’s only a short time.

Alex knew that.

“Run away quickly!”

Alex shouted to Cyan again.

And Cyan knew it too.

There is no way to confront the lich right now.

Even this action was just a meaningless struggle.

The only countermeasure he can take now is to sacrifice Alex and the Royal Knights and run away.

But Cyan couldn’t run away.

The years Cyan has lived were not very long.

He just passed adulthood.

A fleeting time for the lich who denied death.

Not a long time for the Royal Knights, including Alex over there.

However.

For Cyan, it was a lifetime.

He made a promise.

Never to abandon anyone again.

Because he knew better than anyone what the pain of being abandoned was.

So, even if this action is meaningless.

He doesn’t want to give up his whole life with this one moment of choice.

At that moment.

Saaaaa…

Cyan’s vision blurred and an illusion was reflected.

The same illusion as the one seen in the last battle with Nurvia.

As expected, a silver-haired handsome man was reflected in it.

The only existence in the history of the innocent continent.

The strongest Arnaise, Kyle.

Kyle was looking back at Cyan with his back turned.

And a path was spread between Kyle and Cyan.

It was usually a distant and faint path.

A path that seemed impossible to reach.

Somehow, it felt a little different this time.

If it’s now…

He felt like he could do it.

He felt like he could reach it.

That realm.

Cyan took a big step.

Then suddenly.

Stop.

Cyan stopped his outstretched foot.

He looked up at Kyle again.

Kyle was still looking at Cyan with his back turned, only turning his head.

The distance of the path that can be reached if stretched out.

Why?

‘This is not it.’

Cyan shook his head.

This path.

It did not mean the gap between Kyle and Cyan.

In an instant, Cyan’s consciousness expanded.

Kyle is the realm beyond Exceed, which no one in history has ever reached.

It is far beyond Cyan’s current level.

So Cyan can’t do it like Kyle.

The Mahon Sura Sword [Demonic Soul Asura Sword] that Kyle showed.

The Mahon Sura Sword that Kyle taught.

The current Cyan could not do it or show it.

Even if he stretches his foot on this path that is spread out now.

He could not reach Kyle in front of him.

So this path is…

It is not a path that Cyan can walk.

But.

He could do it in Cyan’s way.

He could do it in Cyan’s own way.

What Kyle taught Cyan was the ultimate martial art (武) [Wu – encompassing skill, technique, and philosophy of martial arts].

However.

Ultimate (窮極) does not mean perfection (完璧).

Even if it’s lacking.

Even if the talent is terrible.

In my own way.

Yes, in my own way.

There is no need to try to be perfect.

As it is now.

Cyan retrieved his outstretched foot.

And not on the path connected between Cyan and Kyle.

A little off from that.

He took a step into the empty space.

Then.

Chwaaaaa…

A distant path unfolded before Cyan’s eyes.

Even if he walks for the rest of his life.

Can he really reach the end?

I don’t know.

However, Cyan had just taken one step.

Saaaaa…

The hallucination disappears.

And between the disappearing hallucinations.

That’s the answer.

Kyle’s smile

Brushes against Cyan’s ear.

Flash!

Pitch-black darkness burst out of Cyan’s eyes.

【······!!】

The lich’s eyes widened at the sudden surge of eeriness.

Without realizing it, his head turned quickly.

Cyan was standing there.

There was nothing different.

The battered body is precarious, as if it would collapse and die if touched.

But it’s strange… it’s strange.

Something is wrong.

And it’s dangerous.

Quite, quite dangerous.

At that moment.

Kwakwakwakwa!!

Chilling darkness bloomed from Cyan’s whole body.

Darkness?

Can that really be called darkness?

That’s not darkness.

The origin of darkness.

Ma (魔) [Ma – demon, devil, or evil spirit; in this context, the primordial source of dark power].

【You, you… ! You, you…!!】

The lich could feel a clear emotion mixed with embarrassment and shock.

That’s because that power.

That power was a power that humans could never use.

In the first place, no one can handle the origin of Ma (魔)…!

At that moment.

Something came to the lich’s mind.

It was a story that was passed down like a legend among demons.

And like a ghost story.

A long time ago.

There was an existence that even the noble Seven Great Dukes could not dare to do anything about.

An existence called the nightmare of demons.

But he died.

The existence, which was only a mortal, was buried and disappeared in a distant time.

But…

【You, how can you… ! How can you…!!!】

The lich waved his hands wildly.

He offered his own soul as a sacrifice and bloomed terrible darkness.

But it disappears.

All the darkness that blooms succumbs to Cyan.

Thus, it forces all things in the world to obey.

The lich’s darkness succumbs to Cyan’s Ma (魔) and scatters.

And it pointed to one absolute fact.

He dies!

Life Force Vessel was meaningless.

That power is the absolute power over all darkness.

As much as it must be.

He dies!

【No… ! No…!!】

The lich took a step back without realizing it.

An irresistible force suppresses his whole body.

And in the meantime.

One huge slash

Cut off the lich along with the world.

.

.

.

.

Mahonsurageom (魔魂修羅劍) [Demonic Soul Asura Sword].

Form 1 (第 一式) [First Form].

Sura Cheonsal (修羅天殺) [Asura Heaven’s Slaughter].