Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Berserker
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Clop! Clop! Clop!
Urgent horse hooves pounded.
And amid the mingled breathing.
'These knights... both rookies.'
Damian eyed the two knights leading the way on horseback—Max and Gillian.
'They really had no one else to send.'
A superior entity had appeared, yet they sent two newbies.
Damian casually asked them.
"D-3 sector... isn't that the rear of the territory?"
He had roughly mapped out Sobkov Territory over the past ten days.
Based on that, D-3 was deep in the rear.
Yet a superior monster had shown up there?
"That's exactly the problem."
Knight Gillian replied through gritted teeth.
His tone and voice betrayed his rookie emotions running high.
"Evacuation hasn't happened yet. We need to hurry."
Civilian casualties were a real concern.
"No additional support?"
"The detachments on mission should have been informed by now."
Music to Damian's ears.
They'd come running the moment they heard.
"Hyah! Hyah!"
How much longer did they ride?
"KRROOOAAAR—!"
A roar erupted from the distant village.
A monster that had infiltrated deep into the territory alone.
The sound of it massacring people.
'Troll.'
It grew clearer as they approached.
A troll, but not an ordinary one.
'Bigger build... and above all...'
Unlike regular trolls draped in beast hides.
This one was fully armed with armor, sword, and shield.
'Skin color's different too.'
A variant with bluish rather than green skin.
Known here as a 'Troll Berserker.'
"S-Spare me! Please...!"
"Why... how is that monster here...!"
"Mama! Maaaama...!"
Villagers fleeing in all directions.
But they couldn't escape the troll.
Crunch!
People crumpled whole under its swinging sword.
A hellscape of blood and flesh spraying everywhere.
A one-sided slaughter.
"You monster bastard...!"
The moment they spotted each other.
The two knights dismounted and charged.
Furious at the deaths of the territory's people.
"Emergency detachment—combat commence!"
Spear and sword targeted the Troll Berserker simultaneously.
But.
"Grrrrr...!"
The Troll Berserker didn't panic.
It stared straight at the two knights.
As if it had expected this.
And that was just the start?
Crunch!
The Troll Berserker's eyes turned red.
Muscles and veins writhed, heart pounding wildly.
Damian sensed it instinctively.
This troll's state was unnatural.
"Haaah!"
But the knights were already committed.
Spear and sword clashed with the troll's shield in midair.
BOOM!
An ear-shattering explosion.
The result was gruesome.
"Guhk...!"
The Troll Berserker was unscathed.
Only the two rookie knights flew back far.
A strength hard to believe even seeing it.
Not mere physical power.
'...Mana.'
This troll.
It used mana.
A monster that wielded it.
Thud!
One of the airborne knights.
Knight Max slammed into a boulder.
Completely unconscious.
"Kuh...!"
The other.
Knight Gillian barely held on, but his situation was dire.
The shockwave had pulverized one shoulder.
"Grrrrr...!"
The troll that overwhelmed two knights with a single shield bash.
It bared its yellowed fangs.
'...Laughing?'
An unmistakable smirk.
Mocking the knights.
An astonishing sight, first time seeing it.
"KRROOOAAAR!"
But the laugh was brief.
It charged at the unblacked-out knight.
Gillian.
Intending to finish him.
But.
Clang!
Another human blocked its strike.
Damian Winter.
"Kuh...!"
Now, even average trolls couldn't overpower him physically.
But this one was different.
A massive shock ripped through his body.
'This guy...'
A troll warrior wielding mana.
After trading one blow, he could declare it.
'Strong.'
Innate strength fused with mana.
A being beyond common sense.
All the more reason it whetted his appetite.
'Hunt this troll.'
What would he gain?
The superior entity's overwhelming physique?
The shield bash that crushed two knights?
Or mana-related abilities?
'Whatever it is...'
He had to have it.
Make it his own.
"KRAAAAA!"
No sooner had he resolved.
BOOM!
The troll's follow-up assault.
Damian's body was flung back.
Not just pushed—he was launched into the air.
"Kuhk...!"
He rolled on the ground, barely absorbing the impact.
Both arms gripping the Elven Sword throbbed like they might shatter.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
No time to recover.
It charged again.
Earth-shaking footsteps.
"You bastard!"
Then, the shoulder-crushed Knight Gillian lunged.
Attempting a surprise ankle slice.
Thud!
But Gillian's attempt failed.
He was merely kicked flying.
"Guhk...!"
Clearly combat-ineffective now.
Truly alone.
'No chance head-on.'
Damian, who regained his stance thanks to Gillian.
He stared down the Troll Berserker before him.
'Losing in every aspect.'
Strength, speed, even mana control—all inferior.
Only one option.
'Use everything I can.'
Damian's sole edge: knowing more techniques.
Both kingdoms' swordsmanship, ancient elf swordsmanship, twin swords, spear arts, martial arts.
And.
'One Flash.'
Resolved, Damian.
He lowered the Elven Sword.
The finishing move stolen from the wood elf lord.
Start with that.
"KRROOOAAAR!"
The troll charged again.
Leading with its signature shield.
'Cut.'
In response.
Damian unleashed his pent-up power.
Shuuuaak!
An exploding silver flash.
But.
CLAAANG!
The Troll Berserker didn't dodge.
It countered with its shield.
The result.
"...!"
Damian's defeat.
Utterly overpowered.
Clang!
The backlash sent the Elven Sword flying from his grip.
A brief moment defenseless.
'Damn!'
Damian hastily drew Dawn.
Equipped the buckler swiftly.
Familiar combo.
But the foe was a common sense-defying monster.
Clang! Clang! CLAAANG!
Relentless attacks.
Buckler barely holding.
Crunch!
Eventually, even the buckler split in two.
Defense gone.
"Hup!"
Damian instinctively leaped aside.
His gaze went to the fallen knight, Gillian.
Precisely, the sword he'd dropped.
"Mind if I borrow your sword?"
He rolled, grabbing Gillian's sword.
Two swords in hand.
'Chentner Family Twin Swordsmanship.'
The sword art stolen from the Black Hand's vice boss.
Time to shine.
'Defense alone won't win.'
Outmatched in power.
Avoid direct clashes.
'As flexible and unpredictable as possible.'
The swordsmanship best suited to those keywords.
Chentner Family Twin Swordsmanship.
Clang! Chink! Clagang!
The twin blades traced erratic paths.
Dodge over block, deflect over clash.
Slipping through gaps with twin sword fluidity.
'It's working.'
But insufficient.
A few scratches healed instantly with its monstrous regeneration.
'Need to cut deeper.'
A fatal wound to negate regeneration.
For example.
'Sever the forearm entirely.'
The chance wasn't far.
Damian's ever-shifting style.
The moment the Troll Berserker slipped.
Slash!
Success at last.
Damian slipped in blind, severing the shield arm at the forearm.
"KRAAAAAK!"
Gushing green blood.
Falling arm and shield.
The moment he thought momentum his.
"KRROOOAAAR—!"
Its eyes reddened again.
Muscles swelled unnaturally.
Veins throbbing like they'd burst.
CLAAANG!
It swung its remaining sword arm.
Speed and power incomparable to before.
Impossible to dodge, hard to deflect.
Clang! Clang! Shatter!
Gillian's borrowed sword broke pathetically.
Clang! CLANG! Clang!
But Dawn held firm.
Dwarf-forged masterwork endured.
"Kuhk...!"
Of course, unbroken didn't mean painless.
The shock to his flesh was immense.
Finally, balance crumbled before overwhelming force.
Smack!
Its log-like leg slammed his gut.
Breath caught in his throat.
Damian flew far away.
Clang!
To add insult, he lost Dawn too.
Left with throwing daggers.
And bare fists.
"Hahk, heuk, hahk...!"
Breath to his throat.
Ribs likely cracked several.
Not ordinary human ribs.
Ribs infused with myriad abilities.
Truly the worst situation.
"Grrrrr...!"
The Troll Berserker approached slowly.
Still red eyes.
Breathing of pure instinct.
Right then.
Thud!
Something caught Damian's retreating foot.
Knight Max's dropped spear.
'...Still.'
One shot left.
Of course, he didn't grab it immediately.
Had to lure it a bit more.
Draw out the Troll Berserker's carelessness.
"KRROOOAAAROO!"
It worked.
It charged with its last strength.
'Now!'
Damian moved too.
Snatched Knight Max's spear swiftly.
Aimed at the charging troll's heart.
'Practical Spear Technique.'
Recalled the sense stolen from an imperial soldier.
'Use its charging momentum against it.'
With the shield gone now.
With it convinced of victory.
'Possible.'
Pshuuuk!
Indeed.
The spear tip pierced the Troll Berserker's heart perfectly.
Near-perfect counter.
"Gurk...?"
It halted.
No matter superior entity.
No surviving a pierced heart.
'Won.'
The moment he was certain.
'Berserk Mode... and... breathing?'
Primal Mana Breathing.
No sooner had he noted the name.
Shooooaa...
Vast information and sensations flooded his body.
Abilities that might elevate him to new heights.
"...Haa."
But not now.
Needed to lie down first.
Too exhausting.
Painful. Dizzy.
'This time... really, really almost died.'
Never imagined it'd move after a heart stab.
A monster that humbled him thoroughly.
Clop! Clop! Clop!
Right then.
Earth-shaking hooves.
A group of knights appeared simultaneously.
"Gillian! Max!"
Elena Sobkov's detachment.
"What in the world..."
Elena's eyes widened at the scene.
Fallen knights Gillian and Max.
Damian lying with the troll.
"Troll Berserker...?"
Her gaze locked on it.
A dangerous superior entity.
They took down that monster? Three of them?
Two rookies and one mercenary?
'...Prioritize the wounded.'
The detachment quickly checked casualties.
Unconscious Max, conscious Gillian.
And Damian was...
"I'm fine. Treat the others first."
Relatively unscathed.
"Hey, Gillian. You with us?"
"Elena... Vice Commander?"
Knight Gillian struggled to open his eyes.
He checked the Troll Berserker's corpse first.
"What happened? Did the three of you...?"
"He... handled it alone."
"...What? Alone?"
He pointed at Damian lying beside the troll.
As a Sobkov knight, accurate reporting was essential.
"Max and I were both combat-ineffective... Sir Damian faced the Troll Berserker alone. And... as you see..."
Elena Sobkov heard the full explanation.
Her gaze turned to the resting Damian.
'Impossible.'
Not just strength.
The territory had plenty that skilled.
Even stronger knights aplenty.
Elena herself included.
The issue was growth speed.
'Why's he stronger every time I see him?'
First met, he struggled with one troll adventurer.
Now hunting ogres casually.
Massacring trolls and orcs each hunt.
Even smashed a Troll Berserker?
'This growth rate make sense?'
Incomprehensible speed.
Beyond genius, monstrous realm.
'Just who... what is he?'