Chapter 77: 77:Joining The Fray

Baron Altross wiped the sweat from his brow, his eyes burning with fury. Kael was toying with him, and that alone was unacceptable.

"Albert!" he roared.

"Show this arrogant bastard what happens when he crosses our family!"

Albert who had fallen down and stepped forward, raising his sword. "Gladly, Father."

Kael looked at him and sneered," Aren’t you embarrassed? I just beat you now and you are itching more."

"You didn’t...It was a sneak attack. If you fight me fair and square, I will muscle you.."Albert roared.

"Ohhh!Such confidence...Then come on."

Albert took out his sword and stepped forward.

The moment his foot hit the ground, he burst toward Kael, unleashing a flurry of rapid strikes. His sword flashed under the dim lighting, aiming for Kael’s chest, his sides, his neck—every opening he could find.

Kael, however, barely moved. He sidestepped with ease, watching the movements carefully, his eyes narrowing in assessment.

"E rank..." Kael murmured under his breath, dodging another strike. "At seventeen, being an E-rank is pretty impressive."

Albert sneered, his confidence growing as Kael avoided rather than attacked. "You wouldn’t understand what genius means!" He spat the words with pride. "I’m one of them, not some trash! So now, get defeated!"

Kael sighed. "Ah, youth..."

Before Albert could react, Kael moved.

In a single, fluid motion, he closed the distance and slammed his fist straight into Albert’s gut.

"GURGHHH!"

Albert’s breath hitched.

His eyes bulged as pain exploded in his stomach. Before he could process it, Kael’s knee smashed into his chin, sending him stumbling back.

Kael grinned. "What’s wrong, genius?"

Albert gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand. "Y-You bas—"

BAM!

Kael’s fist collided with his jaw. Albert’s world spun as he crashed into the floor.

He barely had a second to recover before Kael yanked him up by the collar, his other hand moving in a brutal uppercut that sent Albert flying into a pile of shattered furniture.

Albert lay there, groaning in agony, eyes unfocused, lips trembling.

He couldn’t understand—how?! How did Kael, someone who wasn’t even awakened, overpower him like a child?

Kael cracked his knuckles. "Tsk. That was disappointing."

Before he could continue, Baron Altross growled, "Knights! Kill him!"

A dozen armored figures surrounded Kael, their blades gleaming under the dim lights.

Kael clicked his tongue. "Finally some real fight.."

"Time to flex!"Kael said and stepped forward to fight.

The first knight lunged. Kael twisted, grabbing the man’s wrist and redirecting the momentum. The sword swung backward—straight into another knight’s chest.

"Counter," Kael whispered.

Another came from behind, but Kael ducked, twisting his sword in a sharp arc.

"Maledict Counter."

A pulse of dark energy rippled through the blade, returning the knight’s strike with similar intensity. The man screamed as his own attack rebounded onto him, sending him crashing into the ground.

Several knights hesitated, their stances faltering. Kael grinned.

"Hexagram."

A sinister glow pulsed beneath them—runes spreading in an intricate, eerie pattern. Their muscles stiffened, their balance wavered, and panic flashed in their eyes.

Kael charged forward, slashing, countering, breaking their formation.

But then, something unimaginable happened that startled them.

He slipped.

His foot caught on a broken plank.

"Shit—"

A sword sliced through the air. Kael barely had time to react before the cold steel grazed his side, leaving a deep, burning gash.

Blood dripped onto the floor.

Kael gritted his teeth, pain flaring up his ribs.

’Huh!’

’Just what the fuck happened?’

’Why did it affect me instead of them?’

Ignoring the wound, he lashed out, kicking the knight in the chest. The man flew backward, smashing into the others like a row of dominoes.

Kael rolled, gripping his side. The sting was sharp, but his mind snapped into realization as he used it a few more times.

’Hexagram isn’t as easy as I thought... If I overuse it, I’ll curse myself.’

It was like a coin game of luck where it may backfire once in a while.

He wiped the blood from his fingers and grinned, wild and unhinged.

’Fun... but risky.’

As he prepared to finish off the remaining knights who closed on him and surrounded him without giving any room to maneuver.

A loud thump echoed behind him.

Kael turned.

A familiar bumpy figure stood at the entrance.

Panting, trembling, but determined.

It was none other than Ariana.

She stepped forward, fists clenched, her body still awkward and untrained—

But her eyes burned with defiance..

....

BANG!THUMP!TAAANG!

Ariana who was practicing with set of exercises and breathing method, wake up hearing loud below.

"What happened?"

"Did the undead attacked?"

Her mood turned ugly thinking about this when looking outside she didn’t find any sign.

Then she decide to go out. The door was locked but surprisingly as she screamed she didn’t find any rebound

"The maids...They aren’t here.."

Ariana had a faint realization.She then took out some cliffs and broke through the keyhole. She didn’t use it yesterday because there were maids and servants but no there was no one outside as every time she made noise, she would be reprimanded.

As she moved down, she shrieked in shock.

The room was a warzone.

Broken furniture, shattered glass, and torn papers littered the floor. The rich velvet curtains that once adorned the windows were slashed, flapping violently as the fight raged on. A golden candelabra lay in ruins, its wax melting over the crushed remains of Baron Altross’s expensive liquor cabinet.

The heavy mahogany table that once stood at the room’s center was now split in two, its edges scorched from Kael’s earlier attacks. The walls bore deep gashes, marked by their furious battle.

The maids and servants cowered in the corner, their hands covering their mouths in horror. Among them were the very knights and servants who had mocked Ariana for years were now trembling.

And at the center of all this was none other than Kael who was surrounded.

"I need to help him.I can’t possibly watch from sidelines,"she made a resolute expression and then jumped down the stairs landing on the ground with a large thud.

She then moved swiftly which was in sharp contrast to her weight and picked up a fallen sword.