Chapter 27

Chapter 27. Wolf Blade (4)

To be honest, Balun had never particularly liked Enhancement Art.

And yet he never once neglected his Mana Cultivation training, because this was the only key he had been given at present.

The key to becoming stronger.

It was the only power he had to stand against Transcendent Beings who wielded forces like magic and Aura, so he had practiced every day even if he did not like it. But now, for some reason, he felt that he might actually like this ability after all.

How could he not?

No, really, how could he not like something that let him rip chainmail apart with his bare hands?

‘This Enhancement Art is better than I thought.’

Balun reflected on how much he had grumbled in the past. If it could produce this level of monstrous strength, then that changed everything.

He might not be able to stylishly swing a Beam Blade like other people, and he might not be able to stand far away and bombard enemies with magic while looking impressive, but at the very least, he could tear iron armor apart.

Balun knew very well how useless bladed weapons became in the face of sturdy defenses. He had learned it through Earth’s history, but he had also experienced it firsthand.

When he fought the Rock-Cleft Troll.

That bastard’s skin had felt like iron armor.

His axe had barely sunk in properly, and he had suffered for it.

Even when he managed to bury the axe deep enough to wound it, the thing would heal almost immediately.

But with the strength he had now, it felt as though he could tear through even that hard, stubborn troll hide.

If he had possessed this kind of power back then, he would not have needed to fight that desperately just to survive.

‘Right. So what if I can’t use magic? I can tear ironclads apart.’

At that moment, Balun’s train of thought shattered. Something sharp had glinted.

Balun instinctively kicked Philip away and twisted his waist. A razor-sharp edge briefly grazed past the side of his neck before missing him.

Philip had somehow produced a dagger and thrust it at him.

If Balun had not kicked him away in time, the blade would probably have pierced his neck.

“You are nimble for one who knows his place, barbarian.”

“So you had another weapon.”

“A Knight always carries a spare weapon.”

Philip rose after being kicked away, smiling.

There was a smile on his face, but there was no ease in it.

Balun could clearly see that he was struggling to suppress his shock. No matter how much he pretended otherwise, Philip had been startled by the monstrous strength it took to rip armor apart with bare hands.

“May I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“Is one of your parents perhaps an Ogre?”

“What?”

“There is no other way to explain that strength.”

Balun let out a hollow laugh. This bastard really had no hesitation about insulting a man’s parents.

Unfortunately, Balun was immune to that sort of attack.

Because in his previous life, he had been a Korean gamer.

He had a splendid career of defending his parents countless times on the internet, so there was no way he would be shaken by such petty mockery.

“My parents are human.”

“I see.”

“Now it is my turn to ask.”

“What is it?”

“If one of my parents were an Ogre, would that mean the other one was human?”

“Presumably.”

“Is that possible?”

“What?”

“Is that physically possible?”

Philip narrowed his eyes.

He had said it to offend the man, so why was this barbarian asking about it in return?

Philip thought he was an awfully strange Barbarian. Normally, whenever he said something like that, barbarians got angry nine times out of ten and barked about whether he was insulting them. But this one was not angry at all. He was just getting curious about something bizarre instead.

“Can that really happen? The size difference is too great. Their genes are different. No matter how I think about it, it seems impossible. It would not even result in pregnancy...”

“What are you talking about? G-genes?”

“There is such a thing. Anyway, can it happen or not?”

“I do not know. But if there are Half-Elves and Half-Dwarves, then there is no reason there could not be Half-Ogres as well.”

“Huh?”

“If you are so curious, why not capture a suitable female Ogre and test it yourself? That should satisfy your curiosity.”

A few people snickered here and there at Philip’s sneer.

But Balun’s expression did not change in the slightest.

Because he was deep in thought.

‘There are Half-Elves and Half-Dwarves? Really?’

The words Half-Elf and Half-Dwarf meant that humans and Elves, or humans and Dwarves, had paired up and had children.

To Balun, that was genuinely shocking.

It strayed far too far from common sense.

How could that happen when they were different species?

‘If the genes are different, fertilization should not happen. Pregnancy definitely should not be possible.’

There was no such thing in the world as a half-chimpanzee.

So did that mean Dwarves and Elves actually belonged to the human species?

If they could have children together, then their genes had to be the same, did they not?

‘Huh?’

Wait a second. Then this...“Balun just realized something incredible!”

“What?”

“Elves and Dwarves are actually humans!”

Philip’s eyes filled with utter disbelief.

Not just his. Everyone else looked the same.

What kind of nonsense was that supposed to be?

Elves and Dwarves were human?

“Elves and Dwarves are like black people, white people, yellow people. Just different races!”

“What absurd nonsense are you spouting! The duel is not over yet!”

Philip snatched up the sword he had dropped and charged.

At this rate, it felt as though he would get swept up in that giant barbarian’s bizarre logic.

Balun hurriedly bent low and grumbled under his breath. These rude bastards. He had just realized a monumental truth, and all they could do was interrupt.

“It does not matter if you have no armor now! I will not lower my guard again, so you will die in a single bl—”

THUD! THUD!

“Ghk!”

Philip’s eyes went wide as saucers.

A tremendous impact had struck his abdomen.

Like a boxer, Balun had slipped into Philip’s guard and driven a one-two punch into his stomach.

And he had done it with the strength granted by Enhancement Art.

“H-how?”

“Your movements are too large. Easy to counter.”

“T-that cannot be.”

“You became sluggish. Because you lost your armor.”

The reason was simple.

Now that the armor protecting him was gone, Philip had unconsciously started shrinking back.

It had only been a brief hesitation.

But that brief instant was exactly what determined victory and defeat.

Balun had shrewdly exploited it.

“My victory.”

Balun launched an uppercut.

Philip was struck in the chin, shot high into the air, then crashed to the ground and passed out.

“......”

Silence fell.

The mocking voices that had been rising from all around vanished without a trace.

In the middle of that stillness, Balun shouted.

“The winner of the duel is Balun!”

No one cheered.

They merely stared at one another, unable to believe it.

Then, one by one, they drew their swords.

Every blade turned toward Balun.

Balun let out a dry laugh.

“Are you going to attack? Then why did we duel? Was it not to decide the outcome?”

“......”

“Balun won. You are the losers. Losers get no say.”

No one spoke.

They only glared at him.

As though they might attack at any moment.

Their hands clenched tightly around their swords.

Balun smirked and was just about to bend down and pick up Philip’s fallen blade when—

“Everyone, stand down. He is right. I was the witness.”

A voice suddenly cut in.

“A proper duel was held, and a victor was decided. You can no longer dispute this matter. No matter what happened before it.”

Banet.

A mage in a blue robe, carrying a crooked staff.

He slowly walked through the crowd and stepped into the center.

“Master Banet!”

“But this—!”

“You are saying we should just let him go?”

Voices burst out from every direction.

Banet received the uproar calmly and curled the corner of his lips upward.

“You should let him go. Your master would want that as well.”

“Want it? Master wanted revenge!”

“Do you truly think so? Shall we make a wager?”

Banet fixed his gaze on the swordsman who had spoken.

The man could not hold his stare and lowered his head at once.

“If you draw your swords here, Philip will be left with disgrace. The rumor will spread everywhere that, after losing a duel, he tried to retaliate anyway. Then Wolf Blade’s prestige will fall into the dirt, and Philip will never look upon you again. Is that still what you want?”

“......”

“Life is long, but resentment burns only for a moment. Please think wisely. Will you enjoy the long years of your life, or vent your outrage and vanish in a blaze?”

‘Oh. What is this?’

Balun, who had been watching, was impressed.

This man was astonishingly good with words.

Was it because he was a mage?

‘But where did he come from? I swear he was not here earlier.’

The swordsmen hesitated, then slowly sheathed their swords.

Banet nodded in satisfaction, approached Balun, and extended his hand.

“I am Banet of the Blue Magic Tower. What is your name?”

“The Magic Tower?”

“Yes.”

Balun’s expression turned awkward.

The moment he heard the man belonged to the Magic Tower, he felt uneasy.

Balun had killed a mage from the Magic Tower before, so there was no way he could stay unconcerned.

Had that man not issued a very clear threat just before dying?

Something about how the Magic Tower would never let it slide.

“I am Balun, Warrior of the Red Fang Tribe.”

Balun watched Banet’s reaction carefully.

‘He does not know me, does he? He is not going to try to get revenge, is he?’

He did not seem to know.

Hopefully, he would go on never knowing.

“Balun. Wolf’s Fang. A very valiant name. And you have skill worthy of that name as well. You are a fine Warrior indeed.”

“Oh, you know our language?”

“I once studied the language of the barbarians. Though only a little.”

“I see.”

Any other Barbarian would probably have warmed to him on the spot after hearing that, but Balun did not feel any affection at all. If anything, he became even more suspicious.

‘Why did he bother learning our language? Is he planning to use barbarians as test subjects for magic experiments or something...?’

Of course, Balun was grateful that the man had stepped in and settled the situation.

But that was one matter, and this was another.

He needed to be sure.

Could he trust this man?

Honestly, he seemed like a decent person.

Still, the fact that he was from the Magic Tower kept bothering Balun.

And above all, there was the beard.

Why did it have to look so sly?

“On behalf of everyone here, allow me to thank you.”

“Thank me?”

“Yes. You spared Philip’s life.”

“I did.”

“I know well that barbarians do not leave their enemies alive. From your perspective, that was truly the utmost consideration. I understand just how remarkable that effort of yours was.”

Balun blinked.

It was so unexpected that he did not know what to say.

‘What is he even talking about?’

What consideration? He had only done it so he could survive.

‘Then of course sparing him was the right move. Am I insane? Why would I kill him and pile more grudges onto myself?’

“Thanks to you, Wolf Blade does not have to lose its center. These men can continue making their living. They will be grateful for that as well. They will remember you as a Warrior who understood honor.”

Balun grew even more bewildered.

Not most of them, but he had definitely seen a few men nodding along.

‘No, why are they agreeing with that?’

Was this some kind of Stockholm syndrome?

Did they really not hate the man who had slaughtered their comrades?

“Come now! Let us clean this up! Move the bodies, carry your master inside, and get back to what must be done!”

Banet naturally began ordering the guild swordsmen about as though he were their superior.

At his words, the swordsmen began drifting away one by one.

That left only Balun and Banet.

“I would like to speak with you. Will you grant me some of your time?”

“You are not going to hurt me?”

“Why would I harm you? I have not the slightest reason to. I do not even have any interests entangled with yours.”

Balun flinched.

To him, that sounded suspiciously like, If I did have interests entangled with yours, then I would hurt you.

‘If he finds out I killed Malik, I’m dead. No question.’

If things went bad, he would run.

That was what Balun decided.

He had heard the Magic Tower was an enormous organization, and he did not want to make an enemy of it for no reason.

“Well? Will you agree?”

“...I will.”

“Good. Come inside.”

Balun felt awkward.

How could he not?

The place Banet was inviting him into was Wolf Blade’s guild headquarters.

“In there?”

“Of course. Let us go inside, have a cup of tea, and talk.”

Even as Balun followed him into the building, he tilted his head in confusion.

Was this really all right?

Whatever the cause and effect behind it, he had still badly injured several members of Wolf Blade and knocked out their leader. And now he was going to sit around leisurely drinking tea in their stronghold?

‘They are not going to poison the tea, are they?’

***

Fortunately, there was no poison in the tea.

It was just ordinary milk tea.

Inside the reception room of the guild headquarters, Balun sat on a soft sofa and savored the sweet, slightly bitter taste of the milk tea, while Banet spoke in admiration.

“You are a truly curious one. A barbarian who likes tea.”

“I am just that kind of person.”

That made the third time he had heard those words already.

If he heard them much more, he felt he might get sick of them.

“There are many things I wish to say, but I shall begin with the main point.”

“What is the main point?”

“I would like to invite you to our Blue Magic Tower.”

“...?”

“Will you please accept my invitation?”

“????”