Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: The Hidden Chamber
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Arthur slew the ogre in an instant and charged at the remaining one while shouting.
“Dark!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Take Millerph and go!”
“Got it!”
Dark responded swiftly and signaled his squad members with his eyes.
Mullan and Latel moved to secure an escape route, and Perry followed behind Dark.
Dark reached Millerph while dodging the ogre and quickly hoisted him onto his back.
“Lead the way!”
“Follow me!”
Perry took the lead, running ahead while keeping an eye on the ogre.
He worried it might charge after them, but it stayed frozen, its gaze fixed on Arthur.
Once Dark had safely escaped with Millerph, Arthur unleashed his aura as if he had been waiting, taunting the beast.
“Where’s that guy?”
Kieeeh!
The ogre let out a roar like a tantrum.
Arthur rushed at it, swinging his kukri.
Swish—.
Unlike before, the leg severed far too easily.
The beast lost its balance and toppled sideways.
Thud!
Arthur darted forward like lightning and jabbed his kukri into the ogre’s eye.
Then he gouged out the other eye as well, shouting.
“Call him here!”
Green blood poured from the ogre as it bellowed in agony.
Kieeehk!
Pain and rage echoed in its cry.
It swung its fist down at Arthur with all its might.
Boom!
“Try it again!”
Arthur slammed his kukri into the ogre’s arm, then ripped downward with full force.
The arm fell off with a snap.
The beast raised the severed limb, thrashing wildly.
Kiahk! Kiaahk!
Green blood sprayed everywhere with each swing.
“Louder!”
Arthur drove his kukri into the ogre’s heart.
Kiaaaahk!
As it writhed madly, screaming loud enough to shake the heavens—
Kiiiiieh!
A roar echoed from far away—the Cadrazin.
Arthur pinpointed its location and shoved his kukri into the ogre’s maw, finishing it off.
Then he bolted toward the Cadrazin.
He slashed at everything in his path with his kukri, racing like an arrow—
When a massive figure appeared ahead.
It was the Cadrazin.
Larger than the one before, its rocky body exuded overwhelming menace.
At least it wasn’t fully matured yet—a stroke of luck.
And at its current stage, it made a perfect test subject to gauge his own power.
“Shall we see what you’ve got?”
Arthur charged, drawing a dagger from his belt and hurling it with all his strength.
Whoosh—.
The dagger sliced through the air and embedded in the beast’s leg.
It was clearly different from the previous foes.
It didn’t even roar, just stared blankly.
The attack that had pierced a helmet failed to breach its skin, which had already hardened like tank armor.
Give it another month, and it would fully mature.
If it appeared then, Grada Territory would be reduced to rubble.
He needed to eliminate it and scour the western mountains thoroughly.
“I’ve got your measure. Now let’s test mine.”
Arthur rushed in, unleashing the mana he had been suppressing.
“……!”
The Cadrazin’s eyes flashed.
Sensing the immense pressure, it raised its own aura and roared.
Kiiiiieh!
“Take this first.”
Like with the ogre, Arthur swung his kukri at its leg.
Thud!
Kiaaahk!
It bellowed.
The leg was only half-severed, not fully cut.
But he was satisfied—his attack had connected, proof of his growth.
Confidence surged that he could finish it.
“I’ve got a lot on my plate. Time to die.”
Arthur slashed the wounded leg again with full force.
Snap.
The leg came off.
The beast roared, smashing down a fist with terrifying momentum.
Arthur dodged nimbly and struck its arm with his kukri. He ran up the arm toward its head, hurling another dagger.
Thump!
Kiahk!
Daggers pierced both eyes. The beast flailed its arms violently.
As it stumbled toward the cliff, Arthur reached its nape and stabbed a vital point.
Kiaaahk!
It roared in torment.
But the short blade failed to sever the optic nerve. No room to reach in and cut it either.
“Damn it!”
Arthur’s face twisted as the Cadrazin stepped into empty air.
“Gasp!”
Kiaaahk!
Arthur plummeted with it.
A moment later.
Boom!
A dull thud echoed, followed by silence.
“Ugh…….”
Arthur, who had fallen with the beast, dangled from tree branches.
Fortunately, a massive branch jutted from the cliff, saving him just barely.
But he wasn’t out of danger yet.
Crack, crack……
The impact was snapping the branches bit by bit.
He’d plummet soon at this rate.
Scanning around, he spotted a ledge on the wall big enough for one person.
Far away, but his only shot at survival.
Arthur steadied his breath and prepared to leap.
Craaack—.
The branch snapped as he launched himself.
Too far to land safely.
He couldn’t die like this. Arms outstretched desperately—
Clutch!
“Huff, huff.”
A protruding rock at the ledge’s edge caught his hand.
Saved again by a hair, Arthur climbed up and leaned against the wall, sighing in relief.
He peered down.
Dizzying heights.
Even a Cadrazin couldn’t survive that fall.
No roars of frenzy—just silence.
The surging power from before had faded too.
Mana, however, was fully replenished.
Ironically, fatigue was piling up.
He wanted rest.
But no time.
He needed to regroup the knights and search the western mountains thoroughly.
Yarve Count would prepare revenge once word of the Rose Knight Order’s defeat reached him.
Countermeasures mattered, but securing the mountains came first.
Ogres reappearing would mean greater strength.
They might fully mature, turning the situation dire.
Eliminate them while possible.
As Arthur rose to climb, he glanced up.
“Huh?”
A familiar emblem overhead—the Julius Count Family’s dragon.
‘Why is that here?’
Questions clouded his face when—
Light emanated from the wall.
‘What?’
Reaching for the glow, light gathered on his hand. He checked his necklace.
“The necklace is glowing…….”
He removed his helmet, unclasped the necklace, and confirmed.
It shone golden.
‘Why now……!’
Perhaps linked to the wall emblem.
He shone the necklace’s light on it.
An astonishing sight unfolded.
The wall beneath the emblem vanished, revealing a space large enough for a person.
“What?”
Startled, Arthur cautiously entered. The space sealed behind him.
“What is this…….”
Mysteries piled up.
His face grave, Arthur surveyed the area.
Vast—enough for all the territory’s people.
“How is this place here…….”
Puzzled, he ventured deeper when—
“Argh!”
His head throbbed like it would split. A chilling voice echoed in his mind.
-Get out! You are unworthy.
“Who’s there!”
Arthur bellowed back.
“What do you mean!”
-Only the chosen may enter.
“Chosen?”
-Begone.
“Aaagh!”
Excruciating pain threatened to burst his skull.
Arthur fought it desperately, but strength drained from his body.
“N-No…….”
He collapsed unconscious.
***
“Young Master!”
“Where are you!”
Skevin and the Phoenix Knight Order searched the cliff where Arthur had fought the ogre.
When Dark appeared carrying Millerph, Skevin led the knights straight there.
Only ogre corpses remained—no sign of Arthur.
“What happened?”
Helot’s face filled with worry.
Skevin stared down the cliff, then resolved.
“We’re going down.”
“What?”
Helot’s eyes widened.
“Form search parties with the agile ones.”
“Captain, you know what that place is!”
“I do. But if the Young Master fell?”
“Unlikely, but if so, survival odds are…….”
“We’ll bring back his body at least. No arguments—prepare.”
Helot had no choice against Skevin’s resolve.
He understood the captain’s concern for the Young Master, but the cliff base was forbidden.
Rumors of horrors abounded.
Worst case, none return.
Yet orders were orders.
Some knights eyed descent eagerly too.
As Helot selected them for the search party—
Skevin, scrutinizing the base, shouted.
“Helot!”
“What is it?”
“What’s that down there?”
“Where?”
Helot looked where Skevin pointed—a faint glimmer.
“What is it?”
Skevin shed his armor.
“I’ll check. Prepare ropes.”
Soon after.
Skevin descended slowly, ropes coiled around his waist.
Cliff climbing down was tougher than expected.
No visual footholds—feel with feet, tapping the wall.
“Hmm.”
Tense, he inched downward.
After a while.
The glimmer sharpened—Arthur lay collapsed.
“Young Master!”
Skevin tugged the rope.
“Slack it!”
Rope loosened; he dove for Arthur.
Thud!
Landing beside, Skevin checked him.
No major wounds.
But aura faint, face deathly pale.
Delay could be fatal.
“I’ll save you.”
He unbound the waist rope, hoisted Arthur piggyback, and secured him tightly.
Then yanked the line to Helot.
“Pull!”