Ch.113Chapter 113 – Rampage (2)

My body moved on its own.

When the Black Dragon threw a punch, I dodged, blocked, took hits, and counterattacked.

I fought instinctively, my body moving of its own accord.

[Like a beast, indeed!]

I avoided his kick by dropping low to the ground.

Then I sprang up and crashed into his body.

We rolled across the ground together until I secured the mount position.

“Die.”

With one hand pressing down on the Black Dragon’s head, I pummeled him repeatedly with the other.

My only thought was to eliminate this irritating creature.

“…Sh-! Ke…”

In the midst of this, I heard someone calling out to someone from somewhere.

I was starting to get annoyed.

More importantly, who is this “K” they’re calling?

[You’re distracted!]

“Ah, damn it.”

I was immediately kicked in the chest and rolled backward.

While I was momentarily distracted, he had pushed me away with all his strength and kicked me.

Normally, being pinned on your stomach would make it impossible to get up, but he managed to rise through sheer force.

I rolled on the ground briefly before quickly standing up.

It was just a kick, so it didn’t particularly hurt.

Then the Black Dragon charged at me, and I crossed my arms to block.

-THUD!

A strong impact reverberated through my arms.

But it wasn’t unbearable.

I raised my arms and this time swung my fist toward him.

[Urgh!]

Finally, Yuto groaned slightly as my fist connected.

Seeing him jump backward, I immediately gave chase.

‘This technique can’t be used for long.’

I could feel a slight but increasing strain on my body, more than usual.

There was a reason he had initially fought in dragon form.

It seemed that in this armored form, he became stronger than in his dragon state, but his body tired more quickly, which is why he hadn’t used it from the start.

If that was the case, now was my chance.

My opponent had expended energy fighting and was slightly injured.

I had just activated a new power.

Even without knowing our total stamina, I could sense that I wouldn’t be at a disadvantage now.

Recognizing his unfavorable situation, purple lightning began gathering around Yuto’s arm.

[Try to withstand this!]

The lightning, formed into a sphere, began flying toward me.

He had clearly chosen magic as his trump card to overturn this disadvantageous situation.

And seeing that sphere, something came to mind.

Knowledge that hadn’t surfaced until now began emerging in my head.

“I see.”

In this form, I understood.

That was a technique similar to a dragon’s breath.

However…

“How crude.”

In my current state, I could construct a cleaner spell formation and launch it.

I quickly extended my arm, and lightning gathered in my hand as well.

Unlike the occasional red sparks that jumped from my body, this was blue lightning coalescing.

[That’s…!]

Ignoring my opponent’s surprise, I stretched out my hand, and the blue lightning shot forth.

It flew in a straight line and collided with the purple lightning sphere, momentarily stopping.

Seizing that moment, I gathered more power.

I drew in the surrounding magical energy and channeled it into the blue lightning.

[No way…!]

Whether he was surprised that I could use this too, or something else, my opponent showed a startled expression.

I could see him trying to infuse more power into his lightning sphere.

For a brief moment that felt much longer, the purple and blue lightning burned the surroundings as they struggled against each other in midair.

Then, after a short but seemingly long time, the purple lightning sphere was pierced.

The blue lightning struck his body and began to concentrate there.

[This is Pia’s…!]

Apparently, it was someone’s technique from my memories.

Regardless, I extended my hand.

“Impact.”

As I clenched my fist, the blue lightning concentrated in one spot exploded.

+

Sera and Christina hurriedly descended from the castle wall.

He who had been nearly dead suddenly rose and went wild, neutralizing the red knights before going down the wall.

For some reason, he didn’t interfere with them, and the two women quickly came down after giving him a glance.

And when they arrived, Sera and Christina were left speechless at the sight before them.

“My goodness…”

That dragon.

Kei had defeated it.

They didn’t know what had happened, but he had suddenly summoned white armor and fought the dragon evenly.

In the end, the dragon had launched a purple lightning sphere.

And Kei had gathered blue lightning and launched it.

‘How?’

Kei doesn’t know how to use magical power.

Yet he clearly just used magic.

Though she hadn’t been studying magic for long, even Sera could tell it was a clean spell formation.

Soon the two lightning bolts collided in midair, and eventually the Black Dragon was engulfed in lightning and exploded.

“…Mr. Kei.”

Looking at Kei standing alone in his white dragon-inspired armor, Sera quietly called his name.

“Thank goodness…”

Whatever had happened, his wounds had healed, and he was safe.

That was enough.

If there was any discomfort, she could heal it.

Just as Sera took a step toward Kei with this thought…

“…So.”

Kei turned around.

Sera could tell that he was looking at her with both eyes through his armor.

“Who are you?”

Sera’s thoughts momentarily froze.

“…Mr. Kei?”

“Who is that?”

The emotionless tone.

Combined with the unexpected content, Sera’s mind went blank.

Christina too was just staring at Kei with a shocked expression.

Something was wrong.

Something was very wrong.

Kei, in his white armor, began slowly approaching.

And Sera unconsciously took a small step back.

It was not a friendly approach.

And those steps were coming toward her.

‘I need to stop him…’

Right now, she needed to stop him somehow.

Sera was certain that whatever change had occurred in his body was having a negative effect on him.

‘How…?’

Could Christina stop him?

‘No.’

Christina’s holy magic, while not weak, was certainly insufficient to stop Kei in his current state.

What about Beatrice?

“SOMNUUUUS!!!”

Hearing Beatrice’s anguished cry from a distance, Sera immediately judged that calling her would also be impossible.

She would have to learn the details later, but Beatrice had completely transformed upon seeing Somnus and was charging at him with murderous intent.

At least Somnus seemed focused on dodging her, so there was less worry about him intervening suddenly…

‘There’s no way…’

In this situation, Sera had no physical means to stop Kei.

Just as Kei was about to charge at Sera, he stopped and turned his gaze.

Sera slowly turned her head as well.

-Step

It was the light sound of someone treading on the ground.

A platinum-haired man began approaching slowly.

“And who are you?”

Kei shifted his attention from Sera.

The platinum-haired man, Idea, was slowly approaching Kei.

For a moment, the two just glared at each other.

Then.

“I don’t like you.”

With those words, Kei vanished.

Instantly appearing in front of Idea, Kei extended his fist as Idea thrust out his sword.

-CLANG!

The fist was easily blocked.

But as if anticipating this, Kei changed his stance and delivered a kick, causing Idea to block with his sword and slide backward.

The two began to clash.

Fists and kicks were extended, and the sword was swung.

The speed was almost imperceptible to Sera’s eyes.

‘Too fast…!’

It was difficult to help Kei.

Her skills couldn’t keep up with their speed.

Glancing at Christina, she saw her shaking her head, indicating that intervention was impossible for her as well.

For a while, only the sounds of kicks, punches, and sword clashes echoed around them.

After fighting for some time, the two distanced themselves from each other.

“Urgh!”

Suddenly, Kei twisted in pain.

“When did…!”

Looking at his abdominal armor, there was a horizontal slash mark.

During their invisible exchange, the platinum-haired man’s sword had clearly cut through the armor.

“Mr. Kei!”

Sera quickly called his name, but it was too late as the platinum-haired man began to move.

His melancholic gray eyes were briefly visible, and Kei could be seen quickly surrounding himself with magical power.

“Such crude movements.”

That was all the man said.

In an instant, the armor was cut, and blood began to flow.

Of course, Kei resisted, but each time, the man blocked the attacks by twisting his sword at peculiar angles.

“Such simple attacks won’t work.”

The nature of the fight had changed.

From an exchange of blows, it had shifted to the man deflecting all of Kei’s attacks and delivering counters.

“With movements that rely solely on instinct, you cannot block my sword.”

The man spoke calmly.

Gradually, Kei’s armor began to show more and more damage.

And once those damages reached a certain level, the armor disappeared as if it had reached its limit.

“Oh no…”

As Kei exclaimed in dismay, the man drove the hilt of his sword into Kei’s abdomen.

As Kei bent over with a groan, the man grabbed him by the neck and lifted him.

“I was surprised when you suddenly started using the dragon’s power.”

Silently, Kei tried to attack the platinum-haired man with his fist.

The man slammed Kei hard onto the ground to neutralize him, then lifted him again.

“In the end, a test subject is only capable of this much, I suppose.”

The man began repeatedly slamming Kei hard onto the ground.

As if intending to kill him outright, over and over.

Kei’s body continued to be slammed into the ground without much resistance.

After several such impacts, as if preparing for the final blow, the man lifted Kei and gathered his strength.

“Clay Shield!”

Just as he was about to throw Kei down again, Sera used her magic.

She summoned a mud shield to catch Kei’s body.

Following the user’s will, the shield gently received Kei’s body, then hardened to prevent further impact.

As his arm became embedded in the mud shield, the platinum-haired man looked up to find the cause.

“What are you doing, woman?”

Sera extended her staff and met his gaze.

“Get away from Mr. Kei!”

Sera fired a Magic Missile at the man.

The man released Kei and deflected the Magic Missile with his sword.

In that moment, Sera quickly checked Kei’s condition.

‘He’s unconscious.’

Blood was flowing from his head; it seemed he had lost consciousness again during the impacts.

Sera deactivated the Clay Shield and held Kei in her arms.

Just as the man was about to charge at Sera…

“‘Protect the Young Lamb’!”

Christina’s shield of light interfered with his path.

With a light swing of his sword, he cut the shield in two and looked ahead.

“…Is this the connection formed by that test subject?”

Looking at Sera and Christina, the man seemed momentarily lost in thought.

Then, his body briefly disappeared.

“Huh…”

“You’re in the way, priestess.”

With the sound of something being kicked, Christina was sent flying.

Without even a chance to scream, Christina rolled across the ground.

“Chris!”

Just as Sera tried to rush to Christina, she was lifted up.

The platinum-haired man had grabbed and lifted her.

“Let go of me!”

She struck down with all her might, but the man merely flinched slightly.

He just stared at Sera with an expressionless gaze.

‘What is…’

His eyes were frighteningly empty.

Eyes that seemed to have lost many precious things.

Looking into those empty gray eyes, Sera was momentarily terrified.

“Why didn’t you abandon him?”

The man quietly spoke.

“How could I abandon him!”

As if wanting to forget her fear, Sera shouted.

“If you had abandoned him, you might have lived.”

“There are things you shouldn’t abandon if they’re as precious as life, or even more so!”

Forgetting her fear, Sera shouted what seemed to be her deepest thoughts.

And in that moment, Sera realized she had touched something.

There was a slight change in the man’s empty eyes.

His pupils flickered slightly.

Eyes that seemed unwilling to acknowledge something.

And just as he was about to raise his sword…

“No…!”

“Chris!”

Christina grabbed the man’s leg with her arms.

Her priestly robes were a mess, as if she had crawled across the ground.

The man looked down at her with empty eyes.

And just as he was about to raise his other leg as if to step on Christina’s head…

-SWOOSH!

Suddenly, the man released Sera and jumped far back.

“Hmm.”

A sword swept through where the man had just been.

Sera’s body fell to the ground.

And as if to protect them, Rudger slowly stood in front of them.

“Lord Rudger?”

“Stay back.”

At Rudger’s words, Sera quickly gathered Christina and Kei and retreated.

Then Rudger began to face off against the platinum-haired man.

“Another interference?”

“Step back, Dragon Slayer.”

Rudger raised his sword.

“If you don’t step back, I’ll cut you down.”

“……”

The man was silent for a moment.

Soon, he raised his sword and pointed it at Kei.

“…Are you determined to kill that man?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

The man did not answer.

“Could it be that he is some kind of monster?”

“Would you say he isn’t?”

“Of course he isn’t.”

Rudger answered quietly.

“How could I call him a monster when he’s the kind of reckless fellow who would cross a dangerous river for someone he cares about?”

The man swung his sword.

Rudger blocked it with his own.

“At the very least, that fellow knows that those dear to him should be protected until the end, even at the cost of his life.”

“……”

“Isn’t that human enough?”

The two men immediately engaged in a test of strength.

Taking advantage of this moment, Sera and Christina began healing Kei, and Rudger turned his eyes briefly to confirm this.

“Can you feel nothing seeing them cherish each other like this?”

“……”

“Have you never had something precious? You?”

The man quietly shook his head.

“I did.”

As if momentarily lost in old memories, the platinum-haired man silently held his sword.

Soon, as if having sorted out his thoughts, he spoke again.

“I just abandoned it.”

“I see.”

Strength entered Rudger’s arm.

Infusing power into his aging muscles, Rudger finally realized the man’s identity.

“So you’ve abandoned everything precious with your own hands.”

“To become complete, one must discard what is unnecessary.”

Rudger clicked his tongue once.

“Are you a child?”

Rudger pointed his sword.

“This behavior now, it’s simply jealousy, isn’t it?”

The platinum-haired man’s eyes changed color.

As if no more words were needed.

The two swordsmen began to clash.

+

My head hurts.

I must have been injured somewhere; something seems to be flowing down.

My vision is also a bit blurry.

“Emergency… is over!”

“…Mr. K, can you hear me? Ke…”

I can vaguely see a person’s face.

But I can tell who it is.

‘They’re safe.’

I realized that Sera and Christina were safe.

-CLANG!

-KANG!

‘What’s that?’

From a distance, I could hear the sound of someone swinging a sword.

My vision slowly returned, and I turned my head to look at the fight.

Rudger and the platinum-haired man were fighting.

In what I thought was a single breath, they exchanged several blows.

My head, feeling like I had just woken up, couldn’t quite process thoughts.

‘What was I doing until just now?’

My memory was vague.

I don’t know why Christina’s priestly robes are so dirty, or why Sera is looking at me with a face that seems about to cry.

I don’t understand how I ended up lying here like this.

“Oof.”

“Mr. Kei?”

I carefully grabbed Sera’s shoulder and stood up.

I might have pulled a bit too hard, as Sera’s face was almost buried in my chest, but I looked toward what concerned me more.

With dazed eyes, I began watching the fight between the two swordsmen.

The battle between them had intensified.

The platinum-haired man deflected Rudger’s sword, and as if anticipating this, Rudger transformed his weapon to attack.

He continued with versatile attacks using various weapons like spears, greatswords, and scythes.

At one moment, the man’s body slightly lost balance.

And as if not to miss the opportunity, Rudger transformed his weapon back into a sword.

And as he brought the sword down hard, an unknown energy enveloped the sword and cut through the ground.

‘He won…’

Rudger had won.

It was the same strike that had cut the Cyclops in two.

If it hit, there was no way the man could be unharmed.

But just as I thought this, I saw the platinum-haired man standing beside Rudger.

“…Rudger!”

Rudger’s right arm flew through the air.

My foggy mind became alert once more.