A Dragonslayer’s Peerless Regression

Chapter 105

Melissa, taken aback, asked urgently, "How could the transport unit be wiped out? What is going on?"

The squad leader, his face pale, replied shakily, "Those, those guys have appeared again."

Melissa's expression twisted with frustration.

Sieg turned to Melissa and inquired, "Princess, what has happened?"

"It seems those monsters I mentioned last time have shown up again. Previously, they only tampered with the transport carriages, but this time... they've annihilated the entire unit."

For the Alencia Knight Order, one of the powerful nations in the Central Continent, to be obliterated, the prowess of those called monsters would surely be exceptional.

'Could it be the Imperial hounds have launched an attack?'

Sieg suggested to Melissa, "I need to inspect the site. Please assign me a swift soldier who knows the local geography well."

Melissa selected a border patrol guard to accompany Sieg, Felix, and Liam as they headed to the scene.

Thud, thud, thud, thud!

Arriving on horseback, Sieg asked the guard, "Is this the place?"

"Yes, Sir Sieg. The attack occurred near that gorge."

Leaving their horses, Sieg and his group descended into the gorge. Observing the harsh terrain and narrow paths, Sieg noted, "It's a perfect place for an ambush. Was there a reason to choose this path for the transport?"

The guard, sweating nervously, replied, "This route is much faster. If you take a detour instead of this gorge, it takes at least two more days."

Listening to the guard, Sieg nodded in understanding, "Is this gorge frequently used for border crossings?"

The guard shook his head, "No, it isn't. This region is rampant with outlaws, so civilians use the safer main road. If there had been enough time, the transport unit would have taken the main road safely."

Due to delays in the supply of medicines, they were short on time, so they chose the gorge route despite its vulnerability to ambushes.

'I suspect they were deliberately led to move through here.'

It seemed less of an impromptu attack by monsters and more of a meticulously planned, organized ambush.

Sieg descended further into the gorge to inspect the massacre's aftermath.

"Ugh."

Felix grimaced at the gruesome sight. Sieg understood why Melissa referred to these attackers as monsters through his examination of the scene.

There were more bodies with limbs torn apart like they had been devoured than those killed by sword wounds.

Carefully inspecting the horrific remains, Sieg methodically examined the injuries on the bodies.

'Something isn't right. These aren't typical wounds. They resemble injuries monsters would inflict.'

However, it didn't seem like a monster attack. If it had been monsters, there should have been bite marks on the bodies.

'Would a creature stronger than an ogre be able to tear a person apart like this in one go?'

Sieg found himself increasingly curious about the real identity of the monsters.

Using his Dragon Eyes, he examined the scene. Extending into areas beyond the human eye's reach, he searched for traces left by the monsters.

Remarkably, Sieg discovered that these tracks led up to the steep cliff of the gorge.

Turning to the guard, Sieg asked, "What's above there?"

The guard looked and replied, "That leads to the path toward the Avian ghetto."

Sieg grabbed the guard by the collar and leapt, following the traces up the cliff as if flying.

Felix and Liam scrambled after Sieg, climbing up the gorge wall.

"Master, if you could at least inform us next time you go..."

Ignoring Felix's complaint, Sieg continued to examine the traces they found.

"Does this direction also lead to the ghetto?"

The guard nodded. "Yes, it does."

"I understand. The guard may return now. Liam, Felix, follow me."

Since the path was visible on the minimap, Sieg felt the guard's further assistance was unnecessary. With Felix and Liam, he pursued the trail toward the Avian ghetto.

Just then—

『Traces of contaminated energy detected.』

'Contaminated energy?'

Sieg was aware the system referred to demonic energy as contaminated energy.

He couldn't understand why demonic energy, typically associated with demonic beasts, appeared in the heart of the central continent.

Remembering that Cain, who wielded the ancient Hersion, was once contaminated by demonic energy, Sieg thought there might be a connection to the monstrous attackers of the transport unit.

Following the traces of contaminated energy, Sieg ventured further inside, where red sandstone walls rose like spires.

Scattered around the interiors of the sandstone walls were remnants of the ancient Avian race.

Traditional dwellings of the Avian race, carved into caves or crevices within the gorge walls, stood as a testimony to their heritage.

It was at this moment Sieg's senses prickled with unease.

"Liam, Felix. Stay alert."

Liam and Felix drew their weapons.

Suddenly, something leaped out from the cave within the sandstone wall.

A giant clad in suspicious attire charged at Sieg's group, wielding a massive iron club.

Boom!

The spot where the iron club struck the ground was deeply indented, and red sand billowed into the air as dust.

Graaaah.

Though humanoid, this being didn't resemble a human. Standing over two meters tall, it looked more like an ogre due to its massive build.

It wore a white mask with holes only for the eyes and was clothed in thick leather overlaid with iron plates.

At a glance, it might appear barbarian, but its attire was entirely different.

Grrrrr.

This beast-like figure, closer to a beast than a human, swung the iron club violently again.

Sieg, wielding Bahamut, charged at the monster.

Clang!

The monster's club clashed with Sieg's sword imbued with the Energy of Metal, yet the club remained intact.

The strength far surpassed ordinary human capability.

"Graaaar!"

Failing to crush Sieg with its iron club, the monster roared in frustration and frenziedly swung at Sieg again.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Though the swings were wild, the immense power and weight behind them proved overwhelming, making it difficult for any regular knight to withstand.

Having gauged the monster's strength, Sieg deflected the club with his sword.

Whack!

The monster appeared bewildered when its own club swung back at it without touching Sieg.

At that moment, the aura blade extended from Sieg's sword.

Wooong!

Sieg slashed his sword toward the monster's club.

Slash!

The solid metal shattered under Sieg's sword strike.

Emanating an unusual aura from Sieg, the monster instinctively felt fear and recoiled.

"Grrrr."

The monster seemed to involuntarily retreat.

However, something strange occurred at that instant.

"Graaaargh!"

The monster's body began to swell, its muscles becoming even thicker.

"Aaaaargh!"

The eyes visible through its mask turned bloodshot, similar to those of a demonic beast, and the monster lunged at Sieg.

"Raaaargh!"

The monster slammed its broad, palm-like hand toward Sieg.

Boom!

The ground indented where the large hand struck.

Despite the chaotic assault, Sieg evaded with phantom steps and countered with a strike to the monster's flank using the flat of his sword.

Crack!

The Energy of Metal in Sieg's sword shattered bones with the forceful blow to the monster's side.

Amazingly, the monster, seemingly unfazed, rose again to assault Sieg.

'What is this... Could it have a Healing Factor like mine?'

Testing his assumption, Sieg sliced the monster's arm. Unlike him, the monster didn't heal the wound.

Sieg realized there was more to the monster's condition.

'It's not healing but rather in a berserk state, unable to feel pain. This is troublesome.'

The creature might be an imperial experiment, thought Sieg.

Deciding to capture it as evidence, he pulled out Agamemnon's mask from his inventory.

Holding the golden mask, Sieg directed a wide-range purification buff at the monster.

Wooong!

The light of purification seeped into the monster.

"Aaaaaargh!"

In agony, the monster attempted to escape the light of purification.

"Liam! Felix!"

Understanding the situation instantly from Sieg's call, Liam and Felix blocked the monster's escape route.

The purifying light exuded by Sieg engulfed the monster again.

"Uuurrrgh!"

The monster began to convulse, and something started to pour from its mask.

Spewing black liquid from its eyes, ears, and nose, the monster twisted on the ground.

Then, its body deflated rapidly like a punctured leather bag.

What once resembled an ogre quickly withered to a skin-and-bones figure.

Sieg, frowning, approached and examined the monster.

It was already dead, devoid of breath.

"Stand guard. I'll check further inside the cave."

Leaving Liam and Felix behind, Sieg ventured alone into the cave where the monster had emerged.

Barely inside the cave, the oppressive stench diverted Sieg momentarily.

'What is this smell?'

Venturing further, shockingly, Sieg found remnants of the ambushed transport carriages.

Though Sieg searched swiftly through the carriage, the medicines were already shattered.

He wondered if the terrible stench came from putrefied medicines, yet the odor was too intense for that reasoning.

Instead, by inspecting around, Sieg discovered something sticky scattered near the carriage.

Using his Dragon Eyes to scan the ground revealed an appalling sight.

'This is...'

The marks left by the melted flesh and bones of the monsters. The vile odor was from the decomposing material on the ground.

It seemed other monsters had died, leaving only the last one alive.

Searching for battle traces within the cave, Sieg found nothing significant.

Only marks of struggle and agony amidst the cave walls remained.

Filling a potion bottle with some of the melted remains, Sieg sealed it and exited the cave.

Outside, Felix and Liam called out upon spotting Sieg.

"Master, you need to see this!"

Part of the dead monster's body had started to rot away.

The areas cleansed by Sieg did not show decomposition, yet the untreated arms and legs began to decay.

'It seems their bodies couldn't withstand the demonic energy and started to decompose.'

Realizing the need to investigate, Sieg ordered Felix and Liam to retrieve the body for further examination.

Traversing the gorge, Sieg and his companions returned to where their horses awaited, then rode back toward the border headquarters.

Arriving at headquarters, the atmosphere appeared tumultuous.

Sieg approached a border guard stationed at the entrance and inquired, "What's happening?"

Recognizing Sieg, the guard replied with a firm expression, "Sir Sieg, you've returned. The empire has brought knights here."

"Knights from the empire?"

The guard explained with a grave expression, "The commanding officer of the border garrison has come in person."

An envoy visiting differed greatly from a knight's direct visit, often signifying a formidable show of force.

Instructing Felix and Liam to secure the body, Sieg gathered information from the guard and proceeded to where Melissa was.

Inside the meeting room not only was Melissa present, but also a knight in imperial attire.

Sieg froze upon recognizing the knight's face.

'That guy...'

One of his adversaries from his previous life.

Morgan Bupon, a knight of Ophiucus, belonging to one of the empire's 13 Constellationns.

Despite his youth, his receding hairline looked familiar, much like what Sieg recalled from his past.

"Sir Sieg Draker."

Noticing Sieg enter the meeting room, Morgan greeted him with a broad, friendly smile.

Morgan clasped Sieg's hand and said, "To meet the most famous genius of the continent here. It's an honor."

Morgan's exaggerated tone conveyed a warm welcome to Sieg.

"Pleased to meet you, Sir Morgan."

Morgan's face lit up, delighted that Sieg recognized him.

With a smile, Morgan queried Sieg, "But what brings Sir Sieg Draker, a knight of Draker, to Alencia?"

Brashly posing a question as if he owned the place, Sieg replied, "I'm here to catch the petty thieves jumping over a homeowner's fence repeatedly."