SWNOVELXO Chapter 179
Translator: FenrirTL
Editor: Doodle
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< Chapter 179: Intensifying Struggle for the Throne (4) >
The Black Iron Cavalry's barracks were silent.
As if a storm had just swept through.
The faces of the usually confident members were now filled with deep concern and anger.
"……"
"……"
"……"
It was likely due to the ‘sense of defeat’ they were experiencing for the first time.
Although the outcome of the battle against the White Armored Dragon Cavalry had not been officially announced, they all knew.
If the battle had dragged on any longer, they would have been annihilated.
The White Armored Dragon Cavalry's strength was formidable, and their capabilities were exceptional.
"……Theo Ragnar."
The unit commander, Flame Goblin Ayan Sosori, tightly shut her eyes as she recalled the face of the rookie she had once tried to recruit but failed.
Now, he had gained enough fame to be compared to Torkel.
Especially the impression Theo left when he appeared leading the Lesser Dragons—it was still vivid.
What on earth was his true identity?
Ayan wondered if Torkel's isolation in his barracks was also due to such thoughts.
‘It’s the first true rival he’s faced since he took his current position.’
The phrase "unstoppable ascent" seemed to exist solely for Torkel.
He had always been the one chasing the top, while other contenders were busy running from each other.
But now, the tables had turned.
How immense must the pressure Torkel was feeling be?
Ayan couldn’t quite grasp it.
But, as always, she believed Torkel would overcome it wisely this time too.
And he would seize the throne... Ayan was confident.
It was a belief shared by all the members.
"Everyone looks so grim. Anyone passing by might think you're at a funeral."
At that moment, someone unexpectedly entered the barracks.
Ayan and the members all shot fierce glares in that direction.
Ansio, holding a glass bottle in one hand, raised it slightly with a smile.
"I came to share a drink with your commander. Mind telling me where he is?"
* * *
Drip.
A blue liquor filled the glass containing ice.
"Drink that and leave."
"How cold. I came to keep you company since I figured my little brother's heart must be in turmoil."
"Don’t spout nonsense."
"You're especially sharp today. Did something truly make you furious?"
Torkel silently glared at Ansio.
But Ansio casually tipped the glass to her lips with a relaxed demeanor.
Torkel narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Was this always your personality, Sister?"
"What’s wrong with my personality?"
"You seem unusually talkative today."
Ansio, despite being considered one of the five main candidates, had always been overshadowed by Kishar’s presence, making her the least conspicuous among them.
She rarely spoke and seldom stepped forward in any situation.
But now, what should one call it? She felt different.
It was as if she was beginning to reveal the body she had hidden beneath her wings all this time.
"And you, do you even realize? You always exuded a calm charisma, but now, it feels like..."
"Like what?"
"Like you’re being chased."
"I don’t like hearing it, but... you’re not wrong."
Psh!
A faint hissing sound escaped from Ansio's lips.
"What’s so funny?"
"It’s strange. I always thought you’d only look upward, ignoring anyone chasing you, focusing solely on capturing the Demon Dragon. But now, you’re also looking below."
"In the past, I wouldn’t have paid attention. But…"
"But?"
"……"
"Hmm, you’re not going to say anything, are you?"
Torkel couldn’t bring himself to reveal his true feelings to this unbelievable sister.
The gap with Julius, whom he had always thought he’d eventually catch up to, was immense. Yet, with Theo, whom he believed would remain far behind, there was almost no gap at all.
That feeling of stagnation was what troubled Torkel so deeply.
He hated it.
But there was something else even bigger than that.
"You’re upset that Father took Theo with him, aren’t you?"
"……"
"I knew it."
Ansio smirked faintly.
"Thinking about it, you’ve always blindly followed Father since you were little. Isn’t it just that you hate seeing him recognize Theo?"
Torkel didn’t respond.
"I bet Father said the same thing to Theo as he did to us: ‘I will become a god. And I will cut down all the Deluded God and Outer Gods surrounding this world.’ That kind of myth-like story. You’ve always wanted to take that place, haven’t you?"
It was a truth unknown to most of the Ragnar family.
But one that every one of the five candidates was well aware of.
Kyle’s purpose was what had driven Torkel to keep running without rest.
"That kind of thing is usually called a ‘father complex,’ you know…"
"You seem to misunderstand something, Sister. I’m not chasing after Father out of respect or worship."
"Really?"
"It’s the opposite."
"……!"
Words she had never expected.
Ansio’s eyes widened in surprise.
"You think I’m worried about Theo taking my place? It’s quite the opposite. The problem is that he’s too much like Father, and that’s what bothers me."
Torkel lightly clenched his fist.
Crack.
"So how about you stop testing me and get to the point?"
Ansio quickly adjusted her expression.
Hearing Torkel’s unexpected thoughts startled her, but it also made her more confident that her persuasion might succeed this time.
She emptied the glass she held in her hand, then hardened her expression and spoke.
"Theo is going to start gaining attention because of this incident. And soon, the Nine Dragons, who’ve been secretly supporting him, will begin to unite."
Torkel crossed his arms, silently signaling her to continue.
"Even now, the Demon Dragon, Sword Dragon, Black Dragon, and even the Ice Dragon are all aligning with Theo."
"The Ice Dragon? Wasn’t that person on my eldest brother’s side?"
"That’s true. But..."
"By tonight, the foundation for his power will start to take shape. Even Sister Lezé seems to be leaning toward his side. The competition for the throne is about to ignite."
"And?"
"If things continue like this, our lovely youngest sibling will take everything, leaving us with nothing. Don’t you think we should join forces too?"
"It sounds to me like you want to use me as a shield."
"Well, you’re not wrong. It’s true that your foundation is much more solid than mine."
Torkel silently stared at Ansio, who calmly handed him a neatly folded letter.
"It’s a letter from our master. Take a good look at it."
Torkel accepted the letter without a word.
The seal of the Conquering Dragon was stamped on it.
"……"
His eyes darkened deeply.
Behind the scenes, negotiations to consolidate forces were already advancing rapidly.
* * *
"The throne... So, this whole affair was just a flashy debut after all," muttered the Ice Dragon Niel, scoffing at Theo.
She felt as though she had been used.
What irritated her most was that she already had a successor she had long supported.
"What makes you better than Kinkarnon?"
Kinkarnon.
The eldest son of Kyle and the one considered closest to the throne.
He was exceptionally talented and currently clashing most fiercely with Amore over the vacant position of the Soaring Dragon.
Niel had a deep, long-standing bond with him as a comrade-in-arms.
Because of that, unlike the warm gaze of the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace or Julius, Niel couldn’t help but regard Theo with cold disdain.
"Of course, there isn’t."
"Then what confidence do you have to try and win me over?"
"It’s not about winning you over."
"What?"
Niel furrowed her brow, and Theo straightened his posture, replying firmly.
"I’m giving you an opportunity. Before it’s too late, a chance to secure a stake in me."
"Hahaha! Still as insolent as ever, I see."
Niel laughed for a long moment before abruptly stopping.
"So, Kyle gives you a little recognition, and now you’ve grown arrogant. Bold enough to meet my gaze head-on, no less."
Flash!
In an instant, Niel’s form vanished, only to reappear behind Theo.
Her movement was astonishingly swift.
However, Theo remained calm, drawing the Drake’s Blade to deflect Niel’s sword.
"Your senses have sharpened quite a bit, haven’t they? Your focus seems improved too."
The changes in Theo since achieving Nirvana were more than just a rise in his skill level.
It was an expansion of thought.
His judgment and focus had strengthened to a degree incomparable to before.
It felt as though the horizons of his mind had widened, even to the point where he sometimes felt as if he could foresee the future.
‘It’s not just because the madness contained within the Sword Sphere has grown. It’s something deeper, a fundamental expansion. Could it be because of the White Tower?’
The White Tower likely played a part.
But Theo had a strong intuition that it wasn’t the only factor.
‘The Pantheon. It’s because I saw the Pantheon.’
Gods were conceptual beings.
They were the laws and components that defined this world.
However, their depths were immeasurable, and even a single encounter with them could fundamentally alter one’s perspective of the world.
"But such tricks won’t be enough to persuade me."
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Thud-thud-thud!
Niel swung her sword repeatedly.
Each time, Theo parried with ease and widened the distance between them, prompting Julius to let out a light exclamation.
"Did you see that, Lord of Plum Blossom Palace? Every swing of his sword carries the essence of the Six Arts of the Demon Dragon. Amazing! This makes it undeniable that Theo is truly one of us, a member of the White Armored Dragon Cavalry."
"My, White Armored Cavalry Captain, do you not see it? The speed of his blade and the seamless transitions between techniques—those are undeniably from the Plum Blossom Twenty-Four Forms."
"Then what does that matter? The Plum Blossom remains unbloomed. It seems to serve only as a tool to assist him."
"Perhaps you need glasses. Doesn’t it seem like all the brutality the Six Arts of the Demon Dragon boast has been replaced with a vibrant elegance?"
"Is this for real?"
"Why? Want to give it a try?"
As Julius and the Lord of Plum Blossom Palace growled at each other like they might grab each other’s collars, the Black Dragon let out a sigh deep enough to shake the ground.
"Enough, you two. Aren’t you old enough to act your age by now?"
"But this rotten little brat..."
"And this hollow husk who only looks respectable on the surface..."
Every time the conversation involved Theo, they somehow regressed to childish squabbling. It was exhausting.
The Black Dragon decided to ignore them completely and casually tossed the dagger in his hand.
Clang!
Niel deflected it aside, glaring at the Black Dragon.
"What is the meaning of this, Director of Information Bureau?"
"Don’t you think the test has gone on long enough, Lady of the Water Lily Palace? I’d like to remind you of the real purpose of today’s visit."
Tsk!
Niel clicked her tongue in irritation but silently slid her sword back into its sheath.
The real purpose?
Other than the matter of the Mysteries, was there something else they were curious about?
Theo, puzzled, glanced toward the Black Dragon.
"It seems our conversation has left you quite perplexed."
"Yes, it has."
"Well, I’m here to tell you that a moment ago, you passed the Advanced Swordsman examination."
"…!"
"Congratulations. You’re now the youngest Advanced Swordsman in history."
Thump-thump!
Theo’s heart pounded wildly in his chest.
He had thought the test would be challenging.
But this was an entirely unexpected gift.
Yet, strangely, instead of joy, unease rose within him.
It felt as though this wasn’t the end of it.
"And, just as the reports suggested, seeing you with my own eyes confirms it. Your skills have advanced so much that you could likely aim for the Dragon Gate Swordsman rank soon."
The Black Dragon clasped his hands together and rested his chin on them.
"My actual reason for being here, however, is not just to offer you the chance to take the Dragon Gate Swordsman promotion test if necessary. I also have a question for you."
A question?
"And your answer or attitude toward it will determine whether I, and Black Snow, decide to support you."
"…!"
Thump-thump-thump-thump!
Theo’s heart raced uncontrollably.
The Black Dragon’s crimson eyes deepened.
"If, as part of the promotion test, I ordered you to behead your friend Wellington Narcio, would you do it?"