Trash of the Count's Family Vol 2. Chapter 435: One Man, Two Roles, and Chaos in the Demon World (10)
Previously on Trash of the Count's Family...
“Go.”
With a nod from Cale, the twin water serpents surged towards Sir Satun and his retinue.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion sent Sir Satun’s form hurtling backward.
Damn it!
He squeezed his eyelids shut tightly.
He had narrowly managed to deflect one water serpent, but the other had eluded his grasp. That, and it wasn’t even targeting him.
“Gahhh!”
“Aaagh!”
“Urk!”
The horrified cries of three holy knights, engulfed by the water serpent, echoed through the air.
Satun whirled around.
SHHH—
Impossibly vast, far grander than a mere snake, the water serpent coiled around the three knights and barreled through the dense woods.
BOOM!
“Urk!”
“Hack!”
“……”
Powerless, the three holy knights were swept along by the colossal serpent, akin to being caught in a tidal wave, their bodies smashing against the trees.
Two knights whimpered in pain, while one had already succumbed to unconsciousness.
…From sheer terror!
These three holy knights were by no means weak. Sir Pol, the squad leader in particular, was a mid-tier holy knight, not some common swordsman destined to fall so pathetically without a fight.
But terror had gripped them. They were already lost in the suffocating fear from earlier, barely able to command their own limbs.
That overwhelming dread was consuming them. How could they possibly contend with a water serpent on top of that crushing despair?
“Kh!”
A choked groan escaped Satun’s lips before he could even register it.
He had no time for extraneous thoughts.
BOOOOM!
The water serpent was once again descending upon him.
SMACK!
Satun’s body was violently repelled.
Yet, miraculously, he held his ground, deflecting the water serpent and weathering the assault.
HUMMM—
HUMMM—
The twin blades in his grasp began to emit a low hum.
A faint gray aura enveloped the swords, a bulwark against the watery onslaught that threatened to sweep him away.
I can hold this!
A water serpent of this caliber was within his capability to manage.
“!”
Suddenly, Satun perceived something, and a subtle tremor ran through his entire being.
His eyes darted wildly. A pallor of fear washed over his face.
The smell—
Even now, I still can’t smell anything…!
Drip.
The nosebleed coursing down his face showed no signs of stopping.
It trickled past his lips, down his chin, and onto his neck, saturating the fabric beneath his leather armor.
Enveloped by the metallic tang of blood, he could detect no other scent.
Ah.
Satun finally understood.
That man with the black hair before him.
He’s holding back right now!
In an instant, a fiery resolve ignited in Satun’s eyes.
“…A mere disciple of the Three Emperors…!”
How dare a mere Wanderer belittle me—me, who wields the divine power bestowed by the magnificent and exalted God of Chaos?
Satun could not tolerate such an insult.
And then—
Heh.
The man with black hair offered a faint smirk.
“!”
Flames flared in Satun’s irises.
HUMMMMMM—!
The gray aura emanating from his twin swords intensified, burning brighter.
Cale observed this display, and involuntarily—
Heh.
He smirked once more.
Damn.
He was supposed to maintain his seriousness.
Yet, the urge to laugh kept bubbling up.
In truth, ever since arriving in the New World, moments where Cale could completely catch his foes off guard had become exceedingly rare.
During his confrontations with the White Star, he had consistently employed surprise attacks from every conceivable angle.
Lately, however, his actions had been akin to planting seeds for future ambushes rather than reaping immediate rewards.
Therefore, witnessing these holy knights repeatedly fall into his traps so perfectly, so elegantly, brought him a distinct sense of satisfaction.
But disciple?
Naturally, Cale did not overlook this crucial piece of information.
The water dragon of the Three Emperors. And the water serpents belonging to its subordinate. This implied that said subordinate was apparently some form of disciple.
Could individuality be inherited or transferred? It hardly seemed like a power that one could have disciples for.
For the briefest moment that Cale’s thoughts drifted—
SHHHRAAAK!
The sharp sound startled him.
“Uaaaaah!”
Sir Satun cleaved the water serpent in two and charged directly through the opening, aiming for Cale.
HUM, HUM!
Gray light blazed from his twin swords with unprecedented intensity.
Drip, drip—
Of course, blood continued to stream from both his nostrils.
Noticing Cale’s momentary hesitation, Satun spoke, his voice laced with bravado.
“With such insignificant power, do you genuinely believe you can triumph over the might bestowed by the glorious God of Chaos?!”
However, Cale’s expression remained unperturbed. No, more than calm—it was openly dismissive.
“Go.”
The instant his hand moved and he uttered those simple words in his level tone—
“!”
Goosebumps erupted across Satun’s back.
He still couldn’t smell anything, yet his other senses were acutely heightened.
“Kh!”
He was forced to throw himself sideways.
And where he had just been standing—
BOOOOM!
With an earth-shattering impact, the water serpent annihilated the spot, making the very ground tremble.
“……!”
Satun’s eyes widened in shock as he watched. Cale stated indifferently,
“You shouldn’t forget there’s more than one snake.”
The water snake that had assaulted the three subordinate holy knights remained.
Satun’s gaze then drifted back towards Cale, his eyes wavering.
As their gazes met, Cale’s lips curved upwards slightly.
Cale maintained his position with unashamed steadfastness.
There was no need to prolong this encounter.
His objective was straightforward.
To rescue Team Leader Sui Khan.
To mislead the Order of the God of Chaos by making them believe the Three Emperors were involved.
Additionally, to exacerbate the existing conflict between the Order of the God of Chaos and the hunters, a feud likely ignited during the holy land, Primordial Night.
Cale parted his lips.
SHHHHH—
Water erupted around him.
Just as the Water that Devours the Sky was about to unleash its full might—
Huh?
Cale faltered, his attention fixed on Satun.
A moment prior, Satun's countenance was a mask of confusion, blood trickling from both his nostrils.
Now, his expression had undergone a transformation.
A grin spreading across his face, he inquired,
“And who might you be?”
“!”
Cale’s surprise was palpable.
“I inquired as to your identity.”
Thud.
Planting both swords into the ground and utilizing them for support to regain his stance, Satun disregarded his subordinates entirely, shrouding himself in gray aura as his power surged.
“As I suspected, you are no disciple of the Three Emperors.”
A high-ranking holy knight.
This was not a rank attainable by just any individual.
Moreover, even amongst these elite holy knights, being recognized among the top three was an achievement few could attain, even with a lifetime of dedication.
Yet, Satun had ascended from the lowest rungs to reach this pinnacle in his forties.
Beyond his swordsmanship, he possessed numerous other exceptional qualities.
His unwavering faith in the God of Chaos.
Among all holy knights, his absolute devotion placed him within the top three.
Then there was the extraordinary ability that had earned him the moniker Blood Tracker.
And complementing this, the iron-willed coldness that enabled him to maximize this unique skill.
“Even in your attempts to deceive me, I perceive everything.”
Satun's profound composure allowed him to recognize that all his prior displays—his astonishment, his agitation, his seeming capitulation—had been an elaborate ruse to assess his adversary.
Naturally, Cale had been genuinely startled initially.
An unexpected foe had materialized.
The aura enveloping his entire being exuded an absolute dominion.
Furthermore, a state where no scent could be detected, an unprecedented experience for Satun.
“When you unleashed the water snakes, I initially presumed you to be a disciple of the Three Emperors.”
However, a suspicion of incongruity soon dawned upon him.
Satun directed his gaze at the man with black hair.
“……”
The man met his stare with an unreadable expression.
“You—”
He believed he had identified the man's true nature.
“You are the First Emperor, are you not?”
“……!”
The man visibly recoiled.
Observing this reaction, Satun's lips curved into a sneer.
HUMMM— HUMMMMM—
An intensified gray light began to swirl around his form.
Satun, counted among the three most formidable high-ranking holy knights.
The Blood Tracker.
At this moment, he channeled every ounce of his strength.
The First Emperor.
The adversary before him.
“I never imagined I would witness the leader of Five Colored Blood in person.”
This was a formidable presence, one Satun could never dare to challenge.
The black-haired man—Cale—slowly uttered,
“...Why would you arrive at such a conclusion?”
Cale's expression was grave.
Remarkable. How could such a misapprehension occur?
What is the nature of this predicament?
Cale, meanwhile, found no amusement in the situation.
He was genuinely perplexed.
The First Emperor? Did he mistake him for the First Wanderer?
If the reference was to the head of Five Colored Blood, then it pertained to the First Wanderer.
The individual who harbored aspirations of transcending his current state.
Why had that particular figure suddenly entered the discourse?
“Hah!”
Satun emitted a short, sharp laugh.
Cale’s serious demeanor and his questioning inquiry solidified Satun’s conviction entirely.
“As I surmised, my intuition was correct.”
A high-ranking holy knight of his caliber possessed knowledge regarding the leaders of all significant factions.
And Satun, whose hunting and tracking pursuits surpassed those of most, had unearthed even more profound intelligence.
At this juncture, he had contemplated the potential end of his existence.
That he might meet his demise.
“I was informed that the First Emperor commands dominion over most elemental powers.”
Nevertheless, he harbored no inclination to retreat.
No intention of fleeing.
“That aura you wield. It is not a power any disciple of the Three Emperors could ever possess.”
In such a case, it would be preferable to perish in service of the God of Chaos.
The overwhelming aura that had almost suffocated him completely.
“And you haven't even unleashed your full power.”
After piecing all the evidence together, the conclusion was undeniable.
“First Emperor, why are you masquerading as a disciple of the Three Emperors?”
HUMMM—
As if sensing their master’s unshakeable resolve, the twin swords resonated with a deep hum.
“Even if I perish, you will never achieve the Order of the God of Chaos.”
Satun was privy to the catastrophic event at the holy land, known as Primordial Night.
As a consequence, every holy knight dispersed throughout the Demon World had converged at the Pope's location.
And as a high-ranking holy knight himself, Satun was also aware that two distinct factions had been involved in that incident.
The Wanderers.
More specifically, the Five Colored Blood.
And the other party was—
Cale, was it?
He had heard reports of a being from another dimension, the very one responsible for dismantling the White Star's grand project.
However, it was utterly improbable for that individual, Cale, to have ventured into the Demon World.
After all, that scoundrel wouldn't even be aware that the Demon World—let alone its current Demon King—had formed an alliance with the hunters and the Order of the God of Chaos.
So, what reason would he have to be here?
Furthermore, he possessed no means of reaching the Demon World.
This left only the Wanderers as a possibility.
And if someone were to impersonate the power of a disciple of the Three Emperors, it would undoubtedly be a member of the Five Colored Blood lineage.
“Hah, haha—”
Cale let out a laugh.
He then stated calmly,
“I am not the First Emperor.”
Hah!
Upon hearing these words, Satun found himself unable to contain his laughter.
He angled his twin blades forward.
“In mere moments, the allies who witnessed the signal flare will arrive. My duty is to keep you occupied here until then, First Emperor.”
“Is that so.”
Cale tilted his head slightly, his skepticism evident.
Then—
“Uaaaaah!”
With a fierce roar, Satun launched himself from the ground.
His form streaked towards Cale with the speed of lightning.
HUMMMMMM—
The gray luminescence enveloped his body, coiling around the twin swords and transforming them into a singular projectile.
CLANG!
The very instant the twin swords slashed upwards towards separate sections of the sky, only to then redirect their sharpened points back towards Cale—
Satun’s gaze remained locked solely upon him.
“If I were indeed the First Emperor, do you believe you could hold me here?”
The precise moment Cale uttered these words in an even tone—
“Urk!”
Satun expelled another gush of blood from his nose and was brought to an abrupt halt.
No—his entire frame convulsed so violently that he could barely maintain his footing.
“U-ugh—”
What is this—
How can something like this be possible—
An absolute power bore down upon his entire being.
It felt as though every conceivable weapon ever forged had been irrevocably aimed at him.
The overwhelming fear descended, suggesting that a single additional step might spell his demise.
It even instilled the thought that he should collapse onto the ground and implore the man for mercy.
Thud.
One knee struck the ground.
It was an involuntary reaction.
Unprompted by conscious thought or rational reasoning.
His body merely responded to the presence of that man.
It bowed its head in submission.
It knelt.
It bent forward.
THUNK!
He drove the twin swords into the earth, attempting to use them as supports, yet both his hands gripping the hilts trembled uncontrollably, rendering his body unresponsive to his command.
“...Ugh... ah...”
Satun found himself unable to raise his head.
For a fleeting moment, a thought crossed his mind.
Could this be the sensation of confronting the God of Chaos?
Would the divine aura emanating from him, undeniably a god's aura, feel precisely like this?
Ah.
If that were the case, did it imply this man possessed divinity?
Did such a possibility even compute?
The human figure before his eyes was undeniably—
No.
I cannot retreat in such a manner.
No.
I am lost.
My mind cannot process anything.
I desperately wish to escape this situation.
“...Ugh...”
The world around Satun gradually began to fade into darkness.
That immense aura, so overpowering it felt capable of completely subjugating him, was on the verge of shattering his very consciousness.
A high-ranking holy knight.
How had he ascended to such a prestigious position, only to falter against mere an aura?
Satun exerted all his will to resist.
At the very least, to lift his head.
At the very least, to face the man and meet his gaze.
If nothing else, that was his final desire.
He refused to submit with his head bowed thus.
“Ah.”
But then, Satun finally understood.
This was an insurmountable force.
Tap.
The grip on the twin swords weakened, strength draining from his hands.
The world truly dissolved into blackness.
The light continued its inexorable fade.
Thunk.
His body crumpled to the ground.
Satun lost consciousness.
“......”
Gazing down at the fallen knight, Cale mused,
Huh? He actually fainted?
No, he was utterly bewildered.
Wahahahaha! You managed to knock him out with just your aura!
The overwhelmingly dominant aura erupted in a fit of delighted laughter.
No, wait, can that actually happen?
Cale stood dumbfounded.
Khahaha, naturally! The dominating aura was exuded with a decidedly triumphant tone. It’s only because you’re controlling it and using it on people right now. Our power can contend with a god! It’s an aura that can endure against a god! This was a power capable of holding its own, to a certain degree, against the God of Chaos. Oh. That human faced that kind of aura all by himself, so of course he passed out.Cale felt a sense of awe at the potency the fully realized dominating aura now possessed.
He had been engaged in combat against overwhelmingly powerful foes for such an extended period that he hadn't fully registered his own growth, but he had undeniably become quite strong himself.
Could I now defeat opponents without even needing to lift a finger?
The realization that he could simply incapacitate enemies with the dominating aura—a power that inflicted minimal backlash and placed the least burden on his physical body—caused the corners of Cale’s lips to begin to curl upward.
But—
Then, he raised his head.
“U-ugh—”
“Huff—”
The holy knights who had not succumbed to unconsciousness trembled uncontrollably the moment they laid eyes on him.
“You should go join him.”
With those words, Cale directed the same intensity of dominating aura towards them as he had towards Satun.
And as they teetered on the brink of blackout, mere moments before losing consciousness, he imparted one final statement.
“This should be enough of a warning against betrayal.”
Thud. Thump.
After verifying that the final two remaining holy knights had also collapsed into unconsciousness, Cale slowly turned and made his exit.
Step. Step.
The deliberate rhythm of his walk—
“Give me some acceleration magic.”
“Got it, human!”
SHHHHH—
Soon, Raon’s acceleration magic joined the whistling of the wind, and he moved with tremendous speed.
When it comes to deceiving adversaries, the crucial element lies in the conclusion!
Leave behind precisely the right degree of bewilderment, then strike swiftly and depart even more rapidly.
Cale advanced with great speed and vigor.
“Huff. Huff.”
Even with the aid of the wind and the acceleration magic, he was gasping for breath, a consequence of his strenuous exertion.
Cale continued his rapid retreat.
And at long last—
“...What did you do?”
“Huff.