"As expected, you hurt your head."
Otherwise, there was no way he would say such crazy things.
"Is that so?"
Seo Woojin was well aware of how absurd his words were right now.
"But that guy isn't moving. I don't know why, but isn't this an opportunity?"
Whether it's an Ice Bug or a Dragon, if it doesn't move, it's just a slightly larger punching bag.
'Or is it more than a bit?'
He glanced at the Ice Bug.
Compared to the guy that Van Slaine and the Blue Shield Knights are fighting, it was much smaller, but still the size of a typical commercial building.
To bring down a punching bag like that…
"But it's impossible for just the two of us."
It's uncertain when the Ice Bug will start moving again.
Just the two of them couldn't kill the Ice Bug.
If Irene was a high-ranking knight, maybe.
But Seo Woojin smiled at Irene's words.
"Who said we have to catch it with just the two of us?"
"What do you mean?"
When Irene sent a questioning look, Seo Woojin raised his hand and pointed to one side.
"There are so many people over there who can fight with us."
At the place he pointed, soldiers who had just finished hunting the mother Tranga were cheering.
* * *
"It wasn't just one, as expected."
Van Slaine, who surveyed the surroundings, chuckled.
The number of Ice Bugs caught in his perception was two.
'No, is it three?'
He couldn't see it, but he faintly felt the aura of another Ice Bug from behind.
'…It's going towards where that kid is.'
Van Slaine hesitated slightly.
Ice Bugs are dangerous monsters.
It is so huge and powerful that the current Seo Woojin cannot even properly resist.
If he made a mistake, he could lose a Hero.
But Van Slaine didn't turn away.
It wasn't just because he had a reason to take revenge on the Ice Bug.
The colossal Ice Bug in front of him had been an enemy that had devoured countless knights and soldiers over the past few years.
If he missed this opportunity, who knew when he would encounter it again.
However, revenge wasn't everything.
'I believe you.'
Van Slaine trusted Irene.
Although she was still a junior knight with limited experience…
Nevertheless, she was an exceptional individual with outstanding judgment and composure.
Van Slaine believed that Irene would be able to protect Seo Woojin from the Ice Bug with her exceptional situation assessment and cool-headedness.
"What I have to do today is to sever this tiresome fate."
He would trust his knights and wield his sword solely for that one goal.
"My lord!"
Tesleton's cry echoed.
The path was open.
The swords and blood of the Blue Shield Knights created a straight path piercing through countless tentacles towards the Ice Bug.
Van Slaine's foot struck the icy ground.
Thud!
Unable to withstand the power contained in the tip of his foot, the ground cracked and Van Slaine's body shot forward like an exploding shell.
A speed that even the eyes of most humans couldn't follow.
Except for Tesleton and Gerard, no one in the knight order could detect Van Slaine's movements.
To them, it seemed like an unusually strong gust of wind was blowing.
Van Slaine instantly reached the Ice Bug.
Swish!
The sword was drawn.
His beloved sword, which had been with him for over a hundred years, tasted the chilly air of the north after a long time.
"Take this."
From left to right.
A perfectly straight line with a precision of 0.1mm was drawn.
Considering the size of the Ice Bug, it was an incredibly small movement, but the result exceeded imagination.
Shaaaak!
A fountain of blood spurted out.
Swwwoooosh!
It was a single sword stroke.
With a swing so simple yet unparalleled, the giant Ice Bug was split in half.
"Avoid it!"
However, the monster's tough vitality had not yet faded.
In the extreme pain of being cut in half, the Ice Bug began to thrash.
Hundreds of tentacles flailed wildly, posing an imminent threat to the knights.
"Block it!"
The previous attacks were by no means easy, but the desperation of someone facing death was far more ferocious and powerful.
"Kwack!"
A knight, blocking the swinging tentacles head-on, soared into the sky.
The sturdy black armor shattered into pieces, and the armor that protected the flesh crumpled, allowing red blood to ooze out.
It was the first casualty.
"Train!"
The surrounding knights screamed.
Although prepared for the situation, maintaining composure in the face of a comrade's death was an impossible task.
"Form the ranks!"
Van Slaine's command echoed in the ears of the knights.
"Grr!"
"Damn it!"
While they felt sorry for their colleague's death, there was no time to mourn now.
Following Van Slaine's orders, the knights composed themselves and began forming ranks.
As the strength of the knights concentrated in one place, the tentacles, glowing like crazy, could no longer inflict harm.
However, the tentacles were not the only threatening presence.
"Here it comes!"
Another Ice Bug sensed by Van Slaine.
The creature, lurking underground and seemingly realizing something was amiss when another one died, pierced through the ground to reveal itself.
"…Insane!"
One of the knights cursed.
The one Van Slaine had just split in half was a particularly massive specimen among the Ice Bugs.
It was already 1.5 times larger than the average size.
However, the one revealing itself now was even larger.
"That's the one!"
Van Slaine could instinctively tell.
The Ice Bug that annually produced numerous casualties wasn't the one that had just died, but rather this one.
'Can I do it?'
The giant body of the Ice Bug was an excellent weapon and armor itself.
It was difficult to deal a significant blow with ordinary attacks.
The saying "size matters" wasn't without reason.
That had been the biggest reason for the failures in previous subjugation attempts.
Even Van Slaine couldn't inflict meaningful damage on the creature.
But this year was different.
'I can do it.'
He was confident after the recent strike.
He could bring down the giant body of the creature.
If one strike didn't work, there would be another.
Without giving the Ice Bug a chance to escape, he could bring it down.
Van Slaine raised his sword once again.
* * *
"You mean soldiers?"
Irene asked.
The soldiers, who had just finished hunting with Queen Tranga, were in disarray.
Dozens had died, and many more were injured.
Currently, they were reveling in the joy of victory, but it wouldn't last long.
"The knights are busy right now."
Seo Woojin said.
He turned his head to glance at where Van Slaine was still engaged in combat.
"Huh?"
In the midst of being distracted by the sudden appearance of an Ice Bug, the situation had changed significantly.
"One of them is dead."
Irene finally realized that fact and bit her lip.
Feelings of self-blame surged again for not trusting Van Slaine and acting without thinking.
"Another one appeared, but…"
An enormous Ice Bug, terrifyingly large.
However, Seo Woojin wasn't worried.
The Knight Order seemed intact, and most importantly, Van Slaine was charging toward the creature.
"Let's focus on this side for now."
The Ice Bug was incomparably more powerful than Snow Wolf.
If he succeeded in hunting it?
'I will definitely level up.'
Having only leveled up by capturing just five Snow Wolf, perhaps he could raise his level by several in one go.
The experience lump, frozen in place, was too precious to miss this golden opportunity.
"Soldiers…"
Certainly, they would be an immense help.
Among the soldiers were individuals more skilled than Seo Woojin at the moment.
If hundreds of soldiers simultaneously attacked and swarmed, even an Ice Bug would surely be unable to withstand.
"But if it moves again, the damage will be enormous."
The fact that they could have this conversation right now was because the creature had stopped moving.
If its tentacles attacked the soldiers…
The resulting damage would be unimaginable.
However, Seo Woojin didn't waver in his determination.
"If not now, there won't be another opportunity. What if it turns towards the knights?"
Fighting one Ice Bug and facing two were entirely different scenarios.
Of course, Van Slaine would probably be fine, but what about the other knights?
It could lead to greater casualties.
Seo Woojin pointed out that concern.
"That's…"
Irene bit her lips.
Because there was reason in those words.
Observation and intervention.
Choosing between the two was not easy.
"…Instead, if the Ice Bug shows the slightest sign of movement, we'll withdraw immediately."
"Of course."
Even without Irene saying it, she had confidence that she would be the first to react.
The soldiers might call her a coward, but what did it matter?
The most important thing was her own life.
'Despite that, she keeps doing reckless things.'
Scratching his head, Seo Woojin looked at Irene.
Her expression was not just cold but downright icy.
But Seo Woojin could feel it.
Inside her, there was more concern for her comrades than anyone else.
He had to use that.
"Then let's catch that guy."
He has absolutely no intention of overdoing it.
And he didn't even want to do it.
'In moderation, in moderation.'
Among the soldiers, he thought about stabbing a few times with a sword and gaining some experience points.
'I need to level up quickly and learn about skills.'
Knowing what he could do.
Knowing what abilities he possessed.
He had to grasp that accurately to increase his chances of survival.
'To do that, I have to use everything I can.'
Anyway, it was a mutually beneficial relationship.
Him, to grow himself.
They, to use him in the war against the demon king.
"Let's go."
Irene stepped towards the soldiers.
She was just a lower-ranked knight, but she was also one of the commanders.
Since the other knights were all in combat with the Ice Bugs, Irene, having the greatest authority to give orders to the soldiers at the moment, took the lead.