Chapter 55: Master of Hellscape Island (9)
Rushing to face Gaiard, I knew he was vastly different from before.
‘Let’s see what’s changed.’
I swung my sword lightly.
Gaiard countered with a blood-formed blade.
―Clang!
‘So far, nothing’s different.’
The problem came next.
Five swords rose behind Gaiard, floating in the air.
‘How much blood did he consume? This isn’t something I can handle alone right now.’
The five swords attacked me from different angles.
I retreated a safe distance.
“Ugh!”
Back at Everhart’s side, I shared my impression.
“Damn, he’s insanely strong.”
“How did you even fight that? I was mad to send you.”
“He wasn’t this strong before. He’s absorbed something.”
The Gaiard I fought at the abandoned fortress was a world apart from this one.
Comparing them was almost disrespectful.
“Then I’ll step in. No more—”
“Yes, please hold him off. I need a quick breather.”
I stepped back.
Though this was what Everhart wanted, it left a bitter taste.
“Understood…”
As Everhart took the front, I caught my breath and drew out my qi.
‘I’ve burned too much stamina getting here. And I didn’t expect to face the Great Mage’s trials. I need to recover, even a little.’
I could only hope Everhart bought enough time.
But the Academy’s Head Instructor was no mere time-buyer.
“Relic of a bygone era, I’ll stop you here today.”
“Lowly species, young or old, always so talkative.”
They exchanged barbs.
Everhart infused his sword with qi, its aura twice the blade’s size.
‘The Head Instructor’s an Expert-level fighter; he won’t be easily overwhelmed. But he’s a bit fatigued, which is a problem.’
Just as Everhart was tired, Gaiard wasn’t at his peak.
Absorbing the Hydra’s blood caused cellular-level agony.
Focusing on anything drained immense stamina.
With both in less-than-ideal condition, the outcome was uncertain.
After a brief standoff, Gaiard moved first.
He sent blood into the sand, shaping it into limbs under his control.
―Ssss.
Two giant sand hands aimed to crush Everhart and those retreating behind.
“Not on my watch!”
Everhart wasn’t one to stand idle.
He swung his sword, cleanly bisecting the sand hands.
―Pshhh!
The collapsed sand formed dozens of spears.
Everhart laid his sword flat, releasing a wide sword aura.
“Hah!”
Not a sharp cut but a heavy shockwave.
The spears shattered and scattered upon impact.
Gaiard, frowning at the flying sand, raised his hand.
“Not bad. But compared to those who faced me back then, you’re far lacking.”
“And you, for all the vampire’s infamy, are pitifully weak. Just a big mosquito leeching off others’ blood, aren’t you?”
The air grew frigid.
Vampires didn’t tolerate insults from lowly species.
“…I’ll rip that mouth apart.”
Gaiard scattered blood.
It ignited, forming a flaming whip.
Caught off guard by the sudden flames, Everhart retreated.
“Ugh!”
A drop of vampire blood splashed onto his armor, melting it.
―Sizzle.
I observed closely.
‘It’s not fire melting the armor—it’s acidic venom. Did he absorb the Hydra’s blood?’
Vampires used blood as their power source.
Some could temporarily manifest the properties of absorbed blood.
In my past life, I’d heard the Hydra’s blood was a chaotic essence, impossible to refine.
It could burn or freeze unpredictably.
‘Putting it together, he definitely absorbed the Hydra’s blood.’
Likely to escape the Hydra’s stomach.
That explained the pain he was enduring.
‘He’s come prepared. One misstep, and we’re all done.’
Those boarding the ship were fending off monsters as well as Gaiard.
Their skill prevented casualties.
The issue was the byproduct of the clashes.
Blood from monster corpses.
That blood was being absorbed by Gaiard, even now.
‘In this melee, he’ll only grow stronger. Meanwhile, the Head Instructor is tiring.’
But we couldn’t stop killing monsters.
We needed a big move to turn the tide.
Something to blow away both monsters and Gaiard, even briefly.
‘The only one who can do that is the Head Instructor. If he gathers all his qi and unleashes it, we can stop that mosquito. Then we escape before the curtain falls.’
Unleashing sword aura to clear the area.
My current qi reserves weren’t enough.
It required a massive, brute-force amount of qi.
Only an Expert-level Head Instructor could manage it.
‘I’ll have to buy time again.’
I scribbled something in the sand with my foot and charged forward.
“Switch!”
“Evan!”
“Leave the front to me and handle the rear!”
My resolute gaze.
Everhart read something in my eyes.
“Got it. Hold on for a bit!”
As he retreated, he saw something written in the sand—my message.
[Gather your qi.]
Understanding, he quietly prepared, gathering qi.
Taking Everhart’s place, I stepped up.
―Clang!
Gaiard’s eyes gleamed, spotting his prey again.
“I’ve been waiting to chew your limbs to bits.”
“Try not to get eaten by the Hydra again.”
“Let’s see how long that bravado lasts. You have minutes to subdue me, or you’re as good as dead.”
“…Why?”
“Are you blind, or just ignorant? That thing behind you—it’s no ordinary curtain.”
Gaiard spoke of the curtain’s hidden secret.
“That black curtain is Ernst’s magic. If needed, it’ll seal me and the Hydra—or wipe this island off the map entirely.”
“What?”
Ernst’s final card.
The black curtain was a spell to isolate and erase the island from existence in an emergency.
‘It felt ominous, but… if that’s true, we’re running out of time.’
The descending curtain was now low enough to reach people’s heads.
Realizing its nature, my expression subtly twisted.
“Hahaha.”
“Gone mad from the truth?”
But my twisted expression gave way to a smirk as I looked at Gaiard.
My eyes held not despair but confidence.
“That means if I keep you here, you’re definitely done. Along with that Hydra approaching.”
“What?”
Gaiard turned to see the Hydra indeed approaching from afar.
“Not saying you should take your eyes off me.”
I deflected his sword and stabbed at his heart.
The blood from his heart ignited, aiming to engulf me.
It was absorbed into my blade.
As I tried to pull the sword free, Gaiard grabbed the blade, refusing to let go.
“Speaking of which, why do you have that sword?”
“You know what it is?”
“Of course. It’s the sword of the human who killed and sealed me!”
Fueled by deep resentment, Gaiard gripped the sword in rage.
I kicked him to free it.
―Clang!
“Ugh!”
But his rock-hard body only hurt my shin.
I briefly let go of the sword.
“Hup!”
With both hands free, I prepared to use martial arts.
“Pointless…”
A human’s fist couldn’t harm his hardened body.
But my hands aimed for Gaiard’s face.
―Thud!
His vision went dark.
“Argh!”
I’d jabbed both middle fingers into his eyes.
“You filthy cur!”
He flailed, tears of blood streaming.
I ducked, grabbed the sword, and yanked it free.
“Good thing your eyes aren’t as tough.”
“This petty time-buying…”
When Gaiard opened his eyes, I was already far away.
Instead, Everhart, gathering qi to unleash a sword aura, stood in view.
“Buying time is enough.”
With my words, Everhart released his sword aura.
―Boom!
The blast swept away half the beach’s sand, monsters, and Gaiard.
The shockwave uprooted dozens of nearby trees.
“Evan! Now!”
“Yes!”
But this was merely a delay, pushing Gaiard back.
We had to board the ship before the curtain fell.
‘I’m done with this wretched island.’
But I overlooked something.
Gaiard’s rage far exceeded my expectations.
He was consumed by a singular desire to kill humans, even at the cost of his body.
“Raaar!!!”
Soaring into the sky, Gaiard tore at his chest with both hands.
‘Ugh, that lunatic.’
The spilling blood sharpened into needle-like spikes.
The blood spikes dyed the sky red, almost deceptively so.
“Die, all of you.”
With Gaiard’s words, a rain of blood spikes descended on the coast.
―Thud thud thud!
I and the instructors deflected the falling spikes.
But the cadets, struck in one or two places, groaned in pain.
“Argh!”
“You idiots! Run!”
Unable to stand by, I blocked attacks from behind the cadets.
―Ting ting ting!
“Go! Let me escape too!”
Seeing everyone cross the curtain, I moved to follow.
But my feet wouldn’t budge.
‘Huh?’
The fallen blood spikes had fused with the sand, hardening.
The solidified sand gripped my feet tightly.
―Clang! Clang!
I struck with the sword’s back, but it wouldn’t break.
“Damn it!”
Those about to board turned to look at me.
“Evan!”
The curtain was now below waist level.
Crossing back to save me was madness.
Yet, not one person hesitated.
All moved to pass under the curtain to rescue me.
Then, my sword aura struck the ground before them, and my voice rang out.
“Don’t come! You’ll die! Just get on the ship!”
I thought myself selfish.
I cared only for my survival.
That’s how I wanted this life to be.
So why did the weak keep trying to protect me?
“You fools! Crossing means we all die!”
For a moment, I saw the faces of my past soldiers overlapping with those beyond the curtain.
Those who could’ve survived by fleeing across the border.
Instead, they chose to stand with me, reacting just like this.
―Captain! Escape! We’ll hold them off.
―Captain! You have to live for us!
Weaker than me, they sacrificed their lives.
Subordinates, comrades, friends—all of them.
It was a trauma for me.
I wished no one would ever try to save me again.
I was strong.
Even if I died, it didn’t matter—just don’t.
This time was no different.
“I’ll get out on my own, so board the ship!”
It was a lie.
Once the curtain closed, it would erase everything, leaving no second chance.
But I had to lie.
If I told the truth, they’d ignore me and come.
“I’ve got a plan!”
“But, Young Master!”
Jack’s voice called out.
“Jack! Get on the ship! That’s an order!”
With those words, the curtain enveloped the island.
***
As the curtain closed, my voice faded, and the interior became invisible.
“Young Master!”
Jack struck the curtain, but it didn’t budge.
“Board the ship!”
Urged by others, Jack and everyone boarded.
At that moment, the island vanished with the curtain.
―Whoosh!
Seawater rushed into the island’s void.
Everyone stared in despair, Jack’s scream echoing clearly.
“Young Master!!!”
No one answered.
Not on the ship.
Not on the island.
That day, Jack lost his master and friend.
***
A week later.
Evan’s funeral was held at Lansed Academy.