Chapter 133
“G-Galveron!”
Dianal quickly stood up and instinctively reached for his sword at his waist. But his hands grabbed at nothing but air.
His expression twisted as he realized that his sword had already broken, leaving only the scabbard dangling uselessly at his side.
Galveron, having stepped closer, glanced at Dianal and the Caion archers with a smirk.
“To think you’d operate with such a small force. No wonder you managed to slip through our encirclement.”
There was genuine admiration in Galveron’s voice. He hadn’t expected such a quick and well-executed strategy from his opponents.
Whoosh.
Galveron looked toward the cavalry still sweeping through the other side of the reed field and spoke in a low voice.
“You’ve caused me quite a bit of trouble. It was a rather clever plan.”
Swoosh.
Then, he pointed his sword directly at Dianal.
“But the games are over. I need to finish killing you all and move on to wipe out the rest of your scattered troops.”
His tone was almost mocking, as if Galveron were a delinquent picking a fight.
Dianal, despite the danger, let out a soft laugh.
“Heh... Hahaha... Hahahaha...”
“What? Have you lost your mind?” Galveron asked, puzzled by Dianal’s sudden laughter.
Dianal then responded, “To think a petty thug like you could become an Aura Master. It really makes you realize how unfair the world is.”
“Petty thug?”
“Listen closely, you lowlife. I don’t care how you climbed to that position, but one thing is certain.”
Dianal’s laughter faded, and his gaze became calm and steady as he stared at Galveron.
“If you’re too blind to see through a strategy like this, your ascent stops here.”
With that, Dianal grasped the two scabbards in his hands and began gathering all the mana he could.
He knew that if he couldn’t break through here, they would all die. He had to give everything he had...
‘No matter what, I will get these men out of here alive.’
That was why he had come here in the first place.
Dianal focused all the mana stored in his core and infused it into the scabbards he held.
Soon, a blue aura began to flicker, growing brighter and more defined.
Vrrrrrr!
A soft hum accompanied the light as the energy intensified.
Seeing this, Galveron narrowed his eyes, a cold expression settling on his face.
“You seem to have some skill, but...”
Swish.
He casually lifted his sword toward the sky.
Raising his sword, Galveron said, “Remember, your sharp tongue has only hastened your death.”
And with that, he brought his sword down.
Whoosh!
The power behind Galveron’s strike was far too great for someone accused of being a common thug.
As his sword swung down, the force of the slash rushed toward Dianal and the Caion archers like a tidal wave.
Boom!
In that split second, Dianal charged forward, crossing the scabbards to block the incoming strike.
“Haaaaaaaah!”
With all his strength, he swung both scabbards to deflect Galveron’s attack.
Ka-boom!
The force of the impact split Galveron’s energy in two, scattering it in all directions.
For the second time, Dianal had managed to block an attack from Galveron.
The archers, watching in awe, were wide-eyed at the sight of their sub-commander’s incredible feat. But then...
“S-Sub-commander!” Paul shouted in alarm.
During the brief moment when Dianal had deflected the strike...
“You truly are impressive. Even as my enemy, I must commend you,” Galveron said, smiling coldly as he moved in close, striking from Dianal’s blind spot.
It was remarkable for someone who wasn’t even a knight to wield mana like this. To have blocked his strike twice was beyond impressive.
“But this is the end.”
Slash!
Galveron’s blade sliced upward diagonally, cutting through the air with lethal precision.
“Sub-commander!”
“Dianal!”
The sound of armor splitting echoed through the air, followed by the sickening sound of blood splattering onto the ground.
“...Guh!”
Blood dripped from Dianal’s mouth as the scabbards fell from his trembling hands.
His vision blurred as his body began to sway.
Thud.
He dropped to his knees, unable to hold himself upright any longer.
‘Is this... it...?’
Ah...
No words came to his mind as his sight darkened.
It wasn’t the pain that overwhelmed him—it was the feeling of fading consciousness, and with it, a faint image of someone’s face appeared in his mind.
‘I was so close...’
Where did this person come from?
But before they could react further, the man shouted, “I’ll take this one. Follow me if you dare, but be prepared to die.”
Neigh!
With that, the stranger turned his horse and swiftly galloped out of the reeds.
It all happened in an instant.
Galveron watched the man escape, fuming in disbelief.
“What are you standing around for?! Bring my horse, now!”
He roared in fury.
Did this man really think he could humiliate Galveron and get away with it?
His jaw clenched so hard it felt like his teeth might crack from the pressure of his rising anger.
Moments later, a subordinate brought him his horse. Galveron mounted it in one fluid motion.
By now, the cavalry had gathered behind him.
Galveron turned to them, his voice icy cold. “If we let them escape today...”
A shiver ran down the spines of his men as they met Galveron’s gaze.
“...you’ll all pay with your lives.”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
“Chase them down.”
With that single command, Galveron and his cavalry began their pursuit.
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!
Riding across the plain, Damian glanced behind him.
The enemy cavalry was closing in, a cloud of dust rising as they relentlessly pursued.
Their speed was undeniable—despite riding as fast as he could, the gap between them was steadily shrinking.
‘...Damn it.’
It wasn’t surprising. Damian’s horse had been running non-stop for an entire day. I was exhausted, both physically and mentally.
Not to mention, it was carrying two riders.
“I’m sorry, Dianal,” Damian murmured softly as he glanced at Dianal, who sat slumped in front of him.
Though he had narrowly avoided death, the wounds Dianal had sustained were severe.
Damian had poured every potion he had into the wounds, but it was nothing more than a temporary fix.
‘All I’ve done is buy some time. He needs proper treatment... but how?’
Even if they managed to reach the nearest town, they wouldn’t stand a chance unless they lost their pursuers first.
But how?
‘What can I do...?’
The powerful surge of energy he had used earlier to scatter the knights had already taken a huge toll on his body.
It had been a desperate attack, meant to repel an Aura Master and a dozen knights in one strike.
The aftereffects of using so much mana so quickly were wreaking havoc on his body.
“Hold on just a little longer. I’ll save you, I swear,” Damian vowed, determination filling his voice.
But despite his resolve, it seemed the heavens were not on his side.
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!
The enemy cavalry had caught up, now riding parallel to Damian’s exhausted horse.
Their speed was too much—his horse, already at its limit, could no longer keep up.
‘...Damn it.’
Damian gritted his teeth as he slowed his horse, knowing that there was no other option.
The enemy cavalry soon surrounded him.
At the front, Galveron rode forward, staring Damian down.
“...Did you really think you could escape?”
“I had hoped, but... things turned out worse than expected,” Damian replied, feigning a calm demeanor.
But inside, his heart was racing. The trembling of his horse beneath him and Dianal’s faint, weakening breaths were a constant reminder of how dire the situation had become.
Galveron’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Damian.
“Don’t mock me. I’d love nothing more than to tear that mouth of yours apart.”
Galveron drew his sword, his anger palpable.
Around him, a swirling aura of black energy began to take shape.
Krrrrrrr!
A massive, dark serpent formed above Galveron, coiling and hissing, its glowing eyes fixated on Damian.
This was Galveron’s Aura manifestation—a sight so oppressive it felt like the air itself was suffocating.
Damian swallowed hard, his body instinctively reacting to the overwhelming presence of an Aura Master’s killing intent.
The sheer weight of it made him feel like he couldn’t breathe.
But what scared Damian the most wasn’t just the serpent’s menacing form—it was Galveron’s resolve.
Galveron had drawn his Aura from the start, signaling his intent to end it quickly, without leaving any chance for Damian to escape or counterattack.
Seeing Galveron summon his Aura, the cavalry behind him began retreating, knowing full well that the area would be obliterated if Galveron unleashed his full power.
But then...
BOOM!
A bolt of lightning suddenly shot down from the sky, striking the black serpent coiled above Galveron’s head.
“What...?!”
Galveron whipped his head around, his eyes wide with surprise.
From the reeds, a figure slowly emerged, stepping forward with an unmistakable presence.
“...”
Damian’s eyes widened in shock as he saw the figure approach.
He could barely believe what he was seeing.