Chapter 142
Chapter 142
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 142
Chapter Title: The Butcher's Return
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A tall, imposing figure with a face even more menacing than before.
A massive butcher's knife, large enough to cleave through something the size of a monster's head in a single blow.
Judging by appearances alone, the opponent was unmistakably Kroll Karim.
Even the aura he exuded was remarkably similar.
“So he wants single combat.”
At my murmur, Adell nodded unconsciously.
Whether Kroll Karim had truly returned from the dead or not, the enemy was clearly issuing a provocation.
In the form of a one-on-one duel.
Single combat was a formality used to boost an army's morale when forces were evenly matched.
The victor's side would see a significant surge in spirits, while the loser's would inevitably plummet.
That was why the decision to engage in single combat had to be made with caution.
There were often cases where accepting rashly led to disaster, even for the superior force.
“If we just hold our ground, we’ll eventually have the upper hand. We have ample supplies, so there’s no reason to accept.”
“A very textbook analysis.”
Adell Richter immediately offered a rational solution.
As she said, there seemed no need to take an unnecessary risk.
It wasn't as if we desperately needed a morale boost at this very moment.
*But the problem is, this is a civil war.*
In an all-out war against a hostile nation, meticulous strategic action would be necessary.
One would have to set aside personal honor for a moment and pursue only practical gains.
In the end, that often led to even greater fame and acclaim.
But the pretext for this current war was the struggle for the crown prince's throne, wasn't it?
In times like these…
“You need a little showmanship.”
“What all of a sudden…? What did you say?”
“I'll take care of this quickly. You head inside.”
Leaving a dumbfounded Adell behind me, I climbed onto the edge of the fortress wall.
A sharp voice called out from behind me.
“Wait, you just agreed with me a moment ago!”
“I said it was the textbook answer. But I never said I wouldn't go out.”
When I glanced back and wiggled a finger, Adell’s face grew even more pale.
I was, by all accounts, the most skilled fighter in Ermac Fortress.
If I were to lose in single combat, the Second Prince's army would suffer a devastating blow.
Their morale would likely shatter and plummet into the abyss.
She seemed worried about such an outcome.
*She must have judged the probability of my losing to be high. She probably thinks the report on the disruption operation was false.*
How that Butcher of the Abyss bastard managed to come back to life was a complete mystery.
But one thing was certain.
The fact that I had already sliced that monstrous-looking fellow to pieces.
A second round wouldn't yield a different result.
Of course, I couldn't share that experience with her, so her reaction was understandable.
And there was no way to explain it to her right now.
*I'll just have to win again and show her a definitive result.*
This was actually better.
I could finish off Kroll Karim for good in front of all these people.
*Huh? Since I'm cutting down someone who's already dead, does this count as desecrating a corpse?*
That aside, what in the world is he that he can do something I can't?
How could he return from death?
“A fight should clear things up quickly enough.”
Though my mind was filled with such questions, I brushed them aside.
I just have to beat him up again to find out.
***
*Step. Whoosh!*
In the center of the battlefield, where the two armies faced off.
As I set foot on a coincidental patch of flat ground, a dreary wind blew past.
I scanned my opponent with a dry, impassive gaze.
Kroll Karim, his face contorted in a deep scowl, ground his teeth and spoke.
“You…!”
His entire body trembled as if his blood were boiling.
The one who had ended his life was standing right before him; his rage was understandable.
*His face looks pretty messed up, though.*
Kroll Karim's face looked quite different from before.
His menacing image was unchanged, but his sunken eye sockets made him look gaunt.
His build seems the same, so why does his head look like it's just skin and bones?
I tilted my head and casually threw a question at him.
It was a leading question of sorts.
“Are you really Kroll Karim? You look completely different.”
“What?”
“Your presence isn't what it used to be, either. Feels like some stand-in sent out to keep the army together.”
As I spoke slyly with a suspicious gaze, Kroll Karim's face twisted further.
He looked as if he had no control over his emotions.
“Grrr! You rotten bastard, your disgusting silver tongue is the same as ever, I see.”
“I'm the type to pick my opponents. I don't fight guys I've already beaten.”
“What did you say?”
“It's true, isn't it? Why should I accept every challenge thrown my way? It's not like I'm some kind of saint.”
“...So you've come all this way just to refuse single combat? Your side's morale will be the one to shatter, then.”
Refusing a duel and returning was a profound dishonor.
If I were to withdraw, our fighting spirit would be crushed even more devastatingly than if I lost.
It would mean the enemy was so strong that our best fighter retreated without even trying.
It was a rather stinging point, but I shrugged as if it didn't bother me.
“That kind of thing isn't important to me. Besides, I've already achieved my initial objective.”
“Objective?”
“I defeated the Butcher of the Abyss. That's good enough for me.”
“...”
“Remember this. This isn't a game of territory. It's a war of justification.”
I made Kroll Karim, who was burning with vengeful spirit, face reality.
Hit with a heavy dose of the truth, he seemed at a loss for words for a moment.
Despite his appearance, he was by no means a fool.
If he were empty-headed, he never would have reached such a level in the first place.
He would probably grasp the true meaning of my words soon enough.
“You're not an imperial citizen, so you can just pull out if things get rough. Is that it?”
“See? You get it when you try. Should've used your head sooner.”
“Fine. I'll concede that much. But what if I... were to throw everything away and stand in your way?”
A dark blue will-o'-the-wisp was now blooming in Kroll Karim's eyes.
It was a phenomenon where seething killing intent manifested itself through the power of aura.
But in that very instant, I sensed a grave dissonance.
*The nature of it is different.*
His aura and swordsmanship had been rough and savage beyond compare.
Like other powerful warriors, I could clearly feel that his energy was alive.
But what about now?
The aura of death emanating from the ghostly fire.
It was decidedly not of a living person.
*I'm sure I've seen something similar before... Ah! The Tomb of the Bronze Tyrant!*
A memory suddenly surfaced, and I narrowed my eyes.
I'd fought a fierce battle against a Death Knight in the basement of the Pennant New Villa district.
With the not-so-helpful Sophia, no less.
Exploring a dungeon alone with a pretty mage... what a pleasant and beautiful memory it was.
Anyway, that guy...
“He's dead.”
The words I'd muttered inadvertently flew like a dagger and struck home.
At that, a subtle change occurred in the ghostly fire manifesting in Kroll Karim's eyes.
The dark blue flame flickered violently for a moment.
“...”
He said nothing.
Silence is affirmation.
I'd hit the nail on the head. What other explanation could there be?
If he argued, it would just prove I was right.
“I've changed my mind. I'll fight you, Kroll Karim.”
“...Why the sudden change?”
Until now, I had been half-turned, ready to leave at any moment.
The moment I corrected my posture, he immediately questioned me.
He seemed curious about the reason for my whim.
“Isn't it interesting?”
“What?”
“A clash with a fresh Death Knight. Heh! Isn't this the kind of juicy gossip storytellers would love?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger and shook my head.
Kroll Karim looked at me with an expression of disbelief.
He hadn't been dead for long, it seemed, as the skin on his face could still move reasonably well.
“I knew you were insane when you tried to invade on your own... but you're even crazier than I thought.”
He nonchalantly changed the subject, but it was as good as admitting he had become undead.
Though it was in a way that suggested he didn't care if it was known.
Anyway, I didn't care what he thought of me.
The truth was, I had another objective.
*This is a chance to gain a new enlightenment.*
Back when I clashed with Kroll Karim, the Nine-Ring Annihilation had a decisive impact on the fight.
But since it was the first time I'd used it in actual combat, I made a considerable number of mistakes.
There were too many to fix through review, so I hadn't really been able to refine it.
The lack of time for leisurely training also diminished the effects of my enlightenment.
*But now is different.*
Isn't this the perfect environment to use the Nine-Ring Annihilation in a real fight against a strong opponent and immediately begin training afterward?
All I have to do is return to Ermac Fortress right after the battle ends.
Like a triumphant general.
Am I being too confident of victory?
In any case, a rematch with Kroll Karim was well worth it.
“I wonder what the blade of a freshly dead man tastes like.”
“It's time for revenge, you unlucky bastard.”
“I am a bit unlucky. Haven't even had a proper romance yet.”
“That's not what I meant…”
“Whatever. When are you going to attack? You talk a lot for an undead, you know?”
“You rotten piece of shit! Who's the one who's been rambling this whole time?!”
*Drrrrrr!*
As my opponent roared and spat out curses, a powerful pressure erupted and swept through the area.
*Oh! He's properly pissed now.*
As expected, when it comes to provocation skills, I'm the best on the continent.
Isn't there some kind of verbal sparring tournament somewhere?
I could rake in the prize money.
Despite my frivolous thoughts, I calmly raised the Black Dragon Sword.
Kroll Karim's blade was already plummeting downward.
*Vwooooom—!*
Its path was so direct that it seemed easy to counter at first glance.
If I thought it was simple and tried to dodge or parry, I'd probably be split in two with a single blow.
That's how much of a brutish variation the attack contained.
*But its power has increased compared to before?*
The bizarre, air-rending sound, like a swarm of bees taking flight, was clearer than before.
It probably felt that way because it was accompanied by a more intense vibration.
Of course, that meant the butcher's knife's variation was that much more extreme.
Before, I might have tried to strike its flank to alter the sword's path.
But now, there was no need for that at all.
Why?
“Because I'm much stronger than I was then.”
With a confident smile, I stared at the opponent's sword strike rushing toward me.
Then, when the butcher's knife was nearly upon me.
I finally swung the Black Dragon Sword, which had been hanging loosely at my side.
*Wooooong—!*
Generating a pale blue ring from the tip of its blade.
“As you wish, I'll kill you one more time, you walking corpse.”