Emotionless Swordsmanship Genius

Chapter 17: Temporary Alliance (2)

Karon had seen a monster only once during his time as a mercenary with his parents.

It was during a large-scale mobilization of mercenaries to subjugate monsters in the northern Altun Mountain Range, where his parents’ mercenary group had also participated.

As a child, Karon hadn’t seen it up close, but he witnessed from a distance the scene of a massive monster being defeated.

It was a colossal, humanoid monster with a grotesque appearance.

At that time, just the roar of the monster made his limbs tremble with fear, and its size and ferocity had been overwhelming enough to make him nearly wet himself.

But now, Karon is calmer than ever.

The only distraction came from Shong rummaging through his bag behind him, looking for something that could be used as a weapon.

Should I just leave him behind?

“Stay here and gather the horses,” Karon whispered softly. The eerie stillness of the atmosphere was enough for him to be heard.

He could hear Shong moving hurriedly. It seemed he was heading towards the horses.

Watching the Svekks’ gaze and movements, it appeared they were approaching with the intent of targeting the horses. Karon was glad he had secured the horses inside.

Before long, the monster had come closer and was now looking at Karon with curiosity. Such a bold creature.

It had armor-like scales, a massive body that could accommodate two people, and formidable fangs dripping with venom.

Its long, flickering tongue and the malevolent, vertically slit pupils added to its fearsome presence.

But to Karon, it merely looked like a large snake that was writhing in front of him.

Was the monster this non-threatening?

Karon tilted his head slightly.

Had he been too young then to realize how frightening it was? Or was it that he had grown stronger, making the monster seem weak?

Or perhaps it was just that this creature was a weak monster? Or maybe it was all three?

Hiss—

Kreeeak!

The monster flicked its tongue repeatedly and opened its mouth wide.

It seemed to be attempting to intimidate him.

But Karon merely frowned and felt no sense of threat whatsoever.

He only noticed that it had an awful breath.

When Karon showed no reaction, the Svekks seemed irritated and swung its body, using the momentum to lunge at Karon.

Karon found it amusing. Its movements were far too straightforward and monotonous.

This is it.

As the sharp fangs were about to pierce his body, Karon’s form dissipated like an afterimage.

He had already moved to the side and slashed his sword across the Svekks’ mouth.

He had found an easy way to handle its tough exterior.

Of course, for an ordinary person, this would have been an impossible maneuver, but for Karon, who possessed keen senses, it was easy.

Slash!

Hiss!

As its mouth was torn sideways, green blood gushed out. The Svekks writhed in agony, crying out madly.

Shaking off the sticky blood, Karon looked at the monster with a baffled expression.

Is it really that dramatic for a monster?

Just then, he heard movement behind him.

“Wow, that’s impressive!”

Turning around, he saw Shong riding the horse and bringing out the other horse laden with gear.

He had intended to escape at this moment, but that was no longer necessary.

The monster was too weak.

“My goodness! You really took that down just now….”

He peered over Karon’s shoulder and suddenly stopped in his tracks.

His gaze rose slowly, and his eyes widened in shock.

“Th-That, that, that!”

He even stumbled over his words. Karon wondered why he was so astonished by dealing with just one monster.

But his reaction was peculiar. Suddenly, he gripped the reins tightly, turned, and began to gallop in the opposite direction. Then he looked back at Karon and shouted.

“Look behind you! We need to run!”

Karon quickly turned his head toward where the monster was. The Svekks was still writhing in pain, contorting its body in agony.

But something felt strange; it was too dark around them.

The moonlight was shining brightly, yet…

Karon’s gaze drifted upward.

And there, far above, he spotted two glowing, red eyes.

The outline of the creature gradually came into view. Its scales were stacked in layers, and its enormous body resembled a colossal pillar.

I didn’t sense it at all!

This gigantic creature had slipped by Karon’s heightened senses unnoticed. It had approached stealthily and quickly, just like a snake.

No way!

His gaze returned to the Svekks below. And then he realized the truth: this monster was merely a juvenile.

Hearing the cries of the young, the mother Svekks had come looking for it.

Hoo-oo!

Suddenly, the air was sucked into the void.

Kreeee!

The ear-splitting sound that erupted like thunder nearly knocked Karon unconscious.

He felt his legs tremble under the overwhelming presence, and his mind went blank.

The fear he had felt as a child surged back into his memory.

But he had grown since then.

I need to jump!

Thud!

Karon leaped powerfully toward the opposite side of the monster without looking back, starting to run for his life.

Had he grown up normally, he likely would have lost strength in his legs by now and collapsed, becoming easy prey for the monster.

Kreee!

The mother Svekks roared in anger, swaying its body side to side like a snake as it chased after Karon.

Thud!

As the massive body scraped against the ground, rocks crumbled, and the earth shook as if an earthquake were happening, with acid spitting from its mouth that could melt stone.

Slash!

Psssssh!

Whenever the acid flew toward him, Karon stomped the ground to the left or right, creating depressions in the earth while a foul smell wafted through the air.

He focused all his strength into his legs as he fled.

Though his expression remained unchanged, beads of sweat were now forming on his forehead.

Pouring tremendous energy into his legs for such a short time had begun to take its toll.

His muscles felt as if they might burst, and he was nearing the point of losing all sensation. Just then, he spotted Shong, who was fleeing on horseback in the distance.

Just a little longer.

Tap!

He squeezed out the last of his strength and jumped onto the empty horse that Shong had ridden.

“Yah!”

At the same time, he grabbed the reins, stepped into the stirrups, and put his weight down with force.

Neigh!

The horse whinnied loudly and began to pick up speed, as if it knew the danger.

The distance between them and Shong was gradually increasing.

Karon glanced back at Shong, who was falling behind, and shouted.

“You should drop the cargo!”

The horse Shong was riding was laden with stolen goods, making it difficult to accelerate.

Kreee!

The mother Svekks was rapidly closing in despite its appearance.

As the acidic liquid reached them, Shong hesitated but ultimately threw off the bag he had been carrying on his back.

“Damn it!”

He couldn’t take his eyes off the bag as it fell to the ground. All the effort he had put in over the past few days was going to waste.

With tears of regret in his eyes, he quickened his pace, chasing after Karon.

Fortunately, the Svekks’ speed could not keep up with the horse.

Shong breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the mother Svekks fall further behind.

At the same time, he thought about going back after some time, but Karon was already far ahead.

“Damn it! Okay, fine! Whatever!”

He muttered curses under his breath, resenting Karon, who was fleeing in the direction he had come from.

—

Early Morning.

“I’ve almost caught up.”

Shong spoke as he touched the faint traces of horses and camels in the sand.

He hadn’t slept a wink and had been riding all night, and his appearance was far from that of a human.

But thanks to the monsters, he was able to catch up with the black-cloaked foes.

In contrast to Shong, Karon’s demeanor remained largely unchanged.

He had never truly slept well, so this was just another day for him.

At least the few months spent in the desert had allowed him a bit more comfort, thanks to the unique stillness of the environment.

Now that we’re close to them, I’m feeling a bit tense.

Shong chuckled awkwardly, brushing the sand off his hands, while Karon looked down at him.

“If we meet them, stay back.”

“Yeah. That’s the plan.”

Shong replied casually, as if it were obvious, and boldly remounted his horse to take the lead. Karon followed him, feeling an unidentifiable emotion.

Since losing his parents, Karon had traversed various environments, feeling many emotions, but each time it felt new, leaving him unsure of what those emotions truly meant.

For instance, what he felt just now could be described as annoyance. Though Karon might not recognize it.

When they reached the northern edge of the desert, they found a maze of canyons intertwined. The ground remained arid and dry, with life forms scarce.

The only difference was a refreshing breeze.

“There it is!”

Shong, who had climbed along the canyon, pointed far down below. He quickly dismounted to hide the horses.

Karon also got off and took a low position atop the cliff.

Below the cliff, the canyon ended, revealing a grassy area where several tents were pitched in the open.

They’ve really set up camp.

Perhaps due to his lack of sleep, Shong muttered in a gruff tone. Karon carefully observed their movements.

Since it was still early, there weren’t many people wandering about.

As Shong said, a few figures clad in black cloaks stood guard, and transport wagons were seen haphazardly filled with captured slaves.

There were more transport wagons than expected.

So, are we attacking now?

Shong grew anxious, but Karon ignored his words and scanned the surroundings.

Due to the climate, the vegetation hadn’t grown much, leaving a clear view of the area. Approaching from any direction could easily lead to being spotted.

Remembering the overwhelming skills of the black cloaks, he knew they could wipe out a small mercenary group in an instant.

A frontal assault would be foolish.

Beyond the edge of the prairie lay a forest that seemed suitable for concealment. Hiding there and launching a surprise attack would be far more advantageous.

“We’ll head into the forest first and wait.”

“The forest? Where’s that? Huh?”

As Karon cautiously backed away, Shong looked down the canyon with a puzzled expression.

To him, there was only the vast plain ahead.

The two, who had quietly descended into the canyon, made their way far around the prairie toward the forest, trying to remain inconspicuous.

“Oh….”

Shong let out a small gasp.

As they approached the forest, its vastness became more apparent.

Once they entered the woods, the first thing they searched for was a water source. They hadn’t had a proper drink in days.

Although they had some water obtained from the tribe, they needed to conserve it.

Of course, they had already finished it days ago.

Hearing faint sounds of water, Karon’s pace quickened. Shong simply followed behind.

Karon had always felt that his senses were extraordinary.

Finally reaching the creek, Shong hastily pressed his face into the water, while Karon carefully scooped water with his hands, looking around.

The horses, too, immediately began to drink eagerly.

After a while, having quenched their thirst, Karon filled his leather water pouch and began to assess the forest’s terrain.

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