novelraw Chapter 131 : Chapter 131
Chapter 131 : Chapter 131
Chapter 131: Why Are These Guys So Weak?
“What are you? Why are you…?”
“Why else? Of course, I came because of ‘that incident’.”
At Victon’s hollow laugh, Muno couldn’t help but frown.
He had thought the Holy Knights and Inquisitors had arrived, but an unexpected visitor had come instead.
‘Well, it’s only been a day.’
He was a little disappointed, but at least it didn’t seem like Victon had come for no reason.
“Sir Anthony gave his permission. He said you were a colleague. By any chance…”
The chief steward of the Osnal family, who had escorted the guest in and was now cautiously observing the situation.
“Ah, that’s right. You may leave.”
As soon as Muno reassured him and sent him away.
“I found a trace.”
Victon said something that was bound to make his heart drop.
He had guessed it the moment he saw him, but hearing it now made his brow furrow.
“...You’re saying that knowing we’re the only ones who can move right now, aren’t you?”
“This isn’t a matter where we can afford to consider every little thing. Honestly, it’s a waste of time to be so polite with someone in between like this.”
“That’s true, but…”
The timing was unfortunate.
They were still waiting for the Holy Knights.
‘He found it already?’
He couldn’t help but ask, sighing.
“So, where is it?”
“In that underground cavern where we fought. About a day’s journey further from there, near the southern border, I found traces of numerous people being dragged away.”
“A day’s journey? It’s only been a day since we parted.”
When he frowned, Victon shrugged his shoulders.
“A day’s journey by a normal person’s standard. You’ve seen my specialty, haven’t you?”
Of course, considering this guy’s smoke-like specialty, he could have traveled that distance in no time.
But that was only possible if he was certain the target was there.
In other words.
‘This guy has collaborators…’
His expression couldn’t help but harden.
And Victon seemed to have sensed his change in demeanor.
“There are things I cannot reveal due to circumstances, but I trust you know that my desire to deal with these Demon Cult bastards is genuine. I hope you will focus only on that fact.”
“…Alright.”
He had to admit that much.
“This is an opportunity to put an end to these heinous criminals. I have already relayed the location information to Sir Anthony, and what we need now, at a time when every moment might be critical, is an advance party to strike first. As you know…”
“You and me. And…”
“Yes. And the young lady behind us. Any other forces remaining in this city will only be a hindrance. The same goes for the unrecovered Red Iron Knights. Surely you’re not thinking of taking it easy like them, are you?”
“Taking it easy?”
“Sir Anthony suggested we move together when the Inquisitors arrive soon. But you know, don’t you? That we can’t do that.”
Victon’s expression, seeking agreement with his eyes, looked truly anxious.
‘Right…’
This guy was also feeling the same strange premonition he had felt.
A feeling that something was happening even though there was no clear evidence, an anxious feeling that they shouldn't wait.
“To be honest, I was also a little uneasy. Even after defeating that monster.”
Rauel’s voice coming from behind stimulated that groundless intuition even more.
It meant that all three of them here were feeling the same thing.
It was strange for him to say it himself, but the intuitions of Corporeal Arts users who would be seen as geniuses by others were all pointing to the same thing.
Was it a coincidence?
‘If it’s not a coincidence…’
He suddenly recalled a story about the subconscious he had read in his past life.
‘Intuition is the conclusion drawn from information collected subconsciously, which has not yet been raised to the level of the rational domain… or so it was said.’
Thinking of it that way, it made a certain amount of sense.
There was an element of unease among the information subconsciously collected while experiencing the battle in Erundel.
Something that stimulated a sense of crisis, although it couldn't be explained by rational logic.
‘Still, it’s just a guess…’
The three people here, including himself, were those who showed genius talent in the physical aspects of Corporeal Arts.
In other words, they were those whose instincts were superior to anyone else’s.
Most of all.
“…There’s nothing to lose by doing it.”
At the conclusion Muno reached, Victon’s expression brightened at once.
“Does that mean…”
“Before that, do you have any more forces you can bring in?”
He was telling him to lay all his cards on the table if he had collaborators.
But Victon shook his head and replied.
“I’m sorry, but there are no personnel who would be helpful in terms of military power. I myself don’t have a strong standing yet…”
It meant he belonged to some organization in the Empire.
But he didn't feel the need to press any further right now.
“Can’t be helped. Let’s go for now. And if it seems impossible, let’s wait for our reinforcements.”
“Exactly! That’s what we should do!”
“Funny. I’m scared to death. You must be too, right?”
“So, are you going to play it safe?”
Hmph.
“Not a chance.”
A provocation he couldn't help but fall for.
It was an irresistible offer, given at a damn good timing.
* * *
- If you’ve judged it so, I have no reason to stop you.
- But there’s no need to overdo it. If you judge it to be dangerous, play it safe.
You are a talent who must take responsibility for the future of the kingdom.
‘What…’
Pabapabak.
A bitter smile automatically formed on his lips at the thought of Anthony’s words while he was running through the field.
‘All I’ve shown is that I’m good at fighting, and he calls me a talent who will take responsibility for the country’s future.’
It just showed how barbaric this world was, but even so, there was no reason for him to be displeased with the praise.
And he was also confident that, while it might be a slight exaggeration, it wasn't a greatly unreasonable assessment.
Nevertheless.
“Let’s! Go! Together!”
Among the group heading to the destination right now, he was the one falling behind the most.
Of course, in terms of absolute speed, he probably wasn't slow.
Pabak.
Kwakwakwa.
He could tell without having to look back.
A small storm of dust was rising along the trail of his running footsteps.
His body, which now had the mass of two or three large warhorses, was dashing relentlessly, even employing the Wind Sprint technique to cut through the air.
“Sir Muno, are you okay?”
Never mind Rauel, who was casually speaking to him with much lighter movements right beside him.
“Of course! Aish, but! That!”
Far ahead, Victon’s movement, who was flying through the sky, was literally like the wind, as if he was in a great hurry.
‘Fucking, life…’
Pabapabak.
Kwakwakwa.
Someone’s lungs felt like they were about to burst from running like mad on two feet, while someone else was just flying around as a cloud.
His body, which was now faster and had more stamina than most horses, seemed endlessly shabby in front of that bizarre specialty.
Of course, he knew how meaningless it was to evaluate himself by comparing to someone else.
“Can you move a little faster? We’re getting a little late because of you.”
The white cloud that was far ahead would occasionally drift closer like this, revealing his handsome face and teasing him, so how could he not have such thoughts?
Moreover, it wasn't just Victon; Rauel's gaze, who kept looking at him worriedly, was also bothering him.
“If you’re not okay, we can rest a bit before we go…”
He had his pride.
“Absolutely! I’m fine!! Damn it!!”
Pabapabak.
Kwakwakwakwa.
The gale dashing through the field was gradually getting faster in the meantime.
The tremendous dash, which seemed like it would continue endlessly, only began to slow down when the sun was setting lazily.
Chomp, chomp.
“I!”
Munch, munch.
“Was hungry!”
Kra-dduk.
“Stopped!”
Crunch, crunch.
“Have to eat!”
Chomp, chomp.
Muno shouted, feeling unnecessarily awkward at the gazes that kept gathering on his face.
It was true that he had stopped as soon as he smelled the wild boar, but the reason was strictly due to excessive energy consumption.
“It’s okay, Sir Muno. I was tired too.”
Rauel, who was carefully nibbling on a wild boar leg next to him, patting his back unnecessarily, also hurt his pride a little.
“Don’t be discouraged. Honestly, your speed was more than I expected. It’s enough that we’ve almost reached our destination in less than half a day.”
Victon’s words, offered with a smirk, didn't feel like encouragement at all.
“Damn it…”
“I’m not just saying that. You too, but this young lady…”
“Rauel.”
Victon smiled brightly when Rauel told him her name.
For some reason, that sight was annoying.
“…Yes. Both you and Miss Rauel are amazing. It’s rare for a normal Corporeal Arts user to be able to run long distances at a speed greater than a warhorse. Except for the Seven-Stars, of course.”
He was saying that he wasn’t a normal Corporeal Arts user.
‘Well, that makes sense.’
Both he and Rauel were probably able to perform such an absurd dash because their evolved bodies had aspects specialized in recovery or stamina.
But Victon’s specialty was on a completely different level.
He had met many Corporeal Arts users with unique specialties.
But it was the first time he had seen one that deviated so far from the human form.
He and Rauel, and even that poison master or whatever, looked no different from ordinary people.
But that Victon.
“What kind of specialty is it, your body? Is it even Corporeal Arts?”
“Well, what else would it be? You should be able to feel it.”
“Hmmm…”
That was certainly true, but the mechanism itself was incomprehensible, which was clearly different from other specialties.
Could that really be considered a form of biological evolution?
“Just as Sir Muno finds me strange, I find Sir Muno strange too. No matter how I look at it, that armor doesn’t seem like something a person can wear, but how can you move like this while wearing it…”
Tsk.
“Shut up.”
Even though Muno’s expression hardened, Victon continued to talk.
“Shut up? Even for a growth-type artifact, it doesn’t make sense for its weight to grow too, does it? I think…”
Then at some point, his voice suddenly started to fade.
And seeing Muno's expression, who had already been motioning towards the forest with his eyes, Victon gave a cold smile.
“…I was just saying that you seem more amazing than I thought. Don’t you agree, Miss Rauel?”
“That’s… right. Sir Muno is definitely amazing.”
Rauel, who noticed what they had felt a little later, also hardened her expression, but she played along with Victon’s nonsense to some extent.
And at that moment.
Thud!
Muno’s body shot into the forest like a thunderbolt with a roar.
A ferocious movement that extinguished the bonfire with just the wave of his movement.
At that moment, a pure white smoke brushed past him.
An arrow shot like a thunderbolt followed behind it.
Muno, who had moved first and reached the target last.
But the difference was minimal at close range.
And Muno’s senses had completely captured the enemies who were thoroughly hiding their presence in the darkness, enemies his comrades hadn't found.
‘Magic.’
Four chains shot out from Muno's limbs, who was smiling faintly, into the dark forest without hesitation.
And.
Kra-dduk.
It easily broke through the concealment magic and captured the hiding magicians.
“How!?”
“Aack!”
As the magicians, who were ambushed in reverse, were eaten by him and let out screams.
Screams were already erupting from all over the forest.
“Kuaaaak!”
“They’re monsters!”
Thud.
Cruuunch.
“Run…!”
“Tell them!”
Pushuk.
“Aack!”
The forest, which had become completely dark, was in a state of pandemonium.
The party that had instantly devastated the 30-odd enemies who were approaching in hiding.
But their expressions were not very good.
“These guys…”
“Why are they so weak?”
As he said, they were only low-level magicians or mercenaries who were too weak to fight them.
Most of all.
“They should be hiding thoroughly, but they’re attacking first?”
As Victon said, the situation itself was strange.