Lygni´s pov
Sure! Here is the English translation of your webnovel scene. I've maintained the dark, cinematic tone and ensured the dialogue sounds natural in English.
The Awakening of the Blade
I laid Aether on the ground with a gentleness that didn't match the fury beginning to bubble in my chest. His body still radiated a residual heat, a byproduct of the absurd effort he had exerted through the Web. I took a step forward, feeling the damp grass give way beneath my boots. Those men ahead were, without a doubt, the hounds the King had sent—but why would they come this far?
"What do you think you're doing?" I questioned. My voice came out dry, heavy with the authority of someone who does not tolerate being interrupted.
One of the men, who carried the arrogant posture of a leader, stepped forward.
"Who are you?" he threw the question back, his eyes narrowing as he tried to read my expression in the forest's gloom.
I frowned. The fact that he didn't recognize me immediately spoke volumes. They were merely common mercenaries, cannon fodder hired for dirty work, rather than Durendal's elite guards. If they were of the Royal Guard, they would know that crossing my path meant certain death.
"Why should I answer, considering I asked first?" I retorted, keeping my hands close to the hilts of my twin swords.
The man let out a short, harsh laugh that echoed unpleasantly through the trees.
"I see this place is full of sharp-tongued vixens," he said, with a smile that revealed yellowing teeth. "But fine. My name is Lucius Halk."
His name meant nothing to me. It was just one more name on a list of people who would soon be forgotten by history.
"Excellent. At least I'll know what to write on your tombstone," I said, my voice sounding like steel being unsheathed.
They laughed. There were about twelve of them, but I noticed their gear bore the crest of the Empire of Durendal. These weren't just sellswords; they were men funded directly by the capital.
"Great, but tell me your name. That way I can put it on the grave right next to this piece of shit," Lucius said, pointing with disdain at Aether, who remained unconscious on the ground near me.
For the first time in days, I heard something that sounded like a joke. My lips curved into a brief, cold smile.
"Very well. My name is Lygni," I replied, letting the silence hang heavy before adding, "Lygni Break."
A brief whisper broke out among them. One of the men leaned toward Lucius and whispered something in his ear; panic flashed across his face for an instant. The leader's expression shifted from arrogance to genuine shock.
"Well, well... if it isn't one of the Empire's finest blades," Lucius said, trying to regain his composure while tightening his grip on his weapon. "The one forged for war, only to end up as a prince's nanny. How tragic."
I drew my swords from their sheaths, the metal glinting under the pale moonlight.
"It happens. Just as misfortunes happen to you," I said, staring them down.
"Even if you are a Blade of the Empire, you're no match for all of us," he claimed, gesturing to the dozen men surrounding me.
"Do you truly know what a Blade of the Empire is capable of?"
They looked at me, uncomprehending, but again the subordinate whispered urgently into the leader's ear.
"What?" Lucius blurted out, looking at the man in shock. "So you're at the third level of affinity with the Web..."
"Well, at least one of you knows where he stands," I said, planting my foot firmly on the earth, feeling the energy surge.
"Wait, we have orders from the King!" he shouted. The moon watched us from above. He spoke as if the King's name were a shield, but I knew the rot behind it all too well.
"And?" I replied. "Do you know that I am sent only to burn and erase people like you? I am the one who cleans up the King's trash."
"And you have already been used and discarded by him," I said, as the wind began to encircle us, swirling into a vortex that choked out the sounds of the forest. "Let's end this here."
The Execution
The wind grew stronger, lashing the mercenaries' cloaks and making the torchlight flicker until it died out completely.
"Wait, you can't!" Lucius cried out, his voice cracking as he tried in vain to keep his sword steady against the atmospheric pressure crushing the area.
In one fluid, almost imperceptible motion, I whispered the name of my technique:
"Divine Wind Number 3."
The air around us became a storm of invisible blades. I moved like a vacuum between them. The sound of metal slicing through flesh was followed by the dull thud of bodies hitting the soil. In a fraction of a second, eleven men had fallen. My blade stopped inches from Lucius's throat.
"Want to try something?" I said, looking him dead in the eye. "If not, there's no fun in it."
He let out a nervous smile, sweat dripping down his forehead. "A Blade of the Empire is... truly impressive..."
"Is that all you have?" I questioned him, maintaining the pressure of the Web over him.
"What do you want me to do? You finished off eleven men in the blink of an eye," he replied, his voice heavy with fake resignation.
"Yes. Truly."
He thought I didn't notice, but I felt the earth moving beneath my feet through the Web. In a desperate move, Lucius leapt backward and thrust his hand toward me.
"Coffin of Condemnation!" he screamed. The earth rose violently to devour me.
They always fight until the end, but they are far too slow. I simply appeared behind him before the strike could connect. My blade pierced through his chest from back to front.
"Truly... a Blade of the Empire..." he murmured, coughing up blood that stained the ground and my sword.
"Truly, a walking pile of trash," I replied coldly.
I pulled the sword out and finished the cut with a sharp, dry motion, ending his life before his body hit the ground. I looked at the scattered corpses. Did the King want his own son dead so badly that he would send twelve men armed with Durendal's gear? I walked calmly back to the prince, who remained motionless on the cold ground.
As I approached, the extent of the damage became clear. His hands were practically raw, his wrists marked by deep purple bruising from the chains, and hematomas covered nearly every inch of his skin.
Who are you? I thought, looking at that face. The true prince wouldn't have lasted a third of this punishment without begging for his life.
Suddenly, his eyes flickered open and met mine.
"I see you arrived in time..." he murmured in a raspy voice, finally surrendering to absolute exhaustion.
The wind swept past me, carrying the heavy, metallic scent of blood that now impregnated the air, while the roar of the river echoed in the background.
"I will find out who you are," I replied in a whisper as I lifted him with care. "But for now, I'm taking you back."