Chapter 72: The Knight Goes Against the Season (2)

…Even until now, Derrick still couldn’t understand.

What did the knight see in him that made him believe his words?

No, believing his words was one thing, but what drove him to fight with all his might like that?

It would have been easier if he just ran away…

Anyone else who was in the same shoes as him would just run away in fear when facing such a giant. That was how a normal human being would react, after all.

But, instead of giving up and running away, the knight was wielding his sword on the most dangerous front.

Just, what made him do such a thing…?

Was it bravery…?

-Huh? You don’t know the answer to that? I see you’re the book-smart kind of person, huh?

The one who answered all his questions was a girl with amethyst-coloured eyes.

-Fighting isn’t all about bravery. People always fight to protect something. There are moments where their backs are up against a wall, and in that situation, they’ll either give up and die, or struggle to resist. That person you mentioned is probably the latter’s case. However, he isn’t someone who’ll just resist blindly…

“He is resisting with all his might.”

Derrick watched the battle between a certain man and a monster, recalling the words of the wisest and most trustworthy girl he knew.

As he watched the desperate battle…

“Young lady… No matter how I look at it, the only one who is struggling is me… That person is just…”

Brave.

Derrick muttered softly before he fell down exhausted. As he stared at the knight, he prayed with all his heart…

I hope… this would help, even a little…

“…Status Window Guy?”

For a moment there, Lee Han could feel the miraculous effect brought by the countless flower petals falling from the sky.

In the next moment, he felt another feeling: the determination of the gray-haired boy who had poured out all of his desires and courage he desperately gathered to take an action on his own for the first time.

Feeling that, Lee Han…

[[Haaaaaaa!!!]]

Swung his swords fiercer than ever, while letting out a powerful roar filled with his fighting spirit.

The Ghost King was completely taken aback by the powerful Lion’s Roar and Lee Han’s quick attack. It was forced to take a step back.

With just that swing, he was able to make the gigantic Ghost King take a step back. This achievement was akin to an ant making a human take a step back.

However, Lee Han didn’t do that to achieve such a thing. Instead, he wanted to make sure that the timid guy’s action—the fruit of him showing his courage for the first time—didn’t end up in vain.

Like that…

Crackle-!

Countless needles that resembled flower petals rained down from the sky.

Bang-! Bang-! Bang-!

The flower petal-shaped dark energy densely filled the air before bursting apart, turning into large needles that rained down like rain.

Roughly ten thousand, or maybe even more of those needles fell down. However, none of those needles targeted the humans below. Even if those needles somehow reached the skin of a human, it wouldn’t hurt them. After all, these needles would only hurt the evil monsters.

“Sky Full Of Flower Rain.”

It was a magnificent sight that made Lee Han unconsciously think about a certain family who was adept in using poison and secret weapons¹ in Kangho².

As expected…

[Ugh… Ugh!!]

[Ga…?!]

[!!?!]

[Aaaa…!]

Its power was also magnificent.

The needles that poured down like a shower, targeted all the monsters and granted them painful deaths. They didn’t only strike the gnolls that the cadets were fighting against, but also the Ghost King. Those needles crushed skulls, pierced necks, and hearts.

Instead of needles, they were more like claymores falling from the sky.

However, unlike claymores…

“You punk, you’ve been hiding such a fraudulent skill.”

Woong-!

The moment Lee Han was hit by the needle, his body felt significantly better, as his stamina and injuries were healed a little. When he felt the effect, he could immediately tell that this was a buffing skill.

In other words, the skill would turn into a damage skill if it hit the enemies, and turn into a buffing skill if it hit the allies.

Where else would he find a fraudulent skill as good as this?

But of course…

It’s not without flaws.

He could tell the moment he felt the presence of the fainting status window guy. The poor guy must have used all of his strength to use this skill. In other words, this skill had a terrible cost efficiency, as the user would faint after using it once.

But, it’s enough.

Nevertheless, it had fulfilled its role: it gave Lee Han time to catch his breath and rest. It was pretty much the equivalent of a drop of rain in a drought that came while someone was having difficulty breathing.

With that drop of rain, a satisfying feeling accompanied it.

But, that wasn’t what Lee Han liked the most about it. Instead…

[━━]

“Are you bothered by it? Well, what are you expecting me to do about it, huh?”

[??]

“Also, it’s not over yet.”

Swish-!

As soon as Lee Han finished speaking, the lake’s water gushed out. The water surged up high, as if an Imoogi³ had finished its training and was about to ascend. Even if Lee Han was the one who got caught in that current, he wouldn’t be able to get out of it easily. That was how dangerous and overwhelming that current of water was.

“Don’t bother our instructor!”

Irene Windler.

The most brilliant talent of this generation; her talent was even better than Roen’s. And now, the girl who had enough talent to become the greatest mage of the century unleashed her magic.

It was a water magic filled with a huge amount of magical power.

However, she wasn’t done yet. Hovering around her, the ghost girl moved her mouth, and…

Whoosh-!

Recited a spell to combine wind magic with water magic.

Creating a dual attribute magic.

Not only did the ghost make it possible for Irene to unleash a dual attribute magic, she also protected the girl.

In the eyes of the others though, it was a miraculous moment where an individual unleashed two different attributes at the same time.

“C-Crazy…!”

Such a sight was so ridiculous that even Odwal screamed out.

In the eyes of other magicians, her talent was something that had transcended common sense. They couldn’t explain it as anything but mystical ability.

And that scary magic…

“Go!”

Headed toward the monster that had tormented the person who the girl considered as precious.

What was created through that combination of water and wind magic was a small [Tornado].

It was merely a small tornado, but a tornado was still a tornado. The moment it struck the Ghost King…

Bang-!

The surroundings turned silent.

“…Now that I think about it, our chick next door isn’t a normal chick. She’s a phoenix chick.”

Lee Han let out a sigh mixed with admiration. Never in his life did he expect that he’d receive such great help from a magic freak. Although he always unconsciously expressed his dislike for those guys, at this moment, his gratitude toward the girl was genuine.

Thanks to the girl who poured all of her effort into this blow, he was able to get some leeway. And so, he decided to use that precious leeway in the most productive way.

The kids are working hard, but they’re starting to lose their grip.

He decided to pull out the ‘secret move’ he had prepared.

A small tornado engulfed the Ghost King.

The massive mass of flowing water compressed by magic power was something that no living creature could fight against. In fact, the Ghost King was trapped by it, as if it was a narrow cage made of magic, unable to move. Not only that, the nature of the magic being water made it felt as if it was undergoing a water torture.

[—–]

The rotating water didn’t only hold the Ghost King in place, but also wounded it using its powerful rotational force. From the look of it, it didn’t seem strange if it would completely grind its body.

It was practically a mixer made of water. Once caught, one would never be able to escape until their body was torn to pieces. In other words, only death awaited those who were caught by it.

Such an overwhelming force really wasn’t something that one could have ever imagined to come from an individual.

However, casting such a mighty magic didn’t come without a price…

[Arin, hang in there! Just a bit more!]

“Haaa… Haa…”

No matter how talented she was, sustaining that much magic power for long was still an extremely difficult thing to do. Irene’s whole body was trembling greatly, and she was on the verge of fainting. If she hadn’t been forced to undergo physical training after meeting Lee Han, she would’ve collapsed on the spot without being able to hold out.

[See? I told you! Stamina is important!]

Is that something you should say in this kind of situation?!

Irene felt like she would go crazy at any moment.

Just how did the instructor fight against that kind of monster?!

Crazy, crazy! Is this what a real monster looks like?!

Its resistance was simply extraordinary. Well, if that was the only thing going for it, it would be one thing, but the monster…

Roar-!

Was clearly trying to go against the tornado.

Thump-! Thump-!

Normal monster wouldn’t be able to do that since its body would just be torn apart, but this one…

Even if its body was torn, it would be able to regenerate. The pressure coming from the water was extremely heavy, but it seemed like the monster could just break through it with its brute strength.

In other words, this monster…

Was the kind of being who was able to solve most of the world’s problems that were deemed as impossible to solve with its extremely powerful body.

Step by step, just like in a horror movie, it tried to escape the tornado and attack her. As if it was trying to tell her that it would definitely repay her for what she had done to it,

“I-I can’t—! I-I’m dying…”

[Arin-?!]

Irene’s eyes rolled back as she reached her limit.

I can’t…anymore…

Thud-!

“You’ve worked hard.”

“…Instructor?”

“Thank you. I’ll repay this debt later.”

“…”

Irene looked at him, as if forgetting about her exhaustion. The moment she heard him expressing his gratitude along with encouragement towards her, her heart was filled with relief. She could pass out now, it would be okay.

But…

“Y-You need to buy me an expensive meal later…”

“I will”

“I-It’s going to be something really expensive, just wait… Hehehe…”

The girl let out a bashful giggle and fell down while looking straight into his confident eyes.

Thud-!

Lee Han slowly put the girl—who wasn’t as light as a feather anymore, but she was still barely weightless—down. It was such a gentlemanly attitude.

However despite that gesture, both of his sharp eyes were still fixed on the Ghost King.

Creaaaaak-!

Producing a sound that was similar to a blackboard being scratched, Lee Han could see the monster pushing its way through the weakened tornado. Such a display made him understand why this creature was treated as a living natural disaster.

“I admit it. You are strong.”

Lee Han had tried countless methods to kill it.

A Sun Piercing Attack that was accompanied by explosives.

Large harpoons.

The unexpected helps from the status window guy’s skill and mage girl.

However, even after using all these methods, the monster still refused to die.

He had no choice but to admit it now. The monster was strong, and it wasn’t something that someone as weak as him could defeat.

However…

“I will subdue you.”

While he might not be able to kill it, subduing it was a different story. It might sound like an absurd declaration, but Lee Han was someone who never uttered empty words.

Thud-! Thud-!

Lee Han’s body slowly rotated.

His body gently waved as it moved, his face turned languid as his body relaxed. It was a lethargic swordsmanship, completely different from his previous energetic appearance.

This is enough for now.

However, his eyes were clearer than ever, his concentration was also sharper than ever.

A few days ago, Lee Han came to a realization while swinging his pickaxe in the quarry without rest.

‘Strength’ wasn’t something that came only when he applied his strength. It sounded like a paradox, or even nonsense, but that was what he came to realize. Strength didn’t necessarily mean something that the body possessed.

Strength is everywhere.

There was strength in the rotating air currents, the blowing winds, even in songs and the sound of instruments.

It was also the same for pickaxing. The pickaxe he swung ‘back then’ was the weakest one he had ever swung in his life, yet it still managed to split the rock like a sharp sword.

Indeed, it didn’t break the rock, it cut it. It was a technique that came to life as the pickaxe consumed all the power of the iron at once.

The revelation he had wasn’t something grand like Become One with the Sword. Instead, it was just something that made him know that the weapon he wielded was actually sharper and more powerful than it looked.

And from that realization, he…

Crackle-!

Formed a sword energy.

Human-shaped Sword energy.

This was something that Roen had showcased previously, the thing that would bring out a new era in the world of Combat Techniques.

However, this sword energy was different from the coercive sword energy the young master showed. Moreover, his sword energy was forcefully created by combining various things and his innate talent.

Lee Han’s sword energy was not like that. He simply unleashed the potential of a weapon made of iron. Even though the principle was similar, since he had come to understand the sword in more depth, the sword responded to the will of its master and the sword energy swayed with light.

Crackle-!

[???]

After barely escaping the tornado, an optical illusion appeared again in the Ghost King’s eyes.

[…Flower?]

Indeed, these were flowers. However, it was completely different from the flower-shaped needles that attacked it before, they were flowers in the true sense of the word.

However, these weren’t the flowers that were supposed to bloom this season. Instead, these flowers resembled the petals of a fruit that bloomed and disappeared in spring.

As if the mage used her magic once again…

“I can’t do the Six Combination Sword Technique, but I can make plum blossoms bloom. It’s really strange.”

The flowers that resembled plum blossoms bloomed around the creature.

[…]

The Ghost King didn’t even think about avoiding that sword energy that resembled flower petals. After all, the sword energy possessed a beauty that was so dazzling that could even captivate the Ghost King.

It truly was beautiful.

Even though it wasn’t a real flower, merely sword energy in the shape of it, those who saw were strangely captivated.

The Ghost King had never seen this kind of thing before. Even those who had dared to attack him a thousand years ago had never showed it anything like that.

As it was standing there, dazzled by the plum blossoms…

Thud.

[?]

It ended up unable to do anything but to watch as the petals pierced its flesh and penetrated its skin.

Those petals aren’t weak, you know?

With a haggard face, its prey muttered. He looked as if he had used everything he had this time.

Pssshhh-!

The sword that produced the blooming sword energy completely spent its lifespan and turned into dust. Everything required a price and the sword had done its job for its master.

Likewise, the master also didn’t have the energy to move a finger after the flower bloomed.

Because it was just that kind of technique.

Nevertheless, there was a satisfied look on his face.

It’s a pretty good piece of art, isn’t it?

Slash-!

Slash-!

Slash-!

He watched as the piece he had bloomed dug into the body of the Ghost King.

[!!!!!]

The Ghost King’s body flipped over. It rolled on the floor, letting out a groan that turned into a scream.

It was the first time it had ever reacted dramatically to an attack, but there was nothing it could do. After all, these sword energy petals just pierced its flesh and dug into every nook and cranny of its body.

They repeatedly stabbed, cut, and dug through its organs. Any living creature with a sense of pain would find it difficult to endure that kind of pain.

One could say that it was currently experiencing what a torture in hell felt like.

“…I told you, I’m going to subdue you.”

While the attack wouldn’t be able to kill it since the monster’s regeneration ability was a mystical ability that could even be called a cheat, it would hurt the monster as much as its regeneration healed it.

Back when he was young, Lee Han had experienced this kind of pain, the pain that was created by a blade that was constantly moving inside of him, thanks to a certain mage’s torture.

After being subjected to such treatment, his stamina would be exhausted and he couldn’t even think about getting up.

Unfortunately…

[You… You… So… Sorcery!]

Kuung-!

Such a thing didn’t apply to the monster.

The Ghost King stood up, prompting a bitter smile from Lee Han.

Sure, I get it that people called it immortal, but they never said that it has endless stamina…

I was spent after experiencing that kind of pain, but this fucker…

At this point, Lee Han had grown sick of this monster. Its cockroach-like persistence was too much for him to handle.

“…Fine. I lost, you punk.”

And so, Lee Han meekly admitted his defeat. The creature was indeed something that he couldn’t beat in his current state.

A transcendent life form, a ‘Monster’.

Natural disaster, Demon King.

These weren’t merely titles, but the truth. He could genuinely see now that this monster was really the one who caused an ancient kingdom to disappear overnight.

Thump-! Thump-!

[K… Kill… You…!!!]

The Ghost King trudged towards him in order to eat him. Meanwhile, Lee Han, unable to move even a finger, just stared at it while leaning against a tree.

Fortunately, the monster didn’t touch Irene or Derrick, who were nearby, or the fish in the lake, and focused only on him.

“…Do you want to eat me that badly?”

[Grrr!!!]

Lee Han snickered as he saw its bloodshot eyes. It was as if the creature was trying to tell him, ‘What’s the point of asking that question?’.

Just as Lee Han had lamented before, he really was popular with these strange beings.

Realizing this once again, he shrugged his shoulders.

“Eating something like me wouldn’t even fill you up, don’t you think?”

[K… Kill… You!]

“This guy keeps on repeating ‘Kill you, kill you,’ over and over. Guess he’s heard those words so many times that he learned how to use it properly. What do you think about that, old man?”

[…?]

In that split second, the monster realized that something was strange.

Who is this little creature talking to?

The moment such a question appeared in its mind…

“I see you’ve created another bizarre technique, but it’s actually a decent one this time. Once you completed it, I could see that it would be hard for me to deal with it, haha!”

…Since when did another little creature appear?

“Don’t you think you are a little too late?”

“Sorry. I can’t just leave the castle unprotected.”

“Hah, so that means you’d rather left everyone here to die, huh?”

“Of course not. I trusted you.”

“Don’t give me that crap! Your bullshit won’t work on me.”

“I told you my honest feelings and you still didn’t believe me. What did I ever do wrong to you?”

The two of them started talking peacefully, ignoring the Ghost King completely.

[GAA!!]

Seeing this, the Ghost King roared in anger.

How dare they ignore me!

However, no one paid any attention to the Ghost King’s anger.

“What a dumb creature. Why does it do something so foolish when its life has already ended?”

The Ghost King tried to move forward, but then it realized… Its legs weren’t there anymore…

Slash-! Slash-!

It was ‘cut off’.

They had been separated from its body.

But its legs weren’t the only thing that were separated.

Thud-! Thud-!

[G… R… !]

Its neck also fell to the ground.

Still not understanding what had happened to it, the Ghost King glared at the new human. It wasn’t that it couldn’t even close his eyes because he felt so wronged, it just didn’t realize that its head had been cut.

The Ghost King…

[—–]

Before it could even utter a single word, the light in its eyes already faded away.

“…Why the fuck did people keep calling me a monster again?”

This guy in front of me is the true monster here!

Lee Han was sick of his skills. He didn’t even know when he swung his sword. All he knew was that the man just shook his head lightly, and the Ghost King was already torn to pieces.

Guess it’ll take a while before I can defeat this man…

Baltar Grace.

He was the strongest knight and one of the superhumans of the kingdom.

The Ghost King’s only mistake was that it appeared a thousand years after it destroyed a kingdom that hosted no Aura User.

Absurd but overwhelming.

Such was the conclusion of the Monster Raid.