**Chapter 116**
—
At Arthur’s words, Shrek’s expression twisted.
“Ian… Dormund?”
His superior—someone he revered beyond measure.
The very reason he reacted so violently was because Arthur had dared to speak that man’s name.
Shrek hurled the girl he was holding aside and gnashed his teeth.
“You bastard, do you want to die!? How dare you mention Lord Ian!”
Arthur smiled brightly.
“One.”
“You little—!”
Shrek flared up and swung his sword.
Arthur dodged the strike with ease and spoke again.
“Two.”
“Die!”
Shrek swung his sword once more.
Arthur evaded again, folding down the last finger he had raised.
“Three.”
Shrek burst into mocking laughter.
“Stupid fool! Go ahead and try killing me if you can!”
At Shrek’s provocation, Arthur let out a note of admiration.
“Oh? All right then. I’ll kill you.”
Without further warning, Arthur swung his sword.
And in that instant, Shrek’s face—still twisted in ridicule—went flying into the air.
“……!”
The family watching in silence gasped, their eyes widening.
Arthur caught the head that had been flung into the air and clicked his tongue.
“Tsk. Shouldn’t stain someone else’s home with blood… my mistake.”
He flung Shrek’s severed face out the window with a flick.
The three family members’ jaws dropped wide open.
*He… he just threw it! A man’s face!*
Then Arthur turned his gaze to them and asked kindly,
“Are you all right, everyone?”
The family clamped their mouths shut.
“……”
One madman had died, and an even greater madman had appeared.
—
—
Leon entered the house belatedly and clicked his tongue.
“You killed another one?”
“He wouldn’t answer, so I killed him. What else?”
“You did count to three before asking, as promised, right?”
“Of course. I counted to three and gave him plenty of time to respond.”
Arthur spoke with full confidence, but Leon’s doubt didn’t waver.
*Did he really give him time? Or did he just rattle off one-two-three?*
Meanwhile, Arthur gave a slight bow toward the trembling family.
“Hello, everyone. Are any of you hurt?”
The middle-aged man only mouthed words soundlessly.
Seeing the terror written across his face, Arthur clicked his tongue.
*Tch… how much must they have suffered at Shrek’s hands to look like that.*
It seemed he had threatened them using their daughter, which explained their expressions well enough.
Shaking his head, Arthur said,
“Well then, everyone. We’ll be going now. Someone else might come, so please stay hidden.”
He was just about to leave when the young girl in the woman’s arms suddenly cried out.
“Th-thank you for saving us, mister!”
Turning his head at her words, Arthur replied,
“Hey now. Not *mister*. I’m *oppa*.”
“…Oppa?”
“Of course. I’m only seventeen.”
“…?”
“What’s with that face, little miss?”
Blinking, the girl replied,
“Uh… sorry, oppa. I thought you were older.”
Arthur laughed.
“Good girl. You made a mistake but apologized right away.”
“……”
“Well then, really—we’ll be going now. Take care, everyone.”
With those parting words, Arthur left the house.
Almost on cue, screams rang out.
“Uwaaaaagh—!”
Arthur turned, scanning the surroundings.
Across the once-peaceful village, thick smoke curled upward, while fear and madness pressed heavily upon the air.
*This brings back memories.*
Of the days when he was mad.
When he had awakened the blood of Bayern and returned to its lands for revenge.
He had seen a sight much like this back then.
*Bayern’s people, ravaged by Dormund soldiers.*
The scene before him overlapped with those memories.
And so, Arthur could only smile.
Back then, he had been unable to save the suffering people of Bayern.
*But now?*
Now he had the strength to save them—and to kill Dormund’s soldiers.
As he nodded, ready to move toward his next target, Leon suddenly grabbed his shoulder.
“Arthur, wait.”
“Why?”
“We need to change our approach.”
Arthur turned his head at Leon’s words.
“Isn’t this the surest way to find Ian’s location?”
Leon let out a sigh.
“It is, but it wastes too much time. Dormund soldiers won’t easily give up Ian’s whereabouts. If Ian robs Lady Yenika of the relic and flees, everything will be for nothing.”
Arthur stroked his chin.
“So you mean we should head straight to Yenika?”
“Ian’s ultimate destination will be wherever she is.”
“……”
“There’s no need to waste time here when we already know where he’s going. Besides…”
Leon trailed off, pointing at the necklace hanging from Arthur’s neck.
“I suspect Carpe gave you that necklace for this very reason.”
Arthur frowned, lost in thought.
*Hmm… he’s not wrong.*
But for some reason, he didn’t want to leave.
*I want to kill Ian. And I want to kill these Dormund soldiers wreaking havoc.*
The images of Bayern’s people overlapped with the villagers here, making it hard for him to decide.
Just then, a thunderous explosion shook the ground.
BOOM—!
And from the distance came a monster’s roar.
KROAAAR—!
At that chilling, rage-filled bellow, Arthur’s eyes widened.
“Oh… Sir Tacen has awakened.”
He hesitated—then smirked.
*Seems saving the Black Cross fanatics isn’t my job after all.*
They already had a far sturdier savior than him.
Nodding, Arthur turned.
“Fine, Leon. Let’s head for the temple and catch Ian.”
—
—
Arthur and Leon sprinted through the heart of the village.
After running for some time, Arthur’s eyes caught sight of armored men on horseback in the distance—unlike common soldiers.
Dormund’s proud Red Rose Cavalry.
“Judging by their presence here, looks like your prediction was right, Leon.”
Leon’s expression stiffened.
“Seems so. The Red Rose Cavalry are direct subordinates of Cain Dormund and his bloodline.”
“Hm… interesting. I thought they’d be observing from the rear, but to be moving in person…”
“That only proves how important the Holy Grail of Blood is to them.”
“Why do you think it’s so important to Dormund?”
“I’ve no idea… So what’s our move?”
Arthur tilted his head.
“What do you mean?”
“Do we break through them? Or go around?”
Arthur’s lips curled upward.
“Obviously, we break through.”
In the next instant, Arthur vanished.
Spatial Leap.
The bloodline ability that allowed him to teleport short distances.
Leon clicked his tongue at the ever-unpredictable ability, then awakened his own dormant power.
Thump.
His heart gave a heavy beat, and his pupils shifted into the shape of stars.
Ready, Leon shouted:
“Arthur! I’ve bound them! Kill them now!”
At that, Arthur reappeared above the cavalrymen’s heads, pulling out Beast.
BANG—!
The eldest rider’s head exploded from the gunshot.
SHHK—!
With a swing of his sword, he cleaved the necks of two more cavalrymen.
The sudden slaughter left the last two wide-eyed.
“…What the hell!?”
As their shock reverberated, Arthur landed gracefully and swung his cursed blade.
The two remaining knights tried to raise their lances—but their bodies wouldn’t obey.
“……!”
They glanced aside, spotting a man rushing toward them from afar.
*A mage?*
But before they could dwell on it, Arthur cleanly decapitated them both.
In the blink of an eye, five cavalrymen lay dead.
Mounting one of their sleek black horses, Arthur patted it.
“There, there. Good boy.”
The refined stallion neighed harshly.
Hiiiihhh!
But with a sharp pull of the reins, it quickly settled down.
Leon hopped up behind him.
“They won’t have entered the temple yet without the token. Let’s go straight there, Arthur!”
“Roger that—let’s ride!”
With a yank of the reins, the black horse shot forward like an arrow.
Hiiiihhh!
After ten minutes’ gallop, the temple loomed before them.
Slowing the horse, Arthur muttered,
“Huh? The temple gates are open.”
Leon’s eyes widened when he saw it too.
The grand entrance—the only way in—stood wide open.
“…What the hell? Didn’t Carpe say you couldn’t enter without the necklace?”
Arthur narrowed his gaze.
*Hmm… Carpe wasn’t lying. Someone must have opened it from inside.*
But who?
As Arthur’s lips curled faintly in amusement, an unpleasant, grating voice echoed.
“…Who goes there?”
Arthur tugged the reins, bringing the horse to a halt.
“Oh?”
His eyes sparkled.
Six knights and a hooded mage stood guarding the temple’s entrance.
All bore the emblem of Dormund’s red rose.
*Knights, huh… then Ian really did come here.*
The hooded man repeated his question.
“I asked who you are.”
Arthur narrowed his eyes—the voice was familiar.
After a moment’s thought, he asked:
“…Monkey, is that you?”
“Monkey? Are you talking to me?”
“Yes. Aren’t you Monkey?”
At that, the man called Monkey jolted.
“You—how do you know me…?”
His words trailed off, and in shock, he bent low.
BANG—!
The Beast’s bullet flew, only to be blocked by the knights.
Monkey, collapsing to the ground, roared angrily:
“Hey, you insane bastard!! Why the hell would you just start shooting!?”
Arthur twirled Beast in his hand.
“What good ever comes from talking to a black mage at length?”
“…What? You know I’m a black mage too?”
“Of course. You’re a very dangerous one.”
Monkey’s jaw dropped.
*What is this guy? First time I’ve ever seen him, yet he knows my identity?*
His moniker as Dormund’s “Monkey” wasn’t unknown—but few, if any, could recognize him just from his voice.
*Have we crossed paths before?*
But no matter how hard he searched his memory, he couldn’t recall this dim-looking face.
Monkey muttered, narrowing his gaze:
“You’re suspicious.”
“Only as suspicious as a black mage.”
“…I’ll capture you alive and torture you. Just wait.”
At Monkey’s threat, Arthur chuckled.
One knight in full plate stepped forward, drawing his sword.
“If you surrender quietly, there will be no pain.”
Arthur shrugged.
“That’s what I was going to say. If you step aside quietly, I’ll make sure you die painlessly.”
The knight’s brow twitched.
“You dare insult a knight, you fanatic?”
Without warning, he charged.
But Arthur sidestepped effortlessly, dodging the ambush.
The knight’s face twisted in shock.
“…Not an ordinary fanatic, are you?”
“Sorry, but I’m not a fanatic.”
“You’re not? Then why are you here?”
Smiling brightly, Arthur drew his cursed blade.
“Why else? I came to kill you.”
He lashed out.
The strike snapped forward like a whip, forcing the knight to hastily block.
CLANG—!
The crushing weight made the knight’s eyes widen.
*A knight… losing in strength?*
Just as he braced to unleash his aura, the muzzle of Beast pressed against his brow.
BANG—!
The knight dropped dead before he could even manifest aura.
Monkey blinked.
“…Huh?”
“……?”
Silence fell like a shroud.
Everyone stood stunned.
Then Monkey broke the silence.
“…What the hell? It’s over already? He actually died?”
A knight at the 5th Circle of mastery—
A Dormund knight, killed in just two exchanges?
Monkey’s disbelief was plain.
Meanwhile, Leon clicked his tongue as he watched Arthur flick blood off his blade.
*He seemed monstrous when I first met him. Now, he’s simply a monster.*
Even accounting for surprise, to kill a Dormund knight so quickly—he’d reached a terrifying level.
Arthur raised his cursed sword and asked:
“Shall I come to you, Monkey? Or are you coming to me?”
Monkey snapped back to focus, narrowing his eyes.
“You… what are you? You’re no ordinary fanatic.”
“Told you. I’m not a fanatic.”
“Then what are you!? Why are you here if not a fanatic!?”
Arthur grinned.
“The Madman of Bayern.”
“…?”
“Does that ring a bell?”
Monkey blinked.
“What nonsense is that? You’re saying *you’re* a madman?”
“See? You don’t get it.”
Arthur raised his blade.
“So stop asking who I am. Same with Frakil—why are black mages so obsessed with identities?”
—
