Chapter 167


    Garron knew he shouldn’t have stormed out of Bucky’s Out of this World Restaurant like he did. But Kale’s words had struck a really sensitive nerve there. It was always grating to deal with arrogant, entitled bastards like those three S-ranks.


    <em>Or at the very least, Sienna and Kale are arrogant and entitled bastards. </em>Garron hadn’t spoken to Nichs at all since thetter arrived at Wolfwater— the two simply didn’t have a chance to converse because of Noele.


    Garron had known that the blonde girl saw the Noble Knight as her idol. So seeing her act so enamored with Nichs was not unexpected. In fact, it was normal.


    Every adventurer— or most adventurers, excluding lunatics like Jax— had someone they looked up to. Someone that inspired them when they were a child to be an adventurer. After all, to be an adventurer was to be like a [Hero]. Or so was the naive outlook of a kid.


    Of course, adventuring was far less noble that it seemed. And while Garron himself became an adventurer for less-than-noble causes, when he was younger he still idolized quite a few adventurers. Although most of them were either dead or retired by now.


    So Garron believed that Noele’s infatuation with Nichs was innocuous. There couldn’t have been any romantic undertones behind it. But then Kale imnted the idea into the Steel Tank’s head.


    And that was when Garron snapped. Because it rubbed salt in the wound, considering that the S-ranks had already irritated him quite a bit before that moment.


    Still, he felt bad for Noele. He wasn’t sure what she thought happened, but she certainly would have been bothered by the Steel Tank’s sudden exit.


    Certainly, he couldn’t cast judgments on Nichs yet. But if the Noble Knight was really a sleazy man who was after the blonde girl’s heart, then he could have easily manipted her with that moment, convincing her that Garron was acting out of jealousy.


    …which was partially true. But it was more so motivated by Kale and Sienna than anything else.


    Garron sighed as he shook his head. He hadn’t known where to go when he exited the restaurant. So he slowly made his way back to his current ce of residence— which was Nn and Nicole’s farm.


    They were growing quite a lot of malim fruits here now for Bucky’s Out of this World Restaurant, so the pathway leading up to the main house was lined with colorful shrubs. Garron spotted a figure standing right ahead of him, knelt down as he dug a hole on the dirt ground.


    It was Dorien— the [Druid] who was the protector of the Vox Forest. He was here helping nt and grow the malim fruits as well. He hardly ever spoke with Garron, even if the two knew of each other.


    However, it seemed that Garron’s agitation was evident on his face since the [Druid] spoke up.


    “Is something the matter?” Dorien asked, rising to his feet. “You seem upset.”


    “I… I’m fine.” Garron shook his head. He didn’t want to confide that the reason for his attitude was because of something as petty as what had happened. “Where’s Noele’s parents?”


    “Nn is inside, resting for lunch,” the [Druid] replied. He dusted himself off as he nodded at the house standing just a few feet away. “But Nicole has gone to the city.”


    “To Whiteridge?”


    “That’s right. She’s trying to sell these malim fruits there— to make a profit off them.”


    The Steel Tank raised a brow. “And you’re fine with that?”


    Normally, [Druids] would be very much against trying to profiteer off rare natural resources. They were the guardians of nature, so they did not like it when theirnds were plundered. The fact that Dorien was allowing this— let alone aiding it— was quite astonishing for Garron to see.


    But the [Druid] just harrumphed. “As long as no one touches the Vox Forest, I do not care. They can buy malim fruits from Nicole all they want.”


    “That’s… an interesting philosophy.” Garron ced a hand on his chin.


    “Well, that’s how I live. If you don’t bother me, I won’t bother you.” Dorien said simply. “But if you bother me, I will rain fire on you.”


    Garron shook his head. <em>[Druids]... </em>Everyone seemed to think they were peaceful folks. And while that was true to a certain extent, they could also be incredibly violent.


    Perhaps the Steel Tank could learn a thing or two about them. If instead of storming off, he brought up what Kale had said to Noele, that could have saved a lot of embarrassment for Garron. But not just that, it could have warned the blonde girl that the S-ranks might not be as nice as they pretended to be.


    Again, Garron wasn’t entirely sure if it was just Kale and Sienna, or if Nichs was included, but if something had been said there, then there was no need for spection. Unfortunately, the burly man had just stormed out.


    “And what about Noele?” Dorien asked, breaking Garron out of his stupor. “She’s usually with you, isn’t she? I don’t see her.”


    That made the Steel Tank purse his lips. “She’s…”


    He wasn’t sure what to say— or how to exin the situation. He took in a deep breath as the [Druid] frowned.


    “She’s…?” Dorien waited.


    And Garron hesitated. But before he coulde up with an answer, a powerful explosion erupted just outside of Wolfwater.


    Both the [Druid] and the Steel Tank recoiled from the sh of light. A momentter, a powerful shockwave swept over thendscape. They braced themselves as a strong gust of wind threatened to knock them off their feet.


    “What is that?” Dorien asked with wide eyes.


    Garron’s eyes flickered, and he slowly reached for his sword at his waist. Dorien hadn’t noticed it, but the Steel Tank did. The attack that was unleashed wasn’t just an ordinary st. It had been a st of purple lightning— one that seemed to freeze everything as much as it destroyed all that it touched.


    It was a st of frost lightning. But not just frost lightning— it was empowered by the Void.


    “...Arthur,” Garron said, gritting his teeth.


    “Arthur?” Dorien blinked a few times. “You mean the [Bartender]?”


    Garron just shook his head. It was too much to exin. He spun around, hearing a door m open. Nn sprinted out of the house with round eyes, staring at the smoke rising to the sky.


    “What is going on?” the [Farmer] panted out.


    “I’ll look into it,” Garron said quickly, ncing back towards Dorien. “Stay here and look after Nn.”


    “Right.” The [Druid] nodded, before running back to the [Farmer].


    And the Steel Tank took off, even as he chewed on his lips. After all, he was nervous. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to help out if what he feared was true. Because if it was…


    <em>Then it meant that the Lich King had returned.</em>


    —--


    Arthur had thought it was quite an odd day. Firstly, three S-ranked adventurers had shown up in Wolfwater without much exnation. That in itself wasn’t that weird to him since he didn’t think S-ranks were that umon. However, supposedly, he was told it was quite unusual in this day and age.


    He didn’t question it much. He just did his job— even though it was his day off. But he didn’t care. Neither did Han. Noele made a special request to host the three S-ranks, so they fulfilled it.


    But then, Bucky started to throw a fit. And Arthur had to cate the chicken with food. And while that was happening, Garron suddenly marched out of the room, upset over something that was said.


    Arthur only looked on in confusion when that happened, but he didn’t question it. He thought that perhaps something else had happened— that it wasn’t the fault of the S-ranks.


    However, shortly after that, Noele had also run out of the room. And this time, Arthur knew it was definitely because of the S-ranks. Unfortunately, before he could even question it, the three S-ranks exited the room as well.


    And to make things even more confusing, Bucky then proceeded to sprint after them after she was done with her food. So Arthur and Han were left in the restaurant, utterly clueless as to what to do.


    Eventually, Arthur decided to give chase to Bucky— to make sure she didn’t do anything stupid. And what he found… appalled him.


    He saw Nichs, Kale, and Sienna standing over Noele’s bleeding body. Bucky was protectively hovering over the blonde girl, but it almost looked like it was toote. The three S-ranks wereughing at what they had done. When they were found out, they moved to dispose of Arthur too.


    But before they could do anything, Arthur killed Sienna with the power of the Void.


    It happened instinctively. It was like he was reaching for something that was always there, but he refused to acknowledge. His eyes burned with a purple me, and his skin threatened to melt off his bones. He hovered in the air as this unsettling power surged over him, but he didn’t reject it.


    He could not reject it— not for the sake of either Noele or Bucky. He had to save them. So he pointed at Kale who raised a tome.


    “[Shield—” the fat man started.


    And Arthur bellowed, <strong><em>“Void Lightning!”</em></strong>


    The Void’s essence poured out of his chest, reaching for the sky. And this twisted magic called forth a lightning bolt that would have destroyed all of Wolfwater. But its impact was concentrated only on Kale.


    He screamed in pain as whatever barrier he conjured up was ripped to shreds, and his body was burnt and frozen by Arthur’s enraged attack.


    Even though he was an S-ranked adventurer, he couldn’t put up a fight. Not when his opponent was a former Lich King— the very First Lich King. A crackle of purple electricity ran over Arthur’s body as he felt the searing pain of his mortal flesh melt away. But he ignored it, focusing his burning gaze towards his remaining target.


    Nichs took a step back, staring at the corpses of his tworades in horror. “What…? But how?”


    <em>“Shut up.” </em>Arthur pointed at the Noble Knight.


    And another st of purple lightning shot down from the sky. But Nichs managed to react in time. He leapt to the side, before vanishing with a golden glow.


    <em>“[Noble Step],” </em>Nichs panted as hended right in the middle of a thicket of frozen trees. “That was close…”


    He nced towards the small crater where he had been standing, before sweeping his gaze over to Arthur. But he blinked at what he saw there.


    The former Lich King had conjured up a volley of purple ice spears. Dozens of them hovered over his head, glinting as he felt his cheeks burning away. His eyes shed in anger, and the projectiles shot forward.


    <em>“Perish.”</em>


    Nichs cursed, drawing his rapier. He moved to deflect the onught of attacks. But even as he tried his best to block what few he could. However, it quickly overwhelmed him. He screamed as he was impaled by the flurry of projectiles, being ripped apart where he stood. He copsed to the ground, covered in holes.


    And Arthur heaved heavily, slowly descending back to the ground. His body still ached— his skin still burned. The pain refused to leave his body just yet. But he shook his head, trying to ignore it as he stared at the Noble Knight’s corpse.


    “It’s… it’s over,” he whispered to himself.


    And a frantic clucking drew his attention to the side. <em>“Bawk bawk bawk!”</em>


    Bucky hopped up and down next to Noele’s bleeding body. Arthur nodded as he took a step forward.


    “Right,” he said as he fumbled for a healing potion from his belt. “I need to—”


    And a glinting arrow shot forward, shattering the ss. Arthur blinked as he stumbled back. Bucky froze, looking past him. Slowly, the former Lich King turned around to face the source of the attack.


    His eyes went wide when he saw Sienna standing there, her bow raised and glowing with a familiar light. Next to her, Kale got to his feet and cracked his neck as he eyes glimmered.


    “How are you…?” Arthur asked as he stared at the two corpsese to life.


    But it wasn’t just the two of them. Nichs sighed as he pulled his shredded body up from the ground, his wounds slowly mending. A purple aura coated him as he sighed. He stared at the former Lich King, picking up his de.


    “You’re not the only one who has been blessed by the Void,” Nichs said simply.


    And he teleported next to Arthur, thrusting his rapier through the former Lich King’s chest.