Novel Full Chapter 163 : Chapter 163
Chapter 163. Rip My Stomach (3)
A massive forest fire that burns the entire world starts from a very small spark.
Perhaps human conflicts are similar to that.
It all began with an incident that started with beating up five soldiers in a small pub.
After that, it escalated to beating up two dispatched knights and dozens of soldiers.
And now….
“Block them! I said, block them!”
“Shield bearers, you bastards, get a grip….”
“No, hold the line!”
“Aaaargh! It’s coming!”
This was simply a war.
Patrick and his companions went outside the pub and engaged in a spectacular battle against the regular army that rushed to arrest them.
Isabella, who had reached the 5-Star realm, was active everywhere, and April silently supported her from behind.
Matthew also relentlessly swung his twin swords against the swarming soldiers.
And Patrick….
“Hahaha. It’s been a while since it felt this lively!”
A cheerful voice could be heard from the flash of light that was zipping back and forth, crushing soldiers and knights.
Yes. It was Patrick.
“Ooh… it’s coming!”
“Aaargh, block it! Block it!”
KABOOM!
Every time that flash of light exploded, enemies were sent flying into building walls.
Soldiers and knights, all treated equally.
Matthew watched the scene and thought.
‘Is this okay?’
How could it be okay?
Right now, the four of them were in another country, fighting against its regular army.
This was, in other words….
‘This seems like it’s going to be a problem.’
Not ‘seems like,’ it definitely will be.
Considering their identities, this could escalate into a rather serious international issue.
Matthew thought he should try to stop them, even now.
But….
“Hahaha. Weak. So weak. Why are you all so feeble, you bastards!”
How do I stop that? That? How?
‘Let’s give up.’
It was already too late.
Andemion’s regular army kept pouring in, but Patrick fought well without being intimidated in the slightest.
He moved to never be surrounded, crushing the enemy’s core forces, the knights, and struck key points to prevent an encirclement from forming.
Thanks to Patrick’s performance, the other three were also able to fight without being surrounded by the enemy.
‘No joke, if this keeps up, we might actually win.’
The enemies were completely unable to respond right now.
At this rate, it seemed they could leave behind a legend of four people crushing a city’s military force.
But then….
“Hup!”
Matthew hastily threw himself aside.
He had moved without a second thought the moment he felt an eerie sensation.
And in the spot where he had just been….
KABOOOM!
An attack of immense destructive power exploded.
The firmly paved road was shattered.
And the person who had launched this attack said, as if intrigued.
“Hoh, you dodged this?”
Should I have taken it?
Matthew, who had thrown himself and rolled on the ground a few times, got back into his stance.
And he looked at the opponent who had launched the attack.
A tall man, nearly 2 meters in height.
A body packed with muscle, leaving no gaps.
In his hand was a giant battle-axe, so large that an ordinary person couldn’t even lift it.
Crucially, a distinct Aura Blade was formed on that battle-axe.
No, in this case, should it be called an Aura Axe?
In any case, he could tell who the opponent was at a glance.
“Are you Count Calvin Spike?”
“I am. And you… no, who are you all?”
At Count Spike’s words, Matthew bowed his head in greeting and said.
“I am Matthew, a fourth-year student from the Academy of the Atronia Kingdom. And, um….”
Matthew furrowed his brow and said.
“Shall we stop fighting and talk for now?”
At Matthew’s words, the opponent laughed as if it were absurd and said.
“Why should I talk with the likes of some rebel scum?”
“There is a misunderstanding. We are not rebels.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. We are….”
“Ah, enough.”
As Matthew tried to introduce himself and explain the situation, the opponent raised a hand to stop him.
He then slung the giant axe over his shoulder, bared his teeth, and said with a cruel smile.
“I can just listen after I catch you. Once I throw you in the dungeon and you get friendly with the torturer, you’ll tell me everything.”
“……”
‘Is it a custom in this fief to not listen to others?’
Matthew gritted his teeth.
He had thought they could talk, but this was not that kind of opponent.
Since dialogue was impossible, the only way left was to assert their will with the sword.
But….
Count Calvin Spike.
One of the nine 7-Star knights of the Kaisar Kingdom.
A man with the moniker ‘X Master,’ who also ruled this fief of Andemion.
‘Hmm, this is impossible.’
He was not an opponent Matthew could possibly face.
So….
Matthew’s eyes widened, and he tensed his stomach.
And with resolute determination….
“Patriiiiiick!”
He shouted his friend’s name loudly.
What else could he do?
If his own skills weren’t enough, he had to call a friend.
***
“……”
“……”
A silent stillness descended.
And just as the thought, ‘Why isn’t this bastard coming,’ crossed Matthew’s mind.
“Are you ready to die?”
Count Spike raised his battle-axe.
Matthew hastily raised his hand and said.
“Just a moment. He’ll be here soon.”
“Who’s coming?”
“My friend. Where the hell is this bastard now?”
“Shut up and die.”
In an instant, the massive body of Count Spike in front of Matthew grew even larger.
He had closed the distance without any warning.
“Kuh…”
He had barely felt the presence of such a huge man approaching him.
“Die.”
Just before the battle-axe raised above his head was about to fall.
Matthew hastily raised the swords in both his hands.
But he knew it himself.
He knew that he couldn’t block the axe blade that was falling to split his crown.
The moment death flashed through his mind….
“You called?”
Along with the voice, the most welcome flash of light in the world exploded.
KABOOOM!
A tremendous impact collided right above Matthew’s head.
The sword of Patrick, who had flown in like a flash, and Count Spike’s battle-axe clashed, creating a terrifying roar.
As a result….
“Hmm….”
“Ooh…. You’ve got some strength.”
Patrick stood firmly on two feet in front of Matthew.
And Count Spike’s waist bent backward, but he gritted his teeth and managed to stop himself from stumbling back.
He then widened his eyes and said.
“Who are you?”
“Who are you, old man?”
“Ah…. Old man?”
Count Spike was flustered.
Then he bared his teeth and said, as if growling.
“Watch your mouth, brat.”
“I’ll watch my own mouth, so you mind your own business.”
“Huh… hahaha….”
They say that when a person is too dumbfounded, they don’t even get angry.
That was exactly how Count Spike felt right now.
And Patrick opened his mouth again.
“Who are you, old man? Who are you to try and split my friend in half?”
“I am Calvin Spike.”
“Oh? Really?”
“That’s right. Now that you know, show some respect!”
It would be one thing if he hadn’t revealed his identity.
Now that he had, the opponent would surely show proper courtesy.
That’s what he thought, but….
“Why would I?”
“Huh?”
“You’re holding a sword at our first meeting, so why bother with manners?”
“……”
“What a ridiculously picky old man. You’ll get called a geezer by the kids if you act like that, old man.”
Count Spike’s mouth fell open.
And behind Patrick, Matthew, with the smile of a man who had given up on the world, thought.
‘This consistent bastard friend of mine….’
There were no exceptions. None at all.
Even the renowned 7-Star knight, Count Spike, couldn’t avoid being treated as just an old man when he encountered Patrick.
Well, what could one expect from a guy who treated the Imperial Sword Saint of the Empire like a senile old coot?
Unaware of this, Count Spike’s face turned red as he said.
“So there was a brazen bastard among the rebels.”
“Rebel? Me?”
When Patrick gestured to himself and asked, Count Spike said.
“Are you going to deny it? After creating this mess, you’re going to deny it?”
“Yep. I deny it.”
Patrick denied it firmly.
Hundreds of soldiers and dozens of knights were lying on the ground, groaning in pain, and buildings throughout the city were destroyed from the battle.
But Patrick’s conscience wasn’t pricked in the slightest.
“People can fight when they live, and when they fight, they might break a few things. Are you going to treat everyone as a rebel for every little thing?”
“What did you say?”
“Tsk tsk tsk. A man as big as a bear has the heart of a flea. That’s not how you should live so stingily, you get it?”
“……”
Why am I the one getting a lecture?
Count Calvin Spike, 47 years old.
He had encountered a mysterious creature he had never met before in his life.
He barely managed to organize the chaos in his head and with difficulty, opened his mouth.
“St… ate your name.”
Count Spike, barely holding onto his reason, asked for his name.
Yes. Let’s start with introductions.
Then this crazy conversation could be steered back to a normal course.
Patrick then readily answered.
“The name’s Patrick Schneider.”
“Patrick Schneider. You will never leave here alive…. Patrick Schneider?”
“Oh, you know me?”
“You’re the Double Dragon.”
“Kaaah, so you do know. That’s right. That’s me.”
At Patrick’s words, Count Spike’s mind was thrown into confusion again.
According to his subordinates’ reports, there were people causing a disturbance in the city, and they were completely unmanageable.
So he came, and indeed, it was a mess like no other.
But the one who created this situation was….
“You?”
“Yep. It’s me. Patrick Schneider. The Double Dragon. Radiant Dragon Gre…. Ah, you don’t need to know this one.”
“……”
“Anyway, it’s me. Patrick Schneider, the winner of Arcana.”
“Why are you here?”
“Why? Haven’t you heard the rumors?”
“…What?”
“This person really doesn’t know what’s going on in the world.”
Patrick clicked his tongue.
Patrick’s actions were extremely rude, but Count Spike just watched silently.
When you know someone’s identity, your response must change.
The Double Dragon was not someone he could shout at while asserting his authority.
Patrick aimed his sword precisely at Count Spike and said.
“Let’s have a go.”
“……”
“That’s what I came here for.”
Is he a thug?
***
‘Ah, come to think of it?’
Count Spike, who had been standing there blankly, suddenly remembered.
A rumor he had recently heard and dismissed as nonsense.
The rumor that Patrick Schneider had gone to the Decator Kingdom and defeated two 7-Star knights.
Since it was an affair of another country, he couldn’t be sure, and it was so absurd that he thought it was nonsense.
But….
“Was it true?”
“What was?”
“No, no. That’s not what’s important.”
Count Spike’s forehead veins bulged as he said.
“So, you’re telling me that you caused this whole mess just to call me out?”
“No. That’s not it.”
“It’s not?”
“Yes. If I wanted to fight you, old man, I’d go to you directly and request a duel. Why would I cause a disturbance in a perfectly fine city?”
“Then why did you do this?”
“My friend here will explain that now. I’m not good at this kind of thing….”
Patrick pushed Matthew forward.
Matthew sighed internally, ‘Finally, I can explain the circumstances,’ and opened his mouth.
“I will explain from the beginning. First….”
And Matthew explained the entire situation.
From the reason the minor squabble started, to why the situation had turned into this chaotic party.
Even as he explained, he thought it was truly absurd.
So how much more so for Count Spike, who was hearing it directly?
“So…. my soldiers picked a fight with you and harassed the woman in your party?”
“Please be careful with your words. That person over there is a princess of the Atronia Kingdom.”
“……”
“Ignorance is one thing, but showing disrespect after her identity has been revealed could become an international issue.”
“Hmph.”
Count Spike glanced at Princess Isabella and then turned his head away.
There was no respect in his demeanor, but he didn’t seem inclined to press the matter further.
After all, disrespect towards royalty was a matter that would be disadvantageous to them.
He instead turned his head to look at his soldiers and said.
“Who were the soldiers who caused the problem in the first place?”
“It’s those ones over there.”
As Matthew pointed, the soldiers who had been anxiously glancing around flinched.
They too had heard everything Matthew said.
Now that they realized who they had picked a fight with, their legs were trembling.
“Because of you, the city has suffered immense damage.”
When Count Spike went before them and said a word, the soldiers hastily knelt and prostrated themselves.
“We… we’re shorry, my lord.”
“We hab comitted a crhime worthy of deth.”
“Plea forgib us.”
Even though their teeth were all broken, causing their words to slur, they desperately begged for forgiveness.
Their tiny spark had grown into this inferno; there was no way mere soldiers could handle it with their sanity intact.
‘Serves you right.’
Matthew thought as he opened his mouth.
“They have insulted the royalty of our country. If a just punishment is not carried out….”
KABOOOM!
Before Matthew could finish his words, Count Spike’s battle-axe struck the culprits.
The blow literally tore the begging soldiers to pieces.
They died as bloody messes without even leaving a final scream.
And Count Spike, retrieving his axe, said.
“Is this settled now?”
“Um….”
Matthew, who hadn’t expected him to go this far, was slightly flustered.
Depending on how one thought about it, their crime could indeed be punishable by death.
But he hadn’t expected them to be killed with a single swing of an axe without a formal trial or even a summary judgment.
Count Spike swung his axe once in the air to fling off the blood.
And he opened his mouth.
“Now, our side’s fault is settled.”
“……”
“Then shall we ask about the sin you have committed?”
At Count Spike’s words, it was now Matthew who was in a difficult position.
He glanced around and saw hundreds of soldiers and knights lying there, groaning.
The signs of destruction were evident all over the city.
Almost all of it was a trail of destruction left by Patrick.
Count Spike tapped the ground with his battle-axe and said.
“The sinners on our side have paid for their crimes with death. Now, what will you do?”
“……”
Matthew clamped his mouth shut.
It didn’t seem like any answer would lead to a good outcome.
But then….
“What do you mean, what to do?”
Patrick, who had left the conversation to Matthew until now, stepped forward.
Seeing Patrick, who was cleaning his ear with his pinky finger with an indifferent expression, Matthew felt a glimmer of hope.
Right. This guy might look like this, but he had a pretty sharp mind for schemes. He must have stepped forward with a good idea.
And Matthew’s expectation….
“Rip my stomach!”
…was shattered to pieces.