Cale immediately opened his mouth.
"Ron."
"Yes, young master."
"Inform the people casually."
Ron replied without hesitation.
"I will inform them that the enemy has arrived."
With a dull thud, the door closed, and silence descended.
Cale looked out over the village from the window.
* * *
And the village chief saw three individuals who had visited the village.
"That sweat-soaked knight is a knight from the Har Kingdom."
The identity of that man was evident from the Har emblem engraved on the shoulder of his armor.
'Looks like he's quite scared.'
And the knight's face was so pale that he seemed covered in sweat even in the middle of winter.
'Then...'
The other two people are from the Holy Empire's Eradication Team.
The answer was clear immediately.
'And both are Dragon Half-Bloods.'
If they were knights sent by the Holy Empire, logically, they should be quite competent in talent and attitude.
At that moment, as the village chief's mind was occupied with complicated thoughts...
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
The Dragon Half-Blood Nine smiled cheerfully as he spoke.
"Am I a spectacle to you?"
But in his words, there were thorns.
'Oh, no.'
The village chief quickly bowed deeply, as an exaggerated apology.
"I apologize for forgetting the formalities when meeting such distinguished individuals. Please forgive me."
The knight from the Har Kingdom felt relieved seeing the village chief's action.
'It's a relief.'
The village chief's action ensured that the two Dragon Half-Bloods did not feel offended. The knight wiped the cold sweat from his face with a sense of relief.
'Damn.'
Nine and Wei, the two Dragon Half-Bloods, didn't provoke Sam or exert violence against him. Instead, they obediently followed Sam's guidance without saying a word. However, they tormented him in a different way. No, they gave him a sense of terror that made Sam's blood run cold.
Sam looked at his hand.
'Oh my God!'
The hand holding the reins was trembling. And his words were filled with fear.
'Force...!'
One of the reasons why Dragons were formidable was the 'Dragon Fear.' Although Dragon Half-Bloods couldn't fully mimic Dragon Fear, they could release a part of it, known as 'Force.' And this 'Force' was one of the reasons why knights from other countries should not underestimate Holy Empire's Dragon Half-Bloods.
'Sam. If you encounter Force, run immediately.'
He recalled the words of the senior knight.
'When facing Force, you feel like you're about to die. And you feel tempted to submit, bow your head.'
The terrifying thing about 'Force' was that it induced the desire to submit to the opponent.
Sam looked at the two Dragon Half-Bloods. Before coming here, he had never experienced the 'Force' of Dragon Half-Bloods. But when the three of them moved for the reconnaissance mission a moment ago...
'We should hurry, right?'
If Sam's steps lagged a bit...
'Why are you moving so slowly? Hmm?'
Nine spoke with a rather gentle tone and released his 'Force.' Although it wasn't all of his Force, the 'Force' was enough for Sam to feel like he was being squeezed from all sides, as if an endless darkness were chasing him, like in his childhood nightmares. It was distressing.
Yes, he found it distressing and frightening, he thought.
But he couldn't show it.
Now he was not a child but a member of the knight order representing the Har Kingdom.
'Sam, you must not think of Dragon Half-Bloods as humans.'
Dragon Half-Bloods.
They had three reasons to be strong; his superior's words echoed in his ears.
'First, they have the Force.'
A power that instills fear and terror in the enemy.
'Second, they can use magic or aura, either one or both, which only a few people can use after the Age of Turmoil.'
After the Age of Turmoil, only a few could use magic or aura, but Dragon Half-Bloods could use at least one of them crucially.
'To face a knight who can use aura, you need another knight who can also use it, or at least dozens of normal knights.'
The same applied to magic, and it even caused more fear among common knights.
'And finally, some of the Dragon Half-Bloods have inherited formidable power.'
A formidable power.
The reference was clear.
'Some of them can use Dragon Attributes.'
Dragon Fear and Attributes.
Although no one in the Har Kingdom knew exactly who they were, it was said that some of the Dragon Half-Bloods of the First Division could use those "Attributes."
Dragons.
A relic of legend, perhaps, or a forgotten terror of this land?
Wasn't it already an absolute entity, revered as a God?
'Sam, so never face Dragon Half-Bloods blindly. Endure and endure.'
That was necessary.
'To survive.'
Nine's voice shot up in surprise.
"Oh, you're a valuable person. Do you know who we are?" Sam could hear the exclamation in Nine's tone.
Nine got off his horse and approached the village chief.
Sam also quickly dismounted his horse. At that moment, he could notice the regretful expression of the village chief.
'Why?'
Sam, whose anxiety had subsided at the sight of the village chief groveling before the Dragon Half-Bloods, was utterly perplexed by the chief's behavior.
'Ah.'
Then, something occurred to him.
'...How did the village chief -'
'The village chief of this rural village know that Nine is a Dragon Half-Blood?'
Dragon Half-Bloods couldn't be judged by their appearance.
That meant one thing.
'He knew in advance!'
The village chief revealed that he already knew Nine was a Dragon Half-Blood.
'How?'
In response to Sam's question, Nine opened his mouth.
"Ssssss-"
The mixed wind continued to blow in all directions.
"The Holy Empire's eradication team always arrives at the same time, so by now, the village knows that the eradication team is coming and is preparing to welcome us. If this miserable village wants to survive, it has to prepare in advance."
Nine's laughter became denser.
"Ssssss-"
The wind blew stronger.
Sam, feeling an unfamiliar anxiety, followed Nine, who was getting closer to the village chief.
'...We, I mean, did the Dragon Half-Bloods come for reconnaissance, right?'
Suddenly, Sam doubted whether it was true that these Dragon Half-Bloods had come for reconnaissance, as they said. He began to question whether his action of guiding them to the village had been a mistake, thinking that something he had not perceived was happening.
Nine's voice continued, still calm.
"But how did you call us distinguished lords right away upon seeing us?"
The village chief's face paled. It was evident that he was bewildered by his own mistake.
"Village chief."
Nine stood in front of the chief.
"Do you call all members of the eradication team distinguished individuals? You wouldn't dare to call non-Dragon blood beings distinguished, right? Hmm?"
Nine leaned towards the elderly man who was much shorter than him. Then, he stared at the elder who couldn't meet his gaze.
"Or maybe you knew in advance that we were Dragon Half-Bloods? Hmm? How could you have known that we are Dragon Half-Bloods in such a remote and isolated village like this?"
The village chief couldn't say anything and tightly closed his eyes. It was at that moment that Nine's voice reached him.
"Hey, Wei."
A chill ran down Sam's spine as he watched the man beckon his ally. Driven by a growing sense of danger, he stepped between the village chief and Nine.
"Sir Nine-"
But Wei, still on his horse, responded to Nine's call.
"Who are these two?"
At that moment, Sam saw a person dressed in a cloak behind the village chief and a young man with black hair.
"Oh."
Sam met the young man's eyes, a pair of dark, fathomless orbs that held a mesmerizing depth. A moment passed before Nine broke the silence.
"Well, what's up? Are you scared to death?"
It was at that moment...
Nine's hand moved quickly towards the chief.
His hand reached towards his neck.
Seeing this, Sam involuntarily trembled.
"Ugh."
An indescribable Force emanating from Nine.
Force.
The Force spreading in all directions made Sam realize that Nine had remarkable magical abilities even among Dragon Half-Bloods.
Sam lifted his head with difficulty.
Nine was smiling.
"Clearly, this isn't a game of the Dragon-nims, but the mischief of the guys from Har Kingdom."
At the moment Nine's hand was about to touch the village chief's neck, he smiled brightly.
"For now, let's knock them out and hear what they have to say."
It can't be! Sam visualized in his mind the old man's throat breaking in Nine's hands.
'This isn't reconnaissance!'
From the beginning, these guys came with the intention of ravaging the village.
'Sam, those guys, Dragon Half-Bloods, are evil.'
The words of the senior knight echoed in his ears. If he knew it would be like this, he should have gone in another direction instead of the village. He would rather die first.
'Ah.'
What can I do now? In those few seconds, all kinds of thoughts overwhelmed Sam's mind.
Baang!
A roar echoed. Sam saw it.
The black-haired man's blade flashed out, intercepting Nine's descending hand. The Dragon Half-Blood's advance was abruptly halted.
Sam's eyes widened. And Dragon Half-Blood Nine smiled at the black-haired man.
"You're not weak, huh?"
In response to those words, the black-haired man, Choi Han, replied in a calm tone.
"You're not weak either."
When flames lit up in Nine's eyes. Sam saw calmness on the village chief's face.
He didn't forget the fear; it just seemed like he had gained something that even surpassed fear. In that brief moment, even without realizing it, his heart began to feel relieved.
"!"
His back was burning.
He turned his head.
"This- this-"
The Dragon Half-Blood Mage, Wei, created a giant fire spear in the air.
"Is it really necessary to talk?"
He threw the fire spear with just those words.
The direction was towards the village.
'It can't be!'
That's why mages are feared!
Sam reached out towards the spear without realizing it.
At that moment, a strange sound rang in his ears.
Crack-
It was the sound of something breaking.
'Water?'
There's no water here.
What is this sound?
Before Sam could question it...
Thud-!
With a crash, the fire spear split in the air.
Steam rose.
In the cold snowy day, the fire turned into steam and disappeared.
And what broke the spear was...
'A whip?'
It was a whip made of water.
Sam's gaze shifted.
Swish~
The hood of the cloaked figure was pulled back.
The warrior, Witira of the Whale Tribe, smiled and spoke to Choi Han.
"Shall we each take one?"
Unexpectedly, a different person responded, not Choi Han.
"Who are you, people?"
It was Nine.
Wei silently dismounted from the horse and stood beside Nine.
A radiant energy began to appear around the two Dragon Half-Bloods, like a mist.
It was the Force.
"Who are you?"
The laughter disappeared from Nine's face as he posed the question.
Choi Han calmly responded.
"I am a Dragon Slayer."
What?
Sam's eyes widened.
A Dragon Slayer. That name should no longer be mentioned on this land. It contributed to the decline of Har, so it shouldn't be spoken of here. However, Sam couldn't utter a word to the black-haired youth.
Swish~
Amidst the strong wind.
Sam's eyes widened.
"Ah-"
Aura.
A fierce aura that could swallow even the darkness surged from the black-haired youth's dark blade.
"How...?"
The moment the words left Nine's mouth.
Choi Han lightly tapped the ground.
And thus, he swung his sword towards the two Dragon Half-Bloods.
Indifferent words came from his mouth.
"Is it really necessary to talk?"
It was Choi Han who echoed exactly what Wei had said.
It wasn't him who would listen to nonsense from the enemy.
"Uh. What?"
In a panic, Nine drew his sword and rushed directly at Choi Han.
Woosh~
A strange shockwave and a Force emanating from Nine's body made the surroundings ripple, on the verge of bursting. In the moment it was about to explode...
'That bastard!'
Choi Han was being guided by that Force.
How dare he target someone who has inherited the great strength of the Dragons? This village should be overturned completely!
"Wei!"
Destroy.
"Erase them all! Make them disappear!"
This village must be completely erased from the world.
Moreover, this clearly is not an individual action.
Har Kingdom. Those bastards must have done something from behind.
I will obliterate that vile aura with my own.
"How dare you mention the Dragon Slayers in front of me, who bears noble blood?"
Nine's Force headed towards Choi Han.
The intangible energy was not visible. There was no smell or temperature.
Only the energy of terror and domination precipitated, so the opponent couldn't help but notice.
And then...
Slash.
The Force was cut.
"…!"
Nine's eyes widened.
Was the Force inherited from the almighty Dragons severed?
How?
Facing the surprised Nine, Choi Han opened his mouth.
The words Nine spoke a little earlier.
"For now, let's knock them out and hear what they have to say."
Thump.
At that moment, Nine felt his heart sink.
That Sword Master...
Nine was sure the other side was just a human.
"...Force-"
But the Force emanated from that human.
* * *
If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.
Thank you for reading!
[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]
[Translator – Anowa]
[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]