Chapter 182. The Knight’s Assault (5)
“Round... It’s a British Contractor organization. No, more accurately, a secret society.”
As soon as I realized an attack was underway, I immediately returned to my throne.
However, I was still talking with Arjuna through a communication window.
“I’ve never heard of them.”
“That’s understandable. Publicly, they operate under the name of another organization.”
Arjuna calmly began explaining.
“First, they gather countless young people who have nowhere else to go, train them, and turn them into Contractors.”
“Among them, only those who successfully contract with a ‘Knight of the Round Table’ are selected and sent to Round.”
“So to join Round, you have to contract with a Round Table-related Constellation?”
“Yes. Anyone connected to another Constellation is disqualified.”
“They won’t even realize they were ever candidates for Round. They simply go on to do something else with their lives.”
If these Contractors were being granted Maximum Manifestation of Constellation Armaments...
did that mean the Round Table Constellations themselves approved of this system?
“Members of Round don’t use their real names. They’re called by codenames.”
“Though that doesn’t mean much to us Constellations, since we can see their real names anyway.”
“True...”
“But there can be multiple people inside Round with the same codename.”
“The strongest among them is granted Maximum Manifestation of that Constellation’s Armament and becomes the representative who operates under that name.”
“Then if that Contractor dies or becomes unable to fight...”
“The role passes to the next Contractor in line.”
Arjuna nodded.
“For example, if ‘Gawain First Rank’ dies, then ‘Gawain Second Rank’ steps forward, takes up Galatine, and begins operating as Gawain.”
In a way...
it was an extremely inhuman system.
“Then the person currently attacking the hospital...”
“Would most likely be the Contractor granted Maximum Manifestation by the A-rank Constellation ‘Knight of the Sad Sheep’... Tristan.”
Tristan.
One of the Knights of the Round Table from Arthurian legend.
Tristan and Isolde, in which Tristan appeared as the protagonist, was one of the most famous romances of medieval Europe.
“In that case, the weapon attacking Lee Hyeonje must be Tristan’s bow, Fail-Not.”
Fail-Not.
As its name suggested...
a bow that never missed.
“That would be my guess.”
“But several arrows just came flying from different directions simultaneously.”
“That did seem to be the case.”
“Under normal circumstances, that should be impossible.”
Arjuna sounded intrigued.
“Hmm... fascinating. I wonder what sort of technique he’s using.”
Perhaps because Arjuna himself was a hero who used a bow, the mystery seemed to interest him.
An attack strong enough to corner someone as capable as Lee Hyeonje...
What could it be?
No matter how much I searched through the Observer, I couldn’t locate the attacker.
Was he using some kind of concealment Skill or item?
“Kang Yujin and the others need to reach the hospital quickly and help him... but things aren’t going smoothly.”
“What?”
“Nameless King, adjust your Observer and look further down.”
At Arjuna’s words, I immediately manipulated the Observer.
Then I saw what was happening.
“This is...”
Kang Yujin’s group was currently heading back toward the hospital by car and Chimera.
But...
people were blocking their path.
“They appear to be carrying Arondight and Galatine.”
“It seems Round has deployed the second-ranked Lancelot and Gawain.”
"...!"
This wasn’t merely two or three individuals launching separate attacks.
Round was carrying out a coordinated offensive.
“Who the hell are these bastards?”
Lee Jukheon frowned at the men blocking their path.
“That sword... looks like the Arondight the Lancelot I just killed was using.”
“And the other one is carrying Galatine, just like the Gawain from before.”
Kang Yujin, who had stepped out of the car, frowned as well.
Their clothes were similar.
Their builds were similar too.
At a glance, it almost looked as though the men they had just fought had somehow returned.
“A Constellation Armament isn’t limited to only one person forever.”
Joo Minha spoke from beside them.
“They’re probably contracted to the same Constellations.”
“But... the energy coming from that Galatine is almost identical to the one wielded by the Gawain we fought earlier.”
“That appears to be Maximum Manifestation as well.”
“I thought only one person could use Maximum Manifestation?”
“The Gawain we fought earlier may already be dead.”
"..."
Kang Yujin frowned.
He didn’t know the exact circumstances...
but he didn’t like the sound of that.
“Hey, Kang Yujin.”
Lee Jukheon spoke in a low voice.
“Joo Minha and I will handle these guys.”
“You go with Seok Taejun on the Chimera and head straight to the hospital.”
“Wouldn’t it be better for you to go? You’re faster.”
“I already used [Shrinking Distance].”
“So you should go.”
Now that Kang Yujin looked more closely...
Lee Jukheon seemed somewhat exhausted.
Had he been injured during his earlier fight?
“All right.”
Kang Yujin nodded and exchanged glances with Seok Taejun.
The moment Lee Jukheon and Joo Minha moved, Kang Yujin would jump onto the Chimera with Seok Taejun and head for the hospital.
“Pleasure to meet you, gentlemen of the East.”
But then...
a voice came from behind them.
A cheerful-looking man in a suit was walking toward them.
“I thought I’d chosen the wrong position and would end up wasting my time.”
“So I’m glad we managed to meet after all.”
“Who are you?”
“I use the codename Percival.”
“And...”
At that moment, a huge spear appeared in the man’s hand.
“This is my Constellation Armament.”
“According to the legends of King Arthur, Sir Percival was an exceptional spearman.”
“They even say he was skilled at bringing down flying creatures with a spear.”
He grinned.
“So trying to escape on that monster won’t do you any good.”
“My thrown spear will pierce it immediately.”
"..."
Apparently, flying straight to the hospital on the Chimera was no longer an option.
“Then I suppose you’ll have to keep me entertained for a while, gentlemen of the East.”
Percival raised his spear.
“If you want to leave quickly, all you have to do is kill me.”
“Of course... even if you do, the ‘next’ Percival will simply appear!”
With a roar, he charged with his spear.
The new Gawain and Lancelot rushed forward with their swords as well.
A chaotic battle began.
“Ghk...”
Lee Hyeonje lay on the floor, his body pierced by several arrows.
Only one... landed perfectly.
Out of all the arrows...
only one had struck his torso directly.
It wasn’t fatal.
But it was enough to rob Lee Hyeonje of most of his fighting ability.
This is definitely an attack from a Constellation Armament.
He had suspected as much from the moment the arrows shattered the reinforced windows.
This was no ordinary bow.
The situation is bad.
