EMATEC Chapter 121

 

 

 

 

“Search your mind. You’ll figure it out, won’t you?”

 

Kane could feel the murderous intent directed toward him. However, his body froze and refused to move. A splitting pain coursed through his head.

 

“Kane!”

 

At that moment, a pure white blade cut through the mist clouding Kane’s vision, slicing through the air. Instantly, the suffocating killing intent that seemed to grip his entire being vanished.

 

“Hah!”

 

Only then did Kane let out the breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. Gasping for air, he slumped to the ground, his lungs frantically trying to fill with oxygen.

 

A shadow appeared before him.

 

“Senior, Enoch.”

 

“Step aside.”

 

Even amidst the eerie atmosphere of the jungle, his silver hair gleamed brilliantly. Enoch, having noticed something suspicious when Kane ventured into the jungle alone, had followed him.

 

“I’ve called for help. So, take any chance you get and run.”

 

“Senior, what are you talking about…?”

 

Kane frowned in confusion at Enoch’s words. Before he could fully grasp the situation, Enoch snapped at him in a firm voice.

 

“Look straight ahead. Then you’ll realize just how recklessly you’ve been courting death.”

 

At Enoch’s words, Kane raised his head and looked beyond Enoch.

 

“…….…!”

 

Monsters. Dozens of them emanating a murderous aura, baring their teeth as though they would pounce at any moment.

 

Though they hesitated, wary of Enoch Gray’s menacing presence, it was only a matter of time before they gave in to their impulses.

 

Kane quickly scanned his surroundings, searching for the freckled boy who had told him about the demons. However, the boy had vanished without a trace, as if he were an illusion.

 

“How… how could this happen? I was definitely talking to him just now…”

 

Kane stammered, overwhelmed by confusion. Just moments ago, there had been no signs of monsters. How had they appeared so suddenly?

 

“You’ve gone too deep. You need to leave.”

 

Kane couldn’t understand Enoch’s words. He remembered not having ventured far from the jungle’s entrance. Too deep? Something felt off.

 

“I’ll explain why later.”

 

Without any further words, Enoch began drawing power into his sword. A radiant silver light—resembling him—manifested, encasing the blade.

 

‘Sword aura!’

 

Kane’s eyes widened in astonishment. He had heard rumors of Enoch Gray wielding sword aura, but he hadn’t expected him to command it so naturally.

 

This wasn’t a skill at the level of an academy student; Enoch should have been teaching at the academy instead.

 

The monsters, sensing the tense energy emanating from Enoch, bared their fangs.

 

Grrrrrrr.

 

The guttural growls of the monsters, sounding as though their throats were being scratched, sent chills down Kane’s spine.

 

“Leave. You’re only getting in the way.”

 

“……….”

 

Kane bit his lip, forcing strength into his trembling legs as he stood. He wasn’t sure what was happening to him, but he knew he wasn’t in a normal state.

 

“Even so, senior, you can’t handle this alone.”

 

However, if Kane were to turn his back and flee, leaving Enoch behind, he would never again be able to live honorably as a knight.

 

Kane struggled to steady his trembling body, taking deep breaths to calm himself.

 

He was different from those who had lived sheltered lives, swinging their swords only in the safety of training grounds.

 

“This is happening because of me, so I will take responsibility.”

 

If the noble heir of the Gray Ducal House were to be endangered because of an ordinary commoner, Kane knew that running away would not save him. It would be better to die fighting alongside Enoch.

 

“Hah.”

 

Enoch couldn’t suppress a laugh, despite the dire situation, at the resolute determination in Kane’s words.

 

“Who said I’m alone? I told you, I called for backup.”

 

“What?”

 

“You seem to have forgotten who’s overseeing this test.”

 

“……….!”

 

Turning back slightly, Enoch smirked. Though he appeared to glance at Kane, his gaze was fixed on something behind him.

 

“You’re late!”

 

As Enoch raised his voice, a familiar voice rang out from behind Kane.

 

“Who’s late?!”

 

Red hair swept past Kane like a blur, leaving a refreshing breeze in its wake.

 

“I’ll save my adjutant myself!”

 

“Then maybe you should’ve arrived earlier.”

 

“I wasn’t late, okay? You were just a tiny bit—really, just a little bit—faster than me.”

 

Cherrya’s fiery red hair seemed to blaze as if it could set the lush jungle ablaze, as she naturally drew her sword alongside Enoch.

 

“No wonder the next group wasn’t coming in. You’ve been causing trouble, Kane.”

 

“I… I’m sorry.”

 

Kane flinched, apologizing nervously. Cherrya laughed brightly in response.

 

“No need to apologize. If anything, this feels more like our fault, so I’m kind of satisfied.”

 

“In what way? Causing trouble?”

 

“Shut up, Enoch.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Cherrya gripped her sword as if she wanted to swing it at Enoch, but she took a deep breath to calm herself. She then turned to Kane, as though making an excuse.

 

“When we were younger, half of the trouble I got into was Enoch Gray’s fault. He’s just so sly, like a fox, always getting away clean while acting all high and mighty. That’s why no one ever noticed.”

 

“That’s completely different from what I remember.”

 

As Enoch and Cherrya bickered, the monsters, realizing there were only three humans before them, began to close in with a threatening air.

 

Grrrr.

 

“…These things just had to interrupt an important conversation.”

 

Clicking her tongue, Cherrya gestured dismissively at Kane.

 

“It’s dangerous here. Go back and join the main group.”

 

“…I didn’t become a knight just to sit safely in a secure place. I will fight with you.”

 

“Oh, that’s the spirit I’d expect from my adjutant. I like it! Don’t you want to officially join the Emblem squad?”

 

“I’m sorry, but could we focus on dealing with those creatures first?”

 

“If we handle those things, will you join the Emblem?”

 

Cherrya, acting as though the deadly monsters were no concern, spoke casually, making Kane stifle a laugh. The tension in his body dissipated in an instant. The way she talked, as if this situation was trivial, and the confidence with which she discussed the future, strangely put Kane at ease.

 

“Clinging is not attractive, Cherrya.”

 

“And being as obnoxious as you is?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“You’ve gotten shameless, Enoch Gray.”

 

Cherrya clicked her tongue as she looked straight ahead.

 

“Shall we?”

 

“Sure.”

 

Without waiting for anyone to lead, the two figures charged toward the monsters.

 

ROAR!

 

Screech!

 

With the monsters’ screams, sticky blood splattered everywhere.

 

With just a single swing of their swords, an open space appeared amidst the throng of monsters so densely packed that it had seemed impenetrable moments before.

 

“……….!”

 

It happened in an instant. The energy flowing through Enoch and Cherrya’s swords… Was this the destructive power that could be unleashed by those skilled in manifesting sword aura?

 

“You must’ve learned well at the academy, Enoch.”

 

“Same goes for you.”

 

The two conversed as if they were having an ordinary chat, all the while slicing through the monsters with incredible speed.

 

When Cherrya threw her sword at a monster sneaking up behind Enoch, Enoch caught its hilt mid-air, furrowing his brow.

 

“You still haven’t broken that habit of throwing swords.”

 

“Then give it back.”

 

With a snort, Cherrya casually smashed a monster’s head with her fist, as if to say she didn’t even need a sword.

 

“Behind you.”

 

With a sigh, Enoch sent a sword flying past Cherrya’s face, so close it could have grazed her ear.

 

Without flinching, Cherrya stomped on the fallen monster’s head in front of her, finishing it off.

 

“Nice.”

 

She then calmly retrieved her sword from the monster Enoch had taken down behind her.

 

“……….”

 

Watching the two’s perfectly synchronized movements, Kane stood motionless, forgetting to even wield his own sword.

 

It was widely known that Emblem and Gray had grown up sparring together since they were children.

 

But they had been apart for five years due to their time at the academy.

 

How could they still fight so seamlessly, as if they had been training together their entire lives?

 

‘Especially Emblem and Gray.’

 

Amidst their flawless teamwork, there was no space for Kane to intervene.