NOVEL NEXT Chapter 165
Chapter 165
‘What’s this…?’
Si-hyun turned his head and frowned as he looked toward the source of the voice.
There stood Little King Arthur, Max, a woman in a black robe, and a massive man clad in silver armor wielding a greatsword, just like a medieval knight.
Their armed appearance suggested they weren’t here with good intentions—definitely a raid-like vibe.
It felt strange.
As a B-Class, it was only natural that he couldn’t sense anything outside the range of his Insight Skill.
But did even the S-Class Miriam fail to notice them?
As Si-hyun pondered this doubt, Miriam bit her lip and muttered.
“You went all out, using teleportation to chase us down.”
‘Teleportation… is that what it was?’
It suddenly clicked for Si-hyun.
By using teleportation magic to warp through space, she likely couldn’t sense them coming.
The woman in the black robe seemed to be a sorceress.
Given that she was traveling with the Little King, she was unlikely to be a mere nobody; she was likely a Great Sorceress of S-Class.
And the armored man beside her was probably the same.
To top it off, Max was glaring at them with a crazed stare filled with malice.
Miriam had certainly threatened to throw Max back into a cell.
She wouldn’t lie about that.
So it looked like that Little King had secretly brought Max out again.
… Four S-Class individuals.
This was an overwhelming force that he had never encountered before.
It was no exaggeration to call each of them a monster, individuals transcending humanity.
Even Si-hyun, who rarely flinched since the Ganghwa Island Disaster, couldn’t help but feel tense.
“We can’t just let Po-ahim go as is.”
Arthur said with his signature smiling face.
Yet that smile felt even more unsettling than usual.
“What did you say?”
Miriam shot a glare at Arthur, her face brimming with anger.
“I said it felt unpleasant from our first meeting. I really didn’t like it. And Little King, I’m not one to just leave such individuals alone.”
“Hah… So you’re saying you think you can get away with this?”
“If we kill him without anyone knowing, who would find out? That’s why we came through teleportation.”
Arthur paused briefly and nodded toward the woman in the black robe standing beside him.
The next instant, the sorceress held up her staff, her lips moving swiftly.
She wasn’t chanting a spell; she was likely voicing the activation phrase inscribed on her staff, and instantly, magic was unleashed.
An ominous black light flowed from the sorceress’s staff, shrouding the vicinity in a dense fog.
“…Illusion magic.”
Miriam recognized what it was and frowned.
It was magic capable of deceiving all senses—sight, hearing, and smell—of those outside that magical aura.
“What do you think? Isn’t this preparation flawless?”
Arthur spread his arms and smiled.
“That’s laughable. Do you think I’d just stay silent?”
“Of course, you’d have to. That’s why we should make you and Miss Miriam eternally quiet as well.”
“Little King… You, as the king of a country that isn’t worth mentioning, are incredibly arrogant!”
Miriam’s eyebrows shot up in fury.
Her respectful tone had vanished.
She had drawn her bow.
But it wasn’t just any bow.
It was a massive longbow.
The bowstring was made from dragon bone, and the bow itself was renowned as the Death Bow, crafted from dragon tendons—her prized possession.
“Haha, I expected you’d react like this. That’s why I brought them along. Let’s see how you handle the strength of those from a country that isn’t worth mentioning.”
Arthur maintained his calm demeanor even in the face of her anger.
The people he brought were all from the Mirion Kingdom of that other world.
Debra, a court sorceress and an 8-class Great Sorceress.
Palmer, the commander of the royal guard and a Sword Master.
They had all played pivotal roles in supporting the Mirion Kingdom alongside the Little King.
And moving such close allies hinted that Arthur was utterly determined.
“You insolent girl, how dare you speak like that to His Majesty…”
Debra’s face twisted into a scowl.
Palmer said nothing, but his intense aura was palpable.
“Wake up from your dream, you foolish girl. This isn’t an empire, and that esteemed lord of yours isn’t here either.”
Debra mocked them.
Bang!
With a chilling glare, Miriam stepped forward.
With a loud crack, the ground beneath the surrounding area split like a turtle’s shell.
“Don’t you dare speak of him!”
Miriam warned in a cold voice.
“What will you do about it?”
Debra let out a chuckle.
Miriam nocked an arrow onto her bowstring in an instant.
That massive longbow was such that ordinary people couldn’t even dare to pull it back.
And indeed, it was true.
The tendons of a dragon were exceedingly tough, requiring immense strength to draw.
Unless one had inherent monstrous strength or was a master-level practitioner, it was simply impossible.
But with such power, the tension could be phenomenal.
And if it were imbued with Qi?
It would be literally a death arrow.
Boom!
With a sound like an explosion, an iron arrow wrapped in Qi tore through the air like thunder.
It flew with such force that it couldn’t even be considered a parabola; it was almost a straight shot.
Debra, standing far away, widened her eyes in shock.
She thought she saw Miriam drawing the bowstring, but in a blink, the arrow was already racing toward her.
Not to mention, that arrow was infused with tremendous energy.
“Hah!”
Debra’s eyes widened in surprise as she twisted her body.
The arrow narrowly missed her neck. Had it been even a moment too late, her head would have been gone.
Boom!
The arrow struck the ground, creating a massive explosion that dug a deep pit.
It was reminiscent of a bomb going off.
“….”
Debra bit her lip in shock.
Given the power of the attack and its sheer speed, it sent chills down her spine.
“Stay focused.”
Palmer shouted, stepping in front of Debra like a shield.
“Let’s take them on together.”
Arthur commanded.
He had intended to do so from the beginning.
The opponent was the right hand of the Sword Master and the best archer in the empire.
Even Arthur himself wouldn’t be confident in a one-on-one match against such an individual. So, he paired Palmer and Debra together.
If the two succeeded in taking her down, it would be the best outcome, and even if they failed, he and Max would eliminate Po-ahim after dealing with their opponent.
“…My Lord, I apologize.”
Miriam offered a word of apology to Si-hyun, likely feeling responsible for what had unfolded.
“It’s not your fault. This isn’t related to you, Miss Miriam.”
Si-hyun replied, maintaining an outward calm despite his inner tension.
He didn’t want to worry them before a major fight.
“I hope you can uphold your majesty’s dignity.”
Miriam said again as she prepared to draw her bowstring.
Palmer was thundering toward them with each heavy step as if to shake the earth.
Debra was stacking shields in layers and chanting a spell, preparing for the worst.
Although Si-hyun understood the opponent before him was incredibly strong, he decided not to concern himself with her.
She was the one who had been by the Sword Master’s side.
She was undoubtedly competent.
‘The problem lies with me…’
Si-hyun muttered bitterly to himself.
He could see Arthur approaching him with that unsettling smile.
“And that bastard! I’m going to make sure you pay for this today!”
Max’s rage-filled growl echoed as he approached like a beast.
Regardless of Max, Arthur was not a prisoner. That meant the Iron-Blooded Guard wouldn’t work on him.
If the Iron-Blooded Guard wasn’t effective, then he was just a B-Class Hunter with a few unique abilities.
Though he had Hellfire from Acureruts, it had a limitation of once a day.
If the attack failed, that would be it.
Moreover, he was facing not one, but two opponents.
Anyway, it seemed he had no choice but to quickly deal with Max and then face Arthur.
Si-hyun took out the fourth Guard Baton of Po-ahim.
It was a Unique-grade Guard Baton.
With this, he intended to use Guard Baton Technique to knock Max down as quickly as possible.
That seemed like the best course of action.
“Po-ahim, that expression of yours, what’s with it? You really thought this Little King would let you go so easily? Seems like you don’t know me well.”
Arthur smirked menacingly.
“No, it’s rather fortunate. I really didn’t like that smirk of yours. Now I can finally take my time to crush it.”
Si-hyun maintained a tense look, glaring at Arthur with determination.
“Hahahahaha.”
Arthur burst into laughter, finding it amusing for some reason.
Finally, after a moment, he managed to stop laughing, only to mock Si-hyun again.
“Well, look at that… Being the king in a stinky cell made you think you’re a big shot, huh? Oh, king of the cell. King of the cell, why don’t you realize you’re just a big fish in a small pond?”
“….”
Si-hyun remained undeterred, glaring coldly at Arthur.
However, his hand gripping the Guard Baton was slick with anxious sweat.
At that moment, an urgent message appeared in this tense situation.
[Po-ahim is genuinely furious at the Little King’s arrogant remarks and petty conduct. He strongly wishes for you to eliminate this evil king. If you successfully defeat the Little King, Po-ahim will surely reward you handsomely.]
It seemed Po-ahim was genuinely enraged at the way Arthur had come looking for him after acting like he’d let him go.
And the Little King’s arrogant remark, belittling Po-ahim, was just icing on the cake.
But…
What was he supposed to do?
Si-hyun couldn’t help but laugh incredulously in his mind.
Shouldn’t he at least be given a skill or two to handle such a foe?
In this situation, he was more likely to end up being the one killed rather than dealing any damage.
“Damn bastard!”
Max roared as he charged at Si-hyun.
He wasn’t empty-handed this time; he held a massive iron club.
Even as an S-Class, Max’s attacks were clearly visible.
It was the effect of the Iron-Blooded Guard and the frenzied executioner.
Si-hyun tightened his grip on the Guard Baton and widened his eyes.
After avoiding the iron club’s swing, he planned to immediately strike with the Guard Baton Technique.
Max’s iron club was nearly upon him.
Si-hyun timed it well and leaned back.
Whoosh!
The iron club cut through the air, creating a strong gust as it whizzed by.
Si-hyun was ready to unleash the Guard Baton Technique to strike Max down.
At that moment.
Boom!
Crack!
Out of nowhere, Arthur had approached and delivered a powerful kick to Si-hyun’s side.
“Urgh!”
Si-hyun screamed as he was sent flying back to the ground.
The knee impact felt as if several ribs had shattered, sending waves of unbearable pain through him.
It was no ordinary kick.
It was a strike from a beast who had mastered their strength.
That attack carried a force unimaginable to an average Hunter.
And he had been hit completely off-guard.
The shock was overwhelming.
He’d likely sustained internal injuries as well, for a stream of crimson blood trickled down his lips.
‘As expected…’
Si-hyun wiped the blood from his mouth with his hand.
While fighting a prisoner might have allowed for the stat boosts from the Iron-Blooded Guard to affect a third party, it seemed that was a futile expectation.
He hadn’t even seen Arthur’s attack coming, let alone reacted to it.
“Surrounding gang-ups aren’t shameful at all. Life is all about actual combat.”
With a satisfied grin, Arthur, having successfully landed his attack, laughed.
“But you know… you’re surprisingly weak. I expected a bit more from watching you aim to take down Max. Ah, could it be…”
Arthur continued, throwing a curious glance at Si-hyun.
“You’re only strong against prisoners, huh? That’s rather funny.”
“….”
“Hahaha, then… Hey, Max.”
Arthur called Max with a laugh.
“What?”
“I think I’ll have a bit of fun first.”
“What?”
“Huh? Who was it that let you out?”
“Hm….”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of the neck while you handle the rest. But I’ll need to sever the limbs first, right?”
As Arthur approached Si-hyun with a cruel smile, Si-hyun struggled against the pain, trying to rise.
But Arthur was faster.
Boom!
“Gah!”
Once again struck in the chest, Si-hyun rolled across the ground.
“Hahaha.”
Arthur didn’t stop there, mercilessly pummeling Si-hyun further.
Thud! Thud! Boom!
With overwhelming force coursing through his body, Si-hyun couldn’t maintain his consciousness.
At that moment, he was merely a B-Class being preyed upon by an S-Class beast.
‘Po-ahim! Po-ahim! Po-ahim!’
Si-hyun moaned in pain, feeling as though he was bleeding from deep within as he called out to Po-ahim in his mind.
Po-ahim, you’re not the only one who’s angry.
I too was furious at his words and actions.
But I held it inside.
Because I simply lacked the strength.
Yet why would you have me eliminate him without granting any power?
Why not offer me strength?
Strength…
‘Wait!’
At that moment, a thought struck Si-hyun’s mind quickly.
If I could not rely on Po-ahim, perhaps I could put my hope in him.
His heart lay within me.
The heart of the Sword Master.
And if I invoked the heart of the Sword Master, I could summon the sword’s spirit.
Though it came at the cost of vitality.
But this was no time to be picky.
Si-hyun hastily reached out to the sword’s spirit in his mind.
Soon enough, the familiar, vivid figure of the sword master materialized before him.
– The situation doesn’t look good, Awakened One of Po-ahim.
The Sword Master’s tone expressed concern.
Si-hyun wasn’t in a position to speak.
It was already difficult just to withstand the pain of the beatings. So he attempted a mental plea.
‘Please help me, Sword Master. I need your strength.’
– As I mentioned before, I can help. But if I do, your body will be used as the medium. I can’t guarantee you’ll be safe after.
‘I don’t care. I’m about to die right now. But Po-ahim doesn’t want to help me either.’
– That friend must have his own reasons. Or perhaps he may really be in no condition to lend a hand.
‘Whatever the reason, I’m on the brink of death! Please give me your strength!’
Si-hyun cried desperately in his mind.
– Understood.
With that brief response, the Sword Master’s spirit seemed to vanish, and Si-hyun felt something enter his body.
And then.
Si-hyun felt his consciousness lift away. Simultaneously, the sensations in his body were severed.
His body felt as if it had transformed into someone else’s.
– What is it that you desire?
The Sword Master’s voice echoed again.
‘Death. A death as painful as possible!’
– As you wish.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
“Hahaha, what is this? Huh? What is this? You look utterly pathetic. So pitiful, really.”
Arthur laughed heartily, thoroughly enjoying Si-hyun’s state.
Si-hyun squirmed like a worm, groaning in agony.
It was simply too delightful—a sight he relished.
Just then, as Arthur stomped down to crush his knees, he suddenly stopped.
“Huh?”
Si-hyun’s body vanished in an instant.
Only the cold ground remained where he had been.
“What the…?”
Arthur looked around in surprise.
“Looking for me?”
Arthur abruptly turned his head.
There stood Si-hyun.
Despite being beaten to a pulp, he stood upright, staring steadily at Arthur.
“Haha, what’s this? What trickery is this? Have you got a hidden card up your sleeve?”
Arthur continued to smile, taken aback by the unexpected turn of events.
Though the situation was strange, it was nothing more than that.
The opponent was still in a battered state, blood still flowing from his lips.
The circumstances hadn’t changed a bit.
No matter what he tried, he wouldn’t escape death.
Si-hyun drew a Longsword in silence.
And slowly, he unsheathed the blade.
“It’s been a while.”
Si-hyun, or rather the Sword Master, muttered nostalgically.
‘Why don’t you draw Acureruts?’
Si-hyun inquired.
– They aren’t worthy of such a blade.
‘….’
I’m sorry.
…To brandish such a sword at just anyone like that.
Truly, it seemed the Sword Master carried an immense pride in being worthy of that title.
“A sword? Ha, are you really going to try and act like a swordsman? You do know that only makes you even more amusing, right? Hahahaha.”
Arthur couldn’t contain his laughter, practically rolling on the floor.
– I’ll do my best to end this quickly, considering your body.
Few would dare speak such conceited words in front of S-Class monsters, especially when two stood before him.
Yet Si-hyun felt as if he knew two of those in this very instance.
“Let’s start with one.”
The Sword Master muttered quietly.
At the same time, his spirit vanished like an illusion.