The Sword Emperor Transmigrates

So many corpses poured out from within the territory of Yggdrasil that one couldn’t even estimate their numbers.

The more concerning matter was the fact that they weren’t weak. These weren’t low-rank monsters like goblins, gnolls, or kobolds; the majority were mid-rank or higher demonic beasts, starting with orcs.

These creatures, having been possessed by Spriggans, were several times—perhaps even dozens of times—stronger than when they were alive, which was, quite frankly, terrifying.

It was a surreal sight—an orc hurling an axe from over five hundred meters away. The weapon flew like an arrow, only to bounce off the defense barrier around the train. Even a Transcendence Tier martial artist couldn’t rely solely on their protective qi. Everyone was at risk of having their head smashed in.

“Fire! There’s no need to aim! There are so many of them that you’ll hit something just by shooting! Focus on reloading and cooling the barrels!”

As per the orders of the Green Dragon knight commanding the artillery unit, the cannons mounted atop the dozens of Titans roared into action. The upper floor of the Barricade Train shook with thunderous blasts.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The demonic beasts were torn into pieces under the cannon barrage, their flesh splattering in a grotesque downpour. The ground quickly became a sludgy mess of decaying gore, filling the air with the stench of rotting corpses.

They didn’t stop even after losing a limb or two. As long as one half of their body—either the upper or lower—remained intact, they regenerated, rose back up, and charged again. Their bodies didn’t recover like the undead, restoring their previous form; rather, they regenerated and twisted, crawling back together like living creatures. A most repulsive sight.

Even when a direct hit completely obliterated the beasts, the Spriggans possessing them would emerge and wander the battlefield in search of a new vessel, their eerie presence resembling will o’ wisps.

“Titan gunners, put down your cannons and fire the Soul Stakes!”

Despite the repeated bombardments, the army of demonic monsters, still possessed by Spriggans, kept closing in on them. It was inevitable—how could they stop creatures that charged forward even if half their body was blown away, even trampling over the remains of their comrades?

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk-thunk-thunk!

The Titans, abandoning their cannons, fired their next weapons—large, ballista-like devices that had been lying nearby. The arrows, or rather, harpoon-like projectiles, shot out from the four-meter-long bows at regular intervals. The shots weren’t directed at any particular targets, but any creature that got caught in the crossfire had parts of their body blown off, blood spraying everywhere.

However, the Soul Stakes had a different purpose, as their name suggested.

Wiiing.

The two-meter-long harpoons weren’t much different from spears. When the magic circles engraved on their metallic surfaces emitted a faint glow and resonated, the Soul Stakes, planted at intervals of about fifty meters, shimmered and sent a strange wave across the battlefield.

It was a joint invention of Wickeline and Jehoia, the culmination of a century’s worth of collaboration. For normal living creatures, the stakes had no effect, but for beings with a weak spirit-body connection, just being in the effective range would distort both their spirit and body.

It was a weapon designed specifically to combat Spriggans.

Kieeeek—!?

Craaaack—?!

The resonance of the Soul Stakes didn’t stop after a single wave, but repeatedly echoed, enveloping the entire area with its effect over and over. The possessed creatures that had previously ignored the bombardment of the artillery unit suddenly collapsed, convulsing as if tickled, their bodies twisting inside out. Their skin and flesh were sucked inward, while bones and organs burst outward—a horrifyingly grotesque sight.

Even the Spriggans themselves were not immune to this attack. As the spiritual entities spasmed upon leaving their vessels, it took them a considerable amount of time before they could find new vessels.

“They're coming! Order of the Green Dragon, prepare for close combat!”

“Activate the defense barrier to the maximum! We need to reduce their numbers as much as possible before they reach us!”

“Take down at least one per strike! If you can’t kill them, knock them off! They’ll just come crawling back with a new body anyway!”

Despite all this, some Spriggans still managed to reach the Barricade Train.

Kyaaaah!

Although over ninety percent of them had been wiped out by the artillery fire, the Soul Stakes, and the defense barriers, the sheer number of enemies was so overwhelming that it was impossible to fend them all off. Some monsters didn’t even climb the walls—they leaped up using their kin as footholds, scaling the fifty-meter height in just a few jumps.

In response, Green Dragon knights fiercely charged into battle. Each and every one of them were elite martial artists, fighting in perfect harmony and cutting down the Spriggans with Aura Blades of different colors.

Impressive. Not a single position is being overrun or at a disadvantage.

Leonard, quietly surveying the battlefield, was impressed. Even without his intervention, not a single part of the battlefield seemed to be in significant danger. Though the enemies were reduced to less than ten percent of their original numbers, their numerical advantage was absolute.

The Spriggans continuously switched bodies and re-emerged, meaning they were being defeated at a sluggish pace, making it difficult to even maintain a stalemate.

Even so, the Green Dragon knights managed to hold their ground, not yielding a single step.

Five Elements Style, Four Swords Style

Azure Dragon Thirty-Sixth Form: Surge of the Dragon King

Though the situation wasn’t dire, Leonard saw no reason to simply stand by. He drew his four swords, aligning them in a row. The blue augmented qi enveloping them surged froth, taking the shape of a dragon.

As the Surge of the Dragon King—the strongest augmented qi technique of the Five Elements Style—was activated, the nearby Spriggans, which were clamoring around, froze in place. Whether by instinct or primal fear, they recognized that Leonard’s Azure Dragon Qi was their natural enemy. Some even turned around and fled.

Roarrrr—!!

Like a king asserting his dominance, the augmented qi dragon let out a thunderous roar and descended upon the battlefield. Its scales and horns, made of crackling blue lightning, flashed menacingly.

To the Spriggans, it was nothing less than the embodiment of death.

“Go forth.”

At Leonard’s command, the Surge of the Dragon King shot forward.

Zap!

The lightning-fast augmented qi dragon tore through three or four Spriggans, ripping apart more with its horns and claws as it rampaged across the defensive line atop the train. No matter how much the Spriggans had enhanced their bodies, they stood no chance against the power of someone just a step away from reaching the Demigod Tier.

Moreover, their bodies were disposable vessels, designed for offense and mobility rather than defense.

The Surge of the Dragon King struck like a bolt of lightning, effortlessly tearing the enemies apart and purging the spiritual entities hidden within, sending them back to the Natural Realm.

For the Spriggans, it was as good as death.

“…What’s happening? They’re not regenerating,” one of the Green Dragon knights murmured, puzzled by the sight.

“Their souls aren’t even leaving the bodies. It’s like they’ve actually been killed.”

“What? Are you saying the Spriggans were eradicated? I thought only commanders or someone at that level could do that.”

“Look at you, so observant. Remember when he fought the Wraith King of Decay alone by himself? He might not be at the level of a commander yet, but this is proof he’s already one foot into that realm.”

With the word spreading, the eyes set on Leonard slowly filled with reverence. He was so far above everyone that they couldn’t even feel jealous or inferior.

Although Leonard was nearly twenty and could be considered a young man, he was just a kid compared to most of the Green Dragon knights. And yet, he was already on the cusp of becoming a Demigod Tier knight, which was nothing short of amazing.

Some doubted the rumors about him at first, but after witnessing his clash with the Wraith King, no one questioned Leonard’s might again.

Unaware that his reputation was soaring in real-time, Leonard decided to test out a new formation with the four swords he commanded.

Let’s try the Four Sword Mirage Origin Return Formation.

It was a sword formation that utilized the four symbols of yin and yang to evoke a return to the origin—a concept well-suited to the Azure Dragon Qi, encompassing both circulation and the natural order.

Within the augmented qi of the Surge of the Dragon King, the swords aligned themselves according to the patterns of the formation. Although the destructive power of the augmented qi technique had diminished, the impact on the original form of the Spriggans would increase several times over. This indirect attack method might just be enough to shatter the spirits inhabiting the creatures.

Leonard couldn’t simply cut down all the lesser enemies rushing toward him with Rightful Return, so it was worth giving this a try.

Having confirmed that the Four Sword Mirage Origin Return Formation was complete within the energy field, Leonard adjusted its orientation and commanded, “Roar, Azure Dragon.”

Responding to his will, the Azure Dragon extended its head and let out an earth-shaking roar.

GROAAARR—!!

The roar pierced through the air, even stinging the ears of those several kilometers away. The power of the Four Sword Mirage Origin Return Formation surged forward with the roar, sweeping over the Barricade Train like a wave.

Skreech…eech?

Groo..ung?

The Spriggans, caught in the blast at close range, were the first to react. The malice and murderous intent that had filled their eyes softened, and the bodies they had been abusing as tools dissolved like melting snow.

Having returned from demonic spirits to pure spirits, they quickly disintegrated, reverting back to nature. But even as they disappeared, they didn’t recoil, for as long as the laws of nature remained intact, they would eventually be reborn as spirits once more.

Skree…

Leonard’s ultimate technique, which inadvertently drove the Spriggans to self-destruction, instilled an unparalleled terror in those outside the formation’s range. Spirits could not withstand their own corruption, and a power that forced them to confront it would be devastating.

Just like how Cybele had flared with anger earlier when she regained her ego for a fleeting moment, the Spriggans shuddered in fear and astonishment.

“Huh?”

The Green Dragon knights, watching the Spriggans retreat like an ebbing tide, were naturally confused.

Spriggans treated their vessels as expendable tools and wouldn’t retreat unless the vessel was completely destroyed. The Green Dragon knights, who had long fought on the Spriggan Frontier, had been prepared to fight until they collapsed.

But now, the Spriggans were jumping off the train, fleeing in the opposite direction, despite their bodies still being intact.

“No, wait… Are they... running away? Those leech-like bastards?”

“I’ve served on this frontier for thirty years, and I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“They suddenly looked terrified, no?”

“Terrified? Are you implying that Spriggans can feel fear? That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

Oddly enough, the mass retreat took place solely in the area where Leonard’s Four Sword Mirage Origin Return Formation had been activated. The battle had waned in other areas as well as the Spriggans were being eliminated, but the atmosphere here was distinctly different.

“Scaring the Spriggans into retreating… Not even Commander Uluka ever managed to do that.”

“Could it be the power of a unique trait? Is it perhaps something that can instill fear in spiritual entities?”

For those unaware of the underlying cause, they could only follow the simple clues leading to this unprecedented phenomenon: the dragon form that Leonard had conjured, the Spriggans being obliterated in its wake, and the sight of the others fleeing in terror after a single roar.

Even amidst the frenzy of the battle, someone cautiously muttered under their breath, “Is he perhaps the Sword of the next generation…?”

Having heightened senses, the Green Dragon knights didn’t miss that, but none voiced any objections. Instead, they were buoyed by the impressive spectacle of the bold young man.

Leonard wasn’t aware that everyone behind him smiled in satisfaction at the outcome of his efforts.

Just like that, the first large-scale offensive movement of the Spriggans came to an end within half a day.

* * *

Sometime later, in the same conference room, Room 7 Sector C, where Jehoia’s Garneau and Uluka had once met in private before the expedition, four knight commanders were now gathered—Green Dragon Commander Uluka, Red Dragon Commander Wade, Black Dragon Commander Audrey, the Blue Dragon Commander Grace.

As Demigod Tier knights, each wielded the power of an entire army on their own. Over the past few days, they had each exterminated over one hundred thousand Spriggans as the offensive movement continued. With their Demigod Tier abilities and martial arts that could even erase the spirits inhabiting those creatures, their efforts lightened the burden on the expedition as a whole.

But despite staying at the front lines and eliminating a large number of Spriggans, the overall situation hadn’t improved drastically.

“We’re about a week’s distance away from reaching the region where the exposed roots of Yggdrasil are.”

At Uluka’s words, the other three set their gazes on him.

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