“What on earth are you talking about?”
“A coup? Grimahl has lost his mind!”
The urgent messages Antonio sent to his Black Skull members described Grimahl’s actions as nothing less than an attempted coup. The people of the Floating Islands prided themselves on their peaceful, oligarchic governance, free from imperial interference. Now, this stability was under threat.
With anger and alarm, Black Skull members quickly gathered again. They had already received reports confirming Grimahl’s suspicious movements toward the central temple.
‘This might actually work in my favor,’ Antonio thought, seeing an opportunity to solidify his power. He raised his voice, shouting with determination. “We’ll stop Grimahl from doing anything foolish. Let’s become the heroes who save the Floating Islands!”
The members, already envisioning themselves as heroes, nodded in agreement.
---
「Attention! We have received intelligence suggesting a planned attack on the central temple. All residents are advised to calmly evacuate following the security team’s guidance. I repeat...」
*Wee-oo, wee-oo!*
The blaring sirens and emergency announcements outside the central temple shocked the residents, who had been eagerly waiting for Crimhilde’s heir.
- What’s going on?
- An attack? Intelligence?
- This must mean they’re targeting the heir! Unbelievable!
- Who would dare to harm him?
Anger surged through the crowd.
- Hurry up! Leave the area before the attack begins!
- Stop dawdling!
- Hey! You there! Are you the attacker?
The security team tried to usher the crowd away. Greedy for the reward Grimahl promised if they succeeded, they threatened to label anyone who refused to leave as a suspect and forcibly remove them.
But they underestimated the people's unwavering devotion to Crimhilde.
- What nonsense! If someone’s targeting the heir, we should be the ones protecting him!
- He must be exhausted from defeating that evil dragon. It’s up to us to safeguard him!
- That’s right! Crimhilde has always protected us; now it’s our turn to protect him!
- To the central temple!
The crowd surged forward, intent on entering the temple. The security team, overwhelmed by the masses, struggled to contain them.
Grimahl’s family quickly grew alarmed.
“This is a disaster, Sir Firen! The people are out of control!”
“Just what have you been doing to let things get to this point? After all we’re paying you!”
The security captain lowered his head, unable to meet Firen’s eyes, his usual bravado crushed by the intimidating presence of the Ghostslayer commander beside him.
“If there are any complications, you will bear the responsibility!” Firen shouted, turning to the Ghostslayer commander.
“It will be impossible to carry out the plan with the people still here. Should we wait for a better opportunity?”
“No. There is no next time. We proceed. Ghostslayers, draw your swords.”
*Shing, shing!*
At the commander’s order, the Ghostslayers unsheathed their swords.
“No, please! If you charge in, civilians will get hurt...!”
The Ghostslayer commander shot him a deadly glare, and he quickly fell silent.
“My orders are to secure the heir. Your job was to manage the crowd, and you failed. I don’t need to worry about that.”
“Th-then...”
“We’ve given them ample warning. If they don’t leave, they’re accomplices. And all accomplices...”
A chilling, murderous aura flickered in the Ghostslayer’s eyes.
“...will be eliminated, no matter who they are.”
*Whoosh!*
The Ghostslayers moved forward like shadows.
- What...what is that?
- An attack?
- Wait, that’s... Grimahl!
- But... why are they coming toward us?
Screams erupted as the Ghostslayers began slashing through the crowd, cutting down anyone in their path.
「A-a-attention! An actual attack is underway at the central temple! A-attackers are targeting the area! All residents, please e-evacuate immediately!」
The trembling voice of the security captain barely reached the panicked crowd.
- Get out of the way!
- Aah! My arm! My arm!
- Stop pushing! Stop!
- Why are they attacking us? All we want is to see the heir!
The dense crowd made escaping nearly impossible. People were pushed, trampled, and slashed, turning the scene into a bloodbath.
But even amid the chaos, the Ghostslayers relentlessly advanced, quickly reaching the central temple.
“Step back! This is a neutral zone declared by the Council! If you wish to enter, lay down your weapons...!”
The head of the temple guard was decapitated in a single stroke by the Ghostslayer commander.
“There could be terrorists hiding among the temple guards. Search every inch.”
It was a clear order to seize the temple.
Just then, Marti and the temple knights rushed out, their expressions hardening as they took in the blood-soaked scene outside.
“We’ve received intelligence that Spinola is leading a group to attack Crimhilde’s heir. We’re here to protect him.”
“Are you saying the Spinolas are staging a rebellion?”
“Yes. We already found evidence of their involvement once before. Now, additional evidence suggests they plan to overthrow the Council, and we’ve already dispatched a unit to their estate.”
Marti clenched her fists, finally understanding Grimahl’s true intentions.
Grimahl was using the fabricated charges against the Spinolas as an excuse to seize power with brute force. If Theo succeeded in sealing the Sea King, Troyban’s interference would lose its legitimacy, and Grimahl would likely be purged.
Marti’s voice rang out as she drew her sword, her resolve steeled.
“To all members of the Knights of Crimhilde! Stop them from setting foot near the altar. They are here to defile Crimhilde’s name!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
“Yes!”
“They’ve been compromised by Spinola. Eliminate them all.”
*Clang!*
The Knights of Crimhilde clashed with the Ghostslayers, and Marti blocked the path of the Ghostslayer commander.
“You won’t succeed.”
“Finally, I’ll get to experience the so-called ‘swordsmanship’ of Crimhilde. I’ve heard that name so much I’m tired of it. Out there, he’s just a nobody. I wonder if a bumpkin’s sword is any good.”
The Ghostslayer commander smirked, but Marti responded with fierce determination, pressing forward with swift, skilled strikes.
*Clash, clash, clash!*
But the problem was that the commander was not just any ordinary swordsman—he was the leader of an elite unit. Comparable to a Ragna Order Dragon Sword Knight, he wielded his sword with practiced ease.
“Pathetic. Your swordsmanship is as old-fashioned as it is weak.”
With a heavy downward slash, he shattered Marti’s sword.
The Ghostslayer commander shifted his stance, readying to cut down the now defenseless Marti.
“Marti—!”
Suddenly, multiple projectiles flew toward the commander from behind, aiming for his back.
The commander swung his sword, deflecting the attacks effortlessly.
“You...”
“We’re here to help!”
“We can explain later!”
The members of Black Skull quickly realized that the Ghostslayer commander was the greatest threat. They nodded at Marti and launched a combined assault.
“Pathetic children’s games.”
To the Ghostslayer commander, their attempt was laughable.
*Shwing, shwing, shwing!*
In a matter of seconds, his slashes cut down four members of Black Skull.
“Sradie!”
“Helen!”
“You bastard...!”
“Annoying. All of you, die.”
The commander’s eyes gleamed with a crimson glow, unleashing a technique of the Holy Church that multiplied his aura tenfold.
In a moment, Black Skull’s morale was crushed, and the remaining members, paralyzed by fear, had their necks slashed in quick succession.
Among them was Antonio and the man who had once considered himself Black Skull’s leader.
“Ugh...”
“No...”
They collapsed, their ambitions slipping away like sand, leaving only bitterness and regret in Antonio’s dying gaze.
The Black Skull’s line broke, and the temple knights soon found themselves similarly overwhelmed. Even with their heritage as knights of Crimhilde, they couldn’t match the battle-hardened Ghostslayers.
Marti let out a silent scream as her comrades fell, her heart breaking for her friends and allies.
The Ghostslayer commander stepped calmly over the carnage and headed toward the inner sanctum, where powerful energy fluctuations hinted at Theo’s location.
“This must be it.”
With a chilling smile, he opened the door—only to sense a sudden, lethal attack aimed at his neck.
*Clang!*
He deflected it easily, turning his gaze to the source of the attack.
Selford grinned.
“Darn, that timing was perfect.”
“This dagger... Ragnar?”
“Oh, you know it?”
“You found your way here through the Black Dragon’s handiwork, I see. But why do you keep muttering nonsense? Got some invisible friend?”
“Well, let’s see if you can still talk after I cut out your tongue,” Selford said, his eyes following every move of the commander with a practiced focus.
But he wasn’t alone. Arin and Ray joined the fray, forming a defensive triangle around him.
‘Theo, you’d better finish up soon! We’re struggling here!’ Selford thought desperately.
Despite their efforts, they couldn’t hope to best the Ghostslayer commander.
“There it is.”
The Ghost Slayer Captain spotted the altar and stomped hard on the ground, launching himself forward.
He was tired of these underlings constantly holding him back. He only wanted to grab Theo by the collar and drag him back as soon as possible.
Now that Ragnar’s involvement was confirmed, he urgently needed to figure out exactly how much Theo knew about the Dragonslayer Sword.
Selperd and his companions’ gazes grew anxious as they moved swiftly toward the altar.
Thump—
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Especially fast was Rey, using the swift movement technique his mother had taught him, one designed to flee immediately in the face of danger.
However, by the time they reached it, the Ghost Slayer Captain had already landed on the altar.
At that very moment, as the glow of the gate flickered, Theo slowly emerged.
Clad in Aegir armor, he held the Balmung in one hand.
“Gotcha.”
The Ghost Slayer Captain swung his sword down to subdue him.
Clang!
For the first time, his full-force strike was deflected.
“As if.”
Beneath his helmet, Theo smirked as he swung the Dragonslayer Sword fiercely.
The dragon’s blood boiled within him.
A fierce heatwave erupted.