Chapter 376: The Suffering of the Hell Knight (1)
**KWA-AAANG!**
A sword strike that seemed capable of splitting the universe itself was hurtling through the air.
There was no one who could block it.
In fact, it seemed impossible to even dodge it.
It was utterly overwhelming and despairing.
That was how Sir Geo-Rexius, the Hell Knight, felt as he faced Javier’s sword strike.
Yet, Sir Geo-Rexius did not evade.
He was a commander of hell’s legions and a knight who valued honor.
Thus, instead of fleeing disgracefully or avoiding the blow, he attempted a counterattack.
“HAH!”
**KWO-OH!**
Sir Geo-Rexius’s greatsword was enveloped in dark energy.
A fearsome dark aura that would instantly plunge both soul and body into the agony of hell if even a strand of it touched you.
**KWAA-AANG!**
The moment it traveled up the sword’s hilt, burning fiercely along the blade, finally reaching the tip and imbuing it with intense killing intent—
**KWANG!**
Javier’s sword strike landed squarely on Sir Geo-Rexius’s crown.
“UGH…!”
Sir Geo-Rexius’s skull snapped back violently.
His cervical vertebrae from 1 to 7 seemed to shake as if they were on a set menu.
Amidst the dizzying pain of that strike, Sir Geo-Rexius thought bitterly.
“…Dark aura…not yet…”
But Javier’s response was an even more resolute sword strike.
**KWANG! KWANG! TUNG!**
First, a stab that precisely struck the third rib.
Then, a horizontal sweep that smashed the left hip.
Using the recoil, a vertical strike that crushed the right femur.
“UGH…HUH!”
A moan escaped Sir Geo-Rexius’s lips.
He couldn’t react.
The speed was on a different level altogether from the start.
Not to mention the power behind those strikes.
Every time he was hit?
It felt like the struck area was being erased!
In reality, however, Sir Geo-Rexius’s entire body was intact.
It hurt immensely each time he was struck, but…
Only his armor was severely dented.
None of his bones were broken, none of his body parts were severed.
Sir Geo-Rexius realized why only after receiving two more strikes.
“Wait, that’s…not a sword…a sheath?”
The Hell Knight’s eyes shook.
At that moment, as if affirming his realization, Javier’s sword—or rather, the sheath—came flying like a meteor.
Once again, it struck Sir Geo-Rexius’s crown with a resounding impact.
**KWANG!**
“UGH!”
The pain was literally skull-rattling!
In that agony, Sir Geo-Rexius felt both absurdity and humiliation.
“How dare…you don’t even draw your sword against me!”
His second cervical vertebra trembled involuntarily.
He was a Hell Knight.
He was the commander of the First Legion of Hell.
There was no one on Earth who could rival him.
Even the Sword Masters that humans boasted about were not his match.
Except for the Grand Master, which was said to be theoretically possible, no human could defeat him.
He had believed that.
After the last battle in this place, where he had perished.
While his soul fragments wandered in the netherworld.
He had made a vow.
He had begged fate.
To give him another chance.
To let him face those humans again in his complete form.
Only that would restore his trampled honor.
He had hoped, prayed, and waited, licking his wounds.
And unexpectedly, truly—
A chance had come.
The distorted destiny of this world.
The grand flow to restore it.
That miraculous phenomenon had resurrected him here.
He had rejoiced.
With ecstasy, he had vowed.
To find Javier Asrahan and to defeat him in a fair fight and reclaim his honor, he had resolved and determined.
But the reality?
All his solemn vows.
Were being ruthlessly tainted by one-sided beating and violence!
“UGH! This cannot be! UGH!”
**SWISH! KLANG!**
A powerful strike twisted Sir Geo-Rexius’s skull.
One of his molars snapped and flew away.
In the midst of it all, the Hell Knight confirmed.
The thing that had just struck his face—it was indeed the sheath.
That fact etched a stinging, painful scratch into Sir Geo-Rexius’s previously polished pride.
“Not aura…not a sacred sword…he didn’t even draw his sword…UGH!”
**SWISH! TUNG!**
The blows from the undrawn sheath.
The rough, heavy strikes made him feel like crying.
It was humiliating.
Moreover, it didn’t make sense.
“How…is Javier Asrahan’s skill…so improved?”
Back then, he couldn’t fully match up to him even when he was incomplete.
Back then, even if he was missing an arm or a leg, he could still overpower him.
But why now?
“I am in complete form! Why! UGH!”
**SWISH! KWANG!**
The sheath came flying again, striking his chest with a heavy thud.
Sir Geo-Rexius felt like crying not from the pain, but from the unfairness.
Yet, at the same time, he realized.
It was simply because Javier had grown stronger.
He had risen to a level beyond his imagination.
So, to escape this humiliation and to restore his honor?
‘Admit what must be admitted.’
**GRIND!**
Sir Geo-Rexius gritted his teeth.
He grasped his greatsword, burning with dark aura.
After being struck several times, he couldn’t help but acknowledge.
Although he was in complete form.
The Javier Asrahan before him was much stronger.
Perhaps he had reached the realm of the Grand Master, which was considered impossible in reality.
So, looking at it differently?
‘Yes, this is an honorable and glorious battle against a Grand Master!’
Thinking that way cleared his mind.
Which Hell Knight had ever faced a Grand Master?
Surely, he was the first in hell’s history.
That fact excited Sir Geo-Rexius.
“Fine! Grand Master!”
**SWISH SWISH!**
He swung his greatsword wrapped in dark aura, slashing through the air fiercely.
Courage surged.
Determination soared.
Now, victory or defeat didn’t matter.
To cross swords with a figure who would go down in history.
To engage in a fair and glorious battle.
That fact alone made his heart pound and filled him with a thrilling feeling.
Even if he lost, it didn’t matter.
If he met his end after a fierce fight with such an opponent?
He felt it would leave a lasting honor.
Having regained his determination, Sir Geo-Rexius shouted more boldly.
He roared confidently at Javier.
“Here stands Sir Geo-Rexius, commander of the First Legion of Hell, formally challenging you to a duel…UAGH!”
**KLANG!**
The sheath flew in, shattering his roar.
It struck Sir Geo-Rexius’s mouth with a harsh crack.
All his front teeth broke and scattered like popcorn.
Sir Geo-Rexius flew like a plastic bag caught in a typhoon, crashing into the wall of the assembly hall.
“UGH!”
He felt like he was losing all sensation in his body.
No, it felt like all his bones were about to shatter but barely held together.
In that dizzying whirlpool of shock, Sir Geo-Rexius struggled to rise.
And he looked up at Javier, who was slowly approaching him.
“Javier Asrahan…”
**STEP, STEP.**
“Do you have no intention of engaging me in a fair fight?”
**STEP, STEP.**
“If so, kill me here. Stop humiliating me. Draw your sword!”
**STEP, STEP.**
“What are you hesitating for? Are you afraid of killing me? If you are a knight, you understand my feelings! Now! Strike! If you won’t grant me an honorable fight, then cut me down!”
Sir Geo-Rexius’s cry was mixed with bitterness.
That cry halted Javier’s steps.
**STOP.**
“…”
Javier’s picturesque eyebrows furrowed slightly.
The hand holding the sheath loosened a bit.
Then his gaze turned.
He looked at Lloyd, who was standing a bit away, smiling.
‘Lloyd.’
He sent a glance at Lloyd.
‘Can’t we just end this now?’
Honestly, he wanted to.
He wanted to cut down the Hell Knight in one swift strike.
It seemed like the proper course of action.
‘Lloyd had repeatedly emphasized to me earlier…’
He had strictly instructed him not to kill the Hell Knight.
To capture him alive, no matter what.
To beat him thoroughly until he lost all will to resist.
Lloyd had emphasized it over and over.
‘I don’t get it. Why? Does Lloyd have some business with the Hell Knight?’
But at this point, Javier wished it would end.
He wished to grant peace to that pitiable Hell Knight.
Javier, feeling like a fellow knight, sent a pleading glance to Lloyd.
So Lloyd?
‘Nope, can’t do.’
Lloyd shook his head while still smiling.
It was absolutely impossible.
He looked like he was saying, “Just listen to me.”
That demeanor made Javier frown and send another glance.
‘Do we really have to do this?’
‘Of course, we do.’
Lloyd shrugged.
From his perspective, it was indeed a necessary action.
Because there was information he wanted to extract from the Hell Knight.
‘Killing him would be easy. With Javier. If he got serious and struck with his sword, the Hell Knight or whatever wouldn’t last a few moves before being sliced apart.’
‘To seriously contend with Javier, you’d need at least thirty Hell Knights.’
Lloyd temporarily set aside this calculation and reflected.
He recalled.
‘The ending spoiler. The latest version I saw of the future. That’s why I’m doing this now.’
He remembered the content of the ending spoiler.
When he had encountered the Hell Knight while separated from Javier.
The fierce struggle he had faced to fend off the Hell Knight.
It was a lonely battle.
A hopeless resistance.
He ended up being killed.
But it wasn’t just because of that fact that he ordered the capture and beating.
In the final moments of the ending spoiler, during his last breath while dying.
The Hell Knight had said a few words to him.
“So this is how it ends, Lloyd Frontera. But you should be thankful to me. Because of this death here, you won’t see or experience the real catastrophe that will befall your estate in the future.”
It was a feeling of his heart sinking down.
He had mustered his remaining strength.
Gathered his scarce breaths.
Desperately asked the Hell Knight what he meant by that.
The Hell Knight had responded, almost regrettably.
“The great Hell King has grander plans. Plans that you couldn’t foresee or prevent, plans that involve something far greater than you can imagine.”
That was the end.
In the ending spoiler, a sword had pierced Lloyd’s heart.
He couldn’t hear any more of what the Hell Knight had to say.
‘I need to find out. Here and now, in this opportunity.’
It felt unsettling just to let it go.
No, it wasn’t just unsettling; it was frightening.
‘The Hell King, that guy is scheming something again. And it involves a catastrophe that will sweep through my estate.’
When he pieced together the nuances of what he had heard during his final moments in the ending spoiler.
Naturally, such a prediction arose.
There was no way he could let it slide.
That’s why he devised today’s plan.
He allowed the Barrier of Namaran to be rebuilt.
He issued an evacuation order to protect the citizens.
Leaving only himself and Javier in the assembly hall.
Waiting for the resurrection of the Hell Knight.
And finally, according to plan, he had the opportunity to interrogate the knight of hell.
‘I mustn’t miss this chance. If my prediction is correct, the Hell King’s grander scheme might be related to the next phase of the fate restoration phenomenon… or, perhaps, it might even be an opportunity to shatter the fate restoration phenomenon itself.’
That was his thought.
Although it was just a vague guess at the moment.
It was merely a hopeful wish.
It felt like a faint ray of hope was shining through the thick darkness.
So, he took a step forward.
Approaching the fallen Hell Knight.
He squatted down to meet the knight of hell at eye level.
“Long time no see.”
– …….
Sir Geo-Rexius glared fiercely at Lloyd.
Javier tightened his grip on the sheath.
Just in case the Hell Knight tried to ambush Lloyd.
With the intent to crush his head immediately if he made any move.
Meanwhile, Lloyd’s lips curved into a smile as he looked at the Hell Knight.
“What, you don’t want to talk to me?”
– …….
“Is that really it?”
– …….
“But what to do? You just asked to be killed cleanly, didn’t you?”
– …….
“I’m the one who gets to decide that.”
– …….
“If you keep your mouth shut, you won’t die even if you want to.”
– Kill me now, immediately.
“Nope, not happening.”
– …….
Sir Geo-Rexius gritted his teeth.
Lloyd’s smile grew more subtle.
“If you truly want to die, it’s simple. Just answer my questions.”
– Questions, you say.
“The Hell King, he’s scheming something, right?”
– …….
“Tell me everything.”
– …….
“You’re going to keep quiet?”
– I don’t know anything about that.
“Really?”
– Yes.
“Tsk. You’re a liar after all.”
– I only desire an honorable battle and death. Revealing my lord’s secrets to a dangerous enemy is against a knight’s duty.
Sir Geo-Rexius’s eyes shone brightly.
Although he was from hell.
For the honor and glory of a knight.
He would never betray his lord.
But Sir Geo-Rexius didn’t know one thing.
Lloyd’s persistent and petty nature.
“Really? Alright then.”
Lloyd shrugged at Sir Geo-Rexius’s firm reply.
Then he smiled brightly, but with a sinister edge, at the Hell Knight.
“I’ll torment you until you talk.”
– …What?
“Let’s start with a refreshing auditory torture.”
– What does that mean?
“Remember? Lloyd Frontera’s Singing Class.”
Lloyd grinned while holding a shovel as if it were a microphone.
Sir Geo-Rexius felt a chill run down his spine.
Of course, he remembered the old incident!
– Hey, wait?
“Ahem! Ahem! Ah, ah! Echo on, one, two- two- two-”
– Wait, wait a moment…
The Hell Knight’s voice grew urgent.
But Lloyd paid no attention.
Instead, he glanced at Javier, feigning innocence.
“Hey, Javier? What are you doing?”
“Yes?”
“Drop the beat.”
“…”
Thus, Lloyd began his merciless, relentless, compassionless, and even humorless torture to extract the Hell Knight’s confession.
