Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Reunion (2)
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Knight Alto knew that wolfkin.
Or rather, from his position, it was impossible not to know her.
Those blood-red eyes glaring at him as if ready to tear him apart, and the white hair.
Even though wolfkin despised wearing accessories, the red earring on her right ear matched exactly the appearance of the Red Eyes he'd heard so much about in rumors.
Seeing it, Alto felt a question arise at the same time.
It was why she, who should have settled in the north of the southern continent—in Norba Kingdom—was here.
As far as Knight Alto knew, the distance between Norba Kingdom and this place was immense.
Yet the Red Eyes stood before the knight.
'What in the world...?'
Knight Alto unknowingly experienced a choking terror, yet one part of him brimmed with endless questions.
"Gah-! Ack-!"
Soon, as she let out a beastly roar and prepared to charge again, the horde of monsters turned their grotesque cries toward Alto, drawing her gaze away. In that instant, Alto coughed harshly from his suddenly ragged breath while staring at the Red Eyes.
At her, single-handedly facing a horde of hundreds of monsters.
At the same time, epithets of the Red Eyes flashed through Alto's mind.
The Emotionless Slayer.
Hero Killer.
Mad Wolf.
Each one represented her martial prowess and was a title born from awe and fear toward her.
Naturally, even without seeing her fight, Alto believed none of those epithets were empty.
If they were baseless, tales from a small settlement near distant Norba Kingdom would never have reached his ears across such vast distance.
Moreover, the Red Eyes before his eyes fully embodied those titles as a beastkin.
Just locking eyes with her had already made him realize.
That monster spewing rage toward him could easily kill someone of his caliber—perhaps on par with Kalan's Five Swords.
However, amid the terror of being targeted by such a powerhouse, the reason Alto could maintain some composure and continue thinking was singular.
'There's no way she can hold them off alone.'
He didn't know why, but the Red Eyes seemed to have appeared to protect this empty territory's lord. Yet a Labyrinth Break wasn't something one person could stop.
Just the monsters visible to him numbered in the hundreds, including some that even heroes struggled against.
To halt a Labyrinth Break required troops—and many heroes.
In the end, this wasn't a mere one-on-one battle; it was a war against monsters.
He was certain she couldn't do it alone.
"...!"
Until he witnessed the scene before his eyes.
The first thing the knight saw was the Red Eyes' body crouching entirely as she stepped on a monster corpse.
Her legs spread appropriately, ripping into the barren ground. Left hand spread wide, right hand likewise aimed at the ogre about to smash down its massive club.
"—Ravenous Wolf."
Tzzt-!
With a tiny mutter, she vanished.
As if she'd never been there to begin with.
And then.
Whoosh-!
The monsters' movements halted.
The greenskins twitching to resume their advance.
The ogre swinging its club at the Red Eyes.
The demonic beast leaking acidic fluids with eerie cries.
All of them stopped.
As if time had frozen.
And the next moment.
Tzzzzz-!
A sound like intensifying wind reached the knight's ears.
Boom-!!
With a massive explosion, the ground where she'd stood erupted, and the monsters' bodies began bursting apart in unison.
Hundreds of monster bodies exploding at once, spraying blood everywhere.
The orc's head baring fangs in frenzy.
The ogre's hand swung to strike the Red Eyes.
The troll's legs stomping in uncontained savagery.
The monsters' corpses rained from the sky.
And.
Kim Hyunwoo, gaping blankly at the scene just like the knight.
Thud-! Thud-thud-thud!
As the monsters' corpses hit the ground.
He could see Merrillda, drenched in blood from head to toe, standing there amid the notification window before his eyes.
"U-Uwaa...!"
As if they'd seen something they shouldn't have.
Kim Hyunwoo watched the knight and soldiers stumbling backward before turning tail and fleeing. He glanced at the knights running away just like him, then quietly turned to meet the gaze of Merrillda, who was looking at him.
"..."
Kim Hyunwoo had some idea of how strong the 5-star heroes he'd raised were.
He couldn't watch them fight in real-time in the game, but he could see their stats.
That's why he'd thought even one 5-star hero could resolve this.
He knew the strength of the heroes he'd secretly poured illegal night job wages—no, even unpaid loading gigs—into since his student days, fueled by cash and affection.
However. Honestly, he hadn't expected this level.
No matter how high the stats in-game, they were just simple numbers, with attacks shown as a few character animations.
So to Kim Hyunwoo, this sight was profoundly shocking.
Would you like to offer recruitment to ★★★★★☆ Hero 'King of Beasts'? Y/N
Soon, at the new notification before him, Kim Hyunwoo reached for Y without hesitation.
Of course, he had no idea how the King of Beasts—who couldn't even send messages—had come rushing to this territory.
In Arteil, where affinity dropped without gifts or actions to maintain it, there was no reason for the King of Beasts, whose affinity was likely near zero, to come here.
'Maybe even negative.'
Kim Hyunwoo, who had seen hero characters' affinities go negative after neglect ten years ago, considered it possible but didn't stop his hand.
If the King of Beasts had come after a message, it meant some conversation was possible.
So as Kim Hyunwoo moved his hand.
Whoosh-!
"..."
He couldn't help but freeze at the new notification filling his view.
The wolf with red eyes—no, Merrillda—gazed at the lord standing before her.
At her master, staring at her blankly.
"Ah."
She let out a dry gasp without thinking, looking at him.
The lord's appearance hadn't changed at all in ten years.
He'd matured somewhat with time, but that was it. In Merrillda's red pupils, he was the same man she'd seen a decade ago.
"..."
Realizing that, tears welled in Merrillda's eyes.
Not from sadness.
She was overjoyed.
She could see that hazy face again, one she'd only glimpsed in dreams.
Because the chance to reclaim the happiness she'd kicked away ten years ago had come.
Because the moment to beg forgiveness from her master had arrived.
As if her dulled emotions had been a lie, a whirlwind of complex feelings surged within Merrillda.
'I need to ask for forgiveness.'
The thought flashed through her mind, and her hands began trembling.
Her heart, unmoved by slaughtering hundreds, pounded fiercely.
Her limp tail unconsciously wrapped around her waist.
At the same time, a thought crossed Merrillda's mind.
That she was scared.
Step-
Merrillda knew her own wrongs.
She knew exactly what unforgivable thing she'd done to make the lord sick of her.
That's why she was afraid.
Afraid he might not forgive her.
Afraid of what words might come from his mouth.
...Afraid her master might reject her.
Yet Merrillda took another step forward.
Longing outweighed fear.
Step-
She missed the hand that always stroked her head.
Step-!
She wanted to see her master's troubled smile as he looked at her.
So Merrillda walked step by step until she stood before Kim Hyunwoo.
Then, another forgotten detail about the lord surfaced in her mind.
'Master's taller than I thought.'
Merrillda looked up at the lord gazing down at her—silently, but with trembling eyes.
"Th-"
A voice leaked from her lips.
"I-"
But it didn't continue.
Merrillda was confused.
She had no idea what to say in this moment.
The words and phrases she'd naturally uttered until now wouldn't form properly.
Her mind felt broken.
Worried the lord might get annoyed, tears welled up fiercely.
And in that instant.
Grasp-
Merrillda realized a warm hand rested on her head.
One she hadn't felt in ten years.
The sensation she'd longed for endlessly.
Feeling it, her previously flattened ears perked up slightly.
Her head, bowed against surging tears, lifted.
Her tail, coiled at her waist, began to sway gently.
Joy flooded her.
"Thank you."
Because the lord had said that.
As he stroked her, her heart began to race for a different reason.
However.
"But now, it's okay. You can go."
At Kim Hyunwoo's following words.
"...Huh?"
Merrillda's time stopped.
And Kim Hyunwoo.
Would you like to offer recruitment to ★★★★★☆ Hero 'King of Beasts'? Y/N
※Caution: Recruiting this hero will create hostile nations and territories.
Norba Kingdom Relations: –282
Kalan Kingdom Relations: –162
Eastern Alliance Clan Relations: –132
Sertova Territory Relations: –112
Harancia Territory Relations: –332
Altronia Territory Relations: –273
Kamia Territory Relations: –442
Ebroa Territory Relations: –263
Chelva Territory Relations: –213
Anderm Territory Relations: –733
Kehalam Territory Relations: –633
...
Norba Kingdom regards you as an arch-enemy!
Kalan Kingdom brands you an evil that must be slain unconditionally!
Eastern Alliance may place a bounty to bury your territory!
Sertova—
Harancia—
...
※You may become the continent's public enemy!
'This is a bit—'
He broke into a cold sweat at the notification windows filling his vision.