Chapter 28: Coincidences Aren't Just Coincidences

Despite the ferocious waves of the Fonein River threatening to swallow them whole, Suan navigated through them with incredible agility.

"Gasp!"

As if he had been waiting for the right moment, he hurled a thick rope with a hook attached to the end. The hook caught onto a rock visible between the waves, and he quickly tied the rope to the stern of the boat.

As the boat spun in a large circle, the bottom of the boat creaked ominously, as if it might break apart at any moment. The muscles in his arm bulged, as if they were on the verge of bursting from the strain.

What incredible strength he has,

Karyl thought.

Relying solely on his raw physical power, without any magical aid, he lifted the boat against Fonein's current.

Hmm?

Karyl's eyes narrowed slightly.

That symbol...

He had noticed a tattoo on Suan's wrist, which seemed to have been seared in by fire.

"What's that?"

"It's nothing much. Have you heard of the Red-eyed Tribe? It's a tribe living deep in the swamps to the north; this tattoo is from there."

"Is that so?" Karyl looked at Suan, who had answered nonchalantly, wearing a subtly intrigued smile.

"Ugh... Stop talking to me now!" Suan yelled as he pulled the rope with all his might.

"Huff, huff, huff..." He gasped for breath, a routine he had repeated dozens of times.

As soon as the bow of the boat entered a gap between the rocks, he cut off the rope, as if he had been waiting for that precise moment.

The tension in the rope dissipated, and it slithered into the water like a snake, allowing Suan to navigate the boat precisely between the rocks and out of the Fonein's grip.

"Impressive, no matter how many times I see it," Karyl remarked quietly as he watched Suan steer.

"Watch out!!!" Suddenly, Suan shouted in alarm.

The boat rocked violently from side to side, sending sprays of water shooting up around them.

With the roar of a wild beast, a monster resembling a snake leaped out of the water, coiling and uncoiling in the air before plunging back down.

"Damn it!!" Suan rowed with all his might in the opposite direction.

The oar couldn't withstand the force and snapped, sending Suan tumbling onto the deck.

"The Sea King? Damn it, what bad luck!! Of all times...!!" He cursed as he watched the monster dive back into the depths.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Unlike the panicked Suan, Karyl calmly drew his dagger. "Don't make a fuss. The Sea King is much larger than that. Besides, it usually resides further up the river and rarely comes down here, unless it's winter."

"...Eh?"

"That's just a River Serpent. Just one of The Sea King's many offspring." Karyl spoke, as the sharp sound of the dagger reverberated through the air.

The serpent, attempting to coil around the boat, met Karyl's glittering gaze.

"Now."

Karyl's blade gleamed brightly. The dagger struck precisely in the serpent's temple. With a motion akin to peeling its skin, Karyl forcefully slid the dagger up through the serpent's head.

The creature's head split in two, unable to even scream properly before its body convulsed violently. The still-twitching tail floated to the surface, severed by Karyl's blade. The water around them turned crimson with blood, attracting other monsters to the carcass.

"Let's go." Karyl spoke nonchalantly, leaving Suan staring at him in utter disbelief.

***

"We've arrived," Suan said, still dazed from the shocking display of power by Karyl.

What kind of person is he? To take down that massive monster in a single strike...

The monster was called the

River Serpent,

and it lived in the depths of the river. It might have been smaller than other serpents but it was unmatched in ferocity.

Isn't this something only a knight can do?

Suan had countless questions swirling in his mind, but he chose to remain silent. He knew all too well that unnecessary curiosity could hasten one's death.

"Indeed. The more I think about it, the only person who could safely navigate this river is you."

"What?"

"What you said to Olivurn. Was it a lie?" Karyl slowly lifted his head.

They had arrived at an artificial island akin to a fortress, surrounded by high walls. It was arguably the safest place on the continent. But the problem was that the people living inside were far from safe.

A group of men approached them, having spotted them from afar.

"What do you mean by that?"

"About charging five gold to the tribal slaves for crossing the Fonein," said Karyl.

"Slaves wouldn't have that kind of money. Yet, every year, the population of barbaric tribes in Tatur grows. Eventually, rumors spread, and ninety percent of the people living in the city were now barbarians."

Ironically, Tatur was called the last sanctuary by the barbaric tribes. From those fleeing the Decree of Heretic Hunters to those who remained even after its repeal, it became a gatheringplace for all of them.

They gathered here naturally, anyway. I'm merely hastening that process.

Karyl thought, his gaze fixed at Suan Hazer.

And you were at the center of it all.

"I don't understand what you're saying," Suan replied, averting his gaze.

"Even if they couldn’t pay, you wouldn't just hand them over to the Gold Lion as slaves. So, there's only one possibility."

"You were paying the tribute to the Lion on their behalf," Karyl said, as he walked towards the approaching group of men.

"All that does is fill the Gold Lion's coffers. Don't bother with that anymore. Instead, gather the people in Tatur under your own banner."

Suddenly, Karyl leaped into the air. The bow of the boat he had been standing on, shattered from the impact.

Suan’s eyes darted around, trying to follow Karyl’s lighting-fast movements.

The clanging sound of weapons echoed. Finally, Suan spotted Karyl.

"Who... who are you?!"

Karyl's dagger gleamed sharply, aimed at a soldier's throat. It had all happened in an instant.

One man was crushed under Karyl's foot, while another lay motionless on the ground.

"Take me to the Gold Lion."

The man under Karyl's foot struggled to speak, choking on his words. "You fuc... Kill him...”

Without hesitation, Karyl swiftly sliced the man's throat with his dagger.

Hot blood dripped onto the head of the man lying beneath him.

"Eeek?!"

As hot blood ran down his forehead, the soldier panicked, yet Karyl's pressure only intensified.

"Please... save me..."

***

"Ah... Ahhhhhh!!! Save me...! Aaaaaahhh!!!" Another man’s desperate plea pierced through the heavy air, accompanied by a bizarre scream.

Turning around, Karyl saw a man, battered and bruised, limping towards him. With each movement, the man stumbled in the sand, falling and getting up again, almost crawling towards them. It was a pitiful sight.

Why is he here?

As everyone watched in bewilderment, Karyl alone looked at the man with an unreadable expression.

I see.

Karyl recalled Olivurn's parting words to Suan Hazer. The promise of meeting again.

Clever, Olivurn.