Chapter 95
Chapter 95
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: Immortal Knight Order
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"Insolent fool!"
Helm dodged the creature's swinging fist and seized it by the throat. Then he hoisted it up high.
"Kuaaaang!"
The thing let out a beastly roar, thrashing in frenzy.
Its eyes had turned blood-red, as if it had lost all reason and was driven purely by instinct.
Even more astonishing, the leg where the arrow had been lodged had spat out the shaft on its own, the wound knitting closed.
Everyone watching the scene couldn't hide their shock.
"What the hell is that?"
"I've never seen anything like it!"
"Nanshar's created a monster."
Helm turned to Arthur.
"Is there anything we need to learn from this one?"
"Kill it."
"Got it."
Helm snapped its neck without mercy and flung it to the floor.
As everyone stared at the corpse in grim silence.
Crack.
The broken neck vertebrae realigned with a grind, and the thing pushed itself up with its upper body.
"Krurrr...."
It rose slowly, exuding a savage aura.
"Kuaaaang!"
It glared at Helm, emitting a grotesque cry.
Its hideously distorted face, the saliva drooling nonstop, the healed neck, and the flesh on its leg writhing unsettlingly—it was the stuff of nightmares.
It possessed regenerative abilities akin to a troll's. A true monster.
Helm drew the string of his Death Bow, aiming at it.
"Die."
Bang!
An aura arrow flew straight into the thing's head.
It sailed through the air impaled on the arrow, slamming into the wall.
"Krurr...."
It writhed, limbs flailing, groaning in agony.
Its blood-soaked eyes bulged, glaring murderously at Helm.
"Good lord...."
"It took an aura strike and...."
As everyone reeled from its tenacious vitality.
Bang-bang!
Thud-thud-thud!
Three more aura arrows thudded into its chest.
"Kuek!"
It spewed a mouthful of blood, head drooping. Then the groans ceased, and it went still.
The savage aura had vanished.
"It's dead."
Arthur stared at it with a hardened expression for a moment before shifting his gaze to Keda.
"An explanation seems in order."
All eyes turned to Keda.
Keda stared at the transformed monster in a daze, his face blank with disbelief.
What he had only imagined had become reality.
"Th-that can't be...."
"Looks like you've been holding something back."
"It seems their long-cherished wish.... has come true."
"Long-cherished wish?"
"The Immortal Knight Order...."
"......!"
Arthur's eyes widened in an instant.
Helm's face twisted at the same moment.
It had been decades ago, during the height of the imperial wars.
The Nanshar Empire had been crushed by the allied forces of the Oscar Empire.
Before Emperor Libert of Nanshar was executed, he had shouted these words:
The moment the Immortal Knight Order appears!
The world will bow to the Nanshar Empire and submit to its rule.
Everyone had dismissed it as the ravings of a dying man.
But seeing this monstrous soldier from Nanshar made it feel like those words had come to pass.
"Something impossible has happened."
Helm glanced at Arthur, and all eyes that had been on Keda now fixed on him.
They waited silently for his decision.
Arthur clamped his mouth shut, deep in thought.
After a moment.
"Hmm...."
He let out a low hum and spoke.
"Keda."
"Yes."
Keda bowed his head to Arthur.
The creature had tracked him here.
He couldn't stand by while innocents suffered for his family's vengeance.
Before Arthur could speak, he opened his mouth first.
"I'll leave. You shouldn't become targets because of me."
"You're not wrong. We can't afford another enemy when foes already surround us on all sides."
"I won't forget the Count's grace."
As Keda turned to go, Arthur said,
"But."
"......?"
"If Artisan's wish has been fulfilled, they'll come provoking us soon enough. That'll lead to imperial war. And regardless of the Alpha Family, we'll be dragged into it too."
"......?"
"War with them is inevitable anyway. You leaving won't change that. But if you insist on going, I won't stop you."
"Count...."
It wasn't wrong.
He could have cast him out for causing trouble, yet here he was, urging him to stay. Keda's chest tightened with emotion.
Keda wiped his damp eyes with the back of his hand and knelt on one knee before Arthur.
"What are you doing?"
"You don't have to accept me. But I swear here and now: the Alpha Family will stand with the Julius Count Family wherever you go."
Keda drew his sword from its sheath and offered it to Arthur with both hands, reverently.
Arthur regarded him with a stern face.
It was welcome news that they wished to bolster the Julius Count Family's strength. But the more allies, the heavier his responsibility.
If he had the power to protect them, no issue—but right now, safeguarding the count's family was burden enough.
"I appreciate your resolve, but....!"
Suddenly, Adran stepped forward and knelt on one knee beside Keda.
"Adran Kandara swears to stand with the Julius Count Family."
He proffered the bow, symbol of the Kandara Count Family.
Then Hector approached Adran, knelt on one knee, and held out his square shield.
"The Hexa Family will serve the Count Family as well."
"You're making this difficult."
Arthur shook his head, scanning the room.
Helot and Drakan, Blizan and Ban—all wore smiles.
Arthur fixed serious eyes on Keda, Adran, and Hector, who bowed low, awaiting his words.
Silence hung heavy in the study.
Finally, Arthur spoke.
"I, Arthur Julius, accept your oaths. And I say to you: fear not death. Survive to the end and fulfill your duties."
Tears fell from the eyes of the three bowed men, unbidden.
Vengeance for their families!
Rebuilding their fallen houses!
They clenched their fists and replied.
"We shall obey!"
***
"I expected as much, but...."
Millerph emerged from the underground prison, face grim.
He ran into Skevin, who had just returned to the castle after training in the western mountains.
"Looks like it's over."
Skevin wiped the pouring sweat from his brow with a towel as he replied.
"Yes. What happened underground?"
"Spies scouting the territory got caught."
Skevin's eyes sharpened instantly.
"How many?"
"Eighteen in total."
"That many?"
Skevin blinked in surprise before continuing.
"Were they all sent by the Emperor?"
"Let's head to the Young Master first."
"Right."
As the two turned to go, Arthur approached with Dark.
"Here they come."
A smile crossed Millerph's face.
Lately, seeing Arthur filled him with reassurance.
Given the Count Family's dire straits, he should have been trembling with anxiety and fear.
Instead, confidence welled up.
Skevin felt the same.
It must have been the trust built from Arthur's actions and achievements so far.
"You're both here."
"We just ran into each other. How'd the meeting go?"
"Let's move first."
Arthur headed toward the ramparts.
Sensing the ominous mood, Millerph and Skevin followed silently.
Atop the ramparts, Arthur surveyed the territory and asked Millerph,
"What kind of guys were they?"
"Men sent by Marquis Mandora and Marquis Valtre."
"Marquis Mandora was likely under imperial orders, and Marquis Valtre...."
Arthur scowled.
A reminder that the man was utterly untrustworthy.
That aside.
"Were there any from the Nanshar Empire?"
"No. Why bring them up suddenly...."
"They were spying on the study and got spotted by the Young Master."
"What!"
Millerph's eyes bulged at Dark's words.
Skevin, meanwhile, was stunned that no one had noticed until they'd approached the study.
A Sword Master like Helm had been there, too.
"What level was it?"
"Mid-level Sword Expert, by the looks of it."
"Hmm."
Probably specialized in stealth.
The Nanshar Empire had long been famed for its spirit arts and unique concealment techniques.
"Ever heard of an Awakening Agent?"
"Awakening Agent?"
It came out of nowhere.
Millerph tilted his head, looking at Arthur.
"According to Keda...."
Arthur recounted the study incident and relayed Keda's words.
Millerph paled in shock.
"No way!"
"If you know something, speak."
"It was something Altros had been researching."
"What?"
Arthur's eyes widened.
"That's what caused our falling out. My master discovered his experiments strengthening humans with monster blood and had him stripped of his position. How did that end up in the Nanshar Empire...."
"Guess someone else had the same idea."
"Maybe, but to create it, you absolutely need the World Tree's power."
"World Tree's power?"
"A ability passed down only from my master, Madros. Only two people in the world possess it: me and Altros."
"......!"
Arthur's face darkened.
"That bastard's handiwork, no doubt. The question is how he got it to the Nanshar Empire...."
Millerph was too agitated to finish.
"Altros...."
Arthur's gaze deepened.
Altros seemed to be having Nanshar create the Immortal Knight Order while manipulating Emperor Ruan to spark civil strife in the Oscar Empire, weakening it before launching war.
With the possibility that Altros was the Demon King in mind.
If the Demon King possessed Altros, the Emperor was just a puppet, and Nanshar was the true enemy.
Plus, tens of thousands of monsters beyond the western mountains on the Kanura Continent.
The enemy's forces were overwhelming.
The Count Family's gathered strength had grown considerably, but it paled in comparison.
In times like these, he needed to stay centered and judge wisely.
"Skevin."
"Yes."
"Any progress?"
"No more mana rampages, I think."
After awakening, Skevin had suffered several mana surges. Millerph had quelled them each time, averting disaster.
Unable to fully control his power, they hadn't announced his awakening.
Only Sword Master Helm had sensed the change in his aura.
"Then take the knights starting tomorrow."
"To the western mountains?"
Skevin was mildly surprised.
"I'll have Helm go too for contingencies. Push them as hard as you can."
"Understood."
"And Dark."
Arthur turned to Dark.
"Take the Devil Squad and check the nearby territories."
"......?"
Arthur thought of Aslan Territory far beyond the border and continued.
"It's time to deliver my message."