Chapter 92
Chapter 92
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: The Spirit King's Seal
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Arthur arrived at the western mountain cliffs with Skevin.
Though Skevin had come along because they were heading to the same place, he looked puzzled by the sudden visit here.
Arthur waited for him to speak first.
A fierce wind howled up from the base of the cliff like the wailing of ghosts.
"Skevin."
"Yes, Young Master."
"What about that wall you said was blocking you?"
"We're still at a standstill. It seems I was mistaken. My apologies."
"So what are you going to do?"
"I plan to keep chipping away at it."
"Do you remember me saying I'd awaken you?"
"……!"
For a moment, light flickered in Skevin's eyes.
Arthur turned to meet his gaze.
"The emperor, Marquis Valtre, and even the Demon King. Every enemy we have to face is one of the strongest. To survive, we have no choice but to get stronger. Won't you give it a try?"
"I will."
"It might be dangerous. We may even have to prepare for the worst-case scenario."
"If it means breaking through that wall, I'll do anything."
"Then follow me."
A short while later.
Arthur and Skevin descended to the base of the cliff.
It was the first time since encountering the Lanister Knight Order, but nothing seemed to have changed much.
"I'm going to scout the forest."
"Hmm……."
A groan escaped Skevin's lips before he could stop it.
Having spent so much time with Arthur lately, he could now read his intentions to some extent.
"Is it really necessary to take such risks?"
"There's nothing better than this for awakening your potential."
"I don't care what happens to me, but I'm worried about you getting in danger, Young Master."
"You're worrying over nothing."
Arthur dashed toward the vine barrier.
"Young Master!"
Skevin grimaced and followed.
The two lightly vaulted over the three-meter vine wall.
Skevin drew Excalibur from its sheath and scanned their surroundings warily.
A chill hung in the air, accompanied by a heavy silence.
Arthur pulled out his dagger and hacked through the waist-high underbrush as he advanced.
"Let me take the lead."
"Leave it to me."
Arthur judged that scouting with his hypersenses was better than drawing up mana to provoke monsters.
Today's goal wasn't just to push Skevin to his limits—it was also to venture as deep as possible and assess the forest's situation.
If he got greedy, he could even test how far his own abilities extended.
Like right now, checking his sensory stats while scouting.
After traveling for some time.
Hiss, hiss.
The sound of an orc snorting reached their ears.
Skevin must have heard it too, as he lowered his stance even further.
Arthur slowly parted the bushes with his dagger and peered through.
In a small clearing about three pyeong wide, an orc was tearing into a deer.
Arthur scanned the area carefully before signaling Skevin.
*I'll handle it. Stay on guard.*
The moment Skevin nodded, Arthur burst forward.
The orc, hastily ripping at the deer's leg, jumped to its feet at the sudden intruder.
Before it could speak, Arthur slashed its nape with his dagger.
It collapsed without even a scream.
"……!"
An alarm blared in Arthur's mind. He quickly scanned around, focusing all his senses.
He felt an eerie presence at the 9 o'clock position.
At the same time, something charged out from the forest.
Slim build, elongated limbs, sharp fangs and claws!
"Zenda!"
Arthur's face twisted.
He twisted his body to dodge the incoming claws, then drove into its chest, thrusting his dagger into the center.
Kaaaaak!
It screamed and fell.
"Get down!"
Skevin leaped out, swinging his sword at Arthur wreathed in blue aura.
Whoosh!
The aura blade sliced through the air.
It flew into the bushes, followed by a thud as another zenda collapsed.
Skevin approached Arthur with a frown.
"With trolls showing up, it seems all the monsters have awakened."
They called zendas trolls here. The problem was that if one appeared, bekings were likely nearby too.
Arthur's expression hardened.
When those bastards had invaded Earth, the ones as tricky as cadrazins had been zendas and bekings.
Zendas had strong regeneration, so unless you targeted vitals, they wouldn't die easily.
Bekings spewed flames from their mouths—intense enough to melt anything—and were extremely sensitive, serving as the group's radar.
Sneaking back out quietly wouldn't be easy.
No choice now—they'd go as far as they could. And give Skevin a grueling time in the process.
For that, he needed this.
A K1 Rifle materialized in his right palm.
Skevin's eyes widened at the sight.
"Young Master!"
"Keep running straight ahead, no matter what!"
Arthur charged forward without concealing his presence.
Savage, unidentified auras began popping up one by one from all directions.
The entire forest's attention focused on him.
*What in the world are you thinking!*
Skevin gripped his sword tightly and followed.
Arthur felt the savage auras closing in from every side.
*This way first.*
He halted and pulled the trigger toward the 11 o'clock direction.
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat—
Kraaak!
Grrrrowl!
Monster screams echoed as those dodging the bullets crashed through the bushes.
Trolls.
Kuaang!
They bellowed.
As they glared and swung their arms, Arthur fired.
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat—
Bang-bang-bang-bang!
Their heads exploded, and they crumpled in heaps.
One lucky enough to dodge bullets lunged at his chest.
Saliva dripped from its extended tongue, claws slashing at his face.
Arthur swiftly aimed at its head.
"Where do you think you're shoving that ugly mug!"
Rat-tat-tat-tat—
Its head vanished without a trace.
Arthur kicked the body aside and sprinted forward again.
The gunfire in the once-quiet area rippled outward massively.
He sensed countless auras converging.
His face grew more cautious than ever.
A thudding sound came from ahead.
*This is!*
Arthur stopped.
Skevin, following behind, shouted loudly.
"It's an ogre! Get away!"
"I've been waiting for one of you to show."
Arthur smirked, gripping the K1 tightly and reversing his dagger grip.
Skevin's eyes bulged seeing him take a combat stance.
"No!"
"I'll take the ogre—the rest are yours!"
Thud! Thud!
An ogre slightly larger than a tree lumbered into view.
"What, just a young one."
Arthur showed faint disappointment.
The ogre spotted him and roared.
Kraaaang!
Trolls and orcs emerged simultaneously, surrounding Arthur and Skevin.
"Damn it!"
Skevin swung Excalibur, wrapped in deep blue aura, without hesitation.
An orc crumpled powerlessly under his strike.
A troll lost limbs but regenerated them instantly, pressing the attack.
"Damn it all!"
Skevin grimaced at the troll's regeneration he'd only heard about.
He recalled their weakness: head and heart.
"I'll carve you clean."
Skevin's eyes gleamed coldly.
Meanwhile, Arthur dashed between the ogre's legs and fired at its groin.
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat—
Kraaaang!
The ogre bellowed, slamming one foot down hard.
Boom!
Arthur dodged nimbly and climbed a nearby tree.
It swung its fist with full force.
Boom!
The trunk shattered, bending like a broken L, as Arthur leaped onto its shoulder.
Landing lightly, he charged its face and blasted an eye.
Rat-tat-tat-tat—
Kraaaa!
It clutched its face, howling in agony.
Arthur stabbed his dagger into its nape, then jammed the muzzle there.
Rat-tat-tat-tat—
Kuaaaang!
It thrashed wildly before crashing to the ground.
With its nerves destroyed, it lay motionless like the dead.
Arthur stood before it, aiming at its maw.
"Weak."
Rat-tat-tat-tat—
The ogre's head exploded.
Skevin, battling trolls, gaped at how easily Arthur dispatched the ogre.
Not fully grown, but still called the "forest king."
*How…….*
Dazed, staring at Arthur, a troll charged and swung.
Kuaang!
"Get lost!"
Skevin swung Excalibur without looking.
The troll split in two, surrounding orcs collapsing too.
His strike devastated the area, but not ogre-level.
Yet Arthur……
It was clear now.
Defeating the Sword Master wasn't due to Teheran's weapon or luck.
He'd surpassed him long ago.
Maybe even reached Sword Master realm himself—explaining this reckless venture.
Arthur no longer felt human.
After slaying the ogre, he ran on without looking back.
At this pace, they'd reach the monster habitat beyond the forest, the Kanura Continent.
"I won't let you go alone!"
Excalibur blazed with blue aura, blade invisible.
He swung at encircling trolls.
Aura arced heavily.
It exploded on impact, trolls bursting like bombs.
Blood and flesh sprayed as he chased Arthur.
After hours of running.
Arthur halted at the cliff's end.
They'd slain countless monsters, including ogres.
Even a griffon appeared, but the rifle made short work.
Nothing scared him now except cadrazins.
But the sight here changed everything.
*This…….*
"Huff, huff, huff."
Skevin staggered up, panting harshly.
Drenched in monster blood, covered in wounds. Endless monsters had drained his mana near empty.
He'd kept up, but returning seemed impossible.
He'd expected something grand at the forest's end—instead, just sky.
"Ending here feels a bit anticlimactic."
As Skevin joined Arthur, gazing at the brightening sky and peering over the cliff!
His eyes shook violently.
His shocked face filled with despair.
"This is all……."
Darkness lifted, revealing the vast Kanura Plains below the cliff.
Hundreds of griffons, cadrazins, trolls, and unknown monsters filled it.
"No way……."
His jaw dropped at the sight.
Arthur's face hardened seeing Earth's old foes gathered.
The ones they'd fought were mere scouts gathering intel.
The main force hadn't budged.
"Damn it!"
As Arthur's face twisted.
A warm breeze enveloped him, a voice whispering in his ear.
-They are stronger than you think.
He knew who instantly.
The Alpha Family's guardian deity.
The wind spirit, Parsia.
"Why are you following me?"
-I wanted to warn you of danger. But it seems unnecessary now.
"Where did these bastards come from?"
-A dimensional gate opened recently. That's when the slumbering ones awakened.
"As expected."
Just as he'd guessed.
To end the war, killing them was the only way.
"Where's their leader?"
-Regrettably, beyond my power. Only the King of Spirits knows the Demon King's location.
"King of Spirits?"
-He is nearby.
A gentle breeze gathered in his right hand.
Arthur opened his palm.
He felt wind swirling in the Family Head's Ring from Aild.
"No way, in here?"
-The Spirit King is sealed there. Only you, inheritor of Teheran's legacy, can break it.
"Ah!"
Suddenly, Skevin recalled a story his grandfather told him as a child about the Spirit King.
"Then that ring……."