1 – The Nobleman of Arden (1)
With thick fog enveloping,
Arden Primeval Forest, filled with dense trees.
At first glance, it could be seen as a simple place where the forest is abundant, but this place was very dangerous and perilous, known to all who knew it.
Originally, predators like bears and wolves roamed without hesitation,
The presence of poisonous weeds and swamps in various parts of the forest made it impossible for anyone to let their guard down.
Furthermore, with the appearance of demons in recent years,
This forest has practically cut off human footsteps.
In this treacherous place, where one could die at any moment wandering aimlessly.
The woman was slowly moving along the blurry forest path.
In one hand, she carried a sword,
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In her other hand, she held a gun and moved forward. She was a human woman wearing a specially made leather coat instead of armor. Napoleon. As a devil hunter who hunted demons, she cautiously surveyed her surroundings, not letting go of the tension of expecting something to jump out. At that moment, a calm voice reached her ears. “There’s no need to be so tense. There’s nothing to worry about.” Hearing this, Napoleon slightly flinched and carefully turned around to look behind her. There stood another woman. However, the appearance of this woman was completely different from Napoleon, who was heavily armed as a devil hunter. She had silver hair and red eyes. She possessed a beauty that could rival others and had the appearance of a woman in her late twenties with a unique charm that Napoleon, who boasted her own beauty, could not compare to. She was dressed in a dress that reminded one of black mourning attire, which was completely unsuitable for this forest. Moreover, she didn’t even carry any weapons, unlike Napoleon, who was completely armed. However, in this moment, it was clear that despite being completely armed, Napoleon exuded a deep tension, while this woman radiated a calm aura with even a hint of tranquility. Just by the atmosphere, it seemed as if she had come for a leisurely stroll. Towards this woman,
Napolea spoke in a cautious voice.
“Master? I fear that venturing further into the forest would be perilous. We should consider turning back now.”
Napolea communicated with worry in her voice.
To this, the lady replied with a serene smile.
“If you’re truly anxious, return first. I cannot go back until I’ve finished my task.”
“You well know that is not an option. My duty, after all, is to assist you…”
At that moment.
“Growl!!”
“…”
The next second, an ominous presence was suddenly felt.
Upon sensing this, Napolea instantly adjusted her grip on her sword and gun, peering into the forest depths.
And then, shortly afterward…
-“ROOOaaaRRR!!!”
“! Damn…”
“…”
In the next instant, a giant demon burst forth from the underbrush.
The creature, easily five meters in size, bore a grotesque and imposing appearance, like that of a skinned bear left raw.
With the beast’s emergence,
Napolea felt a sensation as if her entire body instantly froze over.
A Gigant Hellbear, here of all places… Even in the Ardennes Forest, who would’ve expected a high-ranking demon to spring out like this…!
Even she, ranking among the upper echelons of Devil Hunters, felt a sense of danger from this being.
Napolea, consumed by intense tension, rallied all her magical power throughout her body,
In response, the massive bear demon began crawling toward her with a roar that echoed through the surroundings.
“ROOOOaaarrr!!!”
An earth-shattering, formidable strength.
With the overwhelming force of an entire building charging at her, the creature swung its paw—nearly the size of a human—at Napolea.
“Tch!”
-BOOOOOM!
Even after dodging, she felt the tremendous shockwave.
With a grimace like someone witnessing an explosion, Napolea brandished her magic-infused sword to slash at the creature’s body.
However.
-CRACKKK!!!
“Damn… It’s so sturdy!”
The creature’s body barely suffered a scratch despite taking a hit that could cleave steel.
Demonstrating a terrifying durability befitting a high-ranking demon, it brutally twisted its body and launched another attack at Napolea.
Faster and more precise than before, the incoming blow threatened to reach her.
With a furrow of her brows, Napolea concentrated her magical energy forward, starting to expand a translucent barrier in defense.
-CRAShhhhh!!!
“Gosh…”
The barrier shattered like glass under the devil’s blow.
Then, the devil’s front paw struck Napoleon’s body.
And.
-QUaaaNG!!!!
With a sound that could not be mistaken for anything other than a living organism being struck, Napoleon’s body was embedded in the ground.
It would have been a fatal blow for an ordinary person, but in that moment, Napoleon, who had been struck, struggled to rise to her feet.
“Tsk…”
Her clothes had turned to rags, and one of her arms had been rendered useless.
However, despite that, she still held onto her sword with unwavering determination.
“Shall I assist?”
“No, thank you. I can handle this much…”
Napoleon replied, slightly frowning at her master’s words coming from behind her.
Continuing to gather her magical power once again, she focused her gaze on the Hellbear preparing to attack once more.
“A simple strike would be meaningless against this guy… So, I need to somehow create an opening and aim for his weak spot…”
While her arm caused some pain, it was not impossible to overcome.
With that determination in mind,
Napoleon adjusted her posture, reminding herself that failure was not an option.
-KUaaahhhhh!!!!
Napolea, who was about to lower her front paw once again towards her, focused her magic on her legs and prepared to strike a blow at him.
At that moment…
– Crack!
A strange sound reached Napolea, who was about to swing her sword.
At the same time, the gigantic demon froze in the exact position as it was about to bring down its arm.
And then…
“Huh?”
“Oh wow…”
The next moment, the demon’s body cleanly fell to the ground.
Starting with the front paw that was clenched, its chest, torso, legs, and even its head.
As if it had been slaughtered,
the creature’s entire body collapsed miserably in an instant.
“What… What on earth…”
A skill that was close to miraculous that she had never seen before in all her life.
With a deep sense of confusion, Napolea began to search for the one who caused this.
At that moment.
“Are you injured anywhere?”
!
Suddenly, at her side, a voice reached Napolea’s ears, causing her face to be filled with astonishment once again.
‘Um… How.’
No matter how much of a battle it was, the situation was such that no presence could be felt at all.
Napolea turned her head hurriedly towards where the voice was coming from, with a surprised expression on her face.
There was a man standing there.
With a scruffy beard,
A middle-aged man with a rough yet quite handsome appearance.
Judging by the clothes he was wearing, he seemed to be a fellow Devil Hunter like her,
But his clothes were worn out and tattered, as if they hadn’t been taken care of for a long time, with old stains that looked like bloodstains here and there.
If someone with no eye for fashion were to see him, they might get the impression that he was more of a beggar than a Devil Hunter.
However,
Despite his appearance, Napolea couldn’t bring herself to think that the man in front of her was despicable or unworthy in any way.
A formidable skill that effortlessly defeated the high-level demon Hellbear.
And the faint sense of immense power that could still be felt in this moment.
With his presence that reminded her of a legendary recluse,
Napolea felt a natural sense of awe,
And she wanted to express her gratitude to the man who had helped her.
At that moment,
“Thank you for saving me. I owe my life to you.”
“Just did what a Devil Hunter should do, don’t worry about it.”
Saying that, the man stepped forward and expressed his gratitude.
Napolea also bowed her head in the same manner.
With that, the man sheathed his sword back into its scabbard and responded in a calm voice.
His attitude was so nonchalant that it was hard to call it humble.
Observing his reaction,
Her owner, with a faint smile on her lips, began to politely express her greetings towards the man in front of her.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Elly Hellat. I am a servant of His Majesty, the King of the Franz Kingdom. If it’s okay with you, may I inquire about your noble title?”
‘…’
Such a posture that seemed slightly excessive considering her power, position, and usual demeanor.
Feeling some slight curiosity about that fact, Napolea silently observed the situation,
And the man, facing her, spoke with a serious voice.
“I am called Gellerud Mura. I am a Devil Hunter who quietly resides in this forest.”
“!”
The man spoke a name she never expected.
Upon hearing that, Napolea momentarily felt a deep surprise.
But her owner, Elly, looked at him with a calm face, without any change in expression.
“Leaving that aside, you seem quite noble, but what business brings you to this treacherous place?”
Gellerud asked with a calm voice.
To this question,
Elly, with her red eyes flashing, replied to him.
“I came to find someone.”
“Someone?”
?!
Elli spoke about her purpose for coming to this place without even telling Napoleon.
Continuing, she started to smile deeply while looking straight into Gellard’s eyes.
“Yes, it is you, the nobleman right in front of me.”