Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Break
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"The situation is dire."
Adnan Mount broke the silence.
Deep wrinkles etched across his face.
"This concerns the very survival of the kingdom."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
And why wouldn't they? It was a Monster Break.
A breach that surpassed even a monster wave.
"High Lord."
This time, Kanna cautiously spoke up.
"You must make a decision."
All eyes turned to Elena.
She closed her eyes for a moment, lost in thought.
'What would Father have done?'
There was no need to deliberate.
The answer was already clear.
"......Our territory's situation is stabilizing. There won't be any major threats for the time being."
Of course, there was plenty of work to do.
Territorial development, resource surveys, fortifying the defensive lines.
But none of it was as urgent as the Monster Break catastrophe.
"Therefore, I will dispatch the entire kingdom's army stationed in Sobkov Territory to the north immediately."
A decision without hesitation.
No one objected.
That was the Sobkov way.
The pride of a family that had long claimed the role of shield.
"And."
Elena's gaze settled on one person.
"Sir Damian."
Damian Winter.
Hero of the Great Forest and knight of the kingdom.
He quietly raised his head.
"I wish to entrust this mission to you, Sir Damian. Please lead the kingdom's army heading north."
The proposal was expected.
"You are now a knight of the kingdom, and you have demonstrated the mightiest power of all."
A monster who had single-handedly slaughtered the Double-Headed Ogre.
His presence was already etched into everyone's minds.
"With you by our side, we can overcome the northern crisis."
A plea laced with desperation.
Damian pondered briefly.
'I was planning to head north anyway. Traveling that long road with the kingdom's army would be safer and easier......'
There was no reason to refuse.
"I will follow the High Lord's will."
A few days later.
The morning of departure for the north.
"Huuuuu......"
Damian was in the training grounds.
'I've gotten used to it.'
The power inherited from the previous High Lord.
The Sobkov inherited swordsmanship and the essence of an Expert.
It had fully melded into his body.
'Harmony.'
The wolf's ferocious movements.
The ancient elf's graceful sword dance.
The sensation of two opposing forces merging into one.
'Not perfect yet.'
He could feel faint cracks.
Those gaps needed to be filled.
Shuuuk!
Damian swung the Freezing Sword.
A sharp trajectory sliced through the air.
'Faster, stronger.'
Windstorm's mana breathing.
And the essence of an Expert.
He poured every sensation into the blade's edge.
Paaaaang!
The sword strike tore up the training ground floor.
Its power was far greater than before.
Yet Damian was not satisfied.
'Black Sun.'
He needed to grow overwhelmingly stronger.
To face the unknown enemies ahead.
"There you are."
At that moment.
A familiar voice called out.
It was High Lord Elena Sobkov.
"High Lord."
Damian sheathed his sword and bowed.
Calling her High Lord now felt natural.
"What brings you here so early?"
"I have something to discuss."
Elena approached cautiously.
A complex mix of emotions clouded her face.
"I'm sorry to ask another favor of you."
She knew.
How dangerous this mission was.
A battlefield where a Monster Break had occurred.
It would be no different from living hell.
Perhaps even worse than the Great Forest.
"No need to apologize."
Damian replied calmly.
"This is my choice alone. No one influenced it."
A new hunting ground, high-quality prey.
He had simply chosen it.
"......Thank you. For saying that."
Elena smiled faintly.
"I, um...... if it's not too much......"
She continued slowly.
As if she had agonized over it for a long time.
"Could you spar with me?"
"A spar?"
"Yes."
An unexpected proposal.
A spar out of the blue?
"......I've been sparring with my father ever since I first picked up a sword at five."
She continued slowly.
"He was always my teacher and my goal. Throughout my entire growth."
Her voice trembled faintly.
"But now...... I can no longer do that."
Her father's absence.
The emptiness hit her hard.
Especially cold today.
"So, before you leave, I wanted to ask."
Elena's gaze met Damian's.
He understood the meaning in her eyes.
'The one who inherited everything from the previous High Lord.'
She saw fragments of her father in Damian.
His swordsmanship, his power, even his will.
"I want to spar with Father...... one last time."
The final spar.
Not as the new High Lord.
But as a single daughter making a request.
"Understood."
Damian comprehended her intent.
It was no trouble at all.
"Thank you. Truly."
Elena expressed her sincere gratitude.
She picked up a training sword from the grounds.
Damian did the same.
The one he chose was.
'Greatsword.'
The training greatsword favored by the previous High Lord.
Elena's eyes wavered at the sight.
It truly felt like her father was there.
"Ready."
Damian assumed his stance.
The basic form of the Sobkov inherited swordsmanship.
The aggressive poise of a wolf stalking prey.
'Father......'
An all-too-familiar sight.
It was as if her father stood before her.
The longing she had suppressed surged forth.
"Here I come."
A short murmur.
Pat!
Damian moved first.
Kaang!
The clash of blunt metal.
A resounding impact echoed through the training grounds.
'This sensation......'
Elena gritted her teeth.
The heavy force transmitted through her hands.
Followed by erratic follow-ups.
'It's identical.'
It matched her father's sword perfectly.
Breathing, trajectory, timing—all of it.
Kaang! Kang! Kaaaang!
Endless exchanges.
Damian used only the Sobkov inherited swordsmanship.
No other techniques mixed in.
He knew what she wanted.
"Haaap!"
Elena gave her all as well.
Pouring out everything her father had taught her.
She wanted to savor this moment just a little longer.
'Just a bit more......'
Dozens, hundreds of clashes passed.
Her breath reached her limit.
Her muscles screamed in protest.
'This is the realm Father reached.'
The power of a top-tier Expert.
She felt its overwhelming might with her entire body.
'I'm still so far.'
She realized her own shortcomings.
Yet she couldn't stop.
Kwaaaang!
The final strike.
Damian's greatsword slammed down on Elena's blade.
"Kuh......!"
Elena couldn't hold on.
Her sword slipped from her grasp.
Tangrang!
The metal clattered across the ground.
Signaling the end of the spar.
"Haa, haa, haaa......!"
Elena gasped for breath.
Her face drenched in sweat.
And not just that.
"......"
Tears streamed from her eyes.
The pent-up emotions burst forth.
'Father......'
Since the High Lord's death.
She hadn't properly grieved even once.
Too busy as the High Lord, not as a daughter.
The heavy responsibility had crushed her.
"Hic! Sniff......!"
But in this moment.
She returned to being just a daughter.
"......"
Damian watched her silently.
Knowing what she needed.
"......Thank you."
After a long cry.
Elena finally spoke.
Reddened eyes, a relieved expression.
"Thanks to you...... I can finally let Father go properly."
Her gaze hardened.
Back to the High Lord's demeanor.
"And take care of yourself."
A reminder from the High Lord.
"Sir Damian, you are essential not just to our territory, but to this kingdom."
Damian nodded at her words.
"I will keep that in mind."
It hurt.
Not just a simple ache.
Bones crunching, organs twisting in agony.
His body, smashed against an ice-covered rock, screamed.
"Cough!"
He spat up bright red blood.
Every breath stabbed his lungs with shattered ribs.
A chill colder than the frost signaled death.
'Damn it.'
Was he going to die here?
In the frozen heart of the north.
'I haven't even shown that guy yet.'
The man sent flying by a Frost Giant Yeti's fist moments ago.
His name was Ben, once a squad leader in the 6th Legion's 1st Infantry Division.
Now, as a knight, he faced the Monster Break.
'I got lucky.'
It was sheer providence.
He had awakened latent mana sensitivity.
His skills and experience earned him knighthood in the Veil family.
'A lowly soldier rising to sword user overnight.'
Only after growing stronger.
Did Ben regain his confidence.
His former squadmate, the one who had crossed death's door with him.
'Damian.'
Damian Winter.
He wanted to meet that guy again.
To stand shoulder-to-shoulder with pride.
But.
'Die here?'
It was infuriating.
Frustrating.
Yet reality was merciless.
'A Monster Break.'
Started in the northern snow mountains.
A disaster engulfing all of Veil Territory.
Defensive lines breached, monsters flooding inland.
The situation turned to hell in an instant.
And at its center.
[Krurrrr......!]
A massive Frost Giant stood.
Over four meters tall.
A muscular frame covered in pure white fur.
'Yeti.'
The tyrant of the snowfields.
That monster's fist had pulverized his body.
'It's over.'
Ben painfully lifted his head.
Through blurry vision, the Yeti raised its fist.
"Grroooaaar!"
A roar accompanied the descending shadow of death.
'So this is how it ends.'
Ben squeezed his eyes shut.
Accepting death.
In that instant.
Shuwaaaak—!
A sharp whoosh cutting the wind.
And then.
Sguk!
Something sliced.
Hot blood splashed his face.
Not human blood—Yeti's green blood.
"......?"
When Ben cracked his eyes open.
An unbelievable scene unfolded before him.
Shuwaaaak!
Silver flash cleaved the air once more.
Seoguk!
This time, the Yeti's right arm severed clean.
[Kreuk......?]
The one-armed Yeti panicked.
It hadn't even grasped the situation.
'What the hell?'
Ben shared the bewilderment.
Who was fighting the Yeti?
[Kraaaak!]
The Yeti writhed in belated pain.
Flailing its remaining left arm wildly.
But only for a moment.
Seoguk!
Now the left arm too.
Sliced off like thick meat.
Sguk! Suguguk!
The legs followed.
The Yeti, deprived of all limbs.
A man stood before the monster.
Leather armor and silver sword in hand.
Puk!
He pierced the Yeti's heart.
The massive body convulsed.
'Insane.'
Ben watched in shock.
This wasn't combat—it was a one-sided slaughter.
Thud!
Finally, the Yeti breathed its last.
The snowfield tyrant reduced to mere meat.
"Huuuuu......"
The man who butchered the Yeti.
Exhaled heavily.
'Who is he?'
Ben stared in confusion.
'Was there an expert like that in the 6th Legion?'
He was seasoned on the northern front.
He knew most strong fighters.
But this one was new.
'The Legion Commander?'
No.
Much younger.
'Different swordsmanship.'
And unlike the 6th Legion Commander's style.
Feral yet refined movements.
"......"
Then.
The man slowly turned.
His gaze met Ben's.
"......Huh?"
Ben's eyes widened.
He knew that face.
"......Damian?"