Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Capturing the Fox King
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For twenty years.
I've fought so many battles.
The barbaric world I was dragged into without knowing why was a place where human lives were worth less than a single coin. A hell on earth filled with lunatics who killed people for fun or because they were offended.
For someone like me, who had lived in a world where even killing a president would land you in prison, it was a place that was incredibly hard to accept in every way... But just ten seconds after arriving in Ardania, I realized how different this world was from Earth.
Peasant hunts.
One of the nobles' recreational activities. Not the act of some special psychopath, but a widespread [culture].
'Quite a few nobles enjoy peasant hunting as a leisure sport to build friendships.'
The incident where I killed them all was shocking enough to shatter the world I knew.
'But that was just the beginning.'
The noble heirs provided good equipment and plenty of gold, serving as my foundation for life in this other world, but at the same time, they dragged me into a endless whirlpool of grudges and enmities.
I had to fight and keep fighting.
Against bandits, criminals, soldiers, and pursuers sent by nobles.
And above all.
'I kinda miss it.'
Against knights.
As I fully settled into Ardania and my name started gaining fame, I fought knights more and more. The number of nobles who despised me grew accordingly.
Every day was a series of duels and spars.
On the worst days, I fought five knights in a single day. Two after breakfast, two after lunch, and one more before bed.
In the end, I've fought over seventy-two knights so far.
And I haven't lost a single time.
'I would've died if I had.'
Knights are living weapons of war, lunatics who stake their lives on honor.
After joining Chrome, I fought more allies than enemies, and if I'd lost even once or suffered a serious injury, I never would've survived.
'What a shitty daily grind, yet here I am missing it.'
It was like walking on a knife's edge every single day.
I didn't even know when I might die.
If I looked even a little tired or exhausted, knights would challenge me to duels. Surviving that was a miracle.
To stay alive, I delved into martial arts every day.
Tai Chi Fist, Arhat Divine Fist, Heavenly Soul Sword Arts, Ninety-Nine Rays Sword Forms, Lightning Seven Swords...
Heavenly Dragon Sword Technique, Reverse Tendon Three Hands Scripture, Swift Advance Gong, Mad Demon Art, Wisdom King Art.
It wasn't that I lacked talent in martial arts or couldn't handle internal energy properly.
'If that were the case, I wouldn't have mastered five different techniques.'
In this hellish otherworld life like a slaughterhouse, my days of scouring libraries and watching MyTube whenever I had a chance to learn martial arts somehow kept me alive.
Fighting during the day, spilling blood and sweat.
Pondering the principles of various martial arts at night.
Even if the techniques I was practicing were trash, knights are superhumans who had awakened aura.
If I hadn't broken down every martial art I knew and refined them into self-flows that minimized internal energy consumption, how could I have survived this long?
Clack!
A crossbowman emerges from among the soldiers, hefting a large crossbow.
The already loaded bolt gleams sharply, well-maintained.
"Puhahaha! Wolf Knight. Your reputation is fearsome, but you're just a bandit at heart! No surprise there! Barbaric blood doesn't lie!"
"You idiot! Do you even know where you are, crawling in here on your own?"
They burst into laughter, then laughed some more. Looking at me with eyes of contempt, mocking me wildly.
I stared at them silently, then picked out three among them.
"You, you, and you."
My calm demeanor makes the laughing Fox King and knights stop.
One of the pointed-out knights hardens his expression and asks.
"Wolf Knight, do you have business with me?"
I respond to the handsome man with a tall stature and refined aura, completely unlike the other rough-faced knights.
"You three are the only ones who should be ashamed."
"......!"
Not just the three I pointed out, but all the knights and even the Fox King pale.
If I'd yelled at them for being cowardly or how could they do this, they would've mocked me even louder.
But because I calmly pointed out their flaws so casually, I could feel their massive agitation.
"You barbaric bastards..."
I let out a deep sigh as I looked at them.
"You recognize my face but haven't heard the rumors about me? How could I not know how little you value honor, how petty and cowardly you trash are? I've seen your dirty acts plenty of times."
"......"
Their faces twist viciously at my calm stream of insults.
But grimacing won't shut me up.
"It's almost admirable that you've mustered an army like you're onto something big, even after your capital got ransacked. At least you're taking action."
"......"
"But getting greedy for other places in the meantime? What kind of moron's judgment is that? Pulling swords on fellow humans without knowing what smashed your capital or the state of the continent... That's the height of shortsighted folly."
"......"
I sighed as dozens of eyes glared at me like they wanted to kill me.
"You're not just honorless—you're stupid too."
"You bastard!!"
Finally, one knight couldn't hold back and lunged forward. Now I see—it's the heavyset guy who guided me here earlier.
"You're the idiot from before. Thanks for bringing me here."
"I'll kill— you!!"
He roars and draws his sword, charging. I face him empty-handed and say.
"I won't kill you."
Swoosh!
I extend my left hand toward his full-body downward slash.
Crack!
"Urk—!?"
I grab the flying sword and twist. The charging heavyset knight staggers, unable to overcome his own momentum. Not dropping the sword deserves praise.
"Wha-what is this...!"
His eyes bulge as he struggles, but the sword doesn't budge, like it's stuck in rock.
My current strength is rare even on Earth.
Even without strength-boosting gear, this guy can't resist.
"As much as possible."
"You— guh—!"
Thud!
I punch his abdomen with my right fist. He flies off like a deer hit by a dump truck.
"Sh-shoot!!!"
Ping ping!
Three bolts fly in. Powerful enough to pierce armor if they hit wrong, but laughable to me, who's fought sword masters with blade auras.
Thud thud thud!
"Ugh?!"
"What the hell?!"
The three crossbowmen fly back with bolts embedded in their shoulders.
The knights gasp as I casually catch and throw back the bolts.
Whoosh!
"No! Block him!"
"Swarm him at once!"
Armored knights block my path forward. Aura-infused longswords swing at my shoulders and legs.
'This is all they've got.'
Not that their skills are bad—no one sits beside the king without merit.
But they're too slow.
Too weak.
'Really feels like a different era in every way.'
With my boosted physical specs, chakra support.
And skill effects added, their assaults are as obvious as fighting a three-year-old.
"Urk?!"
I pin a swung sword with my left foot and twist my upper body slightly to dodge the diagonal slash.
Then, stomping foot.
I must plant firmly. My strength is monstrous, but my weight hasn't changed, so one misstep in balance risks collapse.
Boom!
I strike the side. The second knight floats up like a cat hit by a club and crashes into the lined-up soldiers behind.
Thud!
Low kick. The third spins like a pinwheel.
"Too slow!"
"Hup!"
Steelstone and Hundred handle enemies effortlessly too.
No strong foes worthy of their armed, drawn swords nearby.
"You!!"
One knight charges with shield raised.
Boom!
I hit the shield center precisely. His grounded leg snaps like a chopstick, sprawling him.
Overwhelmed in strength and speed, he can't even slip the point.
"You monster!!!"
"I'll kill you!!"
One-sided fight, but knights don't retreat. Reasons abound.
First, they assume even my strength has time limits.
Second, surrounded by 15,000 soldiers, dozens of knights, and over ten mages—they believe in numbers.
Big mistake. I could beat them all barehanded. Stamina limit? Solved by hopping to Earth.
But instead.
I pick up a fallen sword.
[Blade Aura Manifestation]
Flash!
One swing scatters, slicing approaching swords, shields, bolts rolling on the ground. Charging knights groan at my sword—at the blade aura coating it.
"Aura... blade?"
"Sword master."
"No way! That's legend!"
"But that's..."
I weave through halted knights. Suddenly, I'm before the man who was screaming at me.
"You, you bastard... how..."
The Fox Kingdom's king, White Fox, stammers with a pale face.
Smirk.
I smile at him.
Awkwardly, White Fox smiles back.
"Ha, ha, ha... In-incredible! I never imagined such valor! I..."
Mumbling starts from White Fox.
I watch him.
Thwack!
Punch to the solar plexus.
* * *
I captured all gathered knights, mages, commanders—even the king.
Still 15,000 Fox troops, but with all commanders seized, they followed helplessly.
Not some minor officer, but a king and all nobles beneath—natural.
I led them to Starting, pitching tents near the west gate.
Even with power gap, couldn't fit more refugees than the city's population inside—a necessary choice.
'Ended up camping on the streets anyway.'
Yet no refugee complains.
"Come on! Plenty of meat stew—no fighting, take yours! Eat up and bring bowls back!"
"Short on hands, so roast your own at the fires! But food waste gets penalty points!"
"Take leather coats too! It's cold!"
Refugees and even Fox soldiers line up for hot broth. Unbelieving stares at the meat stew.
People slurping frantically for seconds. Others tearing up after one sip. The gate bustles.
"This... what. Feeding this many meat stew?"
Disarmed and detained White Fox rubs eyes in disbelief, but reality doesn't change.
"We'll release you and the nobles once ransom's paid."
I notify casually over meat stew, facing him. Releasing him was planned from start.
Capturing enemy king is war-winning merit, but Fox Kingdom can't be our foe now.
"Just... wood and coal for us?"
"Just? 100 cartloads. Generous for a fat middle-aged guy's worth."
"What does that..."
Fox king bewildered, but fact. Holding him yields no gain, only risk.
"But won't return refugees. Can't protect or lead them, seems. And that goes for..."
I continue.
"The soldiers too."
"What!!"
White Fox slams table, jumping up. Eyes gather. Our "talk" is fully public—no screens. Conversation broadcasts to soldiers and refugees.
Amid stares, I say calmly.
"No force. Poll all soldiers' wishes—send back who wants."
"Bullshit! You dare! Dare...!"
"Or."
I cut excited him off.
"Execute all heads and take as POWs?"
"......!"
He freezes, speechless. I'm inwardly surprised.
'Not clueless.'
I'd have done it if he'd mouthed off—cowars like a ghost. Royalty or not, no surviving this barbaric world without wits.
Silence falls.
Flower in maid outfit approaches. Behind her, carts pulled by donkeys named Taepyeong (Common), black ox (Common), white ox (Common).
"Lord, wild boar meat's out."
Refugees focused on our talk groan.
"Gasp! Meat gone?"
"Ate too much..."
"Mom, no more meat?"
"Hush. You ate plenty!"
"But now what..."
I sigh lightly at flustered refugees, look at Flower.
Her glossy red hair and green eyes shine—well-fed, stats up. She looks back.
I eye-ask.
[This performance necessary?]
She eye-replies.
[Absolutely.]
"All out? Need more then."
"Thank you, Lord."
Refugees and soldiers watch confused. Starting soldiers, knowing, beam with pride.
Before them—
'Let's see... Inventory.'
Reach out.
Grab!
"Huh? Meat from thin air..."
"What?"
Ignoring stares, pull wild boar haunches nonstop.
Grab. Grab. Grab.
Grab. Grab. Grab. Grab!
Set down. Keep setting. One cart fills instantly, next piles up.
Second cart. Third fills.
"My... god."
"How... possible..."
Pull meat, set down, repeat.
And.
Countless people watch.
* * *