The Return of the Iron-blood Sword Hound
chapter-344

Chapter 344: Ballak (2)

Tudor and Bianca.

Vikir glanced at the two, who seemed oddly cheerful all of a sudden.

“……”

Memories from before the regression naturally surfaced.

The true feelings of the two heroes, who had fought and bickered their whole lives, were revealed during humanity’s most desperate moment in the ‘Fifth Battle’.

At that time, the demon lord Amdusias, leading the legion of demons, had ensnared the ankles of the human alliance with the roots of countless demons.

Among them, the most troublesome demon for humanity was undoubtedly the ‘Bloodsoaked Jade flowers’.

This worst monster, which sprouted anywhere there was water, posed a significant threat to the human soldiers in battle, but it became even more dangerous for those who were retreating after defeat.

Vikir, too, had a moment when he was pinned down by arrows while retreating, and suddenly faced death as the rushing river and rampant Bloodsoaked Jade flowers blocked his path.

The great hero who stepped forward in that dire situation was none other than Usher house’s ‘Bianca Usher’.

She unleashed arrows infused with her soul’s power, detonating the densely grown Bloodsoaked Jade flowers, opening the last escape route for the survivors.

However, while Bianca saved numerous soldiers, she herself became trapped by the roots of numerous flowers and ultimately failed to escape.

…And then, at the moment when she was prepared to sacrifice herself, there appeared the last shield before her eyes, ‘Tudor Donquixote’.

“Run! You’re in danger too!”

“…But how can I leave when you’re caught!”

“Just go! Go get support or reinforcements!”

“No! I won’t leave!”

Just like the conversation just now, at that time, too, the two heroes quarreled with each other.

And in the end, Tudor sacrificed himself to save Bianca and the other survivors, blocking the explosion with his whole body, and as a result, lost his life.

Bianca, saved by Tudor at the brink of death, embraced in his charred arms.

Her numb expression as she sat there endlessly, under the pouring rain mingling with tears, still vividly lingered in memory.

The death of the man she had considered a lifelong friend, a childhood companion, and secretly, a lover.

An eternal farewell without a chance to express her feelings honestly, to whisper love properly even once.

No one left alive could speak as they watched Bianca, embracing Tudor under the rain of a land where everything had burnt down.

And Vikir had been watching all of these scenes from behind.

“…At that time, I was just a lowly soldier watching the great heroes from afar.”

But now, Tudor and Bianca stood here.

Facing Amdusias much earlier than planned, who had separated them before the regression.

And this time, the stalwart champion Vikir stood guard before them.

‘Don’t worry. Amdusias will meet his end at my hands in this lifetime.’

If that happens, Tudor and Bianca won’t have to face a tragic future.

Vikir sincerely hoped for that to be the case.

“Augh! Why didn’t you run away earlier! Go when I tell you to!”

“I was hesitating because I felt sorry, alright!”

“Then do it properly next time! You just got your ankles caught!”

“Are you mocking me?! It was your fault that Vikir got a hold of me!”

“Was I too weak to get caught!? It’s because Vikir is strong! And even you would’ve been caught!”

“Are you comparing an archer to a spearman? Seriously, can’t handle even one forced situation!”

“From now on, when I say to go, just go.”

“It’s my damn call!”

They would continue to bicker like this, confirming each other’s importance.

Probably forever, spending their lives together.

“……”

Vikir quietly stroked his chin.

Now it’s time to calmly analyze the reality before them.

Vikir keenly felt that Tudor and Bianca, whom he hadn’t seen for a long time, had changed a lot.

They had grown taller, and their bones and muscles had developed.

In Tudor’s case, his jaw had become thicker, and his voice had lowered significantly, making him look more mature.

Bianca had also undergone significant changes in her physique.

Above all, both of them had auras within them that had increased incomparably compared to before.

“…How long have you been on this floor?”

When Vikir asked, Tudor grinned.

“It feels like it’s been over a week. It’s just a feeling though.”

“If we roughly estimate based on the sunrise and sunset, today marks exactly 2,555 days since we arrived. It’s been 7 years.”

Bianca provided an exact answer.

Although it had been only about a week since they arrived on this floor, seven years had passed in the time frame of this floor alone.

Always positive, Tudor swung his spear over his shoulder and said.

“Here, even a little practice yields results that last all day. We achieved seven years’ worth of progress in an instant, didn’t we?”

“But doesn’t that mean we age faster too?”

“So what? We’re still young.”

“Goodness, you mule. Who knows how much longer we’ll be trapped on this floor……”

“That’s a problem for us to consider when the time comes. Right now, the answer is to train hard!”

In response to Bianca’s pointed remark, Tudor just chuckled.

Vikir nodded.

Based on the experience he just had, Tudor and Bianca’s skills had improved significantly.

Adapting to the harsh environment of the jungle and relentlessly training in between, it was no wonder they had made such progress.

With time flowing as smoothly as water, they must have achieved their progress just as quickly.

“That’s why this tower isn’t called the Tower of Opportunity for nothing.”

The trials thrown by demons were undoubtedly cruel, but humans have the ability to turn those trials into their foundation. That’s why even in that terrifying apocalypse, humanity ultimately endured and survived.

At that moment, Tudor tapped Vikir on the shoulder.

“Come on, let’s head to the hideout. There are more friends you’ll want to meet.”

“Who else is here on this floor?”

“Well, don’t be surprised! Figgy and Sancho are here too! Haha! You’ll probably be so happy to see them that you’ll faint. We’ve also gathered plenty of supplies, so let’s have a barbecue party today!”

Tudor pushed Vikir forward, heading deeper into the thicket.

Smiling expectantly, looking forward to the tearful reunion to come.

“That’s right. Back on the stage we were on before, Sinclaire was with us too… but due to some mishap in solving the mission, Sinclaire was sent downwards alone. The rest of us four were thrown into this forest probably because of some penalty or something, but we managed to survive decently enough since the flowers outside didn’t attack as long as we didn’t get too close to the water. Well, the real problem was ‘elsewhere’… huh!?”

But Tudor couldn’t finish his sentence.

The color and laughter drained from his face.

And understandably so, because beyond the thicket, all that remained on the vast plain were ruins.

The makeshift huts made of stones and logs were completely destroyed.

Broken sacks were scattered around what seemed to be a warehouse, with grains and fruits rolling about.

And in the center of it all, two men sat with dejected expressions.

Though they had grown taller and their beards fuller, Vikir could recognize them at a glance.

Sancho and Figgy. The two who had been guarding the hideout looked up at Tudor and Bianca.

“……Huh!?”

Their powerless gazes suddenly regained vitality.

“Vikir!”

The much taller Sancho and the now quite adult-like Figgy rushed over.

“How… How did Vikir get here!?”

“We finally getting guests?”

They couldn’t contain their joy as they grabbed Vikir’s hand and shook it vigorously.

Meanwhile, Tudor and Bianca were looking around with serious expressions.

“……Is this the work of ‘them’.”

“They’ve looted all the provisions. While we were briefly away.”

Sancho nodded in agreement. “We fought our best, but we were outnumbered. And their individual strength was far superior. It was all we could do to save our lives.”

Sancho and Figgy, covered in wounds, seemed to have engaged in quite a fierce battle.

Tudor sighed. “Good grief. This is the ‘other problem’ I mentioned earlier. It’s much more troublesome than dealing with the Bloodsoaked Jade flowers. Just when we finally met Vikir, we can’t even have a barbecue party.”

At that moment, Vikir noticed something peculiar.

It was the color of blood flowing from Figgy’s wounds.

“Figgy, is your blood naturally black?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, it’s always been like this. Oh!? Let me tell you in advance, it’s not some weird mutation or whatever! It’s been like this since I was really young! Doctors used to say it’s because my blood has a lot of iron in it… But since coming into the Abyss, it seems a bit darker than before?”

“Hmm.”

While Vikir was showing interest in something entirely different from provisions, Bianca, who had been investigating the situation, spoke up.

“That’s not important right now. They’ve completely raided all the provisions we’ve gathered. If this continues, not only can we forget about clearing the mission, but we won’t even have food for tomorrow. …Let alone the barbecue party.”

“What’s the mission?” Vikir asked, prompting Tudor, Sancho, Figgy, and Bianca to all display their status screens above their heads.

[Mission] – Kill or be Killed!

※ Each gatekeeper possesses formidable power! Life is tough, isn’t it~

※ Only recognized when all members have cleared the mission!

It seemed like Tudor, Sancho, Figgy, and Bianca had been fighting against the gatekeepers who had arrived on this floor before them.

“We still don’t know who these guys really are. We suspect they’re savages, but it’s not certain.”

“They definitely have enmity towards each other. It’s a competition over provisions.”

“They were incredibly fast and strong. They managed to loot all the provisions we had gathered.”

“Their archery skills are impressive. Perhaps they rival the archery of Usher clan….”

It seemed that the attackers from this side were quite formidable. Arrow marks deeply embedded in large rocks and thick logs testified to their prowess. Holes punched through in a spiral pattern, as if from tremendous rotational force. Sniper shots coming from all directions, without discrimination.

And Vikir knew individuals who shot arrows like this.

“…I have a hunch.”

Vikir began to retrace the traces of battle, walking in one direction.

“Huh? But that’s the territory of those gatekeepers if we go that way?”

“Direct confrontation is risky, Vikir.”

“But strangely, I feel more confident. Why is that?”

“Right. So far, it’s been just us four. With Vikir joining, who knows!”

Tudor, Sancho, Figgy, and Bianca found themselves moving along with Vikir, almost instinctively following him towards the stronghold of the seasoned gatekeepers who had lived on this floor for a very long time.