SWNOVELXO Chapter 125
– 1 –
Stepping out from Zarkra’s camp was one of the individuals I had been eyeing moments before.
One of the beings possessing immense power.
“Nice to meet you. Are you my opponent?”
“Yes, Lady Libertus. My name is Hira Jull. I am a warrior favored by Lady Zarkra.”
Walking out, beyond several ogres in the camp, was a troll with long red hair.
That green bulk rivaled the ogres, with tusks dramatically protruding from its jaws and an overflowing aura of magical energy surrounding it.
At first glance, it seemed akin to a post-apocalyptic gang of destruction and plunder, yet what graced its lips was politeness and a smile.
“To think I can clash with a Dungeon Lord. It shall be a lifelong honor!”
“It appears you enjoy fighting strong opponents. A commendable attitude.”
“Thank you for the compliment!”
Despite its appearance, it carried a gentle demeanor, making it quite likable at first glance.
It bore a redness similar to Xue’s, but the substance wasn’t blood…
“You manage fire, I see.”
“Fire is my primary element. Once the battle begins, I might not be able to contain my excitement, so be careful.”
“Thanks for your consideration.”
A troll wielding the power of flames.
Given its admission of potential loss of control, it likely belonged to the berserker type, channeling rage and madness into strength, much like Xue.
If I was to share this much, it would be courteous for me to reveal something as well.
Nobility would agree.
“I am, as you can see, a necromancer.”
“More like… I believe my lady looks like she should be among the noble houses.”
“Are you saying I look weak?”
“No! I’m saying you look noble!”
“True. Thank you.”
That gentle demeanor didn’t appear to be a facade; it was impressive how easily it blushed at simple jests.
After becoming quite flustered, I decided to throw one final question toward the true troll.
“Just to ask…”
“Hmm?”
“You’re not the one most cherished by Zarkra, are you?”
There was a reason I asked such a question.
Before Hira Jull stepped forward, I had seen the encouraging glance Zarkra cast at him.
With a gaze like honey dripping, inspecting various parts of his body, the Dungeon Lord’s eyes locked onto him.
Thinking about it, the Dungeon Lord and this warrior were both trolls in appearance.
“Haha! Our Lord cherishes all monsters equally! If it seems like I’m favored, it’s simply because I was the first summon!”
“Is that so… that’s how it is.”
I smiled.
According to his words, it seemed Zarkra might have a similar hobby to mine.
Cherishing the first summon a bit more, something like that.
If not, perhaps there was a special relationship worth concealing, for fear of it being a weakness.
This thought left me feeling quite regretful.
If we had met under different circumstances, we might have become friends.
“Be cautious, Hira Jull.”
“Pardon?”
“You’ll need to steel your heart. Unless you wish to see your Dungeon Lord commit suicide without fighting.”
“What do you mean…? Ah, are you provoking me?”
“From now on… it begins!”
As Hira Jull appeared confused by hearing my “true feelings,” the duel began as decreed by the judge.
“You’ll understand once you experience it.”
Whoosh.
I bloomed the “darkness.”
– 2 –
The duel commenced from Libertus.
A small black sphere sprang from her fingertips, quickly opening to burst forth into a profusion of little flowers.
“‘Black Mist Flower.’”
Whoosh.
Along with the incantation, the area plunged into darkness.
“What is this…?”
The darkness is the ideal element to stimulate the fear of the unknown within living beings.
In an instant inundated by terror, Hira Jull shocked at the loss of orientation, but he wasn’t the kind to be caught off guard by such trickery.
“‘Ouh Fyra’maer!’”
Fwoosh -!
A surge of light and heat boiled up from his body as he recited the chant in the troll’s traditional tongue.
The orange glow enveloping his dark green body flared brilliantly, pushing momentarily against the surrounding shadows, rendering him a mere silhouette.
It seemed as though fire was waging war against darkness itself.
‘It’s not about burning matter… but it retreats.’
Hira Jull remained calm, assessing the situation.
He noticed the darkness recoiling each time the flames made contact.
The shadows would surge back as the flames passed, yet they appeared to reject any contact with the fire.
‘Then!’
His course of action became clear.
“‘Hyro’tor Nax!’”
Fwoosh!
The flames on his body ignited even more fiercely and erupted outwards in dozens of fireballs.
Small yet exceptionally bright and large fireballs.
Accelerating the consumption of the main fuel of combustion, targeting those hiding was the objective, even if they didn’t hit directly.
Swoosh.
In his sight, shapes reminiscent of clothing flickered.
“That’s it!”
Boom!
The troll instantly dashed forward.
But what he seized was merely the edge of the darkness, not a part of Libertus.
“Damn! The Lady is overly cautious in protecting herself! Show yourself!”
– I’m glad you noticed. My children had no idea I was so concerned for my safety.
“That sounds regrettable! How about we have a chat if you come out and talk!”
– How gentlemanly. That was an amusing provocation.
I tried to draw out the opponent’s voice, yet Libertus’ voice merely resonated cryptically from all directions without giving any clues to her whereabouts.
And right after.
Rustle!
Dozens of arrows shot forth from the dark.
They were arrows made of white bones, one of the basic attack means of necromancy.
“‘Maer!’”
The flames enveloping his form flared even more intensely, countering and incinerating the arrows.
Yet.
Whoosh!
One managed to pierce through the flames, leaving a wound on his neck.
As he touched the blood trickling from his neck, he realized something.
What was needed on the battlefield wasn’t intellect.
Just unending rage.
“Don’t blame me if my hands are hot!”
– If you’re going to do something, show me.
“‘Ra’gash Bord!’”
Boom -!
As soon as he recited the incantation, a haze rose dramatically from the troll’s form, its eyes turned red, and its size expanded.
The appearance of “berserk transformation” was immediate.
‘That look stirs up memories.’
It reminded Libertus of an RTS/RPG game he played as a child back on Earth, and a smile drifted onto his lips, lost in thought.
The appearance was strikingly similar, even the two-handed axe spear posture.
‘Those were good times.’
Happy memories spent with a young uncle he had severed ties with just before arriving here, and with a father who hadn’t yet revealed his true nature…
Yet tainted by the misfortunes that followed.
Hira Jull was different since he employed magic, if not sorcery.
– Grroar…!!
“I’ll burn… you… to death!”
The troll erupted, losing its manners and simply roaring out.
As its size increased, the flames burned even brighter and more intensely, further amplifying its bulk.
“The boiling mana – responds to rage and madness and increases ‘mana.’”
“The burning rage – the more mana increases, the more physical stats rise proportionally, and the degree of berserk transformation intensifies.”
Libertus couldn’t see precisely what he possessed through her eyes, but the traits became evident from the mere outward appearance.
Libertus encircled the darkness with flames to block it, yet his flames had already grown to expel the surrounding shadows.
Hira Jull could easily pick up on that range where the flames could not spread.
“There you are -!!!”
Thud!!
“What a splendid rage. Quite impressive.”
With flames engulfing him, the troll charged without holding back.
Libertus’ face broke into a deeper smile as she faced him.
She was unfazed by her shield dissolving in flames or any of the bone arrows and spears evaporating.
– GRAAHHH -!!
Woosh!
In rage, the troll warrior pounced and raised both hands.
Instantly, the dual axe spears he wielded etched two bright red crescents in the air.
Woosh!
“DIE -!!!”
His trusted bombardment had previously torn apart enemies.
Boom!!!
However, that bombardment was easily blocked by a translucent black shield formed by Libertus’ staff.
Beyond the barrier, everything became a sea of flames, and the unresolved shock surged upwards, causing the flames to blaze wildly.
Yet.
Fwoosh!
In the area where she stood, not even a spark from the flames could be seen.
It appeared as though light and heat dared not invade her, as if they instinctively steered clear.
Amidst this, the woman spoke.
“Is this all you’ve got?”
– Grrroarr…!
Her gaze remained gentle, yet the look of pity in her eyes and her smile only fueled the troll’s fury.
More than any direct contempt or disgust.
– GRAAHHH -!!
Boom!!
Boom!!!
One of his hands rose to the sky and then descended, shortly succeeding the other.
Boom! Boomboomboom -!!
A barrage of furious strikes.
As if intending to set ablaze the very ground itself and overturn everything in this place with fierce flames and carnage.
“Indeed. A magnificent attack, no doubt.”
The Black Lady remained standing still in that place.
At a glance, it seemed she had sunk slightly into the ground, yet upon closer inspection, her position had not shifted.
Only the surrounding earth had been ruffled by the impact.
『Trait – …, Advanced Specialization: Swordsmanship, …』
The graceful movements, subtly influenced by the gestures Evangeline had consistently taught her, were refined yet exceedingly elegant.
“Now…”
Thump –
“Behold this.”
With movements that seemed out of place for a battlefield, as her boots gently touched the ground.
Crack -!!
From that ground, darkness seeped forth once again.
Unlike the earlier smoke, it was a much thicker darkness.
“This is my darkness.”
Swish!!
Thus, the darkness grew.
“Not yet…!! Grab it, devour…!”
Woosh -!!
And the flames flared up even more intensely, yet…
It was already too late.
– 3 –
Whoosh.
On the dueling grounds, the darkness summoned by Libertus descended.
Visually obstructing to the outside world, rendering individuals unable to see within.
“What is this?”
“I can’t see inside?”
“What is she trying to—”
Amidst the anxious spectators from Hira Jull’s camp, one woman stood out with a particularly anxious expression.
Dungeon Lord Zarkra. It was her.
‘I must secure a proper victory…!’
To win against an enemy Dungeon Lord and, if fortunate enough, ‘devour’ them in battle.
The one who needed to be sent in was obviously the individual who held the greatest power within the Dungeon Lord’s camp, someone strongly bonded to the Dungeon Lord.
Thus, Zarkra sent Hira Jull.
A warrior who had been with her from the beginning, one she worked hard to nurture.
An existence that practically shaped her current self and one she had ‘special’ affection for.
‘I must win. I must…!’
In that moment.
Fwoosh -!!
Swish!
“Did it work…?”
A powerful blaze erupted, dissipating a portion of the black veil, and Zarkra smiled at the sight.
She believed it to be evidence that her warrior was pressuring the Dungeon Lord.
Her expression radiated with hope.
Whoosh!
“AAAHH!!”
“Um…?”
Finally realizing the sight of Hira Jull revealed when the darkness cleared, she simultaneously grasped that the ‘contract’ had been severed.