Chapter 76

EP.76 Side Story, The Apostate (4)

In the dead of night, rain falls on the black prairie. Raindrops splatter against the grass blades, making a dull thudding sound. The rain-soaked prairie is chilly, and a gloomy atmosphere lingers.

In the cold air, Kuntel looked at his sword. The blade, pulled out of its scabbard, shimmered silver.

A sword made of rare metal.

It was a sword bestowed upon him at the Sword Sanctuary, where he was recognized as a superhuman swordsman. The sword that had been with him for decades was like his own flesh. It was like his life.

“...”

Kuntel reflected on his life.

The first thing that came to mind was his hometown. Kuntel remembered the day his hometown fell to the disaster.

‘The Sword Canyon, Galatric.’

A place that had produced countless Sword Masters.

It was destroyed by a single disaster.

‘The Sword of Death, Ganikart.’

Kuntel remembers the appearance of the disaster that single-handedly destroyed the Sword Canyon. When he faced that disaster, Kuntel couldn't even hold his sword. He dropped it and froze stiff.

-You're not holding your sword.

At that moment, the Sword of Death asked Kuntel.

-Your hometown is burning. Your master is dead. The Sword Canyon is falling. I am the one doing this. And now, I stand before you.

The question was straightforward.

It was as if he was asking something obvious.

-Aren't you going to draw your sword?

Kuntel couldn't answer that question.

-You're not a swordsman.

Ganikart dragged his greatsword across the ground as he passed by Kuntel. Blood splattered with every step he took.

-You're not worth killing.

Leaving those words, the disaster left Kuntel's side.

The Sword of Death massacred countless Sword Masters that day. He buried their bodies along with the canyon.

And Kuntel fled.

It has been 30 years since that shameful past.

For 30 years, Kuntel honed his sword.

He had long been among the ranks of Sword Masters. However, Kuntel never overestimated his skills. He swung his sword tirelessly, never taking a single day off.

He thought it was a way to mourn the fallen swordsmen buried in the Sword Canyon.

With that sharpened sword, Kuntel aimed at the Demon King's army. When his sword was wielded for humanity, Kuntel felt a sense of fulfillment.

‘Sword Master, Kuntel.’

He made a name for himself as a superhuman swordsman. He achieved results comparable to those of a hero on many battlefields.

Therefore, Kuntel secretly hoped.

This time, his sword would reach that disaster. He thought it would work against the four disasters, including the Sword of Death.

‘But, what was the result?’

It didn't reach.

Not even Gletus, let alone the fog she had spread. He only managed to cut through a part of the fog.

Kuntel looks at the dulled blade.

The blade, now chipped, seems to reflect his life.

He tried, but it didn't reach.

As he aged, his body gradually weakened. His physical prime had passed, and he was in decline. Kuntel smiled bitterly at this fact.

“Futile.”

That mutter scattered between the raindrops.

As he was about to sheath his blade, Kuntel took a breath.

Splat.

“...”

Footsteps were heard through the rain. The footsteps stopped in front of the tent. Kuntel, gripping the hilt, lifted the tent flap.

“...Raniel?”

There stood the ash-gray mage.

He was with the archer, Remia, standing outside the tent in the rain. His expression was dark.

“Uncle Kuntel.”

Raniel slowly spoke.

“Call Uncle Heinzel and Kyle immediately.”

2.

“We must stop them no matter what.”

That was Raniel's first statement.

Late at night, in Kuntel's tent, the commanders and the hero gathered. Raniel began to speak.

“I scouted the fortress. Inside, I found Gletus. Her appearance matches the historical records. White hair down to her waist and green eyes.”

Raniel pointed to the blueprint of Rodimel Fortress, hung on a makeshift stand.

“Here, in the hall of Rodimel Fortress, is the Apostate Gletus. Only one monster guards the hall. A carapace dragon based on a black dragon.”

A monster based on a black dragon.

At those words, the faces of the western front commanders darkened. The black dragon's main stage is the eastern and northern fronts. It's rare for a black dragon to appear on the western front.

However, rare doesn't mean it never happens.

‘The Black Storm, Black Dragon Belial.’

The disaster etched in his mind is a symbol of fear. Some commanders rubbed their foreheads and spoke.

“...Then, wouldn't it be better to abandon Rodimel Fortress?”

That suggestion is reasonable. Rodimel Fortress is a strategic stronghold. However, if what he says is true, it might be better to give it up to minimize losses.

“No.”

But Raniel shook his head.

“Even if Rodimel Fortress falls, we must stop Gletus here.”

“...Why is that necessary?”

“Gletus is creating a monster in Rodimel Fortress. And the base is threefold.”

Raniel spread out three fingers.

“A dragon skeleton made of human bones.”

“The corpse of a hatchling that Belial guarded until the end.”

“And finally...”

Folding the last finger, Raniel said:

“The living bodies and souls of paladins, melted alive.”

“...What?”

“The hatchling's corpse and dragon heart are the main components. Human bones are assembled to form the skeleton. The flesh is added using the melted bodies of paladins.”

Raniel grimaced as he answered.

“What is completed in this way is not a true dragon.”

The flesh is made of living humans.

Living beings that desire death are no longer human. They are sacrifices for sorcery. What do you call a dragon made of sacrifices that can be used at any time?

Even Raniel didn't know.

‘It's an aberration in itself.’

However, it wasn't difficult to guess the impact such a dragon would have on the battlefield.

“A monster made entirely of sacrificial offerings that can be used for sorcery.”

Raniel spoke his thoughts.

“A living sorcery will tear through the battlefield. To be honest... if we can't stop it here, it has a high chance of becoming a troublesome existence on par with a black dragon.”

The commanders' expressions soured. They sighed and rubbed their foreheads, agreeing with the sage's words.

‘We must stop it here.’

We cannot allow a new disaster to be born.

Then, the remaining question is one.

‘Who will stop it?’

The Apostate, Gletus.

Who will retake the fortress occupied by this disaster and who will exterminate the monster being created inside?

It's impossible for knights.

Even the sword of a Sword Master couldn't reach her.

The opponent is a disaster beyond what humanity can handle. And dealing with such a disaster has always been one thing.

‘The hero.’

Everyone's gaze turned to the hero with the holy sword.

As if he had been waiting for this, Kyle slowly stood up. He approached Raniel.

“The situation is clear.”

He asked Raniel.

“When will it happen?”

He didn't ask how he would do it.

The strategy, as always, would be set by the sage. He would just follow the instructions and swing his sword.

“I'm ready.”

Kyle tapped the hilt of the holy sword.

Raniel turned his head to look at the rain-soaked prairie. It was still raining.

Beyond the pouring rain, Raniel glared at Rodimel Fortress perched on a cliff.

Then, he answered briefly.

“At sunrise.”

When the night fades and dawn breaks.

When the dawn settles over the prairie.

“That's the right time.”

Kyle nodded. The commander of the knights, Heinzel, who had been listening to their conversation, asked.

“Do you need support?”

The answer to that question was always the same.

“Please stand by.”

Raniel said.

“We four will go.”

In front of a disaster that defies common sense, the number doesn't matter. Raniel knew this well.

Especially in this case, even more so.

3.

The black prairie adjacent to the Demon World.

The sun rises over the vast prairie. On the cliff overlooking the prairie, a castle stands out in the dawn.

Four figures sit on the castle's watchtower.

They had successfully infiltrated from the underground stream to the watchtower and were now staring at the center of Rodimel Fortress.

“Disgusting.”

Sara frowned, sensing the artificial life being created there. The writhing life was a desecration in itself.

“Will it be okay?”

“It has to be.”

The sage answered the holy maiden's question.

Raniel, blessed by Sara, nodded his head a few times. He stretched his fingers and tested his footing on the ground.

The blessing on him was a physical enhancement.

A different kind of enhancement from spells, he adjusted his breathing to adapt to his body.

“Do you remember the plan?”

“After how many times? I heard it all. I remember it. Human.”

“You're just making sure I didn't forget, aren't you, you damn elf.”

Raniel grumbled and turned his wrist.

He took a stance and looked at the hero standing on the edge of the watchtower.

“Are you ready?”

“I'm ready.”

Raniel chuckled at the answer. Taking a final breath, he gestured upward.

“Fire, Remia.”

The archer released an arrow. The arrow, connected by a magic thread, flew straight and firmly embedded itself in the opposite wall.

Thud.

Kyle leaped from the watchtower, stepping on the magic thread.

Raniel followed, running behind him. Some monsters turned their attention to them.

Thud!

The arrow fired by Remia pierced the eyes of the monsters.

Keeeee!

Amid the monsters' screams, Kyle spun and landed on the wall. As soon as he landed, he kicked off and ran along the wall. At the end was a dome-shaped roof.

There was no hesitation in his movement.

Below the roof was the hall, and in the hall was the Apostate, Gletus.

‘5 seconds.’

Running behind Kyle, Raniel counted in his mind. The time it would take for the summoner to notice the anomaly in the connected monsters.

‘We'll breach before that.’

Raniel ran alongside Kyle, who was repeatedly kicking off the ground. Raniel kicked off and overtook Kyle. Kyle stored power in his legs with each step.

Raniel leaped lightly into the air.

“Hey.”

In the air, Raniel clenched his fist.

“Let's go.”

The spells stored in his arms emitted light in sequence. With a flash, Raniel plummeted.

Smash.

His fist, released while falling, struck the roof. The spells he unleashed shattered the castle.

Boom!

With a loud noise, cracks appeared on the roof.

The roof began to collapse, and stone fragments fell into the hall.

-There's a carapace dragon guarding the hall.

-It's impossible to breach head-on. It reacts even to small stone fragments, making infiltration difficult. And to fight Gletus while dealing with it? That's impossible.

Kyle recalled the plan he had heard from Raniel.

-We can't give the summoner time. We need to finish it in one go. So, we'll use the overly sensitive carapace dragon to our advantage.

“Go, Kyle.”

Kyle nodded.

He straightened his bent knees and leaped. He jumped into the collapsing roof.

Amid the falling stone fragments, Kyle looked down at the hall.

In the slowed-down perception of time, he saw the carapace dragon move. The dragon, which had made its nest in the hall, moved. Its movement was not directed at Kyle.

-We'll break through the roof.

-Then, the carapace dragon will react to the falling stone fragments first. That's our chance.

The carapace dragon reacted to the falling stones first.

It twisted and spun, grinding the stone fragments to dust. Beyond the dust, Kyle plummeted.

Restriction.

Chain.

A chain flew from somewhere, catching the falling stone fragments. Kyle landed on the caught fragments.

Crack.

Cracks appeared on the stone fragments he stepped on.

Kyle crouched and looked down. The carapace dragon, grinding the stone fragments, approached.

-Hey, Kyle.

He gripped his sword.

He gathered strength in his toes.

The stone fragment he stood on creaked.

-Remember when you cut the black dragon's wings?

-When Raniel used all kinds of spells to lower its altitude, you cut the black dragon's wings.

He remembered.

When Raniel used various spells to lower the black dragon's altitude, Kyle cut its wings.

How did he cut the wings then?

He didn't struggle to swing his sword. He just held the holy sword toward the wings that came at him.

‘It's the same this time.’

There was no need to hesitate.

Thud.

He kicked off the stone fragment. Each time he stepped on a piece of the roof, the chain swayed. Using the recoil, Kyle leaped repeatedly, accelerating his body to become a single arrow.

The arrow's shaft was Kyle's body.

The arrowhead was the holy sword he held.

Swish.

He raised the holy sword. A trail of light followed the holy sword. Kyle accelerated, dragging a trail of light.

Thud.

He kicked off the last stone fragment.

In front of him was the carapace dragon's mouth. A mouth made of the black dragon's skull, which he had cut before. The stone fragments were being crushed between the open jaws.

-Split it.

A single arrow entered the carapace dragon's mouth.

Kagakagakagak!

Stone fragments flew. The carapace dragon's skin was torn. The dragon, which seemed to be invulnerable, spewed blood.

Gyaahhh!

With a roar, blood gushed out. Amid the gushing blood, a streak of light advanced. The blade, trailing a platinum glow, cut through the carapace dragon's skin and emerged.

Swoosh!

Kyle, emerging from the gushing blood, opened his eyes wide.

He spun in mid-air and swung his sword, cutting through the carapace dragon's body.

Swoosh!

The thrust, splattering blood, shot toward Gletus. Kyle wasn't the only one targeting Gletus.

Smash.

A shockwave hit from the side of the hall. Amid the exploding bricks, the ash-gray mage gestured, his back to the sunlight. The archer released her bowstring.

Swoosh.

A moonlight arrow, trailing light, charged forward.

The arrow, shot by the archer, aimed straight at Gletus.

Kyle's thrust.

Raniel's smash.

Remia's moonlight arrow.

‘It's enough.’

They had seized the upper hand.

With that certainty, Kyle looked at Gletus. She also raised her head and looked at Kyle. Their gazes met in the air.

-If the carapace dragon is cut, that's the end.

-Summoners have a delay, no matter what. It's absolute. They summon familiars from another dimension.

Her face, framed by her shaking white hair, was revealed.

Her expression was completely blank.

-If we quickly dispose of the carapace dragon guarding the hall, we can deal significant damage before the prepared familiars arrive.

She was so calm.

-Even if we can't kill her, it means we can gain an advantage in the battle.

Despite having no familiars to protect her, she remained composed. Kyle felt a chill at her appearance.

‘Something is wrong.’

That intuition struck him.

“Ah.”

Gletus blinked.

Her green eyes narrowed.

“It's you, isn't it?”

“The ones who killed the black dragon.”

She waved her hand.

Her left arm, hidden by her clothes, was revealed. Kyle's eyes widened at the sight of the arm.

‘It's black.’

It was a black arm, as if shrouded in shadow.

The black arm, contrasting with her white skin, pierced the air. To Kyle, it seemed to tear through the air.

Then, the anomaly began.

Something emerged from the torn space. It resembled the carapace dragon he had just cut. A new carapace dragon emerged.

It bit into Kyle's thrust.

Kagakagakagak!

And.

It wasn't just one.

Kagakagakagak!

Five carapace dragons emerged from the air. They swallowed Remia's moonlight arrow and deflected Raniel's smash.

“Damn it.”

Raniel, falling outside the hall, extended his hand. The spells stored in his fingers emitted light.

Chain.

Holding the chain that wrapped around Kyle's falling body, Raniel swung it hard. Kyle, suspended in the air, saw it.

‘...What is this?’

The carapace dragons were destroying the fortress.

The spinning carapace dragons were protecting Gletus.

While Kyle was stunned, Raniel continued to throw the chain. One toward the outside of the fortress, the other toward the watchtower.

“Remia!”

Remia, holding Sara, grabbed the chain.

Swoosh!

The chain, following Raniel's mana, swung wildly. Remia and Sara were roughly thrown to the ground.

However, there was no room for complaint.

Smash