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A drop of sweat rolled down Cazes’s back as he eyed the Imperial Knights that were standing in front of him. He knew these Imperial Knights’ abilities better than anyone else.
“You won’t be able to go any further.”
The young man standing beside the First Battalion Commander, scowling at Cazes and the others, was especially talented. He was on another level

“Sir Valmont
!” Cazes muttered, clenching his teeth.
Valmont dun Brown was the treasure of the Avalon Empire. He was considered as the next Knight-Commander in spite of the fact that the First Battalion’s captain was far more experienced than him. Although Cazes had been certain that he would be able to take on three captains, Valmont was the only person that Cazes couldn’t guarantee victory against.
“Wh-why is Sir Valmont here? He definitely went on a journey to train himself and overcome his limit
!”
“It’s because of the Emperor.”
“The owner of the palace has returned, so it would be only right for his knight to return as well.”
Cazes bit his lower lip. The one silver lining was the fact that Knight-Commander Rod hadn’t appeared yet—but, of course, the situation wasn’t good even with that in consideration.
“
Cain,” Cazes said.
“Huh?” Cain turned to him.
“Five Imperial Knight captains or one Superhuman. Which opponent do you prefer?” Cazes asked.
“Woah,” Cain quietly exclaimed. “So that young man is a Superhuman like me?”
“You must have heard about Valmont dun Brown. There are many geniuses among the Imperial Knights, but he’s the best. The genius of the geniuses,” Cazes explained.
“It’s my first time meeting him in person. He looks the same age as me,” Cain observed.
“There is an unofficial hierarchy of power. In my opinion, Valmont dun Brown is stronger than at least half of the other Twelve Superhumans.”
Cain drew his greatsword with a grin. “
I don’t mean to boast, but we’ll only be able to find out after this fight.”
“Cain de Harry
” Valmont muttered. The strong recognized the strong. He stepped forward and released his energy. Valmont had no reason to hesitate, nor could he afford to stay composed like he usually did; in fact, Valmont had to hurry because His Majesty was in the palace right now.
He shook off those thoughts and sprang forward.
Cain also darted toward Valmont like a lightning bolt. Two geniuses of the Avalon Empire were going all-out.
The auras of the two Class A knights clashed with an ear-splitting boom.
* * *
Ranger’s breath caught in his throat; he couldn’t bear to watch the battle between Cain and Valmont any further.
“So we now have to take care of them
”
Standing in front of Ranger were nine captains exuding clear murderous intent. All of them were at least Class B knights, and Ranger had to get through all of them.
“
Fuck, I should have used up all the money I have saved up behind my wife’s back
” Ranger muttered.
“Hindsight is always perfect,” Cazes said, his sword ringing clearly as it left its sheathe. “I’ll leave exactly four captains to you.”
“Hahaha! I thought I said I can deal with two—why are you doubling the number, you damned magician!” Ranger groused.
“I’ll deal with the remaining five,” Cazes casually replied.
Joker, the captain of the First Battalion, was dumbstruck by their conversation. “You Auxiliary Battalion knights don’t know your place
”
“Have you forgotten that the entire Imperial Knights knelt before the previous captain of the Auxiliary Battalion?” Ranger shot back.
“
Hah. You and your mouth.” Joker chuckled. “Do you think you’re Joshua Sanders, Ranger?”
“Why would you need a cow-butchering knife to snap a chicken’s neck[1]?”
Joker’s expression crumpled, but within a few seconds he broke into a crooked smile and shrugged. “
Well, fine, but I think you’re gravely mistaken about one thing.”
Cazes gave him a look.
“Who said you’re going up against me and the other eight captains?”
“
Wait
” Ranger gave him a blank look. “Mmm
 Captain Joker? I highly doubt it, but you’re not seriously mobilizing all the Imperial Knights against two Auxiliary Battalion knights, are you?”
Joker shook his head. “No way.”
“Right? It’ll hurt the great Imperial Knights’ pride,” Ranger dramatically declared.
“Of course, one person will be enough to defeat you two vermin.”
“Oh
!” Ranger was very glad to hear that, but he acted as pitifully as possible in the hopes that Joker wouldn’t go back on his words. “Why, of course! All the Imperial Knights against two lowly knights! The other knights will call it a disgrace, and the other countries will look down upon—!”
He froze.

A man walked through the Imperial Knights and stood in front of them.
“What the fuck
.” slipped out of Ranger’s lips. The worst-case scenario had come true.
“Knight-Commander Rod
” Cazes mumbled. His face also darkened.
“Cazes and Ranger
 I didn’t know the day would come when I would have to slay two of my most promising subordinates.” Knight-Commander Rod smiled bitterly.
Cazes gritted his teeth. “
Ugh.”
This was never going to work. Infiltrating the palace had already failed, and if Cazes was going up against this many Imperial Knights, then there was less than a ten percent chance of winning. On top of that, Knight-Commander Rod, the shield of the Avalon Empire and one of the strongest Superhumans, made an appearance

‘Is it the end
?’ Cazes despaired.
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“Then it’s only fair for them to have backup too, right?”
However, there was always hope. The situation took another unexpected turn. Cazes and Ranger’s nearly popped out of their heads. They couldn’t have asked for a better backup.
“Duke Tremblin
?”
“What the fuck
”
In contrast to Cazes and Ranger’s exclamations, Rod’s face darkened. However, it wasn’t because of the Sword Emperor.
“
Duke Tremblin, why are you coming out of the palace?” Rod asked.
“The Sword Emperor is my guest.”
Rod flinched when he saw who had just spoken.
“Everyone, stop now,” the person ordered.
“This voice is
”
“I’ve come to my own decision
 so I hope you all will stop this meaningless fight.”
Everyone turned silent for a long moment, including Rod. Cain and Valmont had already stopped fighting. Charles had been hiding in the back until now, but even she also stood up.
“Your Highness Ki-Kiser?” she shouted.
The one who appeared from behind the Sword Emperor was surely the First Prince, Kiser.
* * *
The council chamber was rattled by a torrent of explosions emanating from the collisions between a greatsword and a spear. Joshua had always defeated his opponent with overwhelming power, and he would have done the same in this fight if it hadn’t been for Aden von Agnus’s remark.
“The Demon Spirit that you hate so much has been annihilated.”
“
What?” Joshua frowned, deflecting the greatsword that was flying quickly toward him.
“No, his soul is with me, so I guess it’s technically wrong to say he was annihilated.”
Joshua’s frown deepened. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“He and I became one. That was another part of the deal.”
Joshua’s eyes widened.
Despite Joshua’s reaction, Aden looked plaintive as if he shared the same emotion as the annihilated Demon Spirit.
“He asked me to take him in,” Aden continued. “In return, he gave me all his power. That is why I can become this powerful.”
“Take him
 in?”
“The Demon Spirit tried really hard to build a body, but you destroyed it. On top of that, he has nowhere to return to.”
“What are you saying
!”
“He was truly foolish. It’s said that light can exist in darkness, but the opposite is also true
”
Something flashed through Joshua’s mind. “
Wait, that means
”
“What you’re thinking right now is correct. Light and darkness are symbiotic. The Angel Spirit was annihilated, and the Angel Realm also crumbled. So wouldn’t it be only right for the other side to end up the same way?”
Joshua shuddered. “You mean
 the Demon Realm has perished?”
“It’s perishing, to be exact. The Demon Spirit has fallen to the Human Realm with all the powers of the Eight Deadly Sins, which are the key to maintaining the Demon Realm.
While there are five primordial stones in the Human Realm, there are Seven Deadly Sins in the Demon Realm
 so I guess it’s inevitable.”
“Impossible
!”
Aden suddenly clapped loudly. “Congratulations, you and I will face no more obstacles after this fight.”
“Do you really think
 I’d believe that?” Joshua frowned slightly.
“Just like usual, I don’t care if you believe me or not. In fact, I’m happy right now since the situation has turned out as I wanted it to in the end.” Aden’s smile deepened. “I had my revenge, and I also have the insurance that I made just in case
 So I can’t ask for a better outcome. All I have to do right now is to take over the continent.”
“Sersiarin
! Joshua muttered.
Aden smiled slyly. “I shouldn’t reward a son who dares to harm his own father.”
“You piece of trash
!” Joshua growled.
“Let’s finish this fight.”
Aden’s greatsword flew like a lightning bolt again.
* * *
Meanwhile in the Magnificent Flower Palace beside the main palace

“W-wait! Wh-what are you trying to do to me!”
“
Don’t hate me too much. I don’t feel good about this either, but it’s necessary for our great plan
” Marco ominously mumbled as he slowly approached Kaizen.
Thanks to Kaizen, Marco could arrive at the Magnificent Flower Palace with ease because Kaizen had dispatched the Imperial Knights elsewhere in advance, so there were only three people in this palace right now.
It didn’t take long for Kaizen to figure out what Marco was trying to do as Marco’s sharply-edged sword gleamed in the darkness. Kaizen leaped backward as if he had been struck with a lightning bolt.
“Why
 why are you trying to harm me? This is not what we promised!” he shouted.
“
I’ll pay for this in hell.”
“Wa-wait! Wait! I’ll give you anything you want! Money? Honor? Power? I can make anything come true, so please spare me
!” Kaizen begged.
Marco quietly shook his head. “I said that it’s necessary for our great plan.”
“Please
”
“Farewell,” Marco calmly answered.
Marco drew an elegant arc with his sword. Something round flew high into the sky and ended up rolling on the floor.
After wiping off the blood that got smeared on his sword, Marco looked at the sickly princess lying down like a corpse and sighed. He pulled a black crystal from his inner pocket and brought it toward the princess. There was no way in hell for Heimdall to lose, but this was insurance for the worst-case scenario.
“I trust you, Heimdall
”
1. It’s a Korean idiom about using too much force for a trivial matter ☜