Future Knight

Chapter 95

『Loki! Just stay back!』

“Krrek! No!”

Thud! Bang! Bang!

Loki, using all his strength, fiercely pushed back the black Gigantes that persistently attacked him. However, no matter how powerful the Ogre Loki was, he couldn’t easily defeat the enemies piloted by the Sword Experts inside the Gigantes.

Kang Chan shouted at Loki once again.

『Stop being stubborn!』

“Kwaak! I can’t back down now! Kuup!”

As Loki spoke, the sword of a black Gigantes pierced through his back.

Then, two other Gigantes charged in, stabbing daggers into Loki’s abdomen and chest.

Puk!

“Kruuk!”

『No!!』

Kang Chan’s scream echoed loudly.

“Kuuurrk… Kwaaaak!”

While being stabbed by three Gigantes, Loki managed to smash the head of the one in front of him.

Despite his ogre-like resilience, the fact that Loki would die from his fatal injuries remained unchanged.

『You bastards! Activate combat mode!』

『Activating combat mode, level 5.』

『Haaaat!』

For the first time, Kang Chan activated the combat mode while piloting the Gigantes.

As a result, the mana surging from Kang Chan’s body was transmitted through the crystal sphere to the Maglight Furnace, causing the Aura Blade emitted by the Gigantes to grow explosively larger.

Soon, Kang Chan, moving several times faster than before, fiercely pushed through the seven enemy Gigantes blocking his path.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Boom!

『Kruuk! What is this? Suddenly!』

As the Arc Shadows hastily retreated from Kang Chan, who had become several times faster, Kang Chan turned and attacked the black Gigantes that were mauling Loki.

『Get away from him, you bastards!』

Kang Chan sliced through the blindfolded Gigantes attacking Loki, causing the other two to flee swiftly.

“Krrrr…”

『Hey! Snap out of it! Loki! Loki!』

“Krrr…”

Blood gushed like a waterfall from the wounds on Loki’s body.

His eyes gradually lost focus, indicating that his life was hanging by a thread.

Arc Shadows, like hyenas preying on a wounded beast, gathered around Kang Chan and Loki.

『You bastards! I’ll kill you all!』

Just as Kang Chan was about to lose his sanity in rage, a familiar voice from above grounded him.

“Warrior, do not get excited.”

‘That voice?’

When Kang Chan turned toward the voice, he saw a green-haired woman wearing a mask floating in the air.

『Zikyon?』

“I am not Zikyon… I am merely a passing healer.”

『Healer? Stop joking! Loki is in danger! Do something quickly!』

“Your companion’s life is in peril, I understand. I will assist.”

As the healing waves emanated from the masked woman in the air enveloped Loki, his wounds began to heal rapidly, almost miraculously.

Kang Chan watched in disbelief as Loki’s wounds closed, and Loki, who opened his eyes, felt the healed areas, looking equally incredulous.

“Krrek? How is this possible?”

To the bewildered Loki, the masked woman spoke.

“I have revived you with top-level healing magic. Fight without worry; I can revive you as many times as needed.”

“Krrek? Revive me as many times as needed?”

Kang Chan was convinced that the mysterious masked woman was undoubtedly Zikyon.

Such tremendous healing magic was impossible even for Arteon.

Though Kang Chan couldn’t understand why Zikyon suddenly appeared with a mask and behaving differently, he assumed she had her reasons. He gripped his sword and charged at the enemies again.

The masked woman watching Kang Chan sighed deeply.

‘Sigh… Why must the great Zikyon do such a show…’

The mysterious healer in the mask was indeed Zikyon.

She had to wear the mask because of a promise made during a meeting of their kind.

Therefore, she couldn’t openly help Kang Chan.

Doing so would tarnish not only her honor but also that of all dragons.

However, she couldn’t just stand by and watch Loki die, so she concealed her identity and stepped in to save him.

As Loki got to his feet and shook his head violently, there was a loud cracking sound.

“Kyarrrk, how dare they stab me?”

With a sinister smile, Loki lunged at the enemies. Blades pierced his body, but Loki, indifferent to the pain, launched a ferocious attack on his enemies.

“Kraaaaaaang!”

Sizzle! Thud!

『Aaaaaaah!』

Loki, who fearlessly charged at the enemies’ blades, resembled a berserker. Thanks to Zikyon’s incessant healing, Loki, now an immortal, quickly broke through the enemy lines. Seeing this, Kang Chan and the other Sword Masters gathered around Loki, pushing the panicked enemies even harder.

The Arc Shadows started to crumble. The number of fallen black Gigantes increased one by one. At that moment, Kang Chan spotted the Elven Knight of Elradian in a desperate state.

『Master!』

Indeed, Nemitz, who was aboard the Hellenic, was a formidable opponent for him.

Seeing Elradian in danger, Kang Chan, eyes wide with fury, gathered his mana and launched an Aura Blade at Nemitz’s back.

Boom!!

Nemitz countered Kang Chan’s surprise attack with his own Aura Blade and retreated. He was internally shaken by the power of Kang Chan’s Aura Blade that resonated through his entire body.

『Master! Are you alright?』

『Huff… Huff… It seems I am destined never to defeat him.』

Hearing Elradian’s bitter words, Kang Chan glared at Nemitz, who had made his master so miserable.

『How dare you treat my master like this…』

Nemitz, who had been thrown off balance by Kang Chan’s surprise attack, regained his stance and crossed his daggers in the same way as Kang Chan. Then, with a mocking tone, he spoke.

『Did your master teach you to attack from behind?』

Kang Chan, in a sarcastic tone, replied to Nemitz’s absurd remark.

『Against scum like you who ambush people in the middle of the night, why not?』

『You have no fear.』

Nemitz laughed at Kang Chan’s words and asked.

『By the way, your swordsmanship resembles something I know very well. Is it what I think it is?』

Kang Chan was not surprised, knowing that the Thunder and Lightning Dual Sword Technique he had learned was created by Nemitz. Instead, he was confident and brazen.

『Yes, you made it.』

『Wh-what?』

『I said, you made it. Want me to say it again?』

『How dare you! If you learned the swordsmanship I created, then I am your master! How can you show such disrespect to me!』

『I’ve never had a master like you. My only master is Elradian.』

『You insolent brat! Fine! A disciple who doesn’t know gratitude is no disciple of mine! I will take back the Thunder and Lightning Dual Sword Technique you learned, right here and now!』

Suddenly, an intense killing intent emanated from Nemitz’s Gigantes.

It was the strongest killing intent Kang Chan had ever faced. But he was not one to be intimidated by such things.

『If you can, go ahead and try.』

『You arrogant fool! Hyaah!』

As Nemitz’s formidable attack rushed toward Kang Chan, he met it head-on, not backing down an inch, and parried all of Nemitz’s strikes.

Each time their daggers clashed in mid-air, sparks flew, and a thunderous roar echoed, with fierce winds swirling all around.

Boom! Clang! Clang!

『Kruuk! What is this power!』

Nemitz was greatly alarmed, watching Elradian’s monstrous disciple pushing him back.

‘Elradian, you raised such a monster…’

Though there was an old saying that the disciple surpasses the master, Kang Chan’s strength was beyond comprehension.

Both Nemitz and Elradian had stood at the pinnacle of swordsmanship for 500 years.

For a disciple with skills surpassing theirs to suddenly appear was something he could not understand.

『You brat!』

Unlike his usual composed demeanor, Nemitz yelled in frustration as he exchanged blows with Kang Chan. This impatience created an opening, and Kang Chan delivered a spinning kick to exploit it.

Boom!

『Kraaaak!!』

Thud!

The Hellenic, with its dented breastplate, crashed to the ground, raising a massive cloud of dust that enveloped the surrounding forest.

Severely impacted, Nemitz couldn’t immediately rise and rolled aside to dodge Kang Chan’s follow-up attack.

As Nemitz rolled, the trees in his path fell one by one to the ground.

When he finally managed to stand up, Nemitz’s face was flushed red.

He felt humiliated, having been bested by Elradian’s much younger disciple.

Yet, inwardly, he was also pleased.

Though he was an arrogant brat, it was clear that he had mastered the swordsmanship Nemitz had created.

『Excellent… Truly excellent.』

Despite Nemitz’s praise, Kang Chan paid no attention and prepared to attack again.

Watching Kang Chan, Nemitz spoke seriously once more.

『I’ll ask you again. Won’t you become my disciple? If I guide you, you could become the continent’s first Sword Emperor.』

Kang Chan replied with disbelief.

『It’s not even worth answering.』

『Is that so? What a shame to lose a talent like you.』

『Why don’t you worry about yourself?』

『It seems I underestimated you. In that case, I will engage you seriously. Dark Sphere!』

When Nemitz shouted “Dark Sphere,” black light shimmered from both shoulders of the Hellenic and instantly engulfed the surrounding light.

『Huh! Wh-what is this?』

Kang Chan panicked as his vision turned to darkness.

『This is the hidden technique of the Hellenic, the Dark Sphere. In this place, there is not a single point of light! This is my domain!』

As Nemitz opened his eyes, the unique cat-like glow of the Dark Elves shone.

Through his eyes, the image of the Elven Knight trapped in darkness was clearly visible.

‘Huh… Anyone trapped in complete darkness is bound to be overwhelmed by fear.’

Nemitz began approaching Kang Chan silently, like a ghost.

A gigantic black sphere formed in the middle of the battlefield, causing the Allied Sword Masters to halt their fight and quickly retreat.

『What is that?!』

『Chan!』

Elradian called out to Kang Chan trapped in the Dark Sphere, but there was no response from his disciple.

During this momentary lull, the Arc Shadows seized the opportunity to retreat with their wounded comrades.

They were confident of one thing:

The enemy Sword Master trapped inside would emerge as a corpse…

No one could defeat Nemitz within the Dark Sphere.