Chapter 211
Chapter 211
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.47 – The Knights' Nocturnal Raid (4)
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...If Lee Han had decided on one thing for this operation, it was not to harm anyone.
Well, it wasn't like he'd suddenly developed an aversion to violence. But if you're stealing and then start throwing punches without a shred of conscience, doesn't that just make you an undeniable criminal?
That was the resolve he'd made. Unfortunately...
Thud!
...As the old folks always said, things in this world rarely go the way you want them to.
Splat!
Lee Han unleashed a strike at his opponent without hesitation.
It was a punch powerful enough to pierce rock, and it shattered through the foe's guard, pulverizing his jawbone on impact.
He'd be living on liquids for the rest of his life, but Lee Han had no time for pity. He grabbed the swords of the two holy knights lunging at him from both sides—with his bare hands.
Crack!
"!!?"
The holy knights couldn't hide their shock at their swords being caught barehanded, but regardless, Lee Han crushed the blades like glass. The shattered edges...
Stab!
"Guhhh?!"
"Don't make a fuss. You'll draw attention."
...pierced their napes precisely.
Thwack!
They tried to scream as blood spewed from their mouths, but Lee Han yanked out their tongues before they could even wail their final cries.
A truly miserable way to go.
Yet Lee Han showed no mercy or compassion toward them. He merely fixed them with a chilling gaze.
If these had been ordinary holy knights, he wouldn't have been so ruthless. But unfortunately, these weren't ordinary holy knights at all.
On the contrary.
"'These things'—why the hell are they here?"
They were nothing more than pests deserving death.
Lee Han furrowed his brow deeply.
No, why in the temple...?
Half-demons disguising themselves as holy knights?
...In the end, Lee Han successfully navigated the labyrinthine grand temple.
He realized the place he'd started in was an underground shelter (or so he guessed), and he even spotted glittering treasures where the temple's wealth lay hidden.
Chairs and candelabras made of gold, crowns, piles of gold bars...
- ...The temple's loaded.
He took a moment to marvel at the temple's hidden riches, but Lee Han didn't lay a hand on the gold.
After all, gold wasn't his goal.
When people have a target, they should focus solely on it. He wasn't one to succumb to greed.
How long had he been walking?
Footsteps began to approach gradually.
- Isn't anyone here?
- You little rats!
- Do you even know where you are, daring to trespass?!
- We must burn those bastards alive!
...A group of priests who sounded thoroughly pissed off.
It wasn't intentional, but hiding in the shadows and overhearing the priests made Lee Han flinch.
He was always confident in his actions, but even he felt a twinge of guilt this time.
- ...Are there other intruders besides me?
On the other hand, he tilted his head at the news of comrades(?), but the priests gave no more details on the intruders.
Figuring he wouldn't learn more, Lee Han was about to lose interest when...
- ??
He sensed something off about certain priests.
Something he couldn't just brush aside.
- Senior, could I skip the night prayer service today? I'm not feeling well...
- Go ahead. Forcing yourself to attend won't please the Light.
- Thank you, senior.
It was a young priest with an innocent-looking face.
He seemed pure and naive— the kind that would warm most people's hearts. But Lee Han felt only one emotion.
- ...What the hell is that disgusting thing?
Lee Han immediately tailed him.
The other priests dispersed to prepare for the prayer service, so it didn't take long for the young one to be alone.
And sure enough.
Once alone, the young priest's face...
- ...Tch, kneeling all day at my age is killing me.
...muttered something oddly mismatched for his apparent age. Lee Han sprang into action.
Whoosh!
- Gahk?!
He pounced on the young priest like a hawk snatching prey. Facing not the priest, but the "middle-aged man" wearing his skin, Lee Han demanded:
- Why's a half-demon bastard here?
- !!?
- Oh, not gonna answer just 'cause I asked? Fair enough. Let's have a little chat for ten minutes then. No need to talk.
- !!?!!
Crunch crunch!
Toward this beast—the third he'd subjected to "close-quarters interrogation" this year alone—Lee Han began prying flesh from bone. In under five minutes, the guy spilled answers to every question.
But even so...
- You answered well, so here's thirty extra minutes as thanks.
Lee Han gave him bonus service out of gratitude, and the man thrashed in apparent ecstasy, tears of blood streaming from his eyes.
What a heartwarming sight.
"-If I'd had more time, I could've added half a day."
Lee Han chuckled, thinking of the half-cripple he'd left behind.
He always thought this, but doing good deeds felt great.
"You guys wouldn't get this satisfaction, huh? Nah, figures. Bunch of punks who've never volunteered a day in their lives."
"......"
"Oh, right. I pulled your tongue out."
"......"
"Don't cry, you punk. What've you got to cry about?"
Made him want to hit more.
There are beings in this world called demons.
Just as plants and animals become demonized by consuming demonic beast byproducts, humans who do the same become demons. They lose their humanity at a hundred percent rate and even resort to cannibalism. In fact, there's a famous case where a woman who accidentally ate a demonic beast killed and devoured her own child.
That alone gives you a rough idea of what demons are.
Humans who are no longer human, possessing strength rivaling knights, making them tough opponents.
In a way, humanity's predator—harder to fight than demonic beasts.
And in the past, Lee Han remembered the tunnel cultist scum using these demonic traits to achieve "results."
Those results being demons who weren't quite demons...
'Their research is crawling all over the place.'
- Half-demons.
They don't lose all humanity like full demons, but gain absurd growth rates and power instead.
After first spotting them in the tunnels, he never expected to run into more...
Lee Han stared at the sprawled 18 half-demons, utterly dumbfounded.
Half-demons boldly strutting through the temple disguised as holy knights...
If this got out, the entire kingdom would erupt.
No, an eruption might be fortunate. If mishandled...
'This could bring down the temple.'
The temple collapsing.
It sounded absurd at first glance, but
Lee Han felt a dizzying chill imagining it might actually happen.
He harbored plenty of resentment toward the temple, but he couldn't deny its merits.
Because of holy power, the common folk could receive healing, and the poor and orphans got aid.
But if the temple staggered and fell?
It would spark chaos across the kingdom rivaling a natural disaster.
'Damn it, I came here with light intentions to shake things up, not topple the place.'
He'd infiltrated to flip the board, not to uncover evidence that would destroy the grand temple.
If he could just identify who'd let these demons in—the mastermind—he could crush that one guy and be done. But...
'These idiots know nothing.'
Despite his best efforts, the half-demons had just followed orders to come here. They knew zilch.
No specific tasks, no face-to-face with anyone—just letters and notes for missions.
They hadn't even met high priests since arriving...
A total mess.
'...What the hell are they after?'
Things were getting confusing.
What was the cultist—no, the schemer behind this whole game—aiming for?
Topple the kingdom?
Seize the temple?
The deeper he dug, the more it felt like sinking into a swamp of unease.
"This sucks..."
Finally, surging disgust made Lee Han emit killing intent.
He'd restrained it to avoid detection, but now he couldn't hide his foul mood.
And then,
Whoosh!
"!"
Proving it a fatal mistake, Lee Han sensed something charging him. Instinctively grabbing a half-demon's sword from the floor, he swung.
Boom!
A massive clang echoed from the sword clashing with a spear.
Not metal on metal—like cannonballs colliding.
'Crazy!'
One clash told him everything.
This guy was a monster.
But the problem was...
Fwoosh!
Crack!
There weren't one, but two. With no time to dodge, Lee Han was sent flying by a massive masked man's body slam boasting a hulking frame.
'I got launched?'
He'd redirected the impact, but how long since he'd failed to brace against a charge?
Felt like a bull—no, an elephant—ramming him. Regaining balance, Lee Han glared at the two new foes.
Their auras said it all.
They were dangerous.
Deadly enough to threaten his life.
...So.
'Time to go all out.'
Thoom!
Lee Han stomped forcefully.
Two life-or-death opponents.
No more half-measures. Consequences be damned, he'd fight to kill...!
"-Hm? Ri Han, is that you?"
"...?"
"That beastly aura and iron-clad build. No doubt! Haha, who knew we'd meet here—small world!"
"......"
What was this familiar voice?
"Why the hell are you here?"
Another familiar voice.
"You bastard... the spearman?"
"......"
...Instead of words, the man removed his black mask, revealing the spearman Lark de Duron with gleaming red eyes. Matching him, the hulking masked figure unmasked.
"Hoho, long time no see, Ri Han!"
"...It's Lee Han, not Ri Han."
"Haha, I know. I'd never forget the name of the man who beat me."
"...What."
A gigantic man with black hair one might mistake for a dwarf.
The North's champion, called the Black Lion...
"Maximus."
"Call me Max—the folks close to me do."
Maximus Iron de Lionel.
...Lee Han faced the two knights—fated foes or allies?—with a baffled expression.
What?
No...
"Why are you guys here?"
"That's my line."
"Haha, feels like a class reunion—quite fun!"
......This guy always had a knack for horrific jokes.
'A reunion my ass.'
Lee Han genuinely wanted to cut ties with classmates like these.