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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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Chapter 114
Of course, he was confident.
He had elite members and was himself a master-level warrior.
Even though the Anaconda was strong, they had enough strength to secure victory.
That’s why they advanced, but those grotesque beings were completely unexpected.
No way.
With his thoughts rushing, he asked:
“The mercenary corps' catastrophe a while ago… Don’t tell me it’s connected to that incident…”
“Hmm… How long are you just going to watch? My warrior is waiting.”
Before he could even think deeply, the voice of the self-proclaimed emperor in armor made the captain step forward.
“I’m ready…”
“No, don’t!!”
It was at that moment.
The red-haired, short-haired spirit summoner girl, Rebecca, ran forward with a pale face and grabbed the captain’s arm.
“Rebecca?”
“N-no! You can’t! If we fight here, we’ll all die!!”
Unlike her usual self, her terrified scream made the captain’s expression slightly frown.
“Don’t worry. I’ll definitely win.”
“T-that’s…”
Perhaps because it was so unlike her, she hesitated, and Repel approached to pull Rebecca back as if to restrain her.
“If it’s the captain’s decision, we follow. Stop this nonsense and back off, Rebecca.”
“Let me go! Something feels wrong!”
Despite her desperate attempts to stop him, the other mercenaries couldn’t relax, bracing themselves for any possibility.
“As long as there’s no interference, my warriors won’t punish you. That’s my promise.”
The emperor simply gestured nonchalantly.
At the same time, Captain Albion Vespeda and the giant stone beast warrior began their duel.
The first strike was from Captain Albion.
Sensing that the opponent was not an easy one, as Rebecca had warned, Albion’s blade showed no sign of carelessness.
Clang!! Clang!!
The speed was like a flash of light.
The aura blade, charged with destructive force, collided repeatedly with the massive stone sword, which radiated black energy, scattering strange blue sparks everywhere.
The speed gradually increased, to the point that ordinary eyes couldn’t even follow the flow of their battle.
Meanwhile, I silently fixed my gaze on the being called the emperor.
‘Librarian.’
[Confirmed.]
‘Have you seen that before?’
I hadn’t seen anything like that in any of the four halls of Labyrinthos.
Or had there been something similar?
Just as I was wondering—
An unexpected answer came.
[Yes. You have clashed with that being several times in the Hall of Swords.]
‘Me? When did I… wait. That’s…’
[Correct. It’s one of the beings you fought alone after losing and taking it as a master.]
Wow.
I didn’t recognize it because of the armor.
Out of all the beings, there was only one that matched this build.
[The Mad King of the Fallen Kingdom, Sullivan.]
If this is the Sullivan I know…
Captain Albion of Hercules, or rather, the entire mercenary corps, will die soon.
Because he’s insane.
Literally a mad king.
I don’t know the full backstory, but even his name—The Mad King of the Fallen Kingdom—suggests it.
And during my battles with him, I could tell he wasn’t in his right mind.
Not that his combat skills are lacking.
From what I remember, he’s at least one step beyond a sword master, residing in that realm, wielding his own unique powers and swordsmanship.
To this mercenary corps, he’s nothing short of a calamity.
Of course, I’ve never had a proper conversation with him.
Which only made me more curious.
What’s the criterion for the enemies I encountered in Labyrinthos?
If it’s not just species or life forms, how do you explain the existence of individual beings like this?
Even if I asked the Librarian, there wouldn’t be an answer.
Clang!! Clang!!
After several more attacks, the giant stone beast warrior staggered and retreated.
Even in such a dangerous situation, the force of a sword master—just barely stepping past the wall—wasn’t something to take lightly.
There’s a reason sword masters are called strategic weapons.
Of course, the stone beast warrior he’s facing is also presumed to be at the master level.
“No way… That thing’s holding its ground against the captain?”
“Foolish. Look closely. The captain’s biding his time.”
When a mercenary muttered in frustration, the elf youth Repel clicked his tongue and scolded him.
“It may look like an equal exchange for now, but its body is already accumulating damage. It won’t hold out much longer.”
He was right.
Crunch.
A cracking sound echoed from the stone beast warrior’s left elbow, and when Albion’s sword struck it again, the force caused it to break apart.
Thud!!
Without Albion directly cutting it, the lower part of the beast’s left arm shattered and fell off.
…No screams.
It doesn’t seem to feel pain.
And with the balance of power disrupted, such an injury would be fatal.
“Hup!”
Albion quickly closed the distance, his aura blade slicing toward the beast’s vulnerable neck.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Join our Discord for release updates!
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The stone beast warrior instinctively raised its arm to block, but its severed limb rendered the defense meaningless.
Clang!!!
The sharp aura blade struck its neck with precision.
With that, Albion beheaded it.
If the promise was kept, Albion had protected the mercenary corps.
However—
"Cap... Captain!!"
The headless body of the stone beast knight began to rise again.
Its destroyed head started gathering together and slowly regenerating.
"What the...?"
"What now? The fight isn't over yet."
At that moment, the self-proclaimed emperor, Sullivan, raised his voice.
The previous eerie, whimpering tone disappeared, replaced by a cold, almost plain voice.
At the same time, he casually removed the visor covering his face, revealing a mysterious, blue-toned lower human jawline.
Could it be that the noise in his voice was because of that visor?
A wicked grin spread across his face, matching the madness reflected in his glowing eyes through the helmet, sending shivers down everyone's spine.
"What is this... I definitely won!"
"What are you talking about? My warrior hasn't fallen yet."
"What the..."
"The condition was until one of us is completely dead. My warrior hasn't died yet."
"You cheating bastard!"
The young elf, Repel, burst out in rage and attempted to step forward.
But as the monsters near Sullivan began to stir, Albion urgently shouted.
"Everyone, stop! The condition may have changed, but defeating the enemy remains the same."
"Ho?"
"Promise me. This time, you won't go back on your word."
"Fine, I promise. I never broke my word in the first place. My warrior just doesn't die that easily."
"......"
What a despicable bastard.
It’s not like that thing resurrected on its own.
Unlike Albion, who had already spent a considerable amount of energy, the stone beast knight was fully resurrected with restored power, thanks to Sullivan's aid.
It was inevitable that a once-even match would slowly tip out of balance.
Whether Albion realized this or not, no matter how many times he tried to kill the beast, it would continue to revive, wearing him down until he reached his limits.
* * *
A chilling dread filled the surroundings.
Some of the mercenaries had already turned their heads, unable to witness the horror, while others bit down on their lips hard enough to bleed, their fists trembling with frustration.
It was a horrific sight.
Albion was covered in wounds from head to toe, drenched in blood.
Since the stone beast knight didn’t bleed, all that blood belonged to Albion.
A Swordmaster-level warrior.
A former knight commander and leader of the mercenary corps, yet he couldn’t avoid showing openings as the endless fight wore him down.
At first, it had been an even match.
The second time, he was slightly overpowered but managed to prevail with his experience.
But by the third and fourth fights, everything unraveled.
He couldn’t hold out any longer.
Albion was barely able to remain standing.
As the others looked on helplessly at this grim scene, Albion, like an automatic recorder, weakly mumbled over and over not to interfere because he could still handle it.
His vision was almost completely gone, and his ears rang so badly he couldn’t hear anything.
One arm had been crushed beyond recognition, and one leg appeared broken, leaving him unable to move properly.
His once-proud aura blade had long disappeared, leaving him unable to even fight on equal terms.
Meanwhile, the beast remained unscathed.
"Truly impressive. I didn’t expect this level of resilience. Let me change my offer a little. Join me, and I’ll spare your life."
"The lives... of others... come first."
"That won’t do."
Sullivan shrugged his shoulders as if disappointed, but the sadistic grin never left his face, clearly reveling in the situation.
At that moment, as the stone beast knight raised its weapon to strike Albion’s defenseless neck—
Whoosh!!
Suddenly, flames shot through the air, disrupting the stone beast knight’s movement.
"Stop this!!"
A tear-streaked girl with short, crimson hair, Rebecca, burst through the mercenaries and rushed forward.
She knelt beside Albion, who could no longer stand, shielding him as she cried out.
"You devil! Stop this right now! This is neither a duel nor anything close! Don’t think I didn’t notice you resurrecting that beast every time it dies!"
Being a spirit mage, it seemed her eyes could see what others couldn’t.
Of course, in hindsight, it made sense.
She had been uneasy from the start and had warned everyone against the duel.
The mercenaries looked stunned at Rebecca’s sudden outburst.
The monsters around Sullivan looked ready to move, but Sullivan lazily raised a hand to stop them.
"I."
He spoke with that same wicked grin.
"Never gave you permission to speak."
Screeech!!
Suddenly, the space behind him tore open, and a grotesque, black lightning spear shot out, hurtling toward Rebecca.
It moved so fast that no one could react.
All they could do was widen their eyes in horror.
Rebecca, sensing death, tightly shut her eyes.
But the black spear didn’t pierce her.
Another intruder had caught the spear with one hand and casually tossed it to the ground.
"I figured I’d stay out of it since I’m technically just hired help, but things get tricky if my employer dies. And I’m all about getting paid for my work."
Grinning mischievously, the newcomer’s sky-blue eyes gleamed.
"Albion, Captain of the Mercenary Corps."
"......"
Barely able to lift his head, Albion stared blankly.
"You are...?"
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Join our Discord for release updates!
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