Turning Chapter 975

Chapter 975

"In the past, you were a child who knew how to work hard as much as you were ambitious. But now, you are merely greedy, and you have failed to grow in any way."

Galexentre's lips quivered. After a moment of silence, he couldn't hold back any longer and shouted.

"This is truly... truly too much, Master...! You have always favored Meghna and have been truly harsh to me. If only you had trusted me just once, this wouldn't have happened!"

His eyes, bloodshot, were filled with more hatred, resentment, and jealousy than fear.

"Do you think you will be unaffected if I am captured, Master? No. Regardless of what anyone says, I am your disciple. It seems like you and Meghna are trying to pin all the blame on me and act innocent, but people won't see it that way! My downfall will forever tarnish the reputation of the once-perfect Gino Bordelli!"

"I know."

General Gino's response was calm yet heavy and cold, enough to make even the shouting Galexentre falter.

"Your sin is also my sin for not raising you properly. I have no intention of shirking that responsibility. That's precisely why I remain here."

Galexentre's eyebrows twitched momentarily.

"What..."

"Although we've caught those impersonating the Southern Army for a while now, including you, they're not the only spies within our ranks. We can't leave such treacherous elements unchecked in a crisis that threatens the fate of the South."

Galexentre suddenly felt a chilling sensation and looked around. He realized he had seen almost no one since being dragged from the prison to this place. Only he and the general were present in this space.

At first, he thought it was to interrogate him secretly, as a key military officer. After hearing about Meghna outside, he thought perhaps they were short-staffed due to natural disasters and monster threats.

But... was there another reason?

At that moment, an indistinct presence was felt near the room.

"They've finally been caught. The remaining sweet potato roots clinging to you."

General Gino, as if waiting for this moment, let out a cold smile. His movement in rising from his seated position, hands on his sword sheath like a cane, was so slow and relaxed it seemed unreal.

Yet, that small movement felt overwhelmingly oppressive, crushing Galexentre's breath.

"Gasp... Ugh... Ack!"

"Let's see what the harvest brings."

General Gino, slinging the sheath over his shoulder like a farming tool, walked out the door with a nonchalant attitude. As he did, dozens of assassins dressed in imperial army uniforms, eyes glinting, rushed in.

"Kill him!"

A smoke bomb exploded, blinding the view, and an unknown power surged. Realizing the assassins were not ordinary swordsmen but Awakeners, Gino Bordelli remained unfazed, standing still with his eyes closed.

A letter from Kishiar La Orr, recently received, came to his mind.

If a second hailstorm day descends upon the South, the remaining spies within the Southern Army will begin to stir. But I will not leave them to interfere with our plans. I intend to divert their attention towards a more enticing bait.

It was easier to filter out the recently turned spies. However, those treacherous forces that had long lurked within the Southern Army were not so easily caught, having blended in over time.

To distract these agents and lure them out despite the risk, a substantial bait was needed. Emperor Keilusa and Kishiar entrusted General Gino with this task.

General Gino, while pretending to focus on tracking down foreign spies masquerading as Southern Army soldiers, subtly let slip rumors about his declining health.

Swordmasters, as they age and their physical strength wanes, try not to overexert their aura, cautious of breaking their vessel. But Gino Bordelli had unreservedly demonstrated his power in front of all the Southerners during the hailstorm day, exterminating monsters, which lent credibility to the rumors of his deteriorating health.

When he acted as if he was trying to hide the rumors from spreading outside the army as much as possible, Galexentre and those around him began to pay attention to the general's every move, albeit with some skepticism.

Finally, when the time came, the general, who had been attracting their attention, arrested Galexentre and all his associates. However, "coincidentally," before the interrogation could begin in earnest, a disastrous wave and monsters struck, forcing Meghna and other troops to be sent out.

Of course, this was merely a ruse to leave the Southern Army's headquarters nearly empty, but the enemies wouldn't know that. Who would have imagined that the Emperor and the Cavalry were already preparing for such a disaster?

Despite the disaster lasting all day, General Gino, not emerging to assist Meghna and remaining secluded, seemed to confirm the rumors for the traitors, who finally began to act.

Bait, by nature, is something that seems too delicious to resist despite its apparent danger.

To those wishing to bring down the Orr Empire, this opportunity to naturally eliminate a weakened yet spiritually respected figure of the entire empire must have seemed too tempting. Even if problems arose, they could blame everything on the captured Galexentre and escape.

But Gino Bordelli, even if unwell, was not an easy prey. If the enemies weren't fools, they would focus their efforts on capturing the old tiger.

And Kishiar, who had coolly predicted all this, writing it down in a letter like a strategy game's moves, left one last request to the General.

If all goes well and every bait is taken, you know what to do next. Make sure they can never interfere with us, unaware of where they fell for the bait.

Yes, that is what I shall do.

General Gino muttered, drawing the sword slung over his shoulder. Simultaneously, dozens of attacks rushing from the darkness were cleaved in half by his aura.

"Arghhh!"

Explosions and screams, lethal intents targeting the throat, and amidst it all, those quick enough to realize something was amiss and attempting to flee.

"Not a single one of you will leave here."

The murmuring of the aged swordsman's eyes shone like that of a hunter.

"Come, let this old man work hard to pay for his sins a little more!"

—

When the fourteenth wave first revealed itself, there was no one who didn't instinctively feel terror.

After a whole day of battling, the calamity not only didn't decrease but returned even larger than before. Who wouldn't despair at that sight?

Yet, the dark blue wall of despair, as time passed, was now crumbling into chaos right before everyone's eyes.

"There's not much left now!"

"It's almost low tide!"

Even the most mysteriously powerful waves, rising high, cannot completely escape the laws of nature. As low tide approached, the waves that had filled and surged over the land quickly lost strength, became sluggish, and began to recede.

Cracks appeared in what seemed like an insurmountable wall.

Everyone attacked until the end, shouting until their throats were raw, never giving up. The desperate appearance of those who stepped forward to protect and defend each other was strangely familiar, as if they had seen it somewhere before.

"...Yes. They resemble you."

Yuder Aile, who heard Kishiar's muttering as he sat on a high hill, turned his head and slightly frowned his brows as if he could not understand.

"Eh? What did you just say?"

Yuder, halfway reclining under a specially arranged tent at the edge of the hill overlooking the area below, was receiving treatment from Enon and Lusan. It was very difficult to hear the surrounding sounds properly due to Enon, who, as if he had been waiting, spewed out a string of curses as soon as he saw Yuder's condition.

Kishiar gazed fondly at Yuder's fingers peeking out from the blanket wrapped around him, and smiled.

"No, it's nothing."

At that moment, the worst form of despair, made of water, completely collapsed and lost its strength before their eyes.

"The waves are receding!"

"Commander, they say the monsters have been mostly dealt with!"

Yuder, who was curious about what Kishiar had said, quickly turned his gaze toward the sea. The scenery of the sea, slowly settling and regaining its calmness, was slowly etched into his dark eyes.

‘...Now, the Great Southern Earthquake will not happen.'

He pondered over this surreal and heart-stirring realization.

Ah. Yuder took a deep breath, his eyes opening and closing. An unknown warmth surged, the sensation burning his throat, followed by a fierce urge to burst forth.

But after those feelings subsided, what lingered was the memory of a dark crack at the bottom of the distant, fog-covered sea, invisible to the naked eye.

Yuder recalled the crack he had faced, and perhaps the white-gloved hand that might have been within it.

That entity, who had led Yuder and shown him the things lurking beyond the crack, telling him to look at the 'important thing,' might it be watching the current situation from the darkness?

"..."

To escape from his thoughts, to which he could not find an answer, Yuder closed and opened his eyes once more. As he turned his head, he saw the faces of his colleagues running towards him, staggering but shouting with joy.

"Yuder!"

"Did we really do it?!"

Yes. 'We' did it.

Not I, not you, but we.

Yuder found Kishiar among those embracing him in joy, crying, or laughing. Their eyes met, and the corners of his lips rose softly in a smile he didn't expect.

After such a long time, he finally began to understand what the scene he had always longed for might be....