novelraw Chapter 131 : Chapter 131
Chapter 131 : Chapter 131
Chapter 131. Turning the Tide
I walked slowly toward Bakan.
Though I had succeeded in bringing Bakan to his knees, in truth, I had exhausted nearly all my strength shattering his devastating strikes.
Moreover, Blade Waltz was a technique that required closing the distance with an opponent to an extreme degree, unleashing a flurry of lethal attacks within a single step.
Dodging the powerful blows of someone as formidable as Bakan while simultaneously delivering precise attacks of my own was an endeavor that pushed both my body and mind to their absolute limits.
‘Still, to defeat someone of Bakan’s caliber, this level of strain is only natural.’
Thinking of the countless kingdom soldiers left behind, I spared no effort.
I had already surpassed my limits, giving everything I had, and now my entire body felt as though it were weighed down by heavy stones, submerged in fatigue.
But thanks to that, I had managed to block his massive strikes and even landed a decisive blow that pierced through Bakan’s body.
Most importantly, I had broken the will of an absolute being like Bakan, making the exhaustion that drained my Qi worthwhile.
‘This was a bargain, really. Thanks in part to Duke landing a solid hit earlier.’
In truth, Bakan was no longer in peak condition due to the accumulated battles he had endured.
The fierce clash with Gaiard during their second encounter, the relentless assaults from Executor Rona and the soldiers, and, most crucially, Duke’s desperate strike had created a subtle crack in Bakan’s defenses.
I had sharply exploited that small opening, turning it into a critical blow.
But Bakan refused to accept that reality.
To be precise, acknowledging his defeat was worse than death to him.
“Admit your defeat and surrender now. That’s the way to save the remaining warriors.”
My proposal was sincere.
The kingdom’s forces were still numerically disadvantaged, so I wanted to minimize further losses.
If Bakan surrendered, those under his command would cease fighting as well.
“A leader shouldn’t cause unnecessary sacrifices. Not even for the sake of their pride.”
However, Bakan was far more stubborn and arrogant than I had anticipated.
“Insolent brat… Don’t you dare look down on me like that!”
Bakan grabbed his massive greatsword from the ground and swung it wildly.
I instinctively leaned back, dodging the attack, and quickly widened the distance between us.
“Foolish!”
Consumed by rage, Bakan blindly swung his greatsword in a frenzy.
His accuracy was lacking, and his strength was depleted, but his raw power was still catastrophic.
A single swing carried the force of a raging storm, sweeping through the surroundings.
―Whoosh!
Watching Bakan, consumed by madness, I clicked my tongue.
‘To still be this vigorous despite those wounds and fatigue… I have to give credit where it’s due. At the very least, no one in this kingdom is his match.’
Even I was astonished by Bakan’s tenacious vitality and strength, which inspired courage in the Kandahr Tribe’s warriors.
Soon, they let out battle cries and charged toward me.
“Protect Bakan!”
“We must protect our king!”
As the Kandahr warriors recklessly swarmed toward me, Duke and Rona, witnessing the scene, shouted in unison.
“Protect Evan!”
“No matter what, protect Evan!”
In an instant, the Kandahr warriors and the kingdom’s soldiers clashed, erupting into a fierce melee.
Blood, screams, swords, and spears intertwined as the brutal battle raged on.
―Clang! Clang!
“Argh!”
Seeing the war of attrition unfold before me, I concluded that to end this chaos, I needed to subdue Bakan quickly.
I took a deep breath and called out to Gaiard beside me.
“Gaiard, make me a weapon.”
“Even if I make one, it’ll shatter the moment it clashes with that guy’s greatsword.”
“I know. I don’t plan to clash directly anyway. I’m too old to deal with aching joints.”
“Fine. What weapon do you want? A dagger? Or will you use a sword like before?”
Gaiard expected a dagger, but my response caught him off guard.
“Make me a greatsword.”
Gaiard blinked, doubting his ears.
“What?”
“I said, make me a greatsword.”
“A greatsword? Are you planning to face him head-on? Why abandon the advantage you’ve been building and fight him on his terms?”
Gaiard couldn’t fathom my intentions.
But I knew better than anyone.
To truly subdue the opponent before me, I had to crush not just his body but his spirit as well.
“I need to show Bakan the difference in our caliber.”
“You’re an enigma. Fine. Don’t regret this.”
Gaiard immediately used the blood flowing from his body to forge a massive greatsword.
“Take it. In Bakan’s current state, it’s sturdy enough to cut through his flesh.”
“That’s plenty. Thanks.”
I gripped the blood-forged greatsword with both hands.
Though made of blood, its weight felt no different from real steel.
‘Perfect.’
I charged toward Bakan, greatsword in hand.
Facing Bakan, who was swinging his blade like a berserker lost in madness, I steadied my breathing.
‘He’s completely lost his reason. That’s not swordsmanship—it’s just wild flailing. Though with his physique, it’s a different story.’
Bakan’s greatsword tore through the air like a storm.
―Whoosh!
A single swing carried enough force to sweep away the surroundings.
If I clashed directly, the blood-forged greatsword I held would likely shatter under the impact, as Gaiard had warned.
But I didn’t just dodge recklessly.
I swiftly angled my sword, using the broad side of the greatsword to deftly deflect Bakan’s attacks.
―Scrape!
The moment I wielded the greatsword, my stance and movements shifted entirely from when I handled a dagger.
Now, I avoided direct confrontations of strength, skillfully redirecting Bakan’s attacks.
I cleverly exploited his overwhelming power, creating openings through calculated precision.
“A greatsword isn’t just for swinging blindly, you novice.”
My greatsword danced.
I lightly pushed aside his blade, disrupting his balance, and deflected his follow-up attacks with the broad side, subtly altering their angles.
Bakan’s brute strength sliced through the air in unintended directions, wasted.
“What?!”
Bakan faltered, caught off guard.
When I first raised the greatsword, he had assumed his expertise with it would give him the edge.
But seeing my adept movements, his mind went blank.
‘An opening!’
Seizing the moment, I spun swiftly, sliding my blade along his to disrupt his balance, then struck lightly downward, throwing his strength off-kilter.
Bakan’s greatsword slipped from his grasp.
Now completely defenseless, I swung my greatsword with full force, slashing diagonally across his torso.
“I won’t accept this!”
Astonishingly, the blood flowing from Bakan’s wounds stopped instantly.
His muscles, swollen with effort, momentarily stemmed the bleeding.
‘What?!’
Bakan’s eyes blazed with rage and madness.
With a roar, he threw his final, most powerful punch toward my head.
This attack was a desperate blow, carrying every ounce of strength he had left, prepared to die for it.
‘I tried to capture him alive, but that was too ambitious.’
Abandoning the idea of taking him alive, I raised my sword with a glint of killing intent, ready to finish him.
But at that moment, two shadows darted toward Bakan like the wind—Rona and Duke.
―Dash!
―Swift!
They crossed paths in front and behind Bakan, slashing swiftly.
Rona severed the tendons in his arm, while Duke sliced through those behind his knee.
Even with his vital muscles cut, Bakan tried to extend his fist through sheer willpower.
“Raaagh!”
His massive fist hurtled toward me.
“…”
I abruptly lowered my greatsword, abandoning my attack stance.
In that instant, I realized something.
‘It’s already over.’
―Whoosh!
Bakan’s powerful punch never reached me.
Just before his fingertips could touch, the wounds across his body, unable to withstand the pressure, burst open, gushing blood.
“Guh!”
Bakan paid the price for ignoring his body’s condition.
As blood poured out, his strength drained, and his once-sturdy frame collapsed rapidly.
―Thud!
His massive body fell to its knees once more, sending a tremor through the battlefield as silence enveloped the surroundings.
I approached slowly, pointing the greatsword at Bakan’s neck.
A cold, clear voice flowed from my lips.
“It’s over. Let go of any lingering attachments.”
“Not yet…”
Seeing Bakan, battered but still struggling to rise, I let out a sigh.
With a cold expression, I slapped his cheek with force.
―Smack.
Physically, it was a mere slap, carrying little impact.
But mentally, it cut deeper into Bakan’s pride than any blade.
“You!”
“Wake up and look around you. Look at those moths throwing themselves into the flame to save you.”
At my sharp words, Bakan finally glanced around.
His warriors, bleeding and limbless, still rushed to save him.
Their desperate struggles, refusing to give up despite the hopeless situation, filled his vision.
I spoke to him again, calmly.
“Surrender. Unless you want their lives to burn to ash meaninglessly because of your stubbornness.”
Bakan remained silent for a while, then gritted his teeth and muttered lowly.
“…Kill me. I’d rather die with honor than surrender like a coward.”
“…If that’s what you want.”
I gripped the greatsword tightly with both hands.
Raising it high, I swung it down with all my might.
―Swish!
Bakan closed his eyes, bracing for death.
But just before the blade reached his neck, I turned it, striking his neck with the flat of the sword.
―Thwack!
Instead of beheading him, Bakan lost consciousness and collapsed forward.
His heavy body hit the ground with a resounding thud.
As Bakan fell, I raised the greatsword and signaled to Duke.
Reading my intent, Duke shouted across the battlefield with a powerful voice.
“We’ve defeated Bakan!”
His words thundered through the battlefield.
In that moment, the tide of battle turned completely.
The Kandahr warriors lost their will to fight in an instant, while the kingdom’s soldiers erupted in fervent cheers.
“Waaaah!!!”
The soldiers’ jubilant cries filled the entire castle, embracing one another as they savored victory.
In contrast, the Kandahr warriors sank into despair, kneeling one by one.
“Oh, Bakan…”
“Alas…”
Seeing their broken spirits, Rona issued her command.
“Capture the enemies alive! Those who resist—”
Before Rona could finish, Gaiard, as if waiting for the signal, soared into the sky.
He pursued the few enemies attempting to flee, ensuring no embers of resistance remained.
Thus, the fierce battle at Kaien Castle came to an end, as everyone united to defeat Bakan.
Victory.
The Kaien Kingdom had finally emerged as the ultimate victor.