Chapter 45 – The Lord of the Forest (1)

“Hahaha. This is the first time I have ever heard such words to my face. As expected, you are not ordinary. No, you are a great and brave knight. How dare you utter such nonsense to me, Tollio Vertus, the Seeker of Death, the Reincarnation of Specters, and the Collector of the Heads of the Living.”

Instead of being where it should have been, the head tucked under his arm babbled without rest. Meanwhile, the corpse’s pale eyes rolled around.

It was to survey the surroundings. It was a mess. The number of the dead he had cut down and killed was in the hundreds, and the uprooted trees numbered in the dozens.

If so, he must have been exhausted. He could easily be dealt with before his companions arrived. Tollio’s bloodless head smiled pleasantly.

“Now. Before our honorable duel, I have finished my introduction. It is your turn to let me hear your name. Yes, young knight with hot blood. What is your name?”

A demon babbling about honor. This was quite novel.

“I have no name to give a monster.”

Answering briefly, Belloc raised his sword. Gripping the handle made of solid steel tightly, he watched the headless knight.

The guy was creeping closer with Kara’s orb of light behind his back. Belloc frowned slightly. It was backlit. Perhaps the undead knight, who had identified himself as Tollio, knew this as well, as he wore a relaxed smile.

“That is a pity. Well, it does not matter. After I cut off your neck, I will make you a companion with the help of my master’s spell. We can have our reunion as fellow knights then. Ah. By the way, have you ever drunk wine with your neck severed? The feeling of it sliding down your throat is truly spectacular. Hahaha.”

One step, and then another step. Even while speaking, Tollio’s feet gradually quickened. In his right hand was a large battle axe, and in his left hand, he held his own head like a shield.

Watching the movements of the guy’s shoulders and legs, and the twitch of his wrists, Belloc narrowed his eyes.

Clearly, the guy’s right hand was taking a stance to swing the axe. But at the same time, he gripped the head in his left hand tightly.

Belloc felt a strange sense of deja vu. Letting his imagination run wild, he began to predict what the guy would do next.

Surely, it isn’t what I think it is?

At that moment.

Tollio swung his left hand like lightning. The undead’s head shot forward like a cannonball.

“Hahaha! I will poke a wind hole in your body!”

Cutting through the wind, Tollio let out a bizarre scream. The mere fact that the enemy before one was a headless knight gave the opponent a strange pressure, since he was a monster defying common sense. But what if that monster threw his head? Most would meet death without even being able to react…

“Ugh.”

With a clink, the head bounced off and rolled on the ground. Beneath his shaky vision, Tollio, covered in dust, rolled his eyes. He saw the knight dusting off his sword with an unbothered expression. Tollio gritted his teeth.

“Right. So you are not ordinary. Fine. Kill!”

Kuoooo!

The headless knight swung his axe down. The undead’s will, which defied even death, rushed toward the living.

Belloc decided to confront this bravely. He, too, swung his sword to clash.

With a bang, an unbelievable sound for clashing iron rang out. The knight’s body shook violently. Of course, it was the headless one.

“What a monster… Are you a human, yet you do not even tire!”

With the voice echoing from behind as the background, the greatsword and the battle axe entered a contest of strength.

Kkikikik!

A harsh friction sound rang out along with sparks. Beyond the deeply gouged furrow, the gazes of the two knights drew closer.

The Dullahan faced the face of the living wearing a steel visor, while Belloc faced the blue ghost fire burning in place of a neck.

‘If I get burned by that fire, would it be hot? Or cold?’ After a moment of idle thoughts, Belloc put strength into the hand gripping the sword. Then, the axe shrieked, and the Dullahan’s knees bent sharply. The furrow beneath their feet grew deeper.

At this rate, he would return to a handful of dust. The undead knight admitted his defeat in the contest of strength. The Dullahan slightly released his grip on the axe handle. At that, Belloc’s greatsword tore through the armor, digging in roughly.

A normal person would have met death by the blade reaching the heart after shattering the collarbone. However, it was useless against a knight who had transcended even death.

The cunning Dullahan gave up on his shoulder. Instead, he moved his left hand to firmly grab the greatsword blade that had penetrated his body. Then, he whipped up his remaining hand, which held the axe.

The blue ghost fire flickered slightly. It seemed to sneer. It was a crude tactic that only an undead who did not care for their own body could use.

‘This is the first time I’ve seen someone fight like this.’ While Belloc wore a peculiar expression at the emptiness felt beneath his hand, the Dullahan swung his weapon with the sword still lodged in his shoulder.

Kuuuuu!

It was already too late to let go of the sword and retreat. Furthermore, even both of his hands were bound. The vicious axe blade looked ready to crush Belloc at any moment. But Belloc was unperturbed.

He merely took a short breath and channeled more strength into the sword in his hand. His monstrous strength shone, and the cracked armor screamed the rest of its unfinished shriek.

In an instant, the Dullahan’s upper body split apart, and the axe, having lost its target, rolled on the ground. As if to decorate the scene, rotten leaves scattered wildly.

Belloc remained frozen in the stance of his swing. It was for a simple reason. He had not received any experience points. ‘What is this?’ Just as he thought that, a voice heard from behind spoke.

“This is crazy.”

It was a brief curse. It was also the voice that had been grating on his nerves since earlier. ‘I see. The head was the main body?’ Belloc turned his head.

No more voice was heard from behind. However, it was not difficult to find the head stuck in the bushes.

Belloc walked over. Then, he reached out and lifted the head by the hair. Dangling in the air, Tollio’s mouth was tightly shut.

The guy rolled his eyes, gauging Belloc’s mood. Belloc chuckled at his terrified state.

Did someone who had already experienced death once fear dying again? Perhaps that was why he clung to life even more.

“You seem to suit being a clown more than a knight. How about you try juggling with that head of yours?”

“S-Spare me. I do not know why you all entered this forest, but I know a lot. Ask me anything!”

The human face, left with only a head and babbling away, was quite bizarre and terrifying. Yet, Belloc stared at him, unbothered.

Then, he dropped him on the ground and kicked him hard. Rolling like a ball and crashing into the bushes, Tollio groaned.

“Ugh! W-Why on earth…”

“I do not like your tone.”

Belloc walked over again and picked up the head. Coughing and spitting out leaves, Tollio opened his mouth once more.

“Please ask me anything. I will answer to the best of my knowledge.”

“It seems you are finally ready to talk. First, about why the forest ended up like this…”

The moment Belloc was about to speak. The light from the other side of the forest drew closer, and a voice was heard.

“Lord Belloc! Are you alright?”

“Are you okay?”

As the group approached, Belloc turned around. The Dullahan’s head was also dangling. Excluding Adel, the other two women screamed. Kara pointed her finger and asked.

“Why are you holding a corpse’s head?!”

“Hello, young ladies. First, if I may introduce myself… Ugh.”

When the head spoke, this time all three women were startled. Shoving the guy into the ground once more, Belloc explained the situation from earlier.

“A Dullahan… Yes, that makes sense then. But to be in this state. You really…”

With a grimace, Kara stared at Belloc and the talking head. After the Death Knight, the most troublesome undead was none other than the headless knight. This monster, who possessed tireless stamina and displayed several times the strength they had in life, was truly a terrible nightmare. Yet, even such a demon seemed to fold before this man.

“At this point, I don’t even know who the monster is.”

While Kara shook her head, Adel stared at the head with an intrigued face. She poked Tollio’s cheek with her finger and spoke.

“Did you keep him alive to use as a toy?”

Belloc shook his head.

“No, he said he knows a lot. Apparently, he will provide information.”

“Of course. Just now, you asked why the forest ended up like this. It is because of the demon.”

As Tollio chattered on, the three people, excluding the elf, wore expressions that said, ‘Of course.’ Those bastards were always the problem everywhere. Just as Belloc was about to speak.

“Wait a minute! I am really sorry, but could I ask this guy just one thing first?”

Isabel interrupted. As Belloc nodded at her urgent demeanor, she glared at Tollio and spoke.

“You. You filthy undead bastard. What did you do to my kin who entered this place?”

Perhaps because he was the enemy of her kin, her tone was venomous, unlike her usual self. Tollio chuckled. Unlike when he was groveling to Belloc, he had a relaxed expression.

“Ah. Are you a companion of those pointy-eared friends? Well, shouldn’t you have realized by now? They are rotting in that corner, having lost their beauty in life. It was so tear-inducing to watch them die one by one, struggling to complete their mission somehow… Ugh!”

Belloc struck Tollio. It was not a gesture done out of consideration for the elf before him. It was simply because he did not like the way the guy answered so slickly.

He turned his gaze to look at Isabel. She was biting her lips, her face filled with many things to think about. Considering the talk of her kin earlier, she did not seem to be a minion of the demon.

Well, he could roughly guess. A pitiful woman who entered this forest searching for something, got chased by the monsters of the forest, and survived alone. It was a very common topic for gossip.

Deciding to hear the details later…

“First, why don’t we leave this place?”

At Kara’s suggestion, the group looked around. The shattered trees, the fragmented corpses, and even the smell of blood spreading from them. It was not very difficult to anticipate other monsters gathering after smelling it.

Nodding, the group immediately began to move. Walking, Belloc lightly bounced Tollio in his hand as he spoke.

“Continue what you were saying earlier. How did the forest end up in this state?”

“Ugh… That is.”

Even with his eyes spinning, Tollio managed to continue his explanation. His words were as follows. His master was a warlock who had accumulated spells through deals with a demon. He was continuing his research in a corner of the underground to avoid the pursuit of the Church as usual, when the Great Cataclysm occurred. The demon he served descended upon the earth.

“It was literally a cataclysmic disaster.”

Tollio’s pupils trembled. A ruined world, the weakened pursuit of the Church, and even the mighty power received from the demon due to the strengthened connection.

The demon gave an order to the cheering master. It was to go to the Flowing Forest and bring back the elves’ treasure hidden inside the ruins. Belloc spoke.

“What is the name of the demon that contracted with your master? Is it Astaroth?”

“One of the rightful rulers of the Five Thrones, the corruption that stains even the soul black… Ugh!”

Belloc threw the babbling Tollio once more. The tree struck by the Dullahan’s head shrieked as it cracked. It was truly a steel-like hardness.

“I have noticed this since earlier. You talk too much.”

“Kuuu. Yes! It is Astaroth. It is that bastard!”

Picking up Tollio as he rolled on the ground and dusting him off, Belloc asked.

“Was there not a barrier of the elves cast over the forest?”

“Before the gem that guy gave, the spells of those high-and-mighty elves were useless.”

Belloc clicked his tongue. This guy was using a cheat key.

“So, where is your high-and-mighty master now?”

Tollio’s pupils shifted. Right, it seemed he felt a bit reluctant to sell out his master. Seeing him apparently rolling his brain, Belloc squeezed his hand. The head screamed and spoke.

“Aaaagh! H-He succeeded in opening the door of the ruins he was targeting, and he must be exploring it.”

“Where is that?”

“It is in the center of the forest, behind the waterfall.”

“This bastard?”

“Huh?!”

Belloc frowned heavily. The rest of the group also hardened their faces.

According to the Dullahan’s words, did this not mean that the culprit who made the forest like this was at the very place they were targeting? No, that was not the important thing. The treasure they had painstakingly come to find was about to be snatched by someone else.