Chapter 112: Facing the King of the Marauders...
The King of the Marauders roared with such force that the entire cavern trembled.
The small, adorable creature had completely disappeared.
Now he stood nearly three meters tall.
His back was covered in thick black scales.
Muscles bulged beneath his grayish skin.
His claws looked capable of splitting stone.
And curved fangs protruded from his jaw like knives.
Nox looked him up and down.
Then smiled.
"Now you finally look like a king."
The monster bared every one of his teeth and growled.
Beside him, Yuri tightened her grip on the knife made from fangs.
"Give the order."
She stepped forward.
"And we’ll attack him together."
Nox shook his head.
"No."
She frowned.
"Stay behind me."
"But..."
"I can handle this alone."
The King didn’t wait any longer.
He drove both legs into the ground.
The entire cavern shook.
His enormous body shot straight toward Nox.
And just as he was about to reach him...
He vanished into the shadows.
Nox felt a tingling sensation crawl up the back of his neck.
Danger Sense exploded.
’To the side.’
Without thinking...
He summoned the small Aegis of Gluttony, and the King’s massive claws crashed into it.
The impact forced him to slide several meters across the stone floor.
"So fast..."
he muttered.
But before he could react...
Yuri had already moved.
"Now!"
She leaped onto the monster’s back, raised her knife, and drove it down with all her strength.
The blade simply bounced off.
It couldn’t even pierce the scales.
The King barely turned his head.
As though he had just felt a fly land on him.
Nox’s eyes widened.
"Yuri!"
The woman barely had time to react.
The monster swung one arm.
The blow struck her head-on, sending her body flying.
She shot across half the cavern before crashing into a wall covered in glowing crystals.
The stone exploded.
Blood splattered across the shimmering crystals.
Nox vanished into the shadows.
He reappeared directly behind Yuri.
Catching her before she hit the ground.
She immediately coughed.
"Blood..."
A mouthful of crimson spilled onto Nox’s chest.
He carefully supported her.
Then gently leaned her against a nearby rock and looked into her eyes.
"I told you not to get involved."
Yuri let out a faint laugh.
"I tried."
"You’re only making this much harder."
She barely managed to lift her head.
"If I want to have a child..."
She smiled through the blood.
"...with the strongest being I’ve ever met..."
She struggled to breathe.
"...then I have to prove I’m strong too."
Nox couldn’t help smiling.
"You’re hopeless."
And then...
Danger Sense exploded again.
Behind him.
Nox immediately spun around.
The King had appeared once more.
His enormous claws were descending directly toward the demon’s back.
"No."
Black chains erupted from the ground and wrapped themselves around both of the monster’s arms.
The claws stopped only centimeters away.
The King roared and struggled to break free.
But Nox placed both hands on the chains.
[Winter’s Authority.]
Ice appeared instantly.
The links began to freeze over.
The cold spread up the monster’s arms.
Its scales cracked.
A thick layer of ice encased him all the way to his elbows.
The monster roared in fury...
Then vanished into the shadows once again.
The chains were left restraining nothing but air.
Nox took a deep breath.
’He never lets his guard down for even a second.’
He looked around.
Waiting for the next attack.
Waiting for Danger Sense to warn him again.
But then he noticed something different.
The caves.
All of them.
The Marauders had come out.
Dozens.
Perhaps hundreds.
Every single one of them was watching the battle.
No one attacked.
No one spoke.
They simply watched.
As if witnessing this fight held some special meaning.
As though they were waiting to discover which of the two was truly stronger.
Nox looked back at Yuri.
She was still breathing.
But she could barely stay conscious.
"Stay still."
She tried to answer.
Another coughing fit interrupted her.
Blood spilled onto the ground once more.
And then...
A window appeared before Nox’s eyes.
[Compatibility Detected.]
[Fallen Genesis conditions fulfilled.]
[Compatible Individual Detected.]
Nox stared at the system window.
’No...’
The system continued waiting.
As if this were the perfect moment.
As though the woman were ready to receive a Title.
Nox frowned.
’Now?’
He didn’t like it.
He didn’t like it at all.
He barely knew Yuri.
They had hardly spoken.
Yes...
She had made him laugh.
Yes...
She seemed brave.
And yes...
She was definitely a little crazy.
But that wasn’t enough.
’Audrey.’
He had gotten to know her.
She had saved his life.
And he had watched her sisters die.
’Misty.’
He had spent time with her.
He had fought alongside her.
’Tessa.’
They had traveled together for a long time.
He had watched her change.
He had watched her abandon the Church.
But Yuri...
No.
He barely even knew her name.
’Accepting a Compatibility just because it appeared...’
He slowly shook his head.
’No. I’m not going to make another hasty decision.’
The window remained there.
Waiting.
But Nox chose to ignore it.
"I’m sorry..."
he murmured to himself.
"Not yet."
The window lingered for a few more seconds.
Then finally disappeared.
At that exact moment...
Danger Sense returned.
’Above!’
Nox looked up.
The King was descending from the cavern ceiling.
His claws spread wide.
His jaws fully open.
Nox activated Wind Legs, and the wind exploded beneath his feet.
The monster struck nothing but the place where he had been a heartbeat earlier.
Its claws shattered the ground.
Rocks.
Crystals.
Everything was blasted apart.
Nox landed several meters away.
Ashbringer immediately appeared in his left hand.
One of his Demonic Dual Knives materialized in his right.
"I’m done playing around."
The King smiled again.
He no longer looked furious.
On the contrary.
He looked excited.
"Finally."
His deep voice echoed through the cavern.
"An enemy worthy of me."
Nox raised the rifle and fired.
The bullet tore through the air.
The monster vanished at the perfect moment.
Reappearing directly behind him.
"Too slow."
Nox’s dagger immediately spun.
Slash.
He managed to carve a shallow cut across the King’s side.
The monster growled.
But his smile only widened.
"Yes."
He stepped forward.
"This is much better."
The surrounding Marauders began pounding the ground with their claws.
Little by little, the entire cavern echoed with the sound.
THUMP.
THUMP.
THUMP.
As though they were cheering for their king.
As though this battle were some kind of sacred ceremony.
Nox looked at all the creatures.
Then back at the monster.
And smiled beneath the Marauder Mask.
’I think...’
He slowly spun the dagger between his fingers.
’...this is going to take a lot longer than I expected.’