"Are you sure this is the place, Zayden?"

"Yes, Jin Antares-sama."

"I thought I told you not to address me like that, just 'My Lord will suffice."

"Understood, my lord."

My name is Jin, and Antares is a nickname I got after countless battles I won. Antares means the one who challenged Ares, the one who challenged war. I am a member of the 7 swords, also called a ruler of the 7 swords, the most powerful position you can get as a warrior.

I was an orphan, that's why I don't have a surname, and maybe that's a reason I was put through so many hardships while others took power and respect for granted. And here I am, on a mission, hunting a colossal viper, a gigantic 15 meters snake.

My subordinate, Zayden, came to my castle in a hurry, telling me that a colossal viper had made his appearance in this place, so I was obliged to comply even though it could’ve been a false alarm.

So here we are, walking a dismal hallway, lit from place to place with an antique torch. It seems like this place wasn't visited for thousands of years, this is why my question is, Why would a colossal viper find here? because even the air here is baneful. No living thing can survive in this place.

"Do we have more of this gloomy hallway? I'm starting to lose my patience."

"The place where the viper was sighted is just ahead, my lord."

"I'm starting to consider that this thing is just a big prank. Let's be real, nothing can live here."

We walked for a few minutes and arrived at a great hall, probably used for meetings. This was probably the house of a noble family or a wealthy tribe, but it's interesting that I didn't hear of a ruined mansion at this location, but a mission is a mission, I guess.

"Man, why is this place so gloomy and dark? It gives me the creeps."

"But isn't the fact that it is dark a good thing for you, my lord?"

"I guess, my sword power is shadows and darkness after all. Ok, somebody make a light in the middle of the room."

"Yes, sir. The one and only almithy brightness, light the way for us, your pilgrims... Magic art, glowing light."

"Zayden, who did you bring with us? He can't even do a beginner magic art without the chant."

"Sorry, my lord, I will make sure that those who make the squads will take punishment."

"Don't, I won't push into this matter anymore."

It's true that it's hard to see a full-fledged warrior activating a magic art using a chant, but I've gone through the same thing, I'm just worried about the casualties here.

It seems there are six doors,and we have 20 people. But that doesn't matter as long as we kill the snake and get out of this place as soon as possible.

"Zayden, give the order."

"Yes,my lord. Everybody, go to the doors, and at my signal, you open them and enter. As soon as you see anything suspicious, you scream or give a signal somehow. 3...2...1...Chargeee!"

"Ok,now it's my turn, as a leader, I can't stand around doing nothing."

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Oh, you're going to use it, my lord?"

"Hufff...Lurk in darkness, Erebus!"

At that moment, from my sword, shadows came out and began moving everywhere.

In our world, every warrior has a weapon, and that weapon has a name and a power. For example, mine is Erebus, the god of darkness. Every member of the seven swords needs to be able to release the power of its sword god, it can do even more than that.

We waited for a few minutes and nothing, my shadows should've detected something by now, but nothing. A few moments later, I heard Zayden muttering something behind me:

"bring illusion to reality, Loki."

I didn't understand what he said, but then, he started shouting:

"My lord, above you, watch out!!"

In that moment from above, the giant snake dropped to the ground and started to hiss at me, trying to spray me with its acid venom.

"Stay back,I'll deal with it."

I tried to jump from side to side to find an opening, but nothing used to work. But even so, it doesn't make any sense,my shadows should've found it. What the hell is going on?

After trying some attacks from the side useless, I jumped to the front again.

I raised the sword high and started gathering power for my most powerful attack.

"Sword art... Shadow Empereor... Night Slas-.....*glahhh*..... w-w-w-what."

As I was about to slash the snake, I saw a blade sticking out from my abdomen, and at the same time, the snake disappeared. I dropped to my knees. I knew what happened, Zayden stabbed me from behind, but WHY.

"Z-Zayden, you bastard, why, WHY?!!"

"Why, you ask,well, it's pretty simple, there are 2 reasons. One, you are just a f***ing orphan, but you are my superior,don't make me laugh. You know that here are 12 noble families, every one named after a zodiac sign."

"Yes, and you are from the Scorpio family."

“No, no,this is where you are wrong."

"What!?"

"You know the person you deafeted before you got your nickname, don't you? It was Cassius Aries. You deafeted the one who had Ares as its sword god, so obviously you became Antares, the one who challenged Ares. But you see, Cassius was my brother, I am from the Aries family, and because of the shame of being deafeted by an orphan, a nobody, made our family banish him from our house, and soon after that he was found dead,he hanged himself, and all of that happened because of you, YOU!!" he said with the angriest look I ever saw on his face.

"But, after all, why did you believe a guy who has Loki as his sword god. Everything here was my plan to take your place as a member of the seven swords, to avenge my brother, and to become the most powerful being in this world, ha ha ha, HA HA HAHAHA."

"Now,don't rest in peace, Jin Nobody."

After that, he took the sword out, and I collapsed to the ground. My vision blurred, and I started losing all my senses one after another until I died, or at least I thought so.