Chapter 401

Words : 2465 Updated : Oct 13th, 2025

Something unexpected occurred in the direction of the forest where the mansion was located. Belkart felt slightly annoyed. “I don’t know who did this, but it’s too late to stop it now.” Belkart looked down at the completely collapsed cliff and called in his summons. The familiar Thunder Dragon was absorbed into his body and reverse-summoned, while the Golden Bird flew over to carry Belkart on its back. -Kiriririk. Behind the Golden Bird’s wings and tail feathers, cube fragments gathered to form a metallic ring. As magical power concentrated in the ring, a massive magnetic force was released, propelling the Golden Bird’s body. Mounted on the Golden Bird, Belkart shot off toward the forest using the magnetic force. Rudger was dumbfounded at the sight. ‘What impossible mobility.’ It was truly like watching a living fighter jet. As Belkart grew small in his field of vision, Rudger also wanted to chase after him. However, his speed was so fast that it was uncertain whether Rudger could catch up in time even using levitation magic. At that moment, a pure white owl flew to Rudger’s side. “Lord Derek.” “Ride it. I’m no match for him. But you might be different.” Rudger examined Derek’s body. Red blood was dripping from his limp arm. He had been injured during the recent bombardment and judging by his pale complexion, the bleeding seemed severe. He wouldn’t be able to fight in this condition. The same was true for Varenchina. Her swollen wrist appeared to be broken, and even her weapon, the sword, had shattered to pieces. Even without a sword, a knight’s body is a weapon in itself, but against Belkart, he would only be a hindrance. “I apologize. Please stop that monster.” “Understood.” Rudger mounted Derek’s familiar. Given the movements the familiar had shown while fighting, it should have no trouble pursuing Belkart. “I’m counting on you.” At Rudger’s words, the owl flapped its wings once widely. The owl, riding powerful wind currents, shot off like a bullet. * * * “Damn it.” Sempas panted while maintaining his stance but his weakened legs were stumbling, and even standing was precarious. Around Sempas were traces of destruction caused by magic. However, unlike before, something remained that didn’t disappear – the presence of the green poisonous mist. “Mad Dog. True to your nickname, you were certainly dangerous.” Amar muttered in a tired voice, as if it had been a difficult battle. Amar wiped the blood flowing from his mouth with the back of his hand. In the fight against Sempas, who charged in ignoring pain, Amar had also sustained quite serious injuries but it was Sempas who reached his limit first. “If you hadn’t been affected by my poison from the start, I would have been the one to fall.” Amar felt fear watching Sempas fight. Charging at him with a contorted face even in terrible pain, he was truly a man worthy of the nickname Mad Dog. If he hadn’t relied on the poison and tried to endure, he would have lost. “You were an excellent fighter, but I won.” Sempas glared at Amar with blurry vision. Even though parts of his skin were necrotizing from the poison, he didn’t fall and kept standing. “Why do you fight so hard? What’s your reason?” “Because...I promised the Elder.” Sempas mumbled in a half-dazed state. Yes. He had promised Duke Heiback that he would help Rudger resolve this situation. Amar couldn’t understand that answer. “A promise? You fight this hard just because of a promise?” “Ha.” Sempas mocked Amar for that. Though his expression was too blurry to see, it was obvious without seeing. “Right. You wouldn’t understand.” The reason Sempas was called Mad Dog and primarily fought roughly was because of his background. He was formerly a fighter belonging to an illegal fighting arena. He hadn’t entered by choice, he was forcibly taken there when he was young and knew nothing. Young Sempas had talent for magic but in the world, there were surprisingly few people who received benefits despite having talent, especially in the case of orphans without parents. Rather, talent for magic was more like a curse. The illegal fighting arena where Sempas belonged was the same. They would randomly gather children with magical talent, teach them magic, and then push them into the arena. Learning magic was mostly accompanied by violence. If they were slow to learn, they would be beaten to death, or if they made minor mistakes, they would have to go hungry. The children who entered together had to learn magic desperately to survive. Sempas also survived there while building up his ferocity. The children who grew up like that officially fought as arena fighters. It wasn’t just fighting, but fights where magic was exchanged and the outcome of fights always ended only when someone died. There were no proper magical duels. Using magic as a base while throwing punches, biting, and throwing sand. The children who learned magic together now had to kill each other. Nevertheless, Sempas had to fight to survive. That’s when he was called Mad Dog. It was a name people gave him with both admiration and contempt when he killed his last friend by biting his throat with his teeth. However, Sempas knows that his friend died in his place to save him. All the friends who entered and endured together were dead, leaving him alone. Then what should I live for now? The one who saved such a Sempas was Heiback Kadatushan, who was the head of the Security Bureau at the time. ─How terrible. Such horrible things were being done under the shadow of the Empire. The Security Bureau raided the illegal arena, eliminated all the criminals and they freed the people suffering inside. To Sempas, who had only seen the dirty people of the underground arena, this event delivered a huge shock that shattered his world. So there are people like that outside. The world outside the dim lights of the underground arena is so bright. He felt admiration, relief and anger that everyone was living in such a peaceful and good world. Magma-like hostility boiled up in Sempas’ heart so Sempas charged at Heiback, dragging his body tired from long fighting. Though he was immediately subdued by the Night Crawler knights, in that brief moment, he managed to take down five Security Bureau agents, showing his prowess. ─Why, why did you come only now! Subdued, Sempas shouted in anger. ─If you had come just a little earlier, my friends could have lived! He was so frustrated. Heiback must have been born into a good family, eaten delicious food, and been treated well all his life. He was someone from a completely different world than himself, who was stained with blood and filth. ─I’m sorry. But Heiback bowed his head and apologized to such a Sempas, saying he was sorry. Saying he should have come earlier. At his sincere attitude that didn’t feel forced, Sempas couldn’t help but cry. Several days passed after that. After organizing his thoughts for a long time, Sempas finally made his choice. He went to Heiback and said: ─If I follow you, does that mean there won’t be any more people like me? Sempas still remembers that moment. The sight of Heiback, who opened his eyes wide as if surprised, nodding with a smiling face. ─Yes. That’s what I fight for. ─Then I’ll fight too. Because that’s all I know how to do. It was a life that could only fight. Perhaps he would die fighting for his entire life in an endless wandering without meaning or purpose. That’s why he wanted to try finding that meaning. That was the purpose Sempas had lived for since being given a new life. “How could the likes of you...understand that nobility?” “......” Amar frowned at Sempas’ sneer. “......Further conversation seems meaningless.” Amar stretched his arm toward Sempas. Abundant toxicity flickered like flames along his hand and just as he thought about completely dissolving him without leaving even a corpse, someone charged at Amar. Amar abandoned his attack and immediately switched to defense as an earthen wall suddenly rose before his eyes. -Kwang! But the intruder’s leg broke through the thick rock wall and struck Amar’s abdomen beyond it. “Kuhek!” Amar’s body was thrown back hard. Sempas, who had sensed death, gave a hollow laugh at the sudden appearance of this savior. “Uncle Sempas. Are you okay?” It was an innocent voice unsuited to this tense situation but there couldn’t be a more welcome voice. “Arpa...” “Yes. I came to help.” Arpa approached Sempas and took out an injection ampule from his pocket to inject into Sempas’ neck. “Kugh.” “Bear with the pain. It’s an antidote. It will take time to recover, but you’ll be fine now.” After laying Sempas on the ground, Arpa looked at Amar. At that moment, green magical power shot out and grazed past Arpa’s head. “Kekeke. That’s what happens when you let your guard down in front of me.” Amar mocked Arpa, whose head had been engulfed by the poison but right after, he couldn’t hide his bewilderment at seeing Arpa standing there perfectly fine. “H-How? You definitely got hit by my poison...” “Oh, the poison? That doesn’t work on me.” Poison doesn’t work on an automaton made of machinery in the first place. While highly acidic poison could corrode metal, Arpa wasn’t soft enough to be corroded by such things. “Poison doesn’t work? That’s impossible...!” “I’m sorry, but I can’t explain the detailed reason. Given the situation, I’ll end this quickly.” Saying that, Arpa charged at Amar. * * * Arriving at the forest on the Golden Bird, Belkart had to doubt his common sense at the scene before his eyes. “The beasts of the forest...are blocking the ley lines?” Around the ley lines overflowing from the ruins of the mansion, the forest beasts were gathered. The beasts that had undergone convergent evolution in various forms due to the magical power of the Kasar Basin were releasing their magical power to block the entrance of the ley lines. It was an amazing sight. In a world of survival of the fittest where they kill and eat each other, at this moment, the beasts had broken free from their predator-prey relationships and were moving with one mind. Especially among some beasts, there were even several high-risk large specimens mixed in. To Belkart, who initially thought someone else was interfering with his plans, it was truly a bewildering situation. And belatedly, anger welled up. “Mere beasts dare to interfere with my long-cherished wish?” That anger was directly expressed through magic. “I’ll kill you all.” The steel cubes generated around Belkart began falling toward the beasts on the ground. The beasts also began to respond after sensing Belkart’s magic, but it was too late. The cubes containing intense lightning caused electromagnetic explosions upon hitting the ground, sweeping the surroundings. -Pububububung! Explosions occurred in succession, creating shock waves. The forest beasts caught in it were torn apart and died, either crushed by mass or electrocuted to death but even so, the number of remaining beasts was large. This was because all the beasts residing in this entire forest had gathered in one place. Belkart was about to activate magic again. At that moment, birds burst out from the forest trees. “What?” The birds flew at Belkart. They had sharp beaks like blades and fast speed, and some even contained the power of wind but Belkart didn’t even bother responding to such birds. Their beaks hit his body but couldn’t even scratch his Thunder God armor. Rather, the birds’ beaks broke, or those that headbutted fell to the ground spraying blood. -Pyuooo!! Then an eagle larger than a person thrust its talons toward Belkart’s head. The size of the eagle with its wings spread wide was similar to the Golden Bird that Belkart was riding. “Mere flying beast. Don’t stand above me.” Belkart stretched his arm toward the eagle. Iron powder gathered around it, binding the eagle’s wings before applying force to break them. -Wuddeuk. Though both wings were broken, the eagle didn’t fall. As it was also a beast that could handle magical power, it continued flying even with broken wings by wrapping itself in intense wind. -Kwagagak! The eagle’s talons scratched Belkart’s helmet. Though faint, a slight mark remained on the helmet along the talons. “Quite sharp.” To leave a scratch on the Thunder God armor. Belkart admired the hardness of the eagle’s talons but that was all. -Kieeek! Seeing its master attacked, the strange bird became enraged and bit the eagle’s neck. Creating an electrical storm around it, it blocked the endless approaching birds. The birds were caught in the electrical storm and fell in swarms like moths drawn to fire. “Leaving aside the insects, I should deal with the large ones first.” Belkart watched carefully the beasts playing major roles in stabilizing the ley lines. There were quite a few with large magical capacity like the Giant Bear. A bull made of rock and a huge alligator leaking cold air. Each one was threatening. But those that couldn’t fly were no match for him. Belkart created steel harpoons in the air, aimed at these targets that were just large in size. Just as he was about to throw them, a white shadow flew toward Belkart from afar. It was a familiar white owl and behind it a man wrapped in shadows. “Rudger Chelici...” Recognizing him, Belkart changed the direction of the harpoons toward Rudger and fired. The white owl tried to dodge upon seeing the harpoons, but they moved with a life of their own and persistently targeted the owl. Eventually, the owl was hit by the harpoons and was reverse-summoned, unable to withstand the impact. However, Rudger was no longer there. Rudger had already jumped from the owl’s back and was charging at Belkart. Crossing his arms in an X-shape and breaking through even the electromagnetic storm, Rudger swung his sword stick toward Belkart. Belkart also responded with the Magnetar Sword in his hand. -Kwang! A huge shockwave occurred in the air as the two weapons imbued with magical power collided. “To chase me this far. You’re quite persistent.” “If I leave you alone, everyone will die, so how can I stay still?” The two entered into a test of strength. In a situation where both were pressed for time, at that moment, an enormous mana surged from below. It was a force that neither Rudger nor Belkart had expected.

Chapter 401

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