Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: The Extermination Squad
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Boom!
“Damn it!”
These guys were the same. It was like their entire bodies were clad in iron armor.
The remaining two swung their daggers.
Swish—.
Blood flowed from both of Blyzan’s forearms.
“You think this is gonna kill me?”
Bang!
He swung his fist and followed up with a kick.
They blocked it, but the monstrous force sent them flying.
Yet they sprang back up as if unscathed, glaring at him like they wanted to devour him whole.
Blyzan looked at their faces and grimaced.
“Ugly bastards.”
“Captain!”
Bukas and Alteon came panting to his side.
“What the hell are these things?”
“No idea. First time I’ve seen ‘em.”
“We’ll help out too.”
Bukas and Alteon drew their swords.
“Forget it. Take that guy and get him treated. Bring the old man and the captain here.”
“Why?”
“They might know what these things are.”
Blyzan fiddled with his fists and strode toward them.
“Where’d you gutter trash crawl out from?”
A tremendous aura poured from him, and they growled like beasts, radiating intense hostility.
“You dogs, growling now?”
At Blyzan’s taunt, they all let out hideous roars in unison.
Kuaaaang!
“Shut your traps!”
Blyzan charged like a bolt of lightning, swinging his fist.
Boom!
One flew back.
He grabbed the next one by the scruff of the neck and smashed its head down. Then he kicked the one rushing in.
Boom!
It tumbled backward.
But it jumped up again, exuding even fiercer killing intent.
“Fine, I’ll beat you rabid mutts to death.”
The lightning coiling around his fists intensified.
They drew daggers from their waists, reversed their grips, and kicked off the ground toward him.
Three daggers flashed toward him like lightning.
“Come at me properly!”
He thrust his fists out like thunderbolts.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
He deflected all the daggers, then seized the nearest one’s head and smashed it with his elbow.
Splat!
Its face tore open like it had been mauled by a beast.
Kraaa!
“You’re next.”
Blyzan moved like lightning, clamping both arms around it and hoisting it up.
Kuaaaang!
It thrashed, trying to wrench its arms free.
“I’ll crush you.”
Blyzan gritted his teeth, poured strength into his arms, and squeezed.
Crack—.
Bones twisted with a gruesome sound as it screamed.
Kraaa!
As its struggles weakened, Blyzan slammed it into the ground.
Splat!
Its skull shattered.
Blyzan, splattered in its blood, curled his lip.
“Just you left.”
That was when he turned to the last one.
Thud!
A dagger plunged into his chest.
“……!”
Blyzan’s face twisted.
In the blink of an eye, it closed in and savagely bit his shoulder.
“You bastard!”
He yanked at its head. It clung like a leech, immovable—only its hair tore free.
“Fine, an eye for an eye!”
Blyzan clamped its thigh and ripped with all his might.
Splat!
Kraaa!
The thing lifted its head from his shoulder and shrieked.
Blyzan gripped the torn flesh again and pulled.
This time, the leg ripped clean off.
Kraaaaa!
It writhed in agony.
“Shut up!”
Blyzan clapped his pot-lid hand over its mouth and swung his fist with full force.
Crack—.
Its neck snapped at an unnatural angle.
“Pathetic scum.”
Blyzan tossed it aside like trash and scanned the surroundings.
No sign of the others.
He heightened his senses to the max, checking for any hidden presences.
“Hmm.”
Seemed like that was the end of it.
Blyzan stared at the mangled corpses, questions swirling in his mind.
‘What the hell are these things?’
They looked like some human-monster hybrid, with power nearing mid-tier Sword Expert level.
Without his lightning, he might’ve been their meal.
If these were the emperor’s men—and if a knight order made of them existed...
“Nah, no way.”
Blyzan shook his head.
“Captain!”
Bukas and Alteon arrived, dragging Count Antar and Golrba.
“Ugh.”
“What the hell is all this!”
Antar and Golrba grimaced at the gruesome scene.
Above all, Blyzan—covered head to toe in blood, radiating savage menace—looked like a blood-starved beast.
‘Damn it!’
Golrba realized Blyzan hadn’t gone all-out against him.
Antar fixed his bulging eyes on Blyzan.
“Explain.”
“You should be the one explaining.”
“What?”
“This happened in your territory. How the hell would I know?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Take a closer look.”
“What’s there to look at?”
Antar approached one—and recoiled.
“What are these things!”
“What’s wrong?”
Golrba hurried over and peered at it.
“This!”
“You really have no idea?”
Golrba scowled at Blyzan.
“How would we know about monsters like these!”
“Hmm.”
Blyzan’s gaze deepened as he pondered.
Seeing that, Antar and Golrba stroked their chins, faces grave.
Meanwhile, Bukas and Alteon rushed off with the Horcamun tribesmen to Kasan.
A moment later.
Bukas supported Dark as they approached Blyzan.
“Captain, he’s got something to say.”
“Ugh…….”
Dark, pale-faced, glanced around before looking at Blyzan.
“They’re from the Namshar Empire.”
“What?”
“Keda Alpha’s extermination squad.”
“Ah…….”
Blyzan recalled the guy caught by Jackal while scouting the office a few days back.
Sersei had been sick and missed the meeting—that bunch must’ve been connected.
Now it all made sense.
They’d survived Sir Helm’s arrows—a bow master’s shots—only dying to an aura blade. No wonder his fists worked.
Still, Namshar Empire’s forces were formidable.
A knight order of these monsters would make for a brutal fight.
He wondered what the emperor would do once he learned of this.
“Things are getting interesting…….”
But Blyzan’s face darkened as he eyed the corpses.
***
“What?”
Arthur’s face hardened at Bukas’s report.
He’d expected more from Namshar Empire.
But running into them right there...
“How’s it going?”
“The captain picked the sharpest ones and headed to Shangrni Territory.”
“And Devil Squad?”
“With Count Antar’s aid, they avoided the worst.”
“Good.”
As Arthur nodded, Skevin entered the office.
“You called?”
He bowed politely and approached.
“Trouble. Keda’s group ran into Namshar’s extermination squad en route to Shangrni. No word on Keda’s status.”
“Damn!”
Skevin’s face twisted.
“Track Keda’s route and find them.”
“Understood.”
As Skevin turned, Arthur added,
“Go with just Helm. Alone.”
“Sir Helm should guard Young Master. I’ll take the knight order.”
“Phoenix Knights mobilizing would tip off Valtre Marquis’s men. No need to draw attention from those leaving soon.”
“Understood.”
Skevin hurried out.
Arthur turned to Bukas.
“How’s the mood with Count Antar?”
“They’ve disarmed per his orders. But one demand.”
“……?”
Bukas looked awkward.
“He wants to meet you. He surrendered, but says he’ll decide on following Julius County after seeing you…….”
“Nothing else?”
“Not yet…….”
“What’s that mean?”
Bukas scratched his head.
“That old coot—er, Count Antar’s got such a prickly personality, impossible to pin down.”
“Jeez.”
Arthur shook his head and summoned Jackal.
Jackal appeared beside Bukas.
“Gah, what the—!”
Bukas yelped and fell on his ass.
Arthur donned the helmet Ban had redesigned.
“Watch over Mother while I’m gone.”
***
Valtre Marquis’s envoy group had finished preparations and entered the castle to meet Arthur.
Arthur appeared in black armor.
Their eyes lingered on the blackened armor, then flinched at the hideous helmet.
The original helmet now sported razor fangs along the jawline—like something that could truly devour you.
It was utterly gruesome.
“What kind of helmet......”
“Dragon......”
“Unsettling.”
Their faces stiffened.
Arthur frowned slightly at their reactions.
“My helmet doesn’t sit well?”
“It’s hideous.”
“That’s the point. Enemies shouldn’t smile at the sight of it.”
“His Excellency would hate it.”
“He has no right to meddle in this. If he nitpicks, I could rip that mouth open.”
“Urk.”
The envoys averted their eyes.
“Deliver this to Valtre Marquis.”
Arthur handed over the scroll and continued.
“Monsters could charge out anytime, so stay sharp. Orcs are no issue, but an ogre? That’d be trouble.”
“Gasp, ogre!”
Their faces twisted.
“To leave the territory before sunset, you’d better hurry. They stir when it darkens.”
“Then we’ll be off.”
They mounted quickly and fled the castle.
Arthur shook his head at their hasty retreat.
“Pitiful lot.”
He turned to Bukas.
“We need to hurry too if we want Norshey Territory before dark.”
“Right away.”
Bukas dashed to the stables.
Outside the gates, Arthur gazed west and whistled.
Whiiii—.
The sound carried far on the wind.
Soon, Khan bounded energetically from the western mountains.
Delighted at Arthur’s call, Khan nuzzled against him.
“You rascal.”
Arthur grinned and mounted.
Bukas approached riding Britannica.
Arthur gripped Khan’s mane.
“Run wild.”
Neeeigh!
Khan neighed excitedly and bolted like lightning.
***
“Hmm.”
Antar wore a grave expression.
Golrba, watching him, seemed lost in thought, face stiff.
“Ahem!”
Antar cleared his throat and eyed Golrba.
“What’s your take?”
Golrba pondered, then spoke.
“If they’re telling the truth, we should ally with Julius County.”
“The emperor’s forces aren’t just what’s visible. He has vassals upholding Barotas House.”
“Reject them, and will he let us live? To survive, ally with Julius now. We can watch and act later.”
“Not wrong, but......”
Antar’s gaze deepened.
His father always said:
—The pillar of Oscar Empire isn’t the emperor, but Julius County. If you must choose between them someday, pick the county without fail. They’re blessed by the gold dragon. Oscar Empire will be theirs in the end.
‘Is it coming true?’
But he couldn’t blindly follow Julius.
He’d meet the man first, then decide.
“When’s he coming?”
“They’ll hit Grada Territory tomorrow, so no later than three days.”
“Hmm.”
As Antar nodded.
Creak.
The office door opened, and someone entered.
Black armor, a helmet evoking a dragon’s maw!
From the helmet, golden eyes blazed with overwhelming power no one could meet.
“Wh-who the hell......?”
Even as Golrba panicked, his hand instinctively went for his sword hilt.
An aura erupted from the man.
“Gasp!”
Breath caught in their throats.
Antar, alert, stood and demanded warily,
“Who are you?”
Arthur removed his helmet, swept back his hair, and fixed sharp eyes on Antar.
“Arthur, head of Julius County.”