The Legendary Spearman Returns

Despite the report that the Martial God had appeared on the outskirts of Hubalt’s capital, Count Ericaz didn’t bother to go out and search for him. It was obvious that the Martial God’s goal was the palace, and that it was common knowledge that maintaining defense was more advantageous than attacking first.

That was why Ericaz had been waiting and preparing himself in every way he could think of. To enter the capital, the Martial God would have to pass through one of the four gates around the capital, so Ericaz put extra security on them. However, Ericaz’s measures yielded an unexpected jackpot.

“I’m really not sure what you’re talking about...” Lilith eyed the knights surrounding her—and Ericaz, behind them—warily.

“Well, you were busy running away after being branded a witch, so I guess you wouldn’t know how I, a mere baron, became a count and the leader of Adran.” Ericaz’s eyes gleamed with golden light and a faint form flickered behind him.

‘He has an authority!’ Lilith cautiously reached for her sword.

After gods had been annihilated, their abilities had manifested in people of the Human Realm. Truth-seeing eyes could certainly be among them.

“Lady Sersiarin of Avalon is known for her Eyes of Truth. No flattery or lies work on her, but those with the Eyes always die young. Such is why it became known as a god’s curse,” Ericaz said.

Lilith already knew that. The only reason Sersiarin was able to overcome her tragic fate was Joshua, her cousin, who had brought her the cure for her curse.

“The original owner of the Eyes of Truth was Zephyon, the Light God—and he resides within me right now.”

Ericaz smiled crookedly.

Lilith quickly drew her sword and released her radiant aura.

“Aura Blade!” the knights exclaimed. Lilith’s Aura Blade was perfect. She used to be called Hubalt’s best genius and a swordswoman who had surmounted her limits. She even had the title of “Ghost Sword” thanks to her surreal proficiency with the sword.

“We’re facing the Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword! Don’t let your guard down and don’t hold anything back!” Ericaz shouted.

“Yes sir!”

The knights quickly got into a formation obviously constructed to kill one person. All of the knights in Hubalt were used to fighting together against one person because all of them had sparred with Bel. When no one could be his match in a one-on-one battle, Bel had fought hundreds of knights at once, much like the Martial God, eventually earning him the title of Battle God.

“I can guarantee your life if you surrender right now, considering that His Majesty takes pity on you,” Ericaz generously offered.

Goosebumps ran down Lilith’s arms. Ever since she had been a little girl, her skin crawled whenever Kurz looked at her. She’d heard about Cardinal Kurz becoming the new emperor of Hubalt, but Kurz was just an old sex maniac. He was the last man who should be sitting on the throne of the Holy Empire.

“...Bring it on—if you think you can win,” Lilith snapped.

“Arrogant wretch.” Ericaz didn’t have much hope of Lilith surrendering in the first place because if Lilith had been that weak-willed, she wouldn’t have been able to avoid her pursuers for so long. “Get her!”

More than a dozen knights unleashed their aura at once.

Two of the knights delivered the first attacks from the left and the right. Lilith simply blocked the attacks with one horizontal swing, but the knights were only getting started.

Next came attacks from four directions: from the front, a sword was aiming for Lilith’s head, while one knight went for her right shoulder and another for her left thigh; the fourth knight was coming at her from behind.

Lilith knew how their attack formation worked. It started with two attacks and was followed by four attacks. Even if Lilith successfully blocked the four attacks, they would be followed up by eight more knights eyeing her vital points. The key to this formation was confusing the target with an endless barrage of attacks. However, these knights overlooked one thing: because of the narrow space they were in, there was a limit to how many knights could attack Lilith at once.

‘Right now... it’s thirteen—no, fourteen knights at most,’ Lilith analyzed.

To the attacking knights’ surprise, Lilith parried all eight swords that were swinging at her in a jaw-droppingly quick flurry of movement.

“Don’t let her get to you! Group four, attack!” Ericaz screamed.

As Lilith had expected, fourteen of the knights attacked her from all directions. Four of them leaped high into the air and thrust their swords downward. Eight of the knights moved to slash every part of Lilith’s body as two more knights leaned close to the ground as if they were crawling and went after her legs.

‘...Absolute Zero: Falling Winter Wind.’

Lilith used her ultimate technique for the first time. The fourteen knights' eyes widened in astonishment because Lilith had suddenly driven her sword into the ground. It looked like a suicidal move. Only someone who had given up on fighting entirely would do such a thing.

“Oh, no!” Ericaz’s jaw dropped to the ground. He had to capture Lilith unscathed! If she were to be injured, Ericaz would suffer Kurz’s displeasure. Did she know? Was that why she was doing it?

“W-Wait—!”

Ericaz was about to stop the knights, but it turned out that he was worried for nothing.

An extremely cold gust of wind blew right against Ericaz’s face. It was so cold that his grimacing teeth chattered. Only by shielding himself with his aura could he feel a little warmer, but what he saw when he finally turned his attention back to the battle left him speechless. A pillar of ice easily over ten meters tall encased Ericaz’s knights.

“An old tiger... is still a tiger, huh?” Ericaz muttered, teeth gritted, once he’d managed to gather his wits.

Lilith’s one attack had taken out all twenty of Ericaz’s knights who had been fighting her. Despite what she had done, Lilith looked like she could still continue fighting.

“...I have no other choice” Ericaz concluded. He whipped around. There was only one group of people who could go take on Lilith. “Paladins with authorities! Come forward! The Battle God’s First Apostle Battalion!”

“The Battle God’s... apostle battalion?” Lilith looked away from the knights, who were still staring at their frozen colleagues in shock, and tilted her head in confusion. It was her first time hearing the name.

When she realized who it referred to, her eyes widened, dumbstruck.

“Y-You’re...”

“...I never expected us to meet again like this.”

When Lilith heard that Ericaz was bringing in paladins with authorities, she hadn’t really been worried—but when she saw the familiar figures emerge, she couldn’t maintain her composure.

‘They’re the paladins who may have officially stayed neutral but supported Father until the end...!’

Lilith’s lip trembled. Although those paladins were technically traitors, she knew and understood the inevitability of their actions. Not many people could protect their principles when their lives and families were threatened.

“I’m truly ashamed to stand in front of you, Ghost Sword... But I believe you will understand our decision.”

Ericaz saw Lilith wracked by internal conflict and burst into laughter.

“Hahahaha! A reunion between former colleagues. Hubalt calls them second-generation paladins. Even though it took them a while, they came to their senses. They’re the empire’s most loyal subjects now.”

Lilith bit her lip; she knew that those paladins were on a totally different level than the knights she had just rid herself of. Above all, she couldn’t bring herself to attack those paladins.

“Coward! Fight me yourself! I’ll fight you with one arm tied behind my back!” Lilith yelled.

“Why should I?” Ericaz sneered shamelessly. “Why should a leader step in when he has such great subordinates?”

“Trash!”

“How about this? You can swear your loyalty to His Majesty, as deserved of the empire’s glorious ruler. Of course, you’ll have to hold something else instead of a sword.” Ericaz snickered.

It was obvious what Ericaz meant and the knights eagerly followed their leader—not something one would expect from “Holy Empire”. The second-generation paladins, however, kept their silence, much to Ericaz’s irritation.

“What are you doing?!” he shouted at the paladins. “Capture her right now!”

“...I’m sorry.”

The second-generation paladins slowly advanced toward Lilith. Each step they took made Lilith’s face darken and Ericaz’s crooked smile grow.

Then things took an unexpected turn.

“Are you having fun?”

“...What?” Ericaz grunted.

Which was his last word in this life.

Ericaz’s head was neatly cut off, followed shortly by a fountain of blood pouring out of his headless corpse. His eyes were still wide open as his head slowly rolled across the ground.

For a moment, everyone was too shocked to react.

“H-How...?” Lilith's incredulous eyes beheld the back of a familiar person who absolutely should not have been there right now.

“Joshua...?”

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