Chapter 115
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: Request for Support - 6
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I'd let my guard down a bit.
These days, I could handle a Rank 4 Knight without breaking a sweat, and as long as I wasn't caught off guard by a Rank 3, there was no way I'd lose.
But seriously?
A Rank 2 Knight was planted right here in this underground city.
There are only ten of them on the entire continent, aren't there?
A Rank 2 Knight was on a whole different level—one the emperor personally recruited.
In fantasy novels, they'd be a Swordmaster. In wuxia, a Transcendent Realm expert.
Why the hell was a powerhouse like that holing up in a place like this?
A guy who didn't need to cling to Hardron was living down here in the stale air with a bunch of outlaws.
No, why?!
"Your skills are impressive indeed."
"W-Wait! I have no intention of fighting you all!"
A Rank 2 Knight was still way beyond me.
Sir Peredil, captain of the First Holy Knight Order, right?
I still remembered that one strike he'd unleashed.
Every thrust of his spear had cleaved mountains apart—vivid as ever.
I wasn't a monster yet myself, not enough to face a freak like that.
"No fool here would believe an intruder's words."
"Fair enough."
The Rank 2 Knight drew his sword.
Its wavy blade evoked ocean waves as it slithered toward my throat like a serpent.
Chiiiing!
Thanks to the Nymph's Grace from Helen, my sharpened senses let me barely block it, but cracks were already spiderwebbing across Robera.
'Aura overpowering divine power?'
Aura was made of mana, and mana was the base unit of divine power.
Compared to the divine edge cloaking my blade now, the knight's aura should've shattered.
Yet this guy was chipping away at my divine coating instead.
'They say Rank 2 Knights impose their own laws on the world through their aura. Not just talk.'
Steeling myself, I unleashed every trick I had.
And they did the same—guys who looked like Rank 3s started joining in, judging by their presence.
"Sir Andrew, allow me to assist."
"You, protect the city lord."
"Understood."
"Hey, if you're knights, fight fair—one-on-one!"
At my taunt, Andrew the Rank 2 tensed his neck and replied proudly.
"My skills are too meager for a fair fight with you."
"Meager my ass."
"Besides, we have a sacred duty to fulfill. Even against a rat like you, we'll give our all."
"Sacred duty?"
"Judgment upon the empire that destroyed our glorious kingdom, and the kingdom's restoration."
"That's even more bullshit. Dragging up something from a thousand years ago?"
I got loving your country, but obsessing over ancient history was just insane.
"That's not patriotism—it's obsession. Losers who can't admit defeat. Explains why you're still skulking underground."
"You bastard!"
My provocation worked—one Rank 3 charged in, rage overriding restraint.
I tried to pick him off first, but...
Clang!
"We're not falling for such obvious tricks."
True to an organization that had resisted the empire for a millennium, they didn't bite on cheap ploys.
'One Rank 2 and two Rank 3s.'
Lucky one of the original three Rank 3s was gone; otherwise, I'd be toast without catching a breath.
Barely enough to stay alive, though.
"Good thing we're inside, not out!"
Boom! KABOOOM!
I invoked Hestia's miracle, turning the underground city into an inferno.
"He's a priest!"
"Stop him!"
The garrison rushed to take me down, but I had no plans for a head-on clash.
"Coward!"
"Obviously. I'm a hunter, not a knight!"
The Rank 3s scrambled, their auras shielding the city and tying their feet.
But the Rank 2 stayed cool, gathering his aura.
"I won't allow further destruction."
Minimal power, maximum pain.
"Ow, that hurts."
"Impressive. I didn't expect you'd block it."
Andrew spoke flatly, eyeing the sword impaled in my forearm.
"This ends now."
"That's my line."
Andrew yanked his blade free and aimed for my nape. I focused and unleashed black divine power.
"Whew, that was close."
"Sir Andrew!"
Chills ran down my spine, but I was faster.
'No more time stop for a while.'
The black divine power from devouring the 'One Who Crawls the Depths' legacy could halt time on targets I saw with the naked eye.
'Shake him off, rescue Camilla, then bolt.'
Unlike the god's legacy, it couldn't freeze an entire area—time limits applied, max two targets.
No more uses left.
"You! What did you do to Sir Andrew?!"
"We'll kill you here, no matter what."
The remaining Rank 3s wouldn't let me go.
"Hoo... Fine. Let's see who dies!"
I swung Robera at the throats of the charging pair.
But it wasn't easy.
Even if these Rank 3s fell short of the Rank 2, their coordinated formation—covering each other's weaknesses—was a headache in its own way.
And starting from the wound Andrew gave me, my body felt off.
What the hell did he do?
"Hah... hah..."
Their relentless pursuit forced a full day of brutal combat.
"Even hunting dogs aren't this tenacious."
I won, but my injuries were severe. I hurried to grab Camilla and escape.
But...
"Urk!"
My left eye, which had sealed Andrew's time, throbbed with pain as black blood trickled out.
"Time's up, huh..."
Against my expectations, Andrew's iron will broke the time stop early.
"Sir Lian? Sir Aaron? What the..."
Quick on the uptake, Andrew began tracking me.
'Fight now, no chance of winning.'
I could've resealed him with my right eye, the one holding Camilla's time.
'Same trick won't work twice.'
Shifting plans, I scanned the underground city's ceiling.
'Ventilation system here too.'
Had to be, or no one could live.
Conversely, wreck the vents, and it'd become unlivable.
'Smash that!'
Plan set, I formed a lightning spear with fresh divine power, shattering the ceiling, then reignited the city with Hestia's flames.
I invoked
Inventory
in the air, pocketing a chunk of the air.
All set. Then Andrew arrived, his presence laced with icy killing intent.
"No more atrocities!"
"That's my line!"
Now going all-out, Andrew attacked with enough force to cleave me and the city alike.
"Cough!"
"This is for Sir Lian and Sir Aaron!"
"I didn't order that."
Andrew accelerated his assaults as I scrambled to defend.
"You know what?"
Smoke wafting from the fires.
Dust kicked up by Andrew's rampage.
Ceiling breached, sealing the underground.
All conditions met.
"Dust explosions love enclosed spaces."
I snapped my fingers and yelled.
"BOOM!"
KABOOOOOM!
'A bit strong...'
The point-blank blast would've shredded me without divine body reinforcement.
Andrew took it too.
"Cough! Thought you were a priest—turns out you're a shaman?"
"Told you. I'm a hunter."
Andrew endured with his aura barrier but swung slower now.
'Brain starved of oxygen, huh?'
Never planned a fair win against a Rank 2.
What hunter fights prey head-on?
Cowardly? Sure, eat the insults. Hunters just win.
"You're stronger than me, but as living beings, I'm superior."
"Halt!"
Andrew flung sword beams, but I dodged raggedly and dove into a waterway.
I pulled air from
Inventory
before he caught up, gulping oxygen to flood my system.
Deprived of O2, Andrew blacked out from biological limits.
By exploiting terrain perfectly, I claimed a dirty win over the Rank 2 Knight.
"Hah... hah... Second toughest fight of my life."
I bound the unconscious Andrew and stowed his gear in
Inventory
Disarming with Inventory from the start would've been easier, but Rank 3s and up didn't fall for that crap easily.
They weren't idiots sitting ducks.
"Whew, Camilla's rescue fee will be steep."
Dragging my near-fainting body, I headed her way.
Panicked outlaws fleeing fires, blasts, and collapsing ceilings—no more fights.