We were dispatched with a single objective: assassinate His Majesty Leo.
Kill His Majesty Leo and exterminate the Zork.
We were an underground organization of female Zork, driven by a singular purpose. We were the ones who sought revenge against our own kind.
I was once a knight of a Count House.
On that day, I fell into total despair on the battlefield. The sight of my parents, my wife, and my children... being devoured by crabs. No matter how much time passes, that scene remains scorched into my mind, never to fade.
And on that day, my dignity as a knight met its end as well.
One morning, with revenge against the Zork burning in my heart, I woke up to find I had become a woman.
His Excellency the Count sentenced me to death. I had no complaints; I thought that, finally, I could go to be with my family. But the Zork's resistance was fierce. His Excellency and my comrades in the Knights were all killed. I could do nothing but watch it all unfold from my cell.
Eventually, I was picked up by the organization and volunteered for this mission.
I hold no grudge against the Empress or His Majesty Leo. The ones truly at fault are the Former Emperor and the Duke Association. I don’t necessarily believe the propaganda; it’s simply that they are the reason the Galactic Empire was weakened.
I understand the peace with the female Zork as a political necessity. However, I was searching for a place to die.
Fortunately, with the organization's help, I was able to infiltrate this banquet disguised as a lady-in-waiting. My goal was to cross swords with His Majesty Leo—and for one of us to die in the process.
Even so... why was a massive steel beam being hauled in?
"Now, everyone! We have a special performance for your entertainment!" a famous celebrity serving as the master of ceremonies announced with a practiced smile.
"Now, His Majesty Leo. If you please."
A young man stepped into the spotlight. He looked as if he wanted to be anywhere else in the galaxy.
And yet, that man was the strongest swordmaster in the universe. The monster who had even managed to land a blow on the Sword Saint Katori!
He acted like a flippant youth, but those with eyes to see knew better. His body was completely relaxed. While his center line was perfectly upright, there wasn't a hint of unnecessary tension in his frame. He wore a martial arts uniform, and his hips didn't wobble an inch as he moved. He seemed to glide across the floor.
There wasn't a single opening.
"Heeey. I'm Leo, the King of Chronos. I'm gonna do a little party trick: Space Battleship Steel Beam Slicing."
He sounded truly miserable. He leveled a wooden sword.
So that was the Super-compression Wooden Sword that Sword Saint Katori had adopted... I had heard that, despite its appearance, it was incredibly heavy. They say only a handful of people, like the Sword Saint and His Majesty Leo, can even lift it.
Normally, a warrior would focus their spirit with a kiai shout. But he simply asked the MC, "Ah, is it okay if I cut it now?"
The moment he was told "Please go ahead," his sword swung down at god-speed.
I couldn't even see it. There wasn't even a sound. I found myself instinctively holding my breath. The entire venue fell deathly silent.
"It’s dangerous, so please step back," Leo said.
The moment the MC stepped away, the steel beam fell with a thunderous crash. The beam sliced clean through and pierced the reinforced flooring.
A fake? A magic trick? The fools in the room likely thought so.
But they were wrong.
Always on the Battlefield. A technique that required a shout to activate could never be used in real combat.
This was supposed to be a mere party trick. But His Majesty Leo was the real deal. After mastering the steel beam slice, he had refined it further so he could use it at a moment's notice.
A true monster.
I swallowed hard. This was an opponent I had to challenge fair and square. He was a man who stood at such heights that if I were to use a cowardly surprise attack, I wouldn't be able to face my family in the afterlife.
"Leo Kamishiro Chronos! I request a fair duel!"
I drew the dagger I had hidden beneath my skirt.
"Your bloodlust... I noticed it a while ago. Sure, why not. Someone, give this person a more proper sword."
A high-ranking military officer handed me a blade. I could tell at a glance it was a masterpiece.
"My sword... if I use this one, it'd be unfair, wouldn't it?"
When His Majesty Leo let go of the wooden sword, it stood upright, sinking into the floor of its own accord. Just how much did that thing weigh? It truly was a tool that only a monster could handle.
"Haha!"
He was a monster. Before I knew it, my heart was filled with a joy I had long forgotten. A fair duel with a swordmaster—this would be the final firework of my life.
A member of the chamberlain staff handed a sword to His Majesty Leo. It was thick... Wait, you have to be kidding me. A sword made from the external armor of a humanoid fighter?
I am a knight. I knew immediately that the object was abnormal.
"Don't worry. The edge is blunted. It's not finished yet. This is just a slightly heavy iron plate."
"Haha!"
I took my stance.
"Rogue Knight, Shidou Mitsuru. I am grateful for your mercy!"
"I'm Space Kaiju Kawagon. Not the Imperial Groom, not the King of Chronos. Just Space Kaiju Kawagon. Everyone, this is just entertainment, okay? Got it?!"
"Haha!"
With a heart full of joy, I lunged.
How long could I hold out? No, it didn't matter. I cast aside all distracting thoughts. I would simply enjoy this fleeting moment.
I didn't see the strike. I parried the first blow... and attempted to sweep up the next!
It was as heavy as a boulder. My arms, my entire body—everything was crushed. The sound of shattering bones echoed through my frame.
I lost. I couldn't match him in anything. Our fundamental physical strength was simply too different. Even the blessed power of a Zork couldn't reach him. He was too far away. His Majesty Leo existed at a stage that was far, far too distant.
I couldn't reach him.
"She's a Zork, so she's not dead, right? Sorry, but take her to the hospital."
"You want us to make her talk, sir?" the military official asked.
"No way—I like her, so I'm making her my subordinate. You can't find a swordmaster of this caliber even if you search your whole life. She's probably on the level of Isono... or maybe Saijo-kun. Since she's a female Zork and has physical enhancement... if I leave her with Katori-sensei, she'll become a swordmaster on the level of the Former Great King of the Kishin Nation. Hey, are you still conscious? I won, so you're my subordinate now."
"I... I understand... The... the other unit's raid..."
"Understood. Alright, everyone! It’s time for the main course! Apparently, there's another unit out there. Are they the idiots who set the warehouse on fire? Anyway, let’s go wreck 'em! I’ll give a prize to whoever takes down the most!"
"Hell yeah!" several people shouted in joy.
Ha... hahahaha...
The trump card of our anti-government organization was being treated like a warm-up. No wonder we stood no chance.
I let go of my consciousness.
Afterward, His Majesty Leo and his companions utterly routed the anti-government female Zork unit.
Judging by the footage, they were truly scattered like dust. The insurgents had even brought out armored vehicles with machine guns mounted on civilian cars, but the vehicles were dismantled barehanded.
His Majesty Leo reportedly pursued the stragglers on a motorcycle while brandishing his sword. Looking as if he were shouting, "I've been waiting for this moment!", he chased them down while scraping his sword against the asphalt, sending sparks flying everywhere.
The elite female Zork fled in tears, but every last one of them was thrashed. Then, they were all made into his subordinates as a group.
Furthermore, His Majesty Leo's hidden motorcycle was confiscated. Additionally, it seems Planet Kawagon—which he had purchased privately—was taken away from him by his wives, the Empress included.