Chapter 357: Ozdok (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 357: Ozdok (4)
The man wielded a scimitar commonly used by the warriors of Viment, but its blade was strikingly long—easily twice the length of an ordinary one.
I’m certain there was no one like this nearby. Where on earth did he come from…!
Neither Jin, Mary, nor Murakan had realized the man had been watching from the edge of the battlefield for some time.
It was because the man had not wished to be noticed. He had originally intended to simply observe the flagbearers’ fight and leave, but his curiosity had been piqued by the monster known as Ozdok.
He’s incredibly skilled. No, the word ‘skilled’ isn’t enough.
A Superhuman.
The siblings immediately classified the man as such.
The sudden intrusion of such a powerhouse made their hearts seize, as if a needle were pricking their lungs. Even with their Pluto Sword ultimate techniques, Fighting God techniques, and Magic Sword secret techniques, it was doubtful they could defeat the transformed Ozdok.
There were certainly not many humans in the world capable of severing Ozdok’s right arm in a single blow.
And this place was the Black Sea.
There’s a high probability he’s one of Father’s people.
A Black Knight, or perhaps a former Black Knight.
The man’s face was hidden beneath the black hood of his robe. He glanced briefly at Jin and Mary before turning his gaze toward Ozdok, who had already put distance between them and was reattaching his severed arm.
[Who the hell are you…!]
Ozdok was indeed an intelligent monster, capable of human speech.
He had felt it the moment the blow landed—this man was an opponent he could never hope to overcome. Had he been in his prime, he wouldn't have had to cower, but such a hypothetical was meaningless now.
“‘The hell’?”
Swoosh!
A crescent-shaped wave of sword energy sliced through Ozdok’s right arm just as it had finished reattaching. Dark blood sprayed like a fountain, and Ozdok retreated again, clutching his arm and wheezing.
“Even my lord does not speak to me that way… A mere monster has a foul mouth.”
[Who… are you?]
Ozdok immediately shifted to a submissive stance. Even from a distance, his terror-stricken expression and aura were palpable.
“You aren’t very bright, are you? Are you incapable of learning?”
Slice!
As the scimitar shifted, another chilling sound of flesh being severed rang out. It was Ozdok’s right arm again, which he had just been trying to reattach.
[Aaaargh…!]
“When asking for an opponent’s name, it is customary to state your own name and status first. Ah, perhaps I expected too much from a monster.”
[No, no. Gack!]
Thwack! Crack!
This time, the man moved behind Ozdok and delivered a low kick to his thigh. Had the group not been accustomed to the sound of rupturing muscle and crushing bone, they would have winced and closed their eyes.
“Name.”
[O… zdok.]
As the man asked in a dispassionate voice, Ozdok answered while suppressing a groan.
“A monster of legend. I never imagined you’d be buried in a place like this.”
[If you spare me, I can be of great use to… Urgh!]
This time, a punch landed in his abdomen. The blow, which appeared to be a light jab, sent a shockwave clean through to the other side of his torso. Before the shockwave could even dissipate, the man leaped up and delivered a heel drop, slamming the creature back into the ground.
Thud!
His head buried in the dirt, Ozdok trembled violently. It looked as though the tremors would stop at any moment, signaling his death.
“I’m warning you now: I will not tolerate you feigning weakness.”
Of course, the man felt no pity for the creature.
In the first place, Ozdok’s chances of winning a fight to the finish were already slim with Murakan standing by. With this man’s appearance, however, even that sliver of hope had vanished completely.
Ozdok clumsily pulled his head out of the ground.
Then, after letting out a long, deep sigh…
[I will do anything! Please spare me!]
He dropped to his knees before the man and began rubbing his hands together in desperate supplication. He rubbed them so fast they became a blur of afterimages.
“Good. It seems you’ve finally realized your place.”
[If this pitiful monster has any sin, it is merely waking from sleep! I have no intention of causing chaos in the world again. I was simply drawn to a fragrant snack after so long—I mean, not humans, but gold! Anyway, I was lured by the food…]
As Ozdok rambled on with his excuses, Jin was left speechless.
He had never imagined that the monster who had pushed him and Mary into a corner just moments ago could be this groveling and pathetic.
[…Therefore, I shall live virtuously and quietly. So, if you would just let me go—]
“Hey, hey. Ozdok. You piece of shit, who are you trying to kid? Virtuous? Quiet? Do those words even belong in your mouth?” Murakan said as he approached Jin’s side, his brow furrowed in utter disbelief.
[Mya-mya!]
Shuri raised her voice as if in agreement. She had also heard of Ozdok’s infamy during his prime. Of course, compared to her former master, he was nothing special, but still.
“A thousand years ago, how many humans did you eat or kill just for fun? How many people did you and those corrupt human politicians starve to death in the Sarva Kingdom? Do their vengeful spirits not appear in your dreams while you sleep?”
[You… no way. Mu—Murakan!? If so, is this person also a knight of Runcandel!?]
Ozdok flinched and scrambled backward, his eyes darting between Murakan and the hooded man.
In Ozdok’s memory, Murakan was the Overlord of the Skies in his prime. Unless he held the entire Sarva Kingdom hostage, Murakan was someone he shouldn't even dare to make eye contact with.
Scritch, scritch.
Murakan picked his ear with his pinky and shrugged.
“It seems you haven't been beaten enough. Calling my name so casually?”
[M-My apologies. No, I am sorry! It is because I have only just woken up after a long time.]
“Right, that’s the proper attitude. Now, let’s go.”
[Where… are we going?]
“To hell. The surface isn't a fitting place for a monster with as much karma as you. Leave your inner core behind on your way out. How about it? Want to do it yourself, or should I do it for you?”
Seeing Ozdok shift his fear from the mysterious man to Murakan gave Jin a strange sensation. He could never quite get used to the way beings from a thousand years ago were so intimidated by the dragon.
[C-Can’t we work something out? And what do you plan to do with my inner core…?]
“A guy who’s about to die sure has a lot of questions.”
As Murakan strode forward, Ozdok looked as if he were about to burst into tears.
When Murakan was about five paces away from Ozdok, the man stepped in to block his path.
“What is it?”
“My apologies for the late greeting, Lord Murakan. A sword of Runcandel greets the family’s Guardian Dragon. My name is Tuben.”
The man revealed his name and bowed politely. Murakan smiled, seemingly very satisfied with Tuben’s attitude.
“What are you? A Black Knight?”
“It has been some time since I’ve worn the black helmet, but my duties are similar to what they were back then.”
“Right, you’re working hard. Step aside for a moment so I can finish this thing off.”
“I apologize. I cannot do that.”
Murakan didn't bother asking for a reason.
“Then I’ll just have to handle it by force.”
“Would you please step back?”
“I have a use for that guy’s inner core. Move.”
Tuben stared at Murakan silently without answering. In his mind, he was rapidly calculating what his lord would do in this situation.
“Ha, wow. Does no one here care about me and the youngest?” Mary raised her voice, the veins on her forehead bulging.
“7th Flagbearer. My apologies for the late greeting to you as well. Have you been well?”
“As you can see, I’ve been fine. But I never imagined the person who would intrude on my fight like this would be Sir Tuben. No, Uncle Tuben.”
Mary’s eyes grew sharp.
“Because I didn't think the Uncle Tuben I know would ever lay a hand on my prey so recklessly… Am I right?”
In the past, Tuben had helped Mary with her swordsmanship training under Rosa’s orders.
The instruction hadn't been long, but Tuben had highly valued the wildness Mary possessed at the time. That was why he hadn't been particularly surprised to see that Cyron had personally passed down a secret technique to her.
Wooooom…!
Mary’s sword glowed brightly with an Aura that rose like smoke.
In truth, she had wanted to step forward and say something the moment Tuben appeared, but she had been staying still to suppress her backflowing Aura.
“Everyone seems to be mistaken, but that thing is the prey of me and the youngest. Even if it weren't a former Black Knight, but Father himself who came, he couldn't just lay a hand on my prey.”
Mary was now preparing to fight Tuben, not Ozdok.
That was the kind of person she was. It was precisely because of such traits that she always received high praise from Cyron.
However, not everything she was saying was entirely sincere.
So even Sister knows how to bluff.
While it was true that Mary was genuinely angry at Tuben’s intrusion, she was also bluffing to protect the reward her beloved youngest brother deserved—Ozdok’s inner core.
But if Sir Tuben doesn't back down here, she’ll be forced to follow through on her words.
If he, Murakan, and Mary joined forces against Tuben, would they have a chance of winning?
As Jin frantically calculated their odds, Murakan began to join in on Mary’s bluff.
[Yeah, Mary’s right. You can’t just show up out of nowhere and interfere in someone else’s fight.]
Murakan, having transformed into his true form, looked down at Tuben and Ozdok.
Ozdok felt as if he were precariously crossing the river between life and death every second. He had tried to fend off the brats who were trying to kill him, only to be assaulted by some superhuman and forced to beg for his life. Now, the brats and Murakan were teaming up to threaten him again.
“And I don't care what your mission is. Letting that monster live won't do the world any good,” Murakan added.
“You know my personality well, don't you, Uncle Tuben?” Mary said. “I never back down in situations like this. Even if it leads to a meaningless dog’s death.”
Left with no choice, Jin also took a stance beside Mary, wrapping Sigmund in lightning energy. He had never imagined he would be threatening a former Black Knight—one of the strongest swordsmen alive—in such a manner.
“It would be best if you just left, Sir Tuben.”
“I didn't know the 12th Flagbearer had such a reckless side.”
“Haha, Uncle Tuben. This guy is even worse than me. If we’re going to do this, let’s do it quickly. I’m starting to lose my momentum.”
Just as Mary’s eyes flashed and she was about to thrust her sword…
[W-Wait a minute!]
Ozdok, who had been desperately wracking his brain, finally spoke up.
[T-There is a way… for all of us to achieve our goals. What if Murakan and the Runcandel children take my inner core, and Sir Tuben here takes me alive…?]