Return of The Martial King

Chapter 228

The metallic giant lightly shook its hand. Kadamyte's lifeless body dropped to the ground and rolled away. Siris turned her gaze and clenched her eyes shut. There was no room for doubt.

Kadamyte was dead.

Among the escaped slaves, shock and terror spread like wildfire. Not just the slaves, but even the non-human warriors of the Duchy of Antares had expressions that revealed they could hardly believe what they were seeing.

“Oh my god…”

“This can’t be…”

“Kadamyte… sir…”

The greatest warrior of the Grand Forge, Kadamyte.

An Aura User who had proven his prowess by slaying Sir Tetsvalt, he was widely recognized as the strongest dwarf warrior. Yet, such a formidable figure had died far too easily.

After discarding Kadamyte, Teslon turned his head. His gaze landed on the cluster of escaped slaves. The warriors of the Duchy of Antares, their faces pale, gripped their weapons and assumed fighting stances.

But Teslon paid them no mind. He had eyes for only one person.

Moving his massive frame, Teslon slowly took a step forward.

“The plan has gone quite awry…”

Judging by the situation, the plan had already failed. Thanks to the impeccable discipline of the Chatan forces, the chance to uproot the Duchy of Antares was gone. By now, the other non-human groups would have successfully escaped via Zeppelin without issue.

“Still, this is enough.”

What mattered most was the Demon King Repenhardt! As long as that one individual was taken care of, the rest wouldn’t matter. Without a leader, the scattered groups would fall apart at the slightest push.

Looking at the brown-skinned, platinum-blonde elf girl, Siris, Teslon let out a sly smile.

“Well then, let’s prepare some bait to lure the Demon King.”

Siris involuntarily shuddered under Teslon’s gaze. His cold and detached eyes, reminiscent of a serpent's, sent a frigid chill down her spine. Fear surged through her chest, threatening to burst from her throat.

There was no place to run. No way to escape.

Swallowing hard, Siris drew her twin blades. They were scimitars newly forged at the Grand Forge to replace the ones Jade had destroyed.

As she raised her blades and took a stance, a bitter smile crossed her lips.

“How many days has it been since I got these swords, and here I am, about to break them again. The Grand Forge’s craftsmen will nag me to no end… No, by then, I probably won’t even be around to hear it.”

Even amidst her terror, Siris forced herself into a battle stance, a glint of competitive spirit rising within her. Teslon, observing her resolute figure, sank briefly into his thoughts.

“It’s been a while since I last faced this witch. The Demon King’s consort, the Mad Valencia.”

The Demon King Repenhardt’s Four Heavenly Kings and Teslon’s so-called "Hero Party" had clashed numerous times. Though she wasn’t an Aura User, Siris had wielded bizarre elemental magic with power surpassing Aura Users, even casting 8th-circle spells. Back then, she was by no means an easy opponent, even for Teslon, the Fist King.

How many human soldiers had spilled their blood and fallen to the earth every time this elven witch unleashed her madness?

“But now, in every sense, she’s nothing more than a fledgling.”

Raising his right hand, Teslon addressed her with a cold tone.

“Resistance is futile. If you kneel obediently, I might spare that pitiful life of yours.”

“Don’t make me laugh, you scrap heap!”

Siris retorted sharply, channeling elemental energy throughout her entire body. She utilized various spirits to enhance her physical abilities comprehensively, crossing her twin scimitars in the air.

“Come forth, Ignatius! Udar Mjolnir!”

On either side of Siris, a giant of lightning and a giant of fire manifested, each swinging their massive arms. Blue lightning and crimson flames surged as the two elemental giants charged furiously at the metallic giant. Every spot their energy touched discharged bolts of electricity and radiated blistering heat.

Even the residual shockwaves demonstrated the high level of mastery Siris had achieved in elemental magic. In terms of elemental skill alone, not even Relhard or Iniya could compare to her.

However, Teslon’s expression was one of disappointment.

“Is this all? The elemental giants I remember were far more formidable!”

Udar Mjolnir hurled its thunderous hammer, and Ignatius extended both arms to release a fiery storm. Lightning and flames engulfed Teslon, illuminating the night sky.

Yet Teslon remained utterly unshaken. Even amidst the fierce assault, the Adamandril Suit he wore showed not the slightest scratch.

“Hmph!”

With calm precision, Teslon channeled his entire body’s force and extended both arms. The polished surface of his metallic limbs reflected the lightning and flames in a dazzling display. He then drove his fists into Ignatius and Udar Mjolnir.

“Zero Impact!”

The Gym Unbreakable’s ultimate close-combat technique, Zero Impact, detonated upon the chests of the two elemental giants. The shockwave pierced through the lightning and flames, creating ripples of destruction. Fire scattered in all directions, and dozens of lightning bolts discharged in wild arcs.

Siris gasped, her mouth agape in shock.  

‘Th-That’s impossible! That easily?’

Ignatius and Udar Mjolnir were the strongest elemental spirits she could summon. She hadn’t expected them to overpower Teslon, but she thought they would at least inflict some damage!  

Bursting through the storm of flames and lightning, Teslon charged at Siris. The massive metallic giant closed the distance in an instant. With his fist clenched, Teslon muttered nonchalantly.  

“I’ll need to hold back a little since I need her alive.”  

“Ugh!”  

Letting out an irritated shout, Siris threw herself forward to meet him. Teslon closed the gap swiftly and launched a quick punch.  

“Chain Strike Blast!”  

Boooooom!  

A golden shockwave filled Siris’s vision, enveloping her entirely and obliterating all the elemental energy in her body. Her clothes tore apart, and her twin scimitars shattered into dust.  

A frail scream escaped her lips.  

“Kyahhh!”  

*         *         *

Siris’s slender body was flung mercilessly through the air before crashing to the ground. Blood trickled from her mouth, and her body was torn, her skin split open in multiple places. Still, the faint rise and fall of her chest showed she was alive.  

Teslon walked casually toward the fallen Siris. Was he going to finish her off? No, considering his skill, the fact that she was still alive was the more surprising outcome. He must have deliberately held back.  

“Is he planning to take her as a hostage? Either way, I can’t let this continue…”  

Iniya staggered as she forced herself to her feet. Pain seared through her body, threatening to make her faint, but she gritted her teeth and endured.  

“Ugh…”  

Her condition was dire. It wasn’t just physical injuries—her internal Aura flow was severely disrupted. By all rights, she shouldn’t even be able to continue fighting.  

But giving up wasn’t an option.  

With her remaining arm, Iniya struggled to lift her rapier. Teslon turned his head slightly to glance at her.  

“Oh? You still have the strength to move?”  

Iniya forced a smirk and responded sarcastically.  

“Yeah, your punches are softer than I expected, you scrap heap.”  

Bending her knees slightly, she redistributed her weight across her body. With one arm limp at her side, Iniya assumed a battle stance. Teslon observed her with interest and spoke.  

“Do you truly think you can win in that state? You don’t seem like someone foolish enough to misjudge your opponent’s skill.”  

Iniya bristled at his words.  

“If I hadn’t let my guard down, I wouldn’t be in this position! An Aura User resorting to magic—how underhanded!”  

“But you did let your guard down, and you took a critical hit.”  

“Hmph, as long as a warrior holds their sword, they haven’t lost. Don’t you know that, you scrap heap?”  

Hmm, scrap heap. A nickname Siris came up with, but I kind of like it. Since I’m going to die anyway, might as well use it as much as I want.  

With her sword raised, Iniya began walking slowly toward the fallen Siris. Surprisingly, Teslon didn’t stop her. It seemed, in true warrior fashion, he had a certain degree of respect for Iniya, even if she was an elf, acknowledging her as a swordswoman who had reached the heights of mastery.  

Teslon spoke up.  

“If you surrender quietly, I won’t kill you, elf girl. Despite being an elf, your skill is too valuable to waste. Serve me as your master, and I’ll spare you.”  

Iniya smiled faintly and shook her head.  

“Oh my, how generous of you. But your face is annoying, so I’ll have to decline.”  

“…What?”  

Teslon was momentarily dumbfounded.  

If he were to list every grievance he had with this reincarnated body, he could fill three or four books. Yet, even Teslon couldn’t fault his face. A stunningly handsome visage that drew women by the squad. Even his former comrades, who had despised him, begrudgingly admitted, “That Demon King, at least his face is annoyingly good-looking.”  

Iniya’s preferences, however, were a mystery to Teslon. From his perspective, her comment made no sense at all.  

‘A face like a girl’s and a weakling’s body, where does he get off throwing flirtatious glances?’

Granted, Teslon’s current body was muscular and well-trained, far from weak. But to Iniya, who now measured every man against the towering Repenhardt, Teslon was just another lanky mackerel—perhaps a slightly bulkier mackerel.  

Regardless, as they exchanged words, Iniya kept moving, placing herself between Teslon and the fallen Siris.  

Siris looked at her in shock.  

“In-Iniya?”  

Even with such severe injuries, was she trying to protect her? Tears welled up in Siris’s eyes.  

Looking briefly at the young elf girl, clearly moved, Iniya let out a silent, bitter chuckle.  

‘Oh, don’t give me that look. I’m not doing this for you.’  

Truthfully, Iniya hadn’t cared much for Siris. Every time she tried to create a romantic moment with Repenhardt, Siris would inevitably show up and ruin the mood. She’d even felt quite annoyed with her at times.  

‘But if anything happens to her, Repenhardt-nim will be heartbroken…’  

Iniya's expression momentarily twisted.  

‘But… would Repenhardt-nim even be sad if I died?’

The more she thought about it, the less it seemed likely. He might feel regret, but true sorrow? Probably not. Sure, he’d shed a tear or two for a fallen comrade—just like the tears he might shed for Kadamyte lying there dead.  

“Wait, now that I think about it, that feels really unfair.”  

Still, Iniya steadied her mind.  

What else could she expect? She hadn’t even begun to truly make her mark. From Repenhardt’s perspective, she was just another companion, one of many. Hoping for anything more was unrealistic.  

‘I just wish I could’ve made a bit of progress before dying. Tch.’

“Phew…”  

Iniya let out a low breath. With it, the trembling in her heart subsided, and a frigid aura began to rise steadily around her shoulders.  

She was a warrior who had devoted her life to the sword. Her composure wasn’t shallow enough to crumble so easily.  

“I know I don’t stand a chance…”  

She leveled her sword and shouted coldly,  

“But I’ll take at least one of your arms with me!”  

Holding her rapier horizontally, Iniya assumed a thrusting stance. Teslon’s expression shifted. It looked like a simple thrust, but the pressure behind it was far from ordinary.  

Indeed, a chilling aura coalesced around her, and a silvery energy began to emanate. The rapier was soon enveloped in her Aura, transforming into the shape of a massive ice spear. At the tip of the spear, icy particles began to condense and swirl.  

“Hmm…”  

Teslon found himself unable to lower his guard. He adjusted his stance.  

The mist thickened, concentrating at the spear’s point. The energy radiating from the tip grew more intense. The icy particles collided and fused, splitting apart only to recombine, emitting flashes of light.  

The sphere of light growing at the end of the ice spear pulsed with immense destructive power, and Teslon’s tongue clicked as he read its energy.  

‘This is no joke.’

As someone once called the Fist King, Teslon quickly understood the mechanics of her technique.  

The micro Aura particles collided in an endless cycle of fusion and separation, producing countless waves of destructive force. These waves didn’t dissipate outward but compressed inward, creating an even more devastating energy.  

This was a mastery of Aura control so refined and precise that it birthed overwhelming destructive power. Even though he could analyze it, he wouldn’t dare try to replicate it. The level of skill was far beyond his reach.  

This was her ultimate skill, the one that earned her the title “Queen of Ice,” marking her as the strongest warrior among elves.  

“Absolute Spear…”  

As the cold words left Iniya’s lips, Teslon pulled his fist back to his waist.  

This wasn’t like the situation with Kadamyte. Her technique wasn’t something he could counter with a mere Death Counter. Against such a move, he had to respond with his strongest skill.