Chapter 100
“L-Leader!”
“No…!”
I stabbed the guy in the side, a small sense of accomplishment and exhilaration following close behind.
Along with it, I heard the bewildered voices of the Knights who were watching the fight.
I sheathed my Spear and smiled inwardly.
‘Got it.’
With this, I definitely had the upper hand.
His Sword was broken, and the wound was deep, even if it was only in his side.
Because of the injury, he definitely wouldn't be able to fight properly.
Of course, that didn't mean he had given up the fight entirely.
Thwack-!
As I sheathed my Spear, he kicked me, pushing me back.
And then he immediately went to the Knights and grabbed a Sword.
“…I guess I got One Shot,”
It seemed he was planning to continue fighting.
Well, it would be funny if a Knights' Order Commander would give up the fight just because he got a hole in his side.
He'd definitely fight desperately, if only because of all the effort he'd put in so far.
Of course, I wasn't planning on backing down either.
After all this time, victory was finally within my grasp.
The Knights who used to seem so formidable now didn't look so big anymore.
So I took a stance to charge again.
Only one step remained until victory.
＊
[lol he just snapped the sword in half]
[Holy shit, they're both insane;]
[fuck move slower.. my old eyes can't keep up]
[Old lady go back to work lol]
[omg those abs... Oppa I love you pant pant]
[ew; this is kinda brutal]
Clang-Crack-!
The battle continued. Sword and Spear clashed, and blades grazed skin, spraying blood.
And of course, the Otherworlders were watching the spectacle. Since the Knights' Order had formed a circle like an arena, it was impossible not to notice.
Some Streamers had even stopped fighting altogether to focus on recording.
[Look at the Viewer count wow]
[Upvote to all the Youtubers giddy about the views lol]
[Why are the Knights just watching？ Their Leader is about to die;-;]
[You think you could jump in there?]
[Anyone without Chivalry better have their balls cut off if they interfere]
[Both of them fighting are dudes tho]
[Dogfight hell yeah;-;]
[This dogfight is seriously savage wow]
The fight was incredibly stimulating.
It was a battle between Strong Ones, but it was more violent than flashy, more savage than dazzling.
And that violence mainly came from Yor.
The Knights' Order Commander consistently employed a defensive swordsmanship, trying to back away, but Yor clung to him tenaciously, as if determined not to let him escape.
At times, the distance closed so much that he mainly used a Dagger instead of his long Spear.
Swish-! Thwack-!
It was still mostly Yor who was getting injured as the blades clashed.
Red blood flowed down his skin. His shirt, slashed multiple times, was barely recognizable as clothing anymore.
Of course, every time his clothes became more tattered, cheers erupted in the Chat Window.
[dasdhasjkdhasjkldhasd]
[Upvote to all the Youtubers worried about getting demonetized lol]
[They should be worried about getting banned, not demonetized...？]
[Would've been hot if there wasn't so much blood, fuck]
[He's like a berserker wow]
[fr lol Doesn't even flinch lol]
However, even though Yor was taking more damage, it was the Knights' Order Commander who was being pushed back.
He couldn't properly utilize his swordsmanship because of the relentless onslaught.
He was taking too many injuries.
No matter how well he reacted, the blood created too many variables.
Just extending the length of the blade with blood made it much harder to counter.
While Yor only suffered superficial wounds, dodging all fatal blows, Ryleigh had many deep wounds that hindered his movements.
His thigh, elbow joint, side, and so on.
At this point, it was obvious to the Users who had the upper hand.
The faces of the Otherworlders on Chae-rin's side brightened, while anxiety appeared on the faces of the Knights.
They silently watched the approaching conclusion.
＊
“Ugh…!”
His injuries were slowing him down.
The endless onslaught prevented him from properly planning his moves.
Ryleigh found it difficult to accept this situation.
‘…What is this?’
Technically, he was still superior.
His opponent's attacks were predictable and easy to deflect, even if they were fast. The problem was that his opponent knew his weaknesses.
That’s why he wasn’t giving him any time to react, forcing a brawl.
He wanted to drag him into the mud, even if it meant getting hurt himself.
And Ryleigh had never seen anyone fight like this.
Most people tended to flinch when faced with a blade.
Even veterans who had spent years on the battlefield were no different.
This was closer to a beast's fighting style than a human's.
He grimaced as he struggled to block Yor's attacks.
‘Violent and tough.’
And incredibly threatening. As if his head would be severed if he let his guard down for even a moment.
But because of that, he could clearly sense it. His opponent had no intention of killing him.
The trajectory of the attacks was always aimed at his arms or legs.
As if concerned about damaging internal organs, attacks rarely targeted his abdomen.
As if subduing him was the sole objective.
‘…What the hell.’
Ryleigh found this difficult to understand.
It contradicted everything he had learned.
Why were so many Otherworlders supporting him?
Why were they taking the risk of siding with him? Just to protect a single Demon Seed?
Various questions arose in his mind.
As could be seen from public perception, the world had taught people that Manifestors were evil.
They were already Demon Seeds, beyond redemption, and psychopaths different from ordinary humans.
It was Gaslighting conducted on a national scale to prevent people from hiding Manifestors out of sympathy.
And that Gaslighting had been effective so far, allowing Manifestors to be eliminated without much controversy.
Ryleigh couldn't escape that indoctrination either.
Clang-!
The ongoing battle suddenly ended. Yor struck Ryleigh’s Sword once again, sending it flying.
This time, Ryleigh couldn’t create distance. Unlike the regenerating Yor, Ryleigh’s body was battered and bruised.
Shing-
The chilling sensation of a blade touched his neck.
But that was all. The blade didn't dig in any further.
Ryleigh, his face deeply furrowed, spoke.
“…Why did you stop?”
“I told you. I want to talk.”
Around that time, the Knights surrounding them began to react.
They readied their Swords, preparing to rush in and rescue him.
“Leader!”
“We’ll save you right now!”
However, Ryleigh stopped the Knights with a raised hand.
Perhaps it was a Gesture to halt, as the Knights stopped in their tracks.
Then, he sighed deeply and asked Yor.
“…What do you want?”
“Now it seems like we can finally have a conversation.”
Yor said so, a grin spreading across his face. Covered in blood, his smile looked quite menacing.
He spoke with the blade still pressed against Ryleigh's neck.
“What I want is simple. Just leave me alone. Go back with your Knights' Order. And go to the Emperor and tell him to cancel the Subjugation Order.”
“….”
It was absurd. Ryleigh thought so.
It wasn't just his opinion.
It wasn't something he could decide on his own.
Would the Emperor listen to him if he returned in such a pathetically defeated state?
And canceling the Subjugation Order was practically the same as acknowledging and accepting Manifestors.
It was unprecedented, not only in the Empire but throughout history.
It was highly unlikely, let alone impossible.
So, Ryleigh bit his lip and said.
“…Just kill me.”
He had already accepted death the moment he was defeated.
If he died in battle, he wasn't afraid of death.
“Really?”
But Yor’s next words made him pause.
“If you die, the rest of the Knights here will die too.”
It was a chilling statement. But at the same time, it was a statement that could become reality.
He had already been defeated. Yor was tired, but not to the point where he couldn't handle the remaining Knights.
Over 100 Knights were already lying on the ground.
However, Ryleigh only frowned.
There was still one misunderstanding.
“…After killing over 100 of my men, you're threatening me with that now?”
“They’re alive.”
“…What?”
“The ones lying down. I only knocked them unconscious. They're all alive.”
At those words, Ryleigh hurriedly looked around. He moved his neck so quickly that he got a small cut from the blade, but he didn't care.
Instead, he looked at the rising and falling chests of the Knights.
…It was true.
Even the Knights with head injuries and serious wounds were all breathing.
If they received proper treatment at the temple, their lives wouldn’t be in danger.
The sight sent a shiver down Ryleigh’s spine.
‘Don't tell me… in that chaotic battle, he was considering their lives?’
Naturally, knocking someone unconscious was more difficult than killing them outright, especially trained Knights. It meant he had been going easy on them from the beginning.
He wasn’t sure whether he should be relieved by that mercy or terrified by that overwhelming power.
As he stood frozen, Yor spoke again, apparently mistaking his stillness for contemplation.
“And that’s not all. If you don’t cancel the Subjugation Order and keep sending Raiding Parties, I might become so sad that I turn into a Demonkin. And then I’ll charge towards the Empire to smash something.”
“….”
“And they say that when you become a Demonkin, your power increases several times over, so frankly… will you be able to stop me?”
“…Someone like you is nothing before the 1st Knights' Order Commander.”
“Right. Then try and stop me with your precious troops. There will be heavy casualties, but.”
“….”
It was a clear threat. But it was a threat that couldn't be ignored.
It could actually happen if the Subjugation Order wasn't lifted.
Despite the element of surprise, an entire Knights' Order had been defeated by a single person.
That was an undeniable fact, no matter how much he tried to excuse it.
And now, that powerhouse might turn into a Demonkin and rampage through the Empire?
It was uncertain whether they could stop him, and even if they did, the damage would be immense.
And that absolutely couldn't happen.
The damage was a problem, but the Demons that would follow were an even bigger problem.
With the possibility of Demons reviving at any moment, if the Empire suffered a critical blow, the nation itself could collapse.
At the thought of such a horrifying scenario, his face hardened.
Yor’s words didn’t end there.
“Sigh… And to be honest.”
However, this time it wasn’t a threat.
“I don’t want to cause that much trouble. Killing people gives me bad dreams.
And I think I’ve lived a pretty peaceful life, right? I haven’t harmed anyone, just living self-sufficiently in the Forest.
I’ve never thought about becoming a Demonkin, and I won’t if you go back and officially acknowledge me. So…”
Just acknowledge me. Yor was saying that.
It was closer to a plea than a demand.
And it was clearly closer to a human’s appearance than the image of a Manifestor Ryleigh had prejudiced himself with.
Ryleigh thought to himself.
‘If I go back like this, dozens of reports are guaranteed…’
His salary would be drastically reduced due to the defeat, and his honor would be greatly tarnished by the fact that he surrendered and returned.
With Otherworlders all around, the fact of his surrender would be known to all. It might even follow him like a label for the rest of his life.
His Majesty the Emperor would be furious, but he probably wouldn't be discharged. The Empire was currently suffering from a manpower shortage.
But still, considering the lives of 150 Knights and other civilians…
The answer had been decided from the beginning.
“…I will withdraw the Knights' Order. And I will personally speak to His Majesty. I will ask him to lift the Subjugation Order.”
Then he shouted to his subordinates.
“…All troops! Take care of the wounded and return!”
“Wooo!”
“We won!!!”
Cheers erupted from all around at his words. They were all the Otherworlders who had sided with Yor.
In contrast, the Knights' Order looked devastated, as if they had lost their country.
Yor grinned and teabagged the Knights for a moment.
“Yeah, you guys need to live too, right? You Knights should enjoy the rest of your lives, shouldn't you?”
Tap- Tap- Tap-
Yor said so, making an obscene Gesture with his hand.
The Gesture where you make a circle with one hand and pump your index finger with the other.
Ryleigh's fists trembled as he watched.
For a moment, he almost threw a punch.
Just like that, he led the Knights' Order out of the Forest with heavy steps.
“Wooo!!”
Cheers echoed through the center of the Forest for a while.