Future Knight

Chapter 70

“Um, sorry.”

“Growl, it’s fine.”

A moment of silence passed between Kang Chan and Loki.

Kang Chan, feeling guilty for the destroyed vegetable garden, spoke first, wanting to compensate for the damage he caused.

“I’m sorry for ruining your garden. I hope this can compensate.”

When Kang Chan offered the gold he received from Cracksion as a ferry fee, Loki waved his huge hand to decline.

“Crurk, I know what that is, but it’s not needed here.”

What use would gold be to an ogre living alone in the forest?

“Is that so?”

Kang Chan wanted to compensate the ogre somehow, but all he had on hand was gold.

Since even that was refused, the only thing left he could do for the ogre was to leave the place quickly.

“Kang Chan, let’s just continue on our way…”

Although the ogre spoke, the elf Erika seemed instinctively afraid of him, so Kang Chan decided to continue their journey.

“Then we will be on our way.”

“Hey! You’re just leaving? Can’t you stay a little longer?”

“Grurr…”

Zikyon, who had been interested in Loki, looked at Kang Chan in surprise.

Loki also hesitated for a moment, wanting to hold back the humans who said they were leaving.

It had been a long time since he had someone to talk to after his father passed away, and now he felt a bit sad at the thought of them leaving.

Although they had tried to kill him earlier, they had cleared up their misunderstanding and received a sincere apology. So, Loki didn’t dislike them.

“Crurk, well, it’s almost evening. At least have a meal before you go.”

Kang Chan asked with a surprised expression at Loki’s unexpected offer.

“We tried to kill you, and you want to offer us a meal?”

“Ku, it was because of a misunderstanding. I don’t blame you. I just want to talk with people I haven’t seen in a long time.”

From Loki’s words, Kang Chan sensed that he had been very lonely, living alone in this desolate forest.

“What do you all think?”

Kang Chan asked his companions.

“I’m fine with whatever you decide, Kang Chan.”

“I’m in favor!”

Erika completely agreed with Kang Chan’s decision, and Zikyon was excited and fully supported the idea.

It was clear that Zikyon found it regrettable to turn away when they were on the verge of such a great discovery.

“Alright? Then let’s impose on him a bit.”

“Crurk, then let’s go to my hut.”

Loki’s expression might have been different from that of a human, but he was clearly excited.

It was the first time in Loki’s life he was having guests.

“Keong! Keong! Keong!”

The giant fire bear, Teddy, chained up, roared fiercely at the unfamiliar Kang Chan party, and Loki calmed him by patting his head.

“Kyark! Quiet, Teddy!”

Seeing the fierce fire bear, nearly three meters tall, Erika clung to Kang Chan’s arm, slightly scared.

To handle a ferocious fire bear, the apex predator of the forest’s food chain, like a puppy, Zikyon thought, was indeed something only an ogre could do.

“As expected… The ogre’s pet is extraordinary in breed.”

The Kang Chan party was astonished not only by the fire bear but also by the huge hut where Loki lived.

“My goodness, such a giant hut… Is it like being in the land of giants?”

The hut was so large that it felt like they had stepped into a castle.

“Crurk, since we have special guests, I suppose I should catch something again today?”

As Loki headed to the barn, the nineteen wild boars, now trembling in fear, quivered even more.

With more mouths to feed, one wild boar would not suffice. Loki caught two wild boars and headed to the kitchen.

“Crurk, just wait a moment.”

With those words, Loki applied force to the wild boars he held in each hand, and with a sickening sound, he broke their necks.

“Let me help.”

Having experience in butchering wild boars, Kang Chan rolled up his sleeves, and Loki was very pleased.

“Crurk, thank you.”

By the time it was nearly evening, a lively wild boar barbecue party was held at Loki’s hut.

Having filled themselves with fatty foods for the first time in a while, Kang Chan’s group decided to impose on Loki for the night as well.

“I feel bad for just imposing on you.”

“Crurk, don’t worry about it.”

Loki prepared a sleeping place for Kang Chan’s party next to the warm fireplace.

The fireplace was indeed very warm.

As Zikyon and Erika fell into a deep sleep, Kang Chan called out to Loki.

“Are you asleep?”

“Grurrr, I’m not.”

“I’m really sorry about earlier today.”

“Crurp, no need. I’m just happy to have someone to talk to after such a long time.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

Although their voices were both dark in tone, making the atmosphere a bit awkward, they continued their conversation, sensing a slight mutual liking.

“You said you learned your swordsmanship from your late father, right?”

“Grurrr, yes.”

Kang Chan recalled the swordsmanship Loki had shown during the day.

“Your father must have been an incredible swordsman.”

“Crurk, indeed. He used to say that there was no match for him among humans. But…”

As Loki trailed off, Kang Chan, lying down, looked at him. Loki, also lying on the giant bed, turned his head to face Kang Chan.

“My father’s words were a lie.”

“Why is that?”

“Grurrr… After fighting you today, I realized you are much stronger than my father.”

Kang Chan laughed awkwardly, feeling embarrassed, and Loki asked a question that had genuinely piqued his curiosity.

“Crurk, what kind of training did you undergo to become so strong?”

“That is…”

Kang Chan hesitated at Loki’s question, unsure where to begin his explanation.

Eventually, Kang Chan shared his past, omitting the fact that he came from another world. He talked about meeting Elradian, one of the continent’s five greatest martial gods, in the Elf Forest and serving him as his master, and the journey he had taken since then.

Hearing the tumultuous and eventful path Kang Chan had walked, Loki showed a reaction of surprise.

“Crurk? You mean one of the continent’s five greatest martial gods, representing the Elves, was your master? I heard my father was also one of the continent’s five greatest martial gods representing the human race.”

“Your father was one of the five greatest martial gods representing the human race?”

“Crurk, yes.”

“What was your father’s name?”

“Crurrrk, Kalitz Garman…”

It was a name Kang Chan had never heard before, as he knew little about this world.

However, if Elradian or Jaizen had heard that name, they would have been truly astonished.

That name belonged to the absolute champion representing humanity.

“Seeing you, I can imagine just how powerful he must have been.”

“Crurk, sigh…”

Talking about his father made Loki sigh with deep longing.

“Do you miss your father a lot?”

“Grurrr… Yes.”

Kang Chan understood Loki’s feelings. He, too, missed the deceased Jaina dearly.

“Missing someone who has left this world is truly a heartbreaking thing…”

“Crurk? Have you also lost someone precious?”

“Yes… I have.”

“That must be sad.”

Kang Chan felt a sense of kinship with Loki.

“Do you plan to stay here forever?”

“Grurrr…”

Loki couldn’t answer immediately. He didn’t want to spend his entire life alone here.

He was a young ogre with a burning desire to explore the vast world, make friends, and spread his name widely, just like his father.

But Loki knew his situation well. He was an ogre, not a human.

After his father passed away, Loki once ignored his father’s will and ventured into a human village because he was too lonely.

The result was disastrous. The village turned into chaos upon his arrival, and arrows and spears flew at him from all directions.

His father had been right. Meeting them only brought emotional wounds.

Disheartened, Loki fled back to the mountains and never dared to venture into a village again.

Recalling those times, Loki’s face was filled with deep agony and sorrow. Seeing this, Kang Chan asked again.

“Don’t you want to go out into the world?”

“Grurrr…”

Loki nodded silently.

“Come with us.”

“Crurk!?”

Startled and flustered by Kang Chan’s unexpected offer, Loki hesitated, prompting Kang Chan to encourage him again.

“I like you. Come with us.”

“Grurrr… But I’m not human. I’m an ogre…”

Kang Chan remembered the first time he saw Loki.

Back then, he had been surprised by Loki’s enormous size and appearance, which even as a Sword Master, had startled him. It was obvious that Loki would be an object of fear and terror to ordinary people.

However, Kang Chan believed that if an ogre with such immense power like Loki stood on the side of humans and achieved great victories, there would undoubtedly be a place for him in the human world.

“Right now, the continent is in a time of chaos, suffering from a great war caused by evil forces. I think this is an opportunity for you.”

“Crurk, an opportunity?”

“Yes, a chance for you to become their hero.”

“Crurk, a hero?”

Loki’s heart stirred at the word “hero.”

Becoming a hero was something Loki had always dreamed of since he was young.

The thought of becoming the hero he had only dreamed of… Loki immediately wanted to follow Kang Chan into the world.

But Loki couldn’t readily agree to go with them. He was afraid of encountering humans when he descended from the mountain.

“Crurk, but… if I go down the mountain, the humans who see me will surely be afraid. They will attack me.”

“…”

Kang Chan couldn’t give an answer to Loki’s worried words.

It was beyond his ability to control such matters.

At that moment, Zikyon, who they thought was asleep, spoke up.

“I’ll help.”

“Huh? Zikyon, you weren’t sleeping?”

Zikyon smacked the back of Kang Chan’s head.

“How could I sleep with all the noise you were making! Hmph?”

“S-sorry.”

Looking at Loki, Zikyon repeated her offer.

“I’ll help you.”

“Crurk, how will you help me?”

Although Loki’s eyes were filled with doubt, he still listened to Zikyon’s words with a hint of expectation.

“I’ll turn you into a human.”

Startled by Zikyon’s words, Loki jumped up from the bed.

“Crurk! Turn me into a human?”

“Yes, a human.”

“Crurk! Is that possible?”

“Nothing is impossible for an Ancient Dragon like me.”

As Zikyon traced a circle with her finger, a small portal opened in the air.

From there, Zikyon took out a piece of dark leather and began to fashion it into a belt.

She then started engraving strange symbols onto its surface.

Kang Chan and Loki watched the scene with fascinated eyes.

A short while later, Zikyon finished her work and exclaimed.

“It’s done.”

In front of Zikyon floated a belt.

“A belt?”

To Kang Chan’s question, Zikyon silently sent the belt flying towards Loki.

“Put it on your finger.”

“Crurk? On my finger?”

Confused by Zikyon’s instruction to put the strange belt on his finger, Loki inserted his finger into the floating belt.

“Crurk, I did it.”

“Now, infuse it with your mana.”

“Grurrr?”

Hesitating for a moment, Loki slowly focused and infused his mana into the belt on his finger.

Then, the strange symbols engraved on the belt began to light up in sequence, and soon Loki’s body started to glow brightly as well.

“Crurk! W-what is this?”

As the astonished Loki tried to stop the mana infusion, Zikyon warned him in a low tone.