Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 267

11. Unexpected Collaborator

Around Kainchel, centered on the Aura barrier he had created, lay a scene of immense destruction.

Cold sweat trickled down Siana’s cheek.

The ambush had been so sudden that a proper response was impossible.

If Kainchel hadn’t blocked the attack with Alio Olio, she would have suffered severe injuries.

“…Thank you, Duke Kainchel. I’ll cover the rear.”

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”

Siana drew her wind spear, Stormbringer. Then, she pushed off from the rubble of the collapsed building and leaped into the air.

This would allow her to focus on Karrak without worrying about the other orcs.

Kainchel surveyed the ruined surroundings and clicked his tongue.

A single blow had devastated an area spanning dozens of meters. Karrak’s Aura Blade, in terms of sheer destructive power, surpassed even Guangyi’s.

Of course, the defensive power of Alio Olio, which had blocked it, was also tremendous. However, it consumed a significant amount of Aura.

Karrak jumped off the wyvern he had been riding. The moment his massive, 3-meter frame hit the ground, a thick cloud of dust billowed up.

The unbelievably swollen muscles twitched.

It looked as if he could easily smash rocks without using Aura.

“Looks like you’ve been working out really hard. Master Ian would be very pleased to see this.”

“I’m sorry, but there’s no time for jokes. Hand over Gottfried.”

“Sorry, but I can’t do that.”

Then, an immense killing intent erupted from Karrak’s body. It seemed Gottfried had risen to a very important position for the orcs.

“Then it’s time for Tony True to deploy. I won’t hold back this time, come at me.”

Karrak infused Aura into the axe he raised overhead.

The surging power around him distorted space, and cracks began to form in the ground beneath his feet.

It was still a terrifyingly immense power.

‘Accepting Hector’s heart allowed me to use his Aura Blade, but taking that head-on would be reckless. Then, Ravioli…!’

Kainchel had also gained tremendous experience in the Tower of Trials over the past six months.

His sense of handling Aura, as well as the activation speed of his cooking skills, had all improved significantly.

Then, the crescent-shaped Aura that had sealed the movements of numerous Death Knights wrapped around Karrak’s arms.

“I told you, those petty tricks won’t work!”

Karrak tried to break free from the Ravioli by exploding the Aura that filled his entire body.

But he couldn’t.

No matter how much force he used, it only stretched and wouldn’t break. It was like rubber.

“…W-What is this!?”

“Looks like the pasta dough is a bit chewy today. Sorry, but no refunds.”

Of course, unless it was hardened, it couldn’t completely stop the opponent’s movements.

But slowing them down a bit was enough.

Kiiiiik-!

Kainchel didn’t even chant properly. Nevertheless, the Durandal he held split into seven blades [a technique where the sword appears to multiply, striking multiple targets simultaneously].

It was an incredibly fast speed that he couldn’t have imagined six months ago.

The slash extending from Kainchel’s right hand cut Karrak’s nape [the back of the neck].

At the same time, other blades were fired, aiming for his shoulder, side, and thigh.

“Kuaaaak!”

The quick sword, leaving no afterimage, began to mercilessly slash Karrak’s entire body.

However, Karrak wasn’t just taking it.

Tuduk-!

His triceps twitched, and he finally broke free from the Ravioli with force.

Then, Karrak’s axe summoned a massive tsunami.

Kukukukukung…!

He had only struck the empty air, but the shockwave alone tore apart the nearby buildings like paper.

Trying to block it carelessly would result in being crushed along with the defense.

Even if it didn’t directly hit the axe blade, it was an attack sufficient to take the opponent’s life.

But Kainchel was already gone.

Using the Jjolmyeon [Korean chewy noodles] he had previously attached to the building wall, he had risen dozens of meters into the air.

“…Pasta is good, but you can’t beat fish and chips when you’re in Britannia, right?”

Immediately after, a total of fourteen meteors plunged into Karrak’s body.

* * *

Karrak had faced Fish and Chips once before.

The power and speed of the sword strikes were similar to then. But everything else was different.

The Igyeo Geom [a sword technique where the swords move independently], flying to exploit openings as if with eyes on the blades, felt almost alive.

If he deflected one blade with his axe, three would rush in at the same time.

This wasn’t just a phantom sword technique where the sword split into multiple blades. It was as if he was facing fourteen knights and their swords.

Eventually, the giant, who was like a steel fortress, knelt.

“Keuheuk… Keheok… Keueuek…”

Karrak, covered in blood, let out a harsh groan. It was a miracle he was still alive.

“…Y-You’ve become stronger. What on earth happened in half a year…”

Kainchel shrugged and answered Karrak’s question.

“Nothing much. Just died about a thousand times?”

“…It seems you’re talking about the Warrior’s Sanctuary. But a thousand times…?”

Karrak was injured to the point where he could die at any moment.

Yet, astonishment appeared in his eyes, which had not lost their composure.

“Good heavens… It is said that even the tribe’s great warrior could not withstand a hundred times. To think there would be someone with such a steel heart among humans…”

It seemed Karrak knew what was happening inside the Tower of Trials.

He looked at Kainchel with sunken eyes and continued.

“Hand over Gottfried. The future of our tribe depends on him.”

He had contracted with Orobas and obtained the power of absolute command.

Even a Sword Master of a nation could not defy Gottfried’s orders.

Clearly, by using that ability, the orc tribe could secede from the Argon Union as they wished.

Kainchel nodded.

“I understand what you’re saying, Karrak. So, the fate of the tribe is at stake, right?”

“…That’s right.”

“But I refuse. If you wanted Britannia’s cooperation, you should have used a different method.”

The wyvern rider attack had caused damage to western Britannia that would take a long time to recover.

Many people had died or been injured, and they had lost their homes.

“Keuk…”

Moreover, all circumstantial evidence indicated that the Devil of the Crossroads was involved in the orcs’ movements.

In the end, it meant that they had to settle things with the orcs one way or another.

Having made up his mind, Kainchel gripped Durandal with both hands. Karrak no longer had the energy to fight.

Now that he knew his purpose, there was no need to keep him alive any longer.

He needed to finish the battle with Karrak as quickly as possible and help Siana.

She was the owner of an Aura Blade specialized in long-range combat.

She was putting up a tremendous fight against the dozen or so wyvern riders gliding through the sky.

But even that was slowly reaching its limit. No matter how strong the Aura Blade was, the orcs were skilled enough to easily take on three or four Sword Knights. Just the fact that she had held out this long showed how strong she was.

“I’m starting to get attached to you. Nice to meet you, and let’s not meet again.”

It was the moment Kainchel was about to use Fish and Chips again to end Karrak’s life.

Karrak, facing a desperate crisis, finally abandoned the beliefs he had upheld.

“…This body is no longer a great warrior! Just a mere coward! Slloop…!”

Then, a voice filled with determination echoed from the wyvern circling in the sky.

“I have been waiting for this, Great Warrior Karrak! I will consider it an honor to dedicate this body for you!”

“Come!”

Slloop drew the dagger he was wearing on his waist with lightning speed.

And stabbed it straight into his heart.

Orc shamans could maximize the power of their magic by offering their lives to ancient spirits.

“…Spirit of the rock, grant Gran Karrak the same… Keo, keoheok…”

Slloop eventually failed to finish his words and died. But that alone was enough to activate the spell.

An unbelievably immense life force began to surge in Karrak’s body.

Tears of blood were constantly flowing from his eyes.

“…Thank you, Slloop. I will never waste the life you have given me. From now on, I will dedicate everything to the independence of the tribe!”

And he kicked off the ground and soared into the sky. Kainchel activated Fallen Star so that he could prepare for a Rising Strike at any moment.

‘What, I don’t feel any hostility? N-No way!?’

Only then did Kainchel realize why Karrak had declared that he would quit being a great warrior.

Turning his back and running away with the enemy in front of him.

It was a method that a proud orcish great warrior would not choose even if it meant losing his life.

Karrak had abandoned his beliefs for the independence of the tribe.

Kainchel shouted towards Siana, who was fighting in the rear.

“Duke Siana! We must protect Gottfried! Karrak is trying to recapture him and escape!”

“Yes…!? Ugh, these gnats…!”

But Siana also seemed to have no余裕 [room to spare] to spare, as she was dealing with a dozen wyvern riders.

“Woob! Woowoob…!”

Gottfried was still calling for Karrak, even with his mouth blocked with potatoes. He looked like he had met a savior.

Kiiiiik-!

The Fish and Chips sword strikes that Kainchel unleashed were fired towards Karrak’s body as he tried to escape.

But thanks to the defensive magic that Slloop had cast at the cost of his life, not even a small scratch was made.

Was he going to have to let Gottfried slip away before his eyes like this?

At that moment, an unexpected collaborator appeared to Kainchel.

A crow flying in from somewhere landed on Gottfried’s bound body, and then his head disappeared.

To be precise, it was cut off in an instant by something sharp.

“G-Gottfried…!”

Karrak, who had lost the man holding the lifeline of the tribe before his eyes, screamed with a bitter face.

Gottfried had a bewildered expression until the moment he lost his life. It was that sudden of an intrusion.

“…”

Silence fell for a moment in the face of a situation that no one had expected.

But Karrak gritted his teeth and got up from his seat. He knew that if he died, the tribe’s independence would be impossible forever.

“Everyone, retreat!”

“…Keurwasy!”

“Hey! Where are you going while fighting!”

Siana, who was furious, fired a spear of wind, but could not catch up with the mobility of the wyvern riders.

They were really fast at running away.

Kainchel stared blankly at Gottfried’s headless corpse. The crow was still sitting on it.

Caw-!

She said.

“Do you like the gift I gave you, Duke Kainchel?”

“…?”

Kainchel had to doubt his ears. The echo of the voice coming from the crow’s beak sounded too familiar.