Chapter 148 – Pangaea (14)

“Everyone, fall back!”

Yaren hastily gave the command.

I wanted to applaud his danger-sensing ability and quick judgment.

The 2nd Team’s strength was by no means weak, but to raid the Ogre Lord, they would have to take a considerable risk.

Even if they managed to hunt it down, there would inevitably be casualties.

Yaren knew this, so he couldn’t carelessly proceed with the battle.

“Retreat for now! We’ll observe the situation a little more!”

One Ogre Lord, and two regular Ogres.

If they could get support from another team, they would be able to raid it more stably. In the end, Yaren made a prudent decision.

“Sir, is that Ogre Lord monster that strong?”

Ramel looked bewildered.

After all, the 2nd Team, which had been in high spirits until just now, was suddenly retreating.

“It’s quite strong. For ordinary knights to face.”

The Lord’s mana reserve was more than three times that of a regular Ogre.

But its actual combat power was even greater than that.

“What about you, sir?”

I answered with a smile.

“Would you like to wait here with Joo-hee for a moment?”

In any case, I was under Yaren’s command, so I had to talk to him.

Of course, the answer I got was not far from my expectations.

“Not allowed.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s too reckless. If you meet a futile end, I won’t be able to face the Commander!”

“So in the end, you’re just scared of getting scolded by the princess.”

“No matter what I say, you twist it like that!”

Yaren immediately flared up.

“I wonder where that bravado from before went. You said the 2nd Team would be the first to break through the fork in the road.”

“The situation has changed. So go back to your position and wait for my next instructions.”

“I’ll make you a promise.”

“What is it?”

“I’ll make sure you don’t get scolded by the princess.”

In the end, I declared my non-compliance with Yaren’s command.

“Just listen to me, please!”

Yaren hastily tried to snatch my wrist.

Sreureu!

I lightly swung my wrist to avoid it and raised the corner of my mouth slightly.

Yaren looked dumbfounded.

He hadn’t expected to miss so easily.

Immediately, his second attempt followed.

Hwiik!

But this time too, his hand only grasped at empty air.

“This is fun. It reminds me of my childhood. Shall we continue?”

Yaren’s expression crumpled.

His pride wouldn’t allow him to back down like this.

Hwiik!

Of course, the third attempt was no different.

Just before his hand could grab me, I slightly turned my wrist and toyed with him one more time.

Dozens of eyes were now watching us.

They must be wondering what this situation was.

“I’ll give you three more chances.”

To think I’d be doing such a cute thing in a dungeon.

Of course, it was fun.

His flustered look reminded me of Choi Ho-joong.

“Don’t be cocky!”

Hwiik!

Hwiik!

His right and left hands flew in succession.

Such an unorthodox attempt was quite excellent.

Just as in swordsmanship, when the standard approach doesn’t work, you sometimes have to mix in the unorthodox. In these minor contests, catching someone off guard is always effective.

Of course, this time it would end in failure.

“Now there’s only one last time left.”

Yaren’s expression became quite grim.

By now, he should have felt the wall that existed between us, but he seemed to think that all these results were due to coincidence or trickery.

Hwiik!

This time, it was an extremely ordinary attempt.

There was no way there would be any special result.

It would have been a better picture if he had just given up on the last attempt, but in the end, Yaren blew all three chances and could only look on with a blank expression.

“Then I’ll be on my way.”

Yaren no longer had any justification to stop me.

Although the three chances were my unilateral proposal, it was also true that Yaren had used up all those chances without a word of complaint.

“Then I’ll go with you!”

Yaren, coming out of his confusion, hastily spat out the words.

“As you wish.”

“If you’re in danger, I have to carry you and run away.”

“That too, as you wish.”

“You’re really determined to drive me crazy.”

I think Choi Ho-joong said something like that too.

“Yoon Joo-hee. You’re up too.”

“Understood!”

“Sir! What about me?”

“You know. This isn’t the time for you to get involved.”

“Yes, sir!”

The roles were very simple.

I would take the Ogre Lord.

Yoon Joo-hee and Yaren would take the regular Ogres.

It wasn’t something I had discussed with Yaren, but it was going to happen that way anyway.

I took out a dagger from my inventory.

Of course, it was for drawing aggro.

Ogres, once they lose their temper, tend to focus on one target.

Shuung!

I lightly threw the dagger at the Lord.

It tried to block my throw with its huge club, but in the end, it was just a big, empty swing.

Because it wasn’t a straight throw.

My Sword Control Technique had entered a new, advanced stage.

Kwak!

The dagger eventually lodged in the Lord’s forehead, and it let out a ferocious roar.

Kungkwangkungkwang!

The ground trembled with the Lord’s savage charge.

It passed by Yoon Joo-hee and Ramel on either side and charged at me.

Hwiiiing!

The club swing that followed like flowing water was surprisingly fast and threatening.

If one were to be hit by that, their head would not remain intact.

I threw my body back and flew up.

And once again, the Lord’s club swung.

An immense chill washed over me.

It wasn’t just the club that was threatening.

That vicious wind was enough to freeze the body.

If it wasn’t for me, that is.

Swaaaak!

The chill shot out by the Lord was helplessly extinguished by the sword path of the Holy Sword Bastian.

Immediately, I took out another dagger and threw it at the creature.

Its eyes followed the elegant trajectory of the howitzer.

Of course, just because it saw it with its eyes didn’t mean it could defend against it properly.

That trajectory was not something that could be calculated.

This time too, the Lord’s club only cut through empty air. And.

Kwak!!

This time, the dagger was lodged in the Lord’s right eye.

It let out a pained groan.

But this couldn’t be the end.

I am a person who values balance.

Kwak!

This time, the left eye.

It was a good sight with a dagger stuck in each eye.

Now, the creature had a good opportunity to see the world through its mind’s eye.

This is a process for becoming a Sword Master.

If it can overcome the current crisis, that is.

Kraaaaaak!!

The Lord screamed and pulled out the daggers stuck in its eyes.

A fountain of blood spurted from the spots.

Belying its title of Lord, there was now nothing the creature could do.

The club it swung wildly still shot out an extreme chill, but it was too powerless against the Holy Sword’s magic resistance.

All I could do was grant it rest.

Swaaaaak!

In the end, the straight line created by the Holy Sword lopped off the Lord’s head.

And the head fell powerlessly.

The most troublesome one was eliminated.

All the knights of the 2nd Team were looking at me.

Even though Yoon Joo-hee and Yaren were still in battle, they were all, as if by agreement, staring at me with their mouths agape.

A moment later, only the sound of Ramel’s clapping could be heard.

***

We continued to climb the forest path.

The cold had disappeared at some point.

No more monsters appeared.

[Remaining Monsters: 27]

This was probably the share that the other four teams were dealing with on their respective paths, as the number of monsters was rapidly decreasing.

“It seems our team isn’t late. Right, Yaren?”

“I-I think so!”

“Why did your tone suddenly change?”

“I think I was careless!”

He was trying his best to avoid my eyes.

“After the dungeon rampage, ordering a cautious retreat was a good decision. It was far from a careless act.”

“Th-that’s not it. If you’re the Commander’s guest, I should have known you were no ordinary person! I’m sorry.”

“Right. I’ll admit you’re not a good judge of character.”

“But I’ve never heard of someone like you in the Berwood family bloodline. Moreover, you said you haven’t even received a knighthood, so I had no choice but to misunderstand.”

“You say you’re sorry, but your tongue is quite long.”

“I’m sorry.”

Yaren repeatedly bowed his head.

And the forest path had ended at some point.

We reached the point where the five forked paths merged back into one.

What blocked our way was a huge, towering rock cliff, and since there was no one there, we knew we had arrived first.

And the cave created in the crevice of that rock would be the boss room.

Since not all the monsters had been annihilated yet, it was not yet activated.

[Remaining Monsters: 12]

“Oh! There!”

“It’s the Commander!”

Finally, the 1st Team appeared, followed by the 4th Team in order.

[All monsters have been annihilated.]

[The boss room has been activated.]

And finally, this dungeon was left with only one last stage.

[Hunt the boss monster.]

[Number of people who can enter the boss room: 2]

After all the teams had arrived, the 3rd Princess Clera received reports on each path.

No deaths, only six injured.

“A strange phenomenon called a dungeon rampage occurred on our side.”

At Yaren’s report, Clera slightly narrowed her brow.

Since she didn’t ask for further explanation, it meant the 1st Team had also experienced the same phenomenon.

Fortunately, the other teams seemed to have proceeded with the dungeon raid without any particular issues.

“2nd Team Leader Yaren! If a dungeon rampage occurred, the situation must not have been easy, yet not a single person was injured.”

“That’s actually….”

Yaren stopped talking and looked at me.

Clera immediately seemed to understand the meaning.

“It seems my guest put in some effort.”

“Yes, sir.”

The knights of the 1st Team looked at me with surprised eyes for a moment.

Those who had experienced the same phenomenon knew well about the danger of the situation.

“So in the end, what was the evolved monster?”

“It was a Frost Ogre Lord.”

“A Frost Ogre Lord? An unfamiliar monster. What was its power level?”

“Th-that’s.”

Yaren was unable to answer properly.

Since I had taken it down by throwing two daggers and making one sword slash, he was in a situation where he couldn’t grasp the monster’s exact combat power.

“My guest just subdued it easily?”

“Yes, Commander.”

Clera smiled slightly.

“I understand. Then we will conclude the report here.”

And now it was time to decide the two people who would enter the boss room.

Since the dungeon had already gone on a rampage, everyone agreed that the boss monster raid would not be easy.

Moreover, everyone was tense about the unknown situation of what might appear.

Clera declared that she would take one of the slots herself.

Despite being in the highest position, she would stand at the forefront in the most dangerous moments.

“Commander! In case of an emergency, it would be better to entrust the first challenge to other knights.”

But Clera firmly stated her intention to go herself.

“Because there’s someone I want to match my skills with.”

Her gaze was on me.

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