Time for Revenge

Why had it chosen me as its sacrifice? Why not someone else? Aurelian couldn't help wondering.

Was it really connected to my bloodline? What had the boiling of my blood just now been trying to reveal?

Enemies, sworn foes, entanglements spanning countless generations like an endless cycle—they had been engraved into the bloodline.

"Perhaps it has something to do with the war between the Star Empire and the barbarians."

Aurelian thought to himself, but the roar that rang out and pierced his eardrums dragged him back to reality.

In the distance, the growing mass of flesh had stopped. At least three meters tall, it was covered in countless ugly, quivering growths and tentacles. It looked utterly disgusting.

The barbarians' formation had long since fallen apart, because the monster covered in tentacles and growths was swiping its two twisted giant hands at the barbarians around it.

Their warhorses had been frightened out of their wits, and the barbarians had all fallen to the ground. They hurried to their feet and fled.

The terrifying monster chased after them, gradually moving farther away, while cries of anguish and despair echoed through the forest, where light and shadow intermingled.

The fervor had long since vanished from Dark's face. Kuro's transformation was nothing like what he had imagined. What was that enormous monster covered in growths?!

He fell from the warhorse beneath him, landing in a sorry heap.

There was no helping it. He had been quite close to Kuro, so he had naturally borne the brunt of the upheaval.

The barbarians under his command scattered in every direction, while he hid behind a large tree.

"It's over. It's all over..."

The barbarians Dark had brought with him were all his trusted men. They were the foundation of his competition against his brothers within the tribe.

He couldn't imagine how he would be treated when he returned to the tribe, powerless to fight back.

In these merciless Frostlands, there was no one to rely on but yourself—not even your own flesh and blood.

Master and his adjutant, Darwin, were rapidly retreating with the remaining knights.

The monster in the distance didn't seem interested in them.

"Where's Jeanne?"

Aurelian was growing anxious. The magic power surging from the monster in the distance was beyond anything he had imagined, and it was still getting stronger. He couldn't help worrying about Jeanne, who was caught in the heart of the chaos.

Their trip to Spruce Forest had already cost him dearly. He couldn't afford to lose Jeanne as well.

When a white figure suddenly appeared, Aurelian froze. It was Jeanne, but her face was smeared with mud, and she looked utterly bedraggled.

Still, Aurelian let out a breath of relief, his heart settling. It was enough that Jeanne was safe.

"The situation's changed. What should we do now?" Jeanne asked.

Aurelian touched the egg against his chest and, after confirming it was unharmed, said, "If possible, let's get everyone out of here first."

"Sure, but my mission isn't over yet. I want to try again and kill that sinner."

After hearing Jeanne's words, Aurelian looked toward the monster.

He considered it carefully, then said in a low voice, "All right, but come back quickly."

He hated the barbarian leader just as much. If he could, he would rather cut the man down himself and avenge his fallen knights.

Jeanne nodded and vanished into the shadows of the forest.

"My lord!"

Master approached with the ten remaining knights.

"Master, I'm glad to see you made it back alive. And you, too!"

Aurelian looked at Darwin and the others behind Master. The knights were all in a sorry state, their surcoats stained red with blood.

"To fight for you is our honor, my lord!"

They roared in their deep, weighty knightly voices, showing the resolve of the kingdom's knights!

Aurelian's expression softened slightly. At the end of the day, he was just an ordinary person who had crossed over. He owed them an answer.

Clenching his fists, he felt his hatred for the barbarians grow even stronger. They were to blame for everything!

This blood debt would be repaid in blood!

A vast killing intent welled up in Aurelian's heart. He had originally planned to kill only the chief culprit, but now he changed his mind about leaving. He would make every foreigner here pay with their lives for the knights who had died!

He drew Innocent Starlight and pointed it at the fleeing barbarians. Its azure blade trembled, the engraved runes glimmered, and brilliant violet light shone forth.

"My knights, the time for revenge has come! Follow me, and we'll bury every last one of our enemies!"

The young duke's voice was still somewhat youthful, but it already carried the authority of a great noble.

This order to charge once again roused all the surviving knights. They tightened their grips on their weapons, fighting spirit blazing in their eyes.

There was only one reason: their lord was going to lead them back into the fight himself!

Even if they died, they would have no regrets—especially if they could personally cut down their enemies. They had been seething with helpless frustration just moments ago.

Elsewhere, the enormous monster continued its rampage, destroying everything in its path.

But then, as if some kind of will had suddenly descended, it replaced the chaotic confusion in its mind.

"Starforge, blood sacrifice, devour."

A trembling, hoarse, piercing shriek came from its torn-open throat. Its eyes, nothing but whites, turned toward the place where Aurelian stood.

Its massive, swollen body began to turn and lumber in that direction.

Aurelian didn't mount a warhorse. He charged into the fleeing barbarians with the knights behind him, on foot.

Perhaps influenced by some unseen presence, their faces were filled with terror, and their weapons had long since been thrown aside.

In the eyes of the charging knights, they were all lambs waiting for slaughter!

These elite knights knew exactly how to kill efficiently.

Seeing the barbarians in horned masks, they couldn't help remembering the scene from earlier, their brothers falling one by one before their eyes.

Hatred utterly consumed what little reason they had left. Their minds held only one thought:

Kill every last fleeing barbarian in sight!

Aurelian's face was expressionless. He seemed to have made some important decision deep in his heart.

Then he roared, raised Innocent Starlight high, and brought it down in a slash.

The overwhelming pressure left the fleeing barbarian before him unable to move.

Although the magic power within him was nearly depleted, Lower Rank magic power was enough for Aurelian to fight these towering barbarians in close combat.

The azure Innocent Starlight in his hands cut down a fleeing barbarian, blood spraying across his blue-and-white armor.

Aurelian's hands trembled slightly. His eyes widened, filled with the shock of having killed someone.

Whether in his previous life or this one, this was the first time he had taken another person's life.

He had always been an ordinary person, yet now he had killed someone.

He took a deep breath and composed himself, then lifted his head to look at the other barbarians.

He walked toward them, face expressionless.

There was no such thing as killing only once. There were only countless times after the first. He had to adapt to this world's rules.

Meanwhile, the knight commander, Master, had become a terrifying killing machine.

With every mechanical swing of his sword, a barbarian fell in a pool of blood.

He wore no expression. His heart must have gone numb as well.

Having become a knight whose strength was on par with a Lower Rank fighter, he was like a wolf among sheep, without an equal.

The barbarians were at most at the Body Integration level. Not one of them had reached Source Gathering. How could they possibly stop Master?

Compared with Master, Body Integration knights like Darwin and Russell had a much harder time.

That was because most of the barbarians they faced were at the same level.

Unbelievable. How could one barbarian tribe have so many warriors with Body Integration-level magic power?