A Dragonslayer’s Peerless Regression

Chapter 51

'Constantinus? And Zimmens on top of that?'

Constantinus was the surname of the Rom Empire's royal family.

The addition of Zimmens as a middle name signified direct blood relations to that family.

However, it was inconceivable for Zimmens—a main allied family of the Drakers—to be connected by blood to the royal family of the Rom Empire.

This was because only prince-elector families, which held voting rights to elect the emperor, could have their name included as a middle name among the noble families that had sustained the Rom Empire for generations.

Cain steadied his stance and spoke to Sieg.

"You're a knight too valuable to kill here, but you've seen what you shouldn't have. I have no choice."

Wooong!

A menacing aura surged from Cain's sword, forming an aura blade.

Kwa! Kwa! Kwa! Kwa!

Unlike Blue Knights, who could only manifest aura blades, red Knights could control them freely.

The blade could lengthen or shift its shape at will.

Cain's aura blade rose and soon took the form of a massive lance.

Its surface solidified into a stable manifestation, making it clear that Cain had complete control over his aura.

As Cain raised his sword, Hersion activated, automatically placing a helmet over his face.

Clad in enchanted armor, Cain wielded the massive lance formed of aura blade and aimed it at Sieg.

Then, like a gliding shadow, he charged at Sieg.

Kwa! Kwa! Kwa! Kwa!

Perhaps due to Hersion's magical effects, Cain advanced toward Sieg at a tremendous speed in a straight line.

At the same time, the aura lance began to spin.

Kiiiing!

The surrounding air was sucked into Cain's lance.

Sieg steadied his breath, gripping Bahamut.

'This isn't something I can counter with ordinary techniques.'

Sieg assumed the stance for the Elemental Sword.

The technique he had struggled with the most to master.

From Sieg's hands, the Energy of Water unfurled.

Elemental Sword: Energy of Water, Wave Blade

Like a massive wave crashing down, Sieg's sword created undulating ripples as it collided with Cain's rapidly approaching lance.

Kiiing!

As Cain's swirling lance struck head-on, Sieg heard Grandmaster Kaiser's voice echo in his mind.

'You fool! The essence of water's power is in its softness! When strength meets strength, all that remains is mutual destruction!'

At that moment, Sieg relaxed his body while still holding his sword.

Recalling the relaxation he had learned from being struck repeatedly by Kaiser, Sieg fully loosened his muscles and allowed the overwhelming force of the lance to pass smoothly.

Whooong!

Sieg's sword flowed over the lance like surging waves and struck Cain's waist directly.

Bang!

Even though Bahamut hit its mark, Cain's Hersion armor didn't bear a single scratch.

Unfazed, Sieg utilized Phantom Footwork to slip into Cain's blind spot.

He swung his sword again toward Cain's back.

Bang!

Once more, the strike landed cleanly, yet it failed to cut through any part of Cain.

Cain had already widened the distance, pointing his lance toward Sieg.

Despite the short range, Cain used his entire body to thrust the lance with explosive force.

Kwa! Kwa! Kwa! Kwa!

Even grazing against it would have been enough to tear someone apart.

Sieg relied on the Dragonscale Armor, a Draconian Skill that hardened his skin, allowing him to withstand the lance's immense pressure.

The two clashed in close quarters, exchanging blows between the lance and the sword, evenly matched.

Sieg then distanced himself, activating the Draconian Skill Dragon's Claw to exploit an opening.

Slash!

Yet even Dragon's Claw was blocked by Cain's Hersion.

By now, Sieg was genuinely curious about what material that armor was made of.

Circling around Cain, Sieg sought an opening.

If this were a one-on-one duel, Sieg's Endless Stamina would eventually tip the scales in his favor, even in a prolonged battle. However, time was not on his side.

The longer this dragged on, the more likely reinforcements from the Empire would arrive, putting him at a severe disadvantage.

Cain slowly stepped back and spoke, his lance still aimed at Sieg.

"Truly impressive. I never thought there would be a knight at your age capable of fighting me to this extent."

He raised his lance high.

"But it's time to end this."

Crackle!

Suddenly, red electricity sparked along Cain's lance.

At the same time, an even more menacing aura surged from his body.

Sieg steadied his breath, gripping his sword tightly once again.

Just then, a message appeared before his eyes.

『Demonic Energy has been detected.』

『Eliminating an enemy with demonic energy will grant bonus points.』

'Demonic Energy?'

Before Sieg could fully grasp the meaning of the message, Cain charged at him, his lance enveloped in crimson electricity.

Kwa! Kwa! Kwa! Kwa! Kwa!

Cain hurtled toward him like a red meteor.

Sieg also assumed a charging stance, extending his sword forward.

This was a technique from the Dragon-Cutting Sword Technique, left behind by Shaton Draker.

Dragonslaying Art: Dragon-Cutting Sword Technique

8th Chapter, 2nd Verse – Dragonscale Thrust

A lethal technique designed to pierce a dragon's vital point in one decisive strike.

Sieg planted his feet firmly on the ground, twisting only his upper body to add tremendous rotational force to the thrust.

The aura infused into Sieg's sword spun fiercely as it clashed head-on with Cain's lance.

Kwa! Kwa! Kwa! Kwa! Kwa!

The collision of thrust against thrust created a massive shockwave that reverberated throughout the entire dungeon.

"Urgh!"

Sieg grit his teeth as he watched the overwhelming aura from Cain's attack push back his own thrust.

The heart of Bahamut, lodged in Sieg's Ether Hall, pumped furiously, surging mana throughout his body.

Kwa! Kwa! Kwa! Kwa! Kwa!

However, Cain's aura-powered thrust ultimately overpowered him. Sieg was hurled backward, crashing into the burning remains of the camp.

BOOM!

The intense aura destroyed what was left of the camp, reducing it to complete rubble.

Step. Step.

Cain deactivated the helmet of his Hersion armor and extended his hand toward the wreckage.

The ashes parted on either side, revealing Sieg leaning against the debris, blood flowing from a gaping wound in his abdomen.

"Urgh..."

Sieg struggled to move, trying to stand, but his body refused to respond.

Cain slowly approached him and spoke, looking down at Sieg.

"It seems you're a blood relative of the Draker family."

Sieg glared up at Cain with a grimace.

"How... did you figure that out...?"

"Your ability to repel mana, for one. And your swordsmanship—it's quite similar to the Dragonslaying Art."

The techniques Sieg used from the Dragon-Cutting Sword Technique were mostly from the later stages of the Dragonslaying Art.

This meant Cain had knowledge of the forbidden later chapters of the Dragonslaying Art, which were never meant to be revealed to outsiders.

'Damn those Zimmens bastards...'

Sieg didn't know exactly what scheme the Zimmens family was plotting, but their deep connection with the Empire was undeniable.

He coughed up blackened blood and asked Cain, his voice strained.

"You... Are you one of the Empire's Red Knights?"

Cain looked down at the dying Sieg and replied.

"I haven't officially ascended to that rank, but yes, you could say that. Not that those ranks matter to me."

"What... do you mean... by that?"

"Exactly what I said. The outdated methods of aura cultivation hold no meaning anymore. With new power, I will surpass the Black Knight rank and ascend to a realm beyond it."

Cain slowly raised his sword.

"I may have spoken too much. It's been a while since I've faced such a worthy opponent. To honor our battle, I will grant you a noble death."

He inverted his sword, aiming it at Sieg's heart.

"Rest in peace."

Thud!

Cain's sword pierced through Sieg's heart.

Moments later, when Sieg's body fell completely still, Cain pulled his sword out.

After sheathing his sword, Cain turned away and muttered, "It will take some time to relocate the entire laboratory."

It was then.

Swish!

A blade of wind grazed past Cain's neck.

Instinctively, Cain turned his body, but he couldn't completely avoid the strike.

Clutching his bleeding neck with his hand, he looked back in disbelief.

"How!"

Sieg, who had barely mended his shattered heart and abdominal wound, came charging at Cain with Bahamut in hand.

He thrust his sword into the gap he had painstakingly created earlier in the Hersion armor.

Thunk!

The aura-coated Bahamut buried itself deep into Cain's side.

Cain glared at Sieg with bloodshot eyes.

"You... you wretch!"

Sieg hooked his foot around Cain's legs, sending him tumbling to the ground. Then, climbing on top of him, Sieg pinned Cain's arms to prevent him from pulling the sword out. With his free hand, Sieg retrieved a dagger from his inventory.

"Haaah!"

He stabbed the dagger repeatedly at the exposed area around Cain's neck where the Hersion had been pried open.

"Argh!"

Cain tried to activate Hersion, but Sieg had already deployed Mana Reflection, rendering the armor unresponsive to Cain's will.

Again and again, Sieg drove the dagger into Cain's throat.

"Cough... urgh!"

Blood gushed from Cain's mouth.

Soon, his eyes remained wide open, lifeless.

『You have eliminated an fiend corrupted by demonic energy.』

『You have received 300 Karma Points as a reward.』

Only then did Sieg manage to climb off Cain's body.

"Haa... Haa..."

His heart, which had been pierced earlier, had mostly recovered, but the aura-inflicted wound on his abdomen was only superficially healed. Internally, it was still a complete mess.

If he hadn't preloaded potions into his quick slots, he might have died the moment Cain's technique struck.

Sieg staggered as he tried to stand but found his body unresponsive.

And then, at that moment—

『Excessive use of skills has pushed fatigue levels beyond critical thresholds.』

『Administrator consciousness will be forcibly deactivated for safety.』

Sieg froze as the warning message flashed before his eyes.

'No, no! Not here!'

Losing consciousness in the middle of enemy territory was unthinkable.

Desperately, he tried to open a portal, but his vision was already growing hazy, making it impossible to focus on the interface.

Just before everything went dark, Cain's body appeared in front of Sieg's blurry vision.

Summoning the last of his strength, Sieg shouted the name of a skill.

"Gluttony!"

Before his consciousness fully faded, shadows extended from Sieg's body, engulfing and absorbing Cain's corpse.

『You have consumed a corrupted mage tainted by demonic energy.』

『Your depleted stamina, mental strength, and mana are restored.』

『The bloodline ability of the consumed mage has been absorbed. The active skill Static Electricity (C-rank) has evolved into Electric Shock (A-rank).』

Sieg's fading consciousness slowly returned.

He took a deep breath and sat up.

"Damn it, I thought I was done for."

By hastily consuming Cain's body, he not only regained consciousness but also experienced a skill upgrade.

'The skill's rank increased?'

Curious, Sieg activated the skill that had evolved from Static Electricity to Electric Shock.

Crackle!

While not as powerful as Cain's earlier display, a strong electric current surged around his entire weapon.

'So I can gain bloodline abilities from not just beasts but also corrupted mages tainted by demonic energy through Gluttony.'

After sheathing his sword, Sieg prepared to leave the area quickly.

Then, he noticed something lying where Cain's body had been.

"What's this?"

It appeared to be chest armor that covered the torso and abdomen.

When Sieg picked it up, another message appeared.

『You have acquired ???'s armor.』

『Would you like to register as the armor's user?』

'???'s armor? Why doesn't it have a name?'

Sieg chose to register it.

The chest armor glowed briefly as strange patterns appeared on its surface. Then, with a clattering sound, it disassembled and attached itself to Sieg's body.

『You have been registered as the armor's user.』

『You can determine the armor's activation form according to your will.』

『Of the 28 grand magic arrays engraved on the armor, 3 are currently activatable.』

When Sieg activated the armor, the chest piece transformed into a full-plate armor that covered his entire body, just as it had for Cain earlier.

"Wow, this is incredible."

Despite being full-body armor, it felt weightless and didn't hinder his movements in the slightest.

Sieg reverted the armor to its original chest plate form.

"I can't use it like this as it might attract the Empire's attention. I'll have to modify it later. For now, I need to escape."

Getting out before other knights arrived was his top priority.

Sieg opened the map and began plotting his path out of the dungeon.

He quickly exited the cavern where the camp had been and moved to escape the territory of the Pavela Cartel.

However, as he advanced, he detected something unusual ahead.

'This smell...'

It was the stench of dried blood and filth.

Hesitant, Sieg decided to investigate, suspecting something significant might be hidden there. He cautiously approached the concealed area within the dungeon.

What he found made him grit his teeth and clench his fists tightly.

'These goddamn bastards.'

This wasn't an ancient ruin.

It was a human experimentation site operated by the Rom Empire.