V52C7P3 – Kaybern’s movement
“The dragon is coming here?”
Arkhim felt pressured by the news of the Black Dragon Kaybern flying toward his location.
To think that the consequence of their deliberate provocation would come so quickly.
“We must retreat too! We have to get away from here!”
The Haven Imperial Army and the Hermes Guild commenced their full retreat.
Despite having not been able to profit from the battle, they knew that it would be pointless to stay any longer.
“You cannot escape.”
“I am still a surviving member of the Poison Mushroom Porridge Unit!”
The northern users threw themselves at the Haven Imperial Army like moths flying into a flame in order to prevent them from escaping.
“Send out the five cavalry regiments.”
Arkhim left a portion of the army to be sacrificed, but that wasn’t the end.
From the sky, the avian tribes and Myul’s griffon legions were persistently shooting off arrows and causing casualties.
“What do we do?”
“No idea. I think this is too dangerous.”
“We should run too.”
The central continent users on the side of the Arpen Kingdom were also scattering due to the news of the dragon approaching.
The Haven Imperial Army suffered minor casualties from the pursuers’ attacks, but their forces were comprised of cavalry, knights, and demonic beasts, so their retreat was fairly quick.
Their retreat was miserable, especially without Bard Ray.
Lafaye’s words stuck in Arkhim’s head.
“The mighty Hermes Guild will throw the entire continent into chaos with the dragon’s power while we bide our time in Haven Empire territory.”
The land belonged to the ex-Haven empire.
The forces of the Hermes Guild were strong, and their territory was fortified so it would be easy to defend, as a precautionary measure.
It was a very populated and well-developed land in the central continent.
‘An opportunity will come again if we bide our time… There is no guarantee that Weed’s fame will last forever. Lafaye’s opinion was logical and could easily be accepted. But why do we always end up losing?’
The strategy for the Garnav Plains had been carefully planned.
The fight would have ended if they had caught Weed, but instead the result was the complete opposite and they had suffered great losses.
‘Bard Ray’s duel was also Lafaye’s suggestion. Of course, anyone would have thought that was the right decision, so there is no blame in that… I guess it means that Weed is above us in terms of combat strength.’
The future of the Hermes Guild was dark. It felt like only yesterday they had had great authority and control over the central continent; now it was like the ground had fallen from under their feet.
“Here they are!”
“Strike them!”
Desert warriors on camels appeared on the left.
“Charge!”
With Geomchi leading the charge, they swung their scimitars and rushed toward the knights.
“Wahahaha! This is the way of a true man!”
“It’s the hot taste of the desert. It’s the fire. Fire!”
A path of fire trailed behind the desert warriors.
Arkhim twitched his thick eyebrows, “d.a.m.n. All kinds of pests are causing trouble.”
“Let’s kill them all,” shouted the giant knight Boemong as he brandished an iron mace.
The Hermes Guild members, who had been viewed as the most powerful of all, weren’t content with being hunted down.
Arkhim nodded, “Sure. Slaughter the pests.”
Even though they were being hunted, they wouldn’t go down dishonorably, They turned to strike back with the pride of the guild.
– Here! This way!
– They’re getting away!
Arkhim turned his head toward where the voices were coming from.
‘No way…’
A ridiculously ma.s.sive swarm of users was chasing them.
– Take revenge!
– We’ve suffered enough.
The central continent users who had scattered due to the news of the dragon collected themselves.
“When else are we going to pay those Hermes Guild guys back?”
“I’ll just die once, it doesn’t really matter. In return I will have had a part in their end.”
The Central Continent users joined forces and began their pursuit.
Because they didn’t have the novice users that the Gra.s.s Porridge Cult was comprised of, their overall military strength was stronger.
“If I can catch at least one of them.”
“Yeah, I’ll skin them alive.”
“I heard that my friend got some lucky drops, ending up with both a sword and s.h.i.+eld.”
These users were taking revenge on these murderous Hermes Guild members and at the same time, hoping to get some loot.
Along with Volk, the dark gamers who thrived off of Royal Road were displaying great prowess.
-Now is the time. Here we have the opportunity to make the greatest fortune, for how long will we continue to collect junk items?
From children to elders, their eyes were completely red while they chased after the Hermes Guild members’ gear.
Their thoughts were just like Weed’s; even after achieving vengeance, one must seek profit.
“d.a.m.n it. We have to take off.”
Boemong wanted to retaliate against the desert warriors, but the startling sight of the swarm made him turn in retreat.
“After we escape from these tiresome plains, we will seek the next opportunity.”
“I agree. We only lost this one time.There will always be a chance for revenge.”
The morale of the Hermes Guild members on the run was not at its lowest.
They had won each time in the central continent, and they were strong.
They were looking forward to a comeback, but then knights led a charge aiming for their rear. Strangely, they weren’t knights riding horses, but bulls.
– Charge at full speed!
The one leading the knights was Weed, who had returned to his human form.
***
For the pursuit, Weed picked out the best horse riders from the central continent users, other than Pale and his companions. Users with the knight cla.s.s reach their maximum combat strength when their mounts charge. Especially in battles, they could lead a bold breakthrough and demonstrate a several-fold increase in power.
“But this is a bull, not a horse.”
“Bulls are easier to ride.”
“Aren’t they slow?”
“They’re fast. You’ll know when you’re riding on them.”
These central continent users doubted Weed’s words. Knights on bulls had an unattractive appearance, but they partic.i.p.ated enthusiastically as it was a chance for them to take revenge and an opportunity to make a great fortune.
*Thu-thump!*
At first when the bulls began running, it was fresh and exciting.
“Wow. They’re quite fast.”
“This feels great.”
A hundred thousand bulls rushed across the plains all at once. Unlike nimble horses, these bulls charged with their heavy frames and they were in no way delicate.
They were closely related to the descendents of Yellowy the bull.
These bulls boasted a muscular physique.
They were usually gentle, but at times they would run mad.
They were bound by a compet.i.tive, primal drive for battle.
The bulls running together began to increase in speed, steam trailing from their nostrils.
– Fwooos.h.!.+
They reached an unstoppable speed, running across the plains at full power.
Seasoned Crab, who was in the lead, shouted at Weed who was trailing behind him.
“Weed-nim! Aren’t we going too fast?”
Surka and Pale, who were riding beside him, also agreed.
“Seriously. We’re going really fast.”
“Maybe we could slow down…”
“Look behind you before you say that.”
Seasoned Crab turned around and was astonished – right behind him were a hundred thousand bulls charging madly.
“Oh G.o.d!”
“What, what in the world?”
Weed’s comrades were startled by the bulls’ bloodshot eyes.
“They’ve gone mad. If we slow down, we’ll be trampled to death. Just keep riding, don’t think about anything else.”
Just like Weed had been hoping, the users riding on the bulls ceased to think.
They just rode.
The wind buffeted them as they melded with the bulls’ heaving backs.
No enemy could stand in their way.
The most frightening thing was the legion of bulls behind them.
Depending on the strategy those knights could be priceless a.s.sets, but at the moment they could not do anything but ride.
As soon as they sighted the Haven Imperial Army falling back in an orderly fas.h.i.+on, there was nothing else to do.
Nothing but to smash the enemy with all their might!
***
Fencing Skill of Brilliance!
Weed struck down a knight right in front of him with his huge axe, striking with all the speed and power the charging bull had built up until now!
The increased strength from the Sculptural Destruction skill was still in effect.
An explosion of light split the knight in half.
< Absolute death!The ferocious, swift charge reduced enemy health points by 92,395.Critical strike.The enemy was unable to retaliate and perished.Attack is enhanced by 700% due to the charge.Speed is increased by 2% for 10 seconds.A small portion of your mount’s health points have recovered.If the current speed is maintained, attack damage will be sustained at maximum. >
Weed aimed his gigantic axe toward the next target.
He slashed and struck down every enemy in sight while maintaining the full speed of his charge.
“I will slaughter you all. Chopping strike!”
Due to his sheer strength, the enemies were either killed instantly or knocked over a dozen yards away.
He had already prepared for the dragon’s arrival by tucking away the loot he had scavenged along with the Wind Blade.
“It, It’s Weed!”
“Weed has appeared!”
The Haven Imperial Army was caught short by his appearance.
– Pierce through them like an arrow!
As soon as Weed broke through, his comrades and the bull knights burst into the Haven Imperial Army with indomitable strength and speed.
*Thwis.h.!.+*
Pale strafed arrows in all directions while standing on top of his bull’s back.
“Quickdraw! Multi-shot!”
Dozens of arrows hurtled through the air and fell on enemy knights.
Pale’s arrow shot from a High Elf’s bow and buffed by the spirit’s a.s.sistance erupted in fire and spouts of water.
“Hee-ya!”
Python swung his great sword while closely tailing Weed.
The Imperial knights wore heavy armor, but he swung his sword with enormous strength and blew them away.
“Kwahahaha. I’m going to wipe the floor with them, just like that.”
Surka’s fist also glowed brightly.
She concentrated her strength and mana, then her fist flared toward the enemy.
“Thunder fist!”
A knight was struck by her thunder fist and pa.s.sed out as he crashed down on the ground.
Crack!
Lightning struck and killed over two dozen knights.
Records by an anonymous individual had been discovered in the great library of Morata: the Secret Art of the Fist.
< This is a story of a farmer in the history of the Niflheim Empire.
He was a farmer in the Wellton region who watched in agony as a swarm of robbers raided the village.
“They’re weaklings who would die if I just punched them once. How hard life must be for them, as they’re so powerless.”
The robbers raged and came at him, but none of them could withstand the farmer’s punch.
Later, the renowned Knights of Niflheim heard the news and went to challenge him, but no one could stand against the swing of his fist. >
The one who recorded this information in the great library probably did so without much thought. The Northern Martial Arts Federation that Surka belongs to discovered this doc.u.ment and conducted an investigation.
They confirmed that the Secret Art of the Fist existed and searched until they discovered engravings on a rock that described the Thunder Fist.
“The purification of living flames. Scorch them completely!”
Romuna also released her magic.
Her flames swamped the Haven Imperial Army and blazed as they spread sideways.
“Kyahaha. Burn them all away!”
Seasoned Crab had quietly disappeared some time ago.
“Kuk!”
“Agh!”
As an a.s.sa.s.sin, he abused the shadows to a.s.sa.s.sinate his enemies.
“Kuu… Weed. I can’t believe he barged in without any sense of fear. Is he out of his mind? We’ll definitely get him.”
Seasoned Crab silently appeared behind the Hermes guild member.
“You should worry about yourself first.”
“What? Who is… Kuk!”
Dead in an instant.
The news of an a.s.sa.s.sin skulking among them spread, keeping them on edge.
Irene was also excited.
“Hands of Restoration! Overflowing Spring of Vitality!”
The targets of her divine spells were the bulls. She put loads of effort into treating injured humans and cared for animals just as much.
Huff! Huff!
The trampling bulls snorted contentedly.
(To be continued…)