Chapter 210
Chapter 210
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 210
Chapter Title: The Guardian's Fall
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“Who... who are you...?”
Colleton scowled fiercely, glaring at him.
Arthur, meanwhile, casually scanned his surroundings.
He took in the sight of the battered Natarsian and the captive Demian.
It was an unbelievable scene.
But if the opponents were the Demon King's Guardian and a darkness spirit, it made sense.
For some reason, though, he felt no fear.
The darkness spirit had fled at the sight of Nigras, and seeing how the Demon King's familiar had taken serious damage from his attacks—whatever the reason—he felt he was stronger than them.
He decided to subdue them completely first.
As Arthur slung the RPG-7 over his shoulder, Colleton's eyes widened, and he flapped his wings.
Even with one wing damaged, he rose into the air.
“Where do you think you're going?”
Pewwoong—.
A golden aura shot forward like a flash of light.
The moment he saw the golden aura, Colleton wrapped his intact wing around himself and surged with energy.
Defense Armor deployed.
Black aura then concentrated on the wing, forming a pitch-black defensive barrier.
‘No way this gets through.’
Just as certainty settled on Colleton's face—
The golden aura slammed into his wing.
Kwaang!
Terrifying power!
An immense shock rippled through his entire body.
Pushed back steadily, Colleton stopped right at the cliff's edge.
“Da... da... mage... what...”
He was filled with bewilderment.
Even if he hadn't fully mastered his power since awakening from the artisan, he shouldn't have been pushed back this badly.
Someone who could pressure a Demon King's Guardian this easily...!
Suddenly, he remembered that guy.
Come to think of it, the guy's armor and weapons matched the reports almost perfectly.
“You're... that... bast... ard... Te... he... ran's... suc... ces... sor...”
“If you know, then surrender quietly.”
Arthur's form vanished.
“...!”
Colleton startled, hurriedly scanning around.
Unable to sense the guy's presence or aura, a voice came from above his head.
“Right here.”
Arthur, having switched the RPG-7 to a Benelli M1 shotgun, pulled the trigger on Colleton.
Pafang—.
Dozens of aura pellets embedded into Colleton's body.
Pfufufufupu-puk—.
“Kkiiiiaaaak—!”
Colleton let out a wretched scream, staggering backward.
“Hm.”
Arthur's expression hardened.
The aura hadn't pierced clean through—just delivered impact.
Even the shotgun, which could shred knight armor, hadn't worked.
Suddenly, Cassandra's words came to mind: only the Emperor's Sword could slay the Demon King.
‘If that's the case...’
Arthur drew the dagger from his waist.
It wasn't the Emperor's Sword, but he decided to test how much damage a blade could do.
He swung the dagger, wrapped in golden aura and blazing like flame.
Papap—.
An aura blade flew forth.
It struck Colleton's writhing body in agony.
Puk—.
“Kkiiiiaaaah—!”
It burrowed deeper than the shotgun blast, and his scream was even more piercing.
“Blades over guns, huh?”
“I'll... kill... you...”
Black aura leaked from Colleton's wound, healing it.
Even the severed wing regenerated as black aura coalesced.
Murderous intent surged in his eyes.
At the same time, a fearsome aura emanated from him, deploying something like Defense Armor.
Likely to block enemy approaches while he recovered.
“You think I'll just watch?”
Arthur charged straight at the aura.
But pressing against it made advancing difficult. Then black aura surged from all sides, wrapping around him like chains, binding him—
Arthur's eyes flashed as blood-red aura poured forth.
The Tyrant's power instinctively reacted, shoving back the black aura.
Colleton's aura weakened in tandem.
The Tyrant's power overwhelmed—no, canceled out—the Demon King's power.
As the pressure eased, Arthur surged forward at full speed.
“...!”
Colleton stared in horror as Arthur closed in on his chest.
‘How...’
A dagger infused with mingled golden and blood-red aura slashed down like lightning before his eyes.
Flash!
“...!”
Colleton felt a stinging unease in his chest, followed by crushing pain.
He sensed power draining from his body.
His breath caught; he couldn't even scream.
Dazed in utter shock, he could only stare at Arthur.
Arthur eyed the gaping wound in Colleton's chest with certainty.
“Time to neutralize you.”
He swiftly slashed with the dagger.
Sss, shuk.
Colleton's remaining wing shredded to tatters, his arm tendons severed and dangling limp.
As he swung to disable the legs, Colleton hurled himself off the cliff.
He glared at Arthur with killing intent.
“I'll... kill... you... no... matter... what!”
“You? Kill me?”
Arthur scoffed derisively and summoned the RPG-7.
He shouldered it, now loaded with blood-red aura, and aimed.
“Off to hell with you.”
Pewwoong—.
The blood-red aura flashed like lightning, striking him.
“Kkiiiiaaaah—!”
With a wretched scream, he plummeted at tremendous speed.
Kwang—.
Arthur watched as Colleton buried deep into the ground.
Sensing his aura fade then cut off completely, he turned away.
He dismissed the RPG-7 and swung his dagger toward the tree.
Papap—.
The aura severed the ropes binding Demian to the tree.
Freed, Demian rushed to Natarsian.
“Father.”
He supported the man barely standing with his sword and sat him under the tree.
“I'll fetch Sir Heric.”
Natarsian nodded silently, gazing at Arthur.
The prowess he'd shown was beyond imagination.
A realm of strength utterly different from Grand Sword Master.
He'd unilaterally crushed the Demon King's familiar—something he couldn't handle—and eliminated it.
The source of that power was the Demon King.
Yet it was utterly useless against him; he hadn't yielded an inch.
Above all, the blood-red aura rising from the golden one carried the air of dominion.
It seemed the blood-red aura was the power succeeding Teheran's legacy.
Attacks with it had dealt far greater damage than golden aura.
Natarsian swallowed the blood rising in his throat and spoke.
“Why didn't you say anything?”
“It was just a hunch back then.”
Arthur approached the two and continued.
“Now that you've seen it, I figure we can agree on a lot.”
Natarsian chuckled dryly and asked Demian.
“Do you think the same?”
Demian stared at Arthur.
He'd been certain no one surpassed his father's prowess.
Even if the Demon King revived, his father—the continent's first Grand Sword Master—made him fearless.
Yet he'd been unilaterally crushed by a mere familiar, not even the Demon King himself.
Ultimate techniques and Grand Sword Master skills alike had failed against that monster.
And Arthur had dispatched it effortlessly.
His father, who struggled against it, seemed frail by comparison.
A monster among monsters.
The only one who could face the Demon King.
That was his verdict on Arthur Julius.
Demian met Arthur's eyes and asked cautiously.
“If the family's long-cherished wish conflicts with the world you envision... can you still make it happen?”
“As long as it doesn't harm me or mine, I don't care. Isn't that true for everyone?”
Demian glanced at Natarsian.
They exchanged silent looks, conversing with eyes alone, until Natarsian nodded.
Demian turned back to Arthur.
“Unification of the five continents.”
“You'll rule them?”
“I won't deny it.”
“Honest. I like that.”
Arthur nodded with a meaningful smile.
“As long as you don't touch Julius Kingdom.”
“That means...”
“Like I said, don't mess with anything connected to me. Then whatever you do, I won't interfere.”
“Hmm...”
Not bad.
But it would only highlight Julius Kingdom's prominence.
Like heaven above heaven.
Everyone would see it that way, diminishing the grandeur of unifying the five continents.
Things had progressed smoothly almost to the end, only derailed by the Demon King's revival.
‘This isn't what we want. But even we couldn't handle the Demon King's familiars. Pushing the wish forward now...’
Only negative outcomes loomed ahead.
‘We need a plan.’
Demian looked at Natarsian.
After a long silence, Natarsian spoke gravely.
“The family's wish must be fulfilled. But when circumstances demand, we must learn to adapt—that's how we reach the final goal.”
“Wise judgment.”
“If you wish to join us, help King Valtre drive out the Nanshar Empire bastards.”
“So we're agreed then, just us?”
Natarsian nodded.
“Good.”
Arthur whistled, and Kan burst from the forest.
He'd waited in the woods during the Colleton fight and bounded to Arthur, nuzzling affectionately.
“Mind giving them a lift?”
Arthur instructed Kan to carry Natarsian and Demian to the Tomoya Kingdom camp.
Kan snorted roughly and shook his head.
“They're injured—that's why I'm asking. I'll check that guy and follow. Go ahead and wait.”
Hrrrng!
Kan let out a long snort, then approached Natarsian and Demian. He eyed them discontentedly while flicking his tail as if to gesture them onto his back.
“Faster than fetching a mage.”
“Trying to saddle me with more debt?”
“No way. I have zero desire to keep you under my thumb. I just need your strength against the Demon King.”
“Can I trust that?”
“Judge for yourself. See you soon.”
Arthur dashed to the cliff and leaped off without hesitation.
“...!”
Demian jumped in alarm, rushing to the edge and peering down.
Arthur descended, masterfully riding the updraft like it was nothing.
He got going to check the familiar, but using such a reckless method...
It wasn't bold—it was insane.
Yet his ability to act so fearlessly was awe-inspiring once more.
‘Truly incredible.’
Thud! Tata-thud! Thud!
Gaining speed, Arthur kicked off walls and trees several times to slow his fall.
Kwang!
He landed safely and eyed the crater ahead.
Where Colleton had crashed.
Arthur checked for his aura.
Nothing.
Likely instant death.
But he came down to confirm anyway.
Though he'd reached 6-star and grown stronger, Colleton had fallen too easily—leaving him slightly suspicious.
A Demon King's Guardian, after all.
With a wary expression, Arthur reached the crater and peered in.
Only charred traces remained; no body.
Colleton had vanished.
His aura hadn't died—it had simply disappeared.
‘What happened?’
If magic had been used, he'd have sensed it. But no traces.
Nigras would have reacted to a spirit.
The familiars probably had some escape when facing death.
He'd missed it this time, but vowed to annihilate next time.
“I'll make sure to finish the job.”
Aura of murder radiating, Arthur turned sideways.
Then he charged vigorously toward the battlefield, alive with screams and explosions.