Chapter 165: United Kingdom (9)
Chapter 165: United Kingdom (9)
On the surface, Han Shin and Albert appeared to be locked in a fierce struggle between equals.
The reality, however, was quite different.
‘This bastard… where does this strength come from…!’
Albert’s body, strengthened by his transformation into a Demonic Human, had given him the confidence that he could hold his own against anyone.
But the moment their weapons first clashed, he realized he was being outmatched by the slightest of margins.
As a veteran of many battles, Albert maintained a facade of composure, but in truth, he was fighting Han Shin with everything he had.
Han Shin, for his part, was fully immersed in the combat.
Aside from sparring with Grace and Laysia, this was the first time he had encountered someone in a real battle who could actually withstand his attacks.
While Han Shin’s skills had been steadily improving, he had recently hit a bit of a plateau. Being able to fight Albert so fiercely provided the fresh stimulus he needed to push himself further in a life-or-death struggle.
The situation demanded that the Black Spire be destroyed quickly.
One might expect Han Shin to be impatient, but surprisingly, that wasn't the case at all. He wasn't simply excited to have found a worthy opponent, either.
He had naturally entered a state of total immersion.
In a trance-like flow, he focused solely on fighting Albert and killing him.
It hadn't been long, but as the battle continued, Han Shin’s combat prowess evolved.
Albert could feel it.
His hands grew busier, and his mind raced. Deciding that clashing directly with Han Shin’s spear was a bad idea, Albert constantly shifted the battlefield, parrying attacks and trying to use the terrain to gain an advantage.
Despite his debauched lifestyle, Albert was an exceptional swordsman.
He was a talented Awakener who had been active since the early days of the Portals. He possessed vast combat experience, particularly in fighting other Awakeners.
Albert tried to use every ounce of his experience to keep the fight even, but controlling Han Shin was becoming increasingly difficult.
‘Damn it! This brat is getting stronger by the second!’
He had held a slight upper hand by leading Han Shin around, but now Han Shin was predicting his movements and following him step-for-step.
It felt as if Han Shin was reading and absorbing his entire combat style.
In battle, nothing was worse than losing one's composure and becoming anxious.
Albert had always prioritized staying calm, but he could no longer maintain it. The moment his relaxed expression finally crumbled—
Slash!
With the sound of severing flesh, Albert’s right arm was lopped off.
“Aaaargh!!”
He clutched the stump. He tried to stem the flow, but the blood wouldn't stop, and his hand was quickly drenched in crimson.
Albert’s face contorted in agony as he tried to leap back and escape.
It was the first time he had ever been reduced to such a state, and the surrounding Demonic Humans were stunned.
To them, it had looked like an even fight—perhaps even that Albert held the initiative by leading the Knight around.
Seeing him lose an arm in an instant and flee like a common wretch caused their morale to plummet.
Fortunately for the enemies, not all of them noticed.
Most were still focused on their fierce assault against Grace, Laysia, and Kang Yujin.
Kang Yujin had managed to clear a wave of common Demonic Humans with her psychokinesis, giving them a brief moment of breathing room, but the monsters quickly renewed their attack.
When in a group, confidence and courage naturally swell.
The Demonic Humans were enraged by their fallen comrades, yet relieved that it wasn't them who had died.
“That bitch must be at her limit after using that much power!”
“Exactly!”
Even though Awakeners possessed superhuman strength, they were still flesh and blood, and their abilities were finite.
They were certain that even an S-rank psychokinetic like Wolyeong would be the same.
If she weren't, she would have killed them all already.
Their assumption was partially true.
Kang Yujin, Grace, and Laysia were fighting defensively, striking back when they could.
They were steadily killing the Demonic Humans, but the sheer numbers were overwhelming; they were pinned down by the endless waves.
In this chaos, the ones attacking the women hadn't noticed Han Shin severing Albert's arm.
"Gah...!"
But then, Han Shin drove his spear through Albert’s heart.
As Albert let out a final, solitary shriek, every Demonic Human turned to look.
Strangely, despite the cacophony of the battlefield, that small sound rang out clearly.
The Demonic Humans stopped in their tracks.
Albert had been the ace among the French clan leaders who had turned. The fact that he had fallen to the Silver Knight was a shock.
No matter how much of a Demonic Human one was, there was no surviving a destroyed heart.
Albert flailed his hands, coughing up blood as he tried to pull the spear out.
The face of the handsome, golden-haired aristocrat was nowhere to be seen.
His body went limp.
He was dead.
Han Shin threw Albert’s corpse toward the watching Demonic Humans.
Thud!
"Agh!!"
The body slammed into the monsters and became embedded in the outer wall of a building.
Once the duel with Albert ended, Han Shin took in his surroundings.
A massive swarm of Demonic Humans.
He saw Kang Yujin, Grace, and Laysia surrounded and fighting.
He considered his next move.
‘The Spire.’
During the fight, he had moved closer to the banks of the River Thames.
He saw the Black Spire pulsing with foul energy.
His ultimate goal was its destruction.
Han Shin sprinted toward the Black Spire.
As the Silver Knight charged, the Demonic Humans snapped out of their daze.
"Stop him!"
"Block him, now!"
"Shit!!"
Realizing his target, they were struck with horror.
They threw themselves at him desperately.
Slice! Rip!
"Gah!"
"Aaaargh!"
Those who tried to block his path had their limbs severed by his spear.
The common Demonic Humans were merely obstacles; it would take stronger ones to stop him. However, the ones on Albert's level were still some distance away, having been occupied with Grace and the others.
Other high-ranking French Awakeners were waiting near the Black Spire as a precaution.
From across the River Thames, they watched the Silver Knight carve a path through the horde.
"Don't let him cross the river! Blockade it!"
From their perspective, the river provided a significant strategic advantage.
Even for a powerful Awakener, crossing a wide river on foot was no easy feat.
"The Knight isn't a mage or a psychokinetic. Just keep him from crossing."
Albert had been one of the strongest among the top-tier Awakeners of the large French clans. The fact that such a man had been killed by Han Shin made them incredibly tense.
To the Demonic Humans, Han Shin—shrouded in a silver aura in his Juggernaut state—looked like a persistent monster.
He was a man they couldn't even wound, a man whose face they couldn't even see.
He had slaughtered countless demons and ruined their plans by shattering a Black Spire with a single hammer blow. This made them cautious.
They knew they only needed to eliminate this one Silver Knight, and they considered ganging up on him...
But they couldn't.
The fear that they might be the ones to die held them back.
It was a hesitation born of terror. They were afraid of the Knight.
They were afraid of Han Shin.
And that fear was about to give Han Shin the very opportunity he needed.