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Chapter 26
“—I-It’s a monster!”
The southern knights, having witnessed Haesan gleefully devour the killer sharks, screamed and began to flee.
“Kuwoong?”
Haesan turned its head toward the sound and stretched out its massive hand toward the southern knights.
“Kyung kyung!”
Haesan smiled innocently. The Southern Knight Order fell into despair.
But at that moment, those who stepped in to block Haesan’s hand were none other than the Second Knight Order.
“Hraaah!”
More than ten knights swung their swords at the same time. Yet they couldn’t even leave a small scratch on Haesan’s skin.
“Urgh!”
Watching the knights instead get flung far away, Jojo clenched his fist tightly.
‘Ah, this is bad.’
Even if it wasn’t a decisive blow, at least a small wound would have given them some hope—but not a single scratch.
“Sir, do you know its weakness?”
“……”
“Is it because I called you ‘sir’ that you’re ignoring me?”
“It’s not that…”
According to the bestiary’s description of Haesan:
If you encounter it, run. Do not be surprised if an entire island disappears. Just hope—pray—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 picked 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 began to pound anxiously.
‘No.’
Jojo had a keen eye for recognizing strength. Those two were clearly stronger than himself.
But Haesan was far stronger than either of them.
‘This is nothing more than running at it and asking to be eaten.’
It would have been better to organize a retreat so others could escape. That would have saved more lives.
So why, even knowing that, was he himself charging toward Haesan?
Jojo couldn’t understand.
‘Mom, Dad, Cheche… I’m sorry.’
Just as Jojo swung the hand gripping his sword with all his might, a massive flash of light severed Haesan’s arm.
“Kuwoong!”
Tears welled up in 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 originated. There stood a cold, handsome man clicking his tongue.
“These idiots… not even a single scratch?”
“I’m sorry, Sir Chris.”
Waz apologized urgently.
‘Chris…?’
Jojo rolled the name around in his mind. It sounded familiar.
Chris calmly clenched his hand. Haesan’s body froze, as if bound by enormous ropes.
“Kuwoong, kuwoong!”
“You’re noisy.”
When Chris spread his clenched hand open, Haesan’s mouth gaped wide.
Then Chris snapped his fingers. The killer sharks that had been fleeing suddenly gathered in one place, as if caught in a net, and without hesitation Chris stuffed them into Haesan’s mouth.
“Kung!”
Chris forced Haesan’s mouth shut and spoke to it.
“Even if you’re dissatisfied, get lost now. If you keep rampaging, I’ll have no choice but to kill you.”
Chris’s red eyes boiled like lava.
Facing that murderous gaze, Haesan held back its tears and nodded.
“Kuwoong!”
Watching Haesan hurry back into the sea, Jenu scratched his cheek.
“Looks like it understands human language. Interesting.”
“Is that really what matters right now?!”
Waz snapped, then bowed his head deeply toward the slowly approaching Chris.
The knights who had been tossed aside scrambled to their feet.
Grinding his teeth, Chris spoke.
“Fine. I’ll try to understand that you couldn’t injure Haesan. But getting caught by it? That’s unforgivable. If your attack power is weak, you should at least have speed.”
“I’m sorry. We’ll train them harder.”
“The moment you return, start training immediately.”
The knights kneeling on one knee answered in unison.
“Yes! We will obey!”
Chris stared at them and said,
“Why are you just answering and not moving? Do you think I’m a joke?”
His voice was as sharp as a blade.
Everyone was crushed by Chris’s presence, barely able to breathe, when Jenu spoke up.
“But is it really okay to return immediately? What about restoring this place—”
“Why would we do that?”
Frowning, Chris slashed the air with his sword. The gate they had emerged from earlier reappeared.
“Focus only on what you need to do. As for this place…”
Chris continued, glaring disdainfully at the southern knights sprawled on the ground, sobbing.
“That’s for them and their masters to deal with.”
“Understood. Then we’ll return at once.”
Jenu and Waz began directing the knights.
Chris glanced at their former opponents. Aside from those injured by Haesan, they were unhurt.
‘They’re not completely useless.’
They weren’t satisfactory, but not so bad that he couldn’t stand the sight of them.
As for the southern knights…
‘Can you even call these bastards knights?’
Chris scowled deeply as Waz approached him.
“The entire Second Knight Order has returned.”
“Good.”
“Aren’t you returning as well, Sir Chris?”
“I…”
Tahae had been a remarkably beautiful city since ancient times. Because of that, countless territorial wars had been fought over it.
Eventually, weary of conflict, five families reached a compromise—to rule Tahae together. That tradition continued to this day.
Which meant there were five commanders of the Southern Knight Order…
‘And they let their knights 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 little darling was ruined.’
The more he thought about it, the less forgivable it became.
“I’ll deal with the nobles here. Let’s reduce the number of southern nobles today.”
Chris said it like a specter.
Waz flinched at the murderous aura.
Ignoring him, Chris continued, brimming with killing intent.
“You should hurry back and oversee the training of the Second Knight Order—”
Suddenly, Chris stopped.
“Come to think of it, you said you’re on leave until the day after tomorrow, right? Finish your vacation before returning.”
“No, I’ll return immediately.”
Eager to escape his parents’ nagging, Waz replied hastily.
“That’s enough. It’s a rare vacation, isn’t it? Don’t complain later—just take it all and come back.”
“It’s really fine. I love working.”
Waz begged like a madman.
“Are you going to keep talking back?”
As Chris ground his teeth and spoke, Waz hurriedly bowed his head.
“I’m sorry. Then I’ll gratefully obey.”
“Hah. Anyone 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 hiding and trembling in their mansions.
‘This will be a fun time, you southern noble bastards.’
Meanwhile, Waz, now stuck enduring the full duration of his nagging-filled vacation, couldn’t help but sigh.
“Phew…”
Jojo approached him.
“Who is that guy?! How can he be that handsome and have such unbelievable power?!”
Feeling pressured by Jojo’s sparkling eyes, Waz sighed even more deeply.
“Someone you don’t even dare speak to. Don’t take any interest in him.”
“Ah, hearing it like that, I think I know who he is—”
Before Jojo could finish, someone in the distance kicked up a cloud of dust as they ran toward them.
“Jojo!”
“That voice is—?”
The person running in with reckless enthusiasm was none other than Jojo’s father.
Waz looked at the fluttering mustache, thin as a butterfly’s wings.
‘Creepy. What’s with that guy?’
Ignoring Waz’s grimace, Jojo’s father grabbed his son and asked,
“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? Luckily things got resolved—otherwise it could’ve been dangerous.”
“My child was in danger. What does my own safety matter?”
Jojo’s father burst into tears and pulled him into a hug.
“Waaah! My son! I was so worried something might happen to you!”
“Ack.”
Waz stared blankly at the middle-aged father crying while hugging his grown son.
To think such an affectionate father and son—straight out of a fairy tale—actually existed in this world.
‘Ugh. Gives me chills.’
Waz wanted to get as far away as possible from this sickeningly warm family.
‘But where should I go? If I go home, the nagging will be unbearable. Should I just go to another city?’
Ugh, anywhere would do. Just as Waz was about to shuffle away like a dog that had lost its treat, Jojo grabbed his arm.
“What?”
Startled, Waz turned toward him, and Jojo broke into a grin.
