Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: White Dragon Knights (4)
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Flinch!
Slo was aiming for Theo when a chill ran up his spine.
He sensed something unsettling in that confident smile.
Rumble—
But the Moon White Sword was already tracing the dragon's claw,
and the light beam infused with the griffin's fury passed by Slo... and slammed into the ceiling.
‘The ceiling?’
It wasn’t aimed at me?
Slo jerked his head upward.
A massive shockwave cracked the ceiling.
Crack—
And then,
it collapsed.
Crash!
“...!”
Watching Slo get buried under the falling ceiling debris like a mole, Theo smiled.
‘Mana control has become much smoother than before. The density is ridiculously deep, so the output is incredible too.’
The venomous ink he’d swallowed during the punishment had clearly wrought massive changes in his body.
If his previous output was 1, now it was at least 1.5.
He hadn’t noticed during training, but using it in real combat made the difference tangible.
At this level, he could seize the advantage even against a 3-star—no, 4-star swordsman.
It went beyond a practical exam for official recognition as a ‘swordsman.’
Of course, he had no intention of settling for that.
“...Zzzt, you!”
Erika approached with a shocked face.
She was stunned that Theo had taken down the swordsman who’d put Selphard and Arin on edge.
But.
“Step back. It’s not over yet.”
Theo stopped her.
Before Erika could ask what he meant, the pile of debris exploded.
Boom!
“You damn bastard!”
Slo’s eyes were bloodshot with rage.
His clothes were shredded, dust caked his head, making him look like a beggar.
Fortunately, his sturdy body meant no serious injuries.
But being toyed with by a kid who looked like a mere trainee swordsman bruised his pride.
If his comrades found out, he’d be a laughingstock forever.
“I’ll kill you...!”
But Slo’s vow didn’t last long.
Above his head, front, left, right.
Four thunder dragons spewing black lightning had appeared, slashing their claws.
“Hup!”
Slo gritted his teeth and swung his warhammer wildly.
His secret technique, drawn purely from strength enhanced by ancient bloodline.
[Giant’s Iron Flail – Maniac]
Thud thud thud!
The warhammer arced viciously, smashing the heads of three thunder dragons in one go.
But one slipped into his blind spot, raking his left shoulder,
Splat—
“Forget we’re your opponents?”
Selphard sneered as he closed in, unleashing a barrage of sword strikes.
On the opposite side, Arin moved.
Front and back.
A double onslaught of sword qi!
[Linked Strikes – Sword Qi Net]
Sharp.
Slo instinctively knew blocking both at once would be impossible.
So he expelled a massive surge of mana outward.
A transparent mana shield formed, deflecting the sword qi.
Boom!
Shriek—
Slo seized that opening.
His warhammer tore through the air with a menacing whoosh.
“Die!”
His martial arts had no fancy traits.
Just brute force to crush foes in one blow.
Yet that alone turned peers and even superiors into paste.
Clang clang clang!
But Selphard and Arin didn’t fall easily.
They were swordsmen who’d crossed countless battlefields and brushed death.
They’d seen this a thousand times.
They deflected the warhammer sideways without clashing head-on, exploiting only the gaps.
The weapon’s weight always left huge openings after a swing.
When Selphard faced Slo head-on, Arin struck blind spots; when Slo chased Arin, Selphard darted back to exploit the flaw.
Like gears meshing perfectly—linked strikes in seamless flow.
Clang clang clang!
Whoosh whoosh—
“You sneaky bastards! Fight fair!”
Slo could only seethe in frustration.
The plan was to slaughter the rescue team and rejoin his comrades.
Instead, he was pinned here.
Worse, his attacks weren’t landing, but damage was piling up on his side.
Trifling wounds bled too much; dizziness was already setting in.
“Battles don’t care about fair or sneaky.”
Selphard just snorted.
Slo’s face twisted.
“A warrior with honor fights head-on...!”
“Keep your honor crap.”
“You lot! You northern dragons have no pride?!”
“Nope. None. Victory’s all that matters.”
“You filthy...!”
“Want a head-on fight? Offer something worth it.”
“What?”
“No gain for us, so why play your game?”
“What bullshit...!”
“Following orders for free? You love handouts.”
Selphard eyed Slo’s bald head up and down, then nodded.
“Ah, that’s why you’re bald?”
“You’re dead meat!”
Slo felt like he might die of rage before Selphard finished talking.
Constant jabs at his complex.
Yet he still sought a reversal.
Then he spotted the ceiling rubble he’d burst from.
‘Use the terrain...!’
An idea flashed; he raised his warhammer high and slammed the floor.
Boom!
Rumble—
Dust clouds erupted, shrouding Slo.
Whoosh!
Selphard’s sword slashed where he’d been.
But Slo was gone.
“Damn!”
Instead, the floor had caved, revealing a hole to the level below.
Selphard realized too late.
He sensed what Slo was after.
“Arin! Dodge!”
“...!”
Too late—Slo burst upward like a mole, targeting her.
“Take one out, and it gets easier!”
As the warhammer shattered Arin’s sword and swung for her head.
「Shave the bald head.」
“...?”
A random telepathic message hit his ear.
「Oh, nothing to shave?」
“...!”
Slo’s movement hitched for a split second.
A voice like Selphard’s, but different.
In that gap, something heavy collided with him.
Boom!
Gack.
Slo gasped and flew back, crashing into the opposite wall.
Crumble—
“Bald guys are virile, they say. Not you, huh?”
Theo had launched the blow, charging in for a shoulder tackle just before the warhammer hit Arin.
‘Even copying Selphard’s taunt worked better than expected.’
“You...?”
Arin couldn’t fathom how that slender frame produced force to hurl Slo.
“It’s mine.”
“...?”
What now?
“I was fighting that guy first.”
“...!”
“So.”
Theo raised Drake’s blade, now pitch-black.
“Don’t interfere with my fight.”
Thump thump thump—
His heart pounded fiercely.
The Dragon’s Heart and dantian resonated mana, the throbbing echoing through the room.
Like war drums signaling battle’s start.
‘Use him to find Balmunk’s location.’
Theo sharpened his senses again.
「Erika, Holkus. While us seniors and I buy time, take the hostages to the ramparts!」
He felt the Erika siblings flinch, but no time to convince them.
‘He’s coming!’
Boom!
The ground before Theo caved as Slo emerged.
Blood streaked his face from a forehead wound; he roared fiercer than ever.
“Right, it was you, brat! Smashing you first will cool my rage!”
Theo swung Drake’s blade, wreathed in black lightning.
Dragon’s three claws.
The first.
Clang!
Slo flinched as the warhammer blocked for the first time.
‘How with that build...?’
He’d felt it when shoved directly, but Theo’s monstrous strength defied logic.
Even now, Theo just staggered—no retreat.
Their power was even.
But his shock didn’t end there.
Drake’s blade accelerated far faster next.
Shriek—
The second claw targeted his nape.
Clang!
Slo barely blocked.
Crack!
The impact cracked the warhammer slightly.
Then the third claw flashed.
[Dragon’s Three Claws – Rupture]
[Wind Thunder God – Gentle Breeze]
Aimed at the heart.
Slo slammed his warhammer vertically down.
The weapons crossed like an X, unleashing a massive shockwave.
Both Theo and Slo staggered back.
And,
clatter—
Shards of the shattered warhammer flew into the air.
“...!”
Theo overlaid the Moon White Sword’s beam on Slo’s shocked face.
The fourth claw.
Rumble!
Black lightning struck.
Thunder roared, filling the room like a griffin’s bellow.
Splatter—
Blood sprayed, filling the air,
Whoosh!
Selphard and Arin followed up.
Over a dozen sword qi beams poured like lightning onto Slo’s head.
Boom boom boom—
The ceiling collapsed again, burying Slo.
Fizzle—
An arm jutting from the debris trembled, then slumped.
Red blood pooled outward.
“Haa... haa... Thought I was done for...!”
Selphard spat harshly.
Slo had been a tough bastard.
“Thanks, rookie. You saved our asses.”
But Theo had shone brightest in this feat.
“No problem.”
“Modest much? C’mon, strut a bit—you earned it. You really a Ragnar?”
“Ragnar through and through.”
Arin approached, chuckling lightly.
“Didn’t hear him? ‘Don’t mess with my fight.’”
“Ha! Yeah, the guts were epic.”
Theo scratched his cheek, embarrassed by the seniors’ praise.
“Anyway, the hostages? Haven’t seen them since earlier.”
“Asked Erika and Holkus to take them to the ramparts.”
“Good call. Even if wiping enemies was priority one, rescuing hostages can’t be skipped. Makes you better than us for thinking of it.”
Selphard genuinely liked Theo now.
A subordinate who handled things without babysitting? Perfect.
Theo smiled wordlessly, scanning the ruins.
‘Mission’s mostly success, thankfully... but too easy?’
Slo wasn’t easy, sure.
Theo had nearly died.
But Black Skull’s forces were way weaker than expected.
Hard to believe these guys killed Trainer and a dozen elites.
Then his eyes caught a warhammer shard.
‘This’ll tell me.’
Theo picked it up and activated his skill.
[Activating ‘Skill: Hatchling Synchro’ to read lingering thoughts from the item.]
He’d cheered inwardly first spotting Slo for this.
An executive’s thoughts could reveal Balmunk’s tracks.
Plus solve Black Skull mysteries.
‘No need to search everywhere myself—they roamed the fortress together.’
But,
‘...Nothing.’
No matter how deeply he probed the thoughts.
No sign of Balmunk in the fortress.