Undercurrents Stir

Darius sat on a throne forged from gold and gemstones, staring at the unconscious Water King at his feet. Cold sweat streamed down his forehead as he swallowed hard.

He looked at Cain, whose sharp eyes were sizing him up, and forced a smile uglier than a grimace.

"D-Don't attack, Sword God Cain. That was just a misunderstanding... Guards, bring the money! Hurry, bring the money!"

A fawning smile hung on Darius's face, squeezing all the fat on his cheeks together.

So disgusting...

Cain disdainfully pushed the stone sword he had half-drawn back into its sheath.

Zoldat and the others cheered, happily snatching treasure chests filled with bags of gold coins from the guards and carrying them out through the palace's main gate in a grand procession.

The king on the second floor watched everything from the window and sighed. Against someone like that, no matter how many soldiers there were, they would only be cannon fodder—expendable supplies thrown onto the battlefield. That was why Divine Rank swordsmen could only be recruited.

"Teacher Roxy."

"What is it, Cain?"

Roxy, who had walked out of the palace gates and was happily carrying a huge bag of Asura Gold Coins at the back of the group, turned around. Seeing Cain standing at the entrance with a faint smile, she could not help but smile as well.

This time, she and Cain had truly struck it rich.

"Mm, it's nothing. I'll treat you to dinner when we get back, Teacher..."

"Hah, don't waste money. But considering how much we earned this time... well, it's fine to have a nice meal."

Roxy smiled sweetly and turned back to follow the many adventurers.

But then she realized there were no footsteps behind her.

"Cain? Aren't you coming back?"

Cain rested his hand on his sword hilt and narrowed his eyes at the palace entrance behind him. Hearing her, he turned back and gave Roxy a gentle smile.

"You all go arrange the feast. I'll be back soon."

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

Roxy smiled and nodded, happily carrying her large bag of Aras Gold Coins as she left with the other adventurers.

Honestly, I really didn't want to kill anyone in front of Teacher... That would probably lower my standing in Teacher Roxy's eyes. Though I'm not exactly a good student anyway...

After watching Teacher Roxy and Zoldat leave, Cain let out a slight sigh of relief. The smile on his face gradually vanished, and when he turned around again, his expression had become completely cold.

His gaze swept coldly over the palace gates behind him as he spoke in a low voice.

"Stop hiding. Come out..."

His voice echoed through the empty hall. A man dressed in black appeared within the palace gates, pulling away the camouflage cloth covering him. Facing Cain, his expression was grave.

One on one.

"Sword God Cain, why are you protecting her?"

The man in black revealed his true face. He was the North King who had surrendered earlier. Two short blades stained with an unknown liquid slowly appeared in his hands.

"Why do you want to kill Teacher Roxy?"

Cain did not answer the North King's question. Instead, he asked one of his own as he slowly drew the katana at his waist...

"Do you have a grudge against Teacher Roxy?"

Cain looked at the North King before him without much expression. He had noticed it earlier—after surrendering, this guy had been lingering around the palace exit.

When Teacher Roxy left through the gate, he had hidden beneath that cloth and lain in ambush by the entrance. He had wanted to act several times, but Cain had been right beside Teacher Roxy, so he had abandoned the idea.

Of course, Cain had not wanted that man's blood to splatter onto Teacher Roxy either, which was why he had not killed him earlier.

"Who sent you..."

"Heh heh, that Devil Race! She will destroy this world!"

"Mm, what a peculiar last word..."

"Any other last words?"

"..."

Watching the silent North King, Cain understood.

So that was it... He wanted to take Teacher's life over such bullshit...

Unforgivable!

Cain sighed softly. His black eyes gradually turned indifferent. He did not want to kill people, but anyone who laid a hand on someone important to him would have to accept his apology!

Without warning, the Blade of Light flashed like a streak of light and vanished. From over ten meters away, blood burst from the North King's neck like a fountain. His headless body fell straight to the ground, and blood dyed the bluestone slabs before the palace gates red.

Cain calmly wiped the blade clean with a cloth and slowly sheathed it. He walked over to the corpse's head, which had flown away and fallen to the ground with a wet smack, still seeping thick, bright-red blood. He grabbed it by the hair, examined it, then shook his head in confusion.

"Don't know him..."

It was not that Cain was cold-blooded. He had lived alongside death since he was three years old. Having seen countless corpses on the Demon Continent, he had long become somewhat numb to them.

Killing and being killed no longer mattered much in his eyes...

This world of swords and magic was cruel. The strong preyed on the weak; the strong survived while the weak were eliminated. Without real ability, one could not survive. Cain had understood that truth when he had nearly starved to death while wandering the Demon Continent at the age of three.

Courtesy came from the good education of his previous life.

Swords were the means to survive in reality.

But no matter what this world became, Cain would never allow anyone to harm Roxy. No one.

Although they had only been together for a few days, Teacher Roxy was already an important companion to him. She could teach him magic, take commissions with him, guide him so he would not get lost, and help him make cool, dependable armor. Roxy was a teacher he respected from the bottom of his heart.

He had yet to explore a dungeon with Teacher Roxy, and he had yet to fulfill that ten-year promise with her.

So even if the Superd Tribe came, he would still draw his sword to protect Roxy.

Tap, tap, tap...

Gripping that head dripping with thick blood, Cain walked into the hall expressionlessly until he reached Darius, who was so terrified that he had wet himself, a large patch of dampness spreading across his crotch.

Thud.

Cain tossed the round head before him, then coldly looked at Darius, who sat collapsed on the floor in terror. He slowly drew the long katana at his waist and pointed it at him.

"Who ordered it..."

"I-I don't know! I really don't know!"

Cain frowned slightly and clicked his tongue. He sheathed his sword and stared coldly at Darius.

"If anything happens to Teacher Roxy, I will take your life and that king's life... Then I will establish a second Sword God's Holy Land in this Magic City. I swear it in the name of Second Sword God Cain Blade. Tell the king my exact words. Thank you..."

Cain looked coldly at Darius, put away his katana Instant Void, and prepared to leave the palace.

Darius's face was white as snow as he nodded repeatedly.

Cain turned back and lightly tightened his grip around the hilt of the katana at his waist. He was in a very bad mood right now. He did not understand why Teacher Roxy, who was kind and dependable, a little shy around strangers, and a little silly, had been targeted by the North King of the North God Style.

He would ask her when he got back. If there was a problem, it would be best to resolve it quickly. He would resolve it himself.

With that thought, Cain slowly left the hall.

He could not do without Teacher Roxy now.

"It's over..." Darius collapsed on the ground, his gaze hollow and his face pale. What was he supposed to do now? Whether it succeeded or failed, he would die...

Killing a North King was no issue. Since he had drawn his blades, he was an enemy who had already accepted that possibility. Mercy toward enemies was cruelty toward oneself and those around oneself.

But if he killed Darius, a major figure of the nation, it would be equivalent to killing the nation's prime minister. Unless Cain truly intended to establish a second Sword God's Holy Land, he would be expelled from the country. Then he would not be able to stay in the same country as Teacher Roxy...

That was why Cain had spared Darius.

Of course, if Darius was the mastermind behind it, Cain would kill him without hesitation. If it had been the king's order, then he would kill the king and replace him with another.

But Cain had no interest in building a force. He only wanted to become stronger—stronger in every way.

Expelled or not, no one was allowed to harm his Teacher Roxy.

Cain left the hall and looked at the empty royal road. Only then did he remember an important problem.

"Ah... Without Teacher Roxy, how am I supposed to get back...?"

A chilly breeze swept past. Looking at the empty royal avenue, Cain pursed his lips as though facing a world-class problem.

He went back and asked the collapsed Darius for a guide. Mm, it was that King-class magician. Under her guidance, Cain finally made it back to the Adventurers' Guild that night.