“How terrible.”

Killian spoke as he looked around the riverside. However, his eyes and voice were indifferent. The bodies were rotting after being torn to pieces by the crocodiles, and were now being preyed upon by various birds and small animals. It was a gruesome sight, but the bodies belonged to the ones who had dared attack his lord.

“Where did you say they headed towards?”

Killian turned his head slightly.

Clang! Clang!

A man tied in metal chains quickly waddled up rather ridiculously and bowed his head.

“H, his presence headed towards the woods over there!”

Baltai spoke with a servile expression and raised his two handless stumps to point towards a direction.

“I see. Then we will head over there first. Everybody, gather around!”

The troops were driving away the small creatures that were feasting on the remains of the demonic army and the lizardmen. At Killian’s command, they gathered together.

Killian spoke as he looked over the soldiers.

“As soon as we cross the river, we enter the Great Forest. It is an unsuitable environment for horses, so the heavy cavalry will dismount. Aile, Robert.”

“Yes captain!”

Two knights stepped up at Killian’s words.

“You will be responsible for safely sending the horses back to the base.”

“What? We will?”

They frowned. They seemed to be dissatisfied with having to return to the base when everyone else was heading into a battle.

“Yes, you two.”

Killian smiled, then silently approached the two men. He then kicked Aile’s knee with one foot and slapped Robert’s shoulder with one hand.”

“Ahk!”

“Keuk!”

Even though Killian did not carry much force behind his strikes, the two burst into screams and groans before faltering.

Killian smirked before speaking.

“Did you think I did not know? Who would bring along the wounded to cause trouble for the rest of us? Take back the horses and the injured.”

“B, but captain…!”

Aile spoke in a dismayed voice.

The smile disappeared from Killian’s face in an instant.

“Do you want to keep fighting for the duke? Then go back to the base and get well as soon as possible. Real knights of the Pendragon family know when to step up and when to back down.”

“…..”

The two knights remained silent.

Then, they saluted towards Killian with stiff expressions.

“We will obey your orders!”

“Naturally.”

The grin reappeared on Killian’s face, and he patted the two knights on the shoulder before turning towards the other knights and soldiers.

“Listen up, everybody! The wounded come forward now! You will return to the base immediately!”

“…..”

The troops remained dead silent at Killian’s shouts. Not a single person moved a muscle. Killian spoke again with a spooky smile, as if he had anticipated the situation.

“Come forward when I’m being nice. When we enter the Great Forest, we will not be able to take care of the injured. It may be a small wound now, but it will definitely worsen. Your injuries won’t affect only yourselves, but your colleagues around you and the entire group. If I discover a wounded person after we enter, I will see fit to beat you to death myself. I will make sure to let the duke know that you won’t ever be able to stand under the flag of Pendragon ever again!”

“…..!”

Quite a few soldiers flinched at Killian’s shouts.

They were prepared to endure the beating by the one-egged devil, but they didn’t want to even imagine getting kicked out of the Pendragon Duchy’s forces.

Eventually, dozens of soldiers crept up with a resigned look on their faces.

“Good. You guys will follow these two back to the base. The rest of you, arm yourselves as lightly as possible. We will only be bringing five days’ worth of food.”

The soldiers moved busily at Killian’s command.

“The griffon unit will patrol the front lines in shifts of five, and the rest will accompany us on the ground. Theo Milner, you will be responsible.”

“Yes, Sir Killian!”

He nodded vigorously at Killian’s words. With one man gone, Theo Milner had become the temporary captain of the Pendragon Duchy’s griffon unit.

“Oi! When are we going!? We are done over here!”

Someone hollered from a distance. It was Karuta. Along with the Ancona Orcs, he had pummeled the crocodiles that crept up aiming for the rotting bodies.

“What a short-tempered guy… Let’s head out now!”

Killian mumbled the first words, then shouted towards Karuta.

Kiyaaah!

Soon, five griffons flew up into the air, and hundreds of troops began to cross the river with the Ancona Orcs at the front.

“You must come back with His Excellency!”

“Roy! Make sure you come back alive!”

The injured soldiers waved and shouted encouragements from the riverside, and the Pendragon Duchy’s warriors ventured into the Great Forest to find their monarch.

***

Wooosh!

A large sailing boat advanced while splitting the current. Someone stood behind the statue of the wingless dragon, which was protruding from the front of the ship. His purple cape fluttered in the rough sea breeze.

A few people approached the figure.

“We will be arriving at Malta Island soon, Your Grace.”

The man’s majestic cape was embroidered with the crest of the Arangis Duchy. He turned around.

His identity was Arigo Arangis, the successor to the Arangis Duchy and the admiral of the fleet bound for El Pasa.

“What about their movements?”

“According to the reports from the barrelman, not a single boat can be found near the Island of Malta. I think they must be preparing for a confrontation in El Pasa.”

“The little rats must be scared out of their wits. We should continue to advance and smash them apart.”

Baron Langone came forward with glaring eyes. He was one of the lords under the Arangis Duchy, and also the second battalion captain of the duchy’s fleet. But Arigo replied with a cold expression.

“Governor-General Cedric of El Pasa is no fool, Lord Langone. Even with the relatively weak 13th regiment, he managed to contain the provocations of the southern lords for many years. Surely his achievements aren’t just luck.”

“It is as you say, Your Grace. Most people believe Count Cedric has ruled El Pasa with pure political power, but they are mistaken. Political power alone does not explain why there has never been a single revolt, especially when he is surrounded by enemies on all sides.”

Someone spoke in a calm voice, and everyone’s gazes headed towards him. It was the advisor of the Arangis Duchy, Manuel. He had accompanied Arigo as the advisor to the fleet as well.

“Hmm.”

With the duchy’s advisor joining in as well, Baron Langone could only lick his lips in vain.

“But… Now that we have the momentum, we must not delay…”

Arigo spoke in a low voice, then continued while tapping a baton against his palm.

“All ships will maintain the battle formation and continue to advance. Send thirty sea griffons to overlook all the islands in our course.”

“Sir!”

The knights of the Arangis fleet shouted loudly with their fists on their chests. The heir of the southern monarch nodded in response with a trusting look, then turned his gaze back towards the sea.

Whooooosh!

Dozens of large galleys filled the sea bound for El Pasa, led by six battle sailboats.

Kiyaaahk!

The sea griffons climbed into the air after kicking off the deck, then brushed past Arigo’s sides as they advanced to complete their missions.

Arigo muttered in a quiet voice as he observed the disappearing bodies of the griffons.

“This is just the beginning. I will teach you that there is only one king, Arangis, in the South. Pendragon, and Aragon…”

His eyes were as cold as the sharp, sea breeze that blew towards El Pasa.

***

Shwaaaahh!

Cold rain poured down in the jungle. The tropical showers seemed to visit the forest at least once a day. Raven and the Red Moon Valley elves stopped to find shelter from the rain and to take a rest.

“Eat this.”

Eltuan approached Raven, who was sitting under a broad leaf, and held out something on her palm.

It was smoked meat.

“Thanks.”

Raven received it with delight.

All elves, regardless of tribe, ate raw food, and did not use fire to cook. But it could not have been palatable for Raven since he was a human being. It was clear that the meat Eltuan served was made specifically for Raven.

“But are you sure this is the right path? Even we do not know the way to the Assia Plateau.”

“Do not worry. Once before… Never mind.”

Raven started to speak, then shook his head bitterly. Curiosity filled Eltuan’s eyes.

But she did not ask.

Raven silently chewed on the meat while looking at the pouring rain. The atmosphere he was exuding made her feel as if she should not attempt to solve her curiosity.

‘I thought I would die on that day as well…’

Raven stared at the rain with cold eyes as he recalled the past. His group had started with more than 200 people, but it had shrunk to fifty in just three days. The fine hairs on his entire body stood on edge when he remembered the various monsters that appeared and attacked day and night.

How could he forget the way he travelled as he overcame the attacks of monsters that drank human blood and ripped out hearts?

Above all, someone had shown him the way to the plateau.

‘Jean Oberon…’

The path mentioned by the sorcerer was accurate.

But the sacrifice made on the way was greater than what was initially expected, and Raven could finally understand why the sorcerer had suggested such a difficult, monster-ridden path.

‘He must have desired the bodies and the souls of the demonic army.’

Raven was sure. What he saw at the tower proved it.

But why did Jean Oberon require the deaths of so many humans?

‘There’s something bigger…’

Raven sank into thought with a creased forehead.

Eltuan stole glances at Raven’s figure.

‘What is his identity…?’

Naturally, she knew.

Raven was a person with a high status in the world outside the Great Forest, the world that the elders and Kara called the ‘empire’.

He was a human who defeated herself, the strongest warrior of the Red Moon Valley Elves, and one who defeated an ogre by himself.

And,

‘A human contracted with a dragon…’

When she recalled the battle, Eltuan trembled without realizing it. Even her, the strongest warrior of the tribe, had been stunned by the Blood Howling of the ogre. However, his spirit had completely overpowered and nullified the ogre’s skill.

The powerful strike which burst the ogre’s head after shattering the huge stone axe – it was a blade of light containing the Spirit of the Dragon.

Who could wield the sword to penetrate the skull of an ogre and completely melt everything inside with just one strike?

‘Even if it is the king of the mountain giants…’

She had never seen the infamous monster before, but the human had treated an ogre like a child. Ogres were one of the strongest monsters in the Great Forest, so surely, even the Troll King would be helpless before the man’s strike of light.

‘An orc warrior respected by such a human…’

Eltuan suddenly recalled Raven’s previous words. She swallowed a mixture of tree nuts and herbs as she pictured the orc warrior in her mind.

Her body was itching to meet the orc as soon as possible. She wanted to compete with him.

‘But before that…’

Eltuan shook her head vigorously. The important thing now was to fight for the future of the tribe.

Shuaaaa…

The pouring rain began to dwindle like a lie, and soon, the sun peeked out from the clouds.

“Let us go. Soon, we will enter the territory of the Troll King. Are you ready?”

Raven spoke as he stood up dusting his pants.

“Of course.”

Eltuan followed suit after taking a light breath. The base of the Troll King, the devil of the Great Forest, was just around the corner.

She could not help being nervous.

Then, she saw Raven’s determined eyes as the sun broke through. Feeling a blazing feeling in her chest, Eltuan gave a firm nod.

“The Red Moon Valley elves and I are ready to fight.”