Chapter 233

233. Forced Summoning

Receiving the firstborn clone’s attack, Leon fled while focusing on healing himself.

His fierce attack wasn’t anything ordinary.

After all, the attack was enough to leave a deep wound through two layers of armor and a shield.

Leon gave an awkward laugh for the nobles, but he was running away with his life on the line.

However, Min-Cheol and his clones had no issues catching up to his speed.

It seemed that the clones were communicating with one another in a way that Min-Cheol could not see, since there were no unnecessary movements in their joint attacks and they didn’t get in the way of one another.

Attacking most eagerly out of everyone was the firstborn clone, catching up to Leon and laying down a barrage of merciless attacks.

“Caught you. Kill.”

“Urgh! Aaagh!”

With his unique cruel smile, he continued his attack.

However, the resistance that Leon was putting up wasn’t to be underestimated.

Wielding a giant axe easily, he was blocking most of the firstborn clone’s attacks.

Even while defending, he was successfully landing brutal attacks on the clone.

Not only was Leon attacking and defending at the same time, but he was healing as well.

If Min-Cheol fought without his clones 1v1, then this would’ve been a difficult fight where victory wouldn’t be guaranteed.

“Idiot. Stay back!”

“Ugh! Hurts. Kill.”

“Whew…”

The firstborn clone had received Leon’s attacks. It was the second oldest clone’s job to take care of the mess.

Despite chastising the firstborn clone with harsh words, the second oldest did not forget to heal him.

Min-Cheol, master of these clones, had ordered them to annihilate Leon and the counts.

The second oldest easily could’ve went beside or behind Leon to attack while Leon was focusing on the firstborn.

However, his choice wasn’t to attack, but instead to heal.

Because the first and second clones had bought time slowing down the marquis, the remaining three clones and Min-Cheol were able to get close to Leon.

Completely surrounded by the clones and Min-Cheol, he was blocking the rain of attacks with great difficulty.

Countless attacks rained down only at Leon, to the point where he couldn’t even think of counterattacking.

Between attacking and defending, the only choice he had was to defend if he wanted to keep healing himself.

However, there was no way to keep on defending as it was.

After all, the clones and Min-Cheol weren’t going all out yet to suppress him.

The counts only realized then just how serious the situation was.

They had expected an amusing spectacle, but now the situation before them had changed where the marquis was barely able to defend himself from the attacks.

With the realization that Marquis Leon would be defeated at this rate and they would be done in as well, fear had finally sunk in.

The lax attitude and the jovial mood at the beginning had long since dissipated.

The counts that had casted Barrier and had been observing all this time began to glance towards one another, whispering in a hushed tone that would not be heard by Marquis Leon.

“T-This… situation seems to be going awry?”

“Hey now. Even if that’s the case, do you really think that Marquis Leon would be defeated?”

“Are you really saying that after witnessing this scene firsthand?”

“However, if we move too rashly and receive his ire as a consequence…”

“Let’s wait for now. We cannot move until Marquis Leon himself asks for assistance.”

“Seems that would be the best choice.”

“On another matter… Does anyone have a Return Scroll?”

“Hm? What do you mean, a Return Scroll?”

One of the counts began to search for a Return Scroll suddenly.

He must’ve said it so that he could escape if things got out of hand.

However, a Return Scroll symbolized fleeing as mentioned before, and it also was tied to the concept of dishonoring oneself.

To the prideful nobles, this consumable item was characterized as such.

They looked at the count who had suggested such a dishonorable action as pathetic and spoke out against such action.

While they all thought of escaping internally, they did not miss this chance to crush another with the pretense of the noble’s code.

“Hey, you. Suggesting such a thing, how can you call yourself a count of Larkenta?”

“How dare a count think of such!”

“I mean… I’m just saying that in case something does happen… Do not mistake my intent.”

“Shut your mouth! From now on, don’t go around saying that we are acquainted. How disappointing. I am ashamed of you, and find you pathetic.”

“Ahem… Now, now. I was just asking a question.”

“Stop your useless contemplation and let’s continue observing the situation.”

“L-Let’s do that…”

Only after an apology did the hyena-like counts cease berating him and turned their attention back to the marquis and Min-Cheol.

Meanwhile, the count who spoke up about the Return Scroll carefully moved away.

The counts were situated in one of the corners of the square lobby.

Slowly inching his way closer to edge, he carefully opened his storage to pull out a scroll that he had prepared in advance.

Since the sounds of sword clashing against an axe filled the lobby, none of the other counts noticed him sneaking around.

With a scroll hidden in his sleeve, he went back to the group as if nothing had happened.

Leon’s body was battered from the nonstop attacks.

The shield that he had pulled from his storage had cracks all over it from receiving so many attacks,

An artisan probably designed the artifact, seeing as a marquis was using it.

The specs on this artifact would probably be incomparable to the artifacts being sold in the marketplace by ordinary merchants like Dump.

Even the rank of the materials required and the process of smithing itself would be incomparable.

The artisans, who numbered less than 10, didn’t have this title just for show.

However, even such a powerful artifact acted like a wooden buckler in front of these attacks.

It was then that Marquis Leon’s shield violently shattered like glass.

Things might have been different if he had put on a talisman that prevented the destruction of artifacts, but the marquis must’ve put on a talisman that increased his stats instead.

Only a shabby shield handle remained in his hand.

Leon’s shield being destroyed was a huge chance for Min-Cheol and his clones.

The shield that had covered more than half his body had shattered and the left side of his body was nearly defenseless.

Moving almost as if it had been planned beforehand, the clones and Min-Cheol repositioned accordingly.

It was to execute more lethal attacks.

The firstborn’s mad smile became further pronounced, and the second oldest joined in the attack as well due to not needing to heal anymore.

And it didn’t take long for deep and mortal wounds to start increasing on the marquis’ body.

The lobby limited the space available. No matter how much Leon fled in order to avoid the attacks, he was a rat caught in a trap.

Considering the possibility that he would flee outside the estate, Min-Cheol and his clones had set up barriers made of mana to prevent that.

Leon’s pretentious smile had long since disappeared.

Unable to hold out any longer, he gave a yell close to a scream towards the counts.

“Urk! What are you all doing! Hurry up and help me!”

“Yes, yes!”

“Understood!”

“Hurry and focus on healing the marquis!”

Only after hearing Marquis Leon’s cry did the counts finally take action.

They were more afraid of earning the marquis’ wrath than him dying.

Without removing the Barriers they set up to defend themselves, they began to heal the marquis.

Those who were too scared to get closer to Min-Cheol didn’t move an inch from the corner and only casted spells.

The combined healing skills of 8 counts successfully healed the mortally wounded Leon to full in an instant.

Despite more attacks landing and leaving a deep wound, it only lasted a moment.

“Kuhaha! Good. You can continue to try attacking me! I will be able to endure it!”

“You’re quite something else. Able to flap your mouth already?”

“Oraa!”

Recovering fully, Leon summoned his Mobile Storage.

He wasn’t the main protagonist of a robot comic book, so waiting for him to transform once was more than enough.

Min-Cheol and his clones kept attacking, but it was useless due to the sheer amount of healing the counts were able to output.

Leon shouted as his storage.

“Bring me a battle-type shield.”

Following his command, a shield with many sharp spikes came out, and Leon grabbed it with ease.

According to what he had said, it seemed likely that the shield was capable of offense and defense at the same time.

Min-Cheol could tell just from looking at it that it was a powerful item.

The counts had to be stopped from interfering in this fight.

Not only did Min-Cheol think so, but the clones thought the same.

As expected of the impatient firstborn clone, he spoke with a frustrated tone.

“Killing the annoying flies first. If we don’t do that, it won’t end.”

“Should I go? Or will you go?”

“I’ll go. And the second oldest goes too.”

“Idiot. Don’t drag me with you!”

“Second oldest likes me. We go together.”

“Good. First and second, go take care of the counts. The rest of you, continue attacking to suppress the marquis. We cannot let the marquis get to the firstborn and second oldest.”

“…”

“…”

“Take care of flies fast then kill him. We go.”

“You idiot. Making this bothersome.”

As soon as the conversation was over, the two clones launched themselves towards the counts.

Min-Cheol thought to himself that they made a good pair.

The firstborn who was able to use a potent debuff and the second oldest that was able to take care of allies with his powerful healing.

It wouldn’t take long for the two of them to take care of the 8 counts.

After all, they could kill a count with a single strike.

To make sure that Marquis Leon wouldn’t shift his focus during that time, the remaining clones and Min-Cheol increased the ferocity behind their attacks.

The firstborn smashed the Barriers that the counts put up with a single strike.

Seeing their Barriers shattered, they began to panic.

This had a huge effect on the amount of healing that the marquis was receiving.

With their lives on the line, who would be focusing on healing?

Confirming the overwhelming show of force, the counts began to cast attacks and shields with shaky hands.

These attacks would obviously not work, and was just their last ditch effort in a bid to survive.

It was then.

“A-A scroll?”

“Damn it!”

It was the count that had pulled out a scroll from the corner of the lobby.

Because he was so tense, he had dropped the Return Scroll that he had hidden in his sleeve.

The scroll fell to the floor, rolling on the ground with ease due to its cylinder shape.

Every count’s gaze turned to the scroll.

They all thought to themselves that if they could just grab onto it, they would be able to save their lives at the least.

Their scorn for the Return Scroll that was so united before couldn’t be found at all.

The owner of the scroll tried with everything he had to catch the scroll, throwing his body with his hands reaching out.

However.

“U-Ugh! Aaargh!”

“No escape.”

The firstborn clone sliced his arm with a single swing.

Since the clones shared the same thoughts as Min-Cheol did, they were also aware of what the purpose of that scroll was.

Not only that, but this scroll must not be used at any cost in this specific situation.

The arm that was cut off fell in front of the scroll.

Blood flowed out like a fountain from the amputated arm, and a scream filled the lobby.

However, the remaining counts did not seem to care at the slightest of the situation their fellow count was in.

After all, no count was casting shields to protect him from further attacks or any attempts at casting healing spells.

One of them yelled with madness in his voice.

“AAAH! I have to live! I cannot die!”

“That scroll is mine!”

“Flies. Bullshiting. Killing them all.”

And so with the counts obviously included, even the marquis who no longer received any healing met their pitiful end.