Became The Son Of The Final Boss [EN]: Chapter 122

122.

Exiting the cave was unremarkable.

A forest thick with dead trees and dark gray rocks was a common sight throughout the Forest of Darkness.

I looked around and said,

“This cave is shorter than I expected. If we were trying to escape, wouldn’t the Wyvern be able to fly around and intercept us at the exit if it was this short?”

I wouldn’t allow a single casualty on this hunt. We had already suffered too many deaths in the war against the Orcs to rescue Gale.

To become Emperor, there were times when I had to coldly ignore the deaths of my subordinates, or even order them to their deaths.

I would never needlessly sacrifice lives. That was a vow I made to myself.

Even if blood pooled and mountains were made of corpses, I would endure it for the sake of a better world, but demanding the sacrifice of my subordinates was a line I wouldn’t cross.

I could be cold and sometimes cruel, but I didn’t want to become a tyrant.

Wyvern hunting was definitely dangerous, but I wanted to complete it without casualties through thorough preparation and a flawless strategy.

My voice naturally gained strength.

“Now that we’ve decided on an ambush site, we need to be meticulous in our reconnaissance. We need to consider not just one situation, but dozens of possibilities. It doesn’t matter if we spend more time in the Forest of Darkness, or even if we have to return and come again.”

It was turning into a lengthy speech, but I repeatedly emphasized the importance of reconnaissance.

“If you know the surrounding terrain perfectly, you’re halfway there. Since Wyverns are flying creatures, we need to use the terrain to our advantage more actively than in other battles.”

“That’s right, Your Highness. The Ruler of the Ruins is cunning. It’s different from ordinary monsters. We need to use every advantage we can find.”

Riorden had experienced countless battlefields and monster hunts through various requests. He had faced unfavorable battlefields, advantageous battlefields, and even battlefields where victory seemed impossible, yet he had survived until now.

He lost his entire mercenary company in a previous Wyvern hunt, but he survived and seized the opportunity for revenge.

Even with Riorden’s grim words, the others nodded.

The eyes of the others, as they looked around, became more serious than before.

Hamilton began to climb the cave exit wall and soon became a distant dot.

“We could send a spirit to scout.”

I muttered with worry, but soon looked elsewhere. If the cave we just passed through becomes an escape route, how should we navigate from here?

First, I assessed the forest as a whole, using the flow of wind and earth to increase my speed.

As I entered the forest, a swamp appeared that I hadn’t noticed at the cave exit.

It looked like a normal forest, but my feet sank with every step, and thick mud clung to my ankles each time I ran.

As I ran a little further, the water now reached my knees, and the mud at the bottom became even heavier.

“Your Highness, you should turn back here. The swamp seems to be getting deeper.”

Gale followed me effortlessly, as if he didn’t care about the swamp. His toes lightly touched the water, bouncing elastically, and not a single drop of mud touched his clothes.

It was truly an amazing technique.

I didn’t hide my admiration. Martial arts clearly had the Southern Continent as their origin, but Riorden’s or Gale’s movements were difficult to explain otherwise.

“It would be difficult to escape here without Gale.”

“Yes. It’s important how easily the soldiers can escape.”

Choosing to escape during a Wyvern hunt was literally the worst-case scenario, and the ones who would have the most difficulty surviving were the ‘archers.’

“Archers train a lot, but they’re not as agile as knights, right?”

“Their movements are not much different from ordinary soldiers.”

I nodded at Gale’s words and turned around. This place, with the swamp waiting, was definitely not suitable as an escape route.

When I returned to the cave exit, Hamilton was waiting.

“Your Highness, this is a place where you will be caught immediately if the Wyvern takes to the sky. The aerial distance is too short.”

He had climbed up the cliff himself to check, so I didn’t hesitate and re-entered the cave exit.

Going straight out the other way was the entrance we came in from.

For some reason, the distance felt shorter on the return trip.

* * *

The exits of the second and third caves were all located not far from the first cave exit.

It was the best location for an ambush, but I had reservations because the escape route was ambiguous.

“There’s still one place left.”

David emphasized.

Riorden stepped forward slightly.

“All three caves are connected to the same area, so wouldn’t the fourth be the same? How about we rest today? The sun is setting.”

“Confirmation is necessary, and there’s no reason to postpone it,” I said, cutting off the conversation between the two.

“Let’s go. There’s one place left; there’s no need to wait until tomorrow to check it.”

Riorden moved most vigorously, as if he was embarrassed that he had suggested taking a break.

David chuckled at Riorden’s eagerness and followed behind him.

“You seem tired.”

“Blunt Sword [David’s nickname] is still young, so he’s energetic. When I was Blunt Sword’s age, I would fight on the battlefield until evening and drink until dawn.”

“I don’t drink late and always go to bed early, so I take good care of my physical condition.”

Riorden laughed heartily.

I suddenly wondered.

“Have David and Riorden ever met while working as mercenaries?”

Even though the continent was vast, both were famous mercenaries. Capable mercenaries are bound to be sought after by many people, so they might have crossed paths.

“I traveled all over the continent, but my main areas of activity were the east and south. Blunt Sword was famous in the center. It would have been quite fun if we had met as enemies, but it’s a shame.”

“If you had met as enemies, you would have been able to confirm Blunt Sword’s reputation.”

Riorden laughed heartily as David licked his lips.

“It’s not easy to beat a young mercenary.”

Even after walking for a long time while chatting, the exit was not visible. The fourth cave seemed to be quite long.

Gale raised his hand.

Everyone stopped walking. Silence enveloped the cave.

* * *

It was a very familiar energy. I even felt a tiresome feeling.

What is it with the Forest of Darkness and the Undead? They appear everywhere I go.

“There is also the option to turn back.”

Gale’s suggestion made me hesitate. Even though I had become stronger, I was still someone to be protected, in Gale’s eyes.

Gale, who had raised me since I was very young, was like a parent to me. Because of my situation, which was always exposed to danger, Gale’s life must have been a constant state of tension since my mother passed away.

I could clearly feel the *magi* [magical energy], and the thick *salgi* [energy of malice/intent to kill] made my skin tingle. But I had a feeling that I had to go on.

“We have a Sword Master, a high-level spirit master, and reliable knights. It’s the last cave; we have to see it through to the end.”

There was no reason to retreat.

I examined everything meticulously to avoid any sacrifices, but sometimes I also needed confidence.

Gale followed closely behind me as I strode forward.

The *magi* grew stronger and stronger, and soon a rotting smell permeated the cave.

“It seems like Ghouls.”

It was Riorden who spoke again.

“Ghouls?”

I had never faced Ghouls among the undead I had fought so far.

“If skeletons are bones, think of ghouls as rotten corpses. There were even colleagues whose noses were permanently damaged because of the smell. You also have to be careful about touching the ghouls’ bodies or blood because of their toxicity.”

“How is their power compared to skeletons?”

Riorden quickly summarized the ghouls’ capabilities.

“Their movements are more fluid than skeletons. Their speed is also faster.”

Gale said in a low voice.

“If a hundred skeletons fought a hundred ghouls, who would win?”

Riorden was the only one who had fought both types of undead, so everyone focused on his information.

“Ghouls have weaker defense than skeletons, but they are faster and attack more cohesively in group fights. Their intelligence is higher than skeletons, so they are also good at surrounding attacks.”

“We need to be careful not to let any bare skin be touched by splashing blood.”

Gale instructed David, Riorden, and Hamilton.

“Aim to cut off their heads in one strike. Even if you sever other parts of their body, they will continue to move while bleeding.”

Gale also gave me a few instructions.

“Your Highness, please participate in the battle while thoroughly protecting yourself.”

It was, as always, worry about me.

I nodded.

“Even if you get poisoned, don’t panic too much. The water spirit has excellent purification abilities.”

“It’s reassuring to have Your Highness here.”

Everyone nodded slightly at Riorden’s cheerful voice.

When I first met him at the evaluation competition, he was an intimidating mercenary, but now that we were so close, I felt that he was a more positive person than anyone else.

Riorden continued with a *ahahaha* [onomatopoeia for hearty laughter] laugh.

“We’ll be able to sweep them away easily!”

Gale put on the brakes slightly.

“Complacency is not wise.”

Riorden answered confidently, “Yes, sir!” even though he was likely intimidated by Gale’s intense voice.

Perhaps the reason why he was able to lead a great mercenary company at one time was because he exuded a bright and hopeful energy in any situation?

*Keureureureu!* [Ghoul sound effect]

*Keureureureu!* [Ghoul sound effect]

It was a strange sound.

“It’s really an unpleasant sound. I can never get used to seeing corpses moving.”

Riorden frowned at the sight of the ghouls.

*Clang!* [Sound of drawing a sword]

I summoned Elraim and Silpenn.

The ghouls only watched us and did not attack first.

‘They’re just guarding the designated area. But we have to move forward.’

I deployed the Chains of Wind first.

*Suseusesuseuk!* [Sound of wind]

Wind rose in the cave and flew towards the ghouls.

The ghouls were startled by the Chains of Wind that suddenly wrapped around their necks.

*Seogeok!* [Sound of something being cut]

As a signal for the heads of four ghouls to float in the air, David, Riorden, and Hamilton rushed towards the ghouls.

And Gale,

*Gooooooo!* [Sound of aura]

Even an ordinary longsword was no different from a treasured sword when Gale held it.

A blue aura blade cut through the air and passed through the ghouls’ bodies.

*Seogeok!* [Sound of something being cut] *Seogeok!* [Sound of something being cut]

There was no time for blood to splatter. More than ten ghouls lost their heads.

*Keureureureu!* [Ghoul sound effect]

*Keureureureu!* [Ghoul sound effect]

We killed nearly twenty ghouls in an instant, but more ghouls appeared.

There was an even bigger problem.

“Your Highness, ghouls have appeared behind us.”

It was clearly the place we had passed, but ghouls, who we couldn’t even see a moment ago, were appearing in the place we had already cleared.

I smiled deeply.

“Let’s get serious.”