Swishâ!
Karyl, who had been holding the Minotaur by the scruff of its neck, sheathed his Freezing Talon and drew Agnel instead. Everyone watching likely thought that the short dagger wouldnât manage to pierce the hard shell of a monster.
However, Agnel, a weapon made of pure Clear Distilled Water, had been acknowledged even by Allen Javius.
Even though itâs an S-rank monster, its body is ultimately no different from a beast. The most vulnerable spot is the joint between the atlas and the axis.
As Karyl infused mana into the hand holding Agnel, a milky aura condensed on the blade of the dagger.
Thunkâ!
Slashâ!
Without mercy, he plunged the dagger into the Minotaurâs neck with all his might.
As he poured Arcane Mana into the blade emitting the aura, purple electricity sparked from the point where the dagger was embedded, making it seem like the monster was getting electrocuted.
âKUUOOOO!!â
The creature, feeling the searing pain coursing through its spine, roared in agony and began to thrash about.
âMove back!!â
âEveryone, retreat!!â
Karyl rode the Minotaur like a matador, gripping its mane and repeatedly stabbing it. The soldiers, mesmerized by the sight, hurriedly scattered away.
After immobilizing it, damage the muscles surrounding the spinal cord to prevent any counterattacks.
With a gruesome sound, Karyl twisted the dagger embedded in the Minotaurâs neck, exposing its flesh.
Crack..!!
Crunch...!!
Karyl kept pulling at the monsterâs shell, eyes fixed on the pulsing flesh that stretched from its neck down its back. Then eventually, he thrust his sword into the exposed area with no hesitation.
"KRAAAHH!!"
Chunks of the creatureâs flesh flew off with each twist of his blade, as though Karyl were a butcher.
âOooh...!!â
âWhaaa...!!â
The soldiers yelled and ran away as gore rained down on them.
Thud...!! freeweÉnovÄl.coɱ
The Minotaur, panting heavily, finally dropped its axe as its shoulder muscles were completely severed.
The final strike to the inside of the rib cage...
Karyl jumped down from the staggering creatureâs shoulder, holding Agnel in his mouth and drawing the Freezing Talon.
Thunkâ!
Slashâ!
Before landing, Karyl thrust his sword deep into the Minotaurâs ribcage and twisted with his whole body, slashing horizontally with all his might. The blade tore through flesh with a gruesome sound, and a torrent of blood erupted from the Minotaurâs side.
"GHRAAA!!!â
The agonized Minotaur attempted to fight back, but with its arm muscles destroyed, it was unable to pick up its axe and could only roar.
How impressive....
Aben was genuinely impressed. Even an entire knight order would struggle to dispose of a Minotaur, and yet Karyl was hunting it down by himself, cleverly targeting its weaknesses. This was beyond mere skill.
âFinish it! Cut off its head and place it on a pike to show those imperial bastards!â Karyl urged Aben as he finally landed.
Not forgetting about the finishing touches, Karyl swiftly severed the Minotaurâs Achillesâ tendons, causing it to flail helplessly before collapsing.
He is such a young boy...?
Seeing Karyl up close, Abenâs initial admiration was replaced by genuine astonishment.
âYes, sir! What are you all doing?! Behead the Minotaur right now!â
âRoger!â
âHuaaahh!!â
Aben, coming to his senses, quickly nodded and commanded the soldiers, who eagerly cheered and charged at the monstrosity. They quickly managed to sever its head, which was the size of an adult man. Its eyes remained wide open.
âUnbelievable... Iâve never seen anyone hunt like this before... How are you so knowledgeable about monsters? In any case, I canât thank you enough for saving us.â
Aben lifted his sword with the hilt pointing up and clasped his hand together as a respectful gesture toward Karyl.
Despite being from small kingdoms, both Marze and Aben were knights renowned across the continent. And for them to show Karyl such respect meant that they acknowledged his prowess.
âItâs nothing.â
But Karyl merely gave Aben a bitter smile.
This hunting tactic of sequentially targeting the monsterâs weaknesses and gradually immobilizing it was something he rarely used to do, even after becoming a Sword Saint. And even after going back in time, he wouldnât hunt monsters like that, as there had been no need to.
Karyl hadnât resorted to this strategy because the Minotaur was a powerful monster. He had faced monsters far more dangerous in his previous life, and even in his current one, he had battled opponents who wouldâve laughed at the Minotaur.
Honestly, compared to Allen Javius or the Flame Dragon, this creature is a walk in the park.
At that moment, Karyl felt a tingling sensation in the back of his right hand, which was holding the Freezing Talon. His hand had swollen as if a lump had formed on it. It seemed the Ein Trigger embedded in his right arm, which he had obtained from the dragonâs lair, didnât resonate with the sword.
Ice and fireâthe two opposing forces seemed to compete whenever Karyl drew upon his mana.
This chaptđźr is updatđd by ÆreeÏebnovel.Æom.
Wait just a little longer, Ramine. Iâll get a sword that satisfies you.
Despite this, there was a reason Karyl had decided to slay the Minotaur in such a cumbersome manner. This was how Karliak, the chief of the Black-Eyed tribe and his father, used to hunt.
âHooray!!â
After the soldiers displayed the Minotaurâs head on the pike, the onlookers erupted in cheers. Although the situation wasnât over, the mere fact of prevailing against an S-rank monster, regardless of mana, was enough to boost the soldiers' morale.
âBeikan, Kinu, gather the troops. Weâll clear this dungeon immediately.â
âYes, sir.â
âAight!â
Without delay, Karyl issued orders to the Free Army, not allowing the victory euphoria to linger.
âDo you really intend to clear the whole dungeon? I admit that youâre formidable, but... shouldnât we withdraw the front lines while the imperial troops are still around?â
âYou know that the number of monsters is an indicator of the dungeonâs size. We donât have time to wait. We need to eliminate the raid boss before the dungeon fully forms.â
âThatâs true, but...â
Aben still looked uneasy, and the reason was simpleâthe dungeon hadnât even fully formed, and yet a Minotaur had emerged from it.
âIndeed, these creatures are obviously weaker than the dungeonâs master that dwells deep within it. Weâll need the Twin Amorâs forces to defeat that monster, but if the imperial army knows weâre pulling out troops...â
Aben couldnât estimate how many more troops they would need to conquer this horrific dungeon. There were civilians in the castle who had barely escaped with their lives, and a single blunder could put them in danger once again.
âAh...â He let out a low sigh. If the monsters outside the dungeon were this formidable, the masterâs dungeon was bound to be absurdly powerful.
âDonât worry. Only the Free Army will enter the dungeon,â Karyl explained in a calm voice, glancing at Abenâs worried face.
â...!â
â...!!â
Everyone turned and stared at him with wide eyes.
âWeâre going too!â Viola hurriedly intervened, fearing Karyl might refuse.
Seeing her expression, Karyl gave a faint smile.
Minos, the King of Monsters...
Unlike everyone at the scene, Karyl knew exactly what lay within that dungeon. In his previous life, the master of the Minotaur dungeon had brought three kingdoms to the brink of destruction. Although he hadnât fought it back then, he had encountered it on the 34th of the Pharel Tower when he sought to go back in time.
Having reached the rank of Sword Saint, Karyl had tirelessly battled with Minos for two days straight, and he had won.
Of course, itâs not an easy opponent, but...
Pharel was essentially an amalgamation of every dungeon that had emerged on the continent. And with each floor, the tower became more merciless, eventually leading to battles with monsters that no man had ever laid eyes on.
In the Phrael Tower, a Minotaur, although an S-rank monster, was merely the guardian of the 34th floor.
Although Karyl was not as strong as he had been when ascending Pharel as a Sword Saint, he didnât think he would lose to Minos or fail in conquering the dungeon. In fact, he was confident he could conquer any dungeon out there, not just this one!
His unwavering confidence didnât come just from having acquired magic or from wielding the Freezing Talon. It also wasnât the result of inheriting Arcane mana from Allen Javius, nor was it fueled by the arrogance that came with the Blazing Kingâs power.
It was all of those things.
â...â
Karyl gazed at the black dungeon and chuckled to himself.
Come to think of it, Iâve gained a lot.
He had climbed the endless stairs of Pharel to go back in time, so naturally, his approach in dealing with monsters was fundamentally different from the continentâs knights. Thatâs why he was strong. Not having fear or tension allowed him to fully utilize his abilities.
Karylâs demeanor affected other soldiers as well. Moreover, his Free Armyâs strength stemmed from the unique hunting skills of the barbarian tribes, but also from Karylâs leadership.
But thereâs still so much more to gain.
Karyl bit his lower lip as if dying to savor this raid. To him, this terrifying dungeon, once called the Calamity of the South, was merely a treasure trove.
âSir Aben, once Sir Marze retreats, assist him in clearing out the remaining monsters.â
Karyl pointed to the Fonein River, where the imperial army was stationed.
âAnd as for the burnt fields... Thereâs nothing we can do about that. Weâll have to get compensation from the imperial army.â
âWhat do you mean...?â
Marze and Aben exchanged puzzled glances.
âWell, the supplies of their army of seventy thousand troops should be enough to last us through winter,â Karyl replied with a smirk.
***
âIs this how itâs supposed to be done?â Suan muttered as he anchored the boat in the strait where the river and the sea met.
âItâs strange. Just like the Master said, the current seems calm. Itâs not the raging Fonein I know, so it feels odd.â
âQuit talking and do what you were told. We have a lot to do. We need to head south immediately.â
At Dushalaâs sharp rebuke, Suan Hazer scratched his head and untied the token wrapped around his wrist.
What on earth is that used for?
Aidan, who had accompanied Karyl in the south, stared at the Horned King in Suanâs hand with a puzzled look. From what he knew, it was made from the tooth of a monster known as the master of a dungeon. But that was it; it didnât possess any magic power or enchantment.
âAlright.â Suan nodded and threw the token into the water with all his strength.
Plopâ!
All eyes were on the water, each tense with anticipation.
â...â
However, contrary to their expectations, nothing happened. The river was as calm as before.
As they watched the token slowly sink, Dushala reluctantly spoke up.
âIs that it?â
âWell... That was all Master instructed me to do.â Suan shrugged, indicating he had no idea what was going on.
But then it happened.
âW-Wow!!â
âWhat the...?!â
The calm river suddenly roared back to life, thrashing about violently. The three of them quickly grabbed the boat's railing.
Splashâ!!
Thud!
The bow of the boat shook violently as something large and tall emerged from the water.
"Roaaar...."
At that moment, they spotted a pair of glowing red eyes behind the cascading water, staring at them in disbelief.
âHoly....â
âThatâs what the token of the Horned King is used for?â
âThatâs Master for you... Itâd be foolish to try to understand his ways.â
The three of them murmured in amazement.
âThe Water King...â Suan gazed at the familiar figure.
The serpent slowly lowered its head toward them as if waiting for orders. The trio felt a chill run down their spines. On the forehead of the monster, known as the master of Fonein, was the seared mark of the Horned King.