Chapter 123
The mention of the name "Caron Leston" made Bessic's face twist with displeasure. It was a name he knew well. The name belonged to the youngest grandson of the renowned Grand Duke Halo, who had garnered fame throughout the Orias Empire.
"And what's the reason for revealing your name?" Bessic asked, his voice low and grating as he tightened his grip on his battle-ax, grinding his teeth in frustration.
He thought of Caron as a brat who couldn't be older than twenty—a greenhorn from a ducal family. Yet here he was, smirking as if he found everything amusing, standing right in front of him. The sheer arrogance in that expression stirred a deep irritation in Bessic's chest.
"Did you think I'd tremble in fear at the name of your family?" Bessic asked.
He detested the innate arrogance of nobles and their damned sense of entitlement. Even the Southern Kingdom's nobles often wore that same condescending look when first encountering him.
"You're just a cocky brat," he spat.
Still, even those so-called high-and-mighty nobles would beg for their lives with an ax pressed to their throats. Their lofty airs crumbling, giving way to tears and pleading—it was a sight Bessic relished, one of his favorite amusements.
"I wonder what kind of face you'll make," he sneered, licking his lips in a grotesque smile.
He couldn't fathom why the youngest grandson of the esteemed Leston family was here of all places, but one thing was certain: This boy had come to interfere with his plans.
"I heard Grand Duke Halo dotes on you... Makes me wonder just how high a ransom I can fetch for you," Bessic mused aloud.
Caron's smirk widened and he said, "You're a man as big as a bear, rolling his eyes like a frightened squirrel. Aren't you wearing out your mouth talking like that by yourself?"
"I'll rip that tongue out of your mouth first," Bessic snarled, his patience thinning.
He quickly sized up Caron. The rumors about the youngest of the Leston family being a prodigy weren't new to him. Stories of Caron's abilities had spread even to the distant southern seas, far from the empire's reach. If those rumors had traveled so far, it was a testament to how extraordinary he was.
But now, standing face to face with the young man, Bessic realized the tales had grossly underestimated him.
This is... absurd, he thought, the sheer impossibility of gauging Caron's skill dawning on him. It meant that Caron's swordsmanship was at a level equal to his own.
And that wasn't all.
"Dieeee!"
"Aaaaargh!"
Bessic wondered what on earth the monstrous ability that had driven half of his men to madness by some strange power was. It was far too sinister to belong to a scion of a noble family.
"You could mistake him for a demon," he muttered with a bitter laugh.
At those words, Caron casually swung his sword, nodding with mock approval, then said, "I'm not a demon, but the sword? Yeah, it's a demonic sword. Certified by the Saint of the Holy Kingdom, no less, so you can trust me on that."
That insufferable nonchalance grated on Bessic's nerves.
"If I take you down, my men will stop their frenzy," Bessic growled.
"Ah, I can't guarantee that," Caron replied lightly. "This is the first time I've used it on humans, after all. Still, thanks for volunteering as my test subjects."
"You arrogant little brat!" Bessic shouted.
He didn't understand how this madness was spreading, but one thing was clear: the faster he ended this chaos, the better. Even as he stood there, more of his men were succumbing to the frenzy, their numbers growing by the second.
Whoosh!
At last, Bessic lunged at Caron. The massive ax in his hands sliced through the air with overwhelming force.
He's still just a brat, he thought, a sneer tugging at his lips.
In battle, what mattered the most was experience.
Everyone knew about the renowned Oceanwolf Sword Arts of the Leston family. But just because someone excelled in swordsmanship didn't mean they always won. Mastery over a weapon was merely a tool to assist in victory, not a guarantee of it.
Clang!
Caron's blade deflected Bessic's ax effortlessly, redirecting its force. But Bessic had anticipated this. His grin widened as he twisted his body with the momentum, spinning in place.
Then—
Clatter!
Dozens of small canisters spilled from within Bessic's coat, scattering across the ground. In the next instant, he stomped hard and launched himself backward with explosive force.
Boom!
The shockwave from his step triggered the canisters, unleashing a cloud of green smoke filled with poisonous needles.
Whizz! Whizz! Whizz!
The needles flew in all directions, each coated with a venom potent enough to knock out an elephant. Even the green smoke itself was laced with toxins—a deadly fog designed to suffocate and incapacitate. Not even a 7-Star knight could escape such potent venom unscathed.
As the toxic cloud spread rapidly, Bessic's grin grew more sinister. He thought, There's nowhere to run.
This technique had neutralized countless knights before. Most warriors were so fixated on his massive battle-ax that they assumed it was his only weapon. While he was confident in his ax skills, his true strength lay elsewhere.
"I can already clearly see you poisoned and begging for an antidote," Bessic muttered, savoring the image of Caron on his knees. That poison was his trump card, a tool that had brought him countless victories with ease.
An inexperienced brat like him wouldn't have seen it coming, Bessic thought, confident that Caron wouldn't have avoided the poison at this range. He waited at a safe distance for the toxic fog to clear, certain of his triumph.
But then—
Whoosh!
The poisonous mist swirled, spiraling upward as if caught in a whirlwind.
"Wow," Caron's voice rang out, calm and mocking. "Using poison on top of that bulky frame? Impressive."
The green fog dissipated in an instant, revealing Caron standing amid it.
"You're a trickier bastard than I thought," he remarked, smirking as he locked eyes with Bessic. "If it weren't for this shield, I would've been in trouble."
When Bessic heard the mention of a shield, his eyes darted to Caron's left hand, and his expression twisted in disbelief.
The "shield" Caron spoke of was none other than Bessic's own lieutenant. The man's body was riddled with poison-tipped needles, and black blood dripped from his mouth.
"Just in time, he was running toward us. I figured he'd make a decent shield," Caron said nonchalantly, shrugging as he flung the twitching lieutenant to the ground in front of Bessic.
The lieutenant's body collapsed limply at Bessic's feet, his convulsions fading into stillness.
"Honestly, I could've dodged all of it," Caron admitted, his tone light. "But that would've been wasteful, wouldn't it? You went to so much effort to prepare that trap—I had to at least sample it."
Bessic thought that Caron, the bastard, had to have known in advance that poison was going to be used. He narrowed his eyes, a low growl escaping his throat. "How did you know?"
Caron chuckled and replied, "Your fingernails. They're discolored—blackened. That's a clear sign of handling poison."
Bessic's stomach sank. In such a brief exchange, Caron had noticed even the smallest detail. For someone not even twenty years old, his perception was unnervingly sharp.
"And using canisters to disperse poison like that... That's a trick from the Pajar Sultanate, isn't it? Are you from there? Hard to picture a desert rat like you turning to piracy, though," Caron added, smirking as he tilted his head. His grin widened into something far more sinister.
"Well, it's my turn now," he said, swinging his sword lazily before pointing a finger at Bessic.
"Go on, boys," he called, his voice like a taunt. "Bite him."
At those words, Bessic's frenzied men turned, their eyes wild with madness, and rushed at their leader.
"Aaaaargh!"
"Kill him!"
The tide of chaos shifted, and Bessic's own subordinates charged toward him, their minds lost to the frenzy.
***
"Wow, you're really a cold-blooded bastard, huh?" Caron remarked, clicking his tongue as he gazed at Bessic.
Cutting down one's comrades wasn't something anyone could do easily. Even among pirates, there had to be at least a shred of loyalty. But loyalty was a foreign concept to this man named Bessic.
S lash .
Bessic's massive ax cut through the air, mowing down his frenzied underlings without hesitation. His rage-filled face was splattered with their blood, and his ferocity was so overwhelming that even some of the maddened lackeys snapped out of their frenzy.
"B-Boss! Please, I'm sor—"
Slash!
The apology didn't matter. Bessic's clemency was nonexistent. With one swing of his colossal battle-ax, several necks were severed in an instant. It didn't take long for the Rabies-infected pirates under his command to be culled.
Bessic, now dripping with blood, turned his murderous glare toward Caron. "You won't die a painless death," he growled, his voice thick with menace.
The oppressive aura of a 7-Star knight bore down on Caron like a tidal wave. But instead of faltering, Caron smirked with amusement and said, "Good. That's the kind of look I like to see."
A while ago, such intensity could have made Caron uneasy. But now, he met Bessic's killing intent head-on, his composure unwavering.
Whoosh!
The mana core within him resonated, the seven seas he had mastered humming in harmony to create a deep, resounding echo. The power surged through him, igniting his fighting spirit.
His training with Kerra had propelled him to the realm of 7-Star. He could barely contain his desire to test the strength of his newfound power.
But...
Boom!
Caron's plans were interrupted when a new figure emerged from behind Bessic.
"Bessic, pull yourself together. You're losing control," a middle-aged knight said as he landed gracefully, his well-groomed mustache lending him an air of authority.
Bessic's expression twisted with rage and he yelled, "Edward! This is my fight!"
"No, it's not. This is a mission entrusted to us by the Queen. Your reckless anger cannot be allowed to ruin it," Edward replied curtly, his sharp gaze shifting to Caron.
"...Caron Leston," he said, his voice heavy with recognition.
Edward knew of the stories surrounding the Leston family's new "Mad Dog." Caron was an unpredictable anomaly, a wild card that even the Queen hadn't anticipated. A 7-Star knight, a bearer of ominous powers capable of driving people into frenzies... Caron was an enigma, a force that defied expectation.
"I am Edward Kandaile. I believe you've heard of me," Edward declared.
Caron chuckled, his grin laced with derision as he said, "How would I know the name of somebody's lapdog?"
The insult was blatant, crude, and far from anything resembling noble decorum.
"...You lack even the semblance of noble refinement," Edward muttered, his expression tightening.
"Oh, please. A pirate pontificating about refinement?" Caron shot back, the mockery dripping from his words.
Edward maintained his composure. Rising to such bait would be foolish. A true professional wouldn't let fleeting emotions jeopardize the mission.
"We had no intention of clashing with you. This confrontation wasn't part of our plans," Edward said. "We seek no unnecessary conflict. If you withdraw from the village now, we'll hold you blameless. I swear it upon the Queen's name. The same offer extends to the elves. If you all vacate the village peacefully, there will be no bloodshed."
"Edward! Who gave you the right to make such a decision?!" Bessic roared, his frustration spilling over.
"This is Her Majesty's will," Edward snapped, his tone cold. "This matter is far beyond the purview of a mere brute like you."
The situation was spiraling into chaos, and Caron couldn't help but laugh. Watching so-called comrades tear each other apart was a rare and entertaining spectacle.
"And who's dumb enough to trust the promises of pirates?" he replied, his grin widening.
"The Queen has promised," Edward replied firmly.
"Yeah, but she's still a pirate. Even if a thief is given a fancy title, they're still just a thief. Just because you draw lines on a pumpkin doesn't make it a watermelon," Caron quipped, his words dripping with derision.
He had smoothly shifted the target of his insult. At that, Edward's expression finally cracked, his calm demeanor faltering for the first time.
"If you refuse, you'll die here," Edward said icily as his subordinates encircled Caron, cutting off any chance of escape.
It was a flawless encirclement, executed with precision.
"Choose between your two options," Edward demanded. "Leave the village or die where you stand."
Caron smirked, his expression devilishly amused. "Can you leave your friend like that over there?"
"...What are you talking about?" Edward asked, his eyes narrowing in confusion.
"Looks like the Rabies has finally spread," Caron said casually.
At that moment...
"Edwaaaaard!" Bessic yelled. Consumed by rage, he swung his massive battle-ax directly at Edward.
Caron watched the unfolding chaos with a satisfied nod, saying with a smirk, "See? That's what happens when you don't treat your friends right."
And so, the real pandemonium began.