Chapter 111 – Hero (4)

The mountain the party entered appeared very quiet and desolate with neither animals nor monsters visible.

“Fortunately looks like they were pushed to the other side.”

“Still, I feel sorry.”

At the mage’s words, the prince made a dark expression.

“The one who trapped them first was them anyway. Don’t worry. We must quickly defeat the dragon now.”

“Yes, no matter how many times I experience it, my heart keeps weakening. Must toughen up more.”

The prince who descended from his horse while climbing the mountain walked with firm steps. The Holy Maiden watched the worrying prince with concern.

The mage patted the prince’s back then glanced at the spirit mage. When such political matters happened, the hardest one to manage wasn’t the hero but the spirit mage.

Though she said mercenary work has worn away her rough edges, fundamentally having a honest and upright personality, when such matters happen managing is usually very difficult.

But this time she was completely quiet. Looking like she was constantly thinking about something else, this made proceeding with work seem like it would go relatively smoothly.

True to the mage’s thoughts, Alda was now listening to the spirits’ story.

‘The spirits in this place are strange.’

‘Same as when spirits became strange on the island.’

‘The surrounding animals are also strange, not normal.’

Hearing the spirits’ words, Alda could feel something connecting with the man following behind.

Certainly there must be a reason why this place changed like the island and why a person with similar mana to what the spirits saw appeared simultaneously.

Meanwhile, Sun-woo who received all of Alda’s attention found the current situation very strange and unfamiliar.

Every time he was at the mission center, his head hurt from thinking and his feet wore from running, but this time he was moving leisurely through the contaminated area with a comfortable feeling.

Of course he spread sorcery to monitor surroundings but the mage’s detection magic was superior. Before Sun-woo could step forward, the hero party already eliminated enemies first.

Thanks to that, in Sun-woo’s head thoughts kept rising that perhaps this way he could complete the mission for free.

But regrettably, the comfortable mountain climb didn’t last very long. In a valley about halfway to the dragon’s lair, the party encountered guardians.

“Did the bait get annihilated? Well, this much helps a lot anyway.”

The mage called Grand Mage leaned his staff forward.

“Tornado, and Wind Cutter, simultaneous activation.”

With his words, tremendous wind rushed out attacking tree monsters, transformed monsters, and elves.

Wind of tens of meters per second blocked the guardians rushing forward, and in between, blades made of air sliced the guardians’ bodies.

The guardians already bloodied from some previous battle continued rushing even as they rolled in wind and skin tore from blades.

“Tsk, really can’t do it with just this much.”

Seeing the continuing wave of guardians, the mage clicked his tongue but didn’t seem particularly worried. Because his magic was support.

The main force was flame spirit mage Alda.

“Help me!”

As Alda with silver hair fluttering shouted loudly, tremendous mana gathered before her, looking like a massive flame wavering.

Next moment. From the wavering massive flame, tremendous fire poured forward.

Like dozens of flame throwers spraying simultaneously, flames rode the mage’s wind pouring forward toward the incoming guardians.

Whoooosh!

Flames swept the valley advancing forward. Flames burned guardians rushing in anger and wrapped around elves trying to escape in surprise.

At that sight, mercenaries watching tensely from behind dropped their jaws.

“This looks just like dragon’s breath we only heard about.”

“Good heavens, wouldn’t believe they’re heroes even hearing it, but this is a different dimension.”

Shortly after the flames disappeared, the valley remained with burned trees, roasted guardians, and dried valley water.

But regrettably, enemies weren’t annihilated. Other guardians could be seen approaching from beyond the distant ridge.

Seeing that, the mage shouted to the prince.

“Looks like they continue coming, second operation!”

The prince nodded with serious expression at his words.

“We’ll split here. We’ll head to the dragon’s lair, so please block enemies while slowly retreating.”

The prince’s party started running to deep mountains sideways before his words even ended.

Alda at the party’s end looked at Sun-woo with troubled expression then gritted her teeth and ran following the prince.

Her goal was important but this matter had many people’s lives depending on it.

Fortunately, she learned the spirits’ words weren’t lies and the man didn’t look weak either, so seemed like she could follow after finishing this.

“In the end, left as bait.”

“Still better than being left, you weren’t thinking of rushing to the lair following them were you?”

“Crazy! If they said rush to lair, I’d run away immediately.”

“Then quit complaining and do your job. Let dragon slayers do dragon hunting.”

Though there were grumbling sounds, the mercenaries’ dissatisfaction wasn’t very large since the hero party helped clean up first before departing.

But as the number of guardians crossing the ridge kept increasing, the mercenaries’ expressions became hard.

“Hey! Sir Knight! Numbers aren’t small!”

Mercenaries shouted toward the remaining knights, but the knights were equally at a loss.

They had to hold the guardians here until the heroes entered the lair. The prince said to run if in danger, but if they didn’t hold the guardians, the prince’s party heading to the lair could be in danger.

Then it happened. Someone opened their mouth beside the knights.

“Knight Daniel! I’ll hold the rear. Please lead the mercenaries and retreat as quickly as possible!”

It was Sun-woo who approached the knights. The other knights excluding Daniel startled looking at Sun-woo, but Daniel made a troubled expression.

“What are you saying! Don’t recklessly show off!”

Another knight got angry at Sun-woo’s words, but Sun-woo continued looking at Daniel.

“No time. We’re fine but others might change anytime.”

Sun-woo spoke while pointing at the incoming guardians.

Among the incoming guardians, figures of bloodied knights were visible.

“Could it be, Brighton Kingdom Knights?”

The knights’ faces changed seeing knights coming with enemies.

The knights knew the existence of the knight corps from the prince’s story. But didn’t know the knight corps members would be rushing together with enemies with red eyes after fighting for a while.

“Rapid retreat! I trust you with the rear!”

Troubled Daniel shouted to the mercenaries.

“What!”

Another knight cried surprised at Daniel’s words and Daniel quickly explained to him.

“Didn’t the Holy Maiden say before? Evil spirits possessed this mountain! Those are the result of evil spirits possessing them. We might become like that too!”

“Didn’t the Holy Maiden eliminate that through prayer?”

“That Holy Maiden isn’t here now!”

“Ah!”

The knight seemed to understand the situation to some degree now.

True to Daniel’s words. Now that the Holy Maiden was gone, the surroundings Daniel and summoners saw were all changed to murky color.

Moreover, judging from how other knights changed, didn’t seem like change would take long.

“But that mercenary staying alone…”

The knight turned looking at Sun-woo passing beside him unable to finish his words.

Somehow Sun-woo already drew his sword unleashing sword energy forward.

Shing! Shing!

The sword energies flying forward cut the necks of the guardian and knight rushing at the front flying to the sky.

At that sight, startled guardians quickly scattered in all directions and contaminated knights also placed shields forward stopping their steps.

“Good heavens, wasn’t a mage? A Sword Master-level swordsman.”

“Geez, why are there so many monsters in this world. Good thing we didn’t pick a fight or would’ve had big trouble.”

Mercenaries quickly retreating seeing Sun-woo’s appearance broke into cold sweat.

Sun-woo stood behind the retreating mercenaries continuing to unleash sword energy.

Through continued training and body transformation by inner dan, Sun-woo had now completely entered the absolute peak level.

Moreover, because he directly experienced martial arts from the past, his martial arts were actually stronger than martial artists of the same level.

Thanks to that, he could continuously unleash sword energy blocking enemies’ approach. Regrettably couldn’t kill with one blow to the neck like before, but could kill enemies with just three or four sword energies.

Eventually, enemies had no choice but to slowly approach using terrain.

“Should call it fortunate?”

The guardians here unlike other contaminated monsters seemed to attack systematically.

All seemed to be under the dragon’s command. Thanks to that, Sun-woo defending had to say it was easier.

If enemies charged without thinking, would have been hard to slow enemies’ speed with sword energy.

But that too was now reaching its limit. Using terrain, enemies nearly reached right before him and distant elves holding bows revealed themselves too.

“Whew, getting tired. Sword energy sure is wasteful. Almost everyone escaped, let’s move to next stage?”

Sun-woo made a tired expression pulling a potion from his pocket drinking it then spoke toward the rear.

“Stick close! I said go together why won’t you listen!”

At Sun-woo’s words ending, Yeonhwa stuck close to Sun-woo’s back.

And thinking they were close enough, dozens of guardians burst forward, and distant elves shot arrows at Sun-woo.

Sun-woo smiled quietly rolling his feet forward.

***

Kwaaaaakwang!

Mercenaries barely escaping the valley couldn’t get their bearings with sudden thunder, vibration, and rising dust.

Everyone clung to the ground waiting for the impact to disappear, and shortly after looking back, they couldn’t speak at the sight before their eyes.

“Did, did the valley collapse!”

“If what I’m seeing is sky then it collapsed right?”

The valley they escaped from was completely collapsed.

“Good heavens, did the earth weaken from the spirit mage’s attacks?”

“Are you okay? Seemed friendly…”

A junior knight carefully opened his mouth toward Daniel. And toward the junior knight asking, another knight’s face twisted.

Daniel who had trauma from leaving someone behind had vent anger again about leaving someone to die. Couldn’t help but get angry touching that again thoughtlessly.

The knight who scolded the junior knight soundlessly carefully confirmed Daniel’s face but couldn’t help but be confused at his bright appearance.

“Hurry! Since now no need to worry about rear, quickly descend!”

Daniel urged the mercenaries with a completely not dark face.

He didn’t need to worry about Sun-woo buried in earth. Worrying about Sun-woo buried in earth was no different from worrying about fish drowned in water.

And true to his expectation, Sun-woo was moving underground with Yeonhwa toward the dragon’s lair.