Chapter 41: Demanding
Borzoi tilted his head slightly as if he had just heard something amusing, his red eyes narrowing as he looked at the Captain who stood firmly atop his warhorse, gripping the reins so tightly that the veins on his hands bulged.
Yet his posture did not waver even in the presence of a being that had just shrugged off a combined assault from dozens of dangerous monsters.
"What do you mean unreasonable?" Borzoi asked, his voice calm but carrying a weight that pressed down on everyone present.
"Those with strength can do anything to the weak. That is the law that governs everything. That is the truth that binds this world together. The weak have no right to complain, no right to resist, and no right to live unless they are permitted to by those stronger than them."
The Captain stared at him, his mind still trying to process everything that had just happened, from the monsters being thrown around like toys.
And now this man, this being, speaking of life and death as if they were nothing more than a passing thought.
Before he could respond, one of the soldiers behind him suddenly shouted, his voice filled with desperation and anger.
"Attack! Attack! Attack!"
The shout broke whatever hesitation remained. Like a spark igniting dry grass, the entire formation erupted into motion.
Everyone hated being humiliated like this. So of course, they won’t accept this unreasonable proposal.
The knights on horseback lowered their weapons, their bodies glowing with a brilliant white light as holy mana surged through their limbs, strengthening their muscles and sharpening their senses.
The archers above quickly adjusted their positions, drawing arrows infused with radiant energy, while mages in the rear began chanting, their voices overlapping in a chaotic chorus that echoed against the stone walls.
The Captain clenched his teeth, his hesitation gone.
"All units, engage!" he roared, his voice booming across the battlefield.
In the next instant, a storm of attacks descended upon Borzoi.
Blinding flashes of holy light erupted from all directions as arrows streaked through the air like falling stars, each one aimed with deadly precision.
Beams of concentrated mana followed, cutting through the air with a sharp hum, while the knights charged forward, their weapons glowing as they closed the distance.
Borzoi did not move.
He simply stood there.
The first arrow struck.
Then the second.
Then dozens more.
Each impact released a burst of light, and soon his figure was completely swallowed by a blinding explosion of holy energy.
The ground trembled under the force of the attacks, dust and debris rising into the air as the barrage continued without pause.
"Keep firing!" one of the officers shouted, his voice strained. "Do not let up!"
The attacks continued, wave after wave, until the very air seemed to vibrate with the intensity of the assault.
The soldiers poured everything they had into that single point, their faces twisted with determination and fear, hoping, praying, that this would be enough.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the barrage stopped.
Silence fell.
The dust slowly began to settle.
Everyone held their breath.
Through the thinning cloud, a figure began to emerge.
Standing in the center of the devastation, Borzoi remained exactly where he had been before.
Unmoved.
Unharmed.
Not even a scratch could be seen on his body.
He brushed his shoulder lightly, as if removing imaginary dust, then looked up at them with an
expression that was neither angry nor impressed.
"Bersuka Tribe hates magical spells t nkhat are cast from a distance," he said, his tone almost bored. "It is cowardly. It lacks conviction. It lacks courage. It lacks meaning."
His gaze swept across the battlefield, lingering briefly on the archers and mages.
"So after this, I will endl those who rely on such methods."
A chill ran through the soldiers.
"If you can use your mana to strengthen your bodies, to fight up close, then perhaps... just perhaps... I might spare a few of you," Borzoi continued, his voice carrying an unsettling calm.
"It depends on whether you prove useful."
The tension in the air thickened.
No one doubted his words.
They could feel it.
This man was not threatening them.
He was stating a fact.
Suddenly, one of the knights let out a roar and burst forward, his entire body enveloped in a radiant glow.
"Range magic is not our forte!" he shouted as he closed the distance in an instant.
His fist pulled back, holy mana gathering around it, compressing until it shone like a miniature sun.
Then he punched.
Boom!
The impact echoed across the battlefield as his fist connected with Borzoi’s face.
For a brief moment, hope flickered in the hearts of the soldiers.
But then...
The knight’s expression froze.
His fist was still pressed against Borzoi’s face.
Yet nothing had changed.
Borzoi did not move.
He did not even blink.
The knight’s eyes widened in disbelief.
"I... I hit him..."
Borzoi slowly turned his gaze toward him, a faint smile forming on his lips.
"It is strong," he murmured. "But too weak to hurt me."
The knight’s body trembled.
"More," Borzoi added softly, as if inviting them.
That single word was enough.
The rest of the knights roared as they charged forward, their fear turning into desperation, their voices rising in a chaotic chorus.
"Attack!"
"Do not hold back!"
"For the Kingdom!"
Their bodies glowed brighter as they pushed their mana to the limit, each one reinforcing their muscles, accelerating their movements, and striking with everything they had. Fists, blades, and kicks rained down upon Borzoi from all directions, the sound of impact echoing like thunder.
The battlefield became a blur of motion and light.
Yet through it all, Borzoi remained standing.
Unmoving.
Unyielding.
He allowed the attacks to land, his expression unchanged, as if he were simply observing them.
"None of you are worthy," he said, his voice cutting through the noise.
Then...
Boom!
A single strike landed.
Different from the others.
He slid back.
Just a little.
A thin line of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.
The battlefield fell silent.
Borzoi touched the blood with his finger, staring at it for a moment before looking up.
His gaze locked onto the Captain.
"You are worthy," he said.
The Captain lowered his fist slowly, his breathing heavy, his entire body trembling from the force he had just exerted.
"But the others are not," Borzoi continued.
His voice grew colder.
"It is time to eliminate them."
The Captain’s eyes widened.
"You cannot!" he shouted, stepping forward. "You cannot harm the civilians or my men!"
Borzoi tilted his head again.
"Why?"
The single word carried a weight that crushed down on the Captain.
"Because they are under my protection!" the Captain roared, his voice filled with conviction. "Because they are people of this kingdom! Because they have families, lives, and futures that they deserve to live!"
Borzoi stared at him.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then he spoke.
"Protection?" he repeated. "You protect them because you are stronger than them. That is no different from what I said."
The Captain gritted his teeth.
"No," he said firmly. "I protect them because it is my duty. Because strength should not be used to oppress the weak, but to shield them."
Borzoi’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"That is your belief," he said. "But belief does not change reality."
The Captain stepped forward again, his aura flaring.
"Then I will change it!"
The two of them moved at the same time.
Their bodies clashed in a blur of motion, fists and strikes colliding with explosive force. Each impact sent shockwaves through the air, the ground cracking beneath their feet as they exchanged blows with incredible speed.
The Captain fought with everything he had, his movements precise, his strikes powerful, each one aimed with purpose.
Borzoi responded with ease.
Effortless.
Calm.
Yet with each exchange, the difference became clearer.
The Captain was being pushed back.
Step by step.
"You are strong," Borzoi said as he blocked another strike. "Stronger than the rest."
The Captain gritted his teeth, launching another attack.
"But not enough."
Boom!
The Captain was sent sliding back, his boots digging into the ground as he struggled to maintain his footing.
He coughed, blood staining his lips.
Still, he stood.
"I will not let you pass," he said, his voice steady despite the pain.
Borzoi looked at him for a moment, then shook his head slightly.
"If you wish to stop me, then I will end you as well," he said.
His aura began to rise.
The air grew heavy.
The ground trembled.
The soldiers behind the Captain felt their hearts sink as the pressure intensified, their bodies trembling under the overwhelming force.
"This ends now," Borzoi said as he took a step forward.
But before he could take another...
A sound echoed across the sky.
A powerful, piercing cry.
All heads turned upward.
A massive gryphon soared above them, its wings cutting through the air as it descended from the heavens.