Chapter 39

Bang!

A tidal wave of lightning surged through the forest area.

Trees that were soaring high into the sky fell like matchsticks, and the thick underbrush was pulverized, scattering into dust.

Just one attack. After Hector wrapped himself in lightning and struck the ground, the surrounding landscape was turned to rubble.

It became apparent why he was known as the ‘King of Destruction’ and why his notoriety lingered even after founding Tartar.

And Sivar had no choice but to bear that overwhelming power. He took the blow at point-blank range.

Crack!

“…!!”

Sivar’s mouth dropped open as he fell backward. The pain was excruciating as lightning scorched him inside and out.

In terms of sheer might, Hector’s lightning was far stronger than the one Porori fired. He almost lost consciousness.

It was only natural that Hector was closer to Gulrak’s blessing than Porori.

Zap!

As he hurriedly tried to regenerate, a crackle of lightning brushed past his ear.

Even while flying through the air, Sivar forced himself to look up at the source of the presence he sensed.

Hector, who had come out of nowhere, was standing right beside him. And I remind you, Sivar was still airborne.

With what seemed like just retrieved Ragnarok in hand, he brought it down from above.

Thud!

The sound of striking firewood echoed as Sivar’s new form crashed into the ground.

Hector aimed for the chest, not the neck. But the chest is the area closest to the heart.

In other words, it meant the heart was all but ready to be scorched by lightning. No matter how strong a person is, if the heart is hit…

Crack!

They die.

“Ugh…!”

Sivar’s eyes widened in horror as a split second of attack unfolded. He could feel his heart cooking from the lightning.

He wanted to struggle, but the electric shock left him unable to move.

The jolt was much stronger than Porori’s lightning. He felt his consciousness drifting as he reached out.

Crack!

His outstretched hand found Hector’s arm. He tried desperately to push him away.

The axe lodged in his chest still sent currents of pain through him, but standing still was just plain stupid.

Hector did not let the opportunity slip by, pressing the blunt end of the axe down with his palm.

‘Was that my mistake?’

Hector thought to himself as he focused on Ragnarok. Maybe he had misjudged the situation.

Surely, he should be on the brink of death, yet Sivar showed no signs of going berserk.

He was simply someone clawing to survive.

Not just a beast, but a human too.

‘Then just knocking him out…’

Chills ran down his spine!

Just as he was about to decide on mere unconsciousness, a sense of dread washed over him for reasons he couldn’t explain.

It wasn’t just a sense of crisis; it was chilling. At the same moment, the axe he’d been pushing down with force began to rise.

Despite using all his strength, Ragnarok slipped up far too easily. Hector was momentarily taken aback as he glanced at Sivar’s face.

“Grrr…!”

Those eyes, once red, glared menacingly, burning brighter. Hector couldn’t help but be startled by this sight.

This was undoubtedly a sign of going berserk. A trait shown only by monsters or beasts with red eyes.

It took a while, but that gut feeling he had was spot on.

Snap!

“Ugh…!”

Once Hector witnessed Sivar going berserk, he gathered not only strength but also lightning to its maximum extent.

Yet, Sivar neither budged nor seemed to feel any pain as he forcefully pushed the axe away. As if he felt nothing at all.

At this rate, he would definitely be overpowered. Hector quickly assessed the situation and backed away from the axe. Even without it, the lightning remained.

-Grrrr!

The moment he stepped back, Sivar let out a feral roar. Hector felt a shiver race down his spine.

It was like facing a giant beast as a child. The feeling of become utterly weak before a true predator.

Hector was momentarily stunned by that sensation, but as Sivar came charging in, he had to defend himself.

To block his approach, he released lightning from his hands with all his might.

After all, it was lightning with ‘physical force,’ so he thought he could at least fend it off a little.

“Grrr!”

“What…!”

But that was a miscalculation. Sivar, unfazed by the lightning, charged headlong into it.

Hector was pushed back rather than being struck down. Like a beast that felt no pain, he rushed in him madly.

Then he made quick work of clawing with hands infused with a faint red magic.

Slash!

His speed was several times faster than before he went berserk. Unable to evade properly, Hector was wounded again.

However, unlike before, Sivar hadn’t created an opportunity. He had simply attacked with reckless abandon and landed a hit.

It meant he couldn’t see Sivar’s attacks coming. If he tried to dodge, like now, he’d only receive effective hits.

Bang!

Before Hector could even react, Sivar hoisted his arms high and brought them down hard.

Hector barely managed to dodge, but the ground suffered the brunt of the attack. Yet, that single blow shook the earth as if an earthquake had struck.

‘I can’t even knock him out…!’

Each attack was powerful and incredibly swift. Even if he wanted to respond, it was nearly impossible to find the chance.

If anything, the size of his movements now that his ‘reason’ had vanished. Hector decided to use that against him.

Crack!

Fortunately, his judgment hit the mark just right. After barely dodging Sivar’s assault, Hector buried the axe into Sivar’s abdomen.

Thud!

“Gah!”

Yet he realized immediately that this was a huge miscalculation. Sivar’s hand had sunk deep into Hector’s arm, and it didn’t stop there.

Because of Sivar’s size, it was right beneath the shoulder, but that was only the beginning.

Snap!

Sivar yanked back the hand lodged in his arm as if tearing it off. Hector’s flesh and muscle ripped apart, hanging uselessly.

A massive wound that exposed bone just shy of breaking through. The torn flesh dangled from Sivar’s magic claws.

Crackle!

Hector quickly forgot about the brain-piercing pain and pushed himself to the max.

As if everything outside and inside him was frying in lightning, he mustered every ounce of power.

Thud!

That, too, was utterly useless. Sivar wasn’t bothered by the shock at all and clawed at him.

His claws aimed straight for Hector’s face. Sensing the danger, Hector pulled back his head, but he was a moment too late.

Sivar’s magic claws brushed against his face, tearing chunks from his cheek.

Even the edge of his lip was shredded and drooping down.

-Grrr!

Grrr!

With a brutal roar, Sivar lunged at Hector like a beast. Hector fell backward as if forced down by the impact of his face being struck.

The difference in physique was fruitless. Sivar’s body slam easily toppled Hector’s bulk.

And Sivar moved into a mounted position, with the axe lodged in his gut.

Thud!

As he was about to attack, Hector barely managed to grab his arms. The other punch came just as quickly.

Both of Sivar’s arms were trapped, but Hector had no choice but to strain everything he had.

‘What’s this power…!’

It was tough just to hold on. Despite pushing all his magic and lightning to the max, it was hard to shake him off.

He couldn’t even think about a technique to escape the mount. One moment of distraction, and he’d part ways with the world.

While the two wrestled for strength, Sivar took the initiative.

Bang!

Sivar, unable to make progress, headbutted Hector instead. How hard did he slam for that sound to ring out?

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

It didn’t end with just one. Sivar pounded Hector’s face again and again with headbutts.

Headbutts could be quite effective, but it’s also a technique that places a huge burden on the user. Therefore, it’s rarely used unless absolutely needed.

However, Sivar seemed unbothered by his own condition, with only one goal in mind: to kill Hector.

Bang! Crack! Thud!

And the effect was tremendous. Hector’s face, which had been holding on, began to slowly cave in.

First, the nasal bone compressed, then it shattered, and soon the bones of his face cracked.

Hector raised the lightning to its maximum to block the onslaught, but Sivar remained unaffected.

Crackle!

While he felt pain, he simply headbutted again. Hector began to feel his consciousness fading.

If he lost consciousness here, it would inevitably lead to his death. If that happened, no one would stop Sivar.

‘Damn it… If I had known this would happen…’

Every single one had been a mistake of his. He never anticipated Sivar to be this strong in a berserk state.

He would have been better off trusting him and just observing the situation. His rash nature had brought about this disaster.

Numerous near-death experiences had filled his life. But at least at those times, he didn’t regret anything.

Conversely, he regretted it now. The image of his daughter, Kara, came to mind.

‘Is this it…?’

As his consciousness slowly faded, the strength holding onto Sivar’s arms faded as well, naturally freeing them.

-Grrrrr!

Sivar let out a roar as he seized Hector’s face with both hands.

He immediately began applying pressure, intent on squashing his face altogether.

If this continued, the king of Tartar would meet his demise at the hands of a savage…

Bang!

Suddenly, something came charging in and collided with Sivar’s body. The force propelled Sivar away like a slingshot.

Hector was saved, but he was essentially useless in battle at this point.

After enduring ceaseless headbutts, his face was a mess, leaving him incapable of coherent thought.

“Hey there! Why poke a sleeping bear? Even a passing dog will bite if you poke it too much.”

“Ugh…!”

Just then, Hector heard a jarring voice in his ear. Something was put into his mouth at the same time.

Hector instinctually chewed on something herbaceous. The pungent flavor spread in his mouth, and gradually the pain began to fade.

With a soothing effect, it seemed like some kind of herb. It revitalized his energy.

“Those human words… you call it drugs? Anyway, that’s what it must be. The lady said it was one of the ingredients, so make sure to savor it well.”

“…”

So it was an herb with drug-like effects. Hector could understand that.

To achieve such rapid effects, it had to be of that sort. His mind began to clear little by little.

Finally managing to open his eyes that had been shut, Hector turned his head toward the sound of the voice.

“…?”

What’s this? Is what he’s seeing before him reality?

Hector was taken aback to see a squirrel standing confidently right in front of him. Of all things, a squirrel.

Could it be he was killed by Sivar and this squirrel had come for him? The idea of a squirrel coming to someone at death was a new one for him.

Smack!

“Get your act together and stand up, musclehead! If you caused the trouble, you need to clean it up.”

“…what the?”

Hector, reeling from getting slapped by the squirrel, murmured with a dumbfounded expression. He had no idea what was going on.

“Grrr…”

But soon he heard the sounds of a beast and realized now wasn’t the time to be picky.

Suppressing the pain that pierced through him, he pushed his upper body up. Sivar, who had just almost killed him, was on high alert.

He was slinking about like a beast, hands pressed to the ground, as if preparing to pounce at any moment.

“Seems like you’re quite strong by human standards? But not as much as that old human.”

“…”

Hector turned to the side, raising himself up as he glanced over. A squirrel the size of a large dog stood there with its arms crossed, standing upright.

A squirrel that was the size of a large dog was odd on its own, and it spoke fluently too. He couldn’t tell whether he was dreaming or awake.

The only thing he could tentatively surmise was one thing.

“…Are you a spirit creature?”

It was hard to articulate with his lip torn. Thankfully, his corn remained intact, at least.

The squirrel, Porori, shrugged and responded in its distinctive nimble voice to that question, “That’s how it is. Humans call me Ratatosk, so remember that. That guy over there calls me Porori, though.”

Porori pointed at Sivar, who was still on high alert. Hector turned his gaze in the direction Porori indicated.

Sivar was still prowling, hands and legs on the ground, appearing ready to pounce.

‘…Is he being wary?’

When they fought, he was too preoccupied with charging headlong. He had been struck by lightning and pierced with an axe in that process.

But since the squirrel showed up, Sivar was on high alert. Whether it was just the squirrel or the increase in numbers, he couldn’t tell.

Hector thought it was the latter and opened his hands. Instantly, the axe lodged in Sivar’s abdomen was pulled free.

Despite the axe being pulled from his abdomen, Sivar didn’t flinch.

“That being will keep going until his regeneration is complete. Unless you can knock him out in one go, you’ll have to bring him to the brink of death.”

“…So you’ve fought him a few times, huh?”

“I’ve fought him plenty of times. He’s a truly bothersome one.”

Porori shook his head as if he wished he didn’t have to imagine that. However, that terrifying vision had now become reality.

Fortunately, Hector had managed to land a few significant hits. It nearly cost him his life, but that was neither here nor there.

Buzz!

“Keep in mind. Knock him out in one shot or wait until his regeneration is done. Otherwise, there’s no answer.”

“…Got it.”

As lightning flickered around Porori, Hector answered, albeit confused. What on earth was this spirit creature?

It was astonishing enough that there was a spirit at the academy; it seemed Porori knew Sivar well enough. He had no idea what was going on.

But he had no time to ponder those thoughts. Sivar, who had been on alert, initiated an attack.

-Grrrr!

Bang!

Once again, Sivar slammed his arms down into the ground. His arms were brimming with red magic.

Soon, spider-web-like cracks spread in all directions, reaching the location where Hector and Porori stood.

The two beings—no, the two creatures—immediately reacted upon seeing the fractures. They both retreated.

Bang!

Not long after, a massive surge of red energy erupted violently from that crack. Hector felt a chill run down his spine.

Was Sivar really a human? His actions were those one would expect from a monster.

With a sudden burst, Sivar charged in fiercely. At first, he leaped like a four-legged beast but soon switched to running on two legs.

Yet his speed did not decrease. In fact, it increased, rapidly closing the distance.

His target was none other than Porori. It seemed he perceived the now-dying Hector as the least threat.

Whoosh! Thud! Bang!

Sivar swung his magic claws wildly toward Porori. He brought them down to the ground, each swing creating deep gouges.

Porori effortlessly dodged the attack while signaling to Hector. A gesture for him to strike at that moment.

Hector wasn’t foolish either; he immediately launched a counterattack. With Sivar’s back turned, it was an ideal opportunity.

Smack!

Hector aimed for Sivar’s lower body to throw him off balance. Specifically, he targeted the ankle where the Achilles heel lies.

No matter how numb to pain one becomes, an impaired sense of balance usually follows.

-Gah!

Hector’s instincts hit the mark. Sivar didn’t mind the pain but still went down to one knee.

Just then, as Sivar turned his head to glare at Hector, Porori made his attack.

Whack!

Porori leaped slightly and struck Sivar’s chin with its lightning-infused tail, sending Sivar reeling backward.

“Oh heavens!”

Thud!

As soon as Sivar fell, Porori raised its arms high and shouted. A booming thunder resonated overhead.

Bang!

Then, a thick bolt of lightning descended right where Sivar had landed. Hector couldn’t afford to sit idle.

“Heh!”

Bang!

Hector brought his axe down into the earth, triggering an even thicker bolt of lightning than Porori’s.

Porori gazed at this spectacle with admiration and playfully nudged Hector’s leg with its elbow.

“Looks like the heavens are smiling upon you too? When did this start?”

“Quite a while ago.”

“Oh really? I… too…”

Whoosh!

Porori’s sentence was abruptly cut off.

Sivar hurled one of the fallen trees at them.

Porori deftly evaded with nimble movements, but Hector was not as fortunate.

Thud!

Due to his battered state, he was hit squarely. Sivar must have thrown it with great force since he flew a good distance away.

Leaving Porori all alone. It clicked its tongue in annoyance.

“You useless…”

“Ugh!”

But for the moment, Sivar let out a roar and charged again. Porori adeptly dodged Sivar’s grasping hand.

While it might be hard to notice, his movements had become significantly sluggish. His regeneration was undoubtedly slowing down.

The slowing regeneration signified the end was near. The toll of Hector’s earlier blows was now showing.

Thud!

“Huh?”

Porori, who sped past Sivar’s legs, was startled as Sivar grabbed at its long tail.

It was clear that his movements had slowed, so why was he able to seize the tail? He hadn’t been able to do so before.

But before he had time to think, Sivar began swinging Porori around with ease.

To clarify, he wasn’t striking; he was swinging it around wildly.

Bang! Bam! Bang!

Sivar hurled Porori around as if it were a rag doll. After three flings, he briefly checked to see if Porori was still alive.

Bang! Bam!

Confirmation in hand, Sivar swung it hard two more times. Porori was lodged into the ground but was thankfully not dead.

The dizzying shock perked its spirits up. Though it was still left confused.

Just then, Sivar lifted his foot, prepared to stomp Porori into the ground.

Whack!

Sivar was knocked back by a flying tree, mirroring what happened to Hector. It was none other than Hector who threw it back at him.

“Is it still alive?”

“Who would say that?”

In response to Hector’s inquiry, Porori dusted itself off and stood up, looking as if it were unharmed.

Crackle!

Meanwhile, Sivar slammed the ground again and charged forward.

He showed no signs of fatigue, but his movements were noticeably sluggish. Hector could now evade him with relative ease.

Crackle!

Porori, sensing the end was near, maximized its lightning. Hector mimicked Porori’s efforts, rallying his own lightning as well.

Both beings, no—both creatures unleashed every last ounce of gathered lightning at Sivar.

Zap! Zap!

-Graaaargh!

Although the lightning came crashing down just as before, Sivar slowly advanced.

Even though his stamina seemed all but drained, he continued to approach relentlessly.

As he roared, Hector felt a chill run down his spine.

But this was it. Hector exchanged glances with Porori and temporarily withdrew the lightning.

Instantly, Sivar charged in. He attempted to claw Hector with what had become faint magic claws.

Swish!

Sivar’s sluggish movements were slow enough for Hector to evade. In that moment, Porori slipped through Sivar’s legs.

Porori aimed for Sivar’s foot and landed a hard hit with its lightning-laden tail.

Whack!

Sivar lost his balance, kneeling on one knee. That opened up the perfect opportunity for an attack on his face.

Seizing the moment, Hector swung his axe with all his strength toward Sivar’s face.

Hector aimed not to kill but rather to knock him out, using the blunt side like a hammer.

Thud!

As he struck Sivar’s jaw, he collapsed to the ground. If he had been in his right mind, he would’ve sprung back up instantly.

“Huff. Huff.”

Hector gasped for breath, looking down at Sivar. Truly, he appeared like a beast.

If not for this spirit creature named Porori, he would be dead right now. But now it seemed everything was over…

“Grrr…”

“…Huh.”

It didn’t seem to be finished. Hector sighed in exasperation as he noted Sivar begin to stir.

Sivar slowly raised his head, glaring at Hector. Then he started to mumble.

“Tore!”

Pop—

Sivar spat out something white. It was a flawlessly extracted tooth.

He had swung with all his might and only managed to break a single tooth off.

“What are you waiting for, you muscle-bound oaf! Hit him again!”

“What?”

Porori hurriedly shouted as Sivar sprang back.

Hector’s delayed reaction was unavoidable. Both his stamina and magic were depleted, while the effects of the potion had worn off.

Bang—

Sivar, who had retreated, opened his mouth wide. The tooth that had fallen cleanly was now completely regrown.

Whoosh!

In front of his open mouth, red magic began to slowly condense. It was as if he was gathering every last bit of power he had left.

Porori’s expression morphed into one of alarm as it yelled at Hector. It was a rare display of genuine surprise.

“Hey! Get ready for something quick!”

“…I’m already at my limit.”

“You incompetent fool! If you can’t handle it, don’t stir up trouble!”

Crackle!

Porori angrily shouted while stretching both hands toward the sky. Lightning began to gather accompanied by a faint thunder.

At this rate, a colossal clash of power was set to occur. Hector had no strength left to evade and could only watch.

Plop—

“Hm?”

“Huh?”

But then an unexpected event occurred. Sivar, who had been gathering magic, suddenly tipped forward and collapsed.

With no warning signs at all, both Hector and Porori were left extremely bewildered. Was he unconscious?

“That should be enough.”

At that moment, a voice both familiar and comforting rang from behind Sivar. They turned to see.

“Please don’t think of taking Hector to a hospital. Just use potions to sort it out.”

The Sword Saint, Rod, stood there gripping his sword.

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