SWNOVELXO Chapter 180
Translator: FenrirTL
Editor: Doodle
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< Chapter 180: Escalating Competition for the Throne (5) >
Suddenly, Wellington’s neck?
What was this all of a sudden?
“What do you mean by that…?”
“Do you remember capturing the Sub-Tower Lord of the Magic Tower while returning to the White Tower?”
“Yes. I found the Sub-Tower Lord by chance, caught him, and handed him over to the Upsurging Dragon, but…”
“That Upsurging Dragon has disappeared with the Sub-Tower Lord.”
“…!”
“The Magic Tower currently shows signs of having formed an alliance with Troyban, and Sub-Tower Lord Najariu Monte has a record of conducting undercover activities in our territory, only to be discovered by Black Snow. We were tracking him.”
Theo recalled Kleve, who had claimed to be pursuing the Upsurging Dragon.
“Could something have happened to Lady Kleve…?”
“You and the Upsurging Dragon… no, even calling him a ‘dragon’ is revolting. Anyway, on the same day you parted ways with Farrell Ragnar, Kleve and eight Black Snow agents were killed.”
Theo’s eyes wavered.
The Black Dragon’s face contorted deeply.
“And at the exact same time, former Household Head Hilda Ragnar also disappeared.”
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!
The pounding of his heart grew wild.
“Black Snow currently believes that Hilda Ragnar made contact with the Magic Tower, and to facilitate this, Farrell Ragnar, her retainer, evaded Black Snow’s pursuit. And as of yesterday, with the House Head’s permission, an assassination order has been issued against both Hilda and Farrell!”
“W-wait a moment!”
Theo urgently cut off the Black Dragon.
“Are you certain the Upsurging Dragon killed Black Snow’s agents?”
“Yes. The precision of the killing technique,
“…”
“Therefore, since Wellington Narcio, Farrell Ragnar’s only disciple, is also under the assassination order, I want to hear your opinion as his closest friend.”
The Black Dragon’s gaze deepened as it bore into Theo.
“What will you do? If the assassination order is entrusted to you, will you be able to take their heads? Falsehood will not be tolerated.”
In an instant, the Black Dragon’s eyes turned jet-black and crimson, with a new pupil opening wide inside his irises.
Intuitive Eye.
It was one of the Black Dragon’s prized secret techniques, designed to analyze physiological reactions to determine the truth or falsehood of a response.
“Humans exhibit unconscious reactions depending on the situation. Pupil movement, heart rate, breathing frequency, brainwave speed, nervous system tension, blood pressure contraction, cold sweat on the hands—these will all be checked to determine your sincerity. Do you consent?”
“…Yes.”
Theo swallowed dryly and nodded.
“You are truthful. Then, I will ask. At the time you parted with Farrell, was there any indication or message he left for you?”
Theo hesitated briefly before answering.
“No particular message. However…”
“However?”
“He did ask me to think positively of Lady Hilda.”
“That lunatic. So he was indeed entertaining thoughts of rebellion?”
The Black Dragon, Robert, who had stood at the forefront alongside Kyle to dethrone the Mad Dragon Emperor, responded cynically to the notion of Hilda stirring anew.
“And anything else?”
“There wasn’t.”
“Did he say where he was headed?”
“No.”
“So far, none of your statements have been lies.”
‘There’s no need to mention their search for the Nest of the Naga just yet.’
For a moment, Theo debated whether to disclose what he knew. But the betrayal of Hilda and the Upsurging Dragon had never occurred in his previous life.
This meant that something Theo had done had triggered a butterfly effect, leading them to make such decisions. Theo resolved to investigate this himself.
Was the Upsurging Dragon simply defeated in the Black Dragon and Upsurging Dragon’s power struggle and wrongfully accused? Or was Hilda truly dreaming of something grander as she searched for the Nest of the Naga?
“Then one last question. If the time comes when you must take your friend’s life—could you do it with your own hands?”
“Yes.”
Theo nodded without hesitation.
There was no room for doubt here. Orders from the upper ranks of Ragnar were absolute, and Theo had no intention of allowing any obstacles to hinder his chosen path.
But above all, Theo trusted Wellington.
‘In my previous life, Wellington Narcio rebelled against Ragnar. But in this life, there is absolutely no reason for him to do so.’
Wellington often repeated one thing:
- I’m curious about the Ragnar that Lord Theo envisions. It would be vastly different from what we see now.
‘Wellington isn’t the type to turn his blade the wrong way before he sees my Ragnar come to fruition. Any misunderstanding can be resolved.’
Theo’s conviction was unwavering, and the Black Dragon’s Intuitive Eye picked up every bit of it.
The Black Dragon accepted it all as the truth.
“Good. Your answers contain not even a sliver of falsehood. You are indeed a true Ragnar. You are qualified to take the promotion exam for the Dragon Gate Swordsman.”
“Then, does this mean I will now be tasked with pursuing Lady Hilda and Lord Upsurging Dragon?”
It seemed the intent behind such a question was to make him pursue them as the task for the promotion exam.
However, Theo’s expectations were quickly proven wrong.
“No, that won’t be necessary. That task has already been assigned to someone else as their promotion exam.”
Theo suddenly thought of someone and glanced at Julius.
Julius nodded heavily.
“Evelyn is already pursuing them. We’ve assigned a few individuals from Black Snow and the White Armored Dragon Cavalry to support her.”
“…!”
“The task for your promotion exam will be slightly different.”
“Theo Ragnar, upon becoming an Advanced Swordsman, you are expected to gain the qualifications for the rank of squad leader, correct?”
The Black Dragon pulled out a scroll and tossed it in front of Theo.
Theo quietly unrolled it and was slightly startled.
“This is…?”
“You will join a special operation at dawn tomorrow. However, that is merely a decoy mission. The real task lies elsewhere.”
The mission details were straightforward:
-Lead a newly formed squad to raid the Sacred Demon Church’s mobile branch and stop the resurrection ceremony of the Nameless Sovereign.
The fact that the Sacred Demon Church was conducting a resurrection ceremony had already been verified by Kyle.
If the fifth squad, along with the Dragon Corps, could successfully launch a surprise attack, it would undoubtedly deal a significant blow to their enemies.
But was that all?
“While you’re disrupting the resurrection ceremony, the remaining White Armored Dragon Cavalry and Black Iron Cavalry will launch a secondary assault to uproot the Sacred Demon Church. The resistance will be fierce, and the ensuing chaos will be substantial. And at that moment, naturally…”
Each word from the Black Dragon hit Theo’s ears with startling clarity.
“Kill Torkel Ragnar.”
“…!”
Theo shot to his feet in shock at the completely unexpected directive.
Julius, the Lord of the Plum Blossom Palace, and Niel all remained silent.
“If you succeed, not only will your promotion to Dragon Gate Swordsman be assured, but Black Snow will also pledge their support to you.”
* * *
“Then, feel free to contact me whenever.”
After the lengthy conversation concluded, Ansio slowly rose from her seat.
Torkel raised his glass instead of offering a formal farewell and asked a question.
“May I ask just one thing, sister?”
“Of course. Ask as much as you like.”
“The brother who was always with you, Kishar, is nowhere to be seen.”
“Oh, my brother?”
Ansio lightly chuckled before stepping out of the room.
“He’s dead.”
With a light farewell, she left the Black Iron Cavalry’s barracks.
Torkel didn’t see her off; he simply sat in silence for a long time.
Ayan glanced briefly toward the door before quietly seeking out Torkel.
“Commander.”
“Just a moment ago, my sister suggested something. She proposed that I join hands with her and the Conquering Dragon.”
Torkel chuckled faintly as he added ice to his glass.
“She said that if we combine the Black Iron Cavalry and the Red Sword Knights with her and the Conquering Dragon’s foundation, we could form a major power bloc. She even claimed she could bring the Senate to our side. Then, after eliminating Sister Lezé and Theo, we could pull down Brother Kinkarnon and settle the rivalry between the two of us.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. But I flatly refused.”
“…”
“Do you think my decision was foolish?”
Ayan offered a slight smile.
“I don’t know anything about that. Honestly, I’ve been called foolish plenty of times since I was young. I can’t really tell what’s good or bad. I just know I enjoy being with people I like and dislike being with people I don’t. However, there’s one thing I am certain of.”
“...?”
“As long as I’m with you, Captain, I’m always happy.”
“…”
“And we always win. What could be more important than that for a swordsman? I’m sure the other members feel the same way.”
Torkel simply stared at the ice in his glass.
“That mindset makes you ripe for betrayal. Have you already forgotten losing to the White Armored Dragon Cavalry earlier?”
“Lose? Us? No way. It wasn’t even a serious clash; who cares about that?”
Ayan was completely sincere.
And it wasn’t just him. It was the shared belief of the entire Black Iron Cavalry.
Others might say they had been defeated.
But not the Black Iron Cavalry.
To them, they were undefeated and invincible.
They had never truly fallen in any battle on the field.
Even if others claimed they were overpowered by the White Armored Dragon Cavalry during the recent clash, they believed it would have been an entirely different story in a real fight.
After all, they still had a trump card they hadn’t yet revealed.
Of course, the White Armored Dragon Cavalry likely had their own hidden strategies, so outsiders might dismiss their confidence as mere self-consolation.
But so what?
This was genuinely how they felt.
The silence among the members wasn’t due to defeat or disappointment. It was because they were busy strategizing how to handle their next encounter with the White Armored Dragon Cavalry.
And, in another part of their minds, they held onto this thought:
If it’s Torkel.
If it’s the captain they know, he’ll manage to handle it somehow—a baseless belief.
“…I’ve truly been blessed with excellent subordinates.”
Torkel stared at Ayan blankly for a long moment before letting out a dry laugh.
Ayan grinned broadly.
“You’re just realizing that now?”
“No, I’ve always known… I just didn’t realize it was to this extent. Fine, then. In return, I’ll share my thoughts with you.”
In an instant, the smile vanished from Ayan’s lips.
The energy slowly emanating from Torkel felt simultaneously unfamiliar and eerily familiar.
Fwoooosh—
“De… demonic energy?”
Clatter, clatter!
Objects inside the barracks began to tremble, as if possessed by spirits. Black heat haze swirled through the air.
Ayan felt chills run across her skin.
A monstrous force from the Demonic Sea.
A power that life itself was never meant to wield surged within that energy.
And that wasn’t the only problem.
“No… no way… This is Dragon Force (용력)…? But how could Dragon Force mix with demonic energy…?”
Even the presence of a dragon’s energy—a nemesis to all demonic beings—was intertwined within it.
Dragon Force, a revelation accessible only to Ragnar’s swordsmen who reached the rank of Dragon Gate Swordsman, clashed with the demonic energy, yet also merged with it, shattering Ayan’s understanding of the world.
“Madness (광기)…!”
Hummmmm—
When a third energy manifested amidst the tumult, Ayan felt her breath catch, leaving her gasping for air.
Simply standing before it felt like her consciousness might slip away.
No, more precisely, it felt as though her mental world was about to be dismantled piece by piece.
At that moment, a long-suppressed memory exploded in Ayan’s mind.
A distant past.
Before Kyle ascended to the throne, there had been a man. A figure who, after mastering the mysteries of Dragon Force and becoming the strongest household head in history, desired even greater power and crossed into the Demonic Sea to awaken the powers of demonic creatures.
His insatiable madness for power was beyond human comprehension, so profound that it pushed Ragnar to the brink of destruction. In the end, only a rebellion led by Kyle and his sworn brothers could bring it to an end.
Though records of the event were erased, and few remembered him now, those who did still shuddered at the thought.
Thus, he was given the epithet Mad Dragon Emperor (狂龍帝).
Decades had passed since his death, yet his legacy now appeared to be manifesting here...!
“C-C-Captain…?”
Ayan trembled violently as she looked at Torkel.
She had known he was hiding something, but she never could have imagined it would be this.
“Ayan.”
Torkel stared at her with eyes now entirely blackened.
“How much do you trust me?”
“...More than my life.”
“I hate my father. And I hate the people around him. The Black Dragon, the Demon Dragon, the Sword Dragon. The old ones like the Origin Dragon or the Conquering Dragon. The cunning ones like Kinkarnon or Ansio. The fools like Lezé. Even the hollow types like Theo. I reject everything about Ragnar. That’s why I intend to get rid of all of them and create a new Ragnar.”
Torkel extended his hand toward Ayan.
“Will you join me?”
Without a word, Ayan nodded and clasped his hand firmly.