Chapter 10

The Story of the Second Son of the Baron Family - Chapter 10 (10/123)

< The Story of the Second Son of the Baron Family – Chapter 10 – >

The basilisk. Its appearance resembles a giant lizard. Of course, it was far from a mere lizard, possessing a hide so tough that even a typical spear or sword could not scratch it, and immense strength. However, the basilisk's greatest danger did not lie in its physical abilities.

The lethal poison that constantly flowed from its teeth and breath, and the petrifying gaze that could turn a body to stone with just a glance. These two factors were what multiplied the basilisk's danger beyond its physical capabilities.

"Do you know about the basilisk?"

"Of course. Isn't it well-known that there are books that the knights of the Terra Wall must read?"

The ancient saying goes that knowing your enemy and yourself ensures victory in a hundred battles. While the saying might not exist, the meaning is not different, so while the soldiers might not be, the knights were surprisingly diligent in their studies.

What are the characteristics of the monsters they must face directly, what are their strengths and weaknesses, how should they respond, and what are their attack methods? If one could survive without knowing these, it wouldn't matter, but at least from my perspective, such a relaxed approach is possible only for Duke Sieg at the Terra Wall.

"Still, just in case, I'll go over it again. There are three things to be cautious about. First, the petrifying gaze. Second, the poison. Third, the tail that can cause more than just bruises and the jaw that can easily sever a person. Everyone should be familiar with the strategies, right?"

"Don't worry. We know the value of our lives. As you said last night, we'll only fight battles we can win. We can definitely win this one."

"Your confidence is reassuring. Renil and I will do our best to support you, so please do your best as well."

The legacy of the seniors wasn't limited to the mages. While mages focused on creating better situations in various scenarios, the knights concentrated on one thing: killing monsters.

Their swords evolved to kill monsters more efficiently, and the accumulated experiences of many people led to the creation of optimal hunting methods for each monster. Not only that, but they honed their combat skills in their spare time and refined them in actual battles, making it a dangerous fight even against a basilisk, which stood above many monsters.

"There are no monsters around."

"Seems like they fled far away to avoid the basilisk's hunt."

"That's fortunate for us."

Rip - Rip -

One of the threats, the massive jaw, tore its prey apart. The corpse was shredded and crushed with each movement of the jaw. Though severely damaged, it was clear from the size that even a typical spear or sword wouldn't have pierced it. However, in front of the basilisk's jaw and teeth, even the toughest hide was as fragile as paper. The thought of being bitten by that jaw sent a cold sweat down my back.

"That guy's gaze is drawn to me and Renil. Don't make eye contact and you can withstand the poison unless it's directly injected. But if you feel any abnormalities, trust your comrades and retreat. Mr. Yild will antidote you, and I believe no one will be so careless as to miss the tail's movement while focused on the attack. Everyone understand?"

"Yes!"

The basilisk's poison is so lethal that inhaling it can be fatal, and the petrifying gaze is imbued with enough magic to turn a body to stone upon close contact. If seen from a distance, it might only stiffen the body, but being unable to move while facing a basilisk is a critical risk in itself.

However, this applies to ordinary people. For us, who possess dozens or hundreds of times more magic power than ordinary people and surpass their limits, it's a different story.

The poison from the venom glands is threatening but can be withstood unless directly injected, and the petrifying gaze will only slightly slow down body movements if not directly met.

Of course, if directly met, it will stiffen the body for a moment, and during that time, the basilisk's powerful jaw will likely tear into its prey, so we can't be complacent.

"Sir Morito, Sir Renil."

"What is it?"

"I'm going to cast a spell on you. Your movements will be a bit faster, so please take that into account."

"I've already received Haste from Mr. Yild. I appreciate your concern, but conserve your magic power."

"It's fine. It's my unique spell, so it won't conflict with Mr. Yild's spell."

Attracting the basilisk's gaze is very dangerous. While the tail, which swings like a whip, is a concern, it means facing the basilisk's mouth, its most significant weapon, aside from the poison and petrifying gaze. Even if they are skilled knights, the chance of escaping unharmed once bitten is virtually zero.

Still, hoping to help even a little, I was about to engrave a protective symbol on their armor and bodies when I paused in thought.

'What should I engrave?'

Speed (速), Agility (敏).

Both helped with quick movements, but there was a slight difference. To put it simply, the difference between maximum speed and instantaneous speed. In the end, I chose Agility (敏). To attract the gaze and avoid attacks, instantaneous reaction speed was more important.

"Thank you."

I couldn't be sure how effective it would be. I hadn't poured all my magic power into it, and it was the first time I had directly engraved a symbol on someone else. When I finished engraving Sir Renil, the knights simultaneously drew their swords.

"Let's go!"

#

Morito and the knights faced the basilisk like bullfighters. While Morito and Renil drew the basilisk's gaze, the other knights stabbed their swords whenever an opportunity arose. The basilisk's short legs couldn't keep up with the knights' agile movements, and each time the tail swung, the knights on the opposite side moved as one, not wasting the time their comrades had bought.

The basilisk's body was so tough that even swords infused with aura could barely scratch its muscles. However, the cause of death, hemorrhage, is not without reason. No matter how large the body, it would die if enough wounds accumulated.

Crack -

'I can't afford to relax.'

This is possible because Morito and Renil are holding the basilisk's gaze. They are much more focused and cautious than the other knights, as even a small mistake could lead to a fatal outcome.

"Renil! Retreat!"

There is only one way to hold the gaze: to be the greatest threat to the basilisk. There is a very good method for this.

Aiming for the basilisk's eyes, its greatest weapon and only weakness. The problem is that the basilisk, knowing this, doesn't give the opportunity and even uses its eyes as bait to lure enemies. It would have been dangerous if he hadn't hastily spoken just now.

'Good. So far, so good. Most importantly, Renil's movements are excellent. We can definitely capture it without casualties!'

They have worked together for at least a year, up to five years. Therefore, I know their skills better than anyone. However, Renil's movements today were enough to raise his evaluation by a level.

'It might be the effect of the spell Renil cast.'

At first, I thought it was due to the Haste spell Yild cast. However, it didn't take long to realize it was different. It wasn't just faster movements; his dynamic vision, reaction speed, and agility, which couldn't improve in a short time, had improved. At that moment, the basilisk, which had been rampaging, suddenly crouched.

"Everyone, retreat! It's about to release its venom!"

#

Roar -

The battle between the basilisk and the knights was intense, making one's hands sweat. The movements were so well-coordinated, it was like watching a well-choreographed martial arts movie, and I was so focused that I forgot to breathe. Realizing this, I looked at Yild. Despite my comrades risking their lives in battle, I had been just watching, but when I confirmed that Yild was also just watching, I blinked.

"Mr. Yild."

"What is it?"

"Shouldn't you help?"

"Shouldn't I help? Do you think I'm just watching?"

Only then did I notice. Magic power was continuously flowing from Yild's hands, changing the environment around the basilisk.

"Wind!"

"Since you noticed, lend a hand. The venom release is about to start."

The poison that the basilisk spits out with its breath remains in the area. Even though the knights have basic resistance, the intense movements required more breathing, and as the amount of poison in the air increased, it was inevitable that they would be poisoned. Therefore, I was creating wind to prevent the poison from accumulating in the air.

"Everyone, retreat! It's about to release its venom!"

As soon as Yild's words were heard, Sir Morito's urgent voice echoed. At the same time, poison fumes began to spew from the basilisk's entire body. The fumes were so thick that it was impossible to see inside, indicating how toxic they were.

However, knowing that the basilisk releases poison fumes when in danger, Morito predicted the venom release from the basilisk's movements, and fortunately, none of the party members were caught in the fumes.

Swish -

The rest was up to me and Yild. A strong wind swept over the basilisk. The poison fumes, which came from the skin rather than the teeth, could be swept away by the strong wind no matter how thick or toxic they were. The basilisk's massive body would remain firmly on the ground even in a whirlwind, but the poison fumes were a different story.

However, as soon as the fumes cleared, the basilisk lunged forward with its mouth open. Though we were highly alert, it was not difficult to avoid, but from that moment, the basilisk began to rampage, as if it had been playing along until now. As a result, the plan to draw its gaze and have the other knights attack was foiled, but the party naturally moved on to the next phase.

Maintaining distance, waiting for the basilisk's stamina to deplete while preventing its escape. At that moment, I also drew the pistol from my waist. Until now, the distance between the knights and the basilisk was too close, and the intense movements made it impossible to use attack magic without risking hitting allies. But now, with the distance maintained and the plan to wear down the basilisk, the situation was different.

"There's no need. If we continue like this, Sir Morito and the knights can kill the basilisk. Don't create unnecessary variables with reckless actions."

"Yes, I understand...!"

However, I hastily drew and fired the pistol I was about to put away. In my sight, the basilisk was charging at Sir Renil, who had thrown himself to avoid the tail, and Renil, who had thrown himself, was still unable to get up.

The bullet, empowered by magic, flew straight and hit the basilisk's palate. The symbol engraved on the bullet was Solid (固). The basilisk's mouth, which surrounded the bullet, began to stiffen as if it had been hit by the basilisk's own petrifying gaze.

"Roar!"

However, the basilisk, with its tough hide and strong magic resistance, only allowed a very brief moment. But that fleeting moment was enough for the bullet to fulfill its role. Using that moment, Sir Renil safely escaped, and the knights, who had infused their swords with magic power, climbed onto the basilisk's back, which was now exposed.

< The Story of the Second Son of the Baron Family – Chapter 10 – > End