Chapter 611
Well, I’m Always Fine. (3)
The Cyclops was no different from a creature of legend. It existed, but its numbers were so few that spotting one in person was nearly impossible.
Aside from dragons, it was considered the strongest of monsters, possessing immense power and an enormous frame.
And what if someone were to take down such a monster alone?
‘Then they’d be called a Cyclops Slayer!’
Kaor had already earned the titles Ogre Slayer and Leather King of the North.
At the time, he had been quite satisfied. But now, having become a Transcendent, he felt they were somewhat lacking. He needed something more impressive, more striking.
The Cyclops was the perfect prey to satisfy that desire. Dragon Slayer was out of reach, but this? This was doable.
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang!
The Cyclops swung its club wildly, focusing solely on Kaor. It seemed thoroughly enraged, its frustration growing as Kaor continued to evade.
Kaor excelled in real combat, adept at exploiting an opponent’s weaknesses. He moved with composure, dodging the Cyclops’s attacks with ease.
And whenever an opening presented itself, he would rush in and slash with his twin swords.
Sskak! Sskak!
True to his self-proclaimed double attack power, the Cyclops’s lower body was now covered in sword wounds.
Kaor focused primarily on the tendons in its ankles. Against massive monsters like this, the first step was always to take away their mobility that was basic knowledge.
Sskak! Sskak!
His swords flashed with lightning speed.
Since becoming a Transcendent, his movements had changed slightly.
Still as wild and ferocious as ever, seemingly without form, but now, his precision was on par with Ghislain’s.
Sskak! Sskak! Sskak! Sskak!
Kaor remained steady, relentlessly targeting the Cyclops’s ankles. It would take time, but he was confident in his victory.
The onlookers, seeing how stable Kaor’s battle was, hesitated to interfere.
Gordon turned to Lucas beside him.
“Hmm… Should we step in? Looks like he’ll get it done eventually, but…”
“Wouldn’t it be faster if we just took it down together?”
“He’d throw a fit.”
“Ha… That bastard, seriously. If only he were half as mature as the old man.”
Gordon and Lucas shook their heads in exasperation, and the other knights shared their sentiment.
Gillian had no unnecessary pride. He only focused on achieving Ghislain’s goal.
Unless there was a specific reason for a one-on-one fight, he had no qualms about working with his allies in battle.
Kaor, however, was different. His desire for recognition was beyond excessive.
Everyone who knew of his foul temper simply stood by, unsure of how to proceed.
At some point, Belinda had arrived, supporting Ghislain. She clicked her tongue as she watched.
“Even after becoming a Transcendent, he’s still like that?”
Ghislain chuckled as he watched the scene unfold. That personality of his would never change.
When the war ended and Kaor became a Transcendent, Ghislain had celebrated and praised him greatly.
But with his newfound confidence, Kaor had challenged Ghislain to a rematch.
Naturally, he had been beaten so thoroughly that dust might as well have risen on a rainy day. [a]
It seemed that the humiliation from back then still lingered, and today, he was determined to slay the Cyclops and make a name for himself.
Boom! Boom! Boooom!
Dodging the Cyclops’ club, Kaor was completely focused on the battle.
‘I’ll take it down. I’ll be the one to do it. Even that old man couldn’t take it down alone, but I will.’
That would prove that he was superior to the old man, wouldn’t it?
There was nothing left in Kaor’s mind except that desire.
What was the point of becoming a Transcendent? There were so many exceptional people in the territory that his inferiority complex hadn’t faded in the slightest.
This wasn’t about the world of Transcendents who dreamed of idling away their days. This was a matter of pride.
Kaor’s concentration had reached an astounding level. His overwhelming desire was pushing him forward.
Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash!
The Cyclops’ ankles had been cut so many times that the bone was now visible.
Kraaaah!
The Cyclops groaned in agony and collapsed to its knees. Now, all he had to do was circle around it and target its arms and torso.
Hoo, I can do this!
Kaor had already used more than half of his mana and was fairly exhausted. But he was confident.
If he just kept this up, it would take some time, but in the end, he would win.
Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash!
Kaor unleashed attacks with even greater focus than ever before.
The Cyclops’ movements were slowing down more and more. The more sluggish it became, the more Kaor’s heart burned with excitement.
Just a little more!
His body suddenly felt lighter. It was as if a surge of strength was welling up within him.
Kraaaaah!
The Cyclops swung its club at the approaching Kaor.
Kwaaaang!
The earth trembled and cracked. But Kaor swiftly dodged, his eyes gleaming.
Now’s my chance!
If he got close, he could even cut its throat. Kaor dashed forward with everything he had.
The end was in sight. At last, the birth of the great Cyclops Slayer was upon him.
Even if he couldn’t cut it down in one strike, he could still deal a fatal wound. Grinning with exhilaration, Kaor gripped his twin swords tightly.
Watching him, Ghislain clicked his tongue.
“Tsk, tsk, there he goes again.”
The battle wasn’t over until it was truly over. He could see the excitement written all over Kaor’s face just because he had the upper hand.
And that was when things were the most dangerous. The Cyclops wasn’t a mindless monster.
Sure enough, the Cyclops suddenly swung its club sideways in a sweeping motion.
“Huh?”
Kaor flinched in shock. This was completely different from the Cyclops’ previous attack patterns.
A massive club came rushing in from the side, so large it filled his entire field of vision.
There was no room to dodge. With his life on the line, Kaor desperately channeled all his mana to reinforce his body.
I-I’m dead!
If that hit him, he would die for sure. He could feel it instinctively.
Jerome and Vanessa, startled, cast shields around him. At the same time, Julien swung his sword, slashing at the Cyclops' arm.
Their actions were swift and precise, but everyone was already exhausted.
Because of that, they couldn’t completely block the Cyclops’ powerful attack.
Kwaaaang!
“Keghhh!”
Crunch!
Kaor's arm and ribs shattered as the club struck him.
Even after weakening the blow by cutting the Cyclops' arm and blocking with a shield, the damage was still this severe.
For a brief moment, flashes of his past raced through his mind.
Ah... I think this happened before too…
Back when he fought the Twin-Headed Ogre, he had nearly died in a similar way.
But this was completely different. It felt like his entire side had been utterly crushed. Even if he didn’t take another hit, he might still die.
…I’m screwed.
The pain was unbearable, and his mind turned hazy. Suddenly, he regretted acting so recklessly. If he collapsed now, he wouldn’t even be able to dodge the next attack.
With that thought, he was sent flying through the air.
Kaaaargh!
The Cyclops let out a triumphant roar.
Despite the interference, it had finally managed to land a blow on that pesky human. If the strike had landed perfectly, the human would’ve died instantly, what a shame.
But it didn’t matter. The human lay motionless on the ground, unable to get up. All that was left was to finish him off.
The Cyclops twisted its body, preparing to crush him. He had been flung far away, but a few steps would be enough to pin him down.
There were still other humans around. It planned to wipe them all out.
Kaaaaak!
The Cyclops lifted its upper body high. Walking properly was difficult, but killing the humans in front of it wouldn’t be a challenge.
Lying on the ground in agony, Kaor mumbled weakly.
“…Help me.”
“……”
The others looked at him with disappointment.
Kaor was Kaor, after all.
The Cyclops was certainly a formidable monster, but this place was filled with powerful warriors.
There were no other major monsters left. The fortress forces were already clearing out the remaining stragglers.
As soon as Kaor cried for help, everyone except for Ghislain sprang into action.
Kwaaaang!
A barrage of spells crashed into the Cyclops’ body first. Immediately after, Julien and Gillian’s swords, along with Belinda’s daggers, mercilessly tore into its flesh.
Kaaaaak!
The Cyclops flailed its club wildly in agony, but not a single one of them was hit.
With so many people attacking in turns, the exhausted Cyclops began to wheeze. Its movements slowed even further.
The Fenris Knights surged in, filling the gaps.
Thwack! Smash! Boom!
Kraaaah…
Thud!
Before long, the Cyclops collapsed, reduced to nothing more than minced meat.
Kaor had exhausted it by running wild, but with so many skilled fighters attacking at once, the battle ended quickly.
Watching from where he sat, Ghislain chuckled.
"Finally, it’s over. Good work, everyone."
They had arrived late after hunting down the enemy mages. Had they been any later, the front-line fortress might have fallen, leading to devastating losses.
Fortunately, they had made it just in time.
At Ghislain’s declaration, a thunderous cheer erupted.
"Yaaaaahhh!"
"We won!"
"We survived! We actually survived! We killed all those monsters!"
The fortress troops were ecstatic. Having come so close to death, it was impossible not to feel joy at their survival.
However, the pure elation didn’t last long. Soon, many began mourning their fallen comrades.
This Monster Wave had been truly horrific, something they never wanted to experience again.
At that moment, Marquis Alperen rushed over with the priests and called out.
"Your Grace! Are you all right?"
The priests surrounded Ghislain, radiating divine energy. But Ghislain waved his hand with a smile.
"I'm always fine. Take care of that guy first."
Kaor was being carried away on a stretcher.
In the end, he had failed to obtain the title and fame he desired. All he had gained was yet another humiliation.
The priests hurried over and channeled divine power into Kaor. He turned onto his side, burying his face into the stretcher.
His determination to avoid showing his face was painfully obvious.
Belinda, walking beside him, clicked her tongue.
"If you were going to be embarrassed, you shouldn’t have done it in the first place."
"……."
Kaor said nothing. He refused to turn his head.
But somehow, the area around his buried face seemed suspiciously damp.
Alfoi, watching from the side, snickered.
"This bastard’s crying, isn’t he? Hey, are you crying?"
"……."
Kaor remained silent, only waving his hand irritably. It was a clear signal to move faster.
The soldiers carrying the stretcher picked up their pace, walking briskly.
Alfoi, however, continued to follow, teasing him.
"Hey, I asked if you’re crying! Are you seriously crying right now?"
"……."
Kaor never lifted his head, refusing to answer.
Meanwhile, after receiving a quick round of treatment, Ghislain stood up.
Marquis Alperen spoke up.
"You've done an excellent job. For now, you should tend to your wounds and rest."
Ghislain immediately shook his head.
"We need to move to another location at once. We can rest on the way."
"But everyone must be exhausted…"
"This was just the first battle because this is the front-line fortress. Soon, monsters will attack the other fortresses. We need to get there first."
"Hmm…"
"It'll be tough, but we have no choice. We must reorganize the troops immediately and move out."
Marquis Alperen nodded.
They had come here to stop the Monster Wave in the first place. Just because they had defended this fortress didn't mean it was over. They had to protect the other fortresses as well.
However, everyone was utterly exhausted. If they marched right away, the burden would be immense.
Ugh… Do we really have to deal with another Monster Wave?
Having experienced it firsthand, Marquis Alperen was completely fed up. The soldiers were trembling with fear.
If they were ordered to fight again, some might desert. In fact, it would be stranger if none did.
Even he felt tempted to abandon everything and return to the capital.
As if sensing his concerns, Ghislain chuckled and spoke.
"This was the most dangerous battlefield, where we had to fight the fiercest battle. The other locations will have more monsters than usual, but they'll be much easier in comparison. Plus, the mages will be splitting up to reinforce them. There’s no need to worry too much."
"Haha… I wasn’t that worried."
Marquis Alperen nodded, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. Still, it was a relief to hear that things wouldn’t be as bad as this place.
Besides, this time, Transcendents and mages would be fighting alongside them. That made it manageable.
"In that case… could you personally address the soldiers? I believe your words would boost their morale far better than mine."
"Of course, that's not a problem."
Ghislain mounted Black King and rode confidently to the front of the soldiers. His body ached all over, but he didn’t show it at all.
Black King, as if used to such situations, arrogantly lifted its head high.
Then, in a firm voice, Ghislain declared,
"We must immediately head to another fortress for reinforcement! It will be exhausting and frightening, but do not worry! The number of monsters will be far fewer than here, and the mages and Transcendents who fought alongside us will be there to assist!"
The soldiers’ expressions darkened slightly. The current situation was already unbearable.
Sensing their hesitation, Ghislain smiled warmly and continued.
"Just a little more strength, everyone! The rear fortresses have ample supplies, weapons, and reinforcements! You won’t have to suffer as much as you did here! Once we arrive, you will be given plenty of time to rest!"
The soldiers forced smiles. If the next battle had fewer monsters, it seemed doable. Plus, the other fortresses had fresh troops ready to fight.
Still, they were exhausted. They desperately wanted to rest. That was simply unavoidable.
Ghislain knew exactly how drained the soldiers were. It would be strange if they weren’t exhausted after such a battle.
But he also knew exactly how to rekindle their fighting spirit at a time like this.
"I swear on my name! To all of you who have fought harder than anyone else… the moment the battle is over, I will immediately grant each of you a reward equivalent to three years' wages!"
No matter the state of the treasury, rewarding the troops was always the first priority.
[a]I don't understand