"Kuhuhu, ahaha. You're an interesting one. I like you. Have you ever thought about changing masters? I could offer you better terms than a dead emperor."
"Hmm, sorry, but my relationship with the emperor is quite strong, so I can't just flip sides so easily."
"How amusing. The guild sold you out, and yet you say that?"
"...."
Azadin flinched. The fact that the Korasar Peddlers' Guild was actually run by the Herald Clan was a top-secret matter. Yet, the Count knew about it.
Could it be that Derrick leaked the information?
"Ah, don't worry. I have my own ways of finding things out. Right now, I'm the only one who knows that the Peddlers' Guild belongs to the Herald Clan. So, even though the guild sold you out, are you still planning to stay loyal to the organization?"
"Even if I don't feel like being loyal, I'd rather not serve under someone who bathes in fountains of blood."
"You can gain immortality. Not just that, but power. Power, immortality, wealth, and fame—you could have all of it. And yet, you're rejecting all of that just to continue being a despised herald? Hm?"
"Sorry, but you don't fit my aesthetic."
Azadin strapped his empty quiver to his body and drew his sword. Then, taking a deep breath, he circulated Beauty of Nature, Kazas Haeseo's power throughout his body.
A sensation of openness, as if connecting with the universe, surged along his entire spine, and despite being in this unholy bloodbath, a powerful force flowed into Azadin's body.
"Oh?"
The Count seemed to sense something from Azadin.
"How insolent. A soulless heretic like you dares to speak like that to one of the great god's lineage?"
As the Count glared at Azadin, the two women entangled around him slithered down like snakes, vanishing into the pool of blood.
"Well, whatever. I know how to extract loyalty from men like you."
At that moment, several figures began to rise from the pool of blood.
"Kikiki."
Two men wearing hawk masks, their eyes glowing with a blue ghostly fire, emerged.
"Ugh!?"
The moment Azadin saw the hawk masks, he instantly recognized who they were.
'Damn that regional head! No matter how many times I asked what happened to the previous herald, he never told me… and now they're here?'
They were Harad, the previous herald in charge of this region, and Kebna, who had overseen the neighboring northern region.
Both had been declared dead during their missions. If they were in the Count's castle, that meant they had disappeared while carrying out assignments nearby. The regional head must have kept his mouth shut to avoid taking responsibility.
"This is the key to how I discovered that the Peddlers' Guild was the Herald Clan. Their loyalty is absolute. So much so that they were willing to spill their own clan's secrets."
With that, the Count stepped back.
"Then, I shall go get dressed and prepare. In the meantime, kill this insolent brat or capture him and make him loyal to me. Also, find out the whereabouts of the copy of the Book of the Divine King."
"Yes!"
The two former heralds respectfully bowed to the Count. With that, the Count disappeared beneath the surface of the bloodbath.
"...."
Azadin wanted to chase after him, but he had no idea how the bloodbath was structured. On top of that, the former heralds were blocking his path, making it too risky to act recklessly.
"Well, well, look who it is! Isn't this the famous Azadin? You're telling me you're my successor? Aragasa really must be running out of talent!"
Harad and Kebna, their eyes glowing with blue ghostly fire, drew their Moon Horn Bows.
***
Originally, the Moon Horn Bow deteriorated rapidly when wet. Though it was made of composite materials and packed overwhelming power into its small frame, maintaining it was difficult. Using it on a rainy day required thorough maintenance afterward.
So, there was no way the bows of those who had emerged from the bloodbath would be functioning properly…
— Swish!
An arrow shot toward Azadin.
'That's impossible.'
The bows of those who had been submerged in the bloodbath were working just fine. Azadin snatched the arrow out of the air, but its force was strong enough to make him stagger backward.
Even though Azadin had superior physical abilities compared to other heralds, he was facing two at once. They had numbers on their side, and they were firing arrows simultaneously. The arrows were also slick with blood, making them difficult to handle.
"Huh?"
Harad and Kebna were surprised when Azadin caught the arrow.
"He caught our arrow from this distance? Just like that?"
"Is it because the bows weakened after getting soaked in blood?"
Rather than acknowledging Azadin's skill, they assumed something was wrong with their weapons. Azadin had such a reputation for incompetence within the Herald Clan that their prejudice prevented them from realizing the truth.
'That works in my favor. Yeah, keep underestimating me.'
Azadin gripped the arrow he had caught.
Should he nock it and fire it back? But if he did that, the blood would get on his bow.
'Though, judging from how their bows are fine, maybe blood doesn't affect them. But if I'm wrong, repairing it will be a hassle.'
Just then, blood droplets rose from the bloodbath. Four orbs of blood floated around Azadin.
"Huhuhu."
From the darkness, four blood spheres fired high-pressure streams of blood at Azadin like spears. He spun his body, dodging the incoming attacks, and landed.
"He dodged that?"
"Not bad! I heard you were the biggest idiot in the clan!"
Harad, the former herald, plunged his sword into the surface of the bloodbath and lunged at Azadin, slashing upward. A spray of blood shot into the air, targeting Azadin.
"Tch!"
Azadin swung his sword, slicing through the blood spray, but in that moment, the two former heralds split to his left and right. Flanking him from both sides, they spat needles from their mouths and hurled daggers at him.
However, Azadin calmly extended his left hand. The arrows they had previously shot at him were now wedged between his fingers, and with a flick of his wrist, he used them like a fan to deflect the incoming daggers and needles.
And then…
— Thwack!
An arrow embedded itself into the chest of former herald Harad.
"Urk?!"
Azadin hadn't even used a bow—he had simply thrown the arrow like a dart, lodging it into Harad's chest.
"You fool."
Kebna sneered.
"No, that bastard's throw was much faster than I expected."
Harad, the former herald struck by the arrow, tried to justify himself.
'They're acting way too relaxed.'
Clicking his tongue, Azadin observed them. Even though they were wounded, they felt no pain and showed no signs of dysfunction.
"Are they undead? Or was my strike too weak?"
Though Azadin had thrown an arrow directly into Harad's body, a hand-thrown arrow had its limitations. It had only caught on his leather armor, failing to pierce through to his flesh.
'Even if it did penetrate, would it have made a difference?'
Azadin sighed as he realized that they had been turned into monsters by the Count. Even though they mocked and looked down on him, they were still of the same clan. Seeing them reduced to mere lackeys of the corrupt Count was disheartening.
"Kuhuhu, how did an idiot like you become a herald? The honor of the Emperor's Heralds has truly hit rock bottom."
"If the honor of the Emperor's Heralds has fallen, I doubt it's because of me, Harad. Did the Count turn you into vampires?"
"We volunteered ourselves. Eternal life, wealth, and glory—why would we stay loyal to a dead emperor?"
"Besides, Aragasa is rotten. It has lost its original purpose and now only serves the interests of the Five Great Families and the Elder Council."
"I won't argue that Aragasa is rotten, but does that mean clinging to the Count is the right move? At least as the Emperor's heralds, the young ones of Aragasa looked up to you. But what are you now? You're nothing but snails, thrown into a garden pond to feed on moss. You really think you'll enjoy wealth and glory stuck at the bottom of this bloodbath?"
"You bastard!"
Enraged by Azadin's mockery, the former heralds fired another volley of arrows. However, Azadin simply extended his hand striking the shafts with his wrist bones to deflect them upward.
Trying to grab the arrows would be risky due to the slippery blood, but deflecting them posed no issue. Simultaneously, Azadin flicked his wrist.
— Whoosh…
The daggers the former heralds had thrown at him earlier were now in Azadin's hands, and with a swift motion, he sent them flying.
"Oh!"
"Not bad!"
The former heralds dodged the attack, nodding in admiration.
— Twilight!
Their bodies blurred as they swiftly closed the distance toward Azadin.
'Tch. Kazas Haeseo… It's useless in knee-deep water.'
Azadin's Twilight was not an illusion like the other heralds' techniques—it physically moved his body. Because of this, it was ineffective in water.
"Haaah!"
The former heralds flanked him from both sides, launching a flurry of attacks. At that moment, Azadin countered.
— Boom!
Columns of liquid—no, columns of blood—erupted, and the two former heralds were flung into the air, tumbling across the surface.
"Wha?!"
"H-How did that…?"
The former heralds were startled by the unexpected turn of events. They had believed they had successfully surrounded Azadin and launched a perfect attack. But the moment they made contact with him, an overwhelming surge of energy coursed through their bodies.
Azadin had capitalized on that moment, striking back with his sword and fists—stabbing the herald on his right with his blade and driving his fist into the body of the one on his left.
— Beauty of Nature, Thundercloud, Kazas Haeseo!
Originally, this magic stored lightning mana and discharged it upon contact to electrocute the opponent. But Azadin had adapted it—rolling across the ground to build up a charge before unleashing a burst of energy upon impact. Just one hit had sent both heralds flying.
"A-Azadin…"
"Looks like… ever since we stopped feeling pain, we've grown dull. To think we'd suffer such a blow from Azadin, the so-called idiot of the clan."
They struggled to accept the reality before them. They knew Azadin well—his incompetence was infamous among the heralds.
Azadin was a household name in the clan, but for all the wrong reasons. For them to be defeated so easily by someone so notoriously weak… it was difficult to comprehend.
"If it's this one-sided, doesn't that just prove the difference in skill? You pathetic fools. No wonder you're stuck at the bottom of the Count's bloody bath, feeding on scraps like pond scum."
Azadin couldn't resist throwing another jab at Harad and Kebna, who were still in denial.
"It's fine by me if you keep underestimating me. The more you reject reality, the easier this is for me. But even if you were defeated by the Count and turned into his beasts, weren't you once heralds whom the entire clan admired with pride? When I strike you down, I want to tell your families that you fought with honor until the very end. So come at me with everything you've got. Stop denying reality!"
Harad and Kebna flinched at Azadin's words.
"Azadin…"
"You're right. We apologize for our arrogance."
The foolish expressions they had worn just moments ago disappeared, replaced by a newfound focus.