Chapter 374 - Woof
While Jaxen was causing a ruckus, Enkrid pushed Marcus aside as though tossing him.
"The Duke is at the palace."
Marcus, rolling to the side, spoke. He was quick to understand the situation. Finding a spot to hide while crouched, he took cover.
There was no strength to call upon immediately, so all he could do was hide well.
He had once served as a battalion commander, but in reality, he had no subordinates following his orders.
"Goddamn Baisar."
His family didn't side with either of the opposing factions.
Marcus disliked this. But he couldn't afford to be idle either.
Sending Enkrid to the palace meant he could do what needed to be done.
That is, after surviving.
If he had known this would happen, he would have stayed on his horse.
Enkrid gave a slight nod and mounted the one-eyed horse. The same intense energy that had been felt earlier emanated through its skin.
It was a strong will.
'I'm fast.'
Pure speed for the sake of running.
However, Enkrid did not want to carelessly use his power or will. Yet, he ran.
'It's because of my request.'
The one-eyed horse fully accepted Enkrid's request.
The beast, halfway through its transformation, stomped its feet and moved.
Its movements were incomparable to ordinary cavalry.
The one-eyed horse lightly struck the ground and lowered its body.
With its knees slightly bent, it pushed off the ground and passed through the mansion's main gate. It was swift and discreet, like a shadow vanishing in a blink.
Meanwhile, Jaxen had killed several assassins, drawing plenty of attention.
There were no guards at the main gate, though the walls were being watched. Was it some kind of assassin's habit?
Enkrid thought as he spoke.
"That way."
He gripped the mane and lowered his body. The one-eyed horse moved in response to his whisper.
It headed toward the outer road to the palace.
The capital was in chaos. Citizens who had a sense of the situation quickly retreated into their homes and locked their doors.
A few shops hastily shut their doors, and some of the guards walked around with a murderous glint in their eyes, holding spears.
Enkrid ignored all of them. The one-eyed horse lightly struck the ground as it arrived at the outer road leading to the palace.
This was not a typical path for people to travel.
It was a direct route created on the outskirts, with the palace walls to the left.
"Let's go."
The one-eyed horse responded with a snort and swiftly kicked the ground. Immediately, the objects around them blurred and disappeared behind them.
Could this be the effect of triggering Will consecutively?
The speed was extraordinary.
Soon, an obstacle appeared ahead, and before Enkrid could fully process it, it was almost upon them.
His focus sharpened, and he recognized the object ahead.
It was a wooden spike barricade. The spikes were sharp and embedded in the ground, slanting at an angle. If anyone—horse, cart, or person—ran into it without caution, they would be pierced, creating a few nice air holes in their bodies.
It was a formidable obstacle that even a seasoned warhorse would struggle to pass.
Of course, the creation of a direct path to the palace would require a means to block it.
"Block… Ahhh…?"
A soldier, standing in front of the barricade, tried to speak, but couldn't finish his sentence.
It was as if a black mass was flying toward him. The speed was unbelievable. In the blink of an eye, it reached right in front of him. He tried to shout to stop it.
But before he could even finish, the black mass passed over his head.
Thud.
With the sound of the ground being struck, a gust of wind brushed past his ear. Something heavy soared above him.
At the same speed it had been running, it passed overhead.
The one-eyed horse kicked the ground and leapt over the barricade. It didn't even seem that high to the horse.
Enkrid didn't have to say a word. The one-eyed horse knew what to do.
"…Wow."
Several soldiers, startled, turned their heads.
A fine cavalry could jump over considerable distances, but this—this could be called flying.
They had set up barricades and soldiers to block the path to the palace, but the horse cleared them all in an instant.
"Fire!" the commander shouted, too late.
The command was pointless.
The horse that had jumped over the obstacles was already speeding far ahead.
Faster than any horse they had seen.
This was the second time Enkrid had ridden the one-eyed horse.
But it seemed even faster this time than before.
The palace, once distant, quickly loomed ahead.
It leapt over the pointed stakes and the barricades, closing the distance in no time.
The one-eyed horse, upon reaching the palace gates, stomped the ground with its front feet and turned its body, coming to a stop.
With a scrape of its hind feet, a cloud of dust rose from the ground.
Running at such a terrifying speed was impressive, but controlling its body to come to a perfect stop was a work of art. Enkrid straightened himself and spoke.
"Thank you."
Without wasting time admiring the one-eyed horse, he jumped down immediately.
Enkrid dashed toward the palace. There were no guards in front of the inner keep. Instead, there was the sound of metal clashing and the smell of blood in the air.
Enkrid followed the noise and scent.
"That idiot!"
Someone who recognized him was there. A group of people had gathered.
Was it a coincidence?
Or the help of the goddess of luck?
Maybe, it was because he had hoped for such a moment.
Who could say?
It was someone he knew—a former instructor known for spreading nonsense.
"Hey, bring that maid here."
I still remember the words he used back then. After that, I was beaten half to death.
"Say that you lost, say you're sorry, say you were wrong."
He forced me, but Enkrid quietly responded.
"What? Did you say 'woof woof'?"
There are many memories from back then, some helpful, but others unpleasant.
Right now, it was the latter.
The former barking instructor was now a soldier under the Viscount of Mernes.
He wore a gambison bearing the family crest.
He chuckled and opened his mouth.
"Hey, be honest. You got to where you are by selling your body, right?"
It had been a long time since I heard such nonsense.
The barking instructor knew the past Enkrid.
A man with no talent, yet swinging a sword like his life depended on it.
A man who swung his sword until his hands bled.
He was a fool. How could such a man be a hero of Border Guard?
It was nonsense.
Perhaps someone was watching his back.
It was the same back then.
There were always those who quietly supported him.
"Do you know where Krang is?"
"What?"
"You don't know, huh?"
"What the hell are you saying, you idiot?"
"You're probably still too busy barking, right? Woof woof?"
Bringing up the old ties made his face turn red.
"I'll kill you."
He said with malice, drawing his sword and getting into position.
There were things he said back then that were useful.
"If you get cocky thinking you're strong, you'll die. Even when hunting a rabbit, you should give it your all. If not, you'll be the one going down."
I agreed. That's why Enkrid showed some of his best.
Between the columns that looked like a corridor, there were thirteen of them, the instructor and his group.
They were likely causing trouble under the false name of the Marquess of Mernes.
Behind them, I could see a half-dressed maid, trembling with fear, her arm scratched and shaking with cold.
Enkrid stepped forward, tensing his muscles. He bent his knees, then straightened them as he grasped his blade, looking ahead.
He kicked the ground, aiming at the visible enemy.
Thud!
His foot slammed into the stone floor.
In an instant, the speed propelled him forward.
In the face of such speed, the spark became a point, putting an end to the past relationship.
Ping, thud.
With the sound of the strike, a corpse was created. Blood followed where the spark had been pulled out swiftly.
Enkrid's thrust caught him off guard.
The difference in skill was clear.
The man holding the sword collapsed downward. His knee hit the ground with a thud before he fell forward.
There was the sound of his head making a solid connection with the ground.
The others froze, too shocked to move.
Enkrid silently drew his sword from his left hip. It slid out smoothly, a gladius.
He held the gladius in his right hand and the spark in his left.
Enkrid, with a sword in each hand, became a wolf among the sheep.
Two of the sheep reached out with hands full of wool, but the wolf easily cut them down with a strike.
The broad, thick cuts and the thin, narrow thrusts left the twelve sheep slaughtered before their time.
Having killed them all, Enkrid swung his weapons through the air, shaking the blood off.
"Ugh."
The maid, though saved, was even more terrified.
The group that had looked demonic to her moments ago was now just meat.
It was fortunate she didn't faint.
She seemed too stunned to answer any questions.
But Enkrid had no time to comfort her.
"Stay hidden."
He only spoke the words and continued moving. He sheathed his sword and thought for a moment, clenching and relaxing his hand.
'It's getting easier.'
Having fought countless times with Aishia before, Enkrid had become more accustomed to using Will.
He used it constantly, sometimes passing out from overexertion, but by morning, he would be fine.
Aishia had been amazed by this, but Enkrid still felt discomfort.
Yet, the more he used it, the more natural it felt.
His body was changing with the use of Will.
Was it development?
Anyway, it was far more comfortable and better than before.
A fleeting thought. Just a passing fragment of a thought.
Enkrid had a feeling someone would try to block his way next.
'It seems like all the bad connections are showing up.'
First, the jealous constable.
Then, the assassins.
Now, the barking instructor.
Enkrid moved instinctively, his feet in motion.
Not long after, he discovered another group fighting.
It was thanks to following the sounds.
It was the royal palace's inner garden. Even the guards on the inner walls were gone, and now there was fighting here.
The group of Royal Guards had split into two factions.
"Who are you!"
One of the Royal Guards shouted, and Enkrid responded.
"Just a passerby. Continue with what you were doing."
"…What kind of crazy bastard are you?"
"By the way, if anyone knows where Krang is, I'd appreciate it if you could tell me."
Enkrid's gaze shifted to one of the men. The one wearing the dark gray helmet.
This man seemed to have gone through quite a bit himself, his body worn out.
"He's in a private room inside the palace. You're late."
The man said.
"You crazy bastard!"
One of the Royal Guards brandished a golden spear and charged at Enkrid.
Enkrid pulled his right foot back and then kicked upward, snapping his foot like a whip.
It was a Valah-style back kick.
Using the rotation of his waist, his foot whipped through the air and struck the hand gripping the spear.
The Royal Guard, who had been focused on his sword, took the blow directly to his fingers.
Crack!
The sound of bones breaking rang out. His boots, reinforced with tough leather, were weapons in themselves.
"Ah!"
The soldier screamed and dropped the spear. The pain from the break must have been intense.
As Enkrid looked at his face, he recognized him. It was the Royal Guard soldier who had mocked him earlier and grinding his teeth.
I run into you again, huh?
Enkrid grabbed the man's head and struck it with the flat of his sword.
Thud!
A satisfying sound mixed with a crackling scream. The man collapsed sideways, hitting the ground with a thud.
Blood slowly seeped from the golden helmet. His skull seemed to have been cracked slightly.
Enkrid turned his gaze away and asked.
"Need help?"
Even though he had just knocked one out, he remained calm.
The subtle pressure and presence in the air overwhelmed the surroundings. It was the kind of aura that only those with real skill could show.
The kind of pressure one might expect from a knight of the Red Cloak Order.
Everyone around them fell silent.
"Didn't I say you can't waste time?"
The man in the dark gray helmet spoke.
It almost sounded like he was telling Enkrid to stop wasting time and go to Krang.
"Fine."
Enkrid replied and dashed forward. He wasn't sure where the private room was, but he instinctively chose a direction.
If he got lost, he could just ask anyone along the way.
"This is treason!"
A voice came from behind him.
"If what you believe to be right is treason, then I guess I'm a traitor."
Enkrid heard the voice of the man in the dark gray helmet respond.
Enkrid proceeded further into the palace and soon found the right direction toward the private room. The long hallway guided him.
Light streamed through the windows along the walls.
He wondered if the Queen might be in danger. As he took a few more steps, it happened.
"Stop right there."
Someone blocked his path.
A woman with orange hair, wearing leather armor instead of plate armor and a cloak.
Enkrid's feet stopped. She was more likely to talk than attack.
"Aishia?"
"That's far enough. I can't allow you to go any further."
Without a trace of a smile, Aishia stood firm in front of Enkrid.
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