‘Damn, I just lost ten years off my life.’
After Leniyar’s figure soared in a clean parabola, seemingly reaching for the clouds, and disappeared from sight, Khan finally allowed himself a sigh of relief. Any slight mistake would have ended with him making this vast ocean his grave.
The plan—immobilizing the dwarf pirate ship, utilizing the wind spirit to launch and board the ship, distracting Leniyar with Ludmilla’s spell, then using the ‘Indestructible’ attribute of Draupnir to fling her away—was entirely impromptu and full of holes.
‘What can you do? We were up against a monster after all…’
Leniyar was originally supposed to appear in Act 8. When a dragon attacked the Imperial capital, she, who had been under a disciplinary order from her master, had to act and assisted the players in achieving significant success.
Exactly.
Leniyar’s original role was a ‘Deus Ex Machina’ meant to address the rapid power inflation.
‘In Act 8, she had reached a level close to her master’s, and the battle played out with her cutting off the dragon’s wings after the players fought it to a certain extent.’
Although she hasn’t reached that level yet, with Khan’s current abilities, defeat was certain even if he employed all available means.
The only reason he achieved a tactical victory was due to the ocean’s restrictions greatly disadvantaging her, his prior understanding of her straightforward personality, and possessing a weapon with the ‘Indestructible’ attribute.
Surprisingly, the part of his weapon that had taken Leniyar’s sword strike had only sustained a chipped edge.
『Perhaps it’s due to your incompetence.』
After a long time, the weapon spirit sent a grumbling thought, but Khan felt a sense of injustice first.
‘Aren’t you the defective one?’
『Insolent!』
Ignoring the noisy weapon spirit, Khan remained focused on the situation, knowing it wasn’t over yet.
‘That monster of a blockhead isn’t dead, that’s for sure.’
Khan conveyed his suspicion that Leniyar might still be alive to the team.
“Really? Can a person survive a fall from that height?! That terrifying swordsmanship is one thing, but she can’t even fly…”
Alejandro, who had just calmed his heart after witnessing Leniyar’s ghost-like prowess, was incredulous at Khan’s assertion that she might not be dead or defeated.
“Elves are not just for decoration. They would probably find a way to save her. Using wind spirits to minimize the impact of the fall, for example.”
“Even so, she wouldn’t come out unscathed. Neutralizing the shock completely is impossible, even for me. She would still sustain significant injuries from falling from that height.”
“You’re right, Ludmilla. At least for now, we won’t be pursued. The problem lies ahead,” Khan said, nodding in agreement with Maya’s question.
“Do you mean when we arrive in Northland?”
Maya asked.
Khan nodded again.
“That blockhead will follow us to the end of the earth out of sheer pride, as long as she’s alive. And the elves won’t be any different.”
“… You mean she’ll chase us to Hoarfrost Gorge?” someone asked.
“Who knows.”
Khan didn’t outwardly commit but was inwardly certain. Leniyar would undoubtedly, if not surely, follow them to Hoarfrost Gorge.
‘Even though I don’t understand why such a monster, who is supposed to be in seclusion, is roaming free, our immediate task remains unchanged.’
In truth, precisely because he was certain Leniyar would follow them, heading to Hoarfrost Gorge was even more imperative. To turn their disadvantage into an advantage, they needed to secure favorable ground.
Whether she was a Sword Master’s disciple or an elf, all were equal before the calamity that was Hoarfrost Gorge.
“The Paradise Bank. Though we were warned about possible retaliation from them, I never imagined they’d deploy the Sword Demon of the Empire. Do you have any personal grudges against her?”
“That’s something I’m curious about too.”
“……Indeed. If I’d offended such a monster, I wouldn’t be alive and walking around.”
At that moment, a sailor who had been listening to their conversation sighed deeply. This was the same sailor who had earlier guided Khan’s party.
“Still, the situation isn’t entirely bleak. Though the losses are significant, from the royal family’s standpoint, we now have a valid justification. Not only will the kingdom have the upper hand in negotiations, but the kingdom can also demand concessions from them.”
Renford Kingdom had been in a disadvantageous position in negotiations with Paradise Bank for some undisclosed reason. As a result, the bank had been able to pressure the Platinum Trading Company without much resistance.
The sailor’s remark referred to this context, proving that he wasn’t an ordinary individual.
“Seems you hold a rather high position, don’t you?”
“Well… let’s just say I hold enough authority to be put in charge of the Platinum Trading Company’s ‘secret cargo’ aboard the royal ship. Smuggling it through Northland’s stringent ports is no easy task, which is why I stepped in.”
“Are you of royal blood?”
“You’re free to imagine whatever you like.”
Khan looked at the sailor with a newfound, somewhat surprised gaze. Previously, he had thought the man was just a rough seafarer, but it seemed his stature was unexpectedly significant.
“At any rate, understand that the royal family has put forth their best effort. Honestly, losing dozens of veterans on a single ship has left us in quite a bind, and I’m at my wits’ end on how to resolve it.”
“You could bill the head of the Platinum Trading Company.”
“That was always the plan.”
With an awkward smile, the sailor left, advising them to rest as much as possible. It seemed that Khan’s apprehensions about the Paradise Bank’s pursuers not giving up were somewhat shared by the dubious sailor, which made Khan let out a wry smile.
Hooooooot─
The dwarf pirate ship didn’t show itself until their ship docked at Northland’s port. The sailors on the other ships mentioned that after following Leniyar’s trajectory, the pirate ship was nowhere to be seen.
“May you achieve your desired goal. Later, do acknowledge my sincerity.” the mysterious sailor said.
“I will.”
Khan replied.
“May the gods grant you favor.”
The sailor, whose identity was still in doubt, quickly blended back among the other crew members and started unloading cargo as if he were just an ordinary sailor.
“Let’s go. We have a lot to prepare.”
With that, Khan led his party towards the shopping district of the port city. The port city of Northland was a bustling hub, not just for Renford Kingdom, but also for the border kingdoms along the North Sea and traders from the Empire.
Significant profits could be made if resources from Midland could be sold in Northland. Consequently, the port city administrators enforced strict regulations on trade, and bringing in unauthorized goods could get traders permanently banned.
“Why does it feel like everyone’s glancing at us?”
Alejandro whispered while glancing around as they headed towards the marketplace for items only obtainable in the port city. The rest of the party showed reactions of indifference, being accustomed to the attention that Khan, as a barbarian, inevitably attracted wherever he went.
“Hmm, it feels different from usual… like there’s something subtle and off about it.”
Alejandro continued.
“Do you have some special thief’s intuition?”
Eson retorted in their usual bickering tone. Alejandro gave Eson a disdainful look.
“Rookie, for weaklings like us to survive long, being sensitive to how people look at you is key.”
“So, do you know what’s different?”
Eson inquired sarcastically.
“Well, not exactly,” Alejandro admitted.
“Then you don’t know either…”
Eson shook his head, clearly frustrated. The two were about to start their usual squabble when Khan muttered quietly, “Indeed, something is different.”
“Are you saying that odd remark is true?”
Eson asked skeptically.
“See that, rookie? Told you it’s real!” Alejandro exclaimed.
Ignoring their usual noisy banter, Khan casually surveyed the surroundings.
Tap- Tap-
People peeking at him through house windows quickly ducked their heads back inside upon being noticed.
‘What’s this about?’
Khan knew that rumors about barbarian were widespread all over Midland, but Northland was known for being relatively less prejudiced in that regard.
Barbarian warriors like Pashantu occasionally ventured into the continent to prove their bravery, often making their first stop at Northland’s port city.
‘In the past, there was nothing unusual about it.’
Even when Khan ventured into Midland, he experienced the same. Those arranging ships for his journey to Midland accepted him as if he were part of a recurring event.
Of course, Khan today was a completely different entity from back then. When he left Hoarfrost Gorge like a fugitive right after barely passing the warrior’s trial, he was a frail being, still clinging to his modern sensibilities.
Now, he’s far from that. Known as the Dragon Slayer of Argon, the hero who conquered the northern demonic realm, and the demon slayer, he carries a string of titles impressive enough to be embarrassing. Even among the border kingdoms, rumors about ‘the barbarian’ were undoubtedly evolving.
However, such rumors wouldn’t have spread to Northland yet, nor would the common townsfolk there perceive the change in Khan. So then, what was causing the different reactions between the past and present?
It became clear when they sought out Northland’s finest tanner for a commission.
“Get lost if you’re here to sell poorly tanned hides! Damn scoundrel!”
“Oh my god! Has this old man lost his mind?!”
The burly tanner, muscular enough to knock out a couple of fully grown men, greeted them violently, swinging a club. Alejandro, startled by the ferocious sound of the club slicing the air, retreated while Maya’s hand twitched, ready to intervene.
“I’ll handle this.”
“Yes.”
Khan stepped forward, stopping Maya, who seemed ready to launch herself. Even as Khan cast his inscrutable gaze over the tanner, the old man remained defiant, swinging the club more furiously.
Thunk.
Despite the fierce and skillful use of the club by the white-haired old man, it was hardly a threat to Khan, whose body was that of a superhuman.
The club was effortlessly caught, prompting the tanner to immediately drop it and pick up a long saw.
“So, you want to end it all today, huh?!”
As the tension among Khan’s party grew due to the tanner’s inexplicable aggression, which couldn’t merely be attributed to the rough atmosphere of Northland, Khan spoke up.
“Let’s have a conversation. I think there’s a misunderstanding here.”
“A misunderstanding?! You lot better not show your faces again, or I’ll—”
Crack.
When the tanner saw the steel club crushing and turning to powder in Khan’s grip, his jaw dropped.
“If talking isn’t your thing, do we need to communicate in a more… physical manner, old man?”
Khan asked, his tone ominously calm.
Faced with such raw, overwhelming violence, the tanner’s rage quickly subsided. He cleared his throat awkwardly and gently placed the saw back in its place.
“Conversation sounds good. Was my intention from the start, after all… you brute…!”