The Sword Emperor Transmigrates

In the tactical and strategic operations of the Order of the Green Dragon, there was one aspect that took precedence above all else. It was similar to how the Order of the Green Dragon utilized Aeroships to counter the Celestials who could fly.

The Barricade Train. This unprecedented structure sealed off an area corrupted by the World Tree Yggdrasil’s power and was essentially the cornerstone of every operation. The very fact that it allowed both forward advances and retreats—even within the context of a siege defense overwhelmingly in its favor—seemed almost unfair.

Spells and bombardments rained down from its fifty-meter-high walls, and the defensive stances maintained by the stationed Green Dragon Knights were sufficient to even momentarily halt Demigod Tier beings.

“So, what do you think the weakness of the Barricade Train might be?”

After explaining the train’s formidable capabilities for several minutes, Uluka posed this question. The clue had been hidden in Uluka’s own explanation.

Leonard pondered briefly before answering, “In the end, isn’t the Barricade Train incapable of fully withstanding attacks from Demigod Tier beings?”

“Correct.”

Uluka smiled with satisfaction. It was an answer that even the veteran Green Dragon Knights, who had served on this frontier for a long time, rarely considered. To them, the Barricade Train was home—an impregnable fortress that had never been breached or destroyed.

However, even with endless investments poured into such facilities, it could not handle Demigod Tier beings. Such beings operated on a completely different plane: one swing of a blade could cleave mountains, and a single spell could overturn both sky and earth.

To counteract such absolute forces, an equally absolute force was required. A facility like the Barricade Train was only effective against enemies below that level and provided little help against Demigod Tier beings.

“Well, it’s still better than nothing,” Uluka remarked, placing his emptied teacup down. “After all, the Order of the Green Dragon has managed to fend off multiple Demigod Tier Spriggans with just one commander.”

Leonard, who didn’t overlook the implications of Uluka’s statement, asked, “Are there several Demigod Tier entities among the Spriggans?”

“Indeed. Before they were corrupted by Yggdrasil’s power, they were known as Spirit Kings. But now, they’ve degenerated into beings we call Wraith Kings.”

The Spirit Kings were once the focal points created by the natural forces dominating the laws of the world, but now they were Demigod Tier entities among the Spriggans.

The Ancient Spirit of Flames, Vulcanus; the Ancient Spirit of Storms, Boreas; the Ancient Spirit of Earth, Cybele; and the Ancient Spirit of Lakes, Thetis.

In the past, they had been so revered that temples were dedicated to their worship. However, the God-Slaying War had stripped them of their divinity, leaving them to fall into corruption alongside the World Tree. Their inherent powers and attributes were severely warped, turning them into destructive forces against nature itself.

“They are no longer fire but molten flame; no longer storms but razor winds; no longer earth but decay; no longer lakes but poisonous swamps. Thankfully, they don’t often act together. If they did, the Barricade Train might have been breached several times over.”

The Wraith Kings were also weakened the farther they moved from Yggdrasil. Having fallen to a state where they could no longer even be called spirits, they could only maintain their power within the World Tree’s corrupted domain. Near the outskirts, where the Barricade Train was stationed, they could exert less than thirty percent of their full power.

“…This operation is going to be different,” Leonard said, his tone reflective.

Unlike before, the Order of the Green Dragon, the Order of the Blue Dragon, and an expeditionary force led by four Knight Commanders weren’t being deployed to defend.

Their mission was to push into the heart of the corrupted domain and eliminate Yggdrasil herself, thereby ending the war front entirely. To achieve this, the Barricade Train would need to be used offensively, pushing the front line closer to the point where an elite force could infiltrate.

“You’re quick to grasp the situation. That’s exactly the case,” Uluka replied. “Once we enter that accursed land, we’ll have to break through waves of enemies several times the scale of what the Order of the Green Dragon has held off until now. The Wraith Kings might appear simultaneously or launch sporadic ambushes.”

Uluka’s gaze spoke volumes even without words. Leonard understood without needing to invoke his Dragon Eyes.

“If repelling and subjugating the Wraith Kings is required, commander-level knights will have to step in,” Leonard stated.

“Exactly.”

“But with the Barricade Train stretching for hundreds of kilometers, we can’t predict where these enemies will appear. Inevitably, there will be zones where response times are delayed. Even considering the commanders’ mobility, it will still take a few minutes to reach certain locations.”

“And in those few minutes, a Demigod Tier being could demolish a fortress. To prevent that, someone close to the Demigod Tier is needed—someone like you.” ⱤäƝȮ฿Ёṣ

It was an assignment that sounded like a death sentence to anyone unfamiliar with the context. Leonard was to essentially hold off a Wraith King until reinforcements arrived. Even Heather, Uluka’s subordinate, reacted as if Leonard were being sentenced to execution.

Ignoring her frantic gestures urging him to decline, Leonard calmly tucked the appointment letter into his pocket, signaling his acceptance of the mission.

“I understand. I’ll need detailed knowledge of the Barricade Train’s layout, its allocated forces, and its defensive facilities.”

“I’ll provide you with a structural map. Heather, instead of returning to your unit, you’ll accompany Leonard and explain the deployment of personnel and equipment.”

Caught off guard, Heather hurriedly stood up and replied, “Y-Yes! I’ll do that!”

Uluka nodded once and turned back to Leonard, “Is there anything else you’d like to ask or request?”

“Nothing at the moment.”

“Then prepare thoroughly until the operation begins. Be sure to visit Elder Garneau, whom you encountered earlier.”

“Understood.”

With that, Leonard left the room. Heather followed him out, still looking bewildered.

Walking cautiously a few steps behind, she eventually spoke. “Leonard, are you really okay with this? I know you’re amazing, but they say even dozens of senior knights struggle against the Wraith Kings…”

“I only need to hold them off until the commanders arrive. It won’t be any worse than the Corroded Realm mission. Besides, being near the Barricade Train should make it safer, so don’t worry.”

Leonard wasn’t entirely certain of his own words, but he said them to ease Heather’s concerns. In the Corroded Realm Nastrond, the apostles he encountered were in many ways enemies his skills were advantageous against. In truth, he had never encountered a Wraith King before and could not gauge their power accurately. Only after facing one would he be able to assess them properly.

Still, Heather seemed somewhat reassured by his response.

“…I see.”

As they exited the interior of the Barricade Train and stepped back outside, Leonard’s gaze sharpened. Beyond the distant horizon, under the glow of the setting sun, he spotted an ominous sight through his Dragon Eyes.

Thanks to the fifty-meter height of the walls, his line of sight extended far.

Unlike Nastrond, this is something else entirely. That place was suffused with deathly energy, but this… this place reeks of something worse—something alive yet dead. It’s revolting to the point of disgust.

It wasn’t the unsettling presence of the Undead. The corrupted goblins visible through his Dragon Eyes continued to breathe, their torn lungs and diaphragms rising and falling. Meanwhile, corrupted orcs devoured mud endlessly, even as their stomach contents spilled out of gaping wounds.

It was difficult to imagine a state more horrifying than what Leonard had witnessed. If those grotesque creatures still retained any semblance of consciousness or self-awareness, their existence would be a literal living hell stretched out endlessly to the horizon.

“Leonard, is there something you see?”

“It’s nothing worth mentioning. But instead of that, I’d like to hear more about the troops stationed in this area and the battle tactics they employ.”

“You mean Sector C? Alright! That’s the territory handled by the 3rd Unit of the Order of the Green Dragon. It’s also where the communication facilities are inside the train, so it’s a spot that the people from Jehoia often frequent. Their basic deployment and tactical movements are…”

Seated atop a wolf patiently waiting in the corridor, Leonard and Heather continued their tour of the Barricade Train, discussing the troop formations and strategies for each designated sector. They covered areas with the heaviest security, such as the power core, and others densely packed with unmanned weapons.

Leonard meticulously sorted through the information in his mind, organizing the importance and prioritization of each train sector. He mentally categorized the areas that could be sacrificed if necessary, those that could not, those capable of holding out if reinforcements arrived late, and those that absolutely could not withstand delays.

His first day with the Order of the Green Dragon passed in the blink of an eye.

* * *

It was nearly a week later when Leonard finally found some breathing room.

The sheer size of the Barricade Train made it overwhelming to familiarize himself with its layout, and understanding the functions of the weapons and facilities deployed inside and outside the train required significant effort. Memorizing their existence was one thing; comprehending their functionality required diving into theoretical knowledge.

Even Heather, who had been guiding him, lacked understanding in many areas. They had to ask the technicians on several occasions for quick explanations.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Aside from zones covered by silence magic arrays, the Barricade Train echoed with constant noise. Among these, the loudest area was undoubtedly the forge, where the master craftsmen of the Jehoia family spent most of their working hours.

Machines with unknown purposes churned molten steel endlessly. Hammers larger than people pounded massive metal plates rhythmically, rising and falling with mechanical precision.

Leonard, momentarily stunned by the sight so vastly different from the forges of the Central Plains murim, found himself looking around in awe.

Even those who don’t look like dwarves are working here. They say it’s hard to distinguish the diluted bloodlines of Jehoia from their pure descendants, but even with my Dragon Eyes, the differences are subtle.

While the Cardenas’ direct lineage was famous for their golden hair and eyes, those with the Jehoia bloodline grew more distinctively dwarven the closer they were to the pure lineage: short stature, sturdy frames, naturally muscular builds, and thick, unkempt beards.

It was said that, in modern times, only a few hundred pureblood dwarves remained.

“Hey! Even if you’re a descendant of the Cardenas family, you can’t just walk into this zone like it’s your backyard!”

A Jehoia craftsman approached Leonard and Heather, shouting in a voice loud enough to rise above the clamor. The deafening noise of the forge required such volume for basic communication. Instead of shouting back, Leonard infused his voice with internal energy to carry his words clearly.

“I’m here to see Elder Garneau.”

The craftsman, startled both by Leonard’s skill and the name he mentioned, widened his eyes in surprise. “What? You’re looking for Meister Garneau? Did you make an appointment?”

“He told me to drop by later when I had the time.”

“Ugh, that does sound like him.”

Flexing muscles that seemed far too large for his short frame, the craftsman crossed his arms, hesitated briefly, and then motioned for them to follow. “Come on! Don’t wander off. I’m not coming to fetch you if you get lost. Just keep your eyes on my back!”

Without waiting for a response, the craftsman began walking briskly. Leonard and Heather calmly followed in his wake.

As the most critical zone for the craftsmen of the Jehoia family, the forge spanned a surprisingly vast area. Everywhere Leonard looked, artisans were hard at work—hammering swords, carving gear-like cogs that looked like Titan components, or shaping circular plates likely intended for magical inscriptions.

From straightforward designs to incomprehensibly intricate mechanisms, Leonard unknowingly broadened his understanding of magic engineering as they walked. After several minutes, they finally reached their destination.

At the end of the forge stood Elder Garneau, hammering away at an unidentified metal.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The surface of his hammer shimmered faintly with an aura, indicating that Garneau was channeling his energy into his work. The sheer intensity of his movements made even the accompanying craftsman hesitate and be unsure of how to interrupt.

“—Damn it!”

Apparently dissatisfied with the results, Garneau hurled the piece of metal aside and tore off the sweat-soaked cloth covering his head. His gloves and hammer, stained with blood and sweat, seemed fused to his hands as if they were an extension of his body.

To Leonard, it resembled the unity of body and blade achieved by master swordsmen.

“Uh, Meister Garneau?”

“What is it?!” Garneau roared without looking up, but as soon as he turned his head and noticed Leonard, his expression changed.

Specifically, his eyes locked onto the divine sword hanging from Leonard’s waist.

“Ah! So it’s that rookie from last time! You came at the right time!”

Confirming Leonard’s identity, the craftsman who had led them there nodded briefly and returned to his station.

Garneau, seemingly unaware of the man’s departure, simply waved Leonard over impatiently. “Come here! Let me take a look at the weapon you’re carrying!”

Stepping forward, Leonard couldn’t help but chuckle at the dwarf’s consistent demeanor.

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