Turning Chapter 837

Chapter 837

"It's a bit of a long story, but let's go join the others first, and I'll explain on the way," Kishiar said, striding confidently into the darkness. Yuder followed closely by his side, listening intently to his words.

"At first, the only issue was luring Nahan out, which wasn't too difficult actually. Perhaps because he's exceptionally quick-witted, as soon as he faced me, he almost guessed what was happening," Kishiar recounted.

Unlike Yuder, who had immediately charged and subdued the sages' Awakeners, Kishiar's side hadn't engaged in battle straight away. First, those following Nahan, unlike the brainwashed, possessed both instinct and reason. Secondly...

“Weren't the Cavalry collaborating with the sage to capture us?” asked Nahan. His assessment of the situation was quicker than the sage's.

"Well, what do you think?" Kishiar didn't give a clear answer, but it was enough for Nahan to piece together much of the truth.

"So, the so-called collaboration list was merely a bait to ensnare us all," Nahan deduced.

"I'd like to clarify first that bait doesn't necessarily mean a lie. There were those who genuinely helped us. You probably know who they are," Kishiar added.

Just hearing this, Nahan knew who they were – his companions who had been left behind.

However, the others present didn't understand these cryptic words. They looked at Nahan in confusion, puzzled by the talk of bait and familiar people.

"Is the sage... I mean, did the sage's side really do that?" they questioned.

"Who among Nahan's acquaintances would collaborate with the Cavalry? Those who were captured by them were all...!" they wondered, reflecting on their unwavering unity and faith in Nahan.

They had always worried deeply about the fate of their comrades captured by the Cavalry. Were they dead, imprisoned, or something else entirely? These questions had long gone unanswered, leaving them to accept vague rumors as the truth.

But what if that wasn't the case?

Kishiar's words were like a stone cast into the still waters of their buried doubts, creating ripples. Even the smallest stone could cause ripples far wider and deeper than its size.

The atmosphere didn't drastically change with this revelation, but Kishiar knew that to confront Nahan, this issue had to be shaken first.

"The sage's abuse of power has been fully confirmed by the Cavalry as well. He'll soon be captured by my assistant and pay for his crimes. And the same goes for you, Nahan," Kishiar declared.

"My crimes?" Nahan tilted his head, questioning.

"My crimes... What are they? The sin of being the sole survivor? The sin of fighting for my suffering brethren? Or perhaps the sin of clearing away the useless trash and dirt of this world?" Nahan's expression grew increasingly impassive as he spoke, his voice quickening with suppressed rage and madness.

"Don't act so high and mighty, Cavalry Commander. You, who have lived a life of luxury. What right do you have to determine the price of that pain and punish it? Does your authority come from the Emperor's orders? Is it righteous when you do the same, but a sin when we do it? Is that the belief of the nobles of the Cavalry who claim to serve the Awakeners? Do we not even have the right to seek vengeance?"

Emotions among people are contagious, and Nahan possessed a unique talent for spreading the fervor of his own thirst for revenge to others.

"No, the right to revenge is something one decides for oneself. I have no intention of conforming to your standards. We will continue to retaliate against those who trampled over us. That's why we're here, after all!"

"Nahan...!"

A chorus of Awakeners reacted instantly to Nahan's voice, brimming with dark anger. Their eyes trembled as Nahan released Diemon, whom he had been clutching, and utilized his power.

"Strike at the first opening!" he commanded.

Blood, mingled with pain, surged out of his mouth, but it was alright. Nahan knew his capabilities well. His power of illusion worked within a designated range, and he alone knew where it began and ended. While one could break free once caught, avoiding it entirely was impossible.

Even Kishiar La Orr, whom Nahan had encountered in the West, had momentarily shown a weakness under the power of his illusions. Kishiar might be arrogant, relying on having broken free and injuring Nahan's arm back then, but this time, Nahan wouldn't be caught off guard.

Nahan knew the nature of the terrifying illusion that was based on Kishiar’s mind. Surprisingly, it had taken the form of Yuder Aile, currently battling the sage in the distance.

Therefore, instead of creating a new illusion, Nahan intended to use the image of Yuder Aile he had seen before to bind Kishiar, even if only momentarily.

But...

The Awakeners' reflexive attacks towards the stationary Kishiar were futile, blocked by the bright blue aura emanating from his sword. Gasps of shock echoed around them.

"A swordmaster?"

"...How?"

Despite being within the range of Nahan's illusion, Kishiar stood with his eyes wide open, fending off the Awakeners.

The ability had been executed correctly, but Kishiar moved freely, unaffected by any illusion.

Kishiar just smiled at the unexpected situation facing the perplexed Nahan.

"Guess how I did it?" he taunted, effortlessly deflecting multiple attacks with smooth, seemingly effortless strokes of his sword.

Nahan's eyes grew fiercer.

"Don't be fooled by what looks like sword aura; it's a common trick!"

The Awakeners, unaware of the rumor that Duke Peletta had become the new swordmaster, tried to rationalize the shock in the simplest way they could understand.

Unable to halt the already initiated attack, those infected by Nahan's anger exerted their full power. Diemon, injured in the arm, could not join the fray and crawled on the ground, screaming.

Kishiar, appearing to deliberately show this to Nahan, barely moved from his spot, focusing solely on defense. None of the attacks could reach past him to where Yuder and the sage were.

It was as if his very presence formed an impenetrable wall.

Blood vessels burst in Nahan's enraged eyes. As he gritted his teeth and amplified his power, the air around Kishiar trembled and distorted in a spectrum of colors.

"That is...!"

The illusions meant for Kishiar alone layered and intensified to such an extent that the entire space began to warp under their influence.

In a moment when everyone was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of his power, Nahan once again spat out a clot of blood.

"Nahan!"

"Don't look this way, attack! Find a way past the Cavalry Commander to the other side!" he shouted.

Following Nahan's cry, the Awakeners launched their attacks toward Kishiar, who was trapped in the twisted air. Some took advantage of the chaos to move toward where the sage and Yuder were.

However, just as someone tried to cross the area where Kishiar stood, the tip of his sword, surrounded by a blue aura, pierced through the distorted air.

"Argh!"

Along with it, an invisible force spread widely, pushing back everyone in the vicinity. Nahan, resisting the force pushing him away, eventually rolled backward, unable to withstand the impact, and vomited blood.

"Ugh...!"

"Commander!"

Nahan raised his head. Two members of the Cavalry, who had been waiting in the distance, were now rushing towards Kishiar.

Emerging from the shattered illusion, Kishiar looked unscathed, unlike the others. Though his ornate attire was somewhat damaged, that was all. An Awakener murmured in astonishment at the sight of him standing firm, unblemished by a single drop of blood on his pale cheek.

"What was that just now...?"

The power he exhibited was unlike any ability they had ever seen or experienced. It was an overwhelming force, too immense to be merely attributed to the skills of a master swordsman.

And then, Nahan realized.

"I thought he was just a swordsman pretending to be a swordmaster, but that wasn't it.”

That was the true power of an Awakener possessed by Cavalry Commander Kishiar La Orr.

"So, the reason you weren't affected by Nahan's illusions was because of that power?" asked Yuder, who had been listening to the story.

Kishiar nodded lightly.

"Yes, I used the pushing force."

"How exactly did you do it?"

Driven by curiosity, Yuder couldn't help but ask. Fortunately, Kishiar was willing to explain.

"I already knew that his illusion power worked only within a certain range. If you know where and when it will be used, you can prepare for it in advance, right?"

"So... you didn't move to ensure that Nahan targeted only your location?"

"Exactly. If he had continuously changed the range, it would have been difficult to counter it to that extent."

Kishiar revealed that he had been pondering this method since his first encounter with Nahan. It was the first time he had applied it in a real battle, and he was relieved it worked. A faint smile appeared on his face as he murmured, "In fact, I only realized I could apply my power to things that are invisible thanks to you. If it weren't for that, I might still be using this power only on visible things."