Into the Creations 2087

Chapter 2087 – 2087. The Fallen Empire

Cotton stepped forward with confidence, facing the female barbarian. However, it was noticeable that his hands holding the greatsword were trembling slightly. It was obvious that the reason was the axe he had just deflected.

‘If we’re just talking about strength, she’s either similar to Cotton’s power or even stronger.’

Even if the female barbarian had muscles honed through constant training, her strength was abnormally high. Cotton was at a similar level to me when it came to strength.

‘Come to think of it… it doesn’t make sense that two women, and beautiful ones at that, are wandering around in this empire.’

I don’t know about the western part of the empire where women supposedly rose up, but this region where I am is a typical male-dominated society. The only women who are treated well are noble daughters or female knights. Both are rare.

“Get out of the way! I have no interest in you!”

The female barbarian shouted. Her voice was so loud that it made me, who was quite a distance away, involuntarily frown. Still, she didn’t ignore Cotton and rush at me right away. Soon, her axe and Cotton’s greatsword clashed in the air.

In the brief moment I looked away, a sword flew towards me.

[Using Flash(刹那). Remaining stacks: 11]

I used Flash to tilt my head to the side and avoid the sword. I was wearing armor, but the flying sword was imbued with sword energy. If I hadn’t used Flash, my reaction might have been delayed. In the worst case, I would have died instantly.

‘It’s a perfect surprise attack timing, but… does a knight throw their weapon, a sword?’

It wasn’t the way a normal knight would think. The knights of the empire considered their weapons as extensions of themselves.

I looked at the female knight with admiration, then paused.

She was holding a sword.

Did she have two swords from the beginning? That couldn’t be. I looked back to see the sword that had flown behind me and was embedded in a tree. The sword turned gray and disappeared.

‘It doesn’t seem like magic. Is it a secret technique that the female knight possesses?’

It was similar to my skill, Meteor Sword. Of course, I couldn’t jump to conclusions.

The female knight rushed at me. She was fast. There was a sense of regularity in her movements. She wasn’t moving randomly but according to a standard. It seemed like she had learned a swordsmanship passed down from her family.

As she closed the distance, she positioned her arm as if to swing her sword immediately.

‘A feint with even her gaze.’

But it wouldn’t work. My heightened senses could feel the mana fluctuating elsewhere.

Three swords were created in the air and flew towards me. Each was a different shape. Like before, they were imbued with sword energy.

‘Not bad. Most guys would fall for this attack.’

Meteor Sword.

I created three Meteor Swords in the air and shot them towards the incoming swords. In terms of durability, the Meteor Swords were clearly inferior. They shattered into fragments as soon as they collided. However, it was enough to change the trajectory of the incoming swords.

The female knight’s eyes widened for a moment before returning to normal. She swung her sword, and I blocked it with my sword. The sword didn’t stay still. It pushed against my sword as if scraping it away and continued with the next strike. I focused and blocked her attacks.

Her swordsmanship was skilled.

“Is that your secret technique?”

“So?”

“It’s similar to mine. It must be a top-tier secret technique. Not only that, but your physical abilities and swordsmanship are also excellent. There are few knights as skilled as you in the empire. With such great skills, why are you doing banditry?”

“Everyone has their own story. I’m more curious about your story.”

Every time the swords clashed, blue sparks flew. It was the sword energy colliding and scattering. Of course, she wasn’t just fighting. She created swords in the air and shot them out from time to time. I deflected the swords with Meteor Sword and countered.

‘I’ll win easily if it goes to a long battle.’

She was creating and launching swords imbued with sword energy, not just ordinary swords. It was a technique that clearly consumed a lot of mana.

Her sword became faster. The power behind her sword also increased. She wanted to end this battle quickly. In other words, she was feeling impatient.

Suddenly, her swordsmanship changed. The sword that had been as rigid as a mountain became as erratic as the wind.

‘I’ve experienced similar swordsmanship in the world of Gwangmyeongseungcheon.’

I didn’t panic and responded. Even if I didn’t have a talent for swordsmanship, I had experiences that others couldn’t accumulate.

Her swordsmanship changed again. This time, it was a quick sword focused solely on speed. It was a familiar type of swordsmanship, so I easily blocked it. Her swordsmanship continued to change. Her breathing, spacing, knee angle, and leg stance changed in an instant.

‘Is she a genius of swordsmanship comparable to Joo Seo-hyun?’

No, it didn’t feel like that. There was something lacking. It was like she didn’t have the substance to back up the swordsmanship she had learned. It seemed like she lacked experience.

‘If it were Joo Seo-hyun, she would have picked out the advantages of each swordsmanship and made it her own.’

The female knight gritted her teeth.

Swords are heavy. It’s difficult for an average person to swing a sword 10 times in a row. Especially now, in a battle. Because lives were at stake, the tension in the body was at its maximum. It was natural that stamina was being depleted like crazy.

12th change in swordsmanship. She and I had swung our swords more than 200 times. I was also out of breath, but it was nothing compared to the female knight. She was having trouble even controlling her breathing.

“…Why? Why doesn’t my swordsmanship work?!”

“Because it lacks substance? Your swordsmanship seems like something you learned by just looking at it. It would have been better if you had focused on one swordsmanship.”

“Tch, shut up! Don’t mock me! The victory isn’t decided yet! You’re tired just like I am! Do you think I wouldn’t know?”

The female knight rushed at me in a fit of anger. My provocation had shaken her concentration. Her breathing was messed up, and the momentum of her sword had died down.

‘I’ve been waiting for this moment.’

I blocked her sword with my sword. As I turned and pulled her sword, the female knight took a step towards me to avoid losing her grip.

I thrust my mana-infused fist towards her abdomen.

Bang!

With a huge impact sound, her eyes rolled upwards. Then, the sword fell from her hand, and her body collapsed. I caught her body with my hand.

“It’s hard to capture someone alive without injury when they’re moderately strong.”

I turned my head to check on the female barbarian and Cotton.

“Huh.”

Cotton was lying on the ground. The female barbarian’s right foot was on his head. Cotton had lost even after using his secret technique. Blood was flowing from the female barbarian’s right arm, but it wasn’t severe.

“Cotton… isn’t he dead? Why didn’t she kill him? I heard barbarians kill people mercilessly.”

“That’s a false rumor. We don’t massacre humans without reason. Well, we usually kill enemies… but you didn’t kill that guy either.”

Since I didn’t kill the female knight, she didn’t kill Cotton.

“Simple and clear.”

“Is there a reason to make it complicated?”

“No. In the end, the strong take everything.”

I laid the female knight on the ground. The surrounding bandits were already terrified and couldn’t come close. I advanced towards the female barbarian.

“Uryaahhhhhh!!”

She charged at me, letting out a truly barbarian-like roar. Red sword energy surged from the blades of the axes she held in both hands.

I pretended to block her axe with my sword, then dodged. Whoosh. The axe cut through the air with a ferocious momentum. The aftermath was so strong that my body was blown backward. It was definitely not a normal attack.

‘Wind? No, is it a secret technique related to power? I could never have blocked that force. Good thing I dodged.’

Thanks to that, my counterattack followed smoothly. My left fist struck her well-trained abs. A mana-infused fist. The shock spread throughout her body, and it wouldn’t be strange if she passed out like the female knight… but the barbarian endured.

She grinned and raised her axe.

“Your fist was a bit spicy. But it’s not enough to knock me down.”

“Lightning.”

Crackling!

Blue lightning that started from my left fist coursed through her body.

The giant woman, taller than me at 190cm, couldn’t withstand the electric shock and fell backward with her eyes rolled back.

‘I was trying not to use abilities like Lightning or Flash to train… but it got tough in the middle.’

I rotated my left wrist. Her body was so tough that my wrist was stiff.

I picked up both of them and ordered the bewildered bandits.

“Pick up Cotton and return. We’re going back to the hideout.”

“Y-yes, sir! Boss! B-but boss, what are you going to do with those women?”

“I have to make them pay the price for messing with me.”

“T-then, will we get a chance too…?”

“Of course. I’ll hand them over to you after I’ve had my fill. Well, I’m planning to enjoy them for about a week.”

“A week? Ah, no! We’ll wait! Just give us a chance! Hehe…”

From now on, the lives of those bandit bastards were limited to a week.

I brought the unconscious women to the house where I was staying. It was a bandit den full of men, so I couldn’t leave them to the other guys. I’d trust a passing dog more than those bandits.

I put special slave shackles on them, and using handcuffs and chains, I restrained them and put them in separate rooms. Just being confined alone in a room would increase the psychological pressure.

• • •

“My lord!”

Cotton woke up before the women. Cotton knelt before me with burning eyes.

“My defeat against that barbarian woman… was my mistake. I didn’t know she could use such strong power. It must be a secret technique she stole after killing a knight. If I fight her again, I won’t lose! Please let me fight her again!”

“Cotton. That woman lost to me and is restrained.”

“Please leave the humiliation of that woman to me! I must repay that barbarian for this humiliation! If you give me just a week, I will make her a dog that obeys you, my lord!”

I clicked my tongue as I looked at Cotton.

“You’re crossing the line.”

“…Huh?”

[Using Flash(刹那). Remaining stacks: 11]

I summoned a sword, held it in my hand, and stabbed it into Cotton’s solar plexus.

“M-my lord? W-why… is this?”

“Those women are mine. How can you covet your lord’s women?”

“I-if you had said so, such a thing… would not have… happened…!”

“You should have realized it even if I didn’t say it. And you would have crossed the line anyway. I’ve killed you in one go, considering our past relationship, so be grateful.”

“You horny bastard…!”

Cotton cursed me right before he died. In return, I chopped up Cotton’s body and displayed it on a skewer in front of the house. The bandits trembled and didn’t dare approach my house.