🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 26
“—I-It’s a monster!”
The southern knights, having seen Haesan happily devouring the killer fish, screamed and began to flee.
“Ggwaang?”
Hearing the sound, Haesan turned his head and stretched out a gigantic hand toward the southern knights.
“Kkyung kkyung!”
Haesan smiled innocently. The Southern Order of Knights fell into despair.
But at that moment, those who stepped in to block Haesan’s hand were none other than the Second Order of Knights.
“Hraaah!”
More than ten men swung their swords at the same time. Yet they couldn’t even leave a single scratch on Haesan’s skin.
“Ugh!”
Watching the knights get flung far away instead, Jojo clenched his fist tight.
Ah, this is dangerous.
Even if it wasn’t a meaningful blow, if they had managed to leave even a small scratch, there might have been some hope—but not a single wound?
“Mister. Do you know that thing’s weakness?”
“……”
“Is it because I called you ‘mister’ that you’re ignoring me?”
“That’s not it…”
The bestiary described Haesan like this:
If you encounter it, run. Don’t be surprised if an entire island disappears. Just pray—over and over—that it is already full. Do not attack it recklessly. Because that creature…
“It has no weakness.”
No sooner had Waz finished speaking than Haesan scooped up the fallen knights.
Waz’s eyes widened to the size of fists.
“Damn it!”
Waz and Jenu charged toward Haesan. Watching their backs, Jojo’s heart pounded uneasily.
No…
Jojo had a keen eye for recognizing true strength. Those two were definitely stronger than he was.
But that thing called Haesan was far stronger than even them.
This is nothing more than running at it and asking to be eaten.
It would have been better to coordinate an escape so others could flee. That would save more lives.
So why was he, who knew that, running toward Haesan anyway?
Jojo couldn’t understand himself.
Mom, Dad, Cheche… I’m sorry.
Just as Jojo swung the hand gripping his sword with all his might, a massive flash of light sliced through Haesan’s arm.
“Ggwaaang!”
Tears welled up at the corners of Haesan’s eyes. It hurt so badly that it dropped everything it was holding.
What just happened?
Startled, Jojo turned his head toward where the flash had come from. There stood a cold, handsome man clicking his tongue.
“These fools… can’t even manage a single wound?”
“I’m sorry, Lord Chris.”
Waz apologized urgently.
Chris…?
Jojo rolled the name around in his mind. It sounded familiar.
Chris calmly clenched his hand. Instantly, Haesan’s body froze, as if bound by enormous ropes.
“Ggwaang, ggwaang!”
“You’re loud.”
When Chris spread his hand wide, Haesan’s mouth gaped open. Then Chris snapped his fingers. The killer fish that had been desperately fleeing were pulled together into one spot, as if caught in a net, and without hesitation Chris shoved them into Haesan’s mouth.
“Gunk!”
Chris snapped Haesan’s mouth shut again and spoke to it.
“Even if you’re dissatisfied, get lost for now. If you keep rampaging, I’ll have no choice but to kill you.”
Chris’s red eyes boiled like magma.
Meeting that murderous gaze, Haesan swallowed its tears and nodded.
“Ggwaang!”
Watching Haesan hurry off into the sea, Jenu scratched his cheek.
“Looks like it understands human speech. Interesting.”
“Is that really what matters right now?”
Waz snapped, then bowed his head deeply toward Chris, who was walking over slowly.
The knights who had been tossed aside like trash scrambled to their feet.
Grinding his teeth, Chris said,
“Fine. I’ll try to understand not being able to wound Haesan. But getting caught by it? That I can’t understand. If your attack power is weak, at least have some agility.”
“I’m sorry. We’ll train them more thoroughly.”
“The moment we return, training starts immediately.”
The knights, kneeling on one knee, answered in unison.
“Yes! We obey!”
Chris stared at them quietly and said,
“Why are you just answering and not moving? Do I look like a joke to you?”
His voice was as sharp as a blade.
As everyone was crushed by Chris’s presence, barely able to breathe, Jenu spoke up.
“But is it really okay to return right away? What about restoring this place—”
“Why should we do that?”
Frowning, Chris slashed the air with his sword. The gate they had come through earlier reappeared.
“Just worry about what you need to do. As for this place…”
Chris continued, glaring disdainfully at the southern knights lying face-down on the ground, sobbing.
“That’s for those things and their masters to deal with.”
“Understood. We’ll return immediately.”
Jenu and Waz organized the knights.
Chris glanced over the knights they had fought. Aside from those who’d been struck by Haesan, none had even a scratch.
They’re not completely useless.
Not satisfactory, but not so bad that he couldn’t stand the sight of them.
As for the southern knights…
Can these bastards really be called knights?
With his face twisted in irritation, Chris heard Waz approach.
“All members of the Second Order have returned.”
“Good.”
“Aren’t you returning as well, Lord Chris?”
“I…”
Tahae had been a remarkably beautiful city since ancient times. Because of that, countless territorial wars had been fought over it.
Eventually, five families—sick of fighting—reached a compromise: they would rule Tahae together. That tradition continued to this day.
Which meant there were five commanders of the Southern Knights…
They let the knight order fall into this state?
Chris was angry at the knights, but even more so at those five families.
Thanks to them, my pleasant morning with our precious little one was stolen.
The more he thought about it, the less he could forgive them.
“I’ll take care of the nobles here. Let’s reduce the number of southern nobles today.”
Chris said it like a ghost whispering.
Feeling that killing intent, Waz shuddered.
Regardless, Chris was seething with bloodlust.
“You should return at once and oversee the Second Order’s training—”
Suddenly, Chris stopped.
“Come to think of it, you said you’re on leave until the day after tomorrow, right? Use all of it before you return.”
“No. I’ll return immediately.”
Eager to escape his parents’ nagging, Waz answered in a hurry.
“That’s enough. It’s a rare, precious vacation. Don’t complain later—just take it all and come back.”
“It’s really fine. I love work.”
Waz pleaded like a madman.
“Are you going to keep talking back?”
As Chris ground his teeth, Waz hurriedly bowed his head.
“I’m sorry. Then I’ll gratefully obey.”
“Hah. Anyone watching would think I’m forcing you to take leave.”
Muttering that, Chris immediately opened a small gate and went off to hunt down the nobles trembling in their mansions.
This will be fun. Southern nobles.
Meanwhile, Waz—now doomed to endure the full duration of nagging—couldn’t hold back a sigh.
“Haaah…”
Jojo approached him and asked,
“Who was that?! Who is he to be that handsome and have such ridiculous power?!”
Feeling pressured by Jojo’s sparkling eyes, Waz sighed even more deeply.
“Someone you don’t even dare speak to. Don’t concern yourself with him.”
“Ah… when you put it like that, I think I know who he is—”
Before Jojo could finish, someone came running toward them from afar, kicking up a cloud of dust.
“Jojooo!”
“That voice—?”
The person bounding over energetically was none other than Jojo’s father.
Waz narrowed his eyes at the man’s mustache fluttering like a butterfly.
Gross. Who is that guy?
As Waz grimaced, Jojo’s father rushed past him, grabbed his son, and asked,
“Oh my boy! Are you okay?!”
Jojo looked awkwardly at his father, whose eyes brimmed with tears.
“Yes, I’m fine. But why did you come out here? It’s lucky things settled down—otherwise it could’ve been dangerous.”
“My child was in danger—what does my own safety matter?”
Jojo’s father burst into tears and hugged him tightly.
“Waaah! My son! I was so worried you’d be hurt!”
“A-ah…”
Waz stared blankly at the middle-aged man crying while hugging his fully grown son.
To think a father and son straight out of a fairy tale actually existed in this world.
Ugh. Gives me chills.
Waz wanted to get away from this overly affectionate duo as soon as possible.
Hah… where should I even go? If I go home, the nagging will be unbearable. Maybe I should just go to another city.
Anywhere was fine. Just go somewhere. As Waz was about to shuffle off like a dog that had lost its treat—
Jojo grabbed his arm.
“What is it?”
Waz asked, startled, turning back to Jojo—who flashed a broad grin.
