Antor’s soldiers were flustered. The same went for Antor, who had stepped back to watch the fight. Sword strikes flashed and flew in all directions, creating chaos with the clash of metal and boiling screams, but one thing was clear. The side falling helplessly was his own army.

“It’s ridiculous that these so-called Sacred Swordsmen are struggling against just one person.”

“But the opponent is His Highness Achilleon.”

The guard who had witnessed his colleague’s head flying off nearby was pale with terror.

“So you’re saying you’re also going to get scared and run away?”

He scolded harshly, but the guard’s face was half-dazed. And for good reason – Achilleon swung his sword without the slightest hesitation, beheading enemies. His chillingly cold expression and merciless swordsmanship made Antor’s army hesitate.

But what angered him more than the fact that his soldiers were only this skilled was something else entirely.

Just before carrying out his plan, Antor had succeeded in winning over the high priest. He had promised massive wealth, land, and even autonomy if this matter went well.

With the expectation of becoming the head of an independent state like Kahilans, the high priest accepted the proposal.

Since he was someone who had thrown away any sense of calling, he was easy to manipulate.

If it became known that he had privately lent the temple’s legion to a prince in a succession struggle, the high priest would also be dismissed.

He had borrowed the Sacred Sword Order through such an extraordinary deal, so what was this pathetic display?

The Sacred Swordsmen had been deployed on the high priest’s orders, but they seemed reluctant to fight.

Initially, Antor’s army, which had naturally brought in the Sacred Swordsmen, had the advantage, but the situation suddenly reversed.

“What is that?”

“It appears to be divine power.”

“Then why is that bastard using divine power?”

Antor shouted in confusion, but his guard couldn’t possibly know. Achilleon was using a holy sword just like the Sacred Swordsmen. More precisely, when the Sacred Swordsmen charged at him, he drew his holy sword and responded in kind. Pure white sword strikes collided with terrifying sounds.

The impact that traveled up the palace pillars shook the ceiling. The Sacred Swordsmen were bewildered, and their formation quickly crumbled.

The pure white blade cut through the blood-stained air like a snake. He had often heard the saying about using a sword like one’s own body, but this was aggressive swordsmanship that made one truly feel the of the Chariot of Ares. Blood that splattered from crushing and cutting flesh whipped across his face.

However, Achilleon’s expression remained calm without even the heat of sl*ughter or tension, instilling even greater fear in his enemies. Several Sacred Swordsmen even lowered their swords in surrender.

“Your Highness, you must take cover.”

A voice trembling like a goat came from beside him. Antor clicked his tongue at his guard, who seemed ready to wet himself with fear.

‘He’s shaken.’

Achilleon was definitely shaken by what he had said. He knew the man’s combat patterns from countless analyses. Though he seemed to charge like a wild beast, his movements were unnecessarily large and cruel.

Like he intended to eliminate all of Antor’s remaining soldiers in the area and even take his head. If he saw Hari here, he would lose even more reason. That was exactly what Antor wanted. It wouldn’t be difficult to deal with one beast running wild with emotion.

“Ugh!”

At a suppressed scream from not far away, Antor turned his head. One Sacred Swordsman was clashing swords fiercely with Hoperon. The Sacred Swordsman was being pushed back by Hoperon’s iron mace-like strength that even divine power couldn’t repel.

Hoperon. The general Achilleon cherished most.

‘I mocked him as a lowly slave who was just a phantom wasting the royal army’s food.’

Antor picked up his sword with murderous eyes.

“Y-Your Highness. You must evacuate now. If we delay any longer, you’ll be captured.”

“Wait a moment.”

“Where are you going? Your Highness!”

Brushing off his restraining guard, Antor approached the two men who were facing off. And without hesitation, he stabbed Hoperon’s vital spot.

* * *

‘Your lovely girlfriend told me.’

His expression contorted each time he swung his sword. Even when he stabbed charging soldiers straight through and was covered in blood, even when he saw dangling intestines before his eyes, Achilleon could feel no emotion.

‘Blinded by a woman, you couldn’t even see the darkness under the lamp. How pathetic.’

The mocking voice reached him very faintly, penetrating his heat-filled head. It was still a small sound, not enough to disrupt Achilleon’s actions, but

‘She must have acted hard, pretending to love you.’

While cutting down Antor’s soldiers, his senses gradually reached toward that voice. When the hallucination grew enough to make his actions hesitate, he swung his sword and cut that voice down in one stroke.

Ridiculous nonsense. A hollow laugh mixed with his rough breathing.

Did he think he wouldn’t recognize such a crude attempt at provocation?

Achilleon, coldly sneering, swung his sword horizontally.

The soldier’s neck was severed, spurting blood. Looking down at his blood-covered face and hands, Achilleon swung his sword once more. His reason became clear again. Behind Achilleon, who mercilessly penetrated the enemy lines, his soldiers followed with heightened morale.

Antor’s army stationed in the main castle was overwhelmed, and even the remaining Sacred Swordsmen hesitated before raising white flags. Victory would be decided soon. To think he prepared only this much before attempting treason.

Of course, many of Antor’s soldiers still remained outside the castle, but if they captured the leader, there would be no unnecessary sacrifices. Achilleon, who had pulled his sword from the chest of a charging Sacred Swordsman, caught his breath and looked around.

However, Antor was nowhere to be seen.

‘She must have found you so disgusting that she’d join hands with trash like me.’

Only that snake-tongued, cunning voice lingered. In a moment of carelessness, at the words that struck his heart, Achilleon frowned.

It was just nonsense…. Though Hari had disliked him, he thought their relationship had improved considerably, and even if he couldn’t trust her completely, he believed she didn’t lack affection.

Even if it was love-hate rather than pure love. Though he couldn’t explain it, Achilleon definitely felt that she wanted him. Eyes mixed with longing and self-mockery, or arms clinging desperately to him. Perhaps even those things were acting or his own delusion…..

“……”

At that moment, sharp pain struck his heart. He grabbed a subordinate who approached and ordered:

“Send someone to Rainan to check if Margharita safely arrived at the hideout.”

Antor’s words were lies. If Margharita had betrayed him, why would she have followed obediently? Hari had chosen to go with him. She would be waiting at the hideout for him to come.

“Ugh…!”

At Hoperon’s scream that reached him then, his thoughts instantly cleared. When Achilleon discovered Antor standing and smiling with a blood-stained sword, rage surged to the top of his head.

“Hoperon!”

“Oops, I killed another dog you cherish.”

Antor carelessly threw down his bloody sword and smiled brightly.

“Seeing your face twisted in misery, yes, there’s that kind of pleasure in it.”

“Your Highness the Third Prince……”

“When I slit the belly of that pony you cherished too. When I killed that big brother you loved, that world-collapsing expression was truly worth seeing.”

Hoperon, stabbed deep in the lungs, gasped with blood-mixed breath. Focus was disappearing from his eyes. He wouldn’t survive. Because of Antor. Because of that damned bastard again.

“That’s why I can’t quit this kind of thing. Ha…!”

Antor’s loud laughter bounced off the walls and ceiling, echoing loudly. Achilleon raised his finely trembling hand and brought it to Hoperon’s eyes.

Only after the blood-soaked breathing completely stopped did he slowly rise.

“I killed my brother. I’m going to kill father and even kill mother….. If you want to make confession, go to the temple and bang your head there.”

At the quiet voice crawling along the floor, Antor hesitated. Achilleon was approaching step by step.

“Even so, the pain you’ll receive won’t be reduced.”

“Repentance? Why should I?”

Antor also drew his sword and laughed.

“Is there anything to regret? Rather, I pity you, little brother.”

“……..”

“I have things I’ve done, so that’s understandable, but you haven’t done anything yet you’ve lost people, haven’t you? Even the woman you tried to treat well and loved struck you in the back of the head. So I can’t help but pity you.”

Antor sneered while glaring at Achilleon’s sword wrapped in pure white divine power. Looking at that sword made his head boil and his stomach turn. It was natural.