novelraw Chapter 72 : Demon Tribe
Chapter 72 : Demon Tribe
Chapter 72: Demon Tribe
A child who looked about twelve years old met Robin’s eyes with a smile.
Clothes one would expect a commoner child to wear.
Skin tinged faintly with purple.
A small horn sprouting from the very center of the forehead.
The moment he inferred the identity of the innocently smiling child, a chill ran down his spine.
‘A Demon Tribe……? How is a Demon Tribe in human lands?’
Robin was not the only one who noticed the other’s identity.
The rest of the party did not speak, but the air around them grew taut with tension.
The child’s small mouth opened.
“Where are you going in such a hurry?”
No one answered rashly.
When there was no reply, the child added,
“Is the question difficult. Why are you so stiff?”
The Admiral, who was being carried on Imelda’s back, spoke up.
“Are you a Demon Tribe.”
“Yeah. You can see the horn here, right?”
The child tapped the horn growing from his forehead.
The sensation was hard, like solid wood.
“Now I’d like you to answer my question. Where are you going?”
“…We are on our way to see Count Wilcock.”
“Wilcock? Hahaha. That’s a funny name.”
“We have no intention of clashing with you. May we pass.”
The Admiral asked politely.
The child smiled brightly and said,
“No. You can’t pass.”
“You should not be in this land. According to the Human–Demon Non-Aggression Pact, we request that you withdraw immediately.”
“Are you deaf? I said you can’t pass.”
The child raised his hand.
Imelda hurriedly drew her sword.
Shiiing!
Imelda’s longsword took a defensive stance.
Kka-gaang!
A sharp attack aimed at the Admiral was blocked.
The blade of the longsword trembled.
“I actually know everything. You’re transporting a weapon of war, right?”
“How did you……?”
“I was watching from afar. When the troll I was controlling knelt down, I couldn’t believe it even when I saw it.”
‘Controlling a troll?’
There were those who tamed monsters, but this was the first time he had heard of someone controlling a medium-to-large monster.
Information about the Demon Tribe was not common to begin with.
After they were no longer able to enter the Empire’s territory, their existence gradually faded from memory.
Enemies of humanity who appeared briefly in history books and then vanished.
That being now stood in the way of Robin’s group.
“This is a warning. If you obediently put down what you’re carrying on your back, I’ll let you live.”
“…And if we cannot do that?”
The Admiral no longer spoke to the Demon Tribe with honorifics.
The Demon Tribe snickered as if it did not matter.
“Well, what can I do. I’ll have to kill you.”
“…….”
Sir Collie, who had been riding on someone’s back, tapped Robin’s back.
Robin slowly set Collie down.
Collie, standing straight on trembling legs, drew his sword and stepped forward.
The three soldiers did the same.
Even the Admiral got down from Imelda’s back and showed his will to face them.
“There is no compromise with the enemies of humanity.”
“Good. That’s how it should be to be fun.”
“Sir Collie! Use that!”
Collie opened the wooden box he had protected until now.
What came out of the box was a stone about the size of a palm.
Just as Collie, holding the stone, was about to throw it at the Demon Tribe.
Slash.
“Guh…….”
Collie’s right hand was severed.
Before he could even register the sight of blood gushing like a fountain from his wrist.
An attack flew in.
Pa-pa-pa-pang!
The sound of air colliding with air and exploding in midair struck their ears.
The Demon Tribe lifted his brows in surprise.
“You blocked this?”
Serena pointed her staff at the Demon Tribe.
Her usual languid expression was nowhere to be seen as she coldly glared at him.
“It’s my first time seeing a Demon Tribe in person, but I get it, why uncle said that.”
“What are you, blocking my attack? Humans can’t use magic. How did you do it?”
While the Demon Tribe rambled on, Robin brought Collie’s right hand to the severed stump.
When he let troll blood flow over it, the flesh bubbled and the hand reattached.
Judging by Collie’s expression, the pain was conveyed without words.
‘The poison will have to be removed later.’
Unrefined troll blood contained toxins harmful to humans.
He wanted to at least give him an antidote herb for the time being, but this was not the situation.
Collie’s hand moved little by little, and he handed the stone he was holding to Robin.
“Please throw this at that Demon Tribe.”
Robin nodded.
He did not know what it was, but if it was called a weapon of war, it should be more than enough to subdue a Demon Tribe.
However, things did not go as planned.
Perhaps because he was watching this side, an invisible attack flew toward Robin.
Relying solely on his senses, he dodged everything just before something sharp could touch him.
When the brief offensive ended, Robin realized one thing.
If he focused, he could see a crescent-moon-shaped form shimmering in midair.
‘If I focus on the vibrations of the air, it’s not impossible to dodge.’
That was, of course, a feat only possible for Robin.
The soldiers, including Collie, did not even know what hit them and helplessly allowed the attacks through.
They instinctively avoided fatal wounds like having their bodies severed, but the damage accumulated.
When he glanced at Imelda, she barely managed to evade, showing that her training had not been in vain.
‘I need to change tactics.’
Robin put the stone into his pocket.
Instead, he gripped a sword in each hand.
Then the attacks concentrated on Robin lessened.
The Demon Tribe fixed his gaze on Serena and exchanged attacks with her.
“Humans are really interesting. Are you really not going to tell me how you did it?”
“It’s not something I can’t tell you.”
“What is it, what is it?”
“Spirits.”
At those words, the Demon Tribe’s eyes widened.
Ten arrows made of fire were shot toward the Demon Tribe.
Judging it dangerous, the Demon Tribe retreated backward.
Timing it, spears made of rock rose from the ground.
The spears did not stop at one.
Avoiding the second and third this way and that, the Demon Tribe gradually struggled.
The Demon Tribe’s skin tore, and soon one leg was pierced through by a spear.
Serena cast a cold gaze at the Demon Tribe, whose shin was pierced and could not move.
“Uncle said, if you ever face a Demon Tribe, kill them on sight.”
“What? What human would say something like that?”
“You should disappear from this world.”
Kwaaaaaaaa!
Water the size of a house gathered above the Demon Tribe’s head.
The spherical water changed into the shape of a fist, and the swollen volume shrank.
“Die. Demon Tribe.”
Without even a moment to answer, the fist fell toward the Demon Tribe.
Kwa-gwa-gwa-gwang!
A thunderous roar erupted.
Seeing the anticlimactically ended battle, the Admiral and the soldiers cheered.
In contrast, Serena’s expression twitched subtly.
Robin immediately ran to Serena’s front.
Shu-shu-shu-shuk!
Compressed air shot toward Serena like arrows.
Even within slowed time, it was not easy for Robin to grasp the attack.
‘Then I’ll make it so you can’t even get close.’
The two swords were swung wildly.
More than a dozen slashes drawn horizontally, vertically, and diagonally became a curtain.
The attack was blocked by the curtain formed of sword slashes.
As if a blade were drawn across the center of an arrowhead, the air lost its force and scattered.
He did not miss that moment.
The sensation transmitted through the sword concretized what the Demon Tribe’s attack was.
It was unseen, but imaginable.
Once he grasped the vibrations, scent, and temperature of the air, the attack became visible.
When Robin’s sword, which had swept past like a gale, came to a stop, the Demon Tribe stared blankly.
“Humans really are impossible to figure out.”
The water Serena had condensed was sliced into fragments and scattered.
Even so, Serena did not lower her staff.
Water that had soaked the ground jutted up sharply, aiming for the Demon Tribe’s body.
Hwi-uu-ung!
Wind wrapped around the Demon Tribe’s body, and the sharpened water vanished as if it had evaporated.
Serena’s eyes met the Demon Tribe’s.
The wooden staff and the purple Demon Tribe’s hand pointed toward each other.
The wind surrounding the Demon Tribe grew faster and soon became a whirlwind that swept toward Serena.
Supporting the staff with both hands, Serena chanted.
“Blazing fire demon Agnir. I shall manifest you.”
A pillar of fire shot up from the ground, and a horse appeared.
A horse whose entire body was made of raging flames.
Serena pointed at the Demon Tribe and spoke.
“Burn.”
The flames covering the horse grew larger, then charged toward the whirlwind in a spiraling rush.
Wind and fire collided, and shockwaves spread in both directions.
Everyone barely lifted their heads and watched the result.
Hwi-i-i-ing.
The fire horse vanished, leaving only sharp wind behind.
The Demon Tribe had the upper hand.
Serena raised her index and middle fingers upward.
Air that flowed along the ground offset the wind.
Thanks to the fire spirit reducing its power, it disappeared easily.
“Huu-uh…….”
Serena planted her staff into the ground and steadied her breath.
Cold sweat seeped from her forehead, and her breathing grew rough.
The Demon Tribe looked completely fine, as if his wounds had already healed.
The Demon Tribe placed a hand on his waist and smiled faintly.
Just as the Demon Tribe was about to say something, Robin rushed in.
Bwoong!
Robin’s sword cleaved the empty air.
The Demon Tribe’s physical abilities were better than they appeared.
From this, one thing became clear.
‘The magic the Demon Tribe uses is wind-type.’
The sword in his right hand thrust toward the Demon Tribe.
The sword’s speed slowed, as if struggling underwater.
Seizing that opening, the Demon Tribe lowered his upper body and reached toward Robin’s abdomen.
‘Not a chance.’
Just before the Demon Tribe’s hand touched him, Robin smashed his knee into the Demon Tribe’s jaw.
Perhaps he had not expected a knee strike from a tilted posture, and the Demon Tribe allowed the knee kick.
As the bastard’s head snapped back toward the sky, he covered his abdomen with his arm.
Ka-ga-ga-gak!
‘As expected. He was aiming to punch a hole through my stomach.’
Sharp wind extended from the Demon Tribe’s hand, but the defense succeeded.
When Robin’s attack landed, those watching gained courage.
“Everyone, help Roy! Kill the Demon Tribe!”
“Yes!!”
The three soldiers, Collie, and Imelda charged in simultaneously.
The Demon Tribe waved his hand as if annoyed.
Hwi-i-i-ing!
Wind raged, but Serena did not stand by.
She likewise summoned wind spirits and blocked the Demon Tribe’s attack.
Her complexion turned pale, but she could not stop.
She foresaw a future where they would not be able to kill the Demon Tribe unless it was now.
Puhk!
Robin’s unconventional attack struck the Demon Tribe’s face.
‘He guards against blades, but fists are a lower priority, is that it.’
As the Demon Tribe’s head turned, one soldier was knocked away.
The Demon Tribe, wearing the form of a child, was thoroughly rational.
He took hits that were acceptable and took what he could gain.
That made him far more troublesome.
The fallen soldier could not get back up immediately.
No matter what trick was used, when a sword was extended to near the Demon Tribe, it slowed.
As if someone were grabbing it from behind, densely compressed air slowed Robin’s sword.
Pa-ak!
When he kicked the Demon Tribe in the solar plexus, the bastard was pushed back.
At the same time, two soldiers were knocked away.
An exchange continued where it was impossible to tell who was losing more.
Small wounds accumulated on the bastard’s skin.
Likewise, the soldiers’ condition worsened.
Imelda and Collie also allowed several attacks through.
If even a knight’s blue aura could not reach, it was useless.
Just before Robin’s foot reached the Demon Tribe.
The bastard’s hand reached toward Imelda.
‘That won’t do.’
He had been prepared for the bastard’s somewhat patterned attacks.
Robin revealed the hidden card he had kept.
When he pulled out the stone Collie had handed over, a crack appeared in the Demon Tribe’s expression.
The face that had seemed to enjoy itself until now crumpled violently.
Robin thrust both the stone in his left hand and the sword in his right toward the Demon Tribe at the same time.
Puuk.
The Demon Tribe retreated, his shoulder pierced by Robin’s sword.
He had aimed for the neck, but satisfied with landing a solid hit, he pressed the advantage.
Now it was certain.
‘That bastard fears the use of this stone.’
Even while letting one shoulder dangle, he tried desperately to avoid touching the stone.
When Robin waved the hand holding the stone as if to taunt him, the Demon Tribe’s eyes sank.
He raised his intact arm toward the sky.
‘It’s a chance.’
Catching the bastard’s momentarily delayed movement, Robin slashed with his sword.
This time as well, he mixed in a feint, yet the bastard allowed the attack far too easily.
Seogeogeok.
The bastard’s left arm was severed, and a transparent sphere formed in the hand raised toward the sky.
The moment Robin instinctively tried to retreat, sensing danger.
“Too late.”
The Demon Tribe, whose eyes met his, was smiling.
Within finely fragmented time, the air condensed in the Demon Tribe’s hand writhed and spread outward.
Puh-eo-eo-eo-eong!
A massive explosion spread as if swallowing the surroundings.