Chapter 687: The King's Loyal Dogs ( 687 )

Chapter 687: The King’s Loyal Dogs ( 687 )

After several days,

Javier was riding Buddy along the road, flanked by Liana and Gloria on their own Pekkos, each trotting comfortably beside him.

He chatted happily, completely relaxed as they continued onward.

“You know, that road we took before? I fought a bunch of monsters there,” Javier bragged cheerfully.

“Water-element types… I don’t even know what they were called.”

Liana and Gloria exchanged quiet, amused smiles, gently shaking their heads.

Their young master was clearly excited.

“Oh, and we should definitely stop at the next town,” Javier suggested brightly. “We can rest up, enjoy some good food, and give the Pekkos another break.”

He flashed them a perfectly innocent grin.

Liana raised her eyebrow, hiding her smile behind her hand. “My, my~ Young master is suddenly very thoughtful.”

“Suspiciously thoughtful,” Gloria added gently, eyes sparkling.

“What? Can’t I just care about you both?” Javier said with mock hurt.

Liana giggled softly. “Hmm~ We’ll see when we get there.”

Gloria nodded gracefully, already anticipating another lively adventure with their beloved troublemaker.

Javier’s body tensed.

His carefree smile vanished in an instant.

“Liana. Gloria.”

Both girls straightened in their saddles.

“Yes, young master?” they answered in unison, instantly alert.

Javier’s gaze narrowed as he scanned the distant hills and trees. “Prepare your weapons.”

Liana’s eyes sharpened. “Why? What’s wrong?”

Her hand reached behind her back, fingers resting on the white ore bow strapped neatly against her.

Gloria didn’t even ask. She silently extended her hand—and in a flash of light, her white ore war hammer formed in her grip.

The ground beneath her Pekko vibrated faintly from the mana pressure.

“Something’s not right,” Javier muttered, voice low but cold. His instincts were screaming.

Without hesitation, he activated his magic storage.

A rush of mana flared around him as he drew out his twin white ore swords—blades that shimmered with faint light enchantments, perfectly forged for speed and close combat.

“Deploy.”

Twenty figures shimmered into existence behind him.

The Shironii.

His elite puppet unit.

“Formation. Surround and protect,” Javier ordered.

The puppet knights moved instantly—ten forming a wide perimeter ahead, the other ten covering their flanks and rear. Silent. Efficient. Perfectly in sync.

Javier’s voice was quiet, firm. “Stay sharp. I don’t know what’s out there… but it’s watching us.”

From behind a twisted rock formation, a lone figure emerged.

Clapping slowly.

“Well, well, well…” the man grinned as he stepped into view—his expression twisted with arrogance and glee. “I didn’t know the Armand brat could be this good~ Summoning puppet knights? Dual wielding enchanted blades? I might just fall for you.”

Javier’s eyes narrowed as he studied the stranger. Tall. Slender. Movements like a beast barely holding back madness. His presence alone was unsettling.

That wild energy…

He jumped off Buddy with a soft thud, landing calmly on the ground.

He dusted off his coat, completely unfazed.

“Hmm…” Javier tilted his head. “Let me guess…”

He slowly walked forward, stopping just a few steps away from the man.

“You’re one of them, right? That cute little assassin squad Edmund keeps feeding scraps to. What was the name again…?”

The Shironii around him shifted slightly, ready to intercept at any moment.

“Oh right—King Edmund’s loyal dogs,” Javier said with a smile so sharp it could cut steel. “And you must be the rabid one they call Seventh.”

Seventh grinned wider.

“Ohh~ Such disrespect from such a cute face. Now I really want to break you. Right after I break your little elves.”

His eyes darted to Liana and Gloria.

Liana’s bow was already drawn, her eyes glowing with cold fury.

Gloria’s war hammer rested against her shoulder, her mana vibrating like a storm waiting to be unleashed.

“Try it,” Liana said with a smile. “I’ll turn you into pincushion before you blink.”

Gloria’s voice was even, steady. “We’ve crushed worse than you.”

Seventh licked his lips.

“This is going to be fun.”

From the distant trees and rocks, six more figures silently took position.

The remaining members of the Seventh Unit were here.

Surrounding them.

Javier glanced around once—then grinned.

“Perfect,” he muttered. “I was starting to get bored.”

Seventh’s grin twitched slightly.

“Oh~? So confident. So arrogant. You talk like your family owns the world.”

Javier tilted his head, stretching slightly like he was just waking up from a nap. His twin swords gleamed faintly in the morning sun, his mana steady and calm.

“I mean,” Javier said with a shrug, “we don’t own the world…”

He locked eyes with Seventh and smiled.

“Just the parts that matter.”

Seventh narrowed his eyes.

“I should tear that tongue out.”

“You could try,” Javier replied, raising one sword lazily. “But you’d die halfway through the first syllable.”

Seventh stepped forward again, hands twitching. His bloodlust was rising.

“…You really don’t care, huh?” Seventh asked. “We helped Edmund devour a Celestial. Gurdan is nothing now. Our King is on Stage Five. We’re on the verge of domination.”

“And I should be… scared?” Javier blinked.

“You should be kneeling.”

Javier let out a deep sigh.

“Listen,” he said, pointing his sword casually toward Seventh, “you’re a tool. A knife with a loose handle. Your King didn’t send you because you’re reliable—he sent you because you’re expendable.”

“Shut up.”

“Oh, I hit a nerve.” Javier smirked. “You’re just test subjects, right? Enhanced puppets, stripped of your future, used until you break. You think you matter—but you’re just part of the experiment.”

He tapped the side of his head.

“You think I wouldn’t notice? My mana drones already scanned the Human Kingdom. I know all about your enhancements. The mana signatures, the cursed seals, the embedded obedience runes in your brainstem.”

He paused.

“And you wanna know the worst part?”

Seventh clenched his fists.

“You weren’t even designed to win. You were designed to lose. To test Gurdan. To provoke me.”

His twin swords lifted.

“And now? You’ll die here. Not because you’re weak—but because you’re no longer needed.”

Javier’s eyes glowed faintly. The ground under his feet pulsed with his mana.

The 20 Shironii knight puppets shimmered, positioning themselves around the field.

Javier cracked his neck.

“I’ll be generous,” he said, his voice dropping cold and quiet. “Come at me with everything you’ve got.”

“You have sixty seconds to entertain me before I start deleting your existence.”

( End Of Chapter )

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