The sky was amber, the fields were white, and the snow tio fall. As the sun's golden radiance showered the world, a lone man stood there unfazed in the face of death, his eyes like the blue m sky, sharper than any sword.
All eyes were on him, but the one who was shocked the most was Grey. Even when he always had his "Heaven's Eye" activated throughout the duration of the whole battle, he did not notice the arrival of the man before him.
It only meant ohing. It was that the man was fast enough to close a whole kilometer of distance, in a very small fra of time that even Grey's eyes couldn't catch up to him. It was the only expnation Grey could think of.
??Appraisal?? ［Grey］
Driven by curiosity, Grey could only do ohing and look at the man's status s. The moment he did, his eyes widened in shod heart pumped in bewilderment, a nervous smile f on his face. All his questions were now answered.
-----------------------------------
[Salferine]
[Name]Richter yl Altruisse Valliarta
[Race]Human
[Sex]Male
[Age]143
[Status]Healthy
[Mana Capacity]15,108 [Mana Quality]S
[bat Power]41,529 [Threat Level]Disaster
[Attribute]Lightning [Magic Proficy]Superior (93%)
[Css]Swordsman [on Proficy]Superior (94%)
[Physical Enha]96%
[Ability]Triple (5☆)
Lightning Magic - Coiling Dragons
Sword Art - Phantom Sword
-----------------------------------
He was "Disaster-Css", one of the only two people in the world, and amongst the couple dozen few who reached it throughout all of history.
The word "powerful" was all but areme uatement before him. The man standing before him was an overwhelming monster, one powerful enough t down tries if he so wao. A man Grey could never hope to defeat with his current self.
Even the Skeleton Tyrant all of them were having so much trouble with was now very wary as it observed the man who just arrived. It was now watg from afar, trying to recover as much mana as it , carefully watg the man's every move whilst waiting fht to e.
"Are you alright, Young Man?" ［Richter］
"Y-Yeah..." ［Grey］
Befrey could even snap back to reality, Richter suddenly called out to him after seeing how the former was still in shock. Evehere was an enemy nearby, he was as calm as a still ke, even turning his back carefreely.
The snowy battlefield has bee peaceful, but such peace didn't st long. While none of the adventurers and knights knew who the man was, a certain figure knew him full well. Him along with the aged anders and knights were the only ones.
"Archduke Farmalte greets His Imperial Majesty!" ［Reisner］
"""We greet His Imperial Majesty!"""
With the Lord on the lead, the anders soon followed suit and also ko the ground, l their heads towards the man before them. It was a se which would only bring bewilderment towards the others present.
Hair as bck as the silent night, eyes blue like a warm o, and the azure swords he held in his hands. As the people ected such points together, only one figure came towards their mind, a figure which they've heard hundreds of stories of. The Legendary Hero and Former Emperor of the Empire.
"""We Greet the Azure Sword Emperor!"""
"""Greetings to the Empire's great Hero!"""
"""Glory to the His Imperial Majesty!"""
Greetings came left and right as everyone present kowards the cold and snowy ground. The silence whice swallowed the fields was quickly broken, only a pandemonium of noise remaining, rog the skies.
Evehe people couldn't hide their happiness and relief as they saw the man stand before their eyes. Some smiled, some cried, and some ughed, a variety of emotions swirling in their hearts. The men who were prepared to die a few moments ago, now felt hope bloom in their hearts.
Meanwhile, the man who received such a treatment still remained calm, only looking at them with still eyes, obviously used to such a treatment. His eyes then shifted towards the Lord in front of him, a getle smile appearing on his face.
But rather than saying anything, the man only patted the Lord's head, ruffling it gently as if he atting a little kid. It was a se whily made the others' eyes widen in shock, but no one said anything about it nor was there any ughter to be heard. No was brave enough to.
"It's good that you've bee a great lord, but you shouldn't overdo it. Now, why don't you stand up? The ground is still very cold." ［Richter］
"Your Majesty, I'm no longer a child... Please stop treating me so...." ［Reisner］
"Be that as it may, you'll always be a child in my eyes. Now, stand up and fix yourself. It's not good for a lord to remain kneeling for too long." ［Richter］
"Y-Yes..." ［Reisner］
The Lord owerless against the man. Without as, he simply followed the tter's words and stood up. Following him, the anders, knights, and everyone else also stood up, patting away the snow stig on their knees.
Cck Cck Cck
And just as the people stood up, the enemy finally started to move again. Wariness still present in its empty eyes sockets, the Skeleton Tyrant once again gripped its bck longsword tightly. Soon after, the bck fmes started to scorce again, fiercer than before.
RUMBLLEEEEE
The ground trembled once more, the most violent it ever has. Clouds of darkness soon appeared out of thin air, a violent storm f soon thereafter. It was yet aorm of darkness, blue fmes igniting with terror oer another.
While the Skeleton Tyrant does not fully uand how powerful Richter was, it uood well enough to know that he was a dangerous existe spared no effort and summohousands upon thousands of skeletons. Even the Skeleton from before has now risen from death.
In just a single moment, the army of death has risen once again, surrounding the people, not a single side nor er safe from them. Terror was once again carved into the depths of everyone's hearts, swallowing them whole without any mercy,
"My... How impatient..." ［Richter］
The only one who had a differeion was Richter whose eyes still remained calm. He simply turned his head left and right, looking at the enemies as if he was ting sheep, a plete opposite of the wary Skeleton Tyrant.
"Reisner, let's tinue our talk ter. I'll take care of these things first." ［Richter］
"Yes. I wish you luck, Your Majesty." ［Reisner］
His voice, as calm as undisturbed puddles after the rain, echoed throughout the white ndscape. Richter faced the Skeleton Tyrant once again, sky blue lightning crag and coiling all over his body.
In that very moment, the eyes whily exuded gentleness as he talked with the Lord now looked colder than ice, sharper than a sword, and fiercer than that of a predator's. In just a fra of a sed, the atmosphere about him had bee totally different.
Cg Whoong
The momeook a step, the sound of bones g aals g echoed all over the pce as the skeletons rushed towards them, raising their ons to the sky, beams raining down from the sky. Danger was in all dires.
??Barrier?? ［Richter］
BOOOOOOMMM
Loud explosions and fierce shockwaves echoed shook the ground and sky, clouds of smoke and snow to be seen all over the pce. But no one was hurt. There was only a rge, blue barrier to be seen, standing proudly over the frozen horizon.
The enemies tio rush mindlessly but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't do so much as to leave a single scrat it. Not even the Skeleton could damage it with its beams. The barrier remaianding firmly.
"To dare and bring harm towards my beloved Empire..." ［Richter］
The sparks and crackles only grew louder and louder. As his voice echoed, thuarted booming throughout the sky, lightning running through the white clouds, and chaos brewing over the once silent wind.
"To it su atrocious and unfivable act..." ［Richter］
The cacophony got louder and the skeletons became wilder, striking the barrier with everything their bony bodies could aplish. Swords, spears, and nces ged time after time, their blue fmes only burning brighter.
The Skeleton Tyrant didn't just stand still either. With every bit of strength and mana it could muster, it unched an all out relentless assault towards the barrier, bdes of mana shot dozens upon dozens of times without a. Unfortunately for it, it was already far too te....
"Perish a in the depths of hell! ??Heaven's Wrath?? !" ［Richter］
A loud roar thuhroughout the sky, ripping the heavens and shaking the earth. The very moment, a rge bolt of lightning c hundreds upon hundreds of meters desded towards the ground, a loud bellow to be heard soon after.
The world ainted white and blue as blinding light illumihe horizon. The snow was thawed, the nd was scorched bck, and the skeletons whice struck fear towards the people's hearts were now subjected to excruciating pain as they were erased from existence.
Not even the Skeleton Tyrant was safe. While it sted much longer, bit by bit, its body was eaten away by the ferocious lightning. The bourments, and fragments turo dust. The Skeleton Tyrant was only at the mercy of time.
The lightning soon stopped and the surrounding was clear once again. As people opeheir eyes, there was nothing to be seen, only a gssy ndscape made by minerals crystalizing due to the intense heat, not a bit of snow to be seen anywhere outside the barrier.
"T-The enemies are gone! We are saved!"
"We won! We really won!"
"Glory to the Azure Sword Emperlory to the Empire!"
Celebratory hen soon followed the moment everyone snapped back to reality, knights, adventurers, and supports alike yelling oop of their lungs, smiles and tears of joy and relief to be seen all over the pce.
The only ones who had differeions were Grey, Yuna, Fizzel, and the familiars. Their eyes were focused on the man who made it all happen, uo stop their hearts from trembling, goosebumps all over their exhausted bodies.
"And to thiruggled against that monster... It makes all our efforts seem ughable..." ［Fizzel］
her Grey nor Yuna couldn't agree more with Fizzel's words. They were both frozen and speechless as they tinued looking at Richter. They saw a figure whom they aspire to surpass iure.
The celebration didn't just simply die down. After the people were done celebrating their survival, another celebration took pce as soon as the people realized how numerous the drops the skeleto behind. Their eyes started sparkling brightly.
Even though the sun had almost set, it wasn't a problem due to the magic lighting tools they brought in case of a long battle. To top it all off, the gssy ndscape was also void of snow. It made colleg much easier.
"Grey! Yuna!" ［Amelia］
One of the few who didn't join the fun were Julius and Amelia. Rather than colleg some drops, they were more worried about how their friends were doing. Both were waving happily aedly as they rushed towards them.
"Julius! Amelia! Why are you two here?!" ［Yuna］
"That's not important right now! Are you both alright?! Do you have any wounds or injuries?! Do you need a potion?!" ［Amelia］
"N-No, we're fine. As you see, we haven't sustained any injuries." ［Grey］
Said Grey as he spread his arms, showing that he doesn't have any wounds. It was a good thing they were up in the sky when Grey sustained a lot of injuries, otherwise, he could only imagine how worried they would be.
"Are you sure you aren't hurt anywhere?" ［Amelia］
"Un! We're not that weak, you know?" ［Yuna］
"Amelia, I told you you worry too much. Have you fotten it's Grey and Yuna we're talking about here." ［Julius］
"Oi, you bastard. What do you mean by that?" ［Grey］
"Huh? Figure it out yourself, Idiot." ［Julius］
They have just finished a long and exhausting battle yet Grey and Julius are off to their own worlds again, arguing with one another like little kids. It was as if the near-death sario they experienced was all but a fleeting lie.
Well, the argumeweewo didn't st as long as usual, they were just too tired to tinue. In the end, they just stopped aled it as a draw between them.
"Well, anyway, you're both feeling fine, right?" ［Julius］
"Yeah, we already told you, but we're really fine. Just a little exhaー" ［Grey］
Grey couldn't finish his own words when his rings started ringing all of a sudden. He couldn't hear any voices anymore and his vision had started going haywire. It was as if his senses were being pyed with, uo tell what's real and what's not.
'Crap... What's hap... pen.. ning...' ［Grey］
Slowly but surely, Grey's thoughts started to bee bleak and clouded. There was only darkness creeping towards his vision as he saw the others rushed towards him, still uo hear what they were trying to say.
Darkness finally won, Grey's vision turning pitch bck. There was no light, no noises, no stimunts, nor anything to se all. It was as if he had drifted into ay void, floating adrift in a sea of nothingness. The world has cease to exist
...
"Ugh..." ［Grey］
A low groan resounded all over the room as Grey opened his eyes. But rather than a beautiful m, what greeted him was extreme body pains brought by fatigue and his exhaustion, his body ag with every movement.
But more than the pain, what Grey struggled with was the nausea he was suffering from, holding his head as he raised his body. It was so painful he felt like his head was being forcefully split open, all the while bells ralessly.
"Dammit... I 't believe I lost sciousness... ??Heal?? ??Recuperate?? ." ［Grey］
The pain only stopped the moment Grey used holy magic he had grown aced to. Now, he could freely move his joints without any problems. Both his mind and body felt as if they had just been reborn.
It was only when he reposed himself that Grey realized he was in an unfamiliar room. The luxurious bed, the stylish ets and drawers, and the rge windows all over the spacious room. It was obviously much mrand and luxurious than the room they were staying in the Emerald Lily.
Though it was an unfamiliar room, it felt strangely fortable. The feeling of being cautious as to not break something when they first stayed over a mansion was no more. He has gotten too used to everything by now. He eace.
"Hey, Yuna, where areー" ［Grey］
But such peace didn't st long. The moment Grey's eyes fell oher side of the bed, panic ainted over his face. He looked left and right but the one he was searg for wasn't there, making him panic even more.
Extreme panic painted all over his face, Grey quickly stood up, and headed towards the doors. He was about to open it and rush in search for Yuna, when suddenly, the doors opened on their own, a familiar face greeting him.
"Oh, Yhness, you're awaー" ［Raven］
"Sir Raven, do you know where Yuna is?!" ［Grey］
Raven couldn't eve Grey wheer suddenly cut him off, holding onto his shoulders tightly at the same time. Although he was startled by Grey's sudden as, he was more ed about his plexion which was turning paler by the moment.
"When I woke up, she just wasn't there! Was she kidnapped?! No, that 't be right! No, in the first pce, where am I?! What happened after the battle?! How about our familiars?! Is Julius and Amelia okay?!" ［Grey］
Oer another, a panicked question came out of Grey's mouth, firing rapidly like some sort of mae gun. It may have beeo the previous amount of fatigue and exhaustion he experienced but he couldn't think straight like he usually does.
"Wait! What day even is itー" ［Grey］
"Yhness, please calm yourself. Everyone is alright and we are at the castle at the moment. Also... It's starting to hurt a little...." ［Raven］
"Ah, sorry!" ［Grey］
It was only after Raven answered him that he started tain his senses. He quickly let go of the former and apologized for his mistake. Thankfully, Raven didn't mind it too much. In the first pce, he was sent there to check up on Grey's dition.
And it was only when he regained his calm that Grey realized he could have simply just called Yuna telepathically. He felt so stupid that he just subsciously face-palmed himself from embarrassment.
"By the way, how long was I asleep for?" ［Grey］
"It's only been more than half a day, Yhness." ［Raven］
"I see... That's good..." ［Grey］
Relief surged inside his heart the very moment. Grey was thankful it wasn't like those sarios he saw in fi where people would be unscious for days, even weeks or months. It would have been troublesome otherwise.
"Right... You said Yuna is alright? Where is she right now?" ［Grey］
"Her Highness is currently having lunch with His Highness and His Majesty. Would you like me to guide you there?" ［Raven］
"Please, and thank you..." ［Grey］
The suing down on the snowy city, it was already time for lunch. But rather than the dining hall, where Raven led Grey was towards one of the castle's parlors instead, a walk which took a couple minutes with how big the castle was.
On the way, Grey saw a lot of iing things. While the yout and styles were different, the Farmalte Castle is just as exceptional aiful as the Royal Castle of Alfriohere were a lot of iing sights to see.
"Your Majesty, Yhness, I've brought His Highness, Lrey," ［Raven］
"Please e in." ［Reisner］
As the Lord's voice echoed oher side of the door, a creak echoed very quietly soon after. As Grey stepped foot ihe room, three familiar figure's weled him. There was Yuna, the Lord, and the man from before.
Azure Sword Emperor... Such was the name of the bck-haired man. He is a hero who saved the Valliarta Empire several decades ago, marrying the princess at the time, being an Emperor. Though he already relinquished the throne, he is still a very respected figure in the Empire.
Well, it isn't just the Empire. Richter's name is known all over the world as one of the only two Disaster-Css rankers alive. No, his fame is even higher than that. Other than his niame, he is also known by another, more troversial title. That title is... "The World's Stro".
"Oh.... It seems like our young hero is awake." ［Richter］
"Grey..." ［Yuna］
But Grey didn't pay the man much heed. His eyes were locked on the silver-haired elf sitting beside him. He breathed out a sigh of relief as soon as he saw that she was doing fine aing well. A thorn was removed from his heart.
"Lrey, how is your body? Do you feel any disfort?" ［Reisner］
"No, thankfully not. Though I think I could use a little bit of rest." ［Grey］
"Hahaha, I'm gd to hear that's the case..." ［Reisner］
Said the Lord as he slowly ended his statement. Another creak soon followed as he slowly stood up, moving the chair over. Not uttering a single word, he walked trey and suddenly, he quickly bowed his head in a 90-degree position.
"For saving my citizens and daughter, both as a Lord and as a father, I give you my si gratitude. I will never fet this grace. The Archduchy of Farmalte will forever be in your debt." ［Reisner］
It was a se Grey had seen far too many times from oo nobles and royalties alike. Though he has wit many times already and does feel happy about it, his stand oter remains the same as before.
"There's no need for excessive gratitude, Archduke. We only did what others would if they had the power. It's only the right thing to do." ［Grey］
He wasn't a hero nor was he a saint or a man of virtue. While his acts could be seen as heroid honorable by many, in his eyes, he was only doing what the natural thing to do would be as a rational being. The gratitude was already enough for him.
Be that as it may, the Lord still wao reward Grey and Yuna for their as. As a Lord, he 't just let anyone go unrewarded after such meritorious as. The same also goes for the knights, adventurers, and the others which participated.
"I see... But you should still accept the rewards ter. We 't let our heroes go unrewarded, after all." ［Reisner］
"Hahaha, then we will do just so." ［Grey］
"That's a reliefー ht, how insiderate of me... Would you care joining us for lunch, Lrey? It may not be much, but I'm quite fident about the skills of our chefs." ［Reisner］
"Then it would be my pleasure." ［Grey］
Pleasantries out of the way, Grey and Reishen took their seats beside the parlor table, a warm and pleasant atmosphere about them. Of course, Grey made sure to sit beside Yuna, greeting each other with a smile,
The table, although smaller than a dining table, was filled to the brim with a number of aromatid delicious dishes. The delicacies of the north were already delicious as they are, but the ones in front of them were on another level.
"Thank you for the meal." ［Grey］
It didn't take long frey to join them oing, his mouth filled with fireworks as the fvors exploded iop it with the fact that he hasen since lunch two days ago, the meal became even more appetizing and enjoyable.
"My, it seems like the young hero eats really well." ［Richter］
"Ah, sorry... Am I making you unfortable?" ［Grey］
"No, no, not at all. It's rather pleasant to see kids eating so eically. Here, eat more and grow up well. You too, Reisner, eat more." ［Richter］
"Great Grandfather..." ［Reisner］
He may often be called the stro man in the world, but he was as gentle and g as a mother is. He was pletely different from the man who annihited thousands upon thousands of monsters before.
But what was more shog than his geure was the fact that he was the Lord's great grandfather. Unfortunately, even though it's shog, both Grey and Yuna were just too hungry to care. There wasn't a trace of sho their faces.
"Right... I was going to ask this ter, but... Lrey, Lady Yuna, I have an offer for you. Would you care listening?" ［Richter］
Well, there weren't any traces of shotil they heard Richter's words. Their spoons quickly stopped moving, their eyes both on the former. A gentle smile stered on his face.
CHAPTER 188 END
