Chapter 135

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The Lost One (2)

Graf swung his sword.

The strike came without warning. His expression remained natural, his breathing steady, and there was not the faintest trace of hostility.

As though it was the most natural thing in the world, Graf attacked with the same ease he would breathe with.

No matter how swift Najin’s reflexes were, reacting to such a sudden assault was a tall order. A tall order indeed. Yet, the moment Graf’s blade began its arc, Najin drew his own sword.

Kaaaang!

The clash of their Sword Auras sent a deafening ringing through the air.

Najin staggered back a step from the force.

“Impressive reflexes. I’m surprised,” Graf muttered, his tone laced with a mix of admiration and amusement.

While it was true that Najin’s response had been quick, there was more to it than that—Najin had been wary of Graf, even before he had drawn his sword.

‘Rightly so.’

Scattered across the scorched ground were bodies—humans reduced to charred remnants by Graf’s Sword Aura.

Though their vocal cords had been burnt to ash, Najin had no trouble discerning what they had tried to convey through their lip movements.

‘That man defiled our pride. He mocked us for daring to call ourselves knights and Kurutans while living in the Outland.’

When Graf had claimed, “They insulted me,” they had truly been trying to say: ‘He’s lying. That bastard killed my comrades.’

In truth, the attacker was none other than Graf.

Ever since Najin learned the truth, his hand had hovered near the hilt of his sword, ready to act at a moment’s notice.

With the ambush sprung, his expression contorted into a grimace. “You said your name was Graf.”

“Indeed, that’s what I’m called.”

“You also said you were a knight, correct?” Najin’s frown deepened—not because of Graf’s ambush, but because of the claim that he was a knight.

“Of course. I am Graf, a valiant knight of Kurutan.”

“Ambushes, corpse defilement, cannibalism… What kind of knight takes pride in such repulsive acts?”

“In the Outland, this is all par for the course. You’re young and naive, so I can see why you might not understand.” Graf shrugged as if his actions were perfectly reasonable.

With a casual twirl of his sword, he settled into a stance. A blue Sword Aura surged along his blade, flickering like fire.

It was a perfect stance, precise and disciplined, embodying the ideal of knighthood.

That perfection only made Najin’s scowl deepen. “Don’t call what is wrong right. Have you never heard that phrase?”

“A knight’s creed, is it? What’s the point? Isn’t it natural to prioritize survival over any values? Humans slaughter livestock to survive without a second thought. Would you call that evil? It’s the same here. In this land, these acts are simply part of life.”

“If that’s how you see it…” Najin’s Sword Aura erupted in a brilliant white blaze. “Then you should never have called yourself a knight.”

With a forceful stomp, he propelled himself toward Graf.

Just as he closed the gap, Merlin’s voice echoed in his ears.

– Stop.

It was Merlin’s voice but different—firm and cold, delivering a warning.

– Don’t fight recklessly here. Actually, it may already be too late.

‘What do you mean by that…?’ Najin’s question was soon answered.

Graf, standing before him, provided the explanation.

“Ah. Damn it.” Graf heaved a sigh. “The Crows have caught on.”

Arrows rained down toward the two. They weren’t ordinary arrows—they were far too large, closer in size to spears. In fact, some actual spears were mixed among them.

Pababababak!

Amid the barrage of arrows, spears, and other projectiles, Najin deflected what he could with his sword while throwing himself to the side. A loud thud followed as the ground he had just been standing on sank inward, forming a crater.

He turned his gaze toward their attackers.

At some point—when, or from where, he couldn’t tell—ambushers had surrounded the area. There were at least eight of them, and their presence sent a chill down Najin’s spine. The aura emanating from them was anything but ordinary.

Surviving in the Outland naturally implied they had reached at least the level of a Sword Seeker. Judging by the refined aura and composure they displayed, they weren’t novices.

They were seasoned warriors, long since fully matured in their abilities; powerful enough to be an even match for Najin.

“Hey! Friends of the Crows!” Graf, swatting aside the arrows aimed at him, called out to the ambushers, “That guy over there, he’s got two stars, and they’re still shining, mind you. Not like my old, worn-out star. Isn’t a bright, young star like him far more valuable?”

He spread his arms wide, flashing a smile. “Not only that, but this one’s stronger than you’d expect. You’ve seen his reflexes, haven’t you? If you’re not careful, he might slip through your fingers.”

“…”

“So here’s a proposal: what if we split him? I’ll help you hunt him down.”

“Terms.”

“I spotted him first, didn’t I? How about thirty percent for me?”

“Twenty.”

“You’re a stingy bunch, aren’t you? Fine, fine. Let’s do it your way.”

The deal was struck. No more words were exchanged. Instead, the bows and spears aimed at Graf shifted toward Najin.

Najin was genuinely taken aback—a rare occurrence. ‘What the hell…?’

– I told you.

Arrows flew again.

Thunk!

A spear slammed into the ground, sending shockwaves as it pierced deep into the earth. Najin deflected a spear in mid-air but was knocked back several steps. His hands tingled from the impact. Before he could recover, Graf and the ambushers closed in on him.

– This is what the Outland is like.

Kaaang!

He stumbled as relentless attacks rained down on him. Rolling across the ground, he quickly regained his footing. When he lifted his gaze, he was met with the predatory stares of his pursuers. Nine pairs of eyes, devoid of hesitation, bore into him like those of beasts.

All of their gazes were fixated on his heart.

Cursing under his breath, Najin gritted his teeth. What a mess to walk into. Merlin had described the Outland before, but experiencing it firsthand was an entirely different matter. What unsettled him the most wasn’t the violence—it was the lack of malice in their eyes and actions.

It wasn’t an act of hatred or war for them, it was just hunting.

Just as humans hunt animals with no guilt or second thought, those individuals hunted humans the same way. It was simply… natural for them.

For thousands of years, humanity had survived by preying on other life forms. In the Outland, the only difference was that the prey had become their own kind.

The hunters surged toward their prey.

A head-on battle was impossible to win. If Najin faced them one at a time, he might have had a chance, but against so many skilled combatants at once? Even for him, it was too much.

Without hesitation, he turned and ran.

As he fled, the ambushers pursued, their numbers pressing closer as he hurled himself toward a steep slope.

He didn’t slow down, using the downward momentum to propel himself even faster, his feet barely touching the ground as he sprinted.

He had a reputation: when he decided to run, few could catch him. His speed and talent for evasion were legendary.

Not here—not in the Outland.

Swish!

An arrow zipped through the air with uncanny precision, narrowly missing his spine.

If he hadn’t twisted his body in time, it would have skewered him clean through. Even then, the next arrow grazed his calf.

Thwak.

The arrow’s touch alone tore a chunk of flesh from his leg.

Najin staggered, his footing faltering for a moment. In that instant, a glimmer of light streaked toward him—a spear, and he recognized it too late.

It was an unavoidable strike.

He swung his sword desperately, deflecting the spear, but the impact sent him tumbling down the slope, rolling uncontrollably.

‘Even so,’ he thought, ‘at least they lost their spear. There should be a brief lull in their attacks.’

Then came the voice.『My spear never leaves my side.』

The spear, embedded in the ground, wrenched itself free and flew back toward its owner and returned at the same speed with which it had been thrown.

As soon as the man caught it, he spun and hurled it again.

Swishhhhhhh!

The spear sliced through the air, heading straight for Najin. When he deflected it again, his fingers throbbed in protest, a sickening crack resounding through his hand, but there was no time to pause.

Arrows, spears; magic—they surged toward him without mercy.

Graf joined in, lunging at Najin with his sword blazing with blue flames.

Fwoosh.

Najin barely leaned back in time to evade Graf’s strike, countering with a quick slash to push him back.

Graf wasn’t an easy opponent to shake.

Clang—!

Their swords clashed as Graf spun to the side, his movement revealing five arrows that had been obscured behind him.

Schwik!

Najin managed to slice four of them mid-air. The last arrow, however, embedded itself in his shoulder. The force sent him stumbling.

The sequence repeated.

Each attack flowed seamlessly into the next, leaving no room for reprieve. Their coordination was flawless, as if they had hunted together countless times before.

– Stay calm.

Merlin’s voice cut through the chaos like ice.

Her tone was sharp, chilling, yet reassuring—a voice that steadied Najin’s pounding heart.

– I’ll guide you. Focus on escaping.

Najin felt her presence enveloping him. Though it carried no warmth or physical sensation, Merlin’s existence itself was palpable.

– You’re good at running, aren’t you? Trust yourself. Out here, there are plenty of places to hide.

His vision, narrowed from panic, widened once more.

– Don’t fear the injuries. Here in the Outland, wounds like these are nothing. The stars’ powers are stronger here, and your recovery will be as well. Calm yourself.

Following her advice, Najin took a deep breath, tightening his grip on his sword.

His bloodshot eyes began scanning his surroundings with precision. Each shift of his gaze assessed the terrain and tracked his pursuers’ movements.

– That’s right. Just like that.

Merlin’s voice carried a faint smile. She gestured toward toppled stones and thick undergrowth.

Without hesitation, Najin sprinted there. In an open area, he was at a disadvantage. His best option was to lure them into a space cluttered with obstacles and limited visibility.

It was a fundamental strategy, and Najin executed it flawlessly—he led his pursuers into the narrow, debris-filled terrain.

“I’ll handle it.” Though they gave chase, his pursuers weren’t ignorant of his strategy. Still running at full speed, Graf stomped on the ground with enough force to send cracks rippling outward. His sword burned with a blazing blue flame.

For a Sword Seeker, obstacles were irrelevant—anything in the way could simply be destroyed.

『My sword is fire. A tide of blue flames.』

The flames roared higher when Graf swung his sword, sending a wave of searing blue fire surging forward. Rocks melted into liquid, trees were reduced to ash, and the once-crowded terrain was swept clean.

In that same instant, Graf’s arm was severed mid-swing.

Najin had been waiting. Using the flames as cover, he surged toward Graf, slicing through his arm in one fluid motion. Blood sprayed while Najin twisted his wrist, adjusting his blade’s trajectory.

Instead of aiming for Graf’s heart, his sword pierced beneath his jaw.

– Aiming for the heart is ideal, but it’s not the only target.

With a clean thrust, Najin’s blade exited through the top of Graf’s skull. Graf’s body fell forward, and Najin prepared to drive his sword into his heart to finish the job.

Graf’s eyes glimmered. Even with his head impaled, his body moved—arms flailing, legs staggering. Like a beast acting on instinct, he lunged, heedless of his mortal wound.

In the Outland, those who survived long enough ceased to be human; Graf was one such entity, a creature that persisted beyond the limits of life. Blood poured from his orifices, but his body refused to stop.

– Piercing the head makes them like this. A bit easier to deal with, right? Their movements become simpler.

Merlin was right. Najin leapt backward, putting distance between them. A volley of arrows rained down where he had stood moments before and struck Graf instead, pinning his still-moving body to the ground.

And then—

Swishhhhh!

A spear flew through the air, impaling Graf’s heart.

From a distance, Najin watched, bewildered, as one of the ambushers retrieved the spear. The man bit into Graf’s heart, his expression one of blissful euphoria as he devoured it like a predator savoring its prey.

“These bastards really are no better than animals,” Najin muttered.

So that was the Outland. Was that what he would have to endure to survive? As Najin contemplated the grim reality, the Outland seemed to whisper in his ear: You think this is all?

He sensed more presences approaching. The number of pursuers chasing him had grown. Every step he took into new terrain brought more attackers into the fray.

They were all strong.

Sword Seeker-level opponents surrounded him, an unending tide of combatants. Back on the continent, a Sword Seeker was a rare and invaluable resource. In the Outland, they were everywhere.

How was that possible?

– It’s a matter of time.

Merlin explained.

– In any given era, Sword Seekers are rare. Maybe a few emerge every decade or century, but extend that timeline to 100 years, 500 years, a thousand years…

In the Outland, those who had transcended death itself accumulated over time, a growing mountain of powerful entities banished from the continent.

– This land is a sediment of human history.

It was a place where countless masters had gathered over millennia, unable to break past the limits to transcendence yet brimming with centuries of experience.

– And…

Najin’s eyes widened.

He ducked just in time as something massive passed overhead. A bone-chilling sound followed—Craaaaack!—as countless trees were uprooted and flung aside.

Turning, Najin saw it… a giant.

The colossal figure roared, extending a massive hand toward him. The sheer scale of the hand made it impossible to dodge. He readied his sword, prepared to slice through it—

“This way, boy.” A hand gripped his arm and pulled him aside.