Chapter 811
Episode 202: The Crisis of Drek Hon (Part 1)
The gateway leading into the Empire’s Hailan Second Fortress.
“What’s that? Something’s approaching at an incredible speed. Unless my eyes are deceiving me…”
“…A person? It looks like a person. No way someone could run that fast—this is insane! Regent, Your Highness! Open the gates immediately!”
The soldiers guarding the gate snapped to attention, startled.
Dante was barreling toward them at a maddening pace. Exhausted from evacuating alongside the dragon knights and the dragon riders, he had broken away to reach this point alone.
Whoosh!
As Dante passed through the gate, the soldiers’ clothes and hair whipped wildly in the gust. From their brief glimpse, Dante’s skin was cracked and parched, his appearance ghastly.
It was clear just how desperately he was running. Even with the enhanced body strength granted by Ron’s vital energy, he was pushed to the brink of collapse simply by sprinting.
“Huff! Huff! Huff!”
“Regent, Your Highness!”
“Ugh!”
Having burst into the fortress, Dante finally came to a halt, gasping for breath and coughing up blood. It looked like he could collapse at any moment.
“Gaju! Are you alright? What happened—?”
“Th-the… Huff… immediately… Kehek… Tikan… send a message… Hoo…”
“What should I relay?”
“Immediately… Jin… Dragon Rider Fortress… deploy! Lord Hedo is in danger! The Red-Eyed Tribe’s fleet has attacked! Over a hundred ships… even the Great War King Drek Hon is involved.”
“Understood!”
“And tell the Minor Palace Lord to come here at once! I have to return to the fight! Bring water and healing potions!”
Tikan received the message instantly.
“An attack by the Red-Eyed Tribe? Lord Hedo is in danger!? Prince Jin is currently at the Garden of Blades. I’ll contact him right away. The Minor Palace Lord should arrive there within ten minutes.”
{Understood, Your Highness Kashimir!}
“My muscle pig is in danger!? That’s almost impossible! King, please inform our mate quickly. And tell the Minor Palace Lord to bring the Sword Emperor and stop by the Fortress Kingdom! As long as the Fortress King isn’t dead, he can heal anything.”
[Kashimir, I will accompany Sir Siris as well. Perhaps fighting those bastards will stir some old memories. Drek Hon’s unique power was quite dangerous, if I recall correctly.]
“Lord Ameris! The muscle pig will be fine, right?”
[Sandra, you tend to underestimate the muscle pig—or rather, Lord Hedo. He’s a man even I cannot defeat with pure swordsmanship. So don’t get ahead of yourself wanting to come along. Wait patiently. We will exact proper revenge and return.]
“Then bring Veil along.”
[That was the plan. Few are better specialized than Veil when it comes to facing fleets.]
The Garden of Blades received the message immediately.
[Dragon Rider Fortress, understood. The Minor Palace Lord will deploy within a minute.]
[Butler, we’re going too!]
[Black Sword Chairman, Martial Arts Chairman, and the Chief Instructor of Cadets will be sent as well. Soon, Runkandel will rescue Lord Hedo. Please tell our comrades not to worry and to wait patiently, Your Majesty.]
{Understood, Butler.}
From the Empire to Tikan, from Tikan to the Garden of Blades.
The communication device salvaged from the ruins of Mariet’s legacy shone brightly in this moment. The various strongholds of the Bamel Alliance quickly grasped the situation and dispatched reinforcements.
Runkandel, the Minor Palace Lord, three Gaju from the vanguard, the Sword Emperor, the Minor Palace Lord of the Secret Palace, and Veil alongside the great serpent Ameris.
A party worthy of being called the strongest in the world was now heading toward the Dragon Rider Fortress.
[Hahaha! It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to really let loose. That Hedo fellow is holding on well, so don’t worry too much, great-grandson. Eek! No butler here, huh? Hah, even calling me ‘great-grandson’ requires some tact these days.]
“We’re departing, ancestors. Upon arrival, my great-grandfather, Sir Alpen, and I will engage immediately. Sir Tasha, please land the Red Owl safely and join us afterward.”
[Understood.]
“We’ll make those bastards pay dearly for attacking the Chief of Staff of the Bamel Alliance…”
Crunch!
Jin gritted his teeth as he spoke. Since the Red-Eyed Tribe awoke underground, today was the day his fury peaked. Those cowards had only targeted Kinzello and Ziphl before, but now they dared attack the Bamel Alliance directly.
As the Red Owl, shrouded in magic, took flight, Runkandel and his group swiftly arrived at the Dragon Rider Fortress.
The moment they finished their spatial leap, the Red Owl wobbled briefly from the shock of incoming bombardment.
Jin exhaled in relief. Through the glass canopy, he saw the red fleet furiously firing their cannons. That meant Lord Hedo was still alive. If the bombardment was meant only to destroy the fortress, it would have ended long ago.
“Lord Hedo!”
[Hahaha! Hedo, the Gaju of Runkandel have come to rescue you!]
Jin, Ballas, and Alpen leapt into the heart of the bombardment, swinging their swords. Their combined sword energy erased the massive arc of cannon fire, revealing Lord Hedo buried within.
“Jin…”
Hedo barely lifted his head, his voice cracked.
Fortunately, he bore no serious external wounds, but his internal injuries were severe. His famously massive muscles were shriveled and dried up—still huge, but grotesquely taut.
“Are you alright?”
“A mosquito… a damn mosquito sucked all my blood. Luckily, the Sword Emperor called reinforcements in time.”
Hedo spoke with a hint of sorrow.
If he had fought Drek Hon one-on-one until now, he wouldn’t have been pushed back like this. No matter how absurd Drek Hon’s power was, they would have fought a proper battle. He had confidence they could win.
But whenever they clashed, his blood was drained; when he tried to retreat, they pursued relentlessly. Even amid the chaos, the fleet’s bombardment struck only Hedo with terrifying precision.
It was because Hedo alone faced Drek Hon’s fleet that he had survived this long.
Drek had immediately put distance between himself and the Red Owl as soon as it appeared overhead.
“That mosquito’s unique ability is bloodsucking. Within a certain range, nothing can stop it. Blood just drains from the body and is absorbed by the creature.”
“Understood, Lord Hedo. Please fall back and recover. Sir Siris will bring healers soon.”
[Hyaaah! I don’t remember the last time I swung my sword this freely! Come on, come on! Try me! It’s a rare honor to die by the Sword King’s blade!]
Ballas swung his sword with one arm, deflecting the red fleet’s cannonballs like arrows. Each time he laughed heartily and shouted, a massive sword wind roared.
[Don’t overdo it from the start, 57th.]
[Oh ho! Our 20th is speaking harshly again! Or have you forgotten that Lord Ameris extended our time? We don’t have to conserve strength like when we were on borrowed time, ha ha!]
-[Six months at shortest, a year at best. That’s probably the limit of how long we can exist.]
Jin recalled what Tasha said right after he became Minor Palace Lord.
But after joining the alliance, Ameris used ancient rituals to delay the disappearance of the vanguard Gaju. So they didn’t have to worry about exhausting themselves and hastening their end.
[Heh, the 57th died of old age, so I was just worried he might get tired.]
[Ah, you! That was an arrogant provocation.]
[What? Arrogant!? You!? Listen, 57th, I’m your ancestor—even a very distant one. I’ve held back out of respect for your age, but this is too much.]
[Heh heh, then let’s make a bet, 20th. It’s hard to see from here, but I counted roughly over a hundred ships. When the battle ends, whoever has sunk more ships wins. The Sword King and the Knight of Light—the victor’s name will be exalted.]
[Agreed! No backing out.]
[Then it’s settled. No retreat.]
Half in jest, half in earnest, the two bickered while watching Jin’s expression.
‘Damn, he’s fierce—must be because a comrade almost died!’
‘If the butler saw this, he wouldn’t dare say a word…’
Even the vanguard Gaju flinched at the deadly aura radiating from Jin’s back—the unmistakable presence of the swordmaster’s ruler.
“When Sir Tasha arrives and begins protecting Lord Hedo, I will focus solely on that mosquito, ancestors.”
In other words, no one else or any ships were to interfere. The vanguard Gaju nodded proudly and approvingly.
Until Tasha arrived, Drek kept retreating, observing the alliance members.
‘So this is Jin Runkandel. He definitely feels different from the Sword Emperor or Lord Hedo.’
Should he retreat?
That thought flickered through Drek’s mind. Simat had endlessly warned him about what happened when Lakiman failed to use the return spell in time.
But retreating now would yield too little.
Above all, it would be strange for the prime version of himself to lead the red fleet and have a few men retreat in fear. Especially since the terrifying Azure Tribe warrior wasn’t even present.
“Just now, I became even stronger than before I was sealed by absorbing Hedo’s blood. Maybe it’s time to test that strength. If I can capture even one of them and fully absorb it as nourishment, breaking that guy and becoming the next war god won’t be just a dream.”
The fleet had already put enough distance between itself and Hedo.
Drek decided to fight first, and only if it became clear that victory was impossible would he use the return spell. Besides, to ensure all their comrades could safely use the return spell, they’d need more catalysts than they had brought along. Shedding some of the weaker comrades was also a practical option.
Tasha joined the group, raising her twin swords. Jin warmed up, glancing back at their ancestors.
“The fewer who survive to use the return spell, the better. When Sir Siris and the reinforcements arrive, destroy that entire fleet. We can study the remains afterward.”
With that, Jin dashed forward like an arrow, seeking out Drek. The ongoing barrage of cannon fire couldn’t keep up with his speed.
In an instant, Jin pinpointed Drek’s location and launched a lightning-fast thrust with Sigmund. Given the open plains, once the cannon fire was wiped out, there was nowhere to hide.
Shing!
Sigmund tore through Drek’s shield, striking him squarely on the forehead. Drek raised his spear to block the attack, smiling.
“So, Jin Runkandel. I never expected we’d meet like this today. I am Drek Hon, the Great War King of the Akmyung tribe.”
“Now’s not the time for introductions or last words.”
“Such confidence. But don’t compare me to some Rakim.”
Jin said nothing, pressing the attack. First, he wanted to gauge the danger of this so-called bloodsucking ability Hedo mentioned, then adjust the flow of battle accordingly.
Drek responded with pure defense, knowing that even just blocking attacks would replenish his blood.
But soon, both Jin and Drek felt something strange.
‘Is he hiding his bloodsucking ability? I don’t feel any blood draining. Not even a trace.’
‘…Why isn’t any blood draining from him!?’
Jin quickly read the confusion Drek was barely suppressing and came to a conclusion.
‘Ah, this mosquito’s unique ability… Could it be some kind of curse?’
Drek’s confident expression rapidly faded, while Jin grinned.
“What’s wrong? Something not working out? Mosquito, it’s time to pay the price.”
The moment Jin said that, a cheerful cry echoed from the rear of the battlefield. Boong, boong!
The allied forces, having traveled from Tikan through the Empire and the Holy Kingdom, had just arrived on the battlefield.