Chapter 272
Chapter 272
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 272
Chapter Title: The Elder Knight Freya
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Seo Woojin arrived at the battlefield right as the Free Knights made their appearance.
Pleased at the perfect timing, he quickly hid himself.
Thanks to his application of 'Yama,' he could conceal himself perfectly.
While observing the battlefield like that, Seo Woojin spotted Freya and was struck with shock.
'The Transcendent Realm?'
It was a face he'd never seen before.
He'd never even heard of someone that age wielding such power in Aier.
A new powerhouse.
And her realm was certainly not beneath his own.
'No, higher?'
The fact that even his 'Divine Dragon Eye' couldn't fully grasp her meant she had reached a higher realm than him.
'Not quite on Ban Slaine's level, though...'
She was undoubtedly a monster on par with him.
Seo Woojin let out a hollow laugh inwardly.
In this damn world, just when he thought he'd grown strong enough, some unexpected powerhouse would pop up out of nowhere.
As Seo Woojin stood there dumbfounded, conversation passed between them before the fight broke out.
The result was anticlimactic.
No need to deliberate—the old man who had ascended to the Transcendent Realm ended it with a single sword stroke.
'Now for the charge?'
Seo Woojin had heard their agreement, but he didn't expect it to be honored.
But his prediction was wrong.
The knights in light armor actually began to withdraw.
'Brobaison...'
Just as Kang Byung-gyu had said, it seemed like a nation with considerable integrity.
'Hm?'
But then.
The being in the Transcendent Realm showed a strange sight.
Even after just one clash, she staggered as if utterly exhausted.
'Ah...'
Seo Woojin immediately realized why.
'Too old.'
He couldn't pinpoint her exact age.
But one thing was clear: she was so aged that her life could end at any moment.
'To come to the battlefield in a body like that.'
It was truly impressive.
At the same time, he realized Aier's situation was dire enough to require even an old woman like her to step forward personally.
'First, take out that Holy King bastard, then end this war.'
Aier's power was essential for the Descent War.
Their troops mattered, but more importantly, the divine power they wielded.
If demonic energy suppressed mana, divine power could overwhelm demonic energy.
He couldn't afford to waste beings who could wield divine power in this ridiculous war.
'And that old knight too.'
She was strong.
But at the same time, frail.
No matter how she'd reached the Transcendent Realm, without regaining her youth, she couldn't defy the ravages of time.
But if she could fight properly just once...
Her power could be an immense asset.
'The best would be restoring her youth.'
Seo Woojin didn't know a way to do that.
'Maybe Ban Slaine does?'
He was an experienced pioneer on that path.
If he could guide this frail female knight too?
If she could reclaim her youth?
'It would be perfect.'
Seo Woojin decided he needed to explore every possible avenue.
Of course, improving his relationship with her took priority right now.
That was when.
As Seo Woojin pondered, he suddenly felt the gaze of the old knight called Freya turn toward him.
'...No way?'
Seo Woojin's expression hardened.
'Yama' was a skill that summoned hell's chains from spatial rifts to tear enemies apart.
Seo Woojin had extracted and used only the spatial rift aspect.
Even most powerhouses wouldn't sense his presence at all.
He was certain that ascending to the Transcendent Realm wouldn't change that.
Yet Freya was staring right at him.
He wanted to believe it was coincidence, but unfortunately, it wasn't.
"If you've finished spectating, why not show yourself?"
'Damn.'
He was definitely caught.
'What to do?'
He could still evade if he wanted.
She was strong, but in her exhausted state, she couldn't match his speed.
But Seo Woojin chose to reveal himself.
He released 'Yama' and stepped out from the spatial rift.
"Didn't expect to be spotted."
"Who are you!"
He heard a priest nearby shout.
Unlike the old knight, the priest hadn't sensed Seo Woojin at all.
"I've never heard of someone like you in Aier. Who are you?"
Seo Woojin ignored him for a moment and asked instead.
He judged it best to first ascertain her identity before conversing.
"And who are you? I've never heard of the likes of you either."
"I asked first..."
Seo Woojin grumbled softly.
But he soon shrugged and began to answer.
After all, the opponent was an elder, so introducing himself first was polite.
"I'm Seo Woojin."
"...Seo Woojin?"
They tilted their heads briefly before realizing who he was.
"The Hero?"
The middle-aged priest spoke, and Seo Woojin nodded.
"That's right."
Their eyes widened.
"Why is a Hero here?"
The priest muttered with an expression of utter incomprehension.
But only for a moment.
He seemed to recall Seo Woojin's name.
"The 'Saintess' Slayer!"
Seo Woojin had many titles.
But at least in Aier, he was most commonly known as the one who killed the 'Saintess.'
He had slain Seong Yura, beloved by countless followers, and paved the way for Aier to become a fallen kingdom.
"Well, that's one of them."
Seo Woojin shrugged nonchalantly.
And he expected the priest before him to show hostility.
But once again, his prediction missed the mark.
The priest's expression hardened briefly, but then he bowed toward Seo Woojin.
"I'm not in a position to represent all of Aier. But I must still express my gratitude to you."
And with that, he thanked Seo Woojin outright.
"...I did kill the 'Saintess,' you know?"
"I know. And I already know you had no choice. For that, I feel we owe you an apology as well."
The priest bowed once more.
"I'm sorry for putting you through this."
He was different from the other Aierans Seo Woojin had met.
He didn't shift blame for the consequences of Seo Woojin's actions onto him.
Rather, his gratitude and apology suggested he fully grasped the current situation.
"...I didn't do it expecting thanks. I'm regretful things turned out this way too."
Seo Woojin bowed politely back toward the priest.
He didn't know about the other priests, but this one deserved respect.
"But what brings you here? I heard the Heroes are training at the Academy."
"Ah, well..."
Seo Woojin made a slightly awkward face.
He couldn't very well say he'd stopped by to watch a fight on his way to cut off the Holy King's head.
'What should I say?'
He hadn't anticipated getting caught so easily, so no quick answer came to mind.
At that moment, Freya stepped forward and rescued Seo Woojin from his predicament.
"A Hero... First time seeing one."
Curiosity gleamed in her deep eyes.
"Right. You should introduce yourself too, elder. I did mine."
Seo Woojin thought it was perfect timing and shifted the conversation.
"Hmm..."
Freya stared at Seo Woojin intently for a moment before speaking.
"This old one is called Freya. Long retired now, but I once served as Captain of the Holy Knights."
Seo Woojin nodded at her words.
'So they even called back a retired knight for this.'
As expected, Aier's situation wasn't good.
"But are all Heroes like you?"
Freya asked.
Seo Woojin instantly grasped the intent behind the question.
"No, they're not."
"Well, if they were, we wouldn't need to worry about the Descent War."
Freya had pierced through Seo Woojin's realm.
"But your energy feels a bit unfamiliar. Because you're a Hero?"
Surprisingly, she had even noticed his chaos energy.
'Even Ban Slaine didn't pick up on that.'
Seo Woojin revised his assessment of Freya upward.
"That's not it either. This energy is unique to me. The other Heroes mostly wield mana."
"Oh ho."
He could feel Freya's curiosity deepen.
"I'm curious how that energy operates."
Freya showed a burning desire to experience the chaos energy firsthand right then.
But sadly, that wish couldn't be granted.
Her condition was too poor.
"I'll show you next time there's a chance. The situation isn't right now."
Seo Woojin, already aware she wasn't fit for battle at the moment, politely declined.
"Tsk."
Freya clicked her tongue.
But she didn't press.
After all, she knew her own state best.
"Then answer this one's question. Why is someone who should be at that Academy or whatever here?"
He'd hoped to gloss over it vaguely, but as expected, it wasn't that easy.
"I was heading to Aier's Grand Cathedral when I saw the battle break out, so I was just observing."
In the end, Seo Woojin answered.
Rather than mixing in lies, he gave the real reason.
Of course, not the whole truth.
"The Grand Cathedral? Why there...?"
The priest frowned.
Not because he disliked Seo Woojin's answer, but because he knew the atmosphere there was far from normal.
"If you go in there, it's sure to cause a commotion."
They were different from him.
Those at the Grand Cathedral were undoubtedly hostile to Seo Woojin.
Heading there now could stir up unnecessary trouble.
"I have some business."
Seo Woojin didn't reveal why he was going to the Grand Cathedral.
"Hmm."
Sensing there was a secret, the priest stroked his chin thoughtfully.
He pondered what business a Hero—the 'Saintess' Slayer, no less—might have at the Grand Cathedral.
But he couldn't guess it was to kill the Holy King.
"Then let's go together."
At that point, Freya stepped in again, putting Seo Woojin in another bind.
"...Together?"
"I was planning to head to the Grand Cathedral too. With Brobaison withdrawing, no reason to stay here."
Freya hadn't reemerged into the world to face Brobaison.
A mage who had reached the Transcendent Realm.
That was her target.
And to achieve that goal, she had to leave Andor for the Grand Cathedral.
"This old body makes travel difficult alone. Won't you lend a hand?"
Seo Woojin sighed at her sudden show of frailty.