The Mad Dog of the Duke's Estate

Chapter 118

The deafening sound of destruction reverberated through the air. The house, once a cozy refuge, split cleanly in half and collapsed into a heap of debris. It was a scene so surreal it bordered on the fantastical. Just moments earlier, everything had been tranquil; now, the fading light of the setting sun poured through the shattered remains, painting the sky in hues of crimson and gold.

"...Wow," Leo muttered, his voice tinged with awe as he drew Sylphid from its scabbard. He locked his gaze ahead, where a man stood motionless.

The man's platinum-blond hair shimmered with the glow of twilight. His features appeared youthful, no older than mid-thirties, while his well-toned physique exuded a disciplined strength. He wore a jet-black coat that seemed to radiate an oppressive aura, intimidating all who laid eyes on him.

"...Caron," Leon murmured under his breath, his voice barely audible. It took only a glance for him to realize how dangerous this man was.

"Everyone, stand back," Caron ordered his comrades without hesitation. His tone was calm yet firm, "That man... He's an 8-Star knight."

Just as Caron had suspected, the man before him was Kerra Acht, who had reached the fabled 8-Star level. Despite over fifty years passing since they last met, Kerra's face had barely changed, a testament to his mastery over his own aging.

The mana radiating from Kerra was eerily serene. Sometimes, however, silence carried a weight far heavier than chaos. This was one of those times.

Sching.

Caron unsheathed Guillotine with deliberate calmness and began advancing.

Kerra, who had been glaring at Caron, allowed a faint smile to play across his lips as he remarked, "I don't recall inviting guests into my home."

Kerra's voice, surprisingly youthful for someone over eighty, struck a nerve of familiarity within Caron. It was the voice he remembered. He felt a pang of bittersweet emotion. Part of him wanted to ask how life had treated Kerra and what had happened to the others. But something else simmered beneath the surface, an emotion far stronger.

"Kerra Acht," Caron said, his lips curling into a faint smirk.

Kerra inclined his head with a leisurely nod and said, "That's right."

"I've come to the right place," Caron continued.

"What could bring you all the way here to an old man like me?" Kerra asked. "Ah, could it be—"

Boom!

A crescent-shaped wave of energy exploded from Kerra's sword, tearing through the air toward Caron. It was Imperial Sword Form 6: Moonlight.

Caron didn't flinch, but moved his blade swiftly, sending a surge of rippling energy that consumed the incoming attack just in time. Watching Caron dismantle his technique with apparent ease, Kerra chuckled darkly.

"Did you come here to die by my hand?" Kerra asked.

The pressure emanating from the 8-Star knight was suffocating, almost palpable. Such mastery, which extended even to halting his own aging, was a mark of reaching the pinnacle—on par with Sabina. For Caron and his comrades, victory seemed unattainable.

The sheer force of Kerra's presence bore down on them like arrows piercing flesh, yet none of them wavered. They held their weapons firmly, eyes steady, refusing to retreat a single step.

Kerra's smile widened, amusement dancing in his eyes. He then said, "Three grandchildren of Grand Duke Halo and one warrior from a giant tribe. Quite the mismatched group... but I'll give you this much: Your resolve is commendable."

Their prior encounter with the fragment of the Demon King of Slaughter had steeled them for moments like this. Though Kerra's overwhelming aura threatened to crush them, no one faltered or so much as groaned in despair. Perhaps it was this defiance that Kerra found so entertaining.

Pointing his blade at Caron, Kerra spoke with an air of casual amusement. "Especially you. I like that look in your eyes. They remind me of someone I used to know."

"Who's better-looking?" Caron asked with a faint smirk.

"Oh, definitely you," Kerra replied without hesitation. "To be honest, that guy wasn't exactly handsome to begin with."

Caron chuckled inwardly at Kerra's light-hearted tone, thinking, Still the same, aren't you?

Even at over eighty years old, Kerra hadn't changed a bit. It was almost comical. Caron wondered how someone could carry that carefree demeanor into their years, because no one would ever guess this was the speech of an elderly man.

Whoosh.

And yet, in stark contrast to his words, the mana radiating from Kerra bore down with an overwhelming pressure. It felt as though an invisible hand was pressing firmly on Caron's shoulders.

"Go tell your grandfather that I'm simply doing what I need to do. And when the time comes, I'll reach out to him myself," Kerra said, his voice calm but firm.

Caron tilted his head slightly, then asked, "And this thing you need to do... Does it involve protecting this hatchling?"

As he spoke, he reached out with his left hand, gently stroking Aqua's head.

At the sight, Kerra's face twisted into a deep scowl. He then scolded Aqua, saying, "Aqua, didn't I tell you to hide if strangers showed up? Why aren't you listening to your uncle?"

"They're not strangers, Uncle! That's my dad!" Aqua declared boldly.

The word "dad" hit like a thunderbolt, and Kerra's expression faltered. He exclaimed in surprise, "...Who?"

Aqua wrapped her small arms around Caron's leg and shouted, "My dad!" with unshakable conviction.

Kerra glared at Caron, his expression a storm of conflicting emotions. The tense silence dragged on, neither side moving an inch, each locked in an unyielding standoff.

After what felt like an eternity, Kerra finally broke the silence, his voice low and edged with menace. "I don't know how you managed to fool Aqua, but I'll make you a deal. Leave her here and walk away now, and I promise I won't harm you."

The weight of his words carried a deadly seriousness, underscored by the cold intent in his eyes.

"But if you refuse..." Kerra's voice dropped further, his tone icy. "I'll kill you."

There was no mistaking his sincerity. The raw killing intent he exuded made it abundantly clear.

"And for the record, I'm not lying. I've never been particularly fond of the Ducal Family of Leston," Kerra added.

"Uncle, why would you—" Aqua began to cry out, her voice rising in frustration, but Caron interrupted her.

"Leon," Caron called over his shoulder, addressing his comrade. "Take Aqua and step back."

Leon's expression hardened, but she nodded and asked, "What are you planning to do?"

"When else am I going to get a chance to properly cross blades with an 8-Star knight?" Caron replied with a grin.

"You'll die," Leon said bluntly.

"I won't," Caron countered with unwavering confidence.

"...Alright," Leon answered.

Leon scooped Aqua into her arms and retreated to a safe distance. Only when they were far enough did Caron turn back to face Kerra with a sly smile.

"She calls me her dad, you know. Seems like she prefers her dad over her uncle. Then again, can you blame her?" Caron taunted. "You, of all people, playing the doting uncle with a dragon hatchling in the Southern Great Forest... Don't worry, I'll report it to my grandfather thoroughly. 'Kerra Acht, the mighty knight of the Malevolent Emperor, is now a babysitter for a wyrmling.' Would that be alright?"

The provocation was blatant, but Kerra didn't take the bait. Instead, he threw his head back and laughed before saying, "I heard the youngest grandson of the Grand Duke was insane, but you're even crazier than I imagined. I offer you a chance to live, and you throw it away just to drink poison willingly. Why is that?"

Caron shrugged nonchalantly and replied, "Does fighting a strong opponent ever need a reason?"

Kerra's lips curled into a satisfied grin before he answered, "I've been meaning to put you in your place anyway."

"...What?" Caron blinked.

"You're already dead," Kerra said simply.

Suddenly, dozens of streams of mana erupted from Kerra's blade, cascading like waves of raw power.

***

What a lunatic, Caron thought.

Countless crescent moons rained down from the heavens, their silver light slicing through the darkening sky. It was Kerra's Imperial Sword Form 6: Moonlight; not the diluted imitation used by Sir Luke of the Imperial Guard, but the genuine, unrestrained technique wielded by Kerra himself.

The sheer number of moons was enough to disorient Caron's vision. It was impossible to distinguish which were illusions and which were real.

Whoosh.

The mana emanating from Caron barely managed to carve out a sliver of space among the descending moons. This was nothing like four years ago, when he had faced Sir Luke. This Moonlight was wielded by an 8-Star knight, leagues beyond what he had encountered back then.

It wasn't the same technique Kerra had used over fifty years ago, either. It had evolved.

Whoosh!

One of the moons tore through the air and sliced Caron's shoulder. The sharp pain that followed was all too real.

It's not a mixture of real and fake ones, Caron said.

None of these moons were illusions. Each one carried the weight and precision to end a life. This technique, impossible for the Kerra of fifty years ago due to the sheer amount of mana it required, now seemed natural. The absurdity of it all stemmed from Kerra's overwhelming mana reserves.

Clang!

Caron deflected a moon aimed directly at his neck and scanned the battlefield for Kerra. But locating him was futile. The chaotic rain of moons rendered any traditional tracking meaningless. The gap in strength between a knight on the edge of 6-Star and one at 8-Star was simply too vast.

So, Caron shifted his approach. He called out internally, Pluto.

Darkness rippled out from Caron's body, moving swiftly to chase Kerra's presence. If his senses couldn't detect Kerra, he'd rely on another method. Though the sun had almost set, it hadn't disappeared completely, and that meant one thing.

Find Kerra's shadow, Caron thought.

The shadow still existed, and thus Caron's command sent Pluto racing across the battlefield, weaving through the moons in search of its target.

Whoosh.

Simultaneously, darkness began to envelop the ocean-like expanse of mana surrounding Caron. That darkness swallowed the radiant moonlight whole, leaving no trace behind.

"Cough!" Caron sputtered as the oppressive force of Kerra's mana caused his ocean to churn violently. Due to mana backlash, blood surged within him, threatening to erupt, and yet a grin spread wider across his face.

...It's been fifty years, Caron thought. He couldn't help but feel exhilarated. The blade before him was achingly familiar, yet utterly transformed.

Fifty years ago, Kerra had hounded him endlessly, begging for sparring sessions. Among the Imperial Guards, Kerra's dedication had been unmatched. Now, that same relentless man had returned as an 8-Star knight, unleashing his perfected blade.

Clang!

Once again, Caron struck down an approaching moon, his eyes gleaming with determination. The sword before him, designed to confuse and dominate through sheer precision, had reached near-perfection.

The bastard turned into a monster, Caron thought with a dry chuckle.

It felt like standing before an impenetrable wall, an obstacle he couldn't possibly overcome in his current state. But instead of despair, Caron felt a strange joy.

...Those idiots, he suddenly thought as he recalled his reckless comrades who had chosen to stay in the Imperial Palace for his sake. They had stubbornly clung to life until their final moments. All he'd wished was for them to survive. But to think that one of them had grown this strong... How could he not be proud?

Though Kerra currently surpassed him, Caron whispered under his breath, "Not for long."

One day, he would grow stronger. Stronger than Kerra. Stronger than he had been in his previous life. But for now, there was only one thing he could do.

He would give his all in this fight, for there was no greater honor he could bestow upon a subordinate from his past.

"...I found you," Caron muttered as he swung his blade without hesitation.

Clang!

Caron's Guillotine clashed with Kerra's sword, unleashing a massive shockwave that rippled across the battlefield.

"Well now..." Kerra's face emerged from behind the crossed blades, his expression both impressed and bemused. "You've come this far already?"

His voice echoed in Caron's ears.

"Then again, it's not like reincarnation would change that stubborn personality of yours," Kerra added, chuckling bitterly.

"Am I wrong, Commander?"