Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: Rage
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Arthur surveyed Norshey Territory.
As the Oscar Empire's largest wheat production area, the golden fields shimmered brilliantly.
The territory's residents bustled about during harvest season.
Measures had been taken to keep rumors about the Nova Count family from spreading, so everything remained peacefully mundane.
The sight of the vast plains bathed in a red sunset was dazzlingly beautiful.
It was while Arthur was silently taking in the view.
He spotted Bukas riding toward him in a frantic gallop.
His twisted expression suggested something had gone wrong.
But with no Sten Knight Order inside the castle, a rebellion was unlikely.
‘Could it be?’
A glint flashed in Arthur's eyes.
Bukas dismounted and approached Arthur.
“It's bad.”
“Trouble with Blizan?”
“H-How did you...”
“Khan!”
At Arthur's shout, Khan charged forward powerfully.
A short while later.
As Arthur entered the castle, members of the Horcamun Tribe swarmed him.
“Count!”
“The chief's in danger!”
“Let us go!”
The men clamored in angry voices.
Arthur had heard the rough details from Bukas on the way, so he dismounted Khan and decided to meet first with the one who had left with Blizan.
Entering the treatment room, he saw a man lying on the sickbed, his limbs wrapped tightly in bandages.
Beside him, Alonso, the Nova family's exclusive mage, was casting a recovery spell.
Seeing Arthur, he paused his magic and bowed his head.
“How's his condition?”
Alonso wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand and replied.
“He's passed the critical point. But the wounds are severe, so I recommend seeking a 5th Class mage or priest.”
Arthur glanced at Bukas, who had followed him in.
“Go back to Grada Territory right now and bring Millerph.”
“Understood.”
Bukas hurried out.
Arthur approached the man on the sickbed and examined his wounds up close.
They weren't sword cuts—they looked like bites from a beast.
His face also bore clear gashes from sharp claws.
“Looks like a monster attack.”
“These kinds of wounds are new to me too...”
“When will he wake?”
“That, I'm not sure...”
As Alonso trailed off, the man muttered in a terrified, sleep-talking voice.
“Not human... Hurry, tell the Count...”
“...!”
Arthur immediately thought of the Nanshar Empire's men.
With Blitzan's skills, even if they awakened, it shouldn't have been an issue.
But something felt deeply wrong.
“I need to go see.”
It was as Arthur frowned and turned to leave.
The man screamed at the top of his lungs.
“No! Run!”
“Damn it!”
Arthur bolted outside and whistled sharply.
He leaped onto the approaching Khan and raced toward the gates, thinking of Blizan.
‘Please, let nothing have happened...’
***
“Grrraaaah!”
Blizan roared ferociously while bound tightly with ropes.
Each time, the ropes snapped, and the waiting men rushed to tie him again.
Blizan swept them away in an instant.
But he couldn't control his rage. No, he had completely lost his reason and gone mad.
He had become a monster like them.
Pummeling trees and rocks wildly to vent his fury, he collapsed.
Alteon seized the moment to restrain him with ropes, but how long could they hold?
The ropes they used were coated with the tribe's special potion, unbreakable even by mammoth strength.
Yet Blizan kept snapping them.
Truly monstrous power.
After binding Blizan again, Alteon asked the man.
“How many ropes left?”
“Just enough for one more.”
“Damn it. Why is this happening?”
“Could they have poisoned him?”
“Poison?”
Alteon's eyes lit up.
Why hadn't he thought of that?
He quickly pulled out the tribe's secret antidote from his pouch and poured it all into Blitzan's mouth.
“Please, let it work.”
Alteon clasped his hands tightly, praying desperately for recovery.
The others' eyes were filled with the same desperation.
How much time passed?
As the sky darkened again.
“Ugh...”
A low groan escaped Blitzan's lips.
Everyone tensed, gripping their ropes tightly.
Their lips cracked from dryness, cold sweat dripping from their palms.
As tension peaked.
Blizan snapped his eyes open.
“R-Run away...”
He forced out the words, then his bloodshot eyes gleamed with murderous intent.
“Grrraaaah!”
He convulsed again, muscles bulging taut.
Snap! Snap-snap!
The binding ropes burst.
“Damn!”
Alteon swiftly pinned Blitzan's upper body with his own and shouted.
“Hurry!”
As the men rushed to rebind him.
Snap-snap!
Even the ropes on his arms snapped.
“Gasp!”
The men froze in shock, and Alteon was flung aside.
Thud!
Blizan rose his torso, unleashing a monstrous roar.
Rrrraaaang!
Terrifying killing intent poured out, and the men threw themselves to subdue him.
Blizan swung his bone-protruding fists mercilessly.
Splat! Thud!
“Arrrgh!”
“Gaaah!”
The men collapsed, limbs severed.
Blizan sliced the ropes on his legs and leaped up.
He slowly scanned the surroundings with demonic eyes.
Everyone backed away in terror.
Alteon, who had briefly lost consciousness, shook his head vigorously and came to.
Seeing the blood dripping from Blitzan's blade, he screamed in anguish.
“Shit! What the hell! Snap out of it!”
Rrrraaang!
Blizan roared again and charged at Alteon like a bolt.
Alteon jumped up and leaped forward too.
He knew he couldn't stop Blizan alone, but leaving him would lead to a massacre.
“End it with me!”
He threw himself at Blizan.
Blizan swung his fist with full force.
Splat-!
Bone pierced his chest.
“Grraaak!”
Alteon spat blood, eyes bulging.
“Somehow...”
He closed in, grabbing Blitzan's waist tightly.
A bloodied bone protruded from Alteon's back.
The men cried out in horror, veins bulging in their necks.
“Brother!”
“What is this!”
“Chief, please snap out of it!”
Blizan, devoid of reason, roared and tried to shove Alteon off.
But Alteon held on with all his might and yelled.
“Run!”
“How can we leave you!”
“Don't just stand there—pile on!”
The men rushed Blizan.
They linked hands to immobilize him.
“Grr...”
Alteon stared into Blitzan's murderous eyes and shouted.
“You'll kill us all!”
“...!”
Blitzan's gaze wavered.
As if regaining sanity, the killing intent faded, and he struggled to speak.
“Run... Can't hold on...”
“How can we leave you!”
“My... limit...”
Murderous intent returned to Blitzan's eyes, tears streaming down.
“...Take care of the tribe.”
“B-Brother...”
Rrrraaaang!
Blizan bared his razor-sharp fangs in a savage roar, jaws wide.
About to bite Alteon's neck.
Bang!
A thunderous crack rang out, snapping Blitzan's head back.
‘That sound!’
Everyone's eyes lit up.
The most welcome sound ever.
Hope dawned on despair-filled faces as they turned.
Far off, a man in black armor rode a massive Giant Wolf toward them.
It was Arthur.
The men wept and shouted in unison.
“Count—!”
“Faster!”
Arthur yanked the mane hard, and Khan surged even faster.
The sight before him: Blizan lost to madness.
Over ten Horcamun tribesmen clinging to him.
Others collapsed everywhere.
The puzzle pieces fit in his mind, painting the worst scenario.
Then, his eyes met Blitzan's.
Bloodshot pupils, grotesquely transformed face, protruding fangs.
“Damn it!”
Arthur's face twisted.
He pulled the Sig Sauer's trigger.
Bang-!
Blitzan's head jerked back again, and Arthur bellowed like lightning.
“Everyone, back off!”
At his shout, the men surrounding Blizan scattered swiftly.
But Alteon clung to Blitzan's waist, gritting his teeth.
“Snap out of it! You'll die!”
Rrrraaaang!
Blizan smashed his head down on Alteon's.
“Urk.”
Alteon released his grip and staggered.
Blizan shoved him away hard and yanked the bone from his chest.
“You mad bastard!”
Arthur glared and fired again.
Bang!
Rrrraaaang!
Blizan deflected the aura shot with his fist, kicked off the ground, and leaped.
Closing the distance in a flash, he swung at Khan.
Khan whipped his head to counter.
Boom!
Khan slid sideways from the force.
Blizan charged again upon landing, slamming into Khan's body.
Boom!
As Khan tumbled, Arthur vaulted from the saddle.
He transformed the Sig Sauer into the Benelli M1.
“Block this too!”
Boom!
Over ten aura blades rained down.
Blizan swung his fists like lightning.
Kwa-boom! Boom!
He couldn't block them all.
Missed auras embedded in his body.
Pew-pew-pew!
Rrrraaaang!
Blizan flew back but sprang up like a spring, glaring at Arthur.
Arthur gave no opening.
He closed in instantly, pressing the barrel to Blitzan's abdomen.
“Don't die.”
Boom!
Rrrraaaang!
Blizan screamed in agony, soaring backward and crashing.
Arthur approached to check his state.
The aura-riddled abdomen was deeply caved and torn hideously.
The blood was a thick brown—not normal.
Bloodshot eyes, grotesquely changed face and body evoked the Nanshar Empire operative.
“What the hell happened?”
As regret shadowed Arthur's face.
Blizan swung his fist.
Boom!
The blade-like fist struck Arthur's thigh but couldn't pierce the armor.
“Grr...”
Staring piercingly into Blitzan's killing-filled eyes, he asked.
“Completely taken over?”
Rrrraaaang!
Blizan roared.
“I see.”
As Arthur aimed at Blitzan's head.
Blitzan's eyes tinted green, exuding intense pressure.
Arthur fired hastily.
Boom!
Blizan batted the barrel aside like lightning, rose, and swung.
“You bastard!”
Arthur blocked with his arm; Blizan hammered down with the other fist.
Arthur blocked and gripped that too.
Strength clashed with strength.
Pah-pah-pat-!
The shockwave swept the surroundings.
The Horcamun Tribe flew back, unable to withstand.
Rrrraaaang!
Blizan pinned Arthur.
“With that strength, you can't...”
Arthur summoned mana.
His eyes turned golden, golden aura blooming from his body.
Rrrraaaang!
Blizan poured in more power.
Jade-green aura rose from him, savage pressure exploding.
As the immense force surged like a tidal wave to overwhelm Arthur.
Arthur's golden eyes turned blood-red.
“...!”
Meeting those eyes, Blizan widened his in shock, staggering; the jade-green aura vanished.
The tidal power faded.
Conversely, blood-eyed Arthur unleashed terrifying pressure and spat one command.
“Kneel. I am your king.”