Chapter 336 : Chapter 336
Chapter 336. The Rest… Is Up to You (3)
The Hegemon King came to his senses.
When Patrick let him go, he stumbled a few steps, then barely managed to plant his sword on the ground.
Using the sword stuck in the ground as a staff, he barely kept his body upright and took shallow breaths.
“Are you feeling a bit better?”
When Patrick spoke to him, the Hegemon King arduously raised his gaze to look at Patrick.
An indescribable emotion was contained in his eyes.
The Hegemon King stared blankly at Patrick's gaze for a moment, then turned his head to look around.
“Aaaaargh!”
“Die!”
A world where screams and death ran rampant.
This was the result he had created.
“I have failed.”
“……”
“In the end…. it has come to this.”
“……”
What excuse was needed?
High ideals, a long and complicated story, and the price and effort that had to be paid in the process.
All of that was wrong if it did not produce a result.
The Hegemon King spoke to Patrick.
“Should I apologize for letting you down?”
“What you have to say to me…. No, never mind.”
Patrick sighed.
And while scratching his head, he said to the Hegemon King.
“Now, what are you going to do to clean up this mess?”
“Are you asking me to clean up the mess now?”
“If not you, then who? The one who tied the knot must be the one to untie it.”
“That's not something to say to a man who is about to die.”
The Hegemon King knew his own body well.
His body had been severely damaged by Jonsa's experiments.
The life force that had been barely holding on with Jonsa's demonic power was now flowing out ceaselessly.
He probably wouldn't survive.
However….
“I can save you.”
“What did you say?”
“I said I can save you. Can't you understand?”
“……”
“I don't feel like it, but what can I do? In any case, someone has to clean up this mess.”
“……”
“Tell me how. Then I'll save you. Just for this one time, I'll even lend you my strength.”
Hearing Patrick's words, the Hegemon King smirked.
Even in this catastrophic situation, that man was giving him a chance.
What on earth did he see in him to do so?
What did he see in this miserable failure to give him a chance?
He looked up at the sky.
Indifferent to the troubled affairs of humans, the high and blue sky was both heartless and beautiful.
‘Do they say that when a person is close to death, everything in the world feels beautiful?’
It seemed to be true.
The Hegemon King lowered his head again and looked straight ahead.
And….
“Patrick Schneider….”
“What is it?”
“You are too kind.”
“You're saying something most of the people around me would not agree with.”
“And a soft-hearted fool.”
“This bastard is asking to die….”
Patrick was about to get angry but stopped.
Before his eyes, the Hegemon King was forcing his body to move and raise his sword.
“Kugh…. ugh….”
The once-renowned powerhouse of the continent, the hero who once dominated it with his very presence, was now struggling just to lift his own sword.
Indeed, it would be a miracle for him to move like that in a state where his life force had been exhausted to its very source.
But even while enduring the pain of all his bones being ground down, he lifted his sword.
And aiming it at Patrick, he said.
“I'll tell you one thing.”
“The thirty-sixth thing I hate is when someone tries to teach me something in the middle of a sword fight.”
“A monarch must be ruthless.”
“Are you ignoring me?”
“And he must be cunning.”
“This is the first time someone has ignored me.”
“From now on… cough… cough….”
“……”
The Hegemon King coughed violently for a moment.
Looking at the blood clot mixed in the blood coming from his mouth, it seemed like a piece of his internal organs had been torn out.
But even in such pain….
“I will show you that.”
He raised his sword.
And a clear Aura Blade formed on his sword.
* * *
The tide of war was mostly settled.
April destroyed the magic circles created by the black mages and killed the Sword King.
At that point, there was no way the enemy's strength could increase further.
On top of that, when the dragon in the sky breathed fire and burned the enemy, and the retainers of Kalaron began to unilaterally ravage the enemy, the tide of war was overturned as if by a lie.
The allied forces, who had prepared for death….
“Counterattack!”
“Advance! Win for justice!”
“Uwaaaaaaaaaah!”
Their morale soared to the heavens, and they charged forward.
Furthermore, with the loss of control from Jonsa's direct disciples, most of the Red Knights collapsed and returned to corpses, while some regained their senses.
“What… what have I done….”
“Kugh…. Hegemon King, you dare to play with me!”
“I'll kill you!”
Sword Queen Leona Maybus and Justin Leyte, who had been called the Guardian Deity of Decator, rushed towards the Hegemon King, full of anger.
And the leaders of the allied forces also headed to where the Hegemon King was.
The Hegemon King's head.
It was the final trophy that would decide the victory of this terrible war and would surely become a symbol of victory.
What they all rushed to see with their own eyes was….
“Uwaaaaaaaaaah!”
The Hegemon King's sword, still shining brightly.
CRASH!
Of course, it did not achieve any results.
Even if it was the Lord of Sword, which was renowned on the continent, the story changed if the opponent was the continent's strongest, the Double Dragon.
Patrick did not even move from his spot and received the Hegemon King's desperate attack.
But the Hegemon King did not stop even when his attack was blocked.
He continued to swing his sword and shouted.
“If only you weren't here…. If only you weren't here, there would be no one to stand in my way.”
CLANG! CRASH! CLANG!
“Hey.”
“I will kill you and rise again. I will make the entire continent kneel at my feet again.”
“Hey?!”
“Patrick Schneideeeeeer!”
“This bastard really.”
Patrick, annoyed, swung the Black Dragon Sword wide horizontally.
RUMBLE!
Although it was just one move, Patrick's blow sent the struggling Hegemon King flying.
The Hegemon King flew several tens of meters and crashed.
And Patrick, with a gaze full of annoyance, walked towards the Hegemon King.
“What kind of bullshit is this….”
“Patrick Schneideeeeeer!”
CRASH!
The Hegemon King, charging again through the dust.
His powerful blow was strong enough to split mountains and cleave the earth.
However….
“Kugh….”
It did not work on Patrick at all.
The two men faced each other, their swords crossed.
The Hegemon King's face, full of hatred and fighting spirit.
Patrick's face, full of bewilderment and annoyance.
The faces of the two men were too different.
“What in the world is this bull…shit!”
THUD!
Simultaneously with finishing his words, Patrick, who stomped his foot powerfully, sent the Hegemon King flying again.
The Hegemon King could not withstand the impact and was sent flying far back, but he did not fall.
His two feet, standing firm on the ground, carved deep marks in the earth.
And the Hegemon King gritted his teeth once more and charged forward.
“If only you weren't here, no one could stop me!”
CRASH!
“I will kill you and take everything into my grasp. If only, if only you weren't heeeere!”
CLANG! CLANG! CRASH!
An attack that was now close to a desperate struggle.
But it was a powerful attack nonetheless.
* * *
“How can he have such power….”
“To be that strong even while dying?”
“Is that the Hegemon King's true strength?”
Even those who had rushed to this place, blinded by anger, revenge, and the desire for merit, aiming for the Hegemon King's head, did not dare to approach.
The Hegemon King's attack was that powerful.
However….
“The Double Dragon is stronger.”
“Hmm, he's not backing down at all.”
“That man can win.”
The sight of Patrick overwhelming the monstrous Hegemon King became their hope.
No matter how powerful the Hegemon King was, as long as the Double Dragon was there, his vile ambitions would never be fulfilled.
“Patrick Schneider!”
“Double Dragon!”
“The continent's strongest!”
The soldiers strike the ground with their spears and call Patrick's name.
The knights raise their swords and show their reverence for Patrick.
The leaders of the continent are also clenching their fists and hoping for Patrick's victory.
* * *
‘What in the world is going on?’
For Patrick, it was just bewildering.
Of course it would be powerful.
It was a sword strike that had burned all his remaining life force and focused solely on power.
But if you're going to do it, you should do it properly.
What was with that stance, full of openings?
If Patrick had wanted to counterattack, he could have struck back more than ten times in a single breath, as the openings were gaping.
But Patrick did not do so.
No, he couldn't.
If he counterattacked here….
CRASH!
“Mmmph….”
While he hesitated for a moment, the Hegemon King's sword pushed Patrick back a step.
Seizing the opportunity for an offensive, the Hegemon King pushed Patrick back, using the mass of his giant two-handed sword.
“Uwaaaaaaaah!”
Patrick crossed the swords in both his hands to block it.
The two men, their swords crossed again.
The Hegemon King looked at Patrick with a face full of hatred and fighting spirit.
And Patrick, who looked straight into those eyes….
“Ha, this bastard really.”
He wore an expression of disbelief.
He seemed to get it.
He seemed to get why this guy was doing this.
And that's why he was even more annoyed.
“You think I'll play along with your plan?”
At that, the Hegemon King spoke in a low voice, loud enough for Patrick to hear.
“You will.”
“What did you say?”
“Because you are a kind and soft-hearted person.”
“……”
“And because I am cunning and cowardly.”
CRASH!
The two separated again.
The Hegemon King took a step back and raised his sword high.
“I am the Hegemon King, Cierion Baisus Yusef! The name of the emperor who will rule the entire continent!”
“……..”
“Patrick Schneider! If only you weren't here, no one could stop me. I will kill you and use you as a stepping stone for my hegemony!”
“……”
The Hegemon King's roar, shouting loudly enough for everyone on this battlefield to hear.
That echo was enough to incite anger in those who heard it.
“That damn bastard….”
“How dare you spew such nonsense?”
“I'll kill you, Hegemon King!”
“What kind of emperor are you, you lunatic bastard!”
“Die! Someone like you should just die!”
Hatred and resentment poured out.
All the anger and pent-up frustration were focused on the Hegemon King.
Among them were not only the allied forces but also the soldiers and knights of the Yusef Kingdom who had awakened from the black mages' brainwashing.
And on the Hegemon King's sword, which had received all that hatred….
Road of Sword.
The clear and brilliant sword of the emperor emitted light.
There was not a single point of hesitation in it.
‘This is my path of the king.’
And the Hegemon King charged at Patrick.
“Here I coooome!”
Patrick stared intently at the Hegemon King.
He knew.
How could he, who was facing him directly with a sword, not know?
This was just playing along with that guy's plan.
However….
“Aaaaaaaaaargh!”
Seeing the Hegemon King charging with a do-or-die resolve, Patrick muttered briefly.
“It can't be helped.”
And Patrick moved forward.
Stab!
The sound of someone's body being pierced by a sword was heard.
It was a sound that had echoed tiresomely on this battlefield.
But depending on whose body was pierced, its presence changes.
It was the Hegemon King who had struck his sword first, but right after that, Patrick accelerated once more and dug into the Hegemon King's chest.
And he thrust the White Dragon Sword in his left hand into the Hegemon King's heart.
“O… oooooh!”
“We won. It's our victory!”
“Long live the Double Dragon!”
“Long live the allied forces!”
“We finally won!”
The many who witnessed this scene let out a cheer.
Justice defeating a great evil.
The result that the public always most enthusiastically desires had finally appeared before their eyes as a reality.
At this moment, everyone intoxicated with victory let out a cheer.
And….
“This… is my… cunning…ness… and… cowardice….”
“Yeah. I know.”
“You… as a hero…. I… as a loser and a symbol of evil… cough… will remain… cough cough….”
“I know, so you don't need to say more.”
“Kh…khkhkhk….”
The Hegemon King laughed.
And Patrick, feeling the Hegemon King's life slowly fading away, said.
“If you have any last words, just say one.”
“…The rest… is up to you.”
Patrick did not answer.
Instead, he just nodded his head very slightly.
Having confirmed that, the Hegemon King closed his eyes.
A very faint smile was on his fallen face.
Year 1531. November 7th.
The Hegemon King, Cierion Baisus Yusef, died.
It was the end of the evil that would engrave its name in the history of the continent as the villain of the century and the worst hypocrite who had started a war on the entire continent by joining hands with the black mages for the sake of continental conquest.
There was a hero who defeated that evil and brought peace and justice to the continent.
Patrick Sky Schneider.
The name of the great hero that would be talked about for a thousand years was thus born.