Bloodhound’s Regression Instinct

Chapter 220

Carolina gritted her teeth as she watched Charles running ahead.

How dare she snatch my prey?

“You wretched woman, where do you think you’re going?”

Slash!

Enraged at losing her prey, Carolina launched a fierce attack at Charles.

“Ahhh!”

Charles, who was supporting Roman and trying to escape, couldn’t dodge the swift sword strike. She lost her grip on Roman and was flung far away. Roman fell to the ground with a thud.

Boom!

Carolina, with a hardened expression, walked towards the fallen Roman. Though he held a greatsword, his body was in tatters. He seemed to have exhausted all his strength, unable to even stand.

Carolina smirked at the sight of him. “I’ll end your life now.”

She raised her sword high into the sky.

Swish!

She brought it down towards the defenseless Roman. Charles screamed at the sight.

“Nooooo!”

But the sound that followed made both Carolina and Charles widen their eyes.

Clang!

It was the sound of metal striking metal, not flesh.

“…?”

Carolina frowned and inspected her sword. It was intact, the blade sharp and gleaming. Confirming her sword was fine, she turned to look at Roman and her eyes widened.

A golden aura surrounded Roman, as if protecting him.

“This is…?”

A technique known to be used by only a select few among the superhumans.

“Body Protection Aura?”

As soon as she identified it, Roman’s voice echoed.

“Heh, heh. Ugh!”

Rustle.

He rose from the ground. The blood he had coughed up seemed to have drained away, and his complexion was much better. He took a deep breath, his eyes gleaming. It seemed like a golden aura flickered in his eyes.

Roman smiled faintly and pulled the greatsword from the ground.

Shing!

“I think I finally understand the essence of the Diamond Body.”

He had been mistaken. Or rather, he hadn’t grasped the direction a master of the Diamond Body should take. Training without a goal leads to losing one’s way, and Roman had lost his way.

But now.

Whoosh!

At this moment, Roman found his direction.

‘The Diamond Body is a shield.’

A shield doesn’t exist alone; it only shows its true power when protecting something. Roman glanced at Charles, who was looking at him with a surprised expression.

‘Thanks to you.’

As he found his path, the wall blocking his way began to crumble.

Fwoosh!

Roman’s entire body was enveloped in a golden radiance. The Body Protection Aura, a technique only a few superhumans could achieve, fully manifested. Carolina’s face twisted in rage.

A brat who hadn’t even lived twenty years had achieved a superhuman state she couldn’t reach in hundreds of years?

“Don’t be ridiculous!!”

It was an insult to her years of grueling training and endurance. Carolina, furious, swung her sword fiercely.

Swish! Swish!

The sword energy flew towards Roman’s chest with deadly speed.

Clang!

The same metallic sound echoed. The sword energy shattered like glass upon hitting Roman’s Body Protection Aura. It was impossible to break the invincible shield with mere sword energy.

“Argh!”

Carolina screamed and sent more sword energy, but nothing changed. Roman, who had been enduring the meaningless attacks, finally spoke.

“Is it my turn now?”

Roman lifted his greatsword, looking at Carolina.

Flash!

A golden light spread from the entire blade. Despite the blinding brightness, Carolina’s gaze was fixed on Roman.

“Shut up! I’ll kill you!”

Carolina began to spin, unleashing her ultimate technique. Even with the Body Protection Aura, Roman had just awakened his superhuman abilities. He couldn’t maintain it forever. If she dragged the fight out, she would win. Her mana, accumulated over hundreds of years, was overwhelming compared to a brat who hadn’t even lived twenty years.

Slash! Slash!

Countless sword energies shot out from the spinning Carolina. Roman advanced slowly towards her. The sword energies exploded against his Body Protection Aura with loud booms.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

But they couldn’t stop his advance.

Step, step.

Roman reached Carolina and gripped his greatsword with both hands.

“I’ve won.”

He declared his victory and swung his greatsword diagonally. Carolina hurriedly raised her sword to block it.

Crack!

The sound was more like a club smashing than a sword strike. Carolina’s sword broke, and her side caved in, unable to withstand the force, and she was sliced cleanly.

“Hmph.”

Roman looked down at the bisected Carolina with a cold gaze. At that moment, Charles ran towards him.

“Roman!”

At her call, Roman turned with a faint smile.

And then.

Thud.

He collapsed to the ground, unconscious. As his vision darkened, Roman smiled slightly.

‘I won.’

And he had reached the superhuman state.

* * *

As Roman ascended to the realm of the superhuman, Electus found himself bewildered by an unexpected adversary.

“D-damn it. How are you here?”

Standing before him was Merriott, gripping a sword wreathed in crimson flames.

How could Merriott be at the very spot where Electus planned to retreat?

At that moment, Electus recalled what Yan had said earlier.

It wasn’t you who caught me, but I who caught you.
Gritting his teeth, Electus muttered, “So I was just a monkey dancing in your palm.”

To think Merriott had anticipated his retreat and positioned himself accordingly. It was clear now that Electus had been thoroughly outmaneuvered.

“You did well to listen,” Merriott said with a sly grin, raising his sword.

The odd request to hide alone in the Wind Valley at dawn had been quite displeasing for someone of his stature, the right hand of the Sun Duke. Yet, Merriott had complied without question, simply waiting from the early hours.

And now, two commanders of the revolutionary army had shown up.

Merriott smiled at the bewildered Electus. “Well then, it’s time to fulfill my end of the bargain.”

The heat from his sword began to engulf the surroundings. The grass turned black, and the sand and stones on the ground started to melt, unable to withstand the intense heat.

Electus bit his lip, realizing there was no escape. Merriott was a seasoned knight who would relentlessly pursue any sign of retreat. Moreover, Merriott was of a higher rank, making it impossible for Electus to hold out for long.

“I’ll go all out from the start,” Electus declared.

With a crackling sound, he unleashed all the mana stored within him, enveloping the area in a blinding white light. A light so bright that an ordinary person would be blinded by it.

But Merriott was far from ordinary. His vision remained clear.

“Here you come,” Merriott said, watching Electus charge at him with incredible speed. He too began to draw upon his mana.

With a roar, flames erupted from his sword, sweeping towards the oncoming Electus.

A pillar of fire.

The flames from Merriott’s sword engulfed Electus’s light entirely.

And then, as if casting a grand spell, a massive pillar of fire rose around Electus.

Merriott watched the scene for a moment before sheathing his sword with a scoff. Electus had been reduced to ashes without even a final scream.

This was the difference between a third-rank and a fourth-rank knight. Having turned Electus to ash in a single strike, Merriott turned and walked towards where he sensed Yan’s presence.

* * *

Yan beamed as he saw Merriott approaching from afar.

“Already finished, I see.”

“Finding them was the hard part, but capturing them was no challenge. If I struggled against mere commanders and not the likes of generals or chiefs, the title of the Blazing Knight would be a disgrace.”

“True enough,” Yan chuckled.

Merriott’s expression suddenly hardened as he mentioned a name.

“What about Marquis Daniel?”

The one who dared to betray the Sun Duke and aid the revolutionaries. Such a traitor could not be left unpunished. He had to be made an example of.

Yan grinned and pointed behind him. “My knights have secured him and are transporting him to the forward base.”

Merriott looked in the direction Yan indicated and was surprised. “Wait a moment… I sense another superhuman aura.”

Yan nodded with a smile. “One of my knights has finally broken through the barrier.”

“Oh! Congratulations. I must see this knight when we return.”

Merriott gazed expectantly towards the source of the superhuman aura. Yan shook his head.

“Not yet.”

“Not yet? We’ve captured two of the revolutionary commanders. Isn’t that enough?”

“No, it’s not. That’s why I’ve summoned additional forces here.”

As Yan finished speaking, several nobles began to emerge from the distance. These were not the self-serving, piggish nobles, but those gathered for the peace of the South. Behind them were vast numbers of troops.

Merriott’s eyes widened at the sight. “You called them here too? Why?”

Yan smiled. “This is our opportunity.”

“Opportunity?”

“Our chance to win the war with minimal losses.”

Merriott’s eyes grew even larger. So, capturing the revolutionary commanders was just the beginning of a larger plan!

“If we delay even a little, the leader of the revolutionaries will catch wind and escape.”

And they had made arrangements to ensure that wouldn’t happen.