Chapter 85

Reincarnated as a Sword Emperor in the Sword Art World (85)

Kryurururur...

Spewing blood-mixed brain fluid from its mouth, the oak guard captain fell to the ground.

A high-level demon oak had been instantly killed with a single strike.

Fear began to spread among the oak guards, who had suddenly lost their center of gravity. This entity had not only run across the sea with its two legs but also slashed through its kin like straw and easily massacred their direct superior, the guard captain.

If these were blood oaks, which all possessed the ability to go berserk, they might have put up more of a fight, but these were oak guards.

Kurik, kuruiik...!

An oak guard took a step back, feeling fear at the blood-soaked appearance of Leonard.

At that moment.

A harpoon flew from behind and shattered the creature's head.

Kwaddeuk—!

It wasn't just that one.

The spinning harpoon shattered the skull and began to tear apart the others who were drenched in blood. As five or six of them died at once, the oak guards fell into a panic.

It seemed that the person controlling the harpoon's movement with the rope at the end of the spear shaft was quite skilled.

It wasn't just a matter of throwing the harpoon; it required the technique to handle the prey with the rope, pulling or swinging it. It appeared that Galano's spear technique included this skill.

Leonard turned to look in the direction it had come from and thought.

'Less than three minutes. Is it because there were no reinforcements?'

While Leonard, who had landed on the beach first, was cutting through dozens of oak guards and the guard captain, the other members had also arrived on the beach and unleashed their full power.

Following Galano, who had opened the floodgates with his spear, Nian also began to draw the string of his bow one after another.

Pipipipipip!

There was no longer a Nian who recklessly shot with strength and spirit magic.

He inserted each arrow quickly and accurately.

Although he was far from the level of hitting every shot, he had trained to the point where he could hit one in a thousand. His fingers, which had become so sensitive that they could distinguish each grain of sand, dominated the bow and arrows.

As soon as the string twanged, he pulled out the next arrow, found the next target, and shot it dead.

Kuruk!

Kwiik!

Kuk!

His precise and deadly technique shone.

The oak guards, with coin-sized holes in their foreheads, necks, or hearts, let out a single groan before their breaths were cut off.

Though not as flashy as Galano's harpoon, his efficiency and speed were several levels higher. Whether it was a creature trying to flee, lying on the ground pretending to be dead, or charging with its last courage, he would pierce them all.

Before long, there were hardly any living oak guards left on this beach.

"[Lightning Bolt]!"

Ester was also dealing with the oak guards by casting low-level spells at intervals.

Dozens of lightning arrows, materialized according to the formula optimized by Leonard, paralyzed the bodies. Although the attack wasn't strong enough to be fatal, the creatures, who were wary of Galano's harpoon and Nian's arrows, couldn't react to it.

'Their roles are naturally well-distributed. All three are experienced, so they understand the right timing and place.'

The only regret was that while they each did their jobs well, they rarely complemented each other's weaknesses.

Nian's arrows couldn't intercept nets, which Galano had to clear or Ester had to block with magic. The javelins aimed at Ester should have been preempted by Nian. Galano's storm-like spear technique was powerful, but it also raised sand, obscuring the vision of his allies.

"...I shouldn't say this, but they lack the knack for cooperation."

Leonard, who had been accustomed to solo actions in his previous life, had extensive experience fighting multiple opponents alone.

The Blood Cult's Death Hand Brigade.

The Four Emperors' Yellow Spring Blood Sword Brigade.

The Nan Gong Clan's Heaven Creation Sword Brigade.

The Huashan Sect's Plum Blossom Sword Hand.

Lian Wuxie, the madman who had opposed all these groups and their powers, had both faced and provoked his enemies.

'Spear wielder, archer, and mage.'

Teaching them the formation techniques used by martial artists would be meaningless and impractical.

One front-line fighter and two rear-line fighters.

Unlike the archer, who could only attack and suppress, the mage had versatile abilities, so it would be better to study that aspect. Leonard, who had organized this in his mind, shook the blood off his sword.

His evaluation of the oak guards was complex.

'With gills and scales, their physical abilities are a level above orcs. But the fact that they can handle inner energy is a variable. The combat ability of a Soul Fusion level individual would far exceed that of a 10th-level External Force.'

Given that their innate race was orcs, the possibility of them reaching Master level at Soul Fusion was low.

According to the regulations of 'Bermuda,' it stated that to deal with a C4-level entity, four or more 10th-level External Force experts were required. If the combination was favorable, three experts of a similar level would be needed.

'If they can't use sword energy or are in an incomplete berserk state, they would be at Conrath's level. If it's beyond that...'

If Leonard didn't fight properly, the other three wouldn't stand a chance against such a formidable opponent.

AurA-Blade.

At the level of sword energy or 7th-tier magic, the ability to counter such power was necessary. Matching the strength alone would be like trying to break a rock by throwing sand.

"Leonard!"

At that moment.

The members, who had eliminated all the oak guards, gathered around and spoke to him.

"What do we do if you announce it unilaterally and leave first! I knew about your skills, but it's a bit shocking for us!"

Unlike Ester, Nian shook his head and said,

"I have no complaints."

"Huh?"

"If it's Leonard's judgment, there must have been a proper intention, even if we didn't know about it. Whether we can be convinced by an explanation is ultimately not the most important issue."

Galano thought about it for a moment and nodded.

"Indeed, it was a bit too urgent to exchange opinions in that situation. If you were going to do it, you should have talked about it before entering the 'Rift.'"

"Even Galano...!"

Nian and Galano.

Both had a common point of owing a great debt to Leonard, so they couldn't help but be cautious in their attitude towards him.

Ester, on the other hand, pounded her chest in frustration.

So Leonard smiled bitterly and said,

"I'll consult with you before moving next time, so please let it go this time."

"Ugh, alright. Since you covered my mistake, I have nothing to say."

With a long sigh, Ester finally accepted and stepped back. Leonard then began a serious discussion with the three of them.

Unfolding the map he received from Francis, the terrain and features inside the 'Rift' were depicted in considerable detail. Although there were unfinished parts, the overall shape was discernible.

The path leading into the interior along the coastline near the entrance of the 'Rift' was also drawn.

"Since the 'Rift' is almost unprofitable and we can't kill everything in five hours, let's move as quickly and widely as possible to find the medium hidden somewhere on the island."

At this, Ester looked surprised and said,

"Are you really going to attempt 'sealing'? It might be difficult for us four to face the 'Rift Guardian.'"

"If it's estimated to be at the Master level, we'll retreat immediately. If it's a creature that doesn't immediately chase us when we retreat, it won't be a problem as long as we stay away from the medium."

"Hmm, I've never heard of such a case."

Galano added a comment to his opinion.

"Exploring the medium and the 'Rift Guardian' inside the 'Rift' is a difficult task. Exploration magic doesn't work inside the 'Rift,' and spirits are recalled if they move too far away. We have to do it by foot."

"I've never heard that exploration magic doesn't work. Can you explain why?"

Leonard naturally spoke informally to him, and Galano accepted it. In this group, only Ester treated Leonard with respect.

"I heard from a mage before that the control power of mages and the affinity of spirit users are greatly suppressed inside the 'Rift.' The further you move away from your body, the more severe the suppression becomes."

"Is that so? Let's see..."

Ester tried to extend her control power from her body, but was surprised to find that its range was much narrower than usual.

The control power, which could extend up to 50 meters, stopped at less than 10 meters. It felt as if it was being suppressed by a powerful force, and if she tried harder, it might even cause a backlash in her circle.

"It won't work. The detection magic also cuts off at 100 meters, and this can't be solved even with a higher tier."

"Is that so?"

Leonard also rotated the 'Five Elements True Dragon Ring' inside his body.

As the dragon's heart began to exert its control power in a circular pattern, it swallowed a range several times wider than Ester's before being blocked by something.

However.

Rumble?

It began to emit an immense hostility towards something that was suppressing its power.

Rumble, rumble, rumble, rumble, rumble, rumble—!

The reaction was so intense that it surprised Leonard.

'What is this? Is it reacting hostilely to the internal space of the 'Rift'? I have no idea about the true nature of this heart.'

Regardless, the intention of the 'Five Elements True Dragon Ring' was clear.

The control power, which had extended in a circular pattern, transformed into a sharp, arrow-like shape.

It pointed in a northwestern direction from where Leonard was standing, hinting at the presence of something.

'...Could it be detecting the location of the medium?'

If so, it would be like solving the most challenging part of the 'Rift' exploration, which is finding the medium.

'It's worth a try.'

Leonard suddenly pointed to a part of the map that was not fully drawn and remained vague.

It was an unexplored area that took up about 30% of the map.

"Let's enter in this direction."

"Why?"

"It's a hunch."

His bold and confident statement made Ester, Galano, and Nian look at him.

However, Leonard's decision did not change.

The four of them thus entered the unknown path, beginning their journey to find the medium of the 'Oak Guard Lair.'

* * *

The 'Oak Guard Lair.'

As befitting a place that adventurers rarely visit due to its lack of profitability, the number of monsters that had accumulated over time was enormous.

Leonard's group had to engage in their second battle less than ten minutes after entering the island. There were no terrain features that could serve as cover, and the path was a straight line, leaving no choice.

"Huh, even though they're not that weak, they come out like ants."

"I heard that this can happen if the exploration frequency is too low, but it's quite troublesome to deal with it."

"...We still have plenty of arrows."

It wasn't as many as the ones they had seen from the defensive line, but the act of fighting itself naturally caused fatigue and consumption.

Galano grumbled, wiping the sweat from his forehead, and Ester, agreeing with him, emptied her water flask. Nian seemed to be checking the number of arrows left in his quiver.

Leonard had seen their combat styles twice, and that was enough.

"Galano, Ester, Nian."

The three turned their heads in response to his call.

Although no one had directly mentioned it, Leonard was already recognized as the team leader by the three.

Meeting each of their eyes, Leonard declared,

"From now on, follow my instructions thoroughly."

It was time to properly train them in team-based combat.