Chapter 150

Chapter 151. The Tip of the Iceberg (6)

“…Witch of the Sword. I’ve heard rumors about your speed, but you’re really fast. I can’t even see you with my eyes. What about you, Rajis?”

Dragon Spear Jordic pointed at the large screen installed in the guest room as he spoke.

Sword Dragon Rajis acted as if he hadn’t heard. His eyes were fixed on the battle between Keter and Henya on the screen.

Due to the limitations of magic, the screen couldn’t fully capture Henya’s movements. All that could be seen was Keter dodging beams of light.

But Rajis knew. He knew how much profound martial essence was hidden in those seemingly trivial movements and flashes.

‘There are more strong ones in this country besides Jordic.’

Rajis had always believed that no one in his age group was stronger than him.

But now, two people had appeared.

Keter and Henya.

The archery Keter displayed was at a transcendent level—

And Henya’s dual-sword technique, the Wheel Sword, gave off the pressure of facing four opponents alone.

‘The technique Henya is using to pressure Keter is definitely the Divine Speed Technique… I never thought it could be used so aggressively.’

Rajis also knew the Divine Speed Technique. But to him, it was merely a way to “move fast and far.”

Henya, however, had reinterpreted and elevated it into an aggressive method.

‘A single mistake could lead to self-destruction. To wield it so freely, she’s truly remarkable.’

Rajis bit his lower lip. He was filled with regret.

“If only I could see it with my own eyes…….”

It wasn’t just Henya who was impressive.

Keter, who was facing such speed head-on, was even more remarkable. Keter couldn’t keep up with Henya’s speed. That much was clear.

But for some reason, Keter was still standing. Even though it seemed like he was helplessly being struck dozens of times in seconds, even though he was covered in blood—it wasn’t Keter who looked impatient, but Henya.

“To have such composure and focus in a life-or-death battle, watched by tens of thousands…”

He wasn’t flustered by the unfamiliar technique, adapting and responding with minimal damage.

Rajis found Keter’s talent even more threatening than his monstrous archery.

“What kind of place is Sephira, anyway?”

“A place that pisses me off.”

Rajis turned his head at Jordic’s grumbling.

“Have you been there?”

“Finally looking this way, huh? I didn’t go because I wanted to…….”

Jordic’s brow furrowed. In his memory, Sephira was an incomprehensible family.

A place that sheltered the Birang Tribe, one of the Seven Evil Tribes. A place where a seemingly ordinary young knight suddenly awakened and started using supernatural abilities, and above all, a place where Keter, a monster with no discernible limits, resided.

“It’s clearly a place where people live, but it feels like uncharted territory.”

“Haha! That’s the kind of talk that stirs up my childhood sense of adventure.”

The atmosphere was light. They were casually discussing who would win between Keter and Henya.

But the moment Rajis showed interest in Sephira, Jordic spoke firmly.

“Don’t get too friendly. Our Baydant will soon take Sephira’s place as the prestigious family.”

“Even if that happens, Sephira won’t disappear. Being a prestigious family is just a title, after all.”

“You know the world isn’t that gentle.”

“What kind of blasphemy is that? Are you planning to wipe out the Sephira family itself? That’s not something I’d allow, nor would the kingdom.”

The Lilian Kingdom doesn’t interfere in disputes between families, but it doesn’t allow wars between them. The soldiers and knights of the families are the kingdom’s strength.

But in other words, as long as the kingdom’s strength isn’t damaged, anything else is fair game.

Jordic suddenly chugged a bottle of strong whiskey and said,

“Ugh—! That’s only when there’s no justification.”

“What justification is there for Sephira to be destroyed? If anything, Sephira is known for its integrity and purity.”

“Rajis. Your naivety is your downfall.”

Jordic, who had emptied the whiskey, slumped onto the sofa. With half-lidded eyes, he muttered,

“If everyone says it’s true, even lies become truth.”

At those words, Rajis grabbed Jordic’s shoulders tightly and growled,

“What grudge do you have against Sephira to go this far! Competing for ambition is natural, but don’t think achievements and massacres built on lies will be accepted! I won’t stand by and watch, even if I have to kill you!”

“Huh, you think you’re any different? Mr. Noble Knight?”

“What?”

“I’ve been annoyed too. Why should I be the only one to know this secret? If you can handle it, I’ll tell you.”

Jordic gestured for Rajis to come closer.

Rajis’ instincts told him not to, but he decided not to back down from injustice. That was the reason he lived and the pride of being a knight.

As Rajis leaned in, Jordic whispered something in his ear.

Rajis’ face changed in real-time. His eyes widened, and his mouth hung open. Blood dripped from his clenched fist.

“That’s a lie!”

Thud!

Rajis punched Jordic in the face, grabbed his sword, and stormed out of the room.

Jordic, who had fallen back onto the sofa, looked at the ceiling and muttered,

“…I hate this too. Forcing Keter down like this.”

Jordic closed his eyes.

To escape the guilt of burdening his friend with an unbearable secret, and to ignore the reality that despite being revered as one of the Seven Dragons, he was just a man swept along by the world’s currents.

* * *

Keter, fighting Henya, was disappointed.

“Is that your top speed?”

Henya couldn’t answer. She was doing her best to defeat Keter, but it was impossible.

Now, her sword couldn’t even graze Keter’s collar. Her speed and movements had been completely read.

After effortlessly dodging a few attacks, Keter strung his bow and said,

“Now it’s my turn.”

Keter shot an arrow into empty space. It seemed like a random shot, but it was exactly where Henya had to pass.

Henya was surprised that Keter had predicted her path, but she didn’t think a single arrow could do anything to her.

Until Keter’s arrow split.

“……!”

Keter’s split arrow spread out like a net.

Split Arrow—Scatter Shot.

Keter laughed as he fired the second split arrow.

“If there are arrows that spread left and right, why not ones that spread wide?”

The audience was dumbfounded.

If he had such a technique, why hadn’t he used it earlier?

Because it’s more fun this way.

Because he saw potential in Henya’s Lightning Step.

Because Keter prefers to wait for the fruit to ripen rather than trampling the sprout.

But the Lightning Step was still far from bearing fruit. Giving up on his expectations, Keter used the Scatter Shot to cut off Henya’s momentum.

Whoosh!!

Each split arrow had the power to tear through steel plates, but to Henya, moving at high speed, it was like being hit by a carriage.

It was a miracle she didn’t roll on the ground, instead leaving a long trail as she landed.

Despite the pain of her thigh muscles tearing, she pushed off the ground to continue evading. Keter’s bow was loaded with an immense aura arrow, Milky Way.

It was too late to dodge. But she couldn’t just stand there and take it, so she tried to evade in a hurry.

Ting!

The moment Keter confidently fired Milky Way, someone suddenly appeared behind him and charged at him.

Red Wolf Pasian.

He had been waiting for Keter to show an opening, and he judged now was the time.

The moment after firing an arrow, when an archer is most vulnerable. He aimed for that exact gap.

‘Die!’ There was no battle cry.

Quiet and fast.

That’s the mercenary’s way.

“……?!”

Pasian’s eyes widened.

Something strange caught his eye.

Around Keter, three diamond-shaped orbs floated. They had appeared in the blink of an eye.

Milky Way hit one of the orbs.

Then something incredible happened.

Milky Way bent at a 90-degree angle. Without slowing down.

That wasn’t all. There were still two orbs left.

After hitting the first orb and bouncing, Milky Way headed for the second orb, bending at a 45-degree angle this time. After hitting the third orb and bouncing, Milky Way changed direction again—heading straight for Pasian.

‘This is impossible!’

An archery technique that uses orbs to bounce arrows and attack enemies from behind was something even Pasian, who had traveled the entire continent, had never heard of.

And there was no deceleration. The power remained the same. If he took that hit head-on, his bones would be turned to dust.

Pasian hurriedly shouted,

“Become a sword that shatters arrows in one strike!”

At his chant-like cry, Milky Way and Pasian’s sword clashed.

Boom!!

A massive explosion occurred. Thick dust and aura fragments spread like waves, scattering in all directions.

The audience was stunned. Keter’s Milky Way wasn’t just destructive—it was majestic.

Thanks to Pasian’s sudden intervention, Henya caught her breath and adjusted her dual swords.

‘That was close. Even I wouldn’t have been able to block that.’

Even with her aura armor at full power, it would have shattered. Pasian must have suffered severe injuries.

Whoosh!

A barrage of sword auras shot through the dust, raining down on Keter. Then Pasian emerged from the dust.

His armor was tattered, but judging by the aura in his sword and his movements, he hadn’t suffered major injuries. At most, minor ones.

Henya’s eyes widened. She couldn’t believe it.

‘How?’

Henya knew Pasian was a 5-Star Master. But Keter’s Milky Way had power that even a Master couldn’t block head-on without consequences.

Keter revealed the secret.

“Martial Spirit! That’s interesting too!”

When Keter recognized his secret technique, Pasian frowned.

Others might have tried to engage in conversation, but Pasian, a mercenary, not a knight, silently launched a fierce assault on Keter.

Keter also fired arrows in response, but a strange scene unfolded.

Crack!

Keter’s arrows shattered easily upon contact with Pasian’s sword, as if Keter had fired them weakly on purpose.

“As expected of Martial Spirit. Even in its weakened form, its performance is solid.”

Despite his arrows being easily countered, Keter was not just calm—he was enjoying himself.

“Now this is getting fun. Henya! You come too! Haha!”

He even urged Henya to join the fight.

Both Pasian and Henya frowned. Who would have thought that Masters like them would have to team up against one person?

But Pasian had already joined the fight with that intention, so he spoke without hesitation.

“I’ll keep his attention. You look for an opening, Princess.”

As if aiming to end it quickly, Pasian unleashed a barrage of sword auras.

Responding to his words, Henya’s figure disappeared. She used Lightning Step again.

But her target wasn’t Keter.

“Gasp!”

Pasian, who had been focused solely on Keter, suddenly felt a chilling killing intent and hastily twisted his body.

Slash!

His side was deeply cut. If he hadn’t dodged, his body might have been split in two.

Pasian calmly poured an Elixir on the wound and shouted at Henya, who had attacked him.

“What are you doing?!”

“You’re the one who’s out of line!”

Henya glared at Pasian with cold eyes.

“Who do you think you are, attacking my prey, Keter? And then suggesting we team up? You worm!”

Enraged, Henya charged at Pasian like lightning.

Pasian, who had easily blocked Keter’s arrows, couldn’t even pretend to block Henya’s sword, barely dodging.

“Who do you think you’re fighting in front of?!”

Milky Way—Scatter Shot.

The terrifying Milky Way split like a scatter shot, raining down on both Pasian and Henya.

Pasian blocked the attack once with his aura armor, then retreated and shouted,

“All units, attack! Target both Keter and Henya!”

At Pasian’s signal, the knights who had been waiting for his command pulled out orange potions from their pockets and drank them.

Rage Potion.

A potion that temporarily boosts physical abilities by at least five times and doubles aura. With the side effect of forgetting fear, 20 knights joined the fight.

“Now it’s starting to get fun! Haha!”

Arrow Wings sprouted from Keter’s back. To him, there were no allies. Everyone was a target.

Pasian and 20 drug-enhanced knights.

Witch of the Sword Henya.

The three-way battle began to turn the deserted island into a wasteland.