Starting With an SSS-Rank Swordsmanship Talent

In the estate of House Park, the empress was helping the Crimson Phoenix Knights take care of their comrades who had been turned into humanoid monsters.

“Have you found out anything about their condition?” Yskaela asked the only doctor of the knight order.

The doctor, a woman with short auburn hair, shook her head gravely. “I still have no clue what was done to them. I’m so sorry, Your Majesty.”

Hearing this, the empress sighed. She then took a deep breath and said. “Once we return to the palace, I will give you the authority to gather the best doctors and healers of the country.”

The doctor nodded. “I will do my best, Your Majesty.”

After giving the doctor a few more instructions, the empress went to find the duchess.

Roaarr!!

Park Sagwa was already awake, but she still couldn’t identify them. Her eyes were filled with madness like that of a wild beast.

Two female Knights had to restrain her to keep her in place. The chains that were used to tie her limbs produced clanking sounds as Park Sagwa continued to wriggle aggressively in her attempt to escape.

Looking at her in this state, the empress felt a wave of sadness and rage.

This is all because of me. I should have dealt with the heretic cult a long time ago. Suddenly, a series of footsteps interrupted her thoughts.

She turned around and saw an imperial guard, running towards her with an urgent expression. “Your Majesty!”

“What is it?” Yskaela frowned.

The imperial guard adjusted his posture as he reported. “Your Majesty, during our battle with the followers of the heretic cult, Deputy Commander Kangjeon Geum-hwa…”

“…has been killed.”

Yskaela’s eyes trembled at his words. She almost lost control of her emotions.

“Can you say that again?”

The imperial guard lowered his head and repeated. “Deputy Commander Kangjeon died in battle.”

The empress felt a gripping pain in her heart.

How could this be? Hiding her agitation, she asked in a cold voice. “Who did it? Who killed her?”

The imperial guard nervously replied. “From what I have been told, it was done by Benedict Agma.”

The empress’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Benedict Agma?

She was familiar with this name. Benedict was an old priest of the church so she had seen him on numerous occasions.

How could it be him?! Since when was he a part of the cult?

Her face darkened. She couldn’t believe her ears.

“What about the others? Where are they?” She asked, controlling her agitation.

“They should be nearby. Does Your Majesty want me to bring them here?”

“Bring them here.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

…

Meanwhile, outside Ulmunsan.

“Why didn’t you kill them, Your Excellency? It was the perfect time to kill them!” Rin Aspen couldn’t understand Benedict’s action.

The old man had the strength to kill those people, but he chose to run away instead.

Benedict helped him lean against a tree and responded with a glare. “You useless fool! You almost lost the demonic sword right there!”

If it weren’t for Rin Aspen’s injuries, he would have slapped him right here.

“Your mission was to take the demonic sword and retreat to the headquarters! Did you really think that you could defeat them all because you had the demonic sword? Foolish!” The old priest lashed out at him.

Rin Aspen could only lower his head. He didn’t even dare to answer back to the old man.

Seeing that he was silent, Benedict snorted. He then crossed his arms and said. “If I had fought with those guys, Yskaela might come to their rescue. Although she is an idiot at times, she is far stronger than you think.”

“Have you forgotten what happened to the late emperor?” The old priest stared deeply at him.

Rin Aspen recalled the scenes of that final battle between Yskaela Veronica and the late emperor.

The late emperor was a brutal man and it was widely believed that he would be the first one to surpass the realm of the Venerables. However, such a strong man ended up being killed by Yskaela Veronica.

“Do you remember it now?” Benedict sneered when he saw the change in his expression.

Rin Aspen nodded, his face grim. “I didn’t think it through.”

He lifted the demonic and looked at it with a hesitant expression. “I leave this sword in your hands, Your Excellency. I don’t think I can use it to its full potential in my present condition.”

Benedict shook his head. “Keep it.”

“The cult leader chose you to wield that sword. As for your arm, we can ask the cult leader to help you regenerate a new one.” He added.

Rin Aspen heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank you for your trust, Your Excellency! I won’t disappoint you and the cult leader!”

“Kekeke! What a touching moment!” A sinister laughter suddenly drifted into their ears.

Rin Aspen and Benedict turned their heads.

Walking towards them was Sen and his subordinates. The old man was looking at them with an amused smile.

“Crazy Sen, where is the duchess?” Benedict asked with a frown.

Other than the demonic sword, Park Sagwa was one of their targets, but she was nowhere to be found.

Sen grinned as he replied with a sinister smile. “Oh, about that… I sent her back to the empress as a gift. Kekeke!”

Benedict felt like strangling the crazy old man, but he stopped himself. He was a valuable asset to the heretic cult so he couldn’t bear to hurt him.

He snorted.

“We should leave now. Yskaela might come looking for us. Although we failed to get the duchess, we managed to get the demonic sword. We even killed one of their Venerables.”

“You did? You should have brought the corpse. What a pity. Tsk! Tsk!” Sen mumbled with a look of regret.

Benedict’s face twitched at his words.

“Enough with the chitchat. Let’s move out!” He commanded.

“Yes, Your Excellency!” The followers of the heretic cult responded in unison.