Chapter 220: The Most Dangerous Creature in the World Is… (7)

Bang-!

I probably hit it more than a thousand times already.

Anyone who had ever hit a sandbag before would know that hitting an object over and over was a more tolling and harder task than one would expect.

After doing it for around ten times, people would usually think, ‘Huh? This is easier than I thought,’ start to get cocky and think that they have some talent. But after a few dozen times, they’d start to whine about how they were in so much pain and start to grab their sore fist and aching elbow.

The act of hitting something itself was hard enough. Now, if the object that was hit was a huge living organism that kept moving around? Naturally it’d be even harder.

That was why, after the first spar, most people would declare ‘…I don’t want to learn boxing (or martial arts in general)’ as if their soul had left their body.

In that sense…

“Cough, cough…”

“…”

“…I’m tired.”

…The three knights were practically testing their limits as they fought this monster they had never faced before. Two more minutes, it’d reach the 100 minutes mark; that was how long this battle had been going on. They were all so exhausted that they were reminded of the first time they had ever sparred in their lives.

It felt as if they had fought a war, not a battle. Perhaps this was what they’d feel if they ever did a dangerous construction work on the 90th floor, where only the frame had been built, without a break.

Any ordinary knight would’ve died of exhaustion by now, but these three weren’t normal humans anymore. Using a certain status window guy’s term, they were [Lv. 8 Hero-Class] knights.

They were people who had inexhaustible stamina like camels in the desert, but the fight just now really put their stamina into test.

But in the end…

[…K… E…]

They succeeded in taking down the monster.

The Hell Monster’s body gradually melted and scattered like sand. As its name suggested, it went back to the world of the dead, the world called hell or the underworld.

[Congratulations. You have now accomplished a heroic feat that will leave your names in history.]

The Aegithalos, the Guardian who had been guarding the Holy Relics in the Great Temple for a long time, did not spare its praise as it saw the Hell Monster disappearing. If the Hell Monster they just defeated had escaped this place, it went without saying that an enormous number of casualties would fall. So, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that they accomplished a heroic feat, since the three of them defeated a monster that could barely be defeated by mobilizing the army.

[Still, it’s a little disappointing. The world should’ve known of such a feat, but since it happened here, no one’s going to know about it…]

For knights, fame and honor were more valuable than any kind treasure. However, they were currently in an unfortunate position where they could not make such valuable achievements known to the world.

Why?

Obviously because no one could know that they had infiltrated the Great Temple.

Announcing their feat meant that they were announcing that they had come to steal the Holy Relic. There was no way they could do that.

Hence why their feat of repelling the Hell Monster that would become a great disaster to humanity if it was let loose shouldn’t and couldn’t be made known.

An ending with no fanfare and flowers, only wounds.

However…

“Hehehe, honor isn’t always something to be shared with the world.”

“How can the praises be considered an honor? I just need to be proud of myself.”

“I never expected you to be the worldly kind, Aegithalos. Or maybe you’re just an attention whore?”

[…]

The three knights kept chiding it one after another, making it at a loss for words.

[…Well, that’s new.]

They really weren’t like the knights he knew; people who were obsessed with honor and fame, always fought desperately so that their name would be known. It had been a good while since it saw knights who treated honor like a mere pebble on the side of the road.

[The last time was… The First Knights…]

The First Knights.

Hundreds of years ago, in the era known as the Age of Savagery, those people were those who were united by the sole ideology of wanting to help the powerless. In that era, a knight was just one of the titles of the nobles’, but the First Knights weren’t appointed by someone else, they just called themselves ‘knights’ and helped the powerless and poor people.

Later on, they were dubbed as [The Knight King and the Knights of the Round Table], they were the ‘First Knights’ acknowledged by the Guardians and the Fairies.

What about the actual knights in that era?

…Well, they were people who were worse than bandits.

The First Knights were also the ones who spread the idea of helping others, and thanks to that idea, Pendragon came to be called the Kingdom of Knights, and countless knights began to respect that idea and began to work hard to save the people.

Noticing some resemblance between the three knights in front of it and the First Knights made the Aegithalos immersed in nostalgia. However…

[Is this a sign of destruction?]

It let out a bitter smile. In the future, it seemed that harsh trials would continue to hound the world. With three heroes as well as various evils appearing together, including monsters from the underworld, coming out into the world, it was a clear sign that a turbulent time would soon arrive.

The world might soon face a crisis like the time when the Knight King was alive.

[This is why the appearance of heroes is not always a welcome thing.]

Together with the appearance of heroes, trials which were so difficult for humans to handle would also come.

Thinking so, the Aegithalos…

Pat-! Pat-!

“What are you doing all of a sudden?”

[Nothing. I’m just praying that you’d grow stronger.]

“??”

Patted the knight’s shoulder with his wing, as if sending encouragement that wasn’t really an encouragement.

The end of the Hell Monster Raid.

This was a long-awaited and great accomplishment, but at the same time it also meant one unfortunate fact.

It was none other than…

Clang-!

“…Really, you are too much. You’re doing this as soon as the battle ends?”

“Who’s the one who’s been twiddling with her fingers again?”

“A-Ah! You noticed that?”

“Of course.”

“…”

The end of their alliance and the start of a standoff between the two sides.

Lake aimed his spear at Dyna again, while she could only let out sweat cold as she faced the tip of his spear.

She had seen how fast Lake’s spear was and she knew that no matter how tired he was, he could still easily pierce her neck.

“Hmm.”

“…”

Seeing the two facing off against each other, Maximus and Yan had no choice but to do the same. But it was Maximus who frowned when he stared at Yan.

“…Why do I have to face a shaman? I don’t want to be cursed.”

“You can kill me if you want to. However, the ‘price’ won’t be light.”

“What a headache…”

Killing Yan would be easier than breaking a tree branch for Maximus, but breaking a tree branch that had a deadly and terrible curse that could dig into flesh and melt it in it, wasn’t exactly something that he wanted to do. Especially when a shaman’s curse was extremely deadly to a knight.

The shaman’s danger level made even the Champion of the North, who did not fear death, let out a wry laugh.

Regardless, if the two knights wanted to, those two wouldn’t live to see the sun tomorrow. With that in mind, there was no way that they’d just let themselves be killed so easily.

“I have a question to ask. Why do you keep calling me a traitor?”

But at that moment, a calm and tension-free question entered their ears.

“…You are asking such a question in this situation?”

Dyna threw a dumbfounded look at Lee Han, answering his question with another question. But he just shrugged his shoulders.

“I’d have no one left to ask if you guys die, so I figured I should ask now.”

“…How could you say such a scary thing so easily, Number 8?”

“I told you my name is Lee Han.”

“…”

Dyna went silent for a moment, then she rolled her eyes to observe her surroundings. At the same time, she seemed to be contemplating something. A conflicted look lasted on her face for a while after that, but soon she seemed to have decided on something.

“I have nothing to tell—”

“Number 8, why did you kill Number 9 and Number 10?”

“Yan!?”

At that moment, Yan suddenly intruded into the conversation, cutting off Dyna who was just about to refuse Lee Han. In the meantime, Lee Han turned his gaze at Yan, as if he had changed his target.

“Why did I kill them?”

“Yes. You were the leader in your first mission, but you abandoned the mission and killed both Number 9 and Number 10. After that, you escaped from the organization…. If you’re not a traitor, then who is?”

“…”

“Also, you must have heard that the organization was moving its headquarters, yet…”

Rustle-!

“…”

At that moment, Lee Han made a gesture to make him stop talking and Yan unconsciously closed his mouth. Even though it was just a gesture, Yan felt a strong pressure from him, making him swallow dryly.

As Yan was feeling all tense, thinking that the other guy might kill him out of discomfort…

“I don’t even know what to say right now. Let me make an excuse that isn’t really an excuse. First, I’ve never betrayed anyone. Now that I think about it, I was the one who got betrayed first.”

“…What?”

“When the organization assigned me my first mission, Number 9 and Number 10 suddenly betrayed me and tried to kill me. That’s why I fought back. Because I wanted to stay alive.”

“??”

“Also, moving headquarters? What kind of nonsense is that? I didn’t hear a thing about it.”

“…”

“I thought the organization was done. I thought you were all dead.”

“…”

“You might think I’m lying. If so, then it is what it is.”

Lee Han crossed his arms as if declaring that he had said everything he wanted to say and it was up to them to make their own judgment.

After that, Yan stared at Lee Han’s face for a long time, as if he was judging whether what he said was true or false. At some point, light gathered in Yan’s eyes.

Tap-!

Maximus raised his battle axe in a hurry, but soon realized that there was no point in doing that.

“…Let’s surrender.”

“Yan?”

…An unexpected declaration came out of his mouth.

His eyes still shining with clear light, Yan started to speak to Dyna.

“Dyna. Since the Black Moon had abandoned us, the ‘oath’ should have disappeared too. Since they betrayed us first, wouldn’t it be better to surrender to our ‘friends’? We have to survive, after all.”

“…”

“Number 8 didn’t lie. I swear on the soul of a shaman.”

“…You fool, there’s no guarantee that they’re gonna spare us.”

“Hehe, then at that time, I’ll definitely make sure that you are spared.”

“…Haaaa.”

Thud-!

At Yan’s continued persuasion, Dyna sat down and raised both hands, obviously a sign of surrender.

Just like that, their standoff had come to an end.

“Haha! As expected, our house’s shaman was quite capable! Brother, I became quite lucky after following you, hahahah!”

“I told you not to call me brother…”

Maximus laughed heartily.

It was understandable, though. They had captured some of their enemy’s higher-ups, after all. Those two for sure had more information than what Number 4 had.

Knowing that he’d soon have a handful of clues to catch the Blood Cult cosplayers, the Blood Cross, of course Maximus would be happy.

And he was not the only one.

“Don’t even think about taking them to the North.”

Even Lake de Duran, that annoying spearman, could not hide his satisfaction for a moment. However, even though both of them were happy, it had not yet been decided who would take them.

In a way, the knights’ alliance was about to end and another fight would soon begin.

[Haa… Why are knights always so…]

“How is it? Are you satisfied, Aegithalos?”

However, Lee Han and the Aegithalos weren’t paying any attention to that side and instead, they were settling the score.

[To some extent. No, actually, it was great.]

The Guardian had made an offer to Lee Han. It wanted him to get rid of the evildoers who had invaded the Sacred Treasury and in return, it’d give him what he wanted.

Because of that…

[This is your gift.]

Thud-!

The guardian dropped a ring to keep its promise.

Thud-!

Snatching the ring, Lee Han showed his surprise.

“This is…”

Even at first glance, it was clear that the ring had extraordinary powers. It even radiated a divine light; anyone who saw it could not help but know what it was.

A Holy Relic.

The legacy and remains which were said to have been left by saints and saintesses.

And such a thing had come into Lee Han’s hands.

[The moment this relic leaves this place, the Sacred Treasury will be sealed for… The next 3 years or so? Even Fairies won’t be able to enter this place.]

“Is that normal?”

[Yes, that’s what happens when a Holy Relic is taken out. Well, it’s thanks to that the Holy Relics are safe.]

“Hoo.”

When he heard that, Lee Han finally understood why Raphael had told him to steal the relic.

Because as long as I steal it, the temple won’t be able to use the Sacred Treasury anymore.

As expected, you can count on that old man.

Lee Han touched the Holy Relic with awe, and for some reason, it felt like it was fitting in his hand.

Is this how it’s supposed to feel?

[No, it’s an attachment. That one is a Holy Relic that resonates the best with your soul, that’s why it feels familiar to you.]

“Ah, so that’s what the old man said…”

So that’s what it was.

As expected of that old man…!

“But what’s the name of this Holy Relic?”

However, even though he received the ring, he had no idea what it was.

So, he asked the Aegithalos directly.

[Well, it’s nothing special. Just a ‘piece’ of the ‘Holy Grail.’]

“Hmm, the Holy Grail, huh? Hm….”

Huh? Did I hear it wrong?

Lee Han asked himself. But when he looked at the Aegithalos, it was still smiling brightly.

[You didn’t hear it wrong. Keep it safe. If you collect all four pieces including that one, it will become the most precious treasure that could grant you any wish.]

“…”

Unfortunately, Lee Han didn’t hear Aegithalos’ words properly.

After all, he…

What is this, the fucking One Ring?

Realizing that he had acquired a treasure beyond what he could handle, Lee Han was about to return it right away. He looked towards the Aegithalos in a hurry, but…

Whoosh-!

[Time is running out.]

As if it was what was supposed to happen, light began to shine down and envelop Lee Han and his party, preventing him from returning the ring.

[Goodbye, I wish you good luck in your future life.]

As he listened to the Aegithalos’ wish, he was enveloped in light.

…Hmm, why did I feel that Aegithalos looked at me with pity?

…Feel my ass! It really looked at me with pity!

“…Damn, good luck my ass! That Aegithalos wants me to be cursed!”

Lee Han cursed at the Aegithalos in despair.

It was understandable.

After all…

Crackle-!

…He got engulfed in flames as soon as he stepped out of the Sacred Treasury/ This meant that rather than having good luck, he was just cursed.

Indeed. When he returned to the Great Temple, it was burning fiercely.