Chapter 59
“The Eternal Knights?!”
But that shouldn’t be happening now! Why already—why this soon?
KIEEEEEK!
A massive gargoyle lunged straight toward the window.
“Sir! Duck!”
At Islin’s shout, I instinctively lowered my head.
A cold, icy spear shot forward—aimed precisely at the gargoyle’s heart.
Thunk!
KIEEEK!
But it wasn’t enough to stop the creature’s charge.
The ice spear embedded itself in its hide, but didn’t pierce the heart.
With its thick skull, the gargoyle crashed straight into the window.
No ordinary glass could withstand that.
CRAAASH!
The window shattered into glittering shards as the gargoyle burst into the room, flailing wildly.
The creature, bat-like and enormous, thrashed among the raining shards of glass.
As expected from something that usually lived in pitch-dark caverns, it wasn’t the sort that belonged anywhere near the Gold Bank.
But since monsters had been brought from distant lands for the tournament, habitat didn’t matter anymore.
KIIIK!
The gargoyle regained its senses and rushed toward me.
“You bastard!”
I channeled aura into the Dragon-Scaled Sword and swung toward its neck.
KAANG!
KIEEEEK!
“Oh? Really?”
My strike was blocked—by its claws.
That sword was a magic blade, its aura power strong enough to rival a fifth-rank sword technique.
And this thing blocked it?
The gargoyle opened its gaping maw. Between its razor teeth, chunks of flesh and dried blood from past victims clung.
“Haahp!”
Just as it lunged for me, Friana’s sword sliced across its neck from behind.
KIEK!
Its head flew cleanly off—so neatly cut it almost looked polished.
Even separated from its body, the gargoyle’s jaws kept twitching and biting at the air.
“Whew! That was close!”
“…Wait.”
I looked closely at the severed head.
Something flickered in its fading eyes.
Within its pupils glowed the same rune mark I’d seen on the left hands of those people earlier.
“…A Named Monster?”
From Servant Rank 5 and higher, a certain skill became available—
Naming Monster.
As the name implied, it allowed the user to grant a name to a monster.
It sounded trivial—but it was a dangerous ability.
Not just a nickname, but the act of bestowing a true power.
By naming a monster, the caster gave it a portion of their mana.
In some cases, even a lowly slime could be turned into a terrifying abomination.
“Named monsters too? This isn’t some small incident!”
“Right. If the monsters have names, that means there’s at least a Rank 5 Tamer behind them.”
And worse—this was the hour ruled by the Evil Moon Goddess, Selen.
If Named Monsters were empowered further by her influence… the destruction would only spread.
And if those Named Monsters evolved into higher species after devouring people…
“Arm yourselves. We end this before things spiral out of control.”
“But, my lord! It’s too dangerous! You should hide—”
Islin looked at me anxiously as I gathered weapons.
Even Friana hesitated, waiting for my decision.
But there was something Friana didn’t know.
If these were just monsters, the Gold Bank’s guards would eventually subdue them.
Even if they couldn’t, the Royal Union’s reinforcements wouldn’t fall to mere beasts.
And one more thing—
I didn’t know what kind of monsters were here.
Just like that gargoyle, there were bound to be creatures imported from other lands for the arena.
Collected from all across the continent—no pattern, no uniformity.
Fighting them blindly would be chaos.
It’d be smarter to wait for reinforcements.
But if that happened, the Gold Bank’s senate might cancel the deal.
In times like these, with heavy damage to recover from, they wouldn’t have the funds to buy Oberon’s relic.
I couldn’t let that happen.
And if my guess was right… I’m the only one who knows who’s really behind this.
I was the only one who could minimize the damage inside the bank.
And besides—standing back while people were slaughtered would only haunt me later.
“If you’re scared, stay. I’ll go alone.”
Ignoring their protests, I grabbed my sword and strode forward.
They quickly followed.
“N-No! We’ll follow your command!”
“I’ll go too, sir!”
Islin wasn’t being heartless—her duty was to protect me.
If I died or got hurt saving others, it would be far worse.
“I know you said that for my sake. But once I’ve given an order, you follow. That’s your role.”
“Yes, my lord!”
We rushed down to the first floor.
It was chaos—packed with guards and panicked nobles.
“What in the blazes is happening out there?! It’s madness!”
“Let us out! I must return to my estate!”
These were all people of power—so even in danger, they were louder than they were frightened.
Unfortunately, they were shouting at the guards instead of the monsters.
The guards tried to calm them down.
“Everyone, please! Stay calm! The guest chambers are protected by high-level wards—it’s safer to remain inside until—”
“High-level wards? There’s no such thing!”
A guard overheard me and turned, pale.
“Pardon me, sir—what did you just say?”
“There were no wards. That’s why a Named Gargoyle came crashing right through my window.”
“Wh–What?! Then that means…”
“Don’t worry. It’s already dead.”
I lifted my sword, still slick with the gargoyle’s blood.
“H-Holy… you mean…”
He couldn’t finish his sentence—too aware of the nobles listening.
Which told me everything I needed to know.
So the wards really are gone. Not just around the vault district—but the entire Gold Bank.
It was too precise—too deliberate.
They’d already dismantled the barriers around the nobles’ guest chambers.
If monsters broke through now, the untrained nobles would be nothing but prey.
And after the dust settled, the Gold Bank would be buried under the debt of the disaster.
This wasn’t speculation.
In “Ranking Up to World Domination!”, the attack on the Gold Bank marked the beginning of the Royal Union’s collapse.
But that event wasn’t supposed to happen for another five years…
My jaw tightened.
The only thing that had changed in this world—
…was me.
Maybe the small stones I’d thrown had grown into waves too big to stop.
But there was no time for regret.
Cracks spread across the great doors of the guest hall.
Runes that should’ve glowed faintly were dead and dull.
“E-Even the main gate’s barrier…!”
The guards kept muttering about barriers, still unable to grasp reality.
Years of peace had dulled their sense of danger.
THUD… THUD…
“Hold the door!”
They threw their bodies against it, trying to brace it—
—but fissures began crawling up the latches.
THUD!
“You said there was a barrier!”
“T-There was, I swear—!”
There were always people who refused to face reality.
Still clinging to a barrier that no longer existed.
It wasn’t even a fortified gate—just an ordinary door.
It didn’t stand a chance.
CRAAASH!
“Uwaaaah!”
The guards who’d been holding it were thrown back like rag dolls.
KRAAAAH!
The monster that smashed through revealed itself.
Massive—twice the height of a man—with bulging belly and thick, muscular arms.
An Ogre.
And just like the gargoyle—runes glowed faintly within its eyes.
Another Named Monster.
It swung a huge wooden club and charged into the hall.
WHOOSH!
The air cracked with a deafening boom.
A guard who stood too close was hit squarely.
CRACK!
“Gah—!”
He flew backward, twisting grotesquely before collapsing, lifeless.
Blood sprayed across the marble.
“Kyaaaah!”
One strike was all it took to shatter the guards’ morale.
A monster twice their size—with the strength to kill in one blow.
Facing that head-on would break anyone.
GRRRK!
Then came more—massive dog-like beasts with blood-soaked jaws.
Blood Hounds.
Named for their habit of bathing in their prey’s blood.
“W-We have to stop them! If they get through—”
“Uaaagh!”
Too late.
CRUNCH!
The hounds tore into the soldiers, ripping flesh from bone.
With the guards demoralized and the nobles clueless, there was nowhere to run.
At this rate—they’d all die.
KRAAAR!
The ogre lumbered toward the trembling nobles, grinning hideously, ready to feast.
“Stop it! That’s your job, isn’t it?!”
“But… that thing—!”
WHOOSH!
As they argued, the ogre’s club came swinging again.
BOOM!
“Uwaaaah! I’m gonna die!”
One noble even wet his pants as he fell backward—
—but somehow, he wasn’t crushed.
“H-Huh?”
Before him, I stood—Dragon-Scaled Sword raised, blocking the ogre’s club.
“Damn, that’s heavy.”
The impact rattled my bones—
But it wasn’t unbearable.
I’d once crossed blades with Crowd of the Swift Blade, who could shatter mountains.
Compared to that, this beast’s swings felt like feathers.
“Friana! Islin! Rally the guards! I’ll handle this one!”
“Yes, sir!”
Grrrk?
The ogre tilted its head, confused by the small human blocking it.
It didn’t understand how something half its size had stopped it.
“Sorry, but… I’ve killed plenty worse than you!”
PANG!
I drove aura to the limit and struck its club.
I expected the wood to split easily—but as a Named Monster, even its weapon was unnaturally tough.
KRAAAR!
Enraged, the ogre swung wildly.
If one hit landed, even with aura—it’d be fatal.
But that also meant—as long as I don’t get hit, I win.
Its attacks were random, reckless—pure brute force.
After all the monsters I’d fought, its movements felt sluggish.
I weaved between its swings, closing the distance.
It was huge. I was small.
That meant—hit where it hurt.
Like that bulging belly.
With its size, even a shallow swing would connect.
If I kept cutting—layer by layer—it would fall eventually.
SHING!
My sword slashed across its lower abdomen, cutting deep.
The blade bit through tough flesh like stone.
Blood sprayed from the wound—
—but only from the surface. It hadn’t reached the organs.
GRRRAH!
The ogre staggered, clutching its gut—
—and then, unbelievably, the torn flesh began knitting back together.
What the—? Instant regeneration?
“Tch…”
Things were getting complicated.
