Genius Swordsman of the Mage Empire

Chapter 10. The First Mission (3)

The sword cried out as it cut through space, and the magic responded with a roar.

The tavern's tables and chairs were smashed and scattered, and the lights shattered, sending shards of glass flying in all directions.

Yet, despite all this, the battle raged on.

Pheeing!

Enoch sprinted, narrowly dodging fireballs and ice bullets whizzing past his eyes.

To face the mages with a sword, he inevitably had to close the distance.

Wheeeiik!

Enoch's dark eyes tracked the trajectory of an ice bullet flying from an unavoidable angle.

He braked his sprinting legs and slid to a halt, simultaneously kicking up a nearby table that was lying on the floor.

The projectile instantly detonated against the raised wooden tabletop in front of Enoch.

The resulting shock shattered the wooden fragments, tearing at the skin of his forearm.

But it was just a graze. Enoch fiercely kicked the table, which he had used as cover, at the mage in front of him.

"Keuheok!"

Enoch quickly closed the distance to the guy who had been hit by the table and briefly lost consciousness.

Then, he swung his sword towards the line of mana extending from the magic circle that the guy was hurriedly trying to construct.

The sword tore through space with a chilling sound, severing the flow of mana.

Seugak!

"Damn it! Why isn't the magic…."

The mage cried out with a pale face at the magic block, which he didn't know how many times it was.

But even at that moment, Enoch moved his sword and cut off the line of mana extending from another mage who was aiming at his blind spot from the side.

Chaang!

The magic circle, having lost its power source, shattered into shining mana crystals and was canceled.

The mages who were trying to cast the magic immediately lost control of their mana and staggered greatly from the recoil.

"What is it, what did you do!"

One of the mages, unable to bear it, burst into a shout filled with anger and bewilderment.

But Enoch, instead of answering, swung his sword, cutting off the mana lines and moving quickly without stopping.

But even though he was continuously cutting off the mana lines, it was virtually impossible to perfectly dodge all the magic raining down from all directions while blocking the magic of five men.

Peoeok!

Eventually, an ice bullet that he couldn't dodge grazed his side.

Although it was a glancing blow, a considerable impact struck his body. Enoch quickly rotated his body to change direction and slid back a few steps.

Not missing the opportunity, one of the enemies shouted triumphantly.

"I don't know what tricks you're using, but you're just busy dodging! In the end, you're just prey!"

Enoch's expressionless black eyes, which had been looking at him with disdain, narrowed slightly.

These dull guys still hadn't noticed.

'They don't understand at all who's being hunted.'

He would have cut them down dozens of times already to end them.

But this wasn't enough yet.

Just a little more, they just needed to put in a little more effort.

'Only then will I be able to fully grasp the feeling of manipulating mana in real combat.'

Meanwhile, the mages, who were growing pale with the terror and fatigue of being increasingly cut off from their magic, were desperately drawing up mana towards him once again, just as Enoch wanted.

Wiiiing!

Dozens of spells rained down from all directions once again.

But the flow of battle had already shifted unilaterally.

Enoch moved his body, relying on the completely changed sense of the sword from the beginning.

'It's as expected.'

The prediction that actual combat was the fastest path to growth was correct.

The faintly flickering cyan mana at first.

Before he knew it, it was clearly blooming to the point of tingeing the entire sword blade with a pale blue.

'It's definitely grown.'

I was instinctively aware.

Mana, a mirror reflecting myself.

The sensation of imbuing that mana into the sword and projecting it.

That unfamiliar sensation had now definitely become his own.

Considering the very first time, when it was difficult to maintain even with a single swing, it was an unbelievable development.

'At least, there's nothing more I can gain from this battle.'

He swallowed his satisfaction inwardly and looked at the grateful mages in front of him.

Almost all of them were panting, close to a state of mana depletion.

'Then, shall we finish this?'

Thud, thud.

Enoch slowly walked towards them, who were in an exhausted state.

"Y-you……!"

The mages at the very front instinctively raised their staffs as if trying to resist somehow.

But the next moment, his shoulder was blown away along with the staff. The sword scattered blood, leaving a cyan sword trail in the air.

"Keueok!"

He writhed in extreme pain and fell to the floor.

Enoch flicked the blood off the sword and walked across the destroyed tavern towards the mages.

"D-don't come!"

Someone cried out, but Enoch didn't stop.

The mages, who didn't even have the strength to manifest magic anymore, fell one by one under the sword without even resisting.

"You bastard!"

A distance a little too far to close.

The last remaining mage unfolded a magic circle in the form of a magic book floating in the air.

Then, as a last resort, he began to write shining characters in the air with his fingers.

Buuung!

The magic circle was quickly constructed and began to take effect.

Instantly, the tables and chairs around Enoch soared into the sky in succession.

Telekinetic magic.

Come to think of it, the biggest reason why the interior was so wrecked in the battle was because of that guy.

No wonder dishes, furniture, and everything else were flying around like crazy during the battle.

Enoch didn't hesitate to rotate the sword to his side and kicked off the ground.

Taang!

He dodged the tables and chairs flying straight at him by twisting his body to the side while running forward.

Then, using one foot as a pivot, he rotated his body and quickly swung his sword.

Pasak!

The mana surrounding the mage dissipated, and the completion of the magic circle that was trying to realize telekinesis was canceled.

The mana, which was being constructed with shining letters, scattered powerlessly.

“…!”

The mage holding the magic book tried to let out a final scream in spite, but there was nothing he could do in front of the sword that had already rushed in front of his eyes.

Kung!

The sound of the last enemy's body collapsing echoed heavily on the floorboards.

Watching the last minion fall, Enoch took a breath.

But not yet, it shouldn't be over.

The most formidable enemy still remained.

Kwaaaaaang!

As if waiting for it, the upper floor wall and table of the tavern were destroyed altogether, and a huge form rushed towards Enoch at a terrifying speed.

As soon as he sensed the sound, Enoch's body reacted immediately.

By a hair's breadth, he pulled his body back from the sudden attack.

Huuung!

What crossed right in front of Enoch's eyes was a cannonball made of rock about the size of a human torso.

The overwhelming mass of the bombardment smashed through all the tavern's equipment and pierced through the opposite wall.

As soon as Enoch saw the ridiculous power, he immediately identified what kind of magic it was.

'An elemental magic that can be acquired in the mid-14th class. Earth attribute [Artillery].'

Literally projecting a huge rock bombardment forward. Its power is top-tier among 14th class, earth attribute attack magic.

"I didn't expect a rat to crawl in while I was away for a while."

Thud, thud….

And among the thick dust rising from the wreckage in the room.

Footsteps could be heard from the direction where the rock bombardment had just flown.

“…There are rules even in the dark streets of the underworld.”

The underworld's Warehouse Keeper.

Wearing a large triangular fedora, he emerged through the thick dust in the room.

From beyond the collapsed wall, he was slowly walking towards him, flashing angry eyes.

"Once you set foot on this street, there are rules that anyone must follow."

His eyes, hidden in the shadow of the triangular fedora, were already clearly tinged with the light of mana that was beginning to construct a magic circle.

"You broke that rule."

Shhhwik!

The magic circle he had constructed rotated and activated in an instant.

A gust of wind blades swept low once.

Enoch immediately kicked off the wall and flipped his body once in the air to avoid it.

By a hair's breadth, instead of his body. The table right behind him split in half with a loud noise.

Enoch's eyes momentarily sharpened as he confirmed the magic while suspended in the air for a fleeting evasion.

'As expected, both the power and speed are stronger than the guys I've faced so far.'

In the previous confrontation with Achellon of the 15th class, he had completely dominated.

However, this Warehouse Keeper was 14th class. The highest-class magician Enoch had ever faced.

Even though it's only a difference of 1 class, the difference has a huge meaning for magicians.

The breadth and power of magic that can be learned.

Even the speed and application of casting magic.

In all those aspects, the difference in a magician's capabilities that arise from a difference of one class is quite large.

Even so, I never intended to back down.

Enoch lowered his stance, gripped his sword, and quickly approached the Warehouse Keeper, kicking through the debris.

With the "Sense of Mana" inherited from the last Sword Saint of the Empire and Enoch's excellent mobility combined. Evading simple magic with high firepower like that shouldn't be difficult.

'But the problem is….'

Pueoooong!

In an instant, the rock that was flying towards Enoch changed shape at the gesture of the Warehouse Keeper. It shattered and exploded in the air.

Numerous fragments of rock spreading out widely like shrapnel in front of his eyes greatly covered Enoch's vision.

Taak!

Enoch grabbed the bar table with one hand in the same motion as running forward, urgently braking his body.

He grabbed it and immediately jumped over it, using the tavern bar table as a temporary cover.

And a beat later.

Following the path he had moved, the terrible sounds of the rock fragments smashing the tables and bottles into pieces struck his ears in succession.

Tugagagagak!

Fortunately, the destructive power itself seemed to have decreased as it was broken into small pieces while flying. The fragments did not penetrate the bar table he was using as cover.

Beyond that, the triumphant shout of the Warehouse Keeper was heard.

"You're running away well like a rat. You must be confident in your body strengthening magic!"

Magic, huh.

Ignoring the words of the stupidly blathering Warehouse Keeper, Enoch leaned his head against the table he was hiding behind and briefly assessed the situation.

'As expected, since he's about that level, he immediately figured out how to deal with me.'

The shrapnel attack just now.

Perhaps the Warehouse Keeper also judged that it was difficult to hit him with magic and immediately tried to unleash a range attack that was easy to hit in order to counter his mobility.

'Even if I read the enemy's attack with the Sense of Mana, there is a limit to the body in evasion.'

Throbbing.

Before he knew it, the blood from the wound on Enoch's shoulder was turning the hem of his robe crimson.

As just now, it is impossible to respond to a wide and fast ranged attack that is impossible to completely avoid with mere physical ability.

But I can't just hide behind the table forever.

If I hide behind cover a little longer, it was obvious that the cover would be turned into dust again with the rock bombardment boasting its mighty destructive power.

'I need a gap to approach.'

Clang.

Enoch picked up a bottle of liquor from the shelf beyond the bar table. Enoch's cyan eyes were reflected on the glass containing the liquid in the bottle.

Hwirik!

He took advantage of a brief lull in the offensive and threw the bottle over the table.

"You're struggling!"

The Warehouse Keeper shouted and laughed as if it were ridiculous.

The intention to draw attention was obvious, and the bottle was flying in a slow arc that was not even threatening.

He didn't even have to bother with things like that.

"No way!"

The Warehouse Keeper shouted confidently and raised his magic circle.

The 14th class magic circle that would blow away Enoch's hiding cover as it was began to take on a geometric shape.

But Enoch had already kicked off the wall of the shelf and floated his body forward as it was─

Chaenggeurang!

─Swinging his sword, he cut down the bottle of liquor flying through the air.

“…!”

The glass fragments and contents from the broken bottle headed straight for the Warehouse Keeper.

The mage, who was about to deploy magic towards Enoch, paused at the sudden deluge of debris from the liquor bottle, blocking his vision.

'Damn it!'

The Warehouse Keeper realized that the activation of his magic circle had been delayed ever so slightly due to that short gap.

And during the short time his nerves were focused.

The enemy was right in front of his nose.

Wuuung!

The eerily sharp blade was aiming for his life. The Warehouse Keeper felt the hair on his body stand on end at the instinctive sense of crisis.

However, the Warehouse Keeper suppressed that momentary panic and continued to construct the magic circle.

'Even though that guy approached, it's still outside the sword's range.'

He had engaged in life-and-death battles dozens of times, even before he started his business in the underworld under the industry name of Warehouse Keeper.

Of course, he hadn't crossed the line for nothing during that time.

In fact, he had faced mages who mainly engaged in close combat so many times that he couldn't count them on his hands.

That's why he knew.

'After all, the completion of my magic circle is faster than that guy's complete approach within the sword's attack radius!'

Conversely, if the magic circle is activated as it is, that guy will be hit by the magic head-on without even being able to evade.

And the completion of this side's magic circle is faster by a very narrow margin. That means there's no point in that guy making such a last-ditch effort.

But the next moment, the Warehouse Keeper's expression was dyed with bewilderment.

Seugak!

The cyan-tinged sword blade was swung before it even reached his body.

In front of his eyes, the sword cut through the air as if dancing.

The cyan sword's cut line was engraved in space.

'Why the sword outside the range…?'

But the moment that incomprehensible attack of the sword completely split the air-

Chaang!

-The magic circle shattered in front of the Warehouse Keeper's eyes. And beyond the countless mana crystals scattering into the air.

The swordsman with cyan eyes, who had rushed right in front of him, swung a second sword strike.

"Keuheok!"

The blade that cut off the arm holding the magic circle scattered blood over the cyan trajectory.

Enoch kicked the Warehouse Keeper, who had lost his right hand, as it was. He lost his balance and stopped after rolling on the floor several times.

Stagger.

Enoch slowly approached him with his sword hanging down.

"What the hell did you do? Why isn't my magic manifesting…."

The Warehouse Keeper writhed in pain, but asked as if spitting out the words as he looked at Enoch, who had come right in front of his eyes.

Then, he muttered as if he suddenly remembered something.

“…Could it be, 「Unique Magic」?”

Unique Magic.

An act of creating unique magic with one's own talent, possible only for a very small number of magicians who have reached the realm of 10th class or higher.

If that were the case, the events of just now could also be explained.

The Warehouse Keeper glared at the sword Enoch was holding.

If the ridiculously agile movements from earlier were also because that guy was a magician of 10th class or higher who could use unique magic in the first place….

This absurd situation could also be understood.

'There's no other way, that guy is definitely a magician of 10th class or higher!'

Once a conviction was formed, it soon found another piece of evidence.

'Then that explains why he's using such a strange form of 'magic circle'!'

A barbaric weapon that would originally be stuck in a museum.

Sword.

What's more, there's no crazy person who uses magic with such a raw blade that's just a lump of iron, with no magic stone embedded in it.

But as the Warehouse Keeper learned through the battle just now. What that guy was using with that blade was something that scattered mana before the magic was activated-

'「Magic Block/Dispel」!'

One of the more well-known and relatively common types of unique magic.

It was a powerful unique magic that even he, who prided himself on having a wealth of practical experience, only knew of its existence through rumors.

'So of course, that's definitely a unique appearance of Magic Armament in the form of a sword!'

Then perhaps he is a person who far transcends the 10th class.

Unless he's a magician of a considerable class, he wouldn't be able to manifest such powerful magic without using orthodox magical tools.

Gulp.

He swallowed dry saliva, convincing himself of his own reasoning.

He didn't look like such a magician at all on the surface. Could it be that he misjudged his opponent?

The Warehouse Keeper spat out as if resigned.

“…They say there are only crazy people among the 10th class magicians. I didn't know he'd be using magic with such antiques….”

But whether he did or not, Enoch nonchalantly snapped off the pendant that was around his neck, which was crushed by the wreckage.

The man's expression twisted even more at that moment.

"N-no! That's…!"

What the Warehouse Keeper was guarding was the underworld's logistics warehouse.

And all the warehouses here were the product of specially manufactured modern magical engineering.

The difference from other logistics warehouses was the security device that was designed so that the warehouse itself would inflict great damage to the contents the moment it was forcibly destroyed or opened.

This extreme warehouse design was the reason why this wretched underworld could still survive in the outer city of Elsyde Fortress.

The 'logistics storage' business, the last resort among the businesses of the underworld magicians.

There were always plenty of people from all over the Empire who wanted to secretly store their goods, and their secret items were stored inside warehouses that were made to be opened by only one person.

And that specially crafted pendant was the key to that warehouse.

'Wasn't it said to be the essence of the magic engineering security system that utilizes a magic stone called an engraved magic stone?'

Meanwhile, the Warehouse Keeper looked at Enoch with an expression mixed with fear and hatred.

But even with the guy's eyes saying that he couldn't allow that, Enoch turned the pendant around and held it casually.

"Get stronger if you don't like it."

The Warehouse Keeper, who had received the words he had said to Enoch earlier, gritted his teeth.

But whether he did or not, Enoch slowly got up from his seat.

There were many things that he would definitely need to use in that logistics warehouse in the future.

Especially the things that are absolutely necessary to follow the 'Main Story'.

Turning his back, the man roared like a beast at Enoch.

"You've made a mistake! Do you even know who commissioned the storage of that mechanical carriage?"

He clearly remembered those who had brought the carriage to him. Those whom a lowly sewer rat of the underworld like him could not refuse the request.

The Warehouse Keeper said, clenching his teeth as much as possible.

"If they find out about this, 'Vendetta' will never leave you alone!"

Enoch paused for a moment.

-Vendetta.

A fairly powerful villain group in the game.

One of the most prominent villain forces in , consisting of fairly powerful mages.

'In the original work, the Vendettas are a pretty significant force that even affects the endings of each route.'

Of course, they must have been a force that existed even 5 years ago.

But I didn't know they were involved in this underworld.

'There was no such backstory in the game.'

This was just a side quest in the game.

Because it was highlighted as a simple mechanical carriage hijacking incident.

'Now that I think about it, there were a few strange things.'

In the Elsyde territory, the territory of the fearsome battle magic lineage.

Those who are bold enough to steal items right outside the Main House's fortress.

And those who are intelligent enough to not take the stolen church's supplies 'outside the fortress' but rather secretly entrust them to the underworld north of Elsyde Fortress.

There was only one force that met all those conditions.

The Warehouse Keeper continued in a subdued voice.

"Vendetta are far more powerful than you. You've never seen those guys, so you'll never know, but they are…!"

"Never seen them?"

At Enoch's cynical words, the man raised his head abruptly.

Above his gaze, which was lying on the floor.

The cyan eyes of the boy, hidden in the shadow of the hood, were coldly looking down at him.

"There's no one who knows them better than I do."

***

The underworld tavern underground.

Enoch went down a long way along the closed sewer hidden inside.

Then, huge warehouses made firmly below revealed an orderly appearance in the darkness.

'Even though it's 5 years ago, it hasn't changed that much.'

「The Underworld's Warehouse」

The reason why the lawless zone of the underworld persists in the shadows, and a place where all kinds of items laden with the Empire's secrets come and go.

Compared to the original, it didn't seem like that many things had changed.

'Then the way to open it and the items will be the same.'

Click. Charuru.

When he brought the pendant to the engraved pattern on the rightmost warehouse door, the magic stone crystal inside reacted by emitting light.

A shining magic circuit briefly unfolded from the door, and then the door opened with the mechanical sound of intricate gears turning in an instant.

'As expected. It's just like I saw in the game.'

Enoch slowly moved his feet inside.

The inside of the logistics warehouse was dark, but as soon as he went inside, the lights that sensed the movement turned on automatically, brightly illuminating all directions.

And there, of course, the stolen mechanical carriage was stored.

Enoch slowly turned around once and inspected it.

Functional and stylish design of the car body.

The sleek and elaborate design of the black Mechanical Horse, which gives off the unique metallic luster in the interior lighting.

He had been riding the Mechanical Horse while coming here, but seeing it up close made the same appearance as he had only seen in the game very realistic.

Of course, there were no noticeable problems like in the original work.

'I've confirmed this.'

Enoch moved his steps to the warehouses on the side.

The items that must be acquired here.

He remembers them all clearly.

Click!

First, he opened the document archive.

The thing he was looking for appeared.

A bundle of letters and documents with a wax seal without any inscriptions. Enoch put them inside his arms and took them.

'In fact, this is the most important.'

Letters with unknown senders and recipients.

And a few documents.

「A Bundle of Documents Proving the Reality of Vendetta」

Did they appear as such items in the original work?

Enoch temporarily unfolded one of them.

The densely recorded activity logs in it were confusing his eyes.

'I couldn't even browse them in-game, so I'll have to read them all.'

These are existences that are beyond comparison even if you add up all the precious metals in this place.

In the original work, it was possible to roughly grasp information about Vendetta through these bundles of documents.

That was the information he needed the most.

As Enoch Elsyde, he would have a considerable relationship with these guys in the future.

Enoch, who had gathered that up, happened to find something else stored nearby.

'What's this?'

A pocket watch made of black metal.

At first glance, it looks simple because there are no decorations, but it was impressive that the movements of the intricately moving gears inside were all visible.

And Enoch knew its identity.

“…An unexpected harvest.”

The symbol of the Vendettas and the same as their identification card, a pocket watch.

The Warehouse Keeper's words that they had stolen the mechanical carriage seemed to be true after all.

Enoch slowly grabbed the clock.

'This was never implemented as an item that the player could have?'

I've seen a magician belonging to Vendetta carrying the same pocket watch in the game, but I didn't know I'd get it so directly like this.

'For now, I'll have to recover it and think about how to use it.'

The clock itself didn't seem to have any other special abilities, but it may definitely become a necessary item in the future.

Enoch, who had packed it into his arms, suddenly saw his reflection in the mirror inside the warehouse.

Covering his face with a hood and rummaging through the valuable goods warehouse, he looked no different from a thief.

'I'm, well, the son of a Count…….'

But he couldn't stop doing things just because it didn't look cool.

Enoch gathered up the items to be recovered and got on the mechanical carriage. But as soon as he sat down, something suddenly came to his mind.

"But, how do you control this…."

Now that I've suddenly realized it, I don't know how to control this.

Enoch felt a bit of cold sweat running down his spine.

'I did everything and I can't do this?'

I'm sure there was a cutscene in the original work where the protagonist recovers this and drives it out.

Enoch first grabbed the reins hanging over the Mechanical Horse.

Then, suddenly, the headlights attached to the Mechanical Horse's eyes turned on brightly like the headlights of a car. And then, it immediately raised its front hooves into the air and began to kick vigorously.

"Ah."

I realized it instinctively at that moment.

This thing, it's started.

Enoch tried hard to calm his mind positively.

'...Well, surely driving can't be that difficult, right?'

You only need to know how to step on the accelerator and brake in a car.

Even a mechanical horse like this.

And some time later.

Kuung! Kuung!

In the night road that was beginning to deepen in earnest.

The Mechanical Carriage, which was starting to crash into the roadside here and there, headed for the Elsyde Count's huge fortress, crossing through the darkness.