Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Last Hope
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Sss...
A chilling cold rose from his body.
As if winter itself had cloaked him.
The Double-Headed Ogre.
Or the true king of the eastern great forest.
Gruindash's right head muttered in disgust.
The left head let out a grotesque laugh as well.
All four eyes turned toward Damian.
An irritated glare at the unexpected intruder.
'Strong.'
Damian sensed it instinctively.
The shaman king Kaldaram, the spirit of the earth.
A presence incomparable to any foe he'd faced before.
'Tempting.'
That immense power and authority.
He wanted to devour it all.
'But.'
He judged the situation coldly.
Devouring it would be ideal, but far from easy.
Moreover, they were deep in enemy territory.
Retreating with the grand lord was the best course.
'The problem is...'
Even that wouldn't be simple.
'Create an opening. Somehow.'
The moment Damian steeled his resolve.
Gruindash issued the command.
At once, countless monsters charged at Damian.
"Grroooaaar!"
From common specimens to elites.
An utterly overwhelming swarm assault.
"It's been a while, Grand Lord."
"Did you time your entrance perfectly?"
"...Pardon?"
"It sure looks that way. Flashy entrance."
"Honestly, it was pretty cool."
"Ha!"
Silly banter.
The conversation ended there.
Pop!
Damian had no intention of standing idle to greet them.
Slash!
A speed that allowed no counter.
The heads of the three leading trolls flew.
Frost clung to the severed necks.
"...!"
Mikhail, witnessing the scene, was stunned.
'That power...?'
It was clearly Gerd Kahn's.
'Did he learn it? In that short time...?'
His shock was fleeting.
The battle raged on.
"Haaap!"
Damian's blade did not stop.
The dance of death had begun.
'Ancient Elf Swordsmanship.'
Memories etched into the Frostblade.
The winter elves' legacy partially revived at Damian's fingertips.
Slash! Slash! Crunch!
Wherever the sword touched, monsters lost limbs in droves.
"Kraaaagh!"
Even ogres were no exception.
A massive arm swinging a club.
Or a leg, severed clean off.
'He really has become a monster.'
The grand lord, watching, was convinced.
He had returned stronger by another level.
No, it was beyond a mere level now.
'A completely different being.'
Surpassing simple growth.
A change akin to evolution.
In just three or four months since heading to the capital.
Meanwhile.
Gruindash, observing the same sight.
Its eyes had changed slightly.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Gruindash kicked off the ground, closing in.
A speed disproportionate to its massive bulk.
'Here it comes.'
Boom!
Gruindash's foot slammed down on Damian.
A deafening roar, the ground cratering from the force.
"...!"
Damian dodged the massive foot.
But the ogre's assault didn't end there.
The left head bellowed.
Swinging a staff-like club at Damian.
At the same time, the right head chanted a spell.
Apparently, that one handled black magic.
Rumble...
Sure enough.
Black thorns erupted from the ground.
Black magic blocking Damian's escape.
'This is the Double-Headed Ogre.'
One head wielding brute physical force.
The other wielding black magic.
A monster that was two yet one, striking in perfect unison.
Clang!
There was only one way to counter.
Block the staff with his sword.
Impossible before.
"Hup...!"
But now was different.
Superior mana sensitivity and Gale Mana Breathing.
And the Frostblade.
These three elements massively boosted his power output.
'Heavy.'
Still, it was no easy feat.
The weight infused with black magic energy.
He endured, but couldn't block forever.
Infuriated that a mere bug blocked its strike?
The left head raised its staff high.
The right head chanted another spell.
A black mire formed at Damian's feet.
Crack!
Sticky darkness instantly coiled around his ankles.
'This...?'
A paralyzing sensation gripped his body.
A curse sealing his movements.
"Hup!"
But that alone couldn't bind Damian's feet.
Darkness resistance from the black mage Albert.
And various other resistances shone through.
Pop!
The instant he leaped away.
Boom!
The staff smashed into the black mire.
A strike laden with even greater force.
Creating a brief opening.
'...Now!'
The perfect chance for a decisive blow.
Damian launched himself again.
Shing!
One Flash.
The silver streak sliced Gruindash's Achilles heel.
Slash!
A deep wound.
The first effective hit.
The beast staggered, howling.
Damian realized at the same time.
'I need to withdraw now.'
This wasn't a fight worth risking his life for.
Deep in enemy territory, with the grand lord combat-incapable.
Stick to the original plan: retreat.
But first.
'Shockwave.'
Gruindash staggered, off-balance.
Now was the moment.
Bang!
A powerful shockwave toppled the beast completely.
Squeal!
Time to truly retreat.
Damian blew his finger whistle, and the waiting Breeze galloped over.
"Hiiing!"
Damian swiftly mounted, hoisted the grand lord aboard, and bolted.
Away from the Lamenting Spine, now enemy territory.
Clop! Clop! Clop!
Gruindash wouldn't let them escape, roaring.
Black fireballs hurtled toward them.
A mere graze would end the retreat.
"Hyah! Go!"
Damian calmly maneuvered the reins.
Boom!
The first fireball cratered the ground in explosion.
Damian's Riding Skill and the steed's intelligence.
Their combined evasion maneuver.
Boom!
The second skimmed by perilously.
Cold sweat dripped from his gripping hands.
Boom!
The third exploded mere feet away.
No direct hit this time either.
A bit further and they'd be safe.
But.
Bang! Crash! Boom! Boom!
This time was different.
Multiple fireballs rained down relentlessly.
"Hiiing!"
One grazed Breeze's flank.
Crash!
Damian and Mikhail tumbled, losing balance.
"Kuh...!"
Damian managed to land.
Didn't drop the Frostblade either.
"Cough!"
Mikhail failed.
He rolled, unable to brace himself.
Already battered beyond repair.
"Grand Lord!"
Damian rushed to support him.
"Are you alright?"
His condition was dire.
Black blood spewing repeatedly.
He looked moments from death.
'We have to get out of here.'
Damian forcibly lifted Mikhail.
Enemy presences closing from afar.
"Let's move for now. Hurry...!"
In that urgent moment.
Mikhail's gaze fixed on Damian's waist.
"... ."
A silver badge gleaming.
Proof of knighthood in the kingdom.
The Blue Hawk emblem shone clearly.
"...So you've become a knight."
Mikhail spoke laboriously.
A faint smile on his lips.
"Congratulations. You've made it big."
Even on the brink of death.
He genuinely rejoiced in Damian's achievement.
"I'll take those congratulations after we survive."
Damian replied firmly.
No time for sentiment now.
"We don't have time. Let's go."
But Mikhail shook his head.
"No."
A voice beyond resignation.
"We won't make it like this."
Not surrender.
A coldly realistic assessment.
They both die in this state.
"I'll carry you."
"No need."
Mikhail gripped Damian's arm.
A vise of his last remaining strength.
"I have a plan."
"...A plan?"
"But answer me honestly first. It's the only way we live."
His eyes burned fiercely.
"It started on the eastern front."
Past memories.
From the moment they first met.
"Confirmed through the suicide squad mission."
The desperate battle in the great forest.
The unreal growth shown there.
And even returning to Sobkov Territory.
Through that chain of events, Mikhail turned suspicion into certainty.
"Can you take the power of the dead?"
A question piercing the heart.
"...!"
Damian's eyes wavered.
The secret never told to anyone.
The grand lord had seen through it.
"At first, I thought it was just immense talent."
"... ."
"But the more I saw, the more it exceeded talent."
"... ."
"Strength from battle has limits."
"... ."
"And honestly, aren't you too versatile?"
The grand lord poured out what he'd held back.
"...I don't know what you mean."
Damian denied feebly.
Instinctive defense, but Mikhail pressed on.
"Answer straight!"
Shouting with his final strength.
"It's the only way we live!"
"... ."
"All of us!"
A desperate cry.
Madness in his eyes.
No, just the responsibility of a grand lord.
"I'm asking because I know."
A voice full of conviction.
No more hiding.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Gruindash drawing nearer.
Its foul grin palpable.
"Damian!"
Mikhail urged.
"...Yes."
In the end.
Damian admitted.
"You're right, Grand Lord."
At that heavy answer.
"Ha."
Mikhail let out a short breath.
His expression more at peace than ever.
As if the doubt plaguing him was resolved.
Or the last hope confirmed.
"I knew it."
A satisfied smile.
"Then."
But only for a moment.
"There's still hope."
He snatched the blade from Damian's hand.
Stab!
And plunged it into his own heart.
Without the slightest hesitation.
As if it were predetermined.
"...Grand Lord?"
An unbelievable sight.
An unforeseen choice.
"Why?! Why are you doing this?!"
Damian screamed, grabbing him.
But it was already irreversible.
"Anyway... this was as far as I go."
Mikhail forced words out.
"It's actually fortunate."
No regret on his face.
"I can give this rotting power... to the finest man."
For Sobkov's survival.
And this kingdom's future.
"Live... and make the right choices."
Grand Lord Mikhail Sobkov.
His guardian's final words.
"And to my daughter, Elena... I'm sorry... tell her... surely..."
That was it.
The hero's breath stopped.
"...Ah."
A sigh escaped Damian.
And that sigh turned to a wail.
"Aaaah...!"
A scream mixed with rage and grief.
His eyes reddening.
At that exact moment.
A light colder and sharper than anything in the world.