21st Century Archmage

Chapter 170: You’re All Dead if You Mess Around

Translator: Lei

Proofreader: Enigami

‘Mm!’

After sending over all of the wyverns, I gazed at my faintly visible territory as I chanted the activation word. Unlike the others, I teleported at the same time as Bebeto.

The experience of spatial teleportation, something even 21st century technology could not achieve, felt rather foreign. It was difficult to describe, but it kind of felt like my whole body was instantly disassembled and scattered apart. It was a small price to pay for instant teleportation, but it was a pretty terrible feeling I didn’t really want to experience again.

“AAAAH!”

“A-Another one’s coming!!”

“H-Hurry and knock down the wall!”

Craaack! Booom. Kuaaaaaa! Kugaaaaaaaaaaa!

‘What’s that sound?’

When I got the physical feeling that the teleportation had succeeded without a problem and was about to open my eyes, I heard screams everywhere and the roar of a wall crashing down. I didn’t expect an extravagant welcome, but a reaction of this nature was beyond my expectation.

“Kek!”

However, the moment I recovered from the aftermath of the array and opened my eyes, I coughed.

‘What the helllll!!!’

The area around the Garvit Duchy’s teleportation circle I had arrived on was an absolute, utter mess. Like some kind of inhumane poultry farm, the narrow underground space was crammed with wyverns and people, all of them screaming wildly, as well as musty air and dust.

‘D-Dammit.’

That was when I realized what kind of mistake I made. I was only thinking about the teleportation array, but I completely ignored the size of the room the corresponding array was in. And this was the result.

Ruuuuumble.

I heard the crash of the wall crumbling down, and shortly afterwards, fresh air blew in.

“Hurry and open up the wall some more!”

Schwiiing. Boooooom.

Even though they weren’t fighting, the knights were swinging Aura Blades, hacking away at the space leading outside.

‘No wonder it felt like it was going too well.’

I recalled Aramis’ advice to be careful. Her concern was definitely merited, because things were going wrong from the very first step.

“W-Welcome, Count Kyre.”

Despite the chaos, a knight came to greet me. Although he welcomed me with his mouth, his eyes were full of resentment. I couldn’t meet his gaze at all.

‘Phew, if things had gone wrong, everyone would have become mush and died.’

Considering it was a teleportation array existing in secret, the duchy’s array was rather large. The room it was in seemed to have been used up until recently as the family’s secret training hall, because various weapons were scattered to one side.

“Where are the others?” I asked, avoiding the knight’s gaze.

“They are all seeking shelter. Because we had to make a hole leading upwards so hastily…” the knight stopped, unable to bring himself to continue.

‘It’s like preparing a wonderful meal and dropping it on the way to the table…’

If this had gone well, I could have been treated by all the nobles as a great mage, the savior of the Empire, but unfortunately, my dream faltered and tripped at the starting line.

“If I wait around, it’ll take forever.”

This was something I caused. Feeling bitter regret, I unsheathed my sword.

Whirrrrrrr!

My slight frustration lent an angry edge to my sword. Someone called my name, and the knights absorbed in their work tensed and frowned when they felt the powerful mana from my blade.

“I just have to make a hole big enough for the wyverns to go out, correct?”

“Y-Yes.”

No matter how strong one’s mana was, it wasn’t possible to destroy a stone wall sturdily fixed in place in a short amount of time. Even now, the knights were chiseling away at the stone like woodcutters with their mana-imbued swords, but they had only managed to create a small hole.

“Everyone, step back.”

I stepped forward with 200% confidence, something only the strong could show.

“B-Blade Master!”

“Oh…”

In no time at all, the blue mana as vigorous as my confidence was glowing on my sword, giving off an aura only a Blade Master could produce.

‘You guys, I haven’t even done anything yet.’ To them, the Blade Master stage might be like a dream to them, but for me, it was all too ordinary. ‘Let me open up a proper door for you.’

I faced the sliced up stone barring my path.

“Hah!”

With a powerful grunt, I plunged my sword into the stone wall.

Crrk!

My sword went deep into the stone, like a kitchen knife slicing through tofu.

Crrrrrrrgggk.

Drawing out my mana, I cut a big rectangle in the wall.

‘Explode!’

As soon as I finished a rough outline, I filled the stone wall with my mana.

“Hup!” I grunted again.

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

And with a thunderous roar, the wall exploded outwards.

“Ah!”

Exclamations rang out all around me.

Whoooooosh.

A 5-meter wide passage leading outside was instantly formed. A refreshing wind blew into what could no longer be called an underground chamber.

‘Now I feel better.’

If someone else cut up my castle like this, I would take up an axe and smash his head in, but thankfully, this wasn’t my castle, but Duke Garvit’s. I firmly suppressed the writhing of that thing called a ‘conscience’ in my heart.

“Bebeto, come out.”

Turning around, I looked past the knights staring at me in awe and called Bebeto.

I, the great Kyre, deigned to move my mighty feet for the sake of the Bajran Empire. They had to overlook a misstep of this degree as… a part of my charm.

‘I dare you to complain. If you do, I’ll immediately book it!’

The coordinates to the magic array in Nerman was clearly engraved in my memory. I decided to leave right away if they harassed me for causing a little damage to the castle.

Sometimes, it was necessary to sacrifice something small for the greater good. These people would have to be eternally grateful to this Santa Claus who came to deliver a present to the Bajran Empire, something far greater than one measly castle.

‘Cause I was an expensive S-class among S-classes, the Continent’s most handsome, ultra super awesome magic swordsman.

* * *

“Good morning… Hahaha.”

After causing a big fiasco very late at night, I was given accommodations. When I sliced open the hole and went above ground, the fatigued expressions of Igis and other nobles greeted me, which I promptly ignored in favor of asking for my lodgings. Then, I had a great rest in a guest room decorated with considerable care, and the next morning, I was escorted to the dining hall for breakfast.

‘What about it? Don’t look at me like that.’

They should still be thankful that everyone was able to come here in one go without danger(?) thanks to me. It was a hundred times better than cutting through the dangerous Empire with the Princess and Prince in tow, wasn’t it?

“Because of the situation yesterday, I wasn’t able to greet you properly. I wish to thank you once again for keeping the Princess and Prince safe all this time.”

Duke Garvit was an old acquaintance. If not for him, I would have made a mess in the Imperial Palace during the Emperor’s birthday celebration. How could I possibly forget what he did for me back then?

“Haha, I am undeserving of your kind words. I merely did what I should.”

“Thank you for thinking of it like that. Please, sit.”

I hadn’t known him long, but Duke Garvit was the most “noble” among the Bajran Empire nobles I’d met so far. With his lean frame, balding white hair, and short stature, his external appearance was exceedingly ordinary. However, the aura he gave off was anything but. His eyes were calm, giving off the impression of looking at a sturdy rock, and from his entire body, came a sense of authority that rivaled Emperor Havitron. It was the same energy that I felt from him when he yelled at the Imperial Knights blocking my way back home back in the Imperial Palace.

“Please sit,” said Princess Igis after Duke Garvit and I finished our greetings. Her smile held traces of the fatigue from the mess last night, but despite her tiredness, she didn’t forget her consideration for me.

“Sir Kyre, no, Count Kyre. Long time no see.”

‘Hrm? T-This voice is…’

Quite a few people were seated at the long dining table. Even though it was morning, around 20 people who looked like nobles were sitting down, and among them came a familiar voice.

‘Urk. Hyneth’s dad was here, too.’

It was the Berserker of House Petrin, the present family head, Count Kaldain. He faced me with his square jaw, big, bright eyes full of fire, thick eyebrows the color of charcoal, and thick lips set with obvious stubbornness. Count Kaldain, who bore a very un-nobleman-like nickname of Mad Dog, was grinning widely at me.

“I hope you have been well. It’s a pleasure to see you again.”

However, I wasn’t one to demean myself like in the past. Now, we held the same count rank, and my skills had also grown to the point where he could no longer compare. It was because he was the father of my cute little sister, Hyneth, that he was more than worthy to receive a respectful greeting from me.

“I’ve heard plenty of rumors. Let’s have a brief meeting in the training hall after the meal.”

“You took the words out of my mouth.”

I wanted to fight the Master-level Count Kaldain once, too. Combat on the ground was a different beast from aerial battles on wyverns. I couldn’t wait.

“Quickly take a seat. You’ve robbed us of our sleep, so I can hardly let you do the same to our morning meal.”

Duke Garvit gestured to a chair, smiling broadly. I nodded and sat on the empty seat.

‘Oho, they sure know how to treat a person.’

It was a seat of honor. Next to Igis and Razcion was the seat prepared for me. Since Duke Garvit was sitting on the other side of the table, I could tell what kind of treatment they were giving me.

Zing zing.

Of course, I couldn’t say there weren’t nobles without complaints. Several of the nobles sitting below Count Kaldain shot sideways glances at me.

‘No matter where you go, there are always people like them around.’

Those nobles either never saw or felt my fist of love before. I intended on making it so they wouldn’t dare to cast such blatant looks at me again.

When I sat down, the Duke lightly clapped his hands. The door to the kitchen connected to the dining hall opened, and maids wearing tidy uniforms began to stream out with the food.

‘Shall we give it a taste?’

I was fully aware that there were many tasks other than the duel with Count Kaldain waiting for me after the meal. The Princess and Prince were obviously not called here to have a leisurely meal. Though I found it a bit heavy for breakfast, the table was set with a feast of dishes giving off a fragrance that whetted the appetite. However, there weren’t any nobles who boldly dug in. It seemed they were all filled with tension because there was undoubtedly a decisive battle with the Empire’s fate on the line ahead of them.

“Oh! What a heavenly aroma.”

Of course, that didn’t apply to me. Not giving a rat’s tail about whether the nobles frowned or not, I loudly exclaimed while bringing bread, soup, and other dishes to my lips.

Right now, the only thing I needed to focus on was filling my belly with delicious and warm food.

* * *

Claaaang! Cla-clang! Crackle.

After breakfast, I used a little of my time to meet swords with Count Kaldain in the Duke’s personal training hall. We filled the hall with booms of impact so powerful that you could hardly call it the sound of steel on steel, and with the clashing blows, came a burst of mana sparks.

‘He’s quite something.’

He didn’t earn the right to be called a Master by paying for it.

“Hup!”

After I parried away his storm of successive attacks with ease, Kaldain grunted as he came in with another swing.

‘This gentleman won’t quit until it’s over.’

The man swinging his bloodthirsty sword at me didn’t know the meaning of moderation. He even diligently applied Mana Step as he mercilessly filled his sword with a Blade Master’s mana and thrust it towards my heart.

“Hap!”

With a light grunt, I followed the trajectory of Count Kaldain’s sword and swung my sword to meet it.

Clang! Cla-claaaang! Cla-clang!

After I repelled the sword coming for my heart, the Mad Dog didn’t back down and went down on me with a rain of attacks, going next for my arm, leg, and neck. In the past, I would have needed all my strength to face him, but now, I could parry the Mad Dog’s sword.

Claaaaaang! Whumpf.

Fiercely swinging his sword, which came rushing in like the vanguard of a blitzkrieg, Kaldain swiftly stepped about 10 meters back.

“I see they weren’t empty rumors.”

My mighty name had spread wide and far on the Kallian Continent.

“Haha, sometimes, the rumors don’t do me justice.”

I frequently locked up that thing called modesty in a safe and threw it into the Pacific Ocean.

“Puhahahahahaha!! The strong certainly have the right to enjoy arrogance,” guffawed Kaldain.

“I-I can’t believe his skills are that high.”

“He blocked all of Count Kaldain’s blows.”

I picked up the shocked mutters of the nobles and guard knights who came to watch after the meal.

‘Let’s end this with a bang, shall we?’

I didn’t really want to hide my skills. In order to raise the young prince to the throne, we would have to secure victories against Poltviran and the kingdoms. It was necessary to make them gather around me as the center in a short period of time, and Count Kaldain, the Mad Dog, was the perfect way to achieve that.

“The power behind your blows seems to have dulled, perhaps because you’ve aged. Don’t you have anything with a bit more oomph?”

I jokingly pressured him to unleash his Master technique.

“Just you wait. I was already preparing to unleash it.”

Whirr.

As if he activated his mana core right then and there, intense waves of mana formed around Count Kaldain.

“……”

The onlookers also grew silent. Even people unfamiliar with the sword knew what the Master Count Kaldain was planning on unleashing.

‘Come!’

I shed my leisurely attitude, tensing. I had experienced a Master’s secret technique once before, and it was that technique that led to the creation of my Ghost Meteor.

“Snake Phantom!!!”

Like before, Count Kaldain shouted the name of his sword art as he rapidly closed the distance.

Sch-sch-sch-sch–sch-sch-schwing.

A barrage of fierce illusory blades whistled through the air.

‘Seven!’

He had also grown since I last saw him. The Count created seven sword illusions, dominating the hall with his sword art, and my insolence had put a particularly venomous edge on the swords. It was as if a venomous snake was baring its fangs at me without hesitation to kill me.

‘Ghost Meteor!’

But I was fully prepared. My sword swung to meet the seven Blade Swords made by Count Kaldain.

Schwing!

My sword couldn’t make a sound as intense as the Count’s sword, but it rushed at the Count’s Blade Swords at the speed of light.

Boom! Booooooooooooom!

Unlike the sound of steel on steel, the explosion that burst out was like the roar of two fireballs colliding.

“Agh!”

Seeing his Blade Swords crushed in an instant, the Count expressed his astonishment.

Boom! Boom!

With no time to be alarmed, he struggled to block the two Blade Swords hurtling towards him.

‘Now!’

It was then that I saw an opening. His form revealed big openings that one should never show in a spar between Masters.

Flash!

My sword cut through the air with a flash of light.

Clang!

“Guh!”

One sword and a short cry met my blow.

“Holy…”

“Mm…”

The onlookers groaned unconsciously.

“I-It’s my loss.”

The moment I blocked his final technique, his defeat was already set in stone. My sword was trembling 5 cm away from Count Kaldain’s heart.

‘You’re all dead if you mess around.’

I turned my head and glared at the nobles and knights staring blankly at us, which had them flinching and hurriedly averting their gazes.

“Congratulations. I can hardly believe you rose to the Grand stage at your age…”

The Count uttered a quiet congratulations. I didn’t bring out the entirety of my ability, but he realized my level.

‘I can’t say it’s thanks to my incredible Master.’

My smarts and talents played a role, too, but all of this was thanks to the mana breathing technique Master taught me. Master’s secret technique was capable of gathering mana in the most brute-force way and the shortest amount of time. If all of my dantians hadn’t been developed, my rate of growth would never have been possible.

“You have to join me soon, Count Kaldain.”

“Indeed. I have to exchange swords with you again one day!”

As was fitting for someone who lived with stubbornness and persistent dedication, Count Kaldain hadn’t given up on reaching the Grand Blade Master stage. He was truly a great man deserving of respect.

“All of the nobles have been asked to gather in the conference hall.”

A knight of the duchy relayed an order as soon as the short duel came to an end.

‘Since I’ve eaten a meal, I should pay for my keep.’

The most useless kind of person in the world was someone who couldn’t earn his keep. I was treated to a grand breakfast, so it was only natural that I paid the price for it. I wasn’t the owner of the house, but my steps were sure and confident as I walked with Count Kaldain to the conference hall. Behind me, the nobles and knights followed timidly.

Kuaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

From the wyvern hangars not far away, I heard Bebeto’s deafening roar. He took after his master, so there was no doubt he had put all the wyverns under his thumb.