Ch.171EP.40 – Spring of the Knights (6)

The bronze giants were menacing.

They moved autonomously as if they weren’t just metal figurines, actively seeking to annihilate their enemies.

I was even startled when they suddenly transformed from human shapes into animals before pouncing.

Crunch!

Crack!

[Uoooo!!!]

“Now it’s transforming into a bull? What’s next?”

The bronze giant transformed into a bull and charged.

Its gleaming horns contained enough cutting power to split a body in half with just a touch, but Ihan blocked them with both hands.

Diamond-hard.

The cutting power was far from enough to slice through his hands.

However, while the cutting power might be lacking, the strength behind it was not insignificant.

Crunch…!

With his muscles straining throughout his body, blocking a full-power charge from a massive bronze bull with his bare hands was something only he could do. In reality, the very premise of a human engaging in a contest of strength with such a creature was fundamentally flawed.

Yet Ihan managed it.

After all, he had finally achieved a 7-ton squat. It was the result of his efforts, and his strength grew daily, developing even more impressive muscle quality.

Of course, he was still far from his goal of a 10-ton deadlift, but for a bull like this…!

‘I’ll just throw it away!’

Ihan used [Force].

His already formidable strength now exerted enough power to lift objects far exceeding his own mass.

Like an ant carrying prey much larger than itself back to its nest, or the extraordinary strength felt when holding a stag beetle or rhinoceros beetle in hand.

Ihan’s Force allowed him to exert such extraordinary power.

Of course, not just anyone who learned Force could do this.

Carrying thousands of kilograms regularly meant that one had developed a “vessel” capable of calmly lifting such mass, and only the person who created that vessel could wield such strength.

“Uaaaaaahhh!!”

Ihan shouted with all his might as if releasing a battle cry.

A battle cry isn’t simply a roar but one of the elements that further activates the body’s strength.

His spirit-filled roar echoed loudly, causing nearby mages to clutch their ears as their eardrums burst.

Boom…!

But even more astonishing than the mages’ burst eardrums was the sight of the bronze bull being lifted into the air and flailing about.

In the midst of a battle where it was hard to tell dream from reality, Ihan threw the bull away.

In which direction?

Naturally….

[──!?]

Toward the other bronze giants.

With a tremendous boom, an explosion rang out.

The impact of being hit by a flying bronze bull would naturally cause massive damage.

However….

Rip!

“…That hurts.”

Even Ihan wasn’t without injury.

As he threw the bronze bull, he must have used strength beyond his limits, causing his palms to burst with blood.

‘Was I too reckless?’

Indeed, brute-forcing things with strength alone isn’t the best approach.

He should fight using his head too.

However.

‘I can’t keep using sword energy continuously either.’

He had managed to cut down three bronze giants, but he had to stop using sword energy afterward due to stamina concerns.

Unlike Black who used it naturally, Ihan still wasted too much energy to use it freely.

He needed more time to refine it.

In that sense, he had to face the remaining bronze giants without sword energy.

If he were only facing bronze giants, he could draw out his sword energy regardless of his stamina running out, but his instincts told him…

‘I don’t think this ends with bronze giants and old spellcasters.’

Ihan sensed it.

There were still things remaining in the Magic Tower.

Things as threatening as the enemies that had appeared so far…

Well, that’s that.

‘Yes, this is what I expect from spellcasters.’

They were living up to his expectations.

Ihan, a man who hated and despised mages as much as he respected them, ironically felt reassured by the fact that the Magic Tower wasn’t weak.

…It was a perfect example of how terrifying a misplaced love-hate relationship could be.

* * *

Meanwhile, the entire Empire was in chaos.

The sight of the Empire’s landmark, the Sky Castle, suddenly plummeting to the ground was inevitably witnessed by everyone who could see it, and this news quickly shook the entire Empire.

-Who on earth…

-No, what’s happening!

-Huh…!

-Divine punishment, they’re finally receiving divine punishment…

The news spread to countless people—royalty, nobility, and commoners alike—and the Empire quickly entered into discussions.

The topic was whether they should go rescue the Magic Tower or not, but the current Empire was in disarray, and even the officials who should attend the meeting were moving sluggishly.

Moreover, the current Empire was full of resentment toward the Magic Tower.

Their slow response was only natural.

There were some kings and lords who were considered relatively sensible, but they leaned toward not helping the Magic Tower, thinking, “Wouldn’t it be good if the imperial family and central nobles suffered damage?”

Karma.

It was evident how much resentment they had accumulated and how unpopular they were throughout the Empire.

…However, one thing.

While they had certainly heard that the Magic Tower had suffered tremendous damage-

“-There seems to be an underlying ‘certainty’ and ‘trust’ that the Magic Tower won’t truly be defeated.”

It was no illusion that everyone in the Empire firmly believed the Magic Tower couldn’t possibly disappear.

Even though it faced a crisis, they believed it would overcome it at any time.

“Because it’s ‘that Magic Tower.'”

“…Indeed. The Magic Tower.”

“…Is the Magic Tower really that impressive?”

“……”

“I-I might not know, but, that’s how it looks to me!”

“…I was just surprised by such an unexpected comment. I apologize if I was rude, Lady.”

“Hmph, forget it!”

“…Haha….”

The gray-haired boy laughed awkwardly, showing his discomfort at the sharp exchange between the two distinctive individuals.

But soon, in place of the black-haired boy, the gray-haired boy kindly explained to the beautiful blonde, blue-eyed girl who looked like a fairy.

“…For an organization that has ruled the Empire for over a thousand years, it’s natural for the Empire’s people to believe they can’t fall. …Even if their own country collapses, they believe the Magic Tower will survive until the end.”

“…At that point, isn’t it almost like a religion?”

“It’s understandable for a religion to form. The power they’ve accumulated for over a thousand years would be at a level that even the Pendragons couldn’t ignore.”

“Hmm, is that so…?”

“…?”

“If they’re so impressive… why are they getting beaten like that by the instructor and Lord Lac?”

“……”

…For a moment, the gray-haired boy, Derrick, was at a loss for words.

He couldn’t even open his mouth to answer the girl, Irene Windler’s question.

And in his place…

“…Those two are just abnormal.”

The black-haired swordsman, Roen, answered with a disgusted reaction.

Indeed, his disgust wasn’t strange.

‘Bronze giants, I know those are definitely Level 7.5 weapons…’

Bronze giants, machine name <Talos>.

Invincible bronze soldiers embodying all the wisdom of the Magic Tower.

Their strength is about three times that of an ogre, and they move as nimbly as hyenas.

Additionally, they have self-repair capabilities, can breathe fire at 1,500 degrees Celsius, and can transform into animal forms.

‘Just one machine could destroy five cities…’

And there were twelve such machines.

With that much power, they could probably erase a small country in a day…

“…The instructor is toying with them alone.”

Derrick watched the instructor’s battle using skills like [Magnification] and [Enhanced Vision].

It was truly toying with them.

When he lifted and threw the bronze bull by himself, Derrick’s legs trembled.

Is that truly the strength a human can exert?

“No, he’s not toying with them. The instructor is giving his all.”

“…Huh?”

“He’s overwhelming them with technique, strength, and spirit. But he’s being a bit reckless. He’s conserving his energy.”

“That’s conserving energy?”

“Yes, he’s probably preparing for the next opponent.”

“……”

…Is this the difference in perspective when viewed through a warrior’s eyes?

Roen observed the battle with a different viewpoint than Derrick, and his expression turned serious.

“Heh, I see. Then Lord Lac is also conserving his strength right now.”

Irene Windler, who was watching the distant battle through a convex lens made of water magic, turned her attention to Lac’s battle.

Since she was acquainted with him, she wanted to see how he fought.

Not yielding even slightly in his battle against five archmages, countering their magic and using deadly techniques against them—Lac’s performance was truly thrilling.

If Ihan’s battle was like a thrilling circus, Lac’s fight was like watching precise gymnastics.

A precarious battle where not even the slightest mistake could be tolerated.

‘As expected of the Ferocious Wolf.’

‘Well, he’s a Level 8 hero. Of course.’

The two boys’ assessments diverged.

The regressor who knew the future remembered how powerful the Ferocious Wolf was, while the other simply nodded, knowing that among heroes of the same generation, he was in the top tier.

Additionally…

Ding-.

━

Name: Lac de Duron.

Race: ??

Traits: [Celestial Killing Star(Lv.8), Demonic Genius(Lv.6), Master of All Weapons(Lv.7), Iron Man(Lv.5), Embodiment of Mystery(Lv.8), River Guardian(Lv.5), All-Rounder(Lv.5)]

Celestial Killing Star: A trait only obtainable by those born under the thirty-six thousand river stars. Grants formidable killing intent and abnormal desire for slaughter. Born with the talent to become a legendary massacrer, and due to the Celestial Killing Star trait, possesses Demonic Genius talent.

Demonic Genius: A trait only obtainable by those with talent bestowed not by heaven but by demons. Grants chilling special qualities and brilliant intellect different from ordinary geniuses, showing eerie comprehension and abilities. High probability of becoming a psychopath, but can also follow the right path depending on who their master is.

Master of All Weapons: A trait only possessed by masters who freely handle all weapons. Can become skilled with any weapon picked up. However, focusing on one weapon allows reaching an even more special level.

Iron Man: A trait given to those who surpass their physical limits. Allows the body to withstand powerful energies and grants formidable stamina.

Embodiment of Mystery: A trait given to those who transform mystery into technique. Mystery refers to having embodied seven or more special powers, and that power surpasses ordinary mysteries, matching even extraordinary mysteries.

River Guardian: A trait given to those who have fought ten thousand battles on rivers. Grants overwhelming combat ability on boats and rivers. Also extends to the sea. Increases abilities when fighting on water.

All-Rounder: A trait given to those who do the work of ten people in any position. Can skillfully handle any role given and cope with any situation. Always performs at full capacity even in crisis situations.

━

-As expected.

These are impressive traits befitting a top-tier hero.

‘I guess he managed to suppress Celestial Killing Star and Demonic Genius thanks to Duke Galahad. Normally, one would self-destruct after raising them to Level 6, but he…’

‘Master of All Weapons and Iron Man, well, with that much talent, of course he’d acquire those.’

‘Embodiment of Mystery, wow, that’s just ridiculous? How does he have something like that…?’

‘River Guardian… I know it shows efficiency comparable to Giant Slayer, that’s really rare.’

‘All-Rounder!? With that too, it’s just cheating? This person wasn’t created to win, but this is…’

The more he looked, the more he couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief.

Just Celestial Killing Star and Demonic Genius alone would make him top-tier, but all his other traits are also Tier 1.

In terms of traits alone, he has more potential than anyone else.

‘Of course, traits don’t determine everything.’

Even the traits of Maximus, the great warrior of the North, had elements that surpassed the instructor’s, but that didn’t mean the instructor was inferior in actual combat.

Thus, traits merely show a person’s talents and abilities in writing; they don’t show the gap in strength.

They’re just tools, and how one uses those tools is up to the individual.

Most importantly, right now, this formidable Level 8 warrior with those solid traits is fighting alongside the instructor.

Fighting against archmages.

So what they need to do is…

“Young Lord, Young Lady, let’s move now. Honestly, we’re late.”

Complete the “mission” given by the instructor.

The two nodded at Derrick’s words.

Realizing it wasn’t time to just watch their battle.

However…

“It’s not like we wanted to be late. Rather, shouldn’t those two who arrived faster than us, who flew through the sky, be considered abnormal?”

“Isn’t the artifact that Assistant Instructor Derrick brought defective?”

“…It’s not defective; those two are just abnormal. And I’m not an assistant instructor!”

“R-right, that’s true.”

They felt it wasn’t that they wanted to be late, but rather that those who arrived faster by running than they did by flying with an artifact were the strange ones.

The three shook their heads at the instructor’s teaching that nothing is impossible for humans, but quickly moved to carry out their mission.

“…I wonder if our kids have arrived yet?”

Ihan thought of the reliable two boys and one girl.

Originally, he didn’t want to involve them, but just in case, he had sent a message through that Taechang fellow.

He heard they had an aerial flight artifact, so they should be able to come well?

‘If only it wasn’t just for three people, I could have ridden it too.’

As he smiled at the silly thought.

……Screech…screech…screech!

“…Ah, don’t get angry. I’m not ignoring you.”

Ihan shrugged at his opponent.

He was just briefly worried about how well the kids would handle their task.

Isn’t that natural?

So…

“Now rest in peace.”

[——.]

…Screech………

Boom…!

The last remaining bronze giant reached out toward Ihan until the end but couldn’t reach him.

…It froze and ceased functioning.

“…A formidable one indeed.”

Ihan clicked his tongue.

It was strong.

Not just because it was powerful, could transform, or breathe fire.

It was incredibly persistent.

No matter how much he hit it, it kept regenerating and charging at him.

It knew no fatigue and kept attacking with increasingly refined, better methods.

It was impressive.

It probably had learning capabilities in addition to its regenerative abilities.

If this bronze giant had developed just a bit more, even Ihan might have found it difficult to win.

But he was the victor, and the bronze giant was the loser.

So.

“Good job.”

Tap.

Ihan patted the bronze giant as he passed by.

As if saying “well done.”

Crumble….

The bronze giant turned to dust and disappeared.

It was the end of the guardian that had protected the Magic Tower for a thousand years according to its orders.

But sadly, no one paid attention to the guardian’s demise.

Because.

Rumble!!

…A major battle was still ongoing.

“Wow, these old spellcasters are truly fierce.”

Storm clouds filling the sky rotated counterclockwise, forming a massive air mass.

Thunder, lightning, wind, and whirlwinds raged, sweeping everything away.

Cyclone.

And it was an extra-large cyclone attacking a person.

After admiring the magnificent natural spectacle of destruction, Ihan asked.

“Are you alive?”

“……”

“Hmm, finally dead?”

“…Don’t kill me off so easily, you rogue.”

“Tsk, still alive.”

“…You bastard!”

“Well, well.”

Full of energy, this guy.

Ihan looked at the spellcasters scattered around the spear-wielder.

About thirty?

All with their heads severed.

But there was no need to pay attention to such mediocre spellcasters.

What mattered were the five troublesome old spellcasters.

In that sense.

“…Is cutting off just one arm all you’ve managed?”

“Kugh!”

It was disappointing that he had only managed to cut off one arm of an old spellcaster.

It was Ihan’s criticism, and Lac gritted his teeth in frustration.

As if even he had to acknowledge the criticism.

…From the mages’ perspective, it was maddening.

The mages who heard their conversation could only tremble with pale faces.

Like prey frozen before a natural predator.