NOVEL NEXT Ch. 30
Chapter 30
[Uoooooooo!!]
The Grand Troll.
As the 6-star monster roared and unleashed its presence, the atmosphere trembled and the Red Flame that dominated the area flickered.
But that was all.
Hwarureuk.
When the Red Flame turned into Blue Flame, the creature's roar became a futile resistance.
The blue flame blazed up, using its massive body as kindling.
[Uoo… oooo……!!]
Engulfed in the Blue Flame, the Grand Troll swung its club as if to extinguish the surrounding flames, but.
Hwarureuk. Hwareuk.
The Blue Flame did not waver even in the face of the fierce wind pressure.
“Its toughness is certainly a handful.”
Trolls specialized in regeneration.
And among them, true to the one that had earned the name Grand, it did not seem to care about having a few limbs cut off.
A typical 6-star knight would have had to swing their sword quite a bit to take its life.
Kung.
Unable to regenerate its leg, the Troll finally fell to its knees.
Killian met the resentful gaze of the 6-star monster.
[Ueuuuu.]
“You’ve killed many too.”
If he had not been here, countless members of the Blue Knight Order would have lost their lives.
“It’s just your turn today.”
He brought the Cheonghwageom to the Grand Troll's chest.
Hwaaaaa.
The Blue Flame gathered at the tip of the sword.
With overwhelming firepower that surpassed the limits of its regeneration, its massive body was incinerated without being able to put up any real resistance.
That was the last Troll the knight order dealt with.
Meanwhile, the battle unfolding not far away was also drawing to a close.
Within the Carpe created by ten Red Knights, about a hundred Blue Knights were dealing with the Lycanthropes.
Seogeok.
Inside the completely dominated space, Philip cut off the limbs of the Grand Lycanthrope.
“Everyone, assist the Red Knights!!”
Julian, shouting at the opportune moment, cut down another Lycanthrope.
It took less than an hour for the last Lycanthrope to fall.
Killian approached the Red Knights who were catching their breath.
“You’ve worked hard. If it weren't for you, there would have been no small number of casualties.”
“You praise us too much…….”
Philip shook his head with an awkward smile.
He knew that even if their vice-commander Fred had been there, it would have been difficult to achieve such an overwhelming victory.
‘The Fourth Young Master probably could have handled it alone even without us.’
If he had never met Escardo, Philip would have thought Killian had set foot in the realm of a Superhuman.
Just then.
Saaaaa.
The fighting spirit that had been covering the mountain range thinned.
And beyond it, a particularly strong presence was detected.
“The Knight Slayer!!”
“It’s where Young Master Paian is!!”
The Red Knights and Killian turned their gazes to where the Black Knight Order had gone.
‘About 15 minutes if I run at full speed.’
Considering the Knight Slayer from before, that was a tight timeframe.
“We’ll go on ahead!!”
The ten Red Knights, including Philip, disappeared like the wind.
‘Sir Fred is with brother Demian… I must hurry.’
Just as Killian, having clad his legs in mana, was about to run in the direction the Red Knights had gone.
“Killian, what should we do?”
Julian, flushed from the great victory against the Trolls moments ago, asked.
Looking around, he saw the order members, their expressions not much different, watching him.
“From now on, all our forces will gather where the Black Knight Order is. If the enemy has other plans, it’s highly likely they’ll use this gap to push down to the territory.”
Having said that much, Killian met Julian’s eyes.
“The choice is the commander’s.”
“……”
He did not have to wait long for an answer.
“I understand. Leave this to me.”
A satisfactory answer.
For now, that was enough.
“You don’t have to bring back the Slayer’s head when you return!!”
The first to shout was Hector.
“What are you talking about! We have to preserve the corpse whole and hang it in the training ground.”
The one who retorted was Jesse.
“The training ground will be bustling when the subjugation is over. Inquiries to join the knight order will explode!”
The one who drove the nail in was Huan.
It was not just the Centurions.
All the Blue Knights added a word, hoping for Killian’s safe return.
“……”
He glanced over the knights who, despite their grimy appearance, had eyes that shone brilliantly.
“I’ll see you again.”
With those words.
Killian chased after the Red Knights.
***
Paian glared at the monster before him.
The massive body of a Grand Troll, the limbs of a Grand Ogre, the claws and white fur of a Grand Lycanthrope, and crimson eyes as if stained with blood.
The Knight Slayer, once presumed to be the ruler of the Kurt Mountain Range.
It had appeared suddenly.
‘It’s exactly as I heard from Killian.’
His hands, gripping his sword, tightened on their own.
Around him, thirty knights lay fallen.
The deaths of twenty Red Knights and ten Black Knights. It was a tragedy that had occurred in less than 15 minutes since the Slayer appeared.
“You monster……”
Gulp.
He swallowed his dry saliva.
The two scars etched on the Slayer’s chest. They were the result of the sacrifice of two 6-star Red Knights.
Right after it received those wounds, its fighting spirit that had covered the mountain range had thinned, so other knights should be heading here by now.
Feeling his body stiffen just from facing it, Paian clenched his fist in frustration.
‘I can’t win.’
He resented himself for having shouted that he would hunt such a creature.
“Commander, the fighting spirit that covered the mountain range has disappeared. We must buy time until the knight orders gather.”
The vice-commander of the Black Knight Order, who had lost an arm in a single exchange, said with difficulty.
“Can we buy time against that thing? I would rather……”
“The commander must live.”
“Ridiculous. I’ll survive just fine without you.”
He had already lost dozens of knights since ascending the mountain range, but he had never once run away, leaving his subordinates’ sacrifices behind.
‘If we’re to buy time, I must be the one to do it.’
Two 5-star knights.
Even if their limbs were cut off, they could buy at least a minimal amount of time.
“Everyone, run!! The vice-commander and I will buy time!!”
Paian, shouting with mana in his voice, took a difficult step forward with feet that would not move.
A blackish mana enveloped the greatsword he held with both hands.
Ssssss.
Next, he spread black mana around the Slayer.
The Carpe he had learned upon reaching the 5-star level unfurled more fiercely than ever.
The Slayer’s crimson eyes narrowed into slits.
“I am Paian Eurasia, Commander of the Black Knight Order!!”
As he shouted and moved his feet with difficulty, the mana flowing through his sword enveloped his trained body.
Hwoooong.
With a whoosh of wind, the greatsword was swung.
Basquia Style, Thunder Breaker.
A technique that only those of 4-star or higher among the warriors of Basquia could learn.
Its power, even when used by a 5-star knight, was not inferior to the sword of a 6-star knight, but…….
Kaang.
“……!!”
In that moment, the greatsword was deflected by a mere flick of the Slayer's claw.
Paian spun to regain his balance, then gritted his teeth and swung his sword again.
Eurasia Style, Thorn.
Kaang.
But this time too, the greatsword was deflected powerlessly.
He relentlessly poured out the vicious sword techniques learned from the two martial families, Basquia and Eurasia, but.
Kaang. Kkang. Kaaaang.
The attacks he poured out with all his might were blocked with almost absurd ease.
“Commander……!!”
The vice-commander, who had withstood the Slayer's claws, shouted.
A brief opening.
“Hyaaaaaaa……!!!”
Paian let out a roar, leaped up, and brought his greatsword down on the Slayer's head.
Basquia Style, Mountain Strike.
A technique that caused an explosion of mana at the point of impact.
If successful, it could deliver a significant shock.
But then, the Slayer's claws suddenly elongated.
Puuk. Puk.
“Kahak……”
“Keuk……”
The vice-commander, pierced through the chest, fell, and Paian, whose shoulder was pierced, staggered as he landed.
He had lost his one and only chance with almost absurd ease.
[…….]
The Slayer let out an unreadable laugh.
Immediately after.
Tuk.
Paian's arm, pierced by the claw, fell to the ground.
Paian groaned and staggered backward.
“Commander!!”
“……Don’t come!!”
He shouted, but a knight had already approached and begun to staunch the bleeding.
The knights he had ordered to flee were instead blocking his path.
“You foolish fools……!! I told you to run……”
In that brief moment.
“Keok……”
The heads of five knights were sent flying by the Slayer's claws.
“F-fall back!! You’re no match for it!!”
Contrary to his urgent shouts, the knights ceaselessly blocked the path.
“Protect the commander!”
“Hold it off until we secure a retreat path!”
Each time the Slayer’s claws moved, the Black Knights lost their lives one by one.
“Commander… run….”
Seogeok.
In the end, the vice-commander's head, who could not finish his words, rolled on the ground.
Paian gritted his teeth and picked up his sword.
His body swayed, unable to find its balance, but he unleashed all his mana to strengthen his body and imbue his sword.
“This bastard……”
Death was a foregone conclusion.
In that case, he had to at least carve a single scar on that damn creature's hide so that the deaths of his knights would not be in vain.
Kaaaang!
The sword he swung as if he were falling collided with the Slayer's claw.
[…….]
Its crimson eyes moved left and right, scanning Paian.
And when it raised its other hand.
Kkang!!
Paian’s sword shattered, showering fragments.
Puuk.
The blood-stained claw pierced his leg.
Kwazik.
Before he could even feel the pain, his abdomen was pierced next.
“Keok……”
Paian coughed up a mouthful of blood, his body trembling.
The elongated claw finally approached, intending to pierce his head.
In that instant.
Kaang!!
With a clang of metal, Paian rolled on the ground.
“Cough……”
Even as he vomited blood, he concentrated on restoring his blurred vision.
A blue flame flickered before his eyes.
Lifting his head with difficulty, he saw the back of a knight blocking his path.
“Get a grip.”
A familiar voice.
It belonged to the one who had not left his mind since the moment he ascended the mountain range.
‘Killian…….’
His mouth, unable to form words, moved as Paian trembled.
“Looks like we need to buy some time.”
The moment Killian said that, the muscles in his arms and legs seemed to swell with power.
The Cheonghwageom was thrust out at high speed.
Five exchanges took place in the span of a single breath.
[……!]
The Slayer let out a bizarre laugh as it blocked the attacks.
Peok.
Following the Slayer’s kick, Killian was pushed back to Paian’s side.
Taking that opportunity, the Slayer's claws aimed for the two young masters, but.
Kaang!!
A newly entered sword struck the Slayer's claws away.
The owner of the pure white sword stood in front of Killian and Paian.
“We’re a step late.”
Demian, his entire body clad in mana, said with a frown.
His gaze swept over the annihilated knights before landing on the sole survivor, Paian.
Hwarureuk.
Killian, who had reinforced the Blue Flame wrapped around his body, stood next to Demian.
“The sacrifice was great for the price of buying time.”
Even though they had deployed sufficient forces in case of an emergency, the damage was immense. It was because the number of monsters that had attacked the White and Blue Knight Orders was unexpectedly large.
Following them, Fred and the remaining Red Knights arrived a step late.
“Form the line!!”
At Fred's shout.
Ssssss.
Tzzzzzz.
Hwaaaaa.
The Red Knights used Carpe in unison.
“I’ll join you.”
Ssssss.
Demian added his own mana to that Carpe.
At that, the Slayer shouted and scattered its fighting spirit, trying to block the presence that was constricting its body.
In response, Paian tried to add his mana, however shaky his consciousness was, but.
Walkak.
He vomited another mouthful of blood and finally lost consciousness.
“……”
A Red Knight picked up the fainted man and moved him behind a nearby tree.
The knights trying to complete the Carpe and the Slayer’s fighting spirit trying to stop them were in a power struggle.
Seueueu.
A blue mana, deeper than ordinary mana, suddenly overlaid the knights' Carpe.
Hwarururu.
The Carpe was completed, and a Blue Flame bloomed in the area.
“From now on.”
Killian raised his sword and walked towards the Slayer.
The Cheonghwageom was aimed at the roaring chimera.
“The hunt for the Slayer begins now.”