If the mid-grade manual focused on circulating internal energy within the body, the high-grade one placed its emphasis on releasing it outward. He’d effectively gained a powerful mid-range attack.

Where the crescent-shaped energy blade swept through, only rotting meat remained. The scattered chunks melted like ice cream, soaking the ground.

“Uwaaah!”

A slime monster shaped like a lump of clay shot out a cluster of pointed tendrils. Grugles gave off no presence, making attacks from blind spots especially hard to dodge. Go Byeonggap hardened his body with internal energy on instinct.

The tendrils aimed at his back shattered harmlessly on impact.

“A- Auck!?”

“Where do you think you’re aiming!”

He spun violently, unleashing a storm of energy blades. The slime monster burst like a water balloon. Pop!

Splatter after splatter rained down.

“Goddammit!”

The slime monster’s remains fell like a cloudburst. The stench hit his sinuses and his face screwed up before he could stop it.

‘Can’t control the power yet. …But I’ve got the feel for it now.’

He released internal energy and wrapped it around his blade. His plan was to mimic the technique he’d used back when he’d taken the Soul of Trobatin into his body.

The internal energy took on substance, molding itself into a shape. Soon a massive bastard sword formed — its blade alone reaching one and a half meters. Pathetic compared to the original, sure, but a damn good first try.

He gripped the sword with both hands and swept it in a wide arc. The Grugles nearby didn’t even have time to react before they were split in two.

“Uwaaah!”

“Khuk!”

A colossal fist came crashing down out of nowhere. It belonged to a bone monster with shoulders a good five meters off the ground.

Go Byeonggap raised his sword to block immediately. He avoided the direct hit, but he could feel the sheer mass behind it — enough to crater the earth.

‘Is this thing a Grugle too? And what the hell is this impossible weight!?’

The bone monster opened its massive maw. A third arm shot out from inside the mouth, aiming straight for Go Byeonggap.

Crack!

“Whooaaah!”

In that instant, a spear of lightning caught the bone monster square in the face. Shards exploded in every direction as the creature staggered.

«Hyaaah!»

Doran launched herself into the air. A flash of light, and the bone monster’s neck was severed. Go Byeonggap felt the weight crushing him vanish.

«Kiriyan! Doran! Well done!»

«Ha! Yes!»

«I’ll support you, My Lord!»

«Good, stay close!»

The elite fighters joined the fray. Their combat prowess was beyond question. The Grugles’ wails echoed from every side.

«Uwaaaah!»

«Krehruk!»

Turka alternated shield and fist, swinging both. Any Grugle caught by those massive weapons was pulverized without mercy.

Nearby, Dorma chanted endless incantations. Soot-black storms swept across the battlefield from time to time, leaving only Grugle carcasses in their wake.

The veteran swordsmen ranged across the field alongside Go Byeonggap. Several blades lashed out at once, shattering the enemy formation beyond repair.

«Krehruuuk!»

«Kill them all!»

«Stab them!»

Then, through the gap in the broken ranks, goblin soldiers poured in. They thrust long pikes or swung iron maces.

“Ugh…”

“Aak!”

Dozens of spears shot forward as one. The points ripped through Grugle bodies. Those turned to bloody rags collapsed without resistance. The sight was almost gruesome.

«Don’t break formation! Macemen and shieldmen, guard the spearmen!»

«Yes, sir!»

Whenever a Grugle broke through, a mace flew in to crush its skull. The goblin soldiers moved as smoothly as water, their well-drilled phalanx as sturdy as Baltadren’s walls.

‘Good, we’re gaining momentum!’

Though outnumbered, each individual’s spirit was on their side. Morale ran high, and the battlefield brimmed with heat.

Go Byeonggap moved toward the Grugles’ rear. He craned his neck, searching for the tougher ones. Then, from one side, he heard goblin screams.

«Kkeeek!»

«Krehruk!»

“Aughwaaaah!”

A giant Grugle crawled along the ground, sweeping its arms. Its forearms were like pillars, and the goblins had no way to withstand it. The creature balled a fist to pound the earth. Go Byeonggap’s eyes blazed as he hurled himself forward.

“You bastard!”

He caught the descending fist—a hammer blow—with his sword. At his feet, goblins huddled low.

«Get up! What are you doing! Move the wounded!»

«Yes, sir!»

«Move the wounded!»

«Hahp!»

Go Byeonggap flicked his sword. The massive Grugle toppled backward. He didn’t stop—he lashed out with a blade aura.

“Aagh!”

The Grugle split into six pieces, dropping rotten flesh.

‘Definitely stronger than the ones in the forest. Where did this swarm come from?’

The Grugle he’d seen in the Rocky Mountain forest were weak. They’d pop up like ghosts, sure, but even a normal goblin could hunt them easily.

These things, though, had power on par with D- or E-rank monsters. The strong ones could even threaten B-rank.

Thankfully, Go Byeonggap was still the strongest. Not a single Grugle could trade more than two exchanges with him.

‘If I hadn’t mastered the high-grade manual, this would’ve been dangerous.’

«Bamond! Where are you, Bamond?»

«Y-yes, My Lord! Here, I’m here!»

«Don’t let anyone die! Hear me? Absolutely no one dies!»

«Ah, understood! I’ll do my best!»

Bamond sweated profusely as he unleashed his healing power. The injured goblins were enveloped in white light, their wounds mending.

“Agh…!”

“Ugh! Uwaaagh!”

‘Damn it! Is there still this many left?’

The Grugle surged on like a broken dam. A wretched sight. Go Byeonggap felt he needed to seize the momentum decisively.

‘Let’s do it.’

He steadied his breath, then abruptly unleashed his internal energy. It burst forth so violently it altered the air around him.

Like water gushing from a burst faucet, his internal energy surged out of control in all directions. Go Byeonggap brute-forced it back together.

The blade flashed orange as it gathered the internal energy. Holding it in place was agonizing—one moment’s slack and the gathered power would scatter to the winds.

Even as he struggled, his mind groped for a fragment of memory. In an instant, the energy gathered on the blade began to swirl.

Veins bulging on his forehead and neck, Go Byeonggap shouted.

«Scatter!»

«Yes, Lord!»

«Spread out!»

The goblins scattered in all directions, diving for cover. The moment he confirmed it, Go Byeonggap drove his legs hard. He became a streak of light, cleaving the wasteland.

‘The Mandala Knight Order’s secret art—the third of eight forms!’

The same technique that had finished off the balrog. Go Byeonggap intended to replicate it.

«Crush!»

Go Byeonggap thrust his sword with a battle cry. The whirlwind of internal energy sheathing the blade released itself in an instant, swallowing everything ahead.

Shoooosh!

“Ghk!”

“Aagh!”

To the Grugle, the attack was nothing short of a calamity. The storm of blade aura erased them without a trace.

But it didn’t end there. His attack spread like spilled paint, grinding even the Grugle outside its initial radius into dust.

Obliteration. It was quite literally annihilation.

‘I did it. …Finally, I actually did it!’

How many times had he tried and failed? The answer had been in the High-Grade manual all along. Go Byeonggap roared a silent cheer inside.

But the triumph was short-lived. His legs gave out, and he staggered. He barely caught his balance by planting his sword on the ground.

‘Damn. No way I’m using that twice in a real fight.’

As befitting a big technique, the wind-up was long and the aftereffects were severe.

Still, it had been worth every ounce.

«Wooaaaah! The Lord has cleared the path!»

«Let’s mop up the stragglers!»

«Kerreuk!»

With morale at its peak, the goblins charged forward with a roar. The Grugles were still reeling from the shock, utterly helpless against the assault.

The numbers had evened out. A moment later, their side even had the advantage in sheer quantity. The great battle, which had begun in the late afternoon, was over before the sunset could paint the sky.

* * *

«Go get the stretchers! Those of you who can move, carry the wounded!»

The battle had ended in victory for Go Byeonggap’s camp. But battles always leave their marks. The bloodstains spreading across the wasteland all belonged to his own.

Following the Lord’s orders, the goblins transported the injured. Groans of pain erupted from every direction. He spotted a few with critical wounds. Go Byeonggap steadied his mind several times, forcing himself not to lose his composure.

«Bring the medicinal balls and potions from the herb storehouse!»

«Understood!»

He could accept lost limbs. But deaths were unforgivable. That was Go Byeonggap’s creed. As if heaven itself had sided with him, there were no fatalities.

‘No, heaven had nothing to do with it.’

That was right. This miracle was the work of the pure-white goblin, slumped in exhaustion. Go Byeonggap paid his deepest respects to the goblin priest, Bamond.

Thanks to the fervent treatment, the critically wounded regained their vitality quickly. Those with minor injuries recovered on their own through breathing circulation.

«Ea, make tonight’s dinner something easy to swallow, like a porridge. Double the usual portion. The kids worked hard, so I want them to eat their fill.»

«Got it! Leave it to me!»

Ea, brimming with enthusiasm, set to cooking. Following Go Byeonggap’s instructions, the main course was a stew packed with grains and meat.

The stew was salty, probably from a heavy hand with the salt. Luckily, the goblins devoured it like ravenous beasts.

«You all worked hard today! Tonight’s victory is one you achieved yourselves!»

Go Byeonggap stood among the goblins and shouted in a booming voice.

«No, my Lord! It is all thanks to your grace!»

«The Lord has worked very hard as well.»

«Ha-ha! That’s it, you lot! Eat up—plenty of it! The more you eat, the faster you recover and the stronger you get! And those of you who fought today, rest tomorrow without moving a muscle. Got it?»

«Yes, sir! Got it!»

The goblins answered in unison, their voices echoing through Baltadren. Go Byeonggap nodded in satisfaction and moved on.

A short distance from the mess hall, Bamond was quietly eating his meal.

He hadn’t suffered any major injuries, but his face was pale—the toll of pushing his divine power beyond its limits.

«Ah… Ah! My Lord, you’ve come.»

«Enough, enough. Sit down and eat.»

«Y-yes…»

Go Byeonggap plopped down beside Bamond. The shy priest goblin cast sidelong glances at his Lord while poking at his food.

«Thank you.»

«…Huh?»

«We had a big battle, and not a single one of us died. That’s all thanks to you, Bamond.»

«Ah… No, my Lord. You told me not to let anyone die… So I just followed your orders.»

«You damn bastard, always humble-bragging. Still, having you around puts my mind at ease.»

«Haha… I’m glad my existence has meaning.»

«Hm? You’re here, sir.»

«Lord, have you eaten? Eat with us!»

Ea and Doran approached, carrying food trays. They’d been busy serving, so their meal was later than everyone else’s.

«You eating outside?»

«Yeah, want some fresh air. It’s a bit loud inside.»

«Is that so? More importantly, Doran, how are you feeling?»

«Perfectly fine! You know me—no way I’d get taken down by the likes of them.»

«True, I don’t worry about you, if not the others.»

«Hehe.»

«Oh, right. Actually, I’ve got something to say to you.»

Ea said, sitting down next to Go Byeonggap.

«Move over one, dummy.»

«Ah… Fine.»

Though Doran wedged herself in anyway.

«Something to tell me? What is it?»

Go Byeonggap pressed on, ignoring the shuffling.

Ea’s expression turned solemn as she paused for effect. A strong premonition gnawed at him that bad news was coming.

«What’s with all the hesitation? Spit it out.»

«It’s about the Grugle. I should’ve said this sooner, but…»

Ea stirred her stew with a spoon before speaking.

«What I’m trying to say is, more and more Grugle will keep pouring in from now on.»

«What? Why?»

«Grugles are… gluttonous monsters that devour everything. Living things—animals or plants, they don’t discriminate. They even eat each other. So they’re always roaming for food.»

«I know, you told me before.»

She cast a quick glance over the castle.

«When you first came here, Grugles were almost nowhere to be seen, right?»

«Yeah. That’s true.»

«That’s probably because there was nothing to eat here. It was too barren even for them to survive.»

She was right. This area had been a wasteland where not even a blade of grass grew.

Well… not much had changed now, either. Outside the walls of Baltadren, it was still a wasteland.

«But not anymore.»

«What?»

«Now there’s plenty for the Grugles to eat here. And they’ve realized it.»

«…So you’re saying they’ll keep swarming here, targeting Baltadren — us?»

«That’s right. A Grugle’s gluttony is maddening — once they mark their prey, they never give up. That’s why I lived a nomadic life when I was in the spirit village. It’s also why I stepped beyond the Mist, even at the cost of my lifespan.»

«Hmm.»

«I should have told you sooner. I’m sorry. I… didn’t want to dampen your spirits.»

«Tch. It’s fine. No need to apologize for that.»

Go Byeonggap pushed himself up and put a cigarette between his lips. Then, as if to soothe her, he continued.

«I was already ready to face those sons of bitches the moment we left Somnium. And—»

Click. Click. The lighter spat sparks a couple of times. Soon, the long stick caught fire.

«—I have no intention of coexisting with them, either.»

«What? What do you mean?»

«I’m going to wipe out every last Grugle on this land. That’s no bluff.»

«B-but there are countless Grugles. And they’re unbelievably strong—»

«Hey! Are you saying you don’t trust the Lord now? Why are you talking shit like that?»

«N-no, Doran. It’s not that I don’t trust him, I’m just worried…»

«If you’re gonna worry about useless crap, just eat your food, you idiot! Even thousands of those half-baked things coming at once wouldn’t even reach the Lord’s toes, so there! Right, My Lord?»

«…»

‘Hey, thousands is a bit…’

Honestly, thousands would have been a stretch, but a king can’t show weakness in front of his subjects. Go Byeonggap let out a short laugh and nodded.

«Ah, sure. Even if tens of thousands swarm us, I’ll handle it somehow. So don’t ever worry like that again.»

«You heard that, right? You heard? Ea, you’re usually stupid, but sometimes you’re just outright dumb. Think your head’d get better if we took it off and put it back on?»

«…Taking your head off would kill you, Doran. Anyway, I understand. I won’t worry anymore from now on.»

Ea forced a smile. Doran and Bamond beside her smiled too. The dining hall filled with lively laughter.

Go Byeonggap wanted to protect this laughter. No, now he had to. He’d come too far to go back.

And so, the boisterous day passed.

* * *

«My Lord. My Lord.»

«Ugh…»

A beast goblin shook Go Byeonggap awake. By the look of its gear, it was a sentry. He scrambled to his feet at once.

«What—what is it? More Grugle swarming in?»

The previous day had brought a major battle with the Grugle, so he had stayed in Asvillam overnight rather than return home—ready to act the moment something came up.

But the sentry’s reaction was odd, not the panic Byeonggap expected.

«No, my Lord. But…»

«But?»

«I am too foolish to put it into words. You need to see it with your own eyes.»

«…All right. Let’s go.»

The sentry led Byeonggap to the north gate.

Climbing the stairs onto the wall, he glanced at the sky—finally, dawn was breaking. What could have happened to drag him up here at the crack of dawn?

The question answered itself soon enough.

«Th-there. Look over there.»

The sentries stood transfixed, all staring in one direction. The site of yesterday’s fierce battle.

‘What in the—what!?’

Moments later, Byeonggap wore the exact same expression.

«H-hey! What the hell is that!?»

Where there had been nothing but wasteland yesterday, a vast forest now stood.