The Indomitable Martial King

‘Good, at least I’ve gained some distance…’

However, it was too early to relax.

Unable to advance, Attila instead slammed his two staves into the ground.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Striking the ground in rhythm with his staves, Attila let out a bizarre cry.

“New sprouts grow, sticking out their tongues in the breeze!”

Dozens of thin vines sprouted from the ends of the staves. The vines extended at a terrifying speed, reaching Kapir’s feet and beginning to entangle them.

“What is this now?”

His movements were completely immobilized. In Kapir’s eyes, he saw Attila charging toward him with terrifying momentum.

“Hrah!”

Attila closed the distance in an instant, swinging his staves fiercely from both sides. With his legs bound, Kapir could not take a proper defensive stance. He barely raised his sword to block the attack from the right.

“Ugh!”

A groan escaped Kapir’s lips. The stave he couldn’t block struck his ribcage accurately. The unknown force easily penetrated the Aura’s defense and inflicted a heavy blow. Blood spurted from his throat.

“Cough, cough!”

“Kapir!”

Blay shouted in alarm. Marund’s voice filled the stone chamber.

“Flames! Descend upon my hand! Become a pillar that scorches the world! Flame Strike!”

Unable to watch any longer, Marund intervened. A pillar of intense flame shot down toward Attila. Clicking his tongue, Attila retreated as he was about to deliver a follow-up strike. Taking advantage of the opening, Kapir swung his Blade Aura and cut the vines binding his feet.

“This is no ordinary monster!”

Kapir exclaimed through gritted teeth from the pain. As Blay approached him to cast a healing spell, he spoke.

“Is there any need to mind chivalry against monsters in the first place? Let’s all join in and finish it quickly!”

“Breath of flame, become a single arrow, Flame Arrow! Cry of the dark cloud, descend upon my hand, Lightning Spear! Sphere of explosion, strike the enemy, Fireball!”

Marund cast spells in quick succession. As an experienced mage, he knew that the most threatening attacks to trolls, with their remarkable regenerative abilities, were fire and lightning spells that burned their flesh. Fire and lightning filled the space around Attila.

With nowhere to escape, Attila whistled loudly.

Whiiiiiick!

A hazy vortex of air swirled around Attila. All the spells collided with the vortex, exploding and scattering. Marund shouted in astonishment.

“What is that? It’s neither magic nor a holy spell!”

Blay clasped his hands together and began to pray.

“Seiya, let your servant rise anew, overcoming his pain!”

Blay’s holy power began to flow into Kapir. Kapir screamed.

“Argh! Blay! Be gentle!”

Startled, Blay retorted.

“Hey, it’s just a healing spell. What’s hurting you?”

Attila’s shamanic power clashed with Kapir’s Aura, reacting against Blay’s holy power. Blay muttered, confused.

“Why is this happening when he’s not even fighting another Aura user?”

Nevertheless, the healing spell alleviated the pain from the broken ribs. Kapir grimaced, picking up his broadsword.

“Damn it, that hurts. I’m going to get that bastard right now!”

Drawing out his Aura again, Kapir charged at Attila with an excited voice. The red Blade Aura clashed with the two staves.

Boom!

In the midst of the explosion and ripples of light, Kapir and Attila exchanged relentless blows. Each time the sword and staves crossed, a deafening sound erupted, shaking the air so fiercely it made ears ring. Marund cast another spell.

“Iron Steel!”

The 4th Circle disarmament spell, Iron Steel, directly hit Attila’s staves. Suddenly, the increased weight caused Attila’s arms to drop to the ground. However, he didn’t let go of the staves. Planting his fists on the ground, he immediately stood on his hands and delivered a kick to Kapir.

Thud!

Struck in the shoulder by the rapid kicks, Kapir groaned and retreated. A kick from above when the world turned upside down—this was an attack Kapir, who had faced countless battles, had never experienced before. Moreover, its power rivaled that of an Aura user!

“Damn it! This is ridiculous!”

Taking advantage of the moment, Attila dispelled the magic with his shamanic power and stood up again. Striking the drum on his thigh with his staves, Attila began to sing.

“The red sky strikes you down, turning you to sand and dust…”

With the rhythm, the strange energy began to surge again. Marund shouted angrily.

“That trick again! No way, you bastard! Silence, be upon you! Silence!”

The air around Attila’s mouth stilled, cutting off his song. Though not entirely sure of his opponent’s methods, Marund knew he was using the power of words, so he silenced him. Indeed, the surging energy momentarily halted.

But the energy soon began to move again.

Thud thud! Crack! Thud thud! Crack!

With his mouth sealed, Attila continued the rhythm by stomping his feet and clashing the staves together. As the incantation completed, a wind arose. A storm gathered into the shape of a hammer and surged towards Marund.

Whiiiiish!

“Ugh!”

As Marund recoiled in horror, Blay quickly made the sign of the cross.

“Seiya! Grant us your protection!”

A cross-shaped holy light formed in front of Marund, blocking the hammer of the storm. Blay broke into a cold sweat. He had almost lost his longtime friend if his timing had been even a moment off. Marund, still in shock, muttered dazedly.

“That bastard, is he really a demon in troll form as the rumors say? How is he so strong?”

With a serious expression, Kapir charged at Attila. There was no longer any arrogance or complacency in his eyes. This legendary troll was no myth. Even with the help of his companions, Kapir, an Aura user, found it difficult to handle this monster among monsters.

“Hyaaaah!”

Kapir shouted continuously as he calmly pressed Attila. Marund regained his breath and continued his attack spells. Blay increased his divine power to support them both.

As the three of them fought earnestly without letting their guard down, Attila began to be pushed back gradually.

“Ugh! Ugh!”

However, even as he groaned, Attila did not fall easily. In precarious moments, he used that ‘unknown’ technique to escape danger.

Deflecting Kapir’s Blade Aura to the side, Attila let out a short breath.

“Hu-hu-hu!”

With the breath, he bounced his chest repeatedly and spun his head. The small beads in his braided hair clashed together, producing a clear ringing sound.

Jingle jingle jingle!

As the bell-like sound echoed, Blay, who was praying, screamed and collapsed.

“Aaagh!”

His mind was momentarily thrown into confusion and he felt dazed. It felt like being hit by a mage’s mental spell. Barely regaining his composure, Blay shuddered.

“What on earth is this sorcery?”

Troll shamanism, which utilized not just words but rhythm, music, and dance, was entirely different from human magic or the holy spells of priests. It was the first time Kapir and his team faced such techniques, and they couldn’t help but be bewildered.

On the other hand, Attila had always fought against humans. He was all too familiar with their methods.

‘But three of them is indeed too much,’ he thought, sweat trickling down his face as he alternated his gaze between the humans in front of him and his kin in the cage.

Too much time had already been wasted. This was the heart of a human city, and if he delayed any longer, more humans with spears and swords would swarm in.

Yet, the humans before him were not weak enough to be defeated in a single blow.

‘Should I flee…?’

He had to make a decision.

He still had some leeway. These humans were entirely unfamiliar with troll shamanism. There was still a chance to escape alone.

But if he did, he would be abandoning his suffering kin.

‘What should I do…?’

The deliberation did not last long. Staying here and holding out would not open a path to saving his kin. It was painful, but he needed to survive now so he could return later with another chance to rescue them.

“I’m sorry! My kin!”

In his sorrow, Attila shouted and fiercely swung his staves with both hands.

“Kraaaah!”

Kapir raised his sword to defend, but was pushed back nonetheless. As Attila widened the distance and attempted to flee, a loud shout came from the entrance of the underground chamber.

“Rainbow Force Ray!”

The air trembled as seven beams of rainbow-colored light sliced through the air. The destructive light bombarded the area around Kapir and his companions, causing a series of explosions.

Boom boom boom boom boom!

In the thick dust, Kapir turned his head in confusion.

“Who, who is it?”

Three figures blocked the entrance to the stone chamber. The silhouettes included two large men and a slender woman.

“Just in time,” one of them said.

“Indeed. What was that mist that blocked even our senses?” another asked.

“Sorry about that… Ah, how could I forget about the Troll’s Veil while knowing so much about troll shamanism?”

They stepped forward as they spoke in an incomprehensible manner. The first to reveal himself was a human of a height similar to Attila’s, but almost twice his size. Attila’s wariness intensified.

“New enemies?”

The burly man, smiling widely, addressed him.

“We finally meet, Guru Attila, wise son of nature.”

* * *

Attila doubted his ears for a moment. He was certain that he had never seen this giant man before. He swore he had never met him in his life.

Yet here was this human, calling his name. And in such clear Troll language!

“Who are you? How do you know my name? How do you know our language?”

The burly man, Repenhardt, continued speaking as he watched Attila’s astonishment.

“I am one who knows the truth of the trolls. I have come to help you.”

“What are you talking about…?”

Confusion clouded Attila’s mind, causing him to stutter. Kapir and his companions regained their stances and looked at Repenhardt, their faces also showing signs of bewilderment.

“Who are you?”

“Why did you attack us?”

“If you know honor, reveal yourself!”

Repenhardt turned his gaze towards them. He had been spying on this mansion for the past three days. He already knew why Kapir and his party were here.

“My desire is solely the liberation of the trolls. I have heard that you are merely passing through here. Would you kindly step aside?”

His voice was exceedingly polite. However, Kapir and his party did not lower their guard. They didn’t understand the situation, but it was clear that this unknown giant was friendly towards the monster troll.

“What kind of trickery is this? That troll has massacred dozens of people!”

Kapir shouted. He had seen firsthand the atrocities Attila had committed. How could he leave this place with such a monster present?

Repenhardt shrugged his shoulders.

“I expected this reaction. Tassid! Siris!”

A pair of figures emerged beside Repenhardt. Attila was taken aback once more. They were not human. One was a huge Orc warrior, and the other was a beautiful Elven girl.

“Restrain them! Don’t kill them!”

At Repenhardt’s command, Tassid drew his sword and shouted heartily.

“Understood, benefactor!”

He immediately charged towards Kapir. The turquoise Blade Aura illuminated the stone chamber brilliantly. Kapir shouted in astonishment.

“An Orc with Aura?”

Boom!

Turquoise and red Auras clashed in mid-air. Tassid roared.

“Raaah!”

Siris leaped gracefully. She swiftly blocked the path in front of the priest, Blay, and drew her scimitar with a calm voice.

“I’ll handle this one.”

“Uh? Seiya, help me!”

Blay, startled, made the sign of the cross. A cross-shaped holy light appeared and flew towards Siris. She murmured elegantly while making a gesture.

“Answer my call, Salamander.”

A lizard-shaped spirit enveloped in flames appeared and clashed with the cross light. It was a lower fire spirit, Salamander. Shattering the holy spell, Siris swung her sword. Blay, flustered, hurriedly created a shield of light to block the attacks.

Watching Tassid and Siris engage in combat, Attila muttered in a daze.

“An Orc with Aura… an Elf with spirit power…”

He couldn’t believe it. These were not powers granted to those enslaved by humans. Amid his confused thoughts, Attila suddenly recalled a rumor he had heard a few months ago.

A human had appeared, leading other races.

They said he treated the other races like humans.

They said that in his territory, all races were guaranteed freedom.

Those races, unlike the enslaved ones, knew honor and pride, living as ‘people’ like humans.

“Could it be…?”

Attila stared blankly at the giant man. It was hard to be certain because of his robes, but that build was unmistakable…

“Fist King Repenhardt?”