Chapter 2: The death of a war hero (2)

On the road where horseshoe sounds regularly echoed, the past years flashed by like a panorama.

The night I was possessed without knowing anything and cursed out an unknown author.

The dawn I killed a person on my first battlefield and vomited for days and nights.

The day I first defeated an Aura Master, who was called an inhuman existence.

The night I cut down the Golden Rydrop, and clinked glasses with my surviving comrades, using the nickname ‘Jack of No Color’ as a topic of conversation.

And five years ago, the day I first met the one called my life’s archnemesis.

Dawn, morning, day, and night. And then dawn again.

Ten years of time vanished into the distance with the dust raised by the horses’ hooves.

“…I’ve done enough, haven’t I?”

I pulled out a liquor bottle from my waist and took a rough swig.

I poured the remaining liquor onto the ground.

It was my final farewell to the comrades who had departed before me.

Flap-.

In the distance, a flag emblazoned with the blue dragon, symbol of the Empire, was fluttering.

As if the Imperial army knew of my arrival, they maintained a solemn silence.

Clop, clop-.

Soon, from the enemy lines, a white horse slowly walked out.

A blue uniform and pink hair reaching her shoulders.

A stern aura, as if carved from ice.

Elysia Ziknar.

Or, Elysia of Blue.

As the Empire says, the Empire’s Foremost Sword.

As the Kingdom says, the Blue Devil.

As the world says, Jack of No Color’s archnemesis.

And now that all my comrades are gone, she is also the person who has watched me the longest on this battlefield.

‘But to me… she still just looks like the little kid who gripped her sword, holding back tears, on that first battlefield five years ago.’

For that reason, I keep greeting her casually.

“Ely, good to see you. You’re here again.”

“You still lack any sense of gravitas, I see.”

Fifteen.

That was her age when the Golden Rydrop, her superior, died by my hand, and she was pushed into taking up the baton and becoming the Imperial Army’s Supreme Commander.

Five years since then.

Under the name Elysia of Blue, she was gaining renown as a brilliant commander, surpassing Rydrop.

“Come to think of it, it’s almost been five years since we’ve known each other. It’s quite nostalgic.”

“I, for one, am sick of it. Clashing blades with a tin armor I don’t even know the face of.”

“Oh, right. You’re an adult now, aren’t you? Congratulations.”

“I’m not happy to hear such words from the leader of an enemy nation.”

An utterly stiff response.

She wasn’t like that when I first saw her, but she became stiff as she entered adolescence.

It’s also why she started using stiff language like ‘noble sir’ and ‘this humble one’ just to appear more dignified.

“It feels like just yesterday you were sniffling, saying you couldn’t do it anymore.”

“That was when I was a child!”

Still, her reacting to every little thing is quite amusing.

She’s fun to tease.

Of course, that didn’t mean I ever went easy on her in battle.

Such leeway was a luxury neither of us could afford.

Her predecessor, the Golden Rydrop, was strong but arrogant.

I was able to win by piercing through the momentary gap created by that arrogance.

But the woman before me is different.

Despite being a genius who surpasses Rydrop, she never overestimates herself, not even for a moment.

She always does her best, and respects her opponent.

The fact that I was involved in every moment of her growth somehow made me feel proud.

‘I must be losing my mind.’

Now that all my comrades are gone, to feel such emotions towards my archnemesis.

“Say, does this war have any meaning?”

At my sudden question, Elysia gripped her sword hilt.

“If you wish to discuss philosophy, you’d best do it while crossing into the underworld. There will be plenty of garrulous scholars there.”

“But don’t you ever wonder sometimes? What exactly is this war for?”

“The Empire’s goal remains unchanged. The unification of the continent and an eternal era of peace and prosperity. That is His Majesty’s will, and I am merely a sword upholding that will.”

“…Is that so.”

That strong conviction.

Those resolute eyes.

Then it’s fine.

Even the world after I’m gone, with her, it will be alright.

“I sincerely hope you achieve that era of peace and prosperity.”

“…You’re being unusually gloomy today.”

“Perhaps I’ve just grown old.”

Elysia draws her sword.

I draw my sword in turn.

All noise in the world ceased, and only the two of us remained.

The power of a single Aura Master surpasses that of an entire legion.

The soldiers simply held their breath, waiting for the victor to be decided.

“Here I come. This time, I will surely defeat you.”

“Go ahead.”

The swords that had clashed hundreds, thousands of times, clashed once again today.

A sword path glowing blue aimed at me.

A blade wreathed in aura.

A slash cleaving through the air, imbued with the will to slice apart anything in its way.

I roll, I leap, I twist my arm, and I contort my waist.

For me, unable to use aura, the line of death that means defeat the moment I block, passes behind me with a tearing sound, as if licking its lips.

-CRASH! BANG!

I hear the sound of the aura-wreathed blade that cleaved the air shattering the earth.

I don’t look back.

I’ve never looked back.

For an ordinary person unable to use aura, hesitation means death.

All I see is the next move.

My sword and her sword—

“Haa!”

A crude sword strike, swung with only arm strength, unmixed with aura.

The best attack wielded by a common man, falsely claiming ‘no color’.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Elysia twists her wrist to avoid the clash.

Instead, she changes her sword path and aims for a weak spot.

I was predicted.

Elysia pulls back one foot, and at the same time, she rotates her body to strike at my opening.

‘What a monster.’

Five years ago, her sword path was utterly straightforward, but now she’s become a cunning fox.

“Hey, take it easy so this old man can get some rest!”

“If you’re so old, die and rest!”

After exchanging a word of admiration for each other, Elysia and I delve once more into the sword dance we perform.

From vertical to horizontal, from offense to defense, then back to offense.

Moves that aim for each other’s openings are embroidered in the air.

We repeat the countless moves we’ve made over the past five years.

We acknowledge each other’s sword strikes, learn from them, and pour out what we’ve gained back onto each other.

“This is the end!”

-THWACK!

Simultaneously with Elysia’s cry, a blue light fills my vision.

Nine thick lines, reminiscent of the nine-tailed fox from legends, become vivid blue flames and block my path.

It’s a beautiful sight.

If only each tail wasn’t a bundle of aura that could effortlessly burn human skin.

“No use trying to dodge this.”

Then, all I can do is break through.

With my sword pointed, I run.

The iron plates of my armor peel off like cleaned fish scales.

It was an item processed to have mana resistance in its own way, but before Elysia’s aura, it means nothing.

Blood flows from where the iron has peeled off.

Iron and blood flow from my entire body.

However, I have no intention of stopping.

‘A single point.’

As the sword strike spread out, the center was empty.

My only path forward was there.

As I gained momentum, I leaped straight up.

Towards the increasingly narrowing center of the sword strike, I stretched my arm as far as possible.

Now my body becomes a single arrow.

I push forward, I push forward.

Pushing forward to…

-THWACK!

I pierce my archnemesis.

“Hah, haah… Haak… Haa…”

Elysia’s ragged breathing.

“What… are you… doing…”

“Cough, cough, cough… Ha…”

My groans, as I cough up blood, overlap with it.

My sword pierced Elysia’s high-brimmed helmet.

And at that moment, Elysia’s sword, having adjusted its stance, cut off my arm.

The Blue Knight of the Empire and the Tin Knight of the Kingdom.

The victor of the earth-shattering duel that had continued for five years was decided.

“Are you kidding me…! Are you… making a fool of me?!”

The victor, it seems, cannot simply accept this outcome.

Elysia’s enraged voice echoes.

“You won! You could have cut my neck… but you deliberately missed! Are you kidding me?! Our duel, ending like this…!”

“I mistook your height.”

“What…?”

“My eyes were too dazzled to see clearly. I thought you’d be taller as an adult, so I aimed roughly, *cough*, but to think you’re still this small. My mistake, my mistake.”

“Don’t make such ridiculous excuses…! You’ve always been like that! From the very beginning, treating me like a child… deliberately letting me live… and I…!”

Nonsense.

I had never gone easy on her, not once.

If I didn’t kill you, my comrades would die, so how could I afford to let the enemy’s leader live?

Including this moment, every time I tried my best to kill you, and you barely managed to escape.

And in the end, you won.

That’s all.

But, since it’s the final moment… I guess it’s okay to boast a little.

“But… you’re really bad, you know.”

Elysia’s expression upon hearing those words twisted in a strange way.

At her ridiculous appearance, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“Why, why are you laughing…”

“Oh, it’s nothing… just thinking it would have been more fun if we hadn’t met as enemies. *cough, cough*…”

“Then surrender! I know what kind of treatment you’ll receive! Surrender to the Empire right now and…”

“For the sake of my comrades… I can’t do that.”

If I think of England’s dog-like face, I’d want to do it a hundred times over, but it’s impossible.

In this war, I became a symbol of anti-Empire.

In the coming era of peace, my existence would prevent unification and sow seeds of division everywhere.

Whether I wanted it or not.

In the soon-to-come era of peace, there is no place for the name of one who was an enemy’s hero.

More than anything, I don’t want to be a pawn for some high-and-mighty person who doesn’t even fight anymore.

“…A large-scale bombardment will come from our side soon. Evacuate skillfully.”

“What…?! What do you mean… Surely they’re not using you as bait… Are they insane?”

“I agree.”

“But why are you telling me this? I’m your enemy…!”

“Well… we’ve known each other for quite a while. Think of it as a coming-of-age gift.”

“You… just… I…”

Then as now, I truly can’t bear to see it.

A beauty crying, that is.

Thump.

I stroked her head,

-Thwack.

Immediately after, I pushed her body with all my might.

Elysia reached out her hand, but it only caught my severed left arm, along with the sword.

“Jack…! No…! I…! You…!”

-BOOM!!!!!

Her words were cut off, and a deafening cannon roar shook the earth.

The bombardment planned by England had begun.

I saw mages who had quickly arrived taking Elysia and teleporting away.

The soldiers also quickly completed their retreat, and now I was alone here.

Flashes of light descended from the sky like horses, and the world was engulfed in light.

The Guardian of the Kingdom of Ordain.

The Tin Knight.

The Empire’s Foremost Enemy.

The Aura Master Slayer.

Jack of No Color.

Many legends that shook the continent.

The one name that created those legends, brought down its grand curtain amidst the iron and flames embroidering the red sky.