[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Lucky]
Chapter 118
“Y-Young, YOUNG MASTER!!!!!”
The leader of the Black Spear unit knew he had to move quickly, but his body wouldn't cooperate. In that moment, the person he was supposed to protect died.
That person was the son of his master— the heir who would one day inherit the McCarthy family.
He had failed to protect someone of such importance.
"You crazy bastard!"
The Black Spear unit leader was so shocked he turned pale. After all, Valdemar, the person they were guarding, wasn’t someone who would easily die here.
His mind went blank.
At that moment, the leader shouted,
"Kill him! If we don’t bring that man’s head back, we’re all dead men!"
The order to kill was given. They had failed their mission. To survive, a fallback plan was necessary.
The only option left was to kill Kane Rehinar and return with his head.
There was no other choice.
The leader of the Black Spear unit steeled himself, radiating murderous intent. His spear was aimed at Kane. Their resolve was clear— they wouldn’t let him leave this place alive.
But...
Their wish wasn’t granted.
Blood shouldn’t have been spilled in Kane’s presence.
Yet blood poured from Valdemar’s pierced throat.
BloodSky Blade flowing with Blood mana sliced-
Thwack—
Valdemar’s pierced neck was severed, spraying blood like a fountain.
That was just the beginning— the beginning of this place turning into hell.
Kane converted his BloodSky Blades into a spear.
Valdemar’s blood gathered around the spear,
At that moment it began glowing red.
Kane turned it towards the ground and was slammed it down forcefully.
The blood energy spread in a circle, radiating outward.
The Black Spear unit members were swept by the wave of blood mana.
The leader of the Black Spear unit, who had been relentlessly thrusting his spear, slumped to the side.
He died without even realizing his body had been torn apart.
The rest of the Black Spear unit met the same fate.
The elite force, made up of fighters having atleast 4th-class strength, couldn’t withstand the blood wave.
Especially against Kane, who had now fully realized his power.
They didn’t stand a chance.
The ones farthest back sustained less damage, but they too would die all the same.
In fact, dying earlier would have been a mercy.
After the Blood Wave came the skill Blood Void.
As Kane stretched out his left arm, the living and the dead alike...
Their blood, fluids, and mana were drawn towards his hand.
"Ugh...."
As their skin shriveled, bones shattered with a sickening crunch.
Their joints twisted grotesquely.
It was as if their entire bodies were wrung out like towels, drained of every last drop of fluid.
No, this wasn’t the end...
He spared just one.
Someone had to deliver the news to Count McCarthy.
Kane slowly walked towards the Black Spear unit soldier trembling at the very back.
“Ugh... Don’t, don’t come any closer, you monster!”
Fear filled the soldier’s eyes.
“Go to Count McCarthy and tell him this: that this is the price for sending only his son to confront the Guardian Lord and the Duke of Fresia Empire, when he's just a mere Count of the kingdom. If he has any complaints, tell him to bring his army and face me directly. Got it?”
“...You’re... letting me live?”
“Is there anyone else left to deliver the message to Count McCarthy? No matter how hard you look around, it seems like you’re the only one.”
Everyone else was dead, and he was the sole survivor.
Surrounded by dismembered bodies and scattered remains, the soldier couldn’t hold back his nausea any longer.
“Uuugh!”
“Oh, and tell them to come back quickly and clean up all these fucking corpses. It’s bad manners to leave such a mess in front of someone’s house, don’t you think?”
With those words, Kane turned away, converting the spear back the Bloodsky blades and sheathing them.
Though Kane was unguarded, the soldier couldn’t dare to attack. A surprise attack would only lead to his own death. Then there’d be no one left to report back to the family.
With a heavy heart and body, he began his return to the McCarthy Camp.
“We’ll leave only the bare minimum in the estate and gather the rest.”
“Did I say to leave a minimum? Bring every soldier, every vassal. Scrape together every ounce of defense we fucking have.”
Count McCarthy’s rage showed no sign of abating.
His beloved son, gone. Killed while on a diplomatic mission.
What parent could remain calm in such a situation?
The fact that he was able to issue orders to gather the troops instead of charging straight to Rehinar himself was remarkable in itself.
“Shall we display the family’s crest?”
There were only two occasions when the McCarthy family’s symbol was raised to the sky.
One was when the kingdom was in peril, signaling a call to arms.
The other was when the family’s very survival was at stake.
This was clearly the latter.
Count McCarthy had made his decision: a life-or-death struggle with the Rehinar family.
This had now become a war where one side had to die for it to end.
Flames burst into the sky, illuminating the family’s symbol—a burning spear.
Four days later, McCarthy’s vassals arrived, leading their troops.
With expressions of grief and fury, they crossed the border.
Count McCarthy, the Count of Hatzfeld, led over 10,000 soldiers, hastily gathered but still a formidable force.
As a border lord of a newly emerging power, the sheer number of troops was overwhelming.
At the head of the army, Count McCarthy pushed forward, cutting through the darkened lands with his seething magical power.
Their overwhelming presence caused even the mutated monsters to retreat before fully revealing themselves.
A menacing aura radiated from the McCarthy forces.
Even after days of forced marches, their momentum showed no signs of faltering.
Another four days passed, and the western gates of Rehinar came into view.
"Set up camp in the forest," ordered Count McCarthy.
His troops obeyed, constructing a massive military encampment among the trees.
---
From a distance, Kane observed the vast army.
He could feel the wrath emanating from the McCarthy camp. Their fury was palpable.
“Daniel,” Kane said casually.
“Yes, Young Master?” Daniel responded.
“In war, the side that lets their emotions take over is bound to lose. Do you know why?”
“Because their vision narrows,” Daniel answered.
“Exactly. Look over there—where have they set up their camp?”
“They’ve chosen the Demon Forest.”
“Count McCarthy may not be as skilled as his father, but he’s tactically brilliant. However, he’s too blinded by the death of his son to think straight.”
While the forest provided cover, it wasn’t ideal for a large army. An open plain would’ve been better.
The forest was vulnerable to fire.
And the McCarthy family, being the bearers of the Fire Rune, had chosen a terrain that would weaken their own strength.
“But they control the fire mana. Wouldn’t a fire attack be ineffective?” Daniel asked.
Kane let out a small chuckle.
“Normally, yes. That’s why they feel safe in the forest. But they’ve made a grave error.”
“And what mistake would that be?”
“They assume there’s no one here with a stronger fire rune than theirs.”
“Of course. That’s a natural assumption,” Daniel said, puzzled.
“That’s exactly why they’ll lose,” Kane replied, his smile widening. His eyes narrowed into crescent shapes, gleaming with mischief—and even madness.
Daniel’s eyes widened as realization struck.
“Surely not...!”
“They don’t expect anyone in Rehinar to wield a higher-level fire rune than theirs,” Kane said, his tone dripping with satisfaction.
Not just one, but two individuals within Rehinar possessed superior fire runes.
“That’s why you called Mikhail.”
Kane shrugged with a grin, confirming Daniel’s suspicion.
Mikhail wielded the Fire Bond and had the breath of the true dragon, a power only Count McCarthy could hope to match.
For the McCarthy forces, it was a disaster waiting to happen.
And Kane himself was no slouch.
His Fourth form of Blood Rune the Blood Oath, was paired with the Breath of the Blood Phoenix.
Even if Mikhail’s attacks were blocked, Kane’s own assault would be unstoppable.
McCarthy had no idea what was about to hit him.
“Tonight, we’re going to topple a pillar of Hatzfeld,” Kane said, his violet eyes gleaming with intent.
He was already starting to activate the Blood Phoenix’s breath, preparing to strike.
[Translator - Helga ]
[Proofreader - Lucky]