Ranker's Return

Supplementary Story 13

One side of the stone building exploded. Then the other side exploded. Finally, the remaining part exploded.

After three explosions, the building collapsed.

“Is it finally starting? It took longer than I thought.”

Alexander was relaxed as he approached the scene of the incident. His surroundings were already no different from a noisy market. Many people were screaming and running around at the same time.

“I think Lebron is quite hurt.”

Aldred walked together with Alexander.

“Hurt? Lebron?”

Alexander burst out laughing. He laughed so loudly that the eyes around him focused on him for a moment. Even so, Alexander didn’t care about his surroundings. He just continued with what he had to say.

“Lebron is already a completed sword. He can’t be hurt by this much,” Alexander asserted.

Aldred looked like he didn’t understand Alexander’s words.

“It takes many things to make a good sword. It starts with selecting good materials and there should be a blacksmith with excellent skills.”

Aldred immediately understood what Alexander was trying to say with his parable.

‘Is this why he described it as a sword?’

The materials meant Lebron’s talent and the blacksmith meant John Blake.

“Of course, just because the two conditions are met doesn’t mean it will be a good sword. It should fall into the hands of a good owner. That is how it will become a great sword. Otherwise, it is just a slightly sharp and hard blade.”

Alexander’s following words gave him goosebumps. It was obvious who the good master was. It must be Alexander himself.

‘Are you going to use your only close friend as a sword?’

Aldred thought that this was only for Lebron’s awakening. It was a chance to show the fear of the world to the well-bred noble young master.

‘That wasn’t the case...’

In fact, Alexander was trying to hold the completed warrior called Lebron in his grasp.

“Go and take a good look at how terrifying the successor raised by the number one knight of the empire is. Additionally, how heavy the anger of that successor is.”

Alexander finished speaking and gently placed his right hand on the handle of his sword. His surroundings were suddenly filled with a number of troops.

“I am going to clean up this place myself.”

Alexander’s sword was drawn from its sheath.

Flash!

A rainbow appeared in the cave.

***

The debris of the shattered building and the land that had been hollowed out by something were the graves of the dead to Lebron.

“The nobles of the empire are literally noble. That is why you should be noble to yourself. So how did you, Earl Bonyak, become so low level?”

Lebron was covered with blood and shook his red-colored sword.

“If you want to enjoy your rights, then do your duty. These are the words of the first emperor of the Yusma Empire. Then what about you?”

Lebron moved slowly toward Earl Bonyak.

“Don’t come here, this monster!!”

Earl Bonyak stepped back with a frightened expression. He had long lost his spirit due to those who had died to the monster in front of him. There were quite a few black magicians among them. The black magicians even used the chimeras they had created in their experiments to fight.

“The monsters are these guys, not me.”

Lebron kicked one of the corpses that had fallen to the ground. It was a chimera that had fallen due to Lebron’s sword.

“Is this the end? If you have reinforcements, then I’ll give you a chance to call for them.” Lebron suddenly appeared in front of Earl Bonyak and placed his sword at this person’s neck.

“Can’t you hear the sound from over there?” Earl Bonyak shouted as he pointed his finger behind Lebron’s back.

“Sound?” Lebron frowned and focused his ears. Then he heard small noises.

-Kuaaaack!

-A monster, a monster!!!

-Kill him!

-How many people are there that you can’t even kill one person?

It was literally pandemonium. People’s screams and cries were mixed together.

‘Is it Alexander?’

It was probably the case. There were only two powerful people here who could create such turmoil. Lebron himself and Alexander.

“I wonder if the reinforcements you are waiting for have been blocked by my only friend. It is a shame.”

Contrary to his words, there wasn’t the slightest bit of regret on Lebron’s face. It was just cold and hard.

“Do you have anything to say before you die? Someone who will get revenge for you. Or the names of the nobles who worked with you...” Lebron spoke rather than wielding the sword. It was better to extract information than to kill Earl Bonyak.

“Do you think I will tell you? Just kill me!”

However, Earl Bonyak had no intention of following Lebron’s will.

‘I will die anyway.’

He would die if he spoke and die if he didn’t speak. It was certain. The man in front of him was Lebron. A disciple of John Blake, the number one knight of the empire and the commander of the Knights of Keon.

“Are you serious about this?”

“Of course. It doesn’t make sense since I can’t live anyway. Kill me.”

“I’ll spare those who aren’t involved, but they won’t be able to hold a central government position for three generations.”

A bit of conflict appeared on Earl Bonyak’s face. Lebron’s words were like a glimmer of hope. Ever since the establishment of the Yusma Empire, there had been a few nobles who joined hands with the black magicians. It was natural. Then everyone walked on the path of annihilation. No one was spared, from the elderly to the newborn. They were all killed.

‘Saving my family...’

Lebron said he would make an exception here. Earl Bonyak was bound to be troubled.

‘I’m the only one who knows the black magicians anyway...’

This was the reason why Earl Bonyak’s troubles deepened. It was that he would be dying alone.

“Really? Earl Bonyak asked again. His tone wasn’t venomous like before. Now he was the powerless head of the family.

“I don’t say things I don’t mean.” Lebron nodded.

“I don’t know where to start… it was around 20 years ago when the black magicians came to me.”

Earl Bonyak opened his mouth helplessly. Amazing words started to flow out of his mouth.

“The black magicians came to you and you just met them? Do you expect me to believe this?”

Lebron frowned. It didn’t make sense from the start.

“I wouldn’t have met them if it was only the black magicians who came. They came to me with other nobles.”

“Who did they come with?”

“A duke, a marquis, and three earls came together with them.”

“A duke, a marquis and three earls?”

The faces of high ranking nobles passed through Lebron’s mind. Throughout the Yusma Empire, there were only four dukes, six marquises, and 25 earls. There were only 35 people who could be called high ranking nobles.

‘Five of them are involved with the black magician...’

It was bigger than expected. In particular, he couldn’t believe that a duke and a marquis were involved in this.

“You look incredulous. I was as well.”

Earl Bonyak chuckled. His reaction had been the same. He couldn’t believe it. A duke joined hands with black magicians.

‘What is he lacking?’

It was a terrible reality. It was in order to have greater power and to live longer. This caused him to be eaten by desire.

“Now you are wondering about the names of the five of them, right?”

“I seem to know the duke and the marquis, so just mention the earls.”

Lebron roughly guessed the identities of the duke and marquis who joined hands with the black magicians. No, he didn’t guess. He was confident.

‘It is obvious.’

There were four dukes of the Yusma Empire. One of them was his teacher, John Blake. The other was in charge of the imperial magic tower and Lebron knew him well. These two men were never the type to work together with black magicians. There were only two people left. One of them had joined hands with the black magicians.

“It definitely isn’t two dukes. Out of the two remaining, there is only one person whose desires are certain. Duke Jerata. There is also only one marquis acquainted with Duke Jerata. It is Marquis Pehello.”

“Amazing, amazing. I thought you had only learned swordsmanship from Duke Blake...”

Earl Bonyak was impressed. Lebron’s insight was beyond imagination.

‘No, it isn’t Duke Blake. The imperial prince’s influence would be greater.’

Then Earl Bonyak shook his head. Come to think of it, Duke Blake wasn’t the type of great person to teach this type of thing. “If you know these two then it isn’t hard to identify the earls. Think about it more carefully.”

“Are you asking me to answer the question now?” Lebron’s expression crumpled.

‘He has the face to try to teach me...’

Then there was the sound of the wind blowing past. At the same time, blood gushed from Earl Bonyak’s neck.

“Stop talking about useless things. It is something everyone knows..” Alexander approached while inserting his sword back in the sheath.

“Why did you do that? Shouldn’t you have waited a bit longer?” Lebron pointed out Alexander's impatient behavior.

“Why do you think I don’t know this? How did I find this place in the first place?”

“You knew? Then why didn’t you come forward?”

“It is impossible for me alone.”

“Then you should’ve asked Teacher for help. Then I would’ve helped as well.”

“That isn’t possible.” Alexander shook his head. John Blake wasn’t in a situation where he could go out. Rather, this situation was possible because he stayed still. More than 10 years had passed since Alexander’s father and the emperor of the Yusma Empire was bedridden.

Meanwhile, the empire decayed surprisingly quickly. The nobles only pursued their own prosperity and ignored the empire. The lives of the people were deteriorating day by day. It was John Blake who supported the situation while the nobles were decaying. He was loyal to the empire and stamped out the other nobles with overwhelming force.

“The only ones who can move are you and I. Not the rest.”

The balance would be broken once John Blake moved. Then the empire would be in danger.

“I was too indifferent.” Lebron shook his head. He had no idea that the empire had become so festering.

“This is why Teacher is so fervent about the nobility.”

Now John Blake’s actions made sense.

‘The reason I suffered was because of them...’

Anger naturally filled him as memories of the past came to mind.

“Alexander! Duke Lebron! It is serious!” Just then, a voice entered the minds of Lebron and Alexander. “It is said that His Majesty the Emperor has passed away!!!”

It was news that came from the capital. The emperor, who had been living a long, bedridden life, finally passed away.

“It is an opportunity to reinvent the empire, Lebron.”

There was a strange heat in Alexander’s eyes.

“For the empire that will change.”

Soon, Lebron’s eyes were also filled with heat. It was a similar, but different feeling to Alexander.