Ch.210EP.47 – Knights’ Night March (4)

…Ihan had decided on one thing for this operation, and that was none other than not to harm people.

Well, it wasn’t that he suddenly felt the futility of violence, but if you’re stealing and then throwing punches without conscience, wouldn’t that make you an outright criminal?

That was his resolution, but unfortunately…

BOOM!

…as the old folks always said, things in life rarely go according to plan.

WHACK!

Ihan delivered a merciless strike to his opponent.

It was a powerful blow that could pierce through rock, and it broke through the opponent’s defense, shattering his jawbone.

The man would probably be eating only porridge for the rest of his life, but Ihan had no time to feel sorry as he grabbed the swords of two Holy Knights trying to attack him from both sides with his bare hands.

CRACK!

“!!?”

The Holy Knights were shocked that he had caught their swords with his bare hands, but regardless of their surprise, Ihan crushed their blades and the broken pieces…

THUNK!

“Urghh!?”

“Don’t raise your voice. It’ll get noisy.”

…pierced precisely through their necks.

GRIP!

They tried to scream while coughing blood, but Ihan denied them the chance for a final death cry by ripping out their tongues.

It was truly a miserable death.

However, Ihan showed no mercy or compassion toward them, only giving them a cold stare.

If they had been “ordinary Holy Knights,” Ihan wouldn’t have been so ruthless, but disgustingly, they weren’t ordinary Holy Knights.

Rather.

“Why are ‘these things’ here-?”

They were nothing but vermin that deserved to die.

Ihan frowned severely.

No, why in the temple…

Were [Half-Mains] disguising themselves as Holy Knights?

* * *

…To put it simply, Ihan had succeeded in navigating through the maze that was the Grand Temple.

He discovered that the place he had been in was an underground shelter (he presumed), and he could see the glittering golden treasures where the temple’s wealth was stored.

Golden chairs, candlesticks, crowns, and piles of gold bars…

– …The temple was incredibly wealthy.

He took a moment to marvel at the wealth the temple had been hiding, but Ihan didn’t reach for any of the gold.

What he was after wasn’t gold.

When a person has a goal, they should focus only on that goal.

He wasn’t one to succumb to greed.

After walking for some time.

Gradually, he began to sense people approaching.

– Is nobody here?

– Those rat bastards!

– How dare they invade such a sacred place!!

– Those intruders must be burned at the stake!

…The priests seemed quite angry.

Though unintentional, Ihan, hiding in the darkness, flinched as he overheard the priests’ conversation.

He was always confident in his actions, but this time he had to admit he felt a bit guilty.

– …Are there other intruders besides me?

On the other hand, he tilted his head at the news of having “comrades,” but the priests didn’t provide any more information about the intruders.

Ihan was about to lose interest, thinking he couldn’t get any more information, when…

– ??

He sensed something off about some of the priests.

…Something he couldn’t simply ignore.

– Senior, may I skip tonight’s prayer meeting? I’m not feeling well…

– That’s fine. Forcing yourself to attend won’t please the Light.

– Thank you, Senior.

It was a young priest with a somewhat naive-looking face.

He looked innocent, and others might feel warmth looking at him, but Ihan felt only one emotion.

– …What is that disgusting thing?

Ihan immediately followed him.

Thanks to the other priests dispersing to prepare for the prayer meeting, it didn’t take long for the young priest to be alone.

And sure enough.

On the face of the young priest who was now alone.

– …Tsk, it’s exhausting having to kneel all the time at this age.

The priest was making statements that didn’t match his apparent age, and Ihan immediately…

SWISH!

– Kuhuk!?

…pounced on the young priest.

It was a swift movement like a hawk snatching its prey, and Ihan asked the young priest… no, the “middle-aged man” who was merely wearing the disguise of a young priest.

– Why is a [Half-Main] bastard here?

– !!?

– Ah, you won’t answer my question? Well, that’s fine. Let’s have a ten-minute interview. By the way, you don’t need to answer.

– !!?!!

CRACK!

Facing this beast who was wearing a human skin mask for the third time this year, Ihan began breaking his bones methodically, and in less than five minutes—not even ten—the man willingly answered all of Ihan’s questions.

Nevertheless…

– Since you answered well, I’ll give you 30 minutes of extra service.

Ihan gave additional service as a token of gratitude, and the man was so happy that he flapped his body around, with tears of blood flowing from his eyes.

It was truly a heartwarming sight.

“-If I had more time, I would have added another half day.”

Ihan smirked, thinking about the man who would now be half-crippled.

As he always thought, doing good deeds feels good.

“Do you know this feeling of satisfaction? Ah, I guess not. You’re probably the type who’s never done volunteer work.”

“……”

“Oh, sorry. I forgot I ripped out your tongue.”

“……”

“Don’t cry, kid. What did you do right to deserve tears?”

Makes me want to hit you more.

* * *

In this world, there exists a kind called [Mains].

Just as animals and plants that consume byproducts of magical beasts become “beastified,” humans who eat magical beast byproducts become Mains. Those who become Mains lose their humanity with 100% certainty and even resort to cannibalism. In fact, among famous incidents, there was one where a woman who accidentally consumed a magical beast killed and ate her own child.

Just from this, one can roughly guess what kind of beings Mains are.

They are humans who are no longer human, and because they gain strength comparable to knights, they are difficult to deal with.

In some ways, they are [natural enemies] of humans, harder to face than magical beasts.

And in the past, Ihan remembered how the cultist scum in the tunnels had used the characteristics of these Mains to achieve “results.”

Those results were none other than Mains that weren’t quite Mains…

‘Their research results are spreading everywhere.’

– They were a species called Half-Mains.

Unlike Mains, they don’t completely lose their humanity, but in exchange, they gain ridiculous growth rates and strength.

After first witnessing them in the tunnels, to think he’d encounter them like this…

Ihan was completely dumbfounded as he looked at the 18 Half-Mains sprawled on the ground.

Half-Mains disguised as Holy Knights boldly walking around the temple…

If this became known, the entire kingdom would be turned upside down.

No, being turned upside down would be fortunate; if things went wrong.

‘This could bring down the temple, couldn’t it?’

The temple would fall.

At first glance, it seemed like nonsense, but

Ihan felt a chill as he contemplated this possibility that might actually come true.

Although he normally had considerable antipathy toward the temple, he couldn’t deny its advantages.

Because of the power of holy magic, citizens could receive treatment, and the poor and orphans could also be objects of relief.

But what if the temple faltered and collapsed?

This would cause a commotion throughout the kingdom comparable to the damage caused by a natural disaster.

‘Damn, I came to the temple with a light heart, why did it turn out like this?’

He had infiltrated the temple with the intention of turning the tables, not to obtain evidence that would bring down the Grand Temple.

If he could at least find out who had brought in these Mains and who was behind it all, he could just beat them up and be done with it, but…

‘These guys don’t know anything.’

After thoroughly beating them, Ihan found that the Half-Mains had simply come here on orders, without knowing anything.

They hadn’t received specific instructions on what to do, nor had they received orders face-to-face with anyone; they had only received missions through letters or notes.

They said they hadn’t even met with high-ranking priests since coming to the temple…

It was a total mess.

‘…What are they trying to do?’

At this point, he was confused.

What was the cultist, or rather, the schemer behind all this trying to do?

Did they want to bring down the kingdom?

Or did they want to take over the temple?

The more he investigated, the more he felt like he was sinking into a deep swamp.

“This is disgusting…”

Finally, Ihan released his killing intent due to the rising displeasure.

Despite having carefully controlled his aura to avoid detection, at this moment, he couldn’t hide his sullied mood.

And,

WHOOSH!

“!”

As if proving that revealing his aura was a fatal mistake, Ihan sensed something approaching to attack him and instinctively grabbed one of the swords lying on the ground from the Half-Mains and swung it.

CLANG!

In an instant, a massive reverberation spread from the spear that collided with the sword Ihan had swung.

It wasn’t like a sword and spear colliding, but more like two cannonballs crashing into each other.

‘Crazy!’

With just one clash, he knew.

This opponent was an incredible expert.

But the problem was…

WHAM!

CRACK!

…that there wasn’t just one opponent, but two, and Ihan was sent flying by a body slam from a masked person with a huge build, without even having time to dodge.

‘I got sent flying?’

He had deflected all the impact, but he couldn’t remember the last time he’d experienced being unable to withstand an opponent’s attack and having his body sent flying.

It felt like a bull, no, an elephant had charged and pushed him away, and Ihan barely regained his balance as he glared at the two new enemies.

Just from the aura they were emitting, he could tell.

Those guys were dangerous.

Dangerous enough to threaten his life.

…So.

‘I’ll go all out too.’

BOOM!

Ihan stepped forward powerfully.

There were two opponents who required him to risk his life.

Then he too could no longer hold back, and regardless of whether he was discovered or not, he had to fight with everything he had…!

“-Hmm? Are you perhaps Rihan?”

“…?”

“That fierce aura like a beast and a body like iron. It must be you! Haha, to think I’d see you in a place like this, the world is indeed small!”

“……”

What is this familiar voice?

“Why are you here?”

Another familiar voice.

“You bastard… are you the spearman?”

“……”

…Instead of answering verbally, the man removed his black mask, revealing the face of the spearman, Lac de Duron, with his red eyes gleaming, and matching him, the masked person with the huge build also revealed his face.

“Ho ho, it’s been a while, Rihan!”

“…It’s not Rihan, it’s Ihan, as I’ve told you.”

“Haha, I know. Would I not properly remember the name of the man who defeated me?”

“…What.”

A man with an incredibly large build that could be mistaken for a giant and black hair.

The champion of the North, known as the Black Lion…

“Maximus.”

“Call me Max, that’s what all my close friends call me.”

Maximus Iron de Lionel.

…Ihan wore a bewildered expression as he faced the two knights, unsure whether they were fated enemies or allies.

What is this?

No…

“Why are you two here?”

“That’s my line.”

“Haha, it feels like a class reunion, how delightful!”

…That person always says such terrible things.

‘Class reunion my ass.’

Ihan sincerely wanted to cut ties with such classmates.