Chapter 99: Crowned Knight
Chapter 99: Crowned Knight
"Ferocious Warrior?" Rain asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.
He understood what she was saying.
But he clearly remembered that Kayra, and even Hamilton, had used the term 'ferocious' to describe beasts, differentiating them from humans.
So, with a questioning tone, Rain asked, "Do you mean a knight?"
Ragle nodded, "Yes! Ferocious and breaking limits are the same. In our barbarian clan, we follow the ancient tradition of calling warriors who break their limits 'Ferocious Warriors.'"
She had been living in Myester County for some time after leaving the Frostwind Tundra to find her brother, Haral. She was aware of some cultural differences between the two regions.
With Rain's interruption, Ragle took the opportunity to clarify her doubts about her savior.
This allowed Rain to learn a lot about the barbarians from Ragle.
Apparently, the barbarians didn't cultivate traditional breathing techniques. According to Ragle, the barbarians had thin giant blood coursing through their veins.
They cultivated a breathing technique called Savage Breath, which was more primitive and focused on unlocking the potential of their bloodline, enhancing their constitution while simultaneously boosting their strength and agility. This allowed the barbarian tribes to survive in the harsh environment of the Frostwind Tundra.
This revelation left Rain stunned.
The Savage Breath technique seemed similar to his own Bear Breath Technique, both emphasizing constitution and strength. However, the Savage Breath technique fell slightly short in terms of agility enhancement.
W
Ragle explained that the barbarian shamans would prepare special potions made from various herbal medicines to aid the warriors in their cultivation of the Savage Breath technique.
Upon hearing this, Rain felt that the barbarian tribe's cultivation system was a bit crude compared to the orthodox Knight Breath Technique, but overall, the differences didn't seem too significant.
However, Rain soon changed his mind.
The barbarians achieved transcendence through life-and-death trials instead of advanced potions.
This fact surprised Rain.
The success rate for barbarians to achieve ferocity was only around two to three out of ten.
In contrast, the orthodox path of knighthood ensured survival even if the advanced potion failed to break through.
This stark contrast between the barbarians and the knights highlighted the reliability of the knightly path as a long-standing and secure method of transcendence.
"Oh, and Ragle, I almost forgot," Rain said, realizing he had steered the conversation away from Ragle's story. With a hint of apology, he added, "Please continue with what happened in the Night Song Forest."
Ragle didn't mind and nodded, continuing her tale.
"My brother single-handedly turned the tide of battle, slaughtering countless wolfmen and forcing the elder ogre to retreat step by step."
"Just when we thought the battle was won, the elder ogre suddenly fled, eventually taking refuge in an unknown ancient ruin."
As she spoke of the ruins, a slight tremor could be heard in Ragle's voice, indicating a sense of awe and fear.
"These ruins are deep within the Night Song Forest, filled with massive collapsed stone pillars covered in moss and vines. We believe it to be the remains of an ancient temple."
"We pursued the elder ogre, but then a mysterious knight appeared and attacked us."
"The knight didn't seem human; the steed beneath him was a funeral steed. I struck its leg with my axe, but only white flesh showed, without a drop of blood."
As Rain listened, he sensed a hint of fear in Ragle's eyes, the kind that arises when facing an enemy far stronger than oneself.
Although Rain was curious about the 'funeral steed,' he chose not to interrupt and let Ragle continue her story.
"The knight wore a full set of armor, and the most distinctive feature was the crowned helmet. The opponent's strength was overwhelming, killing one of our squad members in a single strike."
"I managed to block the attack with my shield, but it shattered, and my arm was broken. I also suffered damage from some strange black aura. My brother fought with all his might, but he was no match for the crowned knight."
"The other squad members fought to protect me, but they all perished."
Ragle seemed to recall the heartbreaking scene, her eyes welling up with tears.
Hearing this, Rain couldn't help but ask, "What about your brother?"
"He's dead. The last thing I saw was my brother sacrificing himself to distract the crowned knight, only to be pierced through the chest by the knight's lance."
It was clear that this memory was the most painful for Ragle.
She could no longer hold back her tears and covered her face, sobbing.
"I'm sorry," Rain apologized.
He realized that the other party had just woken up and was still emotionally unstable. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to wait a while before asking.
After a long while, Ragle calmed down and turned to Rain, saying, "By the way, there's something very important. My brother asked me to pass on a message. That knight with a tree-crown-shaped helmet might be a rare Malefic Knight."
"A Malefic Knight?" Rain was taken aback, as this touched upon another gap in his knowledge.
But regardless, if even 'Little Giant' Haral couldn't match this Malefic Knight, Rain didn't think Shangjin Town's Sheriff Hamilton could defeat that guy.
If this so-called 'Malefic Knight' attacked Shangjin Town, who knew what kind of tragedy would unfold.
Rain also realized the seriousness of the issue.
Although there were still many unclear situations, Rain felt that this matter should be reported to Hamilton immediately so he could prepare in advance.
After a moment's thought, Rain said to Ragle, "Then you should rest well tonight. I'll go inform Sheriff Hamilton right away."
"Mhm," Ragle nodded.
Rain turned and left.
But when he reached the door, he suddenly remembered something and turned back to Ragle, asking, "Do you need something to eat?"
Ragle shook her head lightly.
She was still immersed in her grief.
Although it was already around ten at night, Hamilton was still in his office, and his wounds seemed to have been treated.
When Rain arrived at the office, the strong scent of medicinal potions was evident.
Upon hearing Rain mention Haral's encounter with the Malefic Knight and the near-total annihilation of his squad, Hamilton was shocked and, rather undignified, immediately jumped up from his chair, exclaiming, "What! A Malefic Knight?"
After receiving Rain's confirmation, Hamilton could no longer contain himself, and his face changed instantly.
The Sheriff of Shangjin Town paced back and forth in his office, unable to hide his anxiety.
This was the first time Rain had seen Hamilton so agitated.
"Messenger!"
A messenger dressed as a guard rushed in and saluted, "Sheriff Hamilton, what are your orders?"
"Immediately send word to Viscount Hamadi in the County City and the Sea Goddess Church. A Malefic Knight has been spotted near Shangjin Town!"
"Also, inform Lord Lloyd at the Habsburg Manor immediately!"
"Additionally, notify all Night Watch members to increase their vigilance!"
For a human Extraordinary Knight to be so agitated, this so-called 'Malefic Knight' must be extraordinary.
Hamilton muttered, "Haral's limit-breaking has exceeded forty percent. By that calculation, he's already at the level of a Ranked Knight, but he's still no match for the opponent. This is the biggest trouble!"
Rain nodded, thinking that together with the initial mention of a 'Knight', this should be the classification of knight levels.
"Sheriff Hamilton, is a Malefic Knight really that terrifying?" Rain asked curiously, seeing Hamilton's solemnity.
Hamilton nodded, his face grave. "The terror of a Malefic Knight is one thing, but that's not the most important aspect."
"The appearance of a Malefic Knight signifies an invasion or revival of some evil! Ancient records mention that Malefic Knights are the minions of evil gods. It must have sensed its master's summons and appeared here."
"That's the real problem!"
Minions of an evil god? Rain, despite his limited knowledge of this world, knew that anything involving gods would be formidable. No wonder Hamilton was so concerned.
But the word 'Malefic' made Rain think of the Radiant Stone he had obtained.
After all, according to the blacksmith Broris, if it were to be forged into a weapon, it would possess powerful killing power against evil.
Alas!
He couldn't go to the County City at this stage.
If he had a powerful weapon, it would naturally increase his safety.
When Rain exited Hamilton's office, the cold moonlight, filtering through the clouds, covered the town like a silver veil, giving it a dreamlike feel.
The chilly autumn night breeze brushed against Rain's face, making him more alert.
After some thought, Rain stopped walking home and instead headed towards the training ground.
The training ground was empty, silent and still.
"From Hamilton's attitude, it seems this Malefic Knight's appearance signifies a huge crisis for all of Shangjin Town."
"My only reliance is my constantly improving strength."
"My understanding of this world is still too shallow. It seems I need to work hard to gain Merit Points and advance my rank while relying on the Night Watch."
Rain checked the Night Watch panel. With the experience gained from the bear encounter, his Grizzly Sword Technique was just a few points away from reaching level 5.
He decided to upgrade his sword technique before heading home.
As Rain drew the steel greatsword from his back, his figure, wielding the greatsword, began to sweat profusely in the training ground.
About an hour later, the system notification arrived.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
