Return of the Calamity-Class Death Knight

[Translator - Kie]

[Proofreader - Kawaii]

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Chapter 290: Alfheim (2)

***

A crimson inferno engulfed Bantadi's subordinates. Although most of his subordinates were dark knights and possessed strong resistance to dark magic.

Still, they were caught off guard by the sudden attack. The dark mages who carried out the surprise attack were skilled enough to be considered direct subordinates of a Giant Evil.

"Aaargh! Someone, please put out the fire!"

"My arm...! My arm! Aaaaraa!"

More than half of Bantadi's subordinates were reduced to ashes in the blink of an eye and the remaining survivors were severely wounded and slipped into an unconscious state.

"These... these b-bastards...!"

Bantadi was trembling violently from rage as he saw all his subordinates dying one by one. He had been backstabbed by those he had considered allies. His eye turned bloodshot.

"What have you done to my men!"

Bantadi roared with fury.

Dark mages were startled by the thunderous shout led them to halt their attack and glare at Bantadi.

"What have we done? We have come to execute you by order of the noble and beautiful one."

"Wait-what? Noble? Beautiful?"

Bantadi was so stunned by the bizarre epithets that he momentarily forgot his anger.

"Could you possibly be referring to lord Dorugo?"

All the dark mages and knights in Alfheim served Dorugo. So Bantadi's deduction was quite reasonable.

"Silence, you foolish creature!"

"How dare you mistake our lord for such a mere skull!"

"Should we not cut your filthy tongue to make you come to your senses!"

However, the dark mages reacted differently. They became furious as if they had been subjected to terrible blasphemy.

Bantadi was dumbfounded by their anger.

"Are you traitors finally gone insane...? Do you think this is the time for you to be angry!"

"Can't you shut up!"

"Damn it, I don't know what's going on, but..."

Bantadi gripped his greatsword. An aura blade was created as dark mana gathered on the blade.

"First, I will make you pay for what you've done to my subordinates!"

Dark mages immediately unleashed their dark magic to stop Bantadi. A massive explosion soon engulfed him as a torrent of magic spells unleashed.

"Is that all you've got?"

But such an explosion could not stop Bantadi.

Bantadi came out from the explosion unharmed and swung his sword at the dark mages.

With a single sweep, the heads of five men flew off causing the smell of blood to fill the air.

"You dared to attack me with such lowly skills? I will kill every last one of you here!"

As Bantadi was about to unleash another attack, a strange voice cut through the air and interrupted him.

“I think I have to step up.”

A young man stepped into his view.

The dark mages immediately bowed their heads upon seeing him.

“My Lord! Why have you left your rest and ventured into such danger?”

“With your skills, you couldn’t defeat him.”

“Ah... Master, to think you would worry about us... We shall cherish this honor in our hearts... no, in our very souls!”

The dark mages wore expressions of ecstasy.

The young man glanced at the dark mages with disgust.

“...Your devotion is almost too much. It makes me want to vomit.”

“How dare insignificant beings like us upset our lord! We shall atone with our deaths!”

“No, that’s enough. Instead of killing yourselves, kill one more enemy before you die.”

“As you command!”

LBantadi felt his head spin as he continued to listen to the conversation.

Bantadi turned to the young man.

“Were you the one who turned those bastards into that state?”

“And if I were?”

Bantadi channeled more dark mana in response. Powerful dark energy coursed through his body.

“If I kill you, will those guys return to normal?”

“I don’t know about that.”

“Then I’ll have to find out myself!”

Bantadi thrust his greatsword towards the young man. The greatsword was directly aimed to pierce the young man’s face.

Just before the greatsword could pierce him, the young man slapped it away with his palm.

The greatsword shattered with a loud sound.

“...Huh?”

With his bare hand, he shattered the greatsword covered by an aurablade? And so easily?

Before Bantadi could recover from his surprise, the young man closed the distance.

“You... you bastard!”

Bantadi swung the broken greatsword at the young man.

But the young man was faster. He tapped Bantadi's body in several places with two fingers.

“Cough! Cough!”

With each tap, Bantadi felt pain as if he were being pierced by a red-hot needle.

Yet, there were no wounds on his body. Bantadi scoffed.

“A technique that can’t kill? What a useless thing to learn!”

Bantadi immediately tried to counterattack. But suddenly, his supply of dark mana was cut off.

Not only that, but all the strength in his body drained away. Bantadi collapsed to the ground.

No matter how hard he focused, his dark mana would not respond. His limbs refused to obey his commands.

“I-It can’t be... What... what did you do to me...?”

Suddenly, the young man grabbed Bantadi by the back of his head.

“I hope this works this time.”

A symbol embedded on the back of the young man’s hand glowed.

At the same time, an unknown energy surged into Bantadi’s mind.

“Kaaghhh!”

Bantadi screamed in agony as if his brain were being torn apart.

***

Damien removed his hand from Bantadi’s head.

Bantadi stared at Damien with a vacant expression.

“Did it work?”

Damien waved his hand in front of Bantadi’s face. Bantadi reacted.

“Oh...”

“Oh?”

“Ooo...”

“Ooo?”

“Ooo... My lord...”

Tears streamed down Bantadi’s face. He eventually prostrated himself on the ground.

“To think I’ve only just realized my lord’s beautiful form! I, Bantadi have wasted his entire life! Please punish this foolish sinner!”

“It worked this time.”

“Success! Yes! My life is complete simply by meeting my lord! This joy! This ecstasy! I cannot express it!”

Bantadi showered Damien with praise.

Damien looked down at Bantadi with disgust.

“Ah, now’s not the time for this.”

Damien ignored Bantadi and approached the elves.

The elves who had been fighting Bantadi were frozen in place. They were unable to comprehend the sudden turn of events.

“I’d like to have a little chat. Who’s in charge here?”

Damien needed to know what was happening in Alfheim.

He had to get as much information as possible from these elves.

“Can’t you hear me?”

Despite Damien’s repeated question, the elves remained silent.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“They’re probably too awestruck by lord’s noble form to speak! What a bunch of heathens!”

Bantadi exclaimed loudly. Damien glared at him.

“Shut up and stop talking nonsense.”

“My lord has finally given me an order! This is the most glorious moment of my life!”

“I told you to shut the fuck up.”

As Damien rubbed his temple, one of the elves spoke up.

“...Human, why did you save us?”

An elf woman with strong limbs and dark hair asked Damien.

A spirit resembling an eagle was perched on her shoulder.

The eagle spirit exuded a powerful presence.

It was clear that the elf woman was a skilled spirit user.

“Are you their leader?”

“Yes.”

“Good. My name is Damien Haksen. I need information about Alfheim. I’m asking for your cooperation.”

“...Why should we trust you?”

“I’m not your enemy. In fact, you could say I’m an ally. I’m here to help you.”

“...I don’t believe you.”

The elf woman’s voice was filled with hostility.

“The elders told us that humans are deceitful creatures.”

It was a reaction anyone familiar with elf history could understand.

In the past, there had been a time when elves and humans had interacted. From the human perspective, the elves were not only incredibly beautiful but also mysterious creatures.

Because of this, humans would often capture elves and sell them into slavery. Eventually, the elves severed all ties with humans and retreated to Alfheim.

"I know how you feel about humans. But I saved you. You could at least trust me a little."

"Saved us...? Or did you just kill your own kind to monopolize us?"

"That's a ridiculous accusation."

The elf woman pointed at the dark mages Damien had brought with him.

"...Aren't those dark mages also human?"

"Ahem."

Damien was speechless.

"It just looks like an internal human conflict to me."

The elf woman said firmly.

"If you really are an ally, then please just let us go."

Damien had a feeling the elf wouldn't listen to anything he said.

This was a headache.

Damien had come to this island to kill Dorugo.

To kill Dorugo, he needed information. Only then could he find out where Dorugo was.

Should I try to find another elf? No, other elves would probably be no different.

Judging from the elf woman's attitude, it was clear that the other elves would also be hostile towards Damien simply because he was human.

"If that's what you want, then so be it."

"Thank you for understanding our situation..."

"I'm going to have to capture you all."

Damien gestured to Bantadi and the dark mages. They surrounded the elves.

The elf woman looked at Damien in shock.

"Human! What are you doing?! Didn't you say you were an ally?"

"I am an ally. But right now, I need information more urgently."

Damien pointed at the elves and gave an order.

"Subdue them all but don't kill them."

***

[Translator - Kie]

[Proofreader - Kawaii]