Chapter 97

Chapter 97

"What did you say...?"

The disarray was brief. Soon, Valeri, with a furrowed brow, spat out, "I owe you a debt, so I'll forgive your rudeness this time, stranger. But not twice. Step back. You have no right to intervene in this sacred duel."

Without waiting for a reply, he looked back down at Urd. Then he tried to strike with his raised fist. Although Ian still gripped his wrist, it didn't matter. Even the finest monster hunter couldn't overcome the natural difference in strength. He intended to make him roll on the floor, to pay him back for the earlier humiliation.

"...?!"

However, the fist seemed to move forward, then was forcefully pulled back to its original position. Frustratingly, he couldn't shake off the stranger's hand.

"So this is how it's going to be..." Ian murmured softly.

Valeri's face turned red with anger. He was thinking of killing this man.

Of course, he had no intention of fighting one-on-one. Although he looked fragile enough to crush with a punch, after all, he was the one who had killed the White Demon alone.

But now, this man was disrespecting not just him but their tradition as well, enough reason for all warriors to surge forward. Moreover, the warriors he knew would have already leaped to their feet and grasped their weapons. He planned to land a punch on that arrogant face first, then make him pay for the insult.

"You really have to die...?!"

Before he could look at Ian's face again. Valeri, growling as he turned his head, suddenly went blank. A shimmering red light was visible in Ian's eyes. It was not just in his eyes. A red mist was rising around his entire body like smoke.

Ian declared, "Your God allowed me to do as I please."

Valeri, with his mouth agape, looked around. He finally saw the villagers standing solemnly. Some were sighing at Ian, others at the sacred statue.

"Karha recognizes you... the true Great Warrior..."

"The Great Warrior's participation pleases him..."

Their sighs finally penetrated his ears. Valeri's gaze blankly shifted to Karha's statue.

Just as with Ian now, a red mist was rising from the statue. The great sword seemed engulfed in flames, and the red glow flickered as if alive. It wasn’t hard to guess that the foreigner had performed a ritual. And Karha was more vividly confirming his legitimacy with divine and blessed clarity than ever before.

"It seems the antics of his descendants are quite pitiful. Ian muttered as he casually lowered Valeri’s arm.

Ignoring the staring villagers, he crouched next to Urd.

"I shall decline the old man’s request."

"Gre...at warrior..."

Urd's bloodied lips twitched. Soon after, his eyes closed. Ian gestured toward Charlotte. She, poised to assist at any moment, ran over as if she had been waiting.

"Move him home. Give him basic first aid."

"Understood." Charlotte picked up Urd.

Ian, glancing indifferently at the statue, eventually looked back at his clenched fist. The corner of his mouth curled up in a mocking smile.

"Truly a blessing fit for a barbarian...."

Valeri could only stare blankly. He couldn't believe it. A monster hunter from the snow mountains, a Great Warrior who had not appeared even once in over a decade. Moreover, he was not even a Northerner, nor did he seem to revere or respect Karha.

Instead, he seemed to mock Karha’s divinity. The power that all warriors desperately sought. Moreover, if this man really is Karha’s Great Warrior, then Valeri was as good as stripped of all his authority.

In front of a God-acknowledged Great Warrior, a warrior elected by mere villagers was nothing.

"I can't accept this," Valeri murmured softly.

Ian's head turned toward him. Valeri, gripping his fist, stared at him as he stood up.

"I cannot accept it. If you are truly a Great Warrior, prove it with strength."

He couldn’t afford to lose everything. So he had to fight for it, just as Karha had done.

Watching him raise his clenched fist in front of his face, Ian declared, "I don't need your acknowledgment."

Valeri didn’t respond. He just charged at him with all his might, thrusting his fist forward.

Whoosh—!

The sound of the air being split came from the extended fist. It was a punch powerful enough to knock out an ordinary person in one blow, and with some luck, could even be fatal.

If only it could hit its target. Watching Ian easily dodge the punch by merely tilting his body, Valeri squinted his eyes. It seemed as if time was moving slowly. The image of Ian stepping forward, fist raised, was etched into Valeri's pupils.

"If you really want to act as a guinea pig that badly..." Ian's murmuring voice still pierced clearly through the chaos.

Only then did Valeri realize that Ian was experiencing the same flow of time as himself.

Clash—

Ian thrust his fist forward. A red divine power surged along with the incoming punch. Valeri hastily retracted his extended hand and covered his face. It was an instinctive reaction.

Crack— boom!

Valeri was sent flying backward from the tremendous impact, like being hit head-on by a charging boar.

Splash, rustle—

Valeri rolled on the ground and barely managed to stop himself. Forcing strength into his trembling arm, he raised his head.

“How would I know if I’ve been here all day?” Askel said as he got up and headed toward the door.

“Let’s go check together. Thanks to him, our wish came true.”

“...!” Urd’s eyes widened. Forgetting all about his muscle pain, the old man jumped up. “Have we decided to relocate?”

“He said if we don’t want to become monster fodder, we better get ready to leave,” Askel said as they stepped out onto the street.

Urd slowly took in the view of the village he thought he’d never see again. The bustling villagers. Young warriors nodded and greeted him as their eyes met. The atmosphere was certainly different from before. Everyone was busy packing their belongings, and there was a new liveliness in their eyes.

“To think a Great Warrior from the North would come from our village...”

“Strictly speaking, he’s not from our village, right? He’s a foreigner.”

“What does that matter? He was recognized by our village's statue.”

“Well, yeah. Right now, we’re the only ones following the Northern Great Warrior.”

The voices of the conversing warriors reached the old man’s ears.

Across the square, warriors carrying felled logs came into view. They were clearly preparing to build carts. With so many people needing to move, several carts would be necessary.

“We’ll be short on horses...”

“A group of warriors left for the fort this morning to borrow horses. This isn’t going to be over in just a few days.”

Charlotte was seen talking to a few villagers. The talking beast, once mistaken for a demon, was listening to them with an annoyed expression yet remained attentive.

“Great Warrior, are you asleep?” Askel asked at the door.

With a creak, the old hinges sounded as the door opened.

“Don’t call me that. Karha blessed me arbitrarily.” Ian said drily, and then noticing Urd, he smirked. “You’re up.”

“To become the Great Warrior of the North...” Urd began hesitantly.

Meeting Ian, who had truly been chosen as the Northern Great Warrior, filled him with awe.

Ian’s brow furrowed. “I don’t want to hear any more of that. If you don’t want to be turned away at the door, come in quietly.”

“...Yes.” Urd stepped into the house.

“Good to see you again, old man.” The enigmatic fairy, Thesaya, flicked a finger in greeting as they entered.

"I want to start with a thank you, great war—no, Ian," Askel spoke respectfully.

Ian chuckled lightly. "Enough with the formalities. More importantly..."

Ian looked back and forth between Askel and Urd.

"We're leaving as soon as the carts are ready."

"You mean you’re leaving right away?" Askel widened his eyes in surprise, and Urd looked similarly taken aback.

Ian snorted. "What, you thought I was going to wait until you all were ready to move?"

"Of course. We thought you would lead us."

"I decline such tedious tasks. Now and in the future. So, if there’s any decision to be made, old man, you handle it."

Urd frowned. "Me... to handle?"

"Representative, delegate, call it whatever you want. Just handle everything from preparation to relocation."

"..." Urd turned silent.

Ian’s scoff continued. "You should be thankful I'm not smacking you for trying to leave me a will as if it’s some kind of request. Remember when I said I was rejecting the offer?"

"Yes." Ian then extended the longsword that had been lying next to him.

"Take your payment back."

"No, please keep it." Urd shook his head and responded.

"Consider it not a payment for a task, but a thank you for saving our village."

"Well, if you insist." Ian shrugged his shoulders and stood up. "That's all I had to say. You've got a lot to do now, go about it as you please. And cut out the formal speech. It’s uncomfortable."

"Under...stood."

Just then, the door burst open. Charlotte entered, her expression grim, ignoring Askel and Urd and looking straight at Ian.

"Some are saying they can't leave the statue behind. I don't know what to tell them. I just want to cut out their tongues."

"The statue...?"

A look of perplexity crossed the faces of Urd and Askel. It was always a troubling issue for those who wanted to relocate.

But Ian didn't hesitate. "Then move the statue too. Load it on a cart, or if that doesn’t work, break it into pieces and carry it."

"...?!"