Ch.323Bittersweet Victory

Haschal also couldn’t grasp the detailed battle situation as he was wary of Rurik, but he could tell just from the sounds that reinforcements had arrived and that the Werebeasts were trying to flee.

“You think I’ll let you escape!”

Haschal charged desperately toward Rurik, kicking off the ground.

For her, this escape was unacceptable. The Champions who hadn’t perished would fully recover within days, and Rurik, who seemed to have consumed considerable stamina, would also recover after some rest.

If she let them escape, the high-ranking forces she had managed to whittle down would be restored.

How much more blood would need to be shed to defeat them again?

Besides, she was busy on multiple fronts and couldn’t remain in the north indefinitely.

‘At the very least, I need to eliminate Rurik here!’

The ground beneath her feet shattered in concentric circles. Her blade, pulled back, sliced through the air leaving blue afterimages.

The power of Karma of Murder she unleashed became a crimson whirlwind enveloping her entire body.

“If you’re going to run, leave your head behind-!”

A monster shaped like a human form but molded from concentrated killing intent charged forward like a comet racing across the ground.

“I’ve already given plenty of heads!”

Rurik clicked his tongue and violently kicked the ground.

Shattered rocks and dirt rose like a wave and poured toward Haschal.

– RUMBLE!

Even facing the wave of earth threatening to bury her alive, Haschal didn’t even swing her sword.

Using Durandal on mere rubble would be a waste.

[Go straight through!]

Physical force was added to the vortex of Karma of Murder enveloping Haschal’s body.

It was literally like a rotating armor, no different from a living flail.

The dirt caught in the red whirlwind shattered and scattered like dust.

“You think this will work on me?!”

Haschal, having easily broken through the wave of earth, grinned like a predator and swung Durandal toward Rurik.

An afterimage resembling moonlight drew an arc as it flew toward the wolf Werebeast’s neck.

Rurik raised his left hand in front of his face to block it.

His claws and the Dragonic blade collided, producing a harsh sound of impact. Sparks flew brilliantly.

“How persistent!”

“Ha, you were having so much fun earlier, but now you’re not enjoying it anymore?”

Rurik’s right hand swung toward her waist.

Haschal’s left hand released the sword hilt and extended sideways. Frosting was infused with Karma of Murder.

– KWANG!

The right hand that seemed capable of tearing even steel was caught and blocked by Frosting.

The vortex of Karma of Murder that had been wrapping around Haschal’s left arm scattered as if bursting from the impact.

“Kugh…!”

Her elbow and shoulder creaked painfully, but Haschal didn’t withdraw her extended hand.

Instead, she applied even more force and firmly grasped Rurik’s right arm.

“You will die by my hand here. No, you must die!”

“Not a chance!”

Rurik raised his knee like an awl and struck Haschal’s abdomen.

Chains of Karma of Murder wrapped around Rurik’s leg to restrain him, but they weren’t strong enough to stop him.

– PUEOK!

As the red chains broke, the wolf’s knee drove into Haschal’s lower abdomen.

The scales protecting her abdomen under the fur garment shattered into pieces.

Her body heaved greatly from the shockwave striking her internal organs.

“Kuhek!”

Haschal coughed up blood and bent at the waist. Her blue eyes convulsed.

Despite minimizing the impact as much as possible before contact and protecting her body, it was still an overwhelming blow.

If not for Asha’s armor and the power of Karma of Murder, it would have been an attack that could have torn a large hole in her stomach or burst all her internal organs.

For a moment, Haschal’s body froze from the intense pain.

A fatal opening. Though mentally she could endure the pain, her injured body’s reaction was honest.

However, Rurik couldn’t continue his attack despite the obvious opening.

“KAHAAAK!”

Just as Haschal spat blood, Rurik also screamed and had no choice but to bend at the waist.

His and Haschal’s speeds were nearly equal.

In other words, the fact that his attack had landed meant that Haschal’s counterattack had already been delivered as well.

“Haa…haa…. You look like you’re in a lot of pain. But your eyeballs might pop out.”

“You, you bitch…!”

Rurik could barely manage to speak. Saliva dripped from between his contorted lips.

If it had been a mediocre counterattack, he could have endured it with his regenerative ability and torn out Haschal’s throat, but Haschal’s counterattack delivered pain so critical that even Rurik found it difficult to bear.

Anyone who saw his current state would sigh and feel compelled to sympathize. It was that kind of injury.

Haschal’s right foot had crushed Rurik’s groin and driven deep into his crotch!

“If I had known this would happen, I should have attached Dragonic metal to the front of my shoes. Then I could have turned you into a female!”

“Kuheu…! You’re covered in blood and still talking big!”

The two blood-soaked beasts glared at each other and growled.

—-

Rurik swallowed hard and broke out in a cold sweat.

His crushed groin had regenerated quickly, but phantom pain still throbbed terribly, and his bound arms wouldn’t move no matter how much strength he applied.

His left arm was firmly fixed, entangled with the blade and hilt of the Dragonic sword, and his right arm was losing strength due to the cold seeping in through his wounds.

It was impossible to shake off the trapped arms, let alone push back against them.

‘Damn it, I can’t break free…!’

If they had fought at a distance, exchanging blows, it would have been advantageous for him. While their strength was similar, the difference in weight class was overwhelming.

Even if they collided with the same force, Haschal would be the one sent flying farther.

However, in this situation where their arms were bound together in a test of strength, the difference in weight class meant little.

What remained was only the number of available means and the gap in skill at handling power.

Fortunately, he still had his teeth.

“If you won’t let go, I’ll crush your skull!”

Rurik opened his muzzle wide.

Haschal frowned as she stared at Rurik’s gaping maw.

Disgust came before the sense of danger. The beast’s foul breath was unbearable.

“Close your mouth!”

Her right foot stomped on the ground.

The ground split open. A crimson spike shot up vertically from the shadow at her toe.

– PUEOK!

The spike of Karma of Murder drove into Rurik’s lower jaw like a stab.

Due to his fur being as tough as armor, it couldn’t penetrate to the bone, but it was enough to make Rurik close his mouth.

“Kugh…!”

A groan escaped through his clenched teeth. Rurik’s expression contorted.

Though it was a shallow wound that could be regenerated immediately, it wasn’t something he could completely ignore. At this close range, a moment’s opening could lead to a fatal wound.

Just like now.

As Rurik hesitated for a moment after being hit in the jaw, Haschal twisted her right wrist sideways and pulled out forcefully.

– KAGAGAGAK!

Durandal came free, scraping between the claws. Sparks flew in all directions.

Then, Frosting, which had released Rurik’s right arm, grasped the end of the sword hilt.

The Dragonic longsword glowed blue as it absorbed the hero’s deed.

Haschal firmly gripped Durandal with both hands and imbued the blade with her soul.

【Defying Fate】

The slash imbued with the hero’s soul unfolded, defying the laws of the world.

“This is…!”

Rurik desperately stretched out his arm.

To the eye, it seemed like a slash he could respond to, but his beast’s instinct was screaming of mortal danger.

That judgment saved his life.

For a moment, the strangely blurred blade accelerated at an unbelievable speed toward him.

The slash was so fast it was impossible to properly perceive it.

‘She was hiding such a technique!’

Rurik’s pupils contracted sharply.

Both defense and evasion were already far too late.

By the time he noticed the acceleration of the slash, the Dragonic blade was already cutting into his body.

– SEOGEK!

His severed forearm fell limply.

—-

“…So, this is the bastard’s arm?”

Frider van Faelrun, picking up the large piece of flesh, asked Haschal, who was sitting tiredly on the rubble.

A beast’s forearm with five claws.

Blood that had pooled inside the white fur was now flowing from the cross-section of bone and muscle.

“Yeah. I aimed for his neck, but he somehow blocked it with his arm and fled.”

Haschal exhaled cigarette smoke into the air. Fatigue was clearly shadowed in her relaxed eyes.

Every time the cold wind swept through her clothes, her torn and bruised body was briefly visible through the tattered armor.

While there were no wounds that would lead to death, they weren’t injuries that could be left untreated either.

“That’s a shame.”

Frider was also covered in wounds.

Her silver hair was stained with blood and dust, her eyes were bruised blue, and the bandage covering her cheek was bright red with seeping blood.

“Who says it isn’t? If I had taken his head there, this would have ended easily…”

Haschal shrugged her shoulders as she recalled Rurik’s final appearance.

The beast’s eyes, clearly showing dismay and hostility as he clutched his severed left forearm.

He had escaped by climbing over the wall, but his face seemed to swear that he would definitely return someday.

“Still, he won’t be able to fight properly from now on. He’s lost one arm when he used both arms as weapons.”

Frider sighed with relief.

Areas injured by Dragonic blades can only heal naturally, without the Werebeasts’ characteristic regenerative ability.

While shallow cuts might eventually heal, a severed arm would never grow back.

So, in effect, Rurik’s combat ability had been reduced by more than half.

“……”

Haschal didn’t answer and just stared blankly at the gradually brightening dawn sky.

Was it because of the regret of not finishing him off? The smoke she inhaled tasted bitter.

She had used her technique that she had been saving for so long at the most critical moment, but even with that, she had failed to take Rurik’s head.

‘It won’t work twice.’

Now that he knew her sword could suddenly accelerate, and that there was a brief opening right after she swung the sword of Defying Fate, he wouldn’t be caught so defenseless next time.

It was truly a troublesome matter.

—-

The knights leaning against the castle wall, catching their breath, smiled as they looked beyond the horizon.

The morning sun was slowly rising beyond the vast snowfield.

Six remaining Champions. The King of Werebeasts who had retreated with irreparable injuries.

The numerous beast corpses piled on the castle walls.

Though much blood had been shed, the battle at Faelrun Castle could be considered a victory.

The surviving soldiers cheered.