Chapter 277: How to Protect What Is Precious (1)

The moment Keter appeared, Jordic’s heart pounded as if it were about to burst, but he forced himself to look around.

This lunatic! He really came alone?

There was no need for Jordic to give any orders; knights were already surrounding them, and the commander of the Grand Corps had joined the moment he sensed Keter’s presence.

Though Keter had shown up out of nowhere, none of them panicked. In war, every situation must be anticipated; that was the essence of strategy and tactics. Naturally, they had already prepared a response for the possibility of Keter charging in alone.

Two six-star Grandmasters would hold the front and rear. Behind them, five-star knights would form a second encirclement, and those below four-star would create the third layer, with the three-star knights forming the outermost ring.

The entire sequence was so clean and flawless that within the blink of an eye, a perfect encirclement had formed around Keter.

Keter looked at the perfectly sealed encirclement. He looked impressed with how much Jordic had prepared.

However, Keter’s relaxed expression made Jordic bite his lower lip hard enough to draw blood.

“Did you come here to talk?” Jordic asked.

Jordic was pointing his spear at Keter, but he did not strike first. That wasn’t because he wanted to talk, nor because Arbold was held hostage.

Ten minutes. I just have to endure it for ten minutes. Then the Grandmasters from the left and right wings will arrive.

Bydent was going to use all they had to crush Keter. That too was part of the plan.

“We’ve talked so much already. I’m only here to notify you.”

“Notify...?”

Thud!

Keter kicked Arbold’s rear and tossed him back toward Jordic.

“It’s cold today. On days like this, sitting around a warm bonfire, tearing apart a charcoal-grilled chicken with both hands... Now that is sex.”

The knights couldn’t help but imagine it—the crispy skin, the juices dripping as they tore into the meat. Their families, lovers, and comrades were seated beside them, and a mug of beer was in their hands. The thought alone brought happiness to them. All the knights unknowingly smiled.

Every single knight thought the same thing: once this war was over, they would definitely eat that charcoal-grilled chicken Keter mentioned in front of a warm bonfire, together with the people they treasured.

And then Keter drove a dagger into that warm dream.

“Most of you are already daydreaming about what I said. And in front of me, of all people, me, who is going to be your death. I only want to kill those who’ve accepted death, okay? I’m a gentleman like that. So I’ll give you your first and last advice.”

Crack.

Keter tilted his neck, stretched his arms over his head, and summoned Amaranth.

“If you don’t want to die, leave.”

Whoosh...

Murderous energy seeped from every inch of Keter’s body, spreading quietly like fog. At the same time, the encirclement loosened. The knights’ grips slackened, and they instinctively stepped back as if facing an inferno.

“You’re not as crazy as the rumors say.”

A man stepped forward, and Keter’s aura thinned slightly. It was Gargan, the first commander of the Grand Corps.

Jordic subtly glanced at Gargan, signaling to him that they should buy more time rather than fight, but Gargan ignored Jordic and stepped closer to Keter.

“And you don’t seem as strong as the rumors say,” Gargan added.

“But I’m more handsome than the rumors, right?”

“What does that matter? A handsome corpse is still a corpse, hahaha.”

Clang!

Gargan drew his sword. Even that simple motion released a wave of blade-like aura that crashed over Keter like a tide.

Craaaack!

The ground beneath Keter split into a cross-shaped fissure, but when the dust settled, Keter was already gone.

He’s fast.

Gargan realized Keter’s movement was faster than his attack and tensed. But that lasted only a moment. At the end of the trail of Keter’s afterimages that he followed, an unbelievable sight unfolded.

Thud!

Keter had slipped between the knights and was scattering arrows wildly, which were taking them out.

Jordic could hardly believe his eyes. It felt as though reality itself were being denied. The knights dying from a single one of Keter’s arrows were all three-star or higher. Most were over thirty, and even the younger ones were in their mid-twenties. Every one of them was an elite who had trained as a knight since childhood.

They had lived solely to fight—running laps drenched in sweat since childhood, swinging their spears tens of thousands of times to forge their muscles, drilling techniques until their bodies could execute them without thought. And yet, these very knights were dying so helplessly, unable to even swing their spears. They couldn’t comprehend what was happening to them.

Geto, Iz, Bamaran...

Jordic recognized so many of the fallen. Even when he didn’t know their names, he knew their faces.

This... is war?

Jordic trembled. He thought he was prepared, but in the face of reality, he realized his resolve had been nothing more than wishful thinking.

He had to act. The only person who could stop Keter was a Grandmaster. But no matter how much his mind shouted, his legs wouldn’t move.

Gargan was also chasing after Keter but hesitated to swing.

How can he be so calm and bold? At that age, he can’t have that much experience.

Keter wasn’t simply slaughtering knights; he was expertly positioning himself with his back to Gargan so that Gargan never had a clear line for an attack. Because of that, Gargan could do nothing but chase Keter without ever getting a proper swing in. Even when he occasionally managed to strike, a blow with his power restrained couldn’t pierce the shield surrounding Keter.

How does he have that kind of defense? Is he truly an archer?

Any archer who willingly dove into close combat was already abnormal. Gargan concluded that only augmented sword aura would be able to penetrate Keter’s shield. However, the problem was that using full power here would kill the surrounding knights as well.

“Patriarch Jordic!”

Gargan’s shout snapped Jordic back to his senses. Their eyes met, and there was no need for words.

“Fall back! Disengage! Everyone, withdraw from this area!” Jordic shouted urgently.

The knights, held in place by honor, fear, and stubbornness, immediately retreated. But Keter was relentless. He shot fleeing knights and even grabbed one by the collar, flinging him toward Gargan. He met the knight’s terrified eyes, but inhaled sharply in determination. Then, powerful sword aura flickered on his blade.

Splatter!

The knight was split cleanly in half, and the trailing edge of the sword aura struck Keter’s arm.

At least I cut one of his arms... What?!

Gargan couldn’t believe it. He was certain he had cut Keter’s arm, but it hadn’t reached the bone. Even the muscles were only partially cut.

Ridiculous! I know it wasn’t perfect and had something in the way, but still! Impossible!

It felt as though he had struck a mountain. The only difference was that, unlike a mountain, Keter bled. But even that injury closed up in the blink of an eye.

Faced with this monster-like regeneration, Gargan grit his teeth.

Should I have listened to Patriarch Jordic? A being that requires six Grandmasters to subdue...

He had never understood why Jordic feared Keter so excessively. But after fighting him himself, it took less than a minute to understand why Jordic was so terrified of Keter. Keter was a monster—a monster wearing a human form.

“Aahhhh!!”

There was no time left for regret. Shaking off his belated fear and remorse, Jordic finally joined the battle.

Keter also stopped slaughtering the knights and began seriously fighting the two Grandmasters.

* * *

“What’s wrong? You’re staggering.”

At Keter’s cocky tone, spoken with his Amaranth slung over his shoulder, Jordic, leaning on his spear like a cane, suddenly coughed up blood.

“Haa... haa...”

Even Gargan, the mighty commander of the Grand Corps, was gasping for breath. His entire body was drenched in blood, and his armor had long since lost all function.

Keter wasn’t unscathed either. He was covered in wounds, but his stamina and willpower seemed completely untouched.

Keter had overwhelmed the two six-star Grandmasters. If the Master-level knights from Bydent hadn’t intermittently rushed in to help, one of the two would have already become a corpse.

“Listen up, Jordic and Mister. I’ve never had breast milk, so I’m not sure what it feels like, but try squeezing out every last bit of strength you’ve got. Is this really your limit? If so, I’ll kill you now, okay?”[1]

Keter acted as if he had been playing with them and could end their lives whenever he wished. Neither Jordic nor Gargan had the energy to respond. They steadied their breathing, trying to recover even a sliver of stamina.

Vwoooom...

The pitch-black Demon Arrows gathered on Amaranth. The scent of death pierced Jordic’s nose, cutting through the biting cold.

Ting.

What looked like a single arrow split into two mid-flight, aiming for both Jordic and Gargan. A strange deja vu hit Jordic, but it wasn’t his life flashing before his eyes.

This is the same situation as when he killed the Blade Bird Tribe.

When he killed Deo and Derant, the Blade Bird brothers, Keter had used a single Demon Arrow to kill them simultaneously.

So I’m going to die too? Just like they did?

The Demon Arrow carried the power of death, but it was still something one could block or deflect. However, the overwhelming tension clouded Jordic’s judgment. Spear aura erupted excessively from Gungnir as Jordic took his stance.

Moonlight Spear Style Ultimate: Lunar Eclipse, Full Bloom.

Jordic unleashed the finishing move he had prepared to deal a fatal wound to Keter. Gargan resented him for using his ultimate technique so hastily, but retreating now would mean losing everything. As such, he, too, struck the spine of his sword with his fist and activated his own ultimate art.

Swordsman Ultimate: Lightning-Swallowing Sword.

Jordic’s wide-ranged ultimate technique blocked the view ahead, and from that blind spot, Gargan aimed for Keter’s abdomen. Gargan’s sword strike was far faster than anything he had shown before—so fast that the sound of the sword ripping through the air came only after the blow had already been delivered.

Rumble!!!!

Boom boom boom!!!!

Though it wasn’t a coordinated combo, these were two Grandmasters’ ultimate techniques. Even Keter shouldn’t have been able to take that unharmed.

“...If they hit me, that is.”

“Huh?!”

“...

Tch.

”

Dirt and snow showered down from the explosion’s shockwave. Through it, Keter’s uninjured voice rang out. It was as though Keter was reading their thoughts. He appeared unscathed, just casually straightening his ruffled hair, the only part of him that had been disturbed.

This is really dangerous.

Gargan knew this was trouble. Keter had fought head-on until now—strength against strength, speed against speed. But this time, he just dodged. Gargan would have done the same, as Jordic’s Full Bloom had a wide range and immense power, but it was slow. Gargan tried to compensate with the Lightning-Swallowing Sword, but the obscured vision affected both sides.

To retreat the instant he saw our ultimates... What kind of reaction speed is that?

Thanks to that, both techniques exploded into empty air. The two were already exhausted, but now their lips were drying up from the apprehension.

At that moment, Jordic suddenly began to laugh.

“Heh... hehe... hahahahaha!”

“...?!”

Gargan wondered if Jordic had finally gone mad. If so, he would die too. He thought that running away wouldn’t make Keter spare them. But then Gargan also began laughing.

“Kekeke... Hahahaha!!”

Keter clicked his tongue at the two who seemed to have lost their minds.

“No matter how much you don’t want to die, laughing won’t make me spare you.”

“Keter. Your arrogance in not killing us earlier... Pay for it now.”

“Hm? Ah!”

Keter clapped as though he had just realized something.

“They’re here.”

The Grandmasters of the Bydent family, who had been on the left and right wings, had finally arrived.

Whistle!! Whoosh!

A long whistle rang, and spears of aura rained from the sky. Keter dodged all of them with pure dynamic vision. But that was only the beginning.

Crack!

The ground caved in, and a massive sword descended from the sky. It was Flawless Immortal Raiment: Steady Sword, the ultimate technique of the García family. Seeing its crushing presence, Keter grinned.

“I can’t dodge that one.”

The Steady Sword was slow but impossible to evade; that kind of Authority was embedded into the technique itself. The only correct response was to confront it head-on.

Keter drew the Milky Way onto his bowstring. Though only the size of his arm, its destructive power could wipe out a village. Plus, it wasn’t just one shot.

Whoosh!

It was Aether Wing. Thirty Milky Way arrows spread out like wings to Keter’s side. Jordic and Gargan froze, remembering its terrifying power.

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

“H-he can use a technique like that without any strain?”

Even without Gargan telling them, the Grandmasters who had come as reinforcements could feel the overwhelming power of the Milky Way in their bones.

Tesla, captain of Ruban’s Order of the Storm, the captains of Bydent’s Order of the White and Black Leopard from Bydent, all unleashed their ultimate techniques to stop Keter. And then, the moment the five ultimate techniques collided...

... the world lost all sound and light for an instant; only emptiness remained. But reality soon recovered.

Twang!!

With the sound of a taut string snapping, Jordic, who had fainted briefly, shot upright. However, something was wrong. It had been winter, and they were fighting on the slope of a freezing mountain, yet now the surroundings were flat, and instead of cold, it was hot.

A dream? Am I dreaming?

Even his senses felt hazy. Jordic couldn’t tell whether this was reality.

“My head...”

If not for Keter’s voice, he would have believed it was a dream forever.

Keter stepped out of a massive crater, flicking his ears.

“Ah, ah. I think I’ve gone deaf.”

“Ket... Ugh!”

Gungnir, which was last in his hands, was nowhere in sight. Jordic tried to rush forward but collapsed, clutching his chest. He didn’t need a doctor to know that he was gravely injured; his bones were shattered, and his organs crushed. He tried to get up, but his legs trembled like a newborn animal.

“Patriarch Jordic, do not try to stand up.”

It was the voice of Rajis, the Sword Dragon. Even through his tone, Jordic could sense that Rajis, too, was badly wounded.

“Rajis...”

“Just listen. Sir Tesla, Sir Zion, and I are alive. Keter is pretending to be fine, but he also sustained severe injuries. This is our chance.”

Zion was the captain of the Order of the White Leopard. Jordic didn’t bother asking about the other Grandmasters; he didn’t want to know.

“I leave it to you.”

Jordic fainted again. He thought it was better to lose consciousness and recover quickly than linger half-awake.

“Six Grandmasters joining forces... don’t you think that’s a bit unfair?” said Keter, loud enough for Rajis to hear.

Normally, Rajis, the champion of justice, would agree, but oddly, he shook his head.

“No one calls it unfair to use weapons to bring down an elephant.”

“If you’re using metaphors, can’t you at least call me a dragon? An elephant’s so unflattering.”

“Surrender, Keter. Even if you pretend otherwise, we know you’re gravely wounded.”

“Yeah, that’s true. Not a single part of my body is fine. Pretty sure all my bones are broken and my organs are mush.”

“I heard you went blind at the palace. Are you not planning to pretend now?”

“Didn’t get a chance to use that trick. Boring.”

“Not everything goes your way. Like right now. Stop stalling.”

Whip!

Rajis tossed handcuffs toward him. It was a high-tier magical restraint that sealed aura and mana.

“If you put those on yourself and kneel, I’ll spare your life.”

Tesla and the captain of the Order of the White Leopard frowned, clearly disagreeing.

“Keter must be killed. Leaving him alive is unacceptable.”

“Even now, he’s a monster. Give him a year, and he might return as a Prime, stronger than all of us.”

Had Jordic been awake, he would have foamed at the mouth, insisting they could not spare Keter. But Rajis remained unmoved.

“Have you forgotten the sixth rule of the Family War? Any soldier or knight who surrenders must be granted unconditional survival and the highest treatment. That is the prince’s sacred law.”

“Um...”

With Rajis invoking the law with firm insistence, Tesla and the captain could not object. Right now, none of them could defeat Keter alone; it would take all three to have a chance. If Rajis, who was the least injured out of all of them, stepped back, the situation might flip instantly. But Keter simply shrugged.

“Thanks to your pointless lecturing, I’ve recovered quite a bit of stamina. Thanks, Rajis.”

“If you insist on continuing, I can show no more mercy.”

“Nope. I’m done.”

Keter turned his back. Rajis stared in disbelief.

He wouldn’t.

“I’m going to run away now,” Keter said, completely unashamed.

1. This is a joke from the Korean saying "Use your strength from back when you drank your mom's breast milk." Keter is saying that he never had a chance since he grew up alone. ☜