How to Live as a Genius Knight in a Fantasy World

57.

“…What in the world are you thinking, Sir Rohan.”

Carix’s voice, questioning, carried a bewildered tone.

Having only known Rohan as an ordinary knight, his actions seemed like a mere suicide attempt to Carix.

Although Rohan sensed Carix’s thoughts, he was not in a situation where he could afford to pay attention to such matters.

Instead of expressing displeasure to Carix, Rohan did his best to explain his plan.

“Do you see a black gem on his forehead?”

“Yes, I do, but…”

“In my view, that gem is his weakness. However, I don’t have the confidence to climb up to his head alone. That’s why I signaled you, Carix. With a wyvern, it should be easy to move towards his head.”

“Oh…”

“I will ride the wyvern up to his head and then jump off. If I can attack the gem, it will surely deal a significant blow to him.”

At the audacious, even reckless plan, Carix’s pupils shook.

To be honest, Carix didn’t feel Rohan’s opinion was completely groundless.

While Rohan had witnessed the awakening of the dragon firsthand and was quite confident, even to outsiders, the gem firmly embedded in the center of the dragon’s forehead felt unsettling.

But that didn’t mean Carix was ready to accept Rohan’s plan.

‘This is too risky.’

In reality, whether Rohan made a decision or not, Carix wouldn’t face significant danger.

Even if it was a corpse dragon, as long as it didn’t resurface, there was no way to pose a threat to a wyvern rider freely soaring in the sky.

However, the young knight in front of him was different.

It was only natural for Carix, as a comrade, to feel the urge to stop him.

Yet, Carix ultimately couldn’t bring himself to voice a refusal to Rohan.

Having observed the battlefield from the sky for a long time, he was aware that the situation was far from ideal.

He knew that a turning point was needed, and if there was even a slight possibility, it had to be attempted.

Moreover, the look in Rohan’s eyes, reflected in Carix’s gaze, was filled with unwavering certainty.

A man who harbored no doubts that his choice was right, a man befitting the description of being resolute.

In front of him, unintentionally, Carix found himself nodding.

With Carix’s consent secured, following his lead, Rohan cautiously climbed onto the wyvern.

The saddle was designed for one person, but the wyvern’s back was not narrow, allowing him to somehow hoist himself up.

Wrapping his trained thighs around the dragon’s body, he held Carix’s waist tightly.

Normally, embracing a man would be repulsive, but with lives at stake, such trivial discomforts hardly mattered.

Following Karix’s orders, the wyvern soared up, driving towards the castle wall.

Seemingly considerate of Rohan, the wyvern’s flight was remarkably stable, exceeding his expectations.

Perched on the wyvern’s back, far beyond the reach of the Corpse Dragon, the two quietly awaited their moment.

No matter how difficult Rohan’s decision was, he couldn’t risk falling into the clutches of the knights rampaging after the Corpse Dragon.

Despite enhanced physical abilities, a mere brush against that massive body would mean unavoidable death.

Rushing down hastily would amount to nothing but suicide; they had to wait for the precise moment to strike.

As Rohan and Karix circled in the air, the fierce battle continued below on the ground.

Every clash between Ora’s blade and the dragon’s bone emitted fiery sparks, and each movement of the Corpse Dragon’s colossal body resounded with a deafening roar.

As the intense battle raged on, Rohan began to feel anxious.

Finally, the opportunity presented itself.

Though shrouded in darkness, two knights who had drawn their swords managed to successfully sever the Corpse Dragon’s ankle halfway, causing it to falter momentarily as its injured limb struggled to bear its weight, halting its frenzied movements.

The wyvern carrying the two swiftly descended towards the dragon’s head.

Tightening the wyvern’s reins, Karix inwardly urged, “We must get as close as possible.”

Even though Rohan hadn’t explicitly requested it, Karix was fully engaged in guiding the wyvern with all his might, a gesture of respect towards the warrior facing an impossible challenge.

Descending without shedding a tear, the wyvern finally reached the vicinity of the dragon’s head. Rohan, perched on the wyvern’s back, swiftly drew his sword and leaped down.

Though in proximity, the height was enough to spell certain death for someone untrained in martial arts.

Nevertheless, instead of succumbing to fear, Rohan focused on his swiftly approaching target.

“There’s only one chance.”

While the wyvern could attempt again if it failed, for Rohan leaping down, there would be no second opportunity.

Rohan, throwing down the gauntlet, finally unleashed the skills he had honed for so long.

“Knight’s Body Strengthening.”

The first activation of the acquired active effect skill.

Being an SR-grade skill, the effect was nothing short of spectacular.

As the effect activated, an overwhelming power surged through Rohan’s entire body, filling his mind with a profound sense of vigor.

He could distinctly perceive every fragment of the wind brushing against his body, as if he could even see the flow of mana coursing through the Corpse Dragon’s body.

In a sensation akin to moving through slowed time, Rohan’s hands gripped the sword’s hilt.

“Warrior King’s Strike.”

The brimming power that seemed to shatter Rohan’s body surged into the sword with explosive momentum.

The energy accumulated through the aerial techniques and amplified by the skill blended within the sword, revealing a shape akin to a purple-hued flame.

“High-level knight…!”

Even as Karix, surveying the descending Rohan aimed at the dragon, was taken aback by the unexpected sight.

“Uwaaa!”

Rohan, channeling all his energy into the sword, unleashed a strike infused with boiling emotions.

The radiant light of Ora illuminated the dark sky, causing those engaged in battle with the Corpse Dragon to turn their gazes in unison.

“By the heavens…”

At this unforeseen entrance, someone uttered a bewildered voice.

The sword, swung with near perfection, shot out at a distant speed, finally the violet flames cleaved the black gem.

The gem, which devoured countless lives but remained incomplete, could not withstand Rohan’s blow and shattered into hundreds of pieces.

As the gem was destroyed, Rohan, engulfed in the whirlpool of dark magic, helplessly trembled in midair before plummeting to the ground.

The overwhelming power coursing through his body seemed to dissipate as if an illusion, replaced by a profound sense of exhaustion enveloping his entire being.

Struggling to hold onto consciousness that seemed on the brink of fading, he unleashed his final skill.

“Blessing of Breath.”

As the skill activated, miraculously, his completely depleted stamina surged back.

The clouded consciousness cleared, and utilizing the remaining effects of body reinforcement, he managed to flip in midair and land stably.

“…I did it.”

Realizing the success of his reckless attempt, a bright smile appeared on Rohan’s face.

A powerful ecstasy, unlike anything he had ever felt before, surged through his entire being.

“Incredible…”

Watching the dragon’s body, once rampant with the intent to destroy, crumble weakly, Count Frederick muttered to himself.

Having dodged the creature’s attacks with all his might for a while, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat anticlimactic.

The blow delivered by the young knight was undeniably fatal to the drake.

With the shattering of the jewel, the dragon lost the strength to support its own weight and swiftly transformed into a massive pile of bones.

The count’s gaze, fixed on the dragon’s bones, soon shifted to the knight who had landed on the ground and was inspecting his body.

“Truly remarkable.”

Having lived as a noble for a long time and gained a keen insight, Count Frederick was not one to easily praise others.

But this time, he couldn’t help but be sincerely impressed.

The audacious feat of riding a wyvern and successfully executing a reckless descent from the sky was beyond the imagination of an ordinary human.

An achievement only attainable by those with bold determination and overwhelming skill.

Even if he had a granddaughter of similar age, he would have done whatever it took to bring her into the family, such was the brilliance of his talent.

And this high praise was not only from Count Frederick.

Among the high-ranking individuals, including the king, a covetous gaze fell upon the knight named Rohan.

As a strange tension began to flow among them, Rohan was busy checking his own physical condition.

Having exhausted all his formidable skills, his body was not in a terrible state, thanks to the Blessing of Breath.

Although it was regrettable that Ora had fallen, it was only a small price to pay, considering that without giving his all, it would have been impossible to bring down the dragon.

Confirming his body was unharmed, Rohan’s eyes turned towards the remains of the dragon.

“Wow… it’s really huge.”

Now a lifeless and collapsed dragon, each of its bones still retained a monumental size that captivated Rohan.

Compared to the dinosaurs he had seen in a museum, it was overwhelmingly massive.

Although he had done it himself, it was hard to believe that he had brought down such a creature.

Rohan’s contemplation was interrupted by a familiar voice nearby.

“You, truly remarkable. Made quite a spectacle back there.”

A somewhat familiar voice now reached his ears.

It was King Arden VI addressing Rohan.

“Oh, no. It was just… luck.”

“Luck? Nonsense. I was lucky to have a knight like you fighting by my side. Isn’t that so?”

Even with the king overtly praising himself, Rohan couldn’t lift his head easily.

It was because it was an undeniable fact that Rohan’s sword had torn through the princess’s body, albeit out of necessity.

Of course, the king hadn’t witnessed that scene firsthand, and Rohan wasn’t to blame for it, but a strange sense of guilt couldn’t help but creep in.

Though Rohan was being treated cordially now, he couldn’t help but worry that the attitude might change if the king were to see the princess’s body.

As Rohan hesitated, the others who had been engaged in a fierce battle with the corpse dragon and the bloodshed gathered around him.

“You were truly remarkable, Sir Rohan.”

“It was an impressive dance. A knight among men.”

With the shower of compliments, the reddish hue on Rohan’s face deepened slightly.

A warmth unsuitable for the battlefield briefly kindled.

The slight easing of tension didn’t last long.

Even though they had crossed more than two great mountains, the mastermind behind all this chaos was still standing strong.

The individuals gathered around Rohan were recognized as top-tier knights throughout the kingdom, yet, being human, they were greatly fatigued from the long battle.

Despite this, no one dared to suggest a retreat.

Because over a million people had died at the hands of the demon still rampaging among the elves.

As a king, as nobility.

They bore the duty to punish the villain in place of those who had died in vain.

Their gazes turned one by one towards the final battlefield.

A brief silence passed, and without anyone needing to prompt, they began to move forward.

Into the battlefield engulfed by dark magic, Rohan took a step.