Chapter 169

— Kyuu.

Wooden looked excited, as if he were proud of having done something important.

“Well done.”

Fernan patted Wooden’s head and gave him a piece of chocolate made from the bark of the World Tree. The piece, absorbed by spiritual energy, fell to the dry, withered ground.

“Did you really find it?”

“Of course, senior.”

“And now what do you plan to do, young master?”

“We have to exterminate them.”

They were going to wipe everything out and then observe what Adguif’s reaction would be.

“Let’s go.”

As they stepped out of the tent, five dwarves who were sitting on some rocks chatting in low voices stood up immediately.

“Are you going out already?”

“He stayed for us. We asked for his support.”

“Yes, us too…”

“Before that, could you help me with something?”

Fernan pulled out a crystal orb. It was an artifact from the Cult of the Dragon God that detected demonic magic.

With it, he could tell who was a corrupt and who wasn’t.

It was the perfect moment, since Adguif wasn’t present.

The dwarves, although puzzled, obeyed without resistance—Adguif had ordered them to cooperate with Fernan in whatever he asked.

“What did we do?”

“We poured our aura into that strange crystal. And nothing happened.”

“What kind of artifact is that?”

Even if they didn’t understand what it meant, at least none of them were corrupt.

“Ahgrot, I’m going to step out for a moment. Stay here and keep watch.”

Showing the guards the monsters to win them over as reliable allies wouldn’t have been a bad idea. But Fernan preferred to keep Wooden hidden.

‘With Wooden recording the evidence, that’s enough.’

“Eh? But…”

“Make up a good excuse for them.”

“O-Okay…”

Fernan and his group left without really listening to Ahgrot’s response and disappeared down the other side of the gallery.

As soon as they were out of sight, they began digging underground.

“What? Where are they going all of a sudden?”

“What’s going on?”

“They say they’ve got stomachaches…”

“All of them together?”

“They’re not even heading toward the restroom.”

“Hmm.”

Ahgrot, uncomfortable with the suspicious looks from the other dwarves, scratched the back of his neck.

***

Digging with magic was one of Fernan’s specialties.

In fact, he had already dug faster than Ahgrot before, even blocking his path.

— Kyuung.

Fernan moved forward without hesitation, guided by Wooden as if he were a compass.

“It’s quite far.”

“That’s why the dwarves didn’t find it.”

Of course, there was also the fact that they didn’t want to look for it. Even if Adguif and his men had disguised the location carefully, if it were too close the dwarves would have found it several times already.

“Stop.”

Fernan stopped digging. With a finger, he opened a small hole to peek through.

A vast underground space, completely filled with monsters.

A sight far too familiar by now.

“It’s amazing how these bastards never change their patterns.”

After checking through the gap, Fernan turned to Gismond.

“There are monsters ahead. I’m not going to intervene—how about you take them on alone, senior?”

The reason he had brought Gismond was precisely to give him more real combat experience.

A huge space full of mid-level monsters.

A perfect scenario.

“Just me?”

“Yes. You didn’t come all this way just to watch, did you?”

Gismond hesitated for a moment and asked:

“What kind of monsters are they?”

“Fifth-rank monsters called Zikrik. Giant worms of various sizes, experts in digging tunnels.”

“Fifth rank? That sounds too strong…”

“If you’re really in danger, I’ll help.”

Fernan had no intention of letting him die there. He wouldn’t be as useful as Luina or Aint, but Gismond could become a valuable card.

“Sooner or later you’ll have to fight demons. Consider this preliminary training.”

“Me? But there’s Aint…”

“Aint can’t guard every front.”

“That’s true… alright. I can’t keep avoiding everything in this world.”

Deep down, Gismond also felt curious.

He wasn’t originally from this world. He had never received formal training in swordsmanship.

Over time, he had practiced based on the memories of the real Gismond, but there were clearly limits.

“I can do it.”

Since meeting Fernan, that had changed. In Bercheff, he fought against experts and received instruction. And back at the Academy, he continued the same.

Swordsmanship, once only theoretical, had etched itself into his body, and even he could feel his great progress.

And above all, Fernan’s words weren’t suggestions—they were orders.

Gismond drew his sword. At the same time, Fernan collapsed the wall completely.

A guttural roar echoed through the cavern.

The monsters fixed all their attention on them. Gismond felt every hair on his body stand on end.

“I can do this. I can do this…”

Breathing in a controlled rhythm, he forcefully pushed aside the fear.

He focused his mind and drew in his aura.

He had learned it late, but the Ert family’s style focused more on speed than strength.

“You use speed swordsmanship and swing the sword with brute force? What an idiot…”

That’s what that veteran knight Haken—or was it Baken, he didn’t remember well—had told him during training.

“Remember this fast swordsmanship is explosion.”

A human had limits, no matter how much they trained.

Speed also had limits. And to break them, you used aura.

Fast swordsmanship involved detonating aura to generate recoil and using it, increasing the blade’s speed to the extreme.

Many thought it was all about speed, but they were wrong every thrust carried the force of an explosion.

He felt his heartbeat accelerate. The aura coursed through his veins like liquid fire.

He infused it into his sword and his legs, and then triggered the explosion.

A bang echoed only in his mind. His body shot through space in an instant, the sword gaining speed along its trajectory.

And it struck the first Zikrik squarely in the head.

Boom!

The impact was so brutal it was hard to believe it had been just a single thrust.

It was proof that he still hadn’t fully mastered aura control.

But Gismond smiled. He couldn’t help it.

“It works!”

With a single blow, the head of the Zikrik, a level 5 monster, flew through the air.

An impressive feat that he could never have achieved before.

“What, did you stumble across a field of elixirs or something? Your body’s overflowing with aura. Though it’s like putting a pearl necklace on a pig—it’s not bad.”

“Because an explosion becomes even more violent and powerful the more aura you have.”

Haken was right.

Taking a deep breath, Gismond calmed his trembling body while growling toward the monsters.

“Come on!”

And he lunged forward.

Boom!

Explosions echoed one after another.

The Zikriks’ heads burst without fail.

“I’m strong!”

A strength he never could’ve imagined before possessing this world.

Gismond laughed loudly.

“I’m strong!”

The fear of having reincarnated in a world where demons descended and destruction loomed had vanished.

Now he felt like he could cut through anything.

A superhuman, just like those he once only saw in novels.

Rumble!

At that moment, the ground trembled and a giant shadow emerged.

Another monster. Without hesitation, Gismond thrust his sword.

Like a runaway car, his slash drew a straight-line lightning bolt.

───!

The shockwave spread out. The aura exploded in all directions.

But the result was completely different from before.

“Ugh…!”

The sword didn’t pierce the target. The recoil, unchecked, hit him head-on.

Gismond spat blood and rolled across the ground.

“What… is this?”

He massaged his trembling right arm as he looked up.

A colossal shadow loomed over him.

It was a gigantic monster, about 5 meters tall. It had a turtle-like shell, but six legs and two heads.

And the demonic energy it exuded was on a completely different level than a simple Zikrik.

Gismond understood instinctively.

“I’m weak! I’m weak!”

He didn’t even think about picking up his fallen sword; he turned around.

“Save me, Fernan!”

You said you’d help me if I was in danger!

***

Fernan enjoyed watching someone beg through tears and snot.

In most cases, it was people pleading for more time to repay borrowed money or begging to be given merchandise.

Reaching that point meant Pellenberg had far more to gain.

After all, the Pellenberg never lent money without collateral.

But Gismond’s case was different.

“Senior Gismond, crying like that is quite pathetic.”

The monster, hiding its legs and heads inside its shell and rolling fiercely, and Gismond running away crying and sniffling, was not exactly a pleasant sight.

“Turhel?”

A Turhel, level 2 monster. A turtle-like beast whose shell was said to be tougher than most metals.

“It would be perfect for Wooden.”

Fernan already imagined Wooden, in full size, wielding that shell as a shield.

— Kyu?

Wooden perked up at the word “shield.”

“Go. Get your own shield.”

And while you’re at it, get that teary, ridiculous face out of sight.

Wooden grew and entered the battle.

“I’m strong!”

While Wooden took care of the level 2 monster, Gismond regained his confidence and began massacring Zikriks.

That day, they fought three battles and cleared out three caverns.

***

In a dark tunnel.

Adguif walked through the mine alongside the dwarves following him.

The air was cool and heavy. Since it was abandoned, there were no miners or guards.

Not even torches lit the gloom.

At the end of the tunnel, surprisingly, someone was waiting.

Golden hair and black eyes. If Fernan had seen him, he would’ve called him “my lord count.”

“Daniel Kool.”

“Long time no see, Adguif. How have you been?”

“Fine.”

“And what’s this about? Calling me out so suddenly—is today some special day?”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, nothing. Just that certain things have happened outside. Nothing for you to worry about.”

Count Daniel smiled, but Adguif’s reason for being there was anything but pleasant.

“I came to inform you that our relationship ends today.”

“…I see.”

Count Daniel’s reaction was completely different from anything Adguif had imagined.

He merely smiled coldly as he observed him.

“…You’re not surprised.”

“I’ve already been surprised enough.”

“What…?”

“That’s why they attacked the monsters, isn’t it?”

At that accusation, Adguif frowned.

“Attacked the monsters?”

“No need to deny it. If it wasn’t you, there are no other suspects.”

The monsters hidden deep within the mines, impossible to find for humans or elves, had been annihilated.

“Without your cooperation, knowing their hideouts, it would’ve been impossible.”

“That’s absurd! I never did such a thing!”

“Well, it seems you also have a talent for acting.”

Black energy coursed through Count Daniel’s body, overflowing. The tunnel trembled and a hidden space was revealed.

Hundreds of monsters exuded a brutal thirst for blood.

“You took us for fools? Thought we were a card you could use and discard at your convenience?”

Impossible. If they no longer needed them, they wouldn’t just say goodbye with a smile.

“You’ll pay the price. And you’ll regret the choice you made to your very core, you miserable wretches.”

“…I expected this.”

Adguif gripped the axe on his back. The dwarves drew their weapons.

He didn’t know what the count meant by “attacking the monsters.” But it didn’t matter.

He knew the corrupt wouldn’t let him leave of his own accord.

“Let me be clear. I’m not here to ask your permission—I’m here to inform you.”

“Informing is something the strong do. When the weak do it, it’s arrogance.”

“Then take it as notification. I won’t sacrifice any more dwarves.”

At that resolve, Count Daniel burst into laughter.

“Pfhuhuhu, now you want to play the hero? The dwarves you delivered will laugh at you in the afterlife.”

“Let them laugh.”

Adguif laughed as well.

He never thought to ask for forgiveness.

“Yes, I sinned against them. So what? I just did what I believed was the best choice.”

He didn’t even hope for redemption.

“If I could go back, I’d do the exact same thing.”

“What a disgusting statement.”

“Maybe to you, I’m just a dwarf mad from his own people’s genocide, easy to use. And maybe that’s true.”

But Adguif could carry that burden.

“Dozens, hundreds, or thousands of times.”

Even if he built mountains of dwarf corpses and rivers of their blood flooded the city.

“I would’ve always made the same choice.”

Because either way, the dwarves had no future.

They’d either die slowly in isolation, or sacrifice half to save the rest.

And Adguif chose the second.

Even if others called it madness. Even if they cursed him as a villain.

That was his ideal, his duty.

There was only one thing he regretted.

Believing the mayor had expelled Fernan Pellenberg, he let anger get the better of him and acted rashly.

“What a cheap sophistry. So why change your mind now?”

“Because the situation has changed. Before, it was the best option. But now, someone kinder than you has arrived—a savior. There’s no need to continue.”

“You just turned the dead dwarves into meaningless deaths. Adguif, don’t pretend nobility.”

“I’m not. I’m just doing what I believe is right.”

And now, he was sure that choice was right.

Aura surged from Adguif, wrapping his axe in a brown glow.

“So then…”

Count Daniel unleashed his magic.

“You’re no longer necessary. If you won’t step down peacefully—then die. For the dwarves.”

“Elves, dwarves, filthy trash! You all underestimate us!”

The monsters charged.

“Kill that vile corrupt who massacred hundreds of his brothers!”

The dwarves raised their weapons and charged forward.

───!

The tunnel collapsed.