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39 – Monstrosity (3)

Amidst the panic engulfing most inhabitants of Larvantis at the onset of the disaster that struck, only two individuals saw it as an opportunity.

One was Kim Hyun-woo, who had invested over a thousand hours in Arteil and had already thwarted the impending calamity befalling Larvantis countless times.

The other.

Swaying softly.

It was none other than Merilda.

Observing the Larvantis territories all day long, she was acutely aware of the current situation and naturally recognized the precursor of the impending disaster.

From the outset, she had triumphed over disasters to such an extent that it became a trivial matter when with her master.

And the reason she saw this calamity as an opportunity was simply that this moment appeared to be a chance for her to seek forgiveness from her master.

Merilda had already grasped that the Larvantis territories under her master’s management lacked the means to avert the impending disaster.

However, if she were to save her master in such a precarious situation?

Swaying softly!

Merilda found herself smiling involuntarily.

After hearing (through eavesdropping) that Kim Hyun-woo didn’t view her as negatively as she had feared lately, Merilda had been longing to seek forgiveness from her master once more.

But the reason she hadn’t taken action was simply that she didn’t have a reason to approach her master directly.

However, in such a crisis, if Merilda were to rescue the lord?

Not only could she expect praise from her master but also seek forgiveness simultaneously.

“…Hehe.”

Merilda imagined the familiar touch of her master’s hand patting her head, sporting a shy smile.

From Merilda’s perspective, who had been rather irked by the recent female presence constantly by the lord’s side, there couldn’t be a better scenario than this.

So, Merilda decided to bide her time.

“…Heh, hehe??”

Meanwhile, the griffon, Kyrall, who still watched over her, suddenly saw Merilda, who had been swaying her tail like a windmill, burst into a giggling fit all by herself.

####

Under the command of the Duke of Tesnoca within the Norva Kingdom, the hero known as the ‘Bearer of Darkness’ was currently observing the catastrophe from atop a vast hill on the grassy plains.

Thud-!

With each step, the ground vibrated, and Roman, clad in a sharp, giant suit of thorny armor reminiscent of a combination of a dragon and a crocodile, observed the approaching catastrophe with a furrowed brow. “…This situation has become troublesome,” he muttered.

The reason Roman had come here was, of course, to confirm the disaster. As soon as the disaster appeared, all the lords within its radius reacted. Among them was the territory of Tesnoca, also known as the Duke of Norba.

“I expected this, but it seems to be the Larthania territory after all,” Roman said, furrowing his brow as he anticipated the disaster’s first target by examining its path.

“Not good at all.”

From Roman’s perspective, the fact that Larthania was the first destination for the disaster didn’t matter much. Naturally, Larthania had no connection to the Norba Kingdom, and it was just a very small territory that had emerged only recently, unlike ten years ago.

However, the reason Roman was frowning was that, considering the disaster’s first target was Larthania, the probability of the monster reaching the territory operated by the Duke of Tesnoca was high.

The reason being, of course, that there was no territory to stop the monster.

“Larthania territory will certainly disappear, and then the Harren territory, too. The Kalan Kingdom won’t extend a helping hand from their side. It’s a place that can be left alone.”

In the end, if the monster were to be stopped, it would be the Duke’s territory. That’s why Roman was frowning.

“…I guess it’s better to call the Elemental Guardian or the Sword Saint from the kingdom in advance. I should report about this matter.”

Roman made that decision and was about to turn around.

“…?”

Soon, his body naturally stopped.

The reason was…

“Soldiers?”

In front of the unimaginable giant disaster, soldiers stood.

“No, not just soldiers… that’s Larthania’s lord? Even a hero with blue hair behind those soldiers?”

Looking at Larthania’s lord and a hero with blue hair, which he learned about through information, behind those soldiers, Roman soon wore a strange expression.

He couldn’t understand why they were there in his position.

“…What are they trying to do?”

No, honestly, Roman had a rough idea of why they were here.

It couldn’t be unknown.

If the lord came out with soldiers and a hero, and even a somewhat crude-looking magical cannon, and stood in front of that giant monster, there was only one thing he could think of.

But even though he understood their intention, Roman wore a strange expression.

“Are they trying to stop the disaster with just that?”

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No matter how he looked at it, the lord’s preparations seemed too inadequate.

The only things immediately visible to Roman were about 300 soldiers and heroes. Perhaps hoping for additional reinforcements in the vicinity, Roman heightened his senses and looked around. However, besides two individuals beyond the cliff, seemingly observing the situation as if they had come to witness a disaster, there was no one else caught in his tracking.

In reality, this suggested that the forces prepared by the Lord of Lartania to prevent the impending disaster were minimal, as Roman couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh at the realization.

‘Is this madness?’

To prevent a calamity of demonic proportions, Roman knew that the required forces would exceed a mere thousand, even if considered at a minimal level. Even with such a minimum estimate, the troops needed to be not ordinary soldiers but heavily armored and cavalry, and a hero capable of dealing proper damage to the monstrous threat was essential.

In comparison, what did the soldiers and heroes brought by the Lord of Lartania have?

Lartania’s soldiers, hastily trained in just three months, possessed reasonably high-quality equipment, but that was about it. Their eyes were filled with unease.

The hero standing beside the Lord was no different, presenting a demeanor that didn’t seem entirely voluntary.

“…”

Roman unconsciously considered giving them advice, as if the future of these individuals was unfolding before him. However, he soon shook his head, abandoning the thought. Advising them at this point was too late; the disaster was already too close to where they stood.

‘… Sending soldiers and heroes to their deaths.’

With a mixture of pity and contempt on his face, Roman glanced at the location of the Lord of Lartania.

“…?”

As the disaster approached a certain point, the Lord concluded a brief speech, and the soldiers began to move.

####

‘… The training seems to have been effective. Despite the unease in their eyes, their actions are swift.’

Receiving the Lord’s command, the soldiers who immediately set into motion quickly split into two squads and began spreading out to both sides, except for a few individuals.

The remaining five soldiers, riding what looked like pack animals, moved in a straight line towards the disaster, throwing something towards it.

And then.

Boom!

“!?”

The object that hit the disaster exploded, emitting a blue light.

‘Bomb…?’

Such a thought crossed Roman’s mind, but he soon lifted his head. After all, as far as Roman knew, there were no bombs with such a form.

However, before Roman could contemplate the suddenly thrown blue-flamed explosion, something happened.

■■■■■■■■■-!!!!!!

The catastrophe, which emitted a scream loud enough to resonate across the entire prairie, began to move its sluggish body towards the soldiers who had just thrown something akin to a bomb a moment ago.

The soldiers, still in a state of awe due to the recent scream, abandoned their horses that were caught in the howling state and immediately started running in one direction.

‘Could it be that they’re trying to lure it far away from the Larvania Territory?… Doesn’t the catastrophe know that luring it is pointless?’

Roman had doubts as he watched their actions, but—

Kwaaaang-!!!

Soon, his doubts were dispelled as Roman observed the colossal creature’s forelegs getting stuck in a massive pit, as if the lord had prepared a trap.

‘It was a trap.’

The catastrophe, trapped in a pit so deep that more than half of its forelegs were submerged, struggled to get out in confusion. However, it couldn’t easily free itself, and—

Kuuuuung-!

Soon, the catastrophe’s foot got caught in the pit, causing it to topple over. Roman marveled at the sight, but that was all.

He still had no idea what the lord was planning.

Even if they were to defeat the catastrophe immediately, Magdaora’s massive size would slow its movements, but it was by no means dull. In other words, trying to bring it down like that would only take some time. Magdaora would inevitably rise again, and the pit they dug would be escapable.

Moreover, Magdaora’s weakness was its belly, and with it lying down like that, Roman couldn’t see its vulnerable side. Thus, Roman wore a face full of skepticism.

At that moment, the hero, who had been standing by the lord’s side until a little while ago, leaped out toward the catastrophe without hesitation.

Without hesitation, he aimed for Magdaora’s jaw joint and swung his axe.

Kkaaaang-!

A harsh, crushing sound.

Watching the scene, Roman couldn’t help but make a wry expression.

It was understandable. Magdaora’s weakness was only its belly, and while the jaw joint was vulnerable, it was impossible for a hero, who had not even reached the level of a minor injury, to pierce through the skin and attack.

So, with a noise—!

“!”

The moment he saw Elena’s axe pierce through Magdaora’s jaw joint, he involuntarily widened his eyes.

Before Roman could completely erase his surprised expression, Elena, swinging her axe recklessly, pierced through Magdaora’s left jaw.

■■■■■■■■■■-!!!!!!!!

Magdaora screamed as it lifted its left leg, which had fallen into the pit, out of it—!

“Pull it in!!!!!!”

The soldiers on either side, as if they had been waiting, immediately pulled the leg, preventing it from leaving the pit.

Thud—thudddd—thudddd—thudddd—!

Caught in the trap and unable to escape from the soldiers called Magdaora, Roman once again faced another predicament.

At the same time, Elena swiftly shifted her body to the opposite side, wielding her axe haphazardly, and this time, she effortlessly peeled off the disaster’s skin in an instant.

Squelch-! Squaddaddak! Squaddaddak!!!

She shattered the joint of Magdaora’s jaw on the opposite side of the dragon’s head.

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■-!!!!!!

Once again, a scream echoed as Magdaora lifted its head.

Swoosh-!

The shattered jaw joint caused Magdaora’s mouth to gape open.

And in that moment, Roman could see it.

Behind Kim Hyunwoo, there was a slingshot loaded and, on top of it, an unknown object.

“That’s the power mechanism of the processing plant, right?”

Since the object on the slingshot was a power mechanism powered by maeseok used in the processing plant, Roman stared at the power mechanism with a puzzled expression.

“!!”

He could only be astonished.

Even at a glance, the power mechanism that Kim Hyunwoo had placed on the slingshot didn’t look good, as it was tightly packed with a massive amount of maeseok.

“Insane-“

Only then did Roman realize the true nature of the bombs that the soldiers had thrown earlier.

What they had thrown was intentionally overheated miniature power mechanisms from the wood processing plant.

And the moment Roman realized it.

Thunk-!

The gigantic power mechanism, filled with maeseok, flew with a beautiful trajectory, emitting a blue light, and accurately pierced Magdaora’s mouth, causing a tremendous explosion.

And then.

Roman, with a vacant expression, looked at Magdaora collapsing with its head blown open and the soldiers cheering as if they had been waiting for it.

“…This is unbelievable.”

Turning his gaze, he stared blankly at the Lord of Lartania, who, with only a few hundred soldiers and a single hero, managed to handle a disaster that could only be dealt with after causing thousands of casualties.

…On the other side of Roman, Merilda also muttered.

“…Huh?”

Blankly.

“My opportunity…?”

With a face on the brink of tears, she muttered despondently.