Chapter 23
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: A World Where Force is Convincing Power
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‘Damn.’
Holy shit!
I'd kicked things off on a whim...
But what came next was the real problem.
Clutching the plummeting baby hippo in one arm, I sprinted down the path Mars had carved by sliding on his ass.
Heading to Delma meant facing fifty charging foes. Running along the path meant dealing with the hundred knights who'd been distracted by Requiya but were now blocking the way.
‘To the waterfall below!’
The terrain cascaded like stairs, and naturally, there was a waterfall where the lake ended.
Is this the best!?
‘Probably. I'm desperate right now.’
Oh, fuck.
Even desperate, this seemed wrong.
The waterfall was too damn high.
And massive ice chunks bobbed below.
Heading into house-sized ice from this height would turn even a demon into an angel.
“Catch him!”
I knew hesitation wasn't an option, but jumping felt impossible.
“What do we do?”
Requiya, who'd followed me, asked.
Seeing his panicked face, I forgot the urgency for a second and snorted a laugh.
‘Thought he'd stay cool-headed.’
Requiya's not calm!
Angry, flustered, worried.
Demons weren't so different from humans.
Shing-.
A chilling sound made my neck hairs stand up.
Someone behind me drew their sword.
“You who dared harm a knight of the Red Dragon, turn and state your name.”
Ha, these guys really loved asking for names.
Murderous intent hung thick in the air.
In that case, best to play along for now.
Turning while cradling the hippo, I consulted Silver Star.
‘What if I say Luke Seide?’
They'll chop off your arm! Then your leg! And cauterize so you don't die! Or rip out your heart, freeze it, and take it! Plenty of snow and ice here!
Thanks for the heads-up.
No idea whose side this thing's on.
‘This is insane.’
Luke's already turning!
No need for deep analysis.
With the waterfall at our backs, visibility was wide open, no need to scout, and all enemies were gathered in front.
“More knights at the path down.”
Requiya whispered low.
I nodded but looked elsewhere.
“Doesn't Delma look like it's saying something?”
“Maybe... I can't understand beast speech, but its eyes are intense...”
I couldn't fully tap Insight Ability yet.
But I knew what those desperate eyes meant.
A mother diving into the sea for her child swept by waves.
An old man tossing his dog from a balcony to save it.
Delma's gaze mirrored their pleas.
‘Ah, shit. Why dredge up memories now.’
It's natural!
The speechless beast raised its head and let out a long howl.
Pwoooooooo-.
Intense as a battle horn, lingering long.
Delma stomped the ground with its front paws.
Charge stance.
“It's saying it'll clear the way, so save the baby. Mutated thing's unsafe here. Begging us to take it.”
“Ha, exactly that look...”
I stepped forward and shouted.
Please understand my voice.
“Delma! Stand down!”
If Delma charged, would they break formation?
No chance.
It'd stayed caged out of fear before, but that was with sealed mana.
Charging knights would just get it killed.
“Go back! I'll take good care of the baby!”
It didn't retreat, but Delma stopped rolling and stared at me blankly.
“I'll raise it well and send it back!”
Kuuuwoooo-.
Delma answered with a long howl.
The hulking knight aiming his sword at me shrugged his shoulders.
By his build, definitely the vice-captain who'd pulled a backpack from thin air.
“You're insane. Think you can escape the Red Dragon's claws?”
“Vice-captain, step aside. He's mine.”
“Mars? You okay?”
“Just let my guard down.”
The guy I'd knocked into the lake stepped up, dripping water.
‘Nothing's easy.’
Easy things don't exist in this world!
Thought he'd be hippo food after the lake, but here he strolls out fine. Where do these monsters keep coming from?
“I am Mars Dmitrievich, right-wing squad leader of the Red Dragon Knights' search party.”
What a long, Solomon-esque nightmare of a name.
“You who shamed me, state the name you'll die by on my blade.”
Requiya stepped in front of me.
“C-calm down! My big bro loves animals so much, he must've thought you were abusing it.”
Hey, who're you calling big bro?
I bristled inside but stayed quiet.
Well, on paper, I looked like an older brother or uncle.
No pushovers here.
His helmeted eyes blazed, killing intent lethal just from the glare.
‘How'd Luke fight through guys like this... Suddenly miss him.’
But Luke was battling monsters in hell's battlefield.
All I had was Luke's body, temperament, and one ability.
“We're traveling merchants, crossed the mountain for the scenic view—”
Requiya babbled to buy time.
Good tactic, but they ignored him.
Tension crackled; heads could roll any second.
“I asked your name!”
Mars Whatever-the-fuck yelled.
“Ah! I'm Requiya Lance, and my big bro is—”
Requiya glanced at me, smirking slyly.
Handing it to me, so I nodded.
“My big bro's name is Andre Bong.”
You little shit.
Wanted to smack the back of his head, but bit my lip.
He'd probably jumped in to stop "Luke Seide" slipping out.
‘Yeah, stall. Hold out a bit longer, we escape.’
Mars yanked off his dented helmet and crushed it.
‘Bald.’
Shiny shiny baldy!
Steam rose from his frosty bald dome.
Shing-. Sword drawn smooth and clean.
“Andre Bong, in the name of the Red Dragon Knights, I challenge you to a duel.”
I ain't dueling! This guy's a freak!
The vice-captain grabbed Mars's wrist.
“Wait, Mars.”
“Even you can't stop a knight repaying shame!”
“Not that. Sudden intruders need investigating.”
As the ox-faced guy eyed me suspiciously,
the Red Dragon Knights parted for a familiar old man.
“Enough.”
“But Captain.”
The ox whispered to Geum Tae-young.
I boosted hearing and lip-read.
‘Too suspicious showing up here. Not a mountain for just anyone. Voice matches Luke Seide's, though I heard it once.’
The great Holy Knight Luke Seide! Busted!?
Sharp for his size.
But Geum Tae-young smiled and shook his head.
“I get the vice-captain's suspicion, but look at his feet.”
The ox checked my feet and gaped.
“Huh... Not even a barbarian climbs these snow peaks barefoot.”
“And his eyes.”
Eyes?
What's wrong with my eyes?
“Ah... Blue, huh.”
Oh, my irises are blue.
Yeah. Not gold, blue.
No mirror, first time noticing.
Misunderstanding cleared?
“And no mana at all, right?”
“My eyes were clouded from long imprisonment.”
The ox bowed to Geum Tae-young and backed off.
Geum Tae-young turned, interest gone.
“Dangerous place. Hurry down the mountain.”
“C-Captain.”
Mars wouldn't quit.
Looked like a horny squid itching to decapitate me.
“Handle it yourself. A Red Dragon knight can't leave debts.”
Ah, thought he was helping—crab helps crawfish. Damn geezer.
His dismissive snort meant one thing.
As Geum Tae-young walked off, flat-nosed squid powered up.
Another knight flanked Mars for backup.
Faint flames flickered on Mars's sword.
‘Aura knight, huh. Flashy intro, thought he was an 'oral' knight.’
It's oral!
Aura has ranks, distinguished by color.
White, white-blue, blue.
Others exist, but mostly these three or similar.
Faint white meant lowest rank for Mars.
Still, aura's aura.
Meant to end it quick and clean.
Only way out: jump the waterfall.
‘Can't unleash power yet. Even if I could, not sure I'd win.’
I wasn't just hiding strength.
Layers of seals around my heart hid Silver Star.
If we didn't escape by nightfall, I'd reveal it and call reinforcements.
‘No more stalling. Gotta jump.’
Tensed my legs to leap.
Then a voice boomed, squeezing my body.
“Do not rampage recklessly in the sanctuary, Federation whelps.”
Wooong- Wooong-.
The heavy voice resonated with the air, shaking piled snow. Ripples spread on the lake.
‘Whelps? To an aura knight?’
Oral whelp!
Not just the voice weighed heavy.
Like a giant's palm on my shoulder, my body felt leaden.
Mars froze mid-swing, Geum Tae-young and the knights halted.
I turned toward the voice.
On the cliff where I'd flying-kneed Mars stood a man.
‘That teacher's...’
Ehe-! We're screwed!
Flaming crimson hair and beard evoked a red lion.
Gleaming silver armor and fluttering scarlet cloak amplified his majesty; his weapon stole the show.
Could you call that a sword?
Wider than a torso, taller than a man, it blazed white light.
A savage scar from cheekbone to jaw screamed demon from hell.
Snow around him melted instantly.
Blue Eye revealed flame-like aura boiling from him, shaped like—
“A winged lion...”
“Damn. Dragged on too long. What a mess.”
“The 1st Holy Knight Captain himself.”
“Of all things, the Winged Lion...”
Even without the Red Dragon Knights' dismayed mutters, Luke's info pointed to one man.
‘Hellite's Executioner. Winged Lion, Asperan.’
Platinum!
Crystal Realm Holy Knight just below.
True to Luke's right hand, knew Luke second only to the Saintess in Hellite.
Fiery temper who showed no mercy to the depraved Holy Knight.
‘Saved for now... But bad vibes.’
Alive but not living!
Red Dragons were tough enough; now Holy Knights too.
Scale exploded right after leaving Sanctuary.
“Requiya. Be ready to run behind me anytime.”
“Yes, Holy— Big Bro Andre.”
Snap out of it, man!
We'll all die!
Marcus Geum Tae-young straightened, refusing to bow to Asperan.
“Anyone can enter here. Even the Winged Lion can't nitpick arbitrarily.”
Solid logic.
But this was the Eard Continent.
“Want to lose your other eye too? Keep yapping, Federation mutt.”
Logic doesn't convince the strong.
It's a world where force is persuasion.
But... was Asperan stronger than Geum Tae-young?