Chapter 43

Weak?

How dare a mere human be so arrogant?

The troll leader's bloodshot eyes darkened further, the veins in them pulsing as rage consumed him. The hatred for the massacre of his kin, combined with the primal fury in his blood, made his entire body tremble.

A blood-red aura erupted from his massive form, rippling with unrestrained fury. Without hesitation, the troll leader swung his enormous stone club with deadly intent.

BOOM!

Rhodes raised his divine axe, meeting the blow head-on.

The impact sent the troll leader staggering back two steps, his feral face twisting in fury. His blood surged, and more veins bulged across his skin. Strange, glowing runes—etched into his body like ancient scripts—began to emerge. His muscles swelled visibly, and his already massive frame grew even larger.

"Bloodline awakening?" Rhodes raised an eyebrow.

Trolls were descendants of the giant clans. Occasionally, one with particularly potent blood would awaken the power of their ancient ancestors, gaining tremendous strength.

So, the leader managed to awaken his bloodline...

But Rhodes only smirked.

"And what of it?" he said, voice dripping with arrogance. "You can awaken all the power you want—absolute strength still wins."

He gripped the divine axe tightly, and the magic of Combo Star continued to build within him, each strike increasing in power. The air around him hummed with violent energy.

---

BOOM!

With a single swing, Rhodes unleashed more than 10,000 tons of force, sending the troll leader flying.

Despite his awakened strength, the troll was utterly overwhelmed. Each time Rhodes struck, his power multiplied, stacking higher and higher with every blow.

The troll leader hit the ground hard, his face contorted in shock and disbelief.

How can a human possess such overwhelming power?

For a moment, the troll leader wondered if Rhodes was truly a human—or perhaps a dragon disguised in mortal form.

---

"Resist!" BOOM!

"Fight back!" BOOM!

"Keep pushing your luck!"

SPLAT!

Rhodes leapt into the air and brought the axe crashing down from above.

The troll leader roared in desperation, raising his shattered stone club to block the strike. But Rhodes's strength was insurmountable—like a mountain crashing down upon him.

CRACK!

The troll leader buckled under the weight of the blow, dropping to one knee. The stone club shattered in his hands, and the axe blade cleaved into his arm, the impact rupturing blood vessels throughout his body.

Blood gushed from his wounds, and the troll's enormous frame trembled violently.

---

"Under the gods, I am invincible. Above the gods, I remain unconquered," Rhodes said coldly, looking down at the troll with disdain.

"A mere troll—not even a saint—dares to challenge me? Who gave you the courage?"

The troll leader lay helpless on the ground, his body broken and bleeding. He no longer had the strength to struggle.

Rhodes calmly raised a foot and pressed it against the troll's head. His eyes, shadowed beneath the harsh light, radiated indifference.

"The game ends here."

With that, Rhodes crushed the troll's skull beneath his boot.

---

The death of the troll leader meant that Rhodes had passed the second of Count Francis's three trials. Only one challenge remained before he could formally claim Princess Aurora's hand in marriage.

"Marrying a princess, huh?" Rhodes mused to himself, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips.

Does this count as marrying into wealth and reaching the peak of life?

Still, Earl Francis was in his prime, with a strong body and plenty of years ahead of him. For the time being, Rhodes could take the princess on adventures and enjoy life outside the palace.

After severing the troll leader's head, Rhodes began his journey back to the castle.

---

At the palace, Count Francis's eyes widened in shock when he saw the troll's head.

Suppressing his excitement, the count cleared his throat and solemnly presented the final trial.

"As expected," Rhodes thought to himself.

---

"For your third and final task, you must defeat the banshee that resides in the Forest of Tranquility," the count explained gravely. "Only by proving your strength against the banshee can you break the curse placed upon my daughter."

The original curse had been cast by a powerful banshee—a cruel enchantment designed to doom Aurora. Only someone strong enough to defeat the banshee could break the curse.

The previous two trials had merely been warm-ups, designed to weed out the weak and eliminate threats to the kingdom. In truth, the banshee was the real challenge.

"The trolls were an unexpected complication," the count admitted. "But... the outcome was perfect nonetheless."

---

"To defeat the banshee, huh?" Rhodes muttered, looking out the palace window.

The sun hung high in the sky, its golden rays radiating warmth even in the crisp autumn air.

It was noon—the very peak of the day—and Rhodes felt his power surging.

"At this hour, with the sun above me... even a god wouldn't stand a chance."

He smirked. This is a guaranteed win.

---

Rhodes left the palace and made his way toward the Forest of Tranquility.

Count Francis watched him go, a mixture of admiration and envy in his eyes.

If only I had such a warrior under my command... the count thought wistfully. Why remain a mere count with someone like him by my side?

---

The path to the forest cut across a small plain, with a river winding through the landscape.

Rhodes galloped across the plain atop his mount, a treasure guardian in the form of a massive hound.

Within minutes, he reached the outskirts of the forest.

With the sun's power coursing through him, Rhodes extended his hand.

"The Sun Without Mercy."

A searing beam of light shot from his palm, incinerating the thorny brambles that blocked the forest entrance. They burned away in an instant, leaving a clear path.

With deliberate, unhurried steps, Rhodes strode into the forest.

---

A thunderous roar echoed through the trees.

Several shadowy beasts burst from the undergrowth, their dark fur glistening with decay. The air was thick with the stench of rot and death.

Rhodes wrinkled his nose. "What a foul place..."

The trees, symbols of life, had been corrupted by death, creating a grotesque fusion of vitality and decay.

Even if the banshee's magic influenced the forest, it shouldn't have mutated everything like this...

This was no ordinary curse. The scale of the corruption suggested the involvement of a demigod—or perhaps something even worse.

---

Rhodes swung his axe, and a wave of sunfire swept through the forest, incinerating the beasts in his path.

Before he could take another step, a massive, demonized eagle swooped down from above, talons outstretched.

Rhodes dodged effortlessly, but the eagle veered away, attempting to escape.

"Oh no, you don't."

Rhodes hurled his divine axe.

The spinning blade glowed with brilliant light, cleaving the eagle in two before embedding itself in the ground below.

---

"Huh?" Rhodes frowned, sensing something strange.

For a brief moment, his connection with the divine axe flickered, as if someone—or something—had interfered.

"The Lord of Hell is stirring trouble, is he?"

Rhodes narrowed his eyes. Who would dare try to tamper with my weapon?

He wasn't particularly worried. The divine axe, Rita, had a spirit of its own and had already bonded with him. No one else could wield it.

But whoever was behind this would regret their foolishness soon enough.

As Rhodes continued deeper into the forest, a shimmering river appeared before him.

Suddenly, a soft light illuminated the water's surface.

---

"Brave warrior, did you drop something?"

A gentle, radiant figure rose from the river, smiling kindly at Rhodes.

Rhodes narrowed his eyes.

"A river god?"

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

Support the Translation! 🌐✨

20 Advanced Chapters are currently available in Patreon, make sure to visit and support our team.

patreon.com/Immortal_author

https://ko-fi.com/immortalauthor

https://discord.gg/KscfBegBPT