Chapter 407 - Watch closely. He's my friend.
Audin thought that, in his current state, he couldn't handle the opponent's speed. It was clear just from watching the way they rushed at him.
While others might not notice, those like Enkrid knew that Audin's insight and ability to think during combat were exceptional.
On the surface, it seemed like Audin would solve everything with brute force, but that wasn't the case.
'Too fast,' he thought.
He could have caught them by raising the divine aura and enduring the pain, but there was no need for that.
Audin calculated and moved. In some ways, his fighting style was the closest to a formal swordsmanship approach.
Two opponents charged. One wielded a trident, the other a lance.
Both kept their distance, repeatedly stabbing and withdrawing in a bothersome manner.
The spearheads were faster than a bee's sting, aiming to pierce and tear Audin's skin.
Audin minimized his movements, compensating for his lack of speed. He used the back of his hand to deflect the spears, strengthening his defense.
The cloak draped over his body flapped wildly, moving in time with his movements. With such a ragged cloak, it was difficult to expect much in terms of protection.
Every time the spear grazed him, the cloak tore into pieces.
Audin endured and held on, then suddenly bent at the waist and dashed forward. For a brief moment, his body appeared to stretch, moving faster than before. By focusing all his energy on his charge, he could briefly match his opponents' speed.
"Ha!" one of the trident-wielders shouted.
Lowering his posture, the spearhead barely grazed his back.
Because the thrust was powered by immense force, even though it only grazed him, his cloak split in half and his skin was scraped.
However, there was no blood. Audin's skin was as tough as iron, unlike that of an ordinary person.
Audin charged forward and grabbed the opponent's knee. Even if the opponent was faster, their strength would be no match for his.
And the essence of martial arts was always in close combat.
When Audin grabbed the knee and lifted the opponent, the trident-wielder's feet left the ground.
"What the!" the trident-wielder exclaimed.
The trapped leg didn't budge, as though it were stuck between massive boulders.
They tried to break free, but it was futile. With their body lifted off the ground, they were understandably stunned.
The spear-wielder with the lance took advantage and thrust their spear at Audin. Audin sensed the air movement and, feeling the trajectory of the spear, slightly shifted his body.
Thwack!
The spearhead slid along Audin's body, grazing it.
This was a technique known as Body Gliding.
Audin had taught Enkrid this technique. It was natural for him to perform it even more skillfully.
Audin's body moved with the grace of a soft clump of cotton, far from what his size suggested.
Though the spearhead brushed against him, it merely grazed his body.
By the time this happened, the opponent whose knee Audin had grabbed was still lifted in the air.
The lifted opponent reached out with both hands as their nails grew, aiming to dig into Audin's forearm. Audin ignored them and slammed the opponent down onto the ground.
Crash! Thud!
The takedown wasn't the end, though.
With a swift motion, Audin rolled forward, hooking his legs behind the opponent's head.
He then bent their torso in half and used his right foot to step on their shoulder while pulling their spine out.
Crunch!
The sound of breaking bone echoed as blood splattered into the air.
The opponent's claws grazed Audin's shoulder, but it was of no consequence. Everything had happened in an instant.
After dealing with one of the enemies, the lance-wielder hesitated.
Despite losing some of their composure, they were bewildered by what had just occurred.
"A monster?" the lance-wielder muttered.
Hearing the words from the monster's mouth, Audin smiled slightly.
"The lord awaits, Brother Demon."
The fight continued, no different from before. Even with two opponents, they couldn't handle the monster who glided past their spears, closing the distance.
Even Audin's skin, as tough as iron, was scarred and bloodied.
Their strength was not to be underestimated.
Still, the distance between them closed.
Audin's grip on his opponent's arm caused it to be ripped out, and their waist snapped.
In the end, he performed the incredible feat of pulling out part of the opponent's cervical spine with just his fingers.
Enkrid almost clapped in amazement.
Was the opponent's brute strength overwhelming?
Yes.
But still, this was the result.
To an outside observer, the enemies might have seemed like chimera-like knights, but…
"They're still not knights," Audin thought.
Until then, Count Molsan, seated in a chair that was strangely dark and thick, remained motionless.
Jaxen had approached Enkrid from behind. He let out a faint sigh.
"Troublesome mage."
From Jaxen's assessment, it was clear that the enemy was no easy foe.
Enkrid glanced at Count Molsan.
The count's gaze, filled with venomous fury, spoke volumes—far more than words could express.
"I should've killed you earlier," the count muttered, genuinely regretful.
He never imagined that someone would stop him in his tracks like this.
No knight had even stepped forward, and yet things had escalated to this point. How infuriating!
But that didn't mean he had failed.
Moreover, there was a clear reason why he had spared them.
He planned to turn them into one of his underlings, even if not as a human.
"If I can't keep you as a human, I'll just make you something else."
"Until I can sleep with my two legs stretched out, I won't be able to rest."
"I'll make sure you'll rest with your legs folded in a coffin."
Enkrid skillfully matched the count's taunts.
It was a juvenile joke, saying that while he himself wouldn't die, the count would see his own legs bent as he died.
Naturally, that remark further stirred the count's fury.
The count's words became more venomous, "Keep talking. I'll tear you apart and burn you alive. Before you die, I'll make sure you witness your body burning and tearing apart!"
The count's voice layered with a strange echo, as if two voices were speaking at once.
It sent a chilling shiver through Enkrid's head.
Ironically, Enkrid felt his awareness expand as he heard the count's curse.
It was a sensation he'd first experienced when trapped in Abnaier's grasp.
Not through strategy or tactics, but an instinctual view of the battlefield.
The realm of intuition and instinct had expanded, guiding him toward his objective.
It wasn't the realm of logic, but one of primal instinct.
With Esther's words in mind, a natural realization followed.
'Killing him is the only way this ends.'
He instinctively knew that the war would not end until the count died.
Just as he reflected on this intuition, Rem spoke up.
"Aren't you going to deal with that?"
Enkrid stared at his barbarian subordinate.
Behind him, Ragna, Audin, and Jaxen also caught his attention.
Although they all seemed slightly weary, none of them showed any sign of it outwardly.
Audin, possibly with a dislocated finger, was placing his bones back into place with a grin.
"Brother, let me add a prayer for you as you go," he said, suggesting they fight together.
Enkrid looked around at the group, then turned his attention back to Count Molsan.
It was as if he had spoken his purpose with his eyes.
"Together?"
At the brief question, the four naturally nodded.
Rem took a step forward, followed by Ragna, while Jaxen quietly stood beside them. Audin moved last, as if to embrace them all.
"I thought he was a damn bastard. From the beginning."
Rem muttered.
"I agree. He deserves to die."
Jaxen replied.
"There's no need to find a shortcut."
Ragna said, staring at the count who was in clear view.
"My lord, my father, I shall send another weak soul upwards."
Audin prayed.
Enkrid walked ahead of the group.
Shinar did not join them. To be honest, she did not think she could be of help at this point.
Though she had transformed into a fairy, the opponent's sword had split her thigh, making it difficult for her to move properly.
No matter how much she had absorbed the spring's energy, this was not an easy foe.
She took a bandage from her pouch and tightly wrapped it around her thigh. Even if she couldn't be of help, at least she wouldn't be a hindrance.
Dunbakel and Teresa did not dare to intervene.
Enkrid had even told them to move to the rear.
Though it almost sounded like an excuse to be away, they obeyed the order faithfully.
As Dunbakel and Teresa moved to the rear, Enkrid and the others steadily advanced forward.
In truth, Rem, Ragna, Audin, and Jaxen were all far from being in perfect condition.
Jaxen was the most unscathed, but his specialty was not a direct charge.
In terms of swordsmanship, Enkrid had now surpassed him.
Yet, the five of them pressed on.
They did what had to be done.
Enkrid had lived this way through every day.
Thus, they walked forward to mark the end of the civil war.
Krang and Marcus, who joined late, observed this.
"After months of worrying, struggling, and preparing everything, it seems like a friend I just made will place the crown on my head."
Krang laughed, looking carefree.
Marcus was intrigued by Krang's lightheartedness in such a situation.
"How can you be laughing?"
Even though Enkrid had demonstrated overwhelming power, Count Molsan remained unmoved.
He stood still, exuding a dark, ominous aura.
In the battlefield, it seemed like death itself had taken a seat on the throne.
The throne might as well have been called death.
Aishia also led her knights towards Enkrid and his unit.
Squire Ropord, who was under her command, hurriedly spoke upon spotting Enkrid and his group.
"I will assist you!"
He had come to deeply respect Enkrid, more than any knight.
Who else could fight like this, march forward like that?
Ropord was ready to rush out immediately, but his superior with orange hair stopped him.
"Don't be foolish."
"Pardon?"
"Don't you think you will only be a hindrance? Watch closely, see how he fights."
Aishia was also dissatisfied.
'Not even asking me to come along?'
She was a semi-knight. She fought well. Although she had lost to Enkrid before, the ones standing next to her had fought in intense battles. There was no way they could be unscathed.
Wasn't it only right to bring her, who was still relatively unharmed?
"This is frustrating."
A desire to join them suddenly surged within her.
She was part of the Red Cloak Order, the most formidable group within Naurilia, yet...
Right now, she wanted to be by Enkrid's side.
No matter the cost.
She had said those words to Ropord, but it was essentially the same as speaking to herself.
The shepherd of the wilderness had suddenly stopped and quietly withdrew, but Fel, unable to resist his curiosity, approached under the guise of escorting Krang.
'Hmm?'
It was a familiar face.
'That night under the moon.'
Wasn't this the madman who kept asking to be struck again, even after he had killed the idol?
He surely wasn't ordinary.
'Was he this strong back then?'
He observed his back. He had been involved in everything happening on the battlefield, had stopped fighting, and had advanced like this.
'Was it duty?'
Was he fighting to protect?
While he was lost in thought, Krang brightened and said,
"Watch closely. He's my friend."
Friend. So, he wasn't bound by royal duty after all. Yet, he stepped forward.
For what?
He had heard the declaration to end the war. So, he had stepped forward solely for that purpose.
Such actions didn't resonate with a shepherd who moved for practical gains.
"Fel, to lead a group, you cannot view the world solely in terms of profit and loss."
His father's teachings flashed in Fel's mind.
He had learned something small.
Sometimes, sacrifices must be made for ideals.
At the same time, he decided.
He would temporarily part from his flock.
It wasn't just because of the constant nagging from the elders.
'There's much to learn.'
Fel fell into thought, while Krang smiled, telling everyone not to interfere.
Marcus, however, was impatient.
He knew. He knew that no one could stop Enkrid now. Yet, he still wanted to employ a dirty trick. Even if it meant being cursed for life, he wanted to shoot an arrow at the Count's head right now.
It would, of course, be futile.
But still, that feeling of wanting to do it was unavoidable.
His gaze fell on Krang, who was smiling, and he asked,
"Is it really that surprising that you're laughing?"
"Commander Marcus. If not now, when will I laugh? If Enki dies, we'll all die anyway."
"...I still have the last resort."
"You won't use it."
"Why not?"
"The crown that would make me kill my friend is not one I would wear."
Krang was still the same. He was who he was. Marcus found it frustrating, but this was also why he served him.
It was then that Marcus finally felt at ease.
If everything was to be staked on Enkrid, so be it.
"Then."
Marcus, though helpless, laughed.
***
The Count did not look at those approaching.
His gaze was fixed on the rear of the battlefield. A separate unit he had sent, following the witch's trail, was now approaching the rear.
'Damn bitch.'
The Count muttered curses at Esther under his breath.
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