Chapter 78

He knew.

He knew that the Blood Fiend was a martial artist who had reached the Master level, that he was strong in fire attributes, and that he had a dirty nature, enjoying toying with his prey before killing them.

Because he knew everything, he decided to use the trap the fiend had set in reverse.

It was the only way to win, or rather, the only way to survive.

Gaaaah!

As the Blood Fiend revealed his true colors, the weight of the air changed.

A sensation as if iron blocks were pressing down on his entire body. Clenching his teeth, he summoned all the murderous intent of the assassin Raon.

Sssssss!

The aura filled with murderous intent and madness clashed, and the three people, Barran, Ruan, and Martha, were pushed back.

This was all part of the plan.

But the most important thing was still left.

After freeing the three from the Blood Fiend's aura, Raon twisted his body as if his waist would break.

Kaaaaa!

A massive fist wrapped in aura swept past his left shoulder.

Crack!

Even though it only grazed him, the bones in his left arm were crushed.

“Guh!”

Raon clenched his teeth so hard they might break. Enduring the pain with superhuman endurance, he raised his sword with his right hand.

Gaaaah!

He wrapped all his energy and murderous intent around the tip of the sword.

“You bastard!”

He aimed the blade, filled with frost, at the Blood Fiend's heart, which was wide-eyed with surprise.

The peak of the Frost Blade Technique.

The sword technique of the Frost Blade Technique was released, as if a frost dragon was soaring through the sky, and the silver blade turned blue.

Sssssss!

The sound of the blue blade piercing through the ogre armor echoed in his ears.

“Ugh….”

But Raon's eyes did not brighten. They gradually darkened, like the sky at dusk.

“Damn….”

Because the sword, which could pierce steel, was stopped by the Blood Fiend's tough skin and could not penetrate any further.

“Huh, impressive.”

The Blood Fiend, with the sword embedded in his chest, let out a pure exclamation of admiration.

“I never dreamed you would use my trap against me. I almost died. But…”

The blue sword embedded in his chest broke with a sharp sound.

“Keh!”

Raon spat out blood and flew backward.

“You were too weak. The gap in our skills is not something that can be bridged by such a surprise attack.”

The sword embedded in the Blood Fiend's chest slipped out like a stone in mud.

‘It was blocked by muscle…’

Raon bit his blood-stained lips. The fiend had strengthened his skin and muscles to block his sword.

It was a method befitting a monster who had reached the Master level, where the body's movements were free.

“Haaah.”

Raon stepped back and looked at Barran, Ruan, Martha, and the remaining trainees behind him.

“The plan is over. Everyone, run!”

“Ra, Raon?”

“Hey, you….”

“I can’t win.”

In this state, no matter what he did, he couldn’t win. With the plan failing, the battle was over here. The only thing left was to flee.

“In the name of the chief, I order you to retreat with the villagers! Reinforcements from the families that Crane contacted are on their way. Run west!”

“Raon.”

“I, I….”

“Barran Zighard!”

Raon called out Barran's name as he tried to stand up, his lips trembling.

“Is this the path of Zighard you spoke of, to die like a dog here? If so, fight with me. If not, do what you must!”

“I, I….”

Barran bit his lip at these words. His deliberation was long, but his decision was quick.

“We retreat. Everyone, move back! Focus on escaping!”

He finally bit his lip and turned to run towards the village. The trainees, with tears in their eyes, followed Barran.

“Ah….”

Ruan, with her purple eyes, clutched her broken arm and Raon, who was spitting blood.

“Aaaaaah!”

As she screamed and charged at the Blood Fiend, Martha struck Ruan's neck from behind.

With a crack, Ruan lost consciousness and fell to the ground.

“……”

Martha, still carrying Ruan, looked at Raon. She was asking if he really had no answer.

Boom!

Raon nodded, and she turned and ran in the direction Barran had gone.

“…Thank you.”

Raon smiled faintly. It was fortunate that there were people he could communicate with.

Bang!

The Blood Fiend pulled the sword embedded in his chest out completely. Blood flowed, but it quickly stopped, and the wound began to heal. It was the power of the ogre's stamina and regeneration.

‘Damn.’

Raon bit his lip. The Bleeding Curse had hit, but it was useless now. Even if the fiend was weakened by 50%, he couldn’t win.

“Do you think those bugs can escape?”

The Blood Fiend crushed the sword in his hand like a cookie.

“I have ogres released around here. They will be torn apart alive in no time. No, before that….”

The Blood Fiend chuckled and looked down at Raon.

“Do you think you can hold out? With that arm, that stamina?”

“….”

Raon didn’t answer. He looked at Lars, not the Blood Fiend.

‘Lars.’

-It's finally my turn.

Lars rose like smoke, his aura far surpassing the Master-level Blood Fiend.

-As I said, you can't defeat him with your strength. Give me your body. I'll freeze not just him, but this entire space.

‘Huh, you really have delusions.’

-What?

‘It’s a deal.’

Raon, spitting blood, his eyes shining.

-A deal?

‘You once said you could trade anger. I’ll take your anger. Restore my body and aura to normal.’

-You….

Lars emitted a blue cold like a pillar of fire.

-You fool! Even if you die and come back to life, you can't catch them with your strength! Recovery doesn’t mean you can win!

‘I’ll handle that. Will you do it or not?’

-Grr…

Lars, grinding his teeth at Raon’s firm attitude, hesitated.

-…Fine. I’ll give you 10 points of anger and fully restore your body. But you won’t achieve anything.

‘Shut up and do it.’

-Hmph!

A sound like a snort came from Lars, and his cold began to be absorbed into Raon’s body.

“Suck!”

The pain was like his skin being torn by the cold, and he clenched his teeth.

Crack!

His broken arm and ribs realigned on their own. The pain was even worse than when they broke, making his lips tremble.

“Haaah….”

Tears fell without him realizing it. It was one of the most intense pains he had ever experienced in his past and present lives.

“What are you?”

The Blood Fiend, seeing his arm realigning on its own, stopped and widened his eyes.

“Haaah….”

Raon gasped for breath. The pain was even in the dantian on the ground, where aura was gathering.

The true pain, however, was not just that.

[10 points of anger are generated according to the contract with <Anger>.]

His lungs felt like dry kindling, and his heart was squeezed tight. Each cell felt like it was being pierced by needles.

“Ugh….”

The pain was secondary; it felt like his body and soul were misaligned. A sticky, evil presence seemed to have settled in his body.

‘But….’

The recovery was certain. His mental strength was at rock bottom, but his body and aura were functioning better than usual.

“I don’t understand.”

The Blood Fiend, with a puzzled yellow gaze, rolled his eyes.

“You haven’t drunk the blood of an ogre or a troll. How can you have such recovery power? It’s beyond comprehension….”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

The extent of this pain.

“Haaah….”

Exhaling hot breath, he picked up another trainee’s sword from the ground.

‘Lars.’

-What? This arrogant brat.

‘Even if I might die, do you want to make a bet with me?’

-A bet?

‘Yeah. I bet he dies.’

-You’re talking nonsense again.

‘Why, are you scared?’

-Fine! Whatever! I’ll bet on you giving me your body.

Hearing Lars’s answer, Raon pointed his sword at the Blood Fiend.

“Come. I’ll play with you until dawn.”

* * *

“Haaah! Haaah!”

Martha, carrying Ruan on her back, ran behind Barran and the trainees.

Because everyone was running at full speed, they quickly caught up with the villagers and the trainees who were leading.

“What the hell is going on?”

“Will we be okay?”

The villagers, walking and running as fast as they could, seemed slow to Martha.

It was inevitable, but it frustrated her.

“Damn, damn….”

Barran, with trembling eyes, clenched his fists and shook them. He walked mindlessly, not looking ahead or around.

“Ugh….”

“Lord Raon….”

“Ah!”

Not just him, but the other trainees also had vacant, soulless eyes.

“That guy.”

In the space where only small curses and breathing sounds could be heard, Martha spoke softly.

“He stood alone in front of that huge monster to protect us and these people.”

Her voice, filled with despair and anger, made everyone turn to look at her.

“Even with a broken arm and cracked ribs, he’s still holding that monster back. What about you?”

“What?”

“Are you just going to stand there and die?”

“That’s not it, Lord Barran is also….”

“No!”

Barran stepped in front of Martha, blocking her path.

“You’re right. We can’t just stand here. First group, guard the front! Second and third groups, guard the left and right. Always be ready to move with your aura!”

His quick orders made the dazed trainees start to move.

“Martha. You have the best senses, so take the rear. Hand Ruan over.”

“Hmm.”

Martha frowned but nodded and handed the unconscious Ruan to a trainee from the rear guard.

“From now on, we’ll speed up! The reinforcements from the families should be on their way, so let’s move as fast as possible….”

“Wait.”

Martha interrupted Barran and turned her head to the dense forest on the right. Barran and the others followed her gaze as if in a trance.

Sssssss!

A strong wind seemed to brush through the forest. It was a sound that could easily be ignored, but Martha broke out in a cold sweat and drew her sword.

“Everyone, back! Run….”

Before she could finish, the forest collapsed, and a green monster over 4 meters tall rose up.

An ogre.

The ferocious monster, known as the king of the forest, glared with red eyes.

“Ah….”

Martha swallowed hard.

‘I didn’t think of this.’

The Blood Fiend, with the power of an ogre, was a monster that could control ogres. It was natural for an ogre to be here.

‘I, I can’t win….’

If they were at full strength, maybe. But now, even if everyone attacked together, catching the ogre would be impossible. It was a situation close to total annihilation.

“Grrrrrr!”

The ogre roared and struck with a rock-like fist.

“Haaaaa!”

“Haaat!”

Martha and Barran leaped forward, striking with swords filled with aura.

“Grrrr!”

The ogre, seeing the aura bloom from their swords, slightly dodged.

Whoosh!

When the two’s swords cut through the air and lost their momentum, the ogre lunged again, extending its fist.

Kaaaaa!

A powerful aura exploded, and Martha and Barran were pushed back, unable to maintain their balance.

“Guh….”

“Ugh!”

The two staggered to their feet, but they were significantly weakened.

“Damn….”

Martha bit her lip. The ogre’s ability to dodge at that moment was beyond what she had heard. It was a born hunter and a monster.

“Grrrr.”

The ogre, licking the slight blood from its hand, approached with a blatant smirk on its face.

“You go ahead! Martha and I will catch this thing and follow!”

Barran, steadying his trembling right wrist with his left hand, shouted. It was his turn now.

“Lord Barran!”

“Hurry!”

“Ugh….”

Dorian clenched his teeth and turned his head. But before he could move, another sound was heard.

Kaaaaa!

A deafening sound, as if the ground was being shattered, came from the left, casting a massive shadow.

A second ogre blocked the path of the trainees.

“Ah….”

Martha’s eyes widened dramatically.

‘That’s why.’

The reason the Blood Fiend was smiling even as they fled was because of this. He had released ogres around the area in advance.

“It’s over.”

Someone’s voice, filled with despair, made the atmosphere even more somber.

“Grrrrrr!”

“Gaaaaa!”

Now, the only sounds were the hungry roars of the ogres, having found their prey, and the groans of the terrified humans.

“Don’t retreat.”

Barran wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and raised his sword.

“Raon is still fighting! If we die here, we won’t be able to face the guy who’s holding back the Blood Fiend alone!”

He roared, pulling up his aura with a firm will, and a strong blue wind swirled around him.

“You’re saying the right thing for once.”

Martha chuckled, nodded, and wrapped her sword with Titan’s aura.

“We need to help Raon.”

Ruan, who had fainted and then woke up, also raised his sword, emitting a silver frost.

Despite the desperate situation, the three of them had no trace of darkness in their eyes.

“Grrrr!”

“Gaaaaa!”

The two ogres, seemingly displeased with their determined gazes, roared and stomped the ground.

Just as the three swordsmen were about to clash with the two monsters.

Whoosh!

A green wind swept through the center of the forest.

* * *

Kaaaaa!

A yellow aura burst through, crushing the blue and red auras.

Whoosh!

Raon flew backward, breaking through the black smoke.

Squeak!

He stopped only after embedding his sword in the ground.

“Haaah!”

Raon, spitting out dark, dead blood, trembled. His repaired left arm was crushed again, and his side was torn open.

The pain from his entire body made it hard to even breathe.

“Leech.”

The Blood Fiend, loosening his stone-like fingers, approached. The aura around him grew, and his skin began to tear.

Kaaaaa!

He shattered the ground and launched himself like a cannonball.

“Guh!”

Raon pushed off the ground and spun his body.

Sssssss!

He narrowly avoided the Blood Fiend’s fist by a sheet of paper and retreated.

“Tsk.”

He clicked his tongue. His left arm, completely broken and hanging, was a hindrance. He almost got caught and suffocated to death.

Should he cut it off?

For a moment, he considered cutting off his left arm. It would help him hold on a bit longer.

‘But….’

Why am I doing this here?

His arm has been broken twice, his side torn open, and his muscles and skin are screaming in pain.

I don’t understand why I’m fighting this monster here, enduring pain I’ve never experienced in my past