Chapter 124: Southern Dungeon (3)

"Your Highness, we can't move quickly because of the thick fog. At this rate, it will be difficult to cross the Fonein River. It might be best to slow down...”

On a normal night, the autumn sky should have been clear enough to see the moon up ahead. However, as they approached the river, an inexplicably dense fog obscured their view.

"Fog is common in autumn, but... has it ever been this cold near Fonein?" Luon spoke in a disgruntled voice, tightening his collar.

Although the temperatures were supposed to drop around this time of the year, this was excessive. It felt as though winter had just arrived, making for quite an eerie atmosphere.

Prince Luon scowled at the unsettling air, swiping with his hand through the fog, which seemed to mock him by slipping through his fingers and clouding his vision. The only visible indicator that they were still on the Haron Highway was the white stones on the ground.

"At least we know where we are. As long as we follow this road, we can safely reach the Three Kingdoms after crossing the Fonein River," Luon explained as he looked at the neatly maintained road.

"Indeed, Your Highness."

Azif, the vice captain of the Golden Knights, also found the thick fog unusual.

I've been navigating the Fonein for years, but this is odd... yet it doesn’t seem to be caused by magic...

He briefly considered the possibility of this being a ploy by Olivurn but quickly dismissed the idea. Creating a magical fog of this magnitude would require an unimaginable amount of mana.

Only a sorcerer of the 7th Classor higher could do this. The proud Magic Society wouldn’t side with the second prince... The court sorcerers are still neutral, so this must be a natural phenomenon.

Azif considered various possibilities but found no clear reason for suspicion.

Ugh, seems like I’m too on edge... Probably because it’s been a while since we set out.

Azif chuckled softly, wondering if he was overreacting. Even with his experience, the pressure was still significant, as he was the de facto captain of this large army.

If I can get Luon on the throne, I’ll become the captain of the Golden Knights.

He, too, staked everything on this expedition to achieve his dream.

I can’t make any mistakes.

He had repeatedly resolved this during the journey south.

Splash... Splash...

How far had they gone? As they started hearing the running water, Luon’s expression finally relaxed a bit.

"Just wait a little longer. Once we reach Marquis Bestal's territory, the Wisteria Knights should be ready to mobilize," he reassured the soldiers.

The emperor had ordered all princes to deal with the southern issue—the first prince through war, the second through negotiation, and the third by hiring mercenaries—each heading south by their own means.

Kromen doesn't matter. Even if Father instructed it, Gordon Fabian won’t fully support him.

The problem was the second prince, Olivurn. The throne remained a contest between Luon and Olivurn. Failure was not an option. The one who faltered wouldn’t just lose their position but their life.

Damn it...

When he heard about the annihilation of the Ryeo Knights, Prince Luon saw it as an opportunity. Not even a prince could go unpunished after losing an entire order of knights. However, his father didn’t hold Olivurn accountable. Instead, he had sent all three princes to the south.

There's no need to overthink it.

It was a test. The southern subjugation ordered by the emperor wasn’t just about dealing with the barbarians. It was an official battleground for the princes to prove themselves.

The one who survives this will inherit the throne.

Thus, Luon couldn’t afford to delay any longer.

As long as I don't make any mistakes, the nobles will be on my side.

Luon was confident, having the same thoughts as Azif.

But then, they suddenly heard something.

Rustle... Rustle...

On top of hearing something moving in the bushes, they could discern shadowy figures moving through the fog.

"Stay alert!" shouted the night at the forefront.

At that, the knights surrounding the prince drew their swords simultaneously.

"Please put away your weapons, Your Highness.”

A soft voice suddenly rang out from the thick fog.

"...."

Azif didn’t lower his guard.

"...?!"

After a while, the soldiers at the front, who had their weapons drawn, were startled by what they saw.

A veiled woman came into view.

"Who are you?"

Prince Luon looked at her, puzzled, as she emerged from the mist akin to a mysterious specter. His gaze, however, quickly shifted to her curvaceous figure and the glimpses of pale skin exposed by her attire. He didn’t even realize that he was licking his lips.

"I was worried we might miss you because of this thick fog,” the woman said to Luon. "We are guides from the Three Kingdoms, here to escort Your Highness. The fog around the Fonein has gotten quite bad recently, making travel difficult. We are here to assist you."

"What nonsense! Reveal your true identity!”

Azif shouted, still aiming his weapon at her. But Luon raised his hand to stop him.

"Calm down, Sir Azif."

Luon took another look at the veiled woman.

"Indeed, this fog is quite troublesome. Without this newly paved, clean road, we might have lost our way."

He spoke in the haughty tone typical of royalty.

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Sir Azif, I have previously sent a message to the Three Kingdoms. There’s only a narrow path to the south. For our seventy-thousand-strong army to reach the south, we must pass through the Three Kingdoms via this highway."

"But Your Highness..."

"I didn’t expect this level of consideration, but if they offer useful guidance, we should accept it."

Luon wasn’t a fool. He had a reason for being this confident.

Together with the mysterious woman, there were only five people who claimed to have come here to guide them. He judged it impossible for them to harm his 70,000-strong army.

Of course, he couldn’t keep his eyes from roving over that woman’s curves.

"Thank you. Here is a confirmation with the seal of Istan.”

The woman pulled out a small scroll from her chest and handed it to him.

"I am glad..."

Dushala’s eyes sparkled behind the veil, and she flashed Luon a faint smile.

"...we didn't make a mistake."

***

Viola stared blankly at Karyl.

She was a mess—her dress was soaked with sweat, and the armor protecting her chest and shoulders now felt unbearably heavy; she wanted to take it off immediately.

[Graaaah--!!!]

A particularly large gray-skinned orc roared at Karyl. The Free Army had attacked another dungeon right after subjugating the Lizardmen and now reached the third and final dungeon in the blink of an eye.

Initially, Karyl had told Viola that subjugating these three dungeons wouldn’t take more than half a month. At the time, she thought he was merely acting tough to impress her.

Thud—!!!

Karyl's Freezing Talon pierced the back of the orc’s neck, the blade emerging through its throat. Without even making a sound, the gray orc collapsed on its face.

Does that man... ever get tired?

Viola looked at Karyl with an expression of disbelief.

“Maintain the front line!”

“Wounded to the back! I'll take the lead!”

The shouts of the knights surrounding her echoed through the air. Exhausted but determined, Greys swung his sword with all his might. The lightning-infused Mana Blade crackled as it slashed into a gray orc's shoulder.

Crack...!!

The sword embedded itself about a third into the orc’s shoulder before getting stuck in its tough flesh.

“Ugh!”

Greys put all his strength into his arms.

[Graaaah...!]

The gray orc, still alive, swung its massive hammer at him, grimacing in pain.

“Huh!”

Swoosh!

“Hup!”

Greys was forced to let go of his sword and jump back to avoid getting hit by the hammer. Two knights attacked the orc from behind, thrusting their swords into it with all their might. After several stabs, the orc convulsed and finally fell.

“Hah... Hah...”

The knights panted heavily, their faces showing their exhaustion. Greys went to pull out his sword from the orc’s corpse. The monster’s tough flesh clung to the blade as if unwilling to let go.

The gray orc wasn’t just a regular field monster but one that only appeared in dungeons. Though it looked like an orc, it was an entirely different creature. Hundreds of them inhabited the dungeon, each possessing regenerative abilities rivaling those of trolls.

“How are we supposed to fight these monsters?” one of the knights asked in frustration, taking his heavy helmet off.

“If that man fights, so will we.”

Greys bit his lip and looked ahead. Despite the Fanpinel family being a minor noble house now, they had a proud martial heritage. It was the pride in their swordsmanship that had kept them going up until this third dungeon. But Greys's pride was being shattered by a young boy not yet of age.

How... How can he fight like that?

Shraaak—! Shk!!

Karyl swung his sword with relentless precision, showing no sign of hesitation. His blade sliced through the tough hide of a gray orc, splitting the monster cleanly in two.

Where several knights struggled against a single orc, Karyl’s single strike decimated three, cutting them in half with a powerful spray of blood.

Crash!

As Karyl landed on the ground with his left foot first, he spun around and swung his blade diagonally once more. This time, he sliced the gray orcs around him without the slightest sound. Blood splattered on his clothes, but he ignored it.

Thppt!

Karyl spat out the filthy monster blood from his mouth and surveyed the dismembered bodies around him.

“There’s no end to this. We need to hurry if we want to stay on schedule. Beikan, Kinu, clean this up. I’ll go in alone.”

“Understood!”

“Yes, sir!”

While Beikan and Kinu responded nonchalantly, Viola and Greys were shocked by Karyl’s words. He planned to go further inside, alone, while orcs continued to pour out—it was suicide, or so it seemed.

But...

Ironically, after witnessing Karyl’s prowess firsthand, Greys thought he could actually pull it off. Karyl’s fighting style wasn’t flashy or brutally overwhelming, yet every monster that lunged at him fell from a single sword strike.

“...”

Greys had never imagined that a lifetime of training with the sword would look like this.

Crunch—

The emotions Greys felt while watching Karyl was probably what Randol had felt during the goblin subjugation. Just like a commoner, the head of a minor noble family would naturally yearn to become stronger.

Witnessing such power, Greys couldn’t help being curious.

“You guard the princess. From now on, I’ll fight alone.”

“What? But...”

“I’ll see it for myself.”

Greys, despite his duty to protect the princess, couldn’t suppress his desire to see more. He bolted into the depths of the dungeon, chasing after Kary.

***

“You’re late.”

How far had he run?

Karyl stood there, holding the severed head of a monster twice the size of any gray orc they had encountered. He had been waiting for Greys.

“What on earth...”

He was so shocked that he couldn’t find his voice. Dead monsters were scattered all over the place. The path he had come through was also littered with corpses. Unbelievable as it was, this scene proved Karyl had moved through the orcs faster than Greys had.

It was hard to accept. Though he had witnessed Karyl’s swordsmanship, this kind of speed seemed absurd.

“How did...”

Some of the corpses were charred as if burnt to ashes, and others were frozen solid and shattered. There were even some monsters cut clean in half, and others seemingly scorched by lightning.

This is completely different from before.

There had to have been multiple elements at play. One person couldn’t possibly do this by themselves. Greys couldn’t even fathom Karyl’s combat methods.

Thud—

“...!!”

Karyl tossed the head of the orc chief toward him.

Greys stared blankly as he held the head, its vacant eyes still open. The orc chief probably hadn’t even realized what had struck him.

He shifted his gaze to find the rest of the chief’s body, slumped against the throne amidst the scattered corpses. It hadn’t even had a chance to fight back.

“Take that and follow me.”

“...What?”

Wiping the monster blood off his face with the back of his hand, Karyl smiled lightly and walked past him.

“It’s a surprise gift.”