The Gap in Strength

The guard's expression turned somewhat serious as he looked at Darius and nodded slightly.

"Then should we kill them?"

Darius froze for a moment at those words. Then, his fat, flushed face twisted with rage as he glared at the guard. If they were not so short on manpower right now, he would have loved to kick this fool off Ranoa's city wall and follow it up with a Fireball.

"Are you fucking insane?! You want those King-class Swordsmen and that King-class Mage to kill a Sword God Style Sword God?!"

That was practically the same as asking an ordinary person armed with a rotten wooden sword to slaughter a Red Dragon.

"That Kayin Brand is the successor personally acknowledged by Gall, the Sword God of the Sword God's Holy Land—the Second Sword God. Do you want our country to go to war with the Sword God's Holy Land?"

"Or do you want that monster Sword God, who slaughtered three S-rank Red Dragons at the city gate this morning, to massacre our Ranoa Kingdom?!"

"S-Sorry, sir!" The guard lowered his head and pressed his lips together.

Darius wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and shifted his fat backside. The words of the White Deity from his dream last night still rang in his ears.

The Second Sword God, Kain Blade, from the Sword God's Holy Land, and Roxy Migurdia, a student of the Magic Academy—their union would destroy this world.

"Think before you speak. He is not someone we can afford to touch. It would be bad if we brought disaster upon ourselves."

"I-I'm very sorry!"

Darius of the Magic City paused as he spoke, pondering for a moment before choosing his words carefully.

"In short, that Sword God is a hundred times more dangerous than an S-rank Red Dragon monster. We cannot afford to provoke him."

"And there's no need to. We only need to secretly make that Demon Race girl named Roxy disappear. Remember, do not provoke the Sword God named Cain. This is the will of the gods. Just make that Roxy disappear. Go make the preparations."

"Y-Yes, sir!"

At that moment, a guard ran in anxiously and dropped to one knee.

"Darius! Those adventurers have come again!"

Darius raised an eyebrow.

"Just drive them away. Why are you reporting something like this to me?"

"B-But..."

The soldier swallowed as though he had seen something utterly terrifying, his voice faltering.

"What is it? They are just a bunch of small fry. If necessary, have that North King go with you."

"N-No, it's not that. Th-That Sword God Cain is among them too."

"Oh... Hm?!"

Darius immediately shot to his feet, the corner of his mouth twitching violently.

"Who did you say was among them?!"

Outside the palace, Cain slowly sheathed his stone sword. Around him lay twenty or thirty guards. Of course, they were only unconscious, not dead.

Behind him, the adventurers tied up those soldiers.

However, everyone frowned at the tightly shut gates before them.

"Hey! We came to collect the money we are owed! Open the gates and let us in!"

Zoldat shouted toward the soldiers atop the walls, but only silence answered him.

Did they not understand human speech? It seemed they were determined to be shameless deadbeats...

Cain was getting angry. These adventurers had risked their lives outside, so why did these nobles get to hide inside? Hiding was one thing, but they even dared to refuse payment after the commission was complete. In that case, he could not blame himself for tearing down their royal capital!

A cold flash streaked through the air. Cain drew his katana and swung it at the speed of light. The only thing anyone could see was the final motion of him slowly sheathing it.

With a thunderous crash, the heavy solid-wood gates shattered into countless fragments.

Everyone froze for a moment, then excitedly ran into the city, trampling over the broken pieces of the gates.

"Y-You insolent bastards! Do not act so recklessly!"

More than a dozen soldiers rushed out to stop them, but in a single exchange, Cain's long-range Blade of Light sent them flying. A few suffered fractured hand bones, while most of the others were knocked unconscious on the spot.

"It was only the flat of my blade. We merely wish to reclaim what belongs to us. Please do not obstruct us."

Cain paused after speaking, because he had no idea which room in this enormous royal palace housed the noble who owed them money. Although he was at the front, he could only let Roxy or Zoldat lead the way while he silently followed behind.

"Impressive, Cain. You are at the front, so don't be so modest," Zoldat praised.

The corner of Cain's mouth twitched involuntarily. He was not being modest. He genuinely did not know the way...

Before long, they arrived at that noble lord's palace. Roxy stood beside Cain, tightly gripping her faintly glowing staff as she leaned close to his ear and whispered.

"Don't worry. If anything happens, I'll do my best to help resolve it!" Roxy said with firm eyes and pursed lips, though her disciple might not need her help at all.

Ah, Teacher Roxy's words were still as reassuring as ever.

Cain smiled faintly and stepped forward. More than a hundred adventurers spread out to either side, watching him slowly ascend the stone steps through the center. They nodded slightly at Cain, their gazes filled with admiration and respect.

Roxy pressed her lips together behind Cain. The reverent stares made her somewhat shy, though she felt even more satisfied. The staff in her hand glowed faintly as she charged her magic, ready to support Cain at the front at any moment.

Creak! The heavy bluestone gates before Cain slowly opened, and light spilled out from within.

Cain's hand also settled on the hilt of his katana, Instant Void.

The adventurers moved to follow him inside, but their path was blocked by a tall, thin man and a blonde woman standing in the center of the main hall.

The man was a King-class Swordsman of the North God Style who bore the title of North King. The blonde woman was a Water King, a King-class Swordsman of the Water God Style.

Behind them stood a King-class Mage holding a ruby staff.

"Insolent intruders, you have trespassed into the royal palace! Withdraw at once!"

"Tch, you were the ones who deceived us first! We can leave if you want! Give us the payment we deserve, and we will naturally leave."

As Zoldat spoke, he smiled at the Water King of the Water God Style. She was the one who had defeated him that morning. This time, he had brought Cain along so he could also regain some face!

"You arrogant bastard!"

The blonde Water God Style woman was enraged by Zoldat's grinning expression and moved to draw her sword. Yet, in an instant, her pupils contracted sharply as she sensed something. Cold sweat trickled down her forehead, and the hand pressing against her hilt began to tremble uncontrollably. She wanted to draw her sword, but could not.

Her instincts told her that if she dared draw her blade and attack the person before her, her head would be separated from her body the next moment.

Only then did she notice the source of her fear.

Beside the man named Zoldat, a black-haired, rather handsome young man with a hand resting on his sword hilt was looking at her coldly.

"H-Hey, seriously?! Is that blade-like, bone-chilling Battle Aura around him for real?! A truly terrifying monster has arrived..."

The King-class Swordsman of the North God Style instantly straightened up, his eyelids twitching wildly. His instincts told him to get out of there. No one had told them that such an incredible person was among these adventurers.

"Hey, you over there! State your name!!"

Cain looked at the North King and Water King staring fixedly at him, then curled his lips. Seriously, they only wanted their unpaid money back. Why did they need to put on such a huge show? Was it really so difficult to reclaim what was theirs...?

"Second Sword God, Kayin Brand."

After saying that, Cain looked at the two stunned Sword Kings and added a few more words. He truly did not want to kill anyone.

"I do not wish to kill. Step aside. We are only here to reclaim what belongs to us."

"A Sword God?!"

Both of them were shocked. The corners of their eyes twitched violently as they swallowed, their gazes full of wariness.

"Just my luck. I really do not want to fight you..."

The North King sheathed his longsword, raised both hands, and sighed. He retreated to the side of the gate and squatted down. That was essentially a surrender.

The Water King clicked her tongue. With a deep frown, she suddenly drew the longsword at her waist and assumed a Water God Style stance, quietly encouraging herself!

It'll be fine! The Sword God Style's Blade of Light is countered by the Water God Style Secret Art: Flow, and I've even received a Sword King's Blade of Light before. I should be able to block it...

Buzz!

The Water King's vision suddenly went black as she was sent flying. While she had been maintaining that stance, Cain had already finished swinging his blade and was slowly sheathing the sword made of stone.

"Naive..."

Cain looked at the Water King, who had been knocked unconscious and sent flying from head to toe by his strike, and curled his lips. Were Water God Style swordsmen all this naive?

They confidently assumed that the Secret Art: Flow countered the Sword God Style's Blade of Light and took up that stance without concern. But as long as he could unleash a Blade of Light so fast that they could not even see it—one faster than the Blade of Light itself—he could easily defeat them.

"N-No way..." The Water King muttered from where she lay sprawled on the ground. Then her head tilted to one side, and she passed out.

"It was only the flat of my blade..."

Cain looked at the Water King, sheathed his stone sword, and walked forward. Ignoring the red-haired King-class Mage sitting collapsed on the ground in terror, he passed straight by her and slowly entered the great hall where Darius was.

For a King-class Mage like her, even an Advanced Swordsman could probably kill her easily in close combat. Giving up futile resistance in the face of him was a wise choice.

"So you are that noble? Please return the payment you owe us."