Slow froze momentarily, his spine tingling with a sudden chill as he targeted Theo.

There was something unsettling about the confident smile on Theo’s face.

Boom!

But by then, the Wolbaek Sword was already carving through the air, creating the image of a dragon’s claw.

Its energy surged past Slow and…

…straight into the ceiling.

The ceiling?

He wasn’t the target?

Slow looked up just in time to see massive cracks spreading across the ceiling above him.

Crack!

And then, it collapsed.

Crash!

“...!”

Slow was buried under a cascade of rubble, like a mole caught in a landslide. Theo chuckled at the sight.

Channeling magic has become much easier, and my power output is incredible.

The transformation from consuming the Essence of Venom had certainly changed his body. If his previous power was a one, he felt like he was now at a solid one-point-five.

Though he hadn’t fully noticed the difference during training, the improvement was undeniable in battle. He could probably hold his ground against even a three- or four-star swordsman now.

The acknowledgment he would receive as a true “swordsman” was within reach.

Not that Theo was anywhere close to being satisfied with that.

“...Theo, you!”

Erika approached, her face full of astonishment.

She was surprised Theo had taken down an enemy that even Selphid and Arin were wary of.

But—

“Step back. It’s not over yet.”

Before Erika could question him, the rubble burst apart.

Boom!

“You bastard!”

Slow emerged, his eyes bloodshot with rage.

His clothes were shredded, and his head was covered in dust, making him look like a complete mess.

Luckily, his sturdy body had prevented serious injuries. But the humiliation of being toyed with by a mere trainee stung deeply.

If my comrades hear about this, they’ll never let me live it down.

“I’m going to kill you…!”

But Slow’s resolve didn’t last long.

From above, below, left, and right, four black dragons made of lightning appeared around him, each baring their claws.

“Huh!”

Slow gritted his teeth and swung his warhammer violently.

It was a secret technique that relied solely on the brute strength of his ancient bloodline.

The Giant’s Mace – Wild Swing.

Crash!

He swung his warhammer in a wide arc, smashing three of the lightning dragons’ heads instantly.

However, the fourth dragon skillfully slipped through his blind spot, slashing his left shoulder.

Swoosh!

“And don’t forget, you’re facing us as well.”

Selphid had closed in on Slow, smirking as he unleashed a series of sword strikes.

On the opposite side, Arin moved in as well.

Front and back.

A rain of sword strikes from both sides!

Linked Sword Technique – Web of Blades.

The attacks were sharp and relentless.

Slow instinctively knew he couldn’t block both attacks at once, so he poured his mana outward, creating a translucent shield to deflect the incoming sword strikes.

Bang!

Swoosh!

Slow seized the brief opening, swinging his warhammer with a force that tore through the air.

“Die!”

Slow’s fighting style was simple—brutally overpower his opponents with raw strength.

Yet, his power alone was enough to crush even skilled warriors.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

But Selphid and Arin weren’t so easily defeated.

They were seasoned fighters, having crossed countless battlefields and danger zones.

Their technique involved not clashing directly with the warhammer but redirecting its force, skillfully exploiting Slow’s openings.

Each time Slow swung the heavy warhammer, its weight left a significant gap in his defenses.

When Slow faced Selphid head-on, Arin would target his blind spots. If he turned to deal with Arin, Selphid would dart behind him to exploit his vulnerability.

The cohesion of their attacks was seamless, like interlocking gears.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

“You sneaky cowards! Fight me properly!”

Slow was fuming.

He had planned to kill the rescue team and rejoin his comrades. Instead, he was forced to fight them, barely able to land any meaningful hits while suffering repeated small wounds himself.

The blood loss was so severe that he was starting to feel dizzy.

“Is there even such a thing as honor in battle?”

Selphid merely snorted.

Slow’s face twisted in frustration.

“If you were real warriors, you’d face me head-on…”

“You can keep your so-called honor.”

“Aren’t you the Dragons of the North? Where’s your pride?”

“We don’t have any. Winning is all that matters.”

“That’s so… barbaric!”

“If you want a fair fight, make it worth our while.”

“What?”

“There’s no reason for us to fight the way you want if we gain nothing from it.”

“What kind of nonsense…”

“Wanting us to follow your rules for free? You must really love handouts.”

Selphid sized up Slow’s bald head, nodding to himself.

“Ah, that explains the bald head.”

“You… are going to regret this!”

Listening to Selphid’s taunts, Slow felt he might just die from sheer frustration. Every word hit him right in his insecurities.

But he was determined to find another way to turn the tide.

Then, he noticed the rubble from the collapsed ceiling.

Use the terrain…!

An idea flashed through his mind, and he raised his warhammer, slamming it into the ground.

Boom!

Dust clouds erupted, obscuring Slow from view.

Swish!

Selphid’s blade sliced through the spot where Slow had been, but he was already gone.

“Damn it!”

Selphid immediately realized Slow’s strategy.

“Arin! Get back!”

“…!”

Arin turned, only to see Slow burst up from the floor like a mole, aiming for her.

“If I take one of you down, this’ll be a lot easier!”

Just as the warhammer was about to shatter Arin’s sword and possibly her skull—

「Shave the bald head.」

“…?”

A random telepathic message sounded in Slow’s ear.

「Oh, can’t shave what’s not there?」

“...!”

Slow’s movements froze momentarily.

The voice was similar to Selphid’s but distinct.

In that brief instant, something solid collided with Slow.

Boom!

“Gah!”

Slow staggered, gasping, as he was flung against the wall.

Thud!

“People say bald men are supposed to be virile. Guess that doesn’t apply to you?”

The one who had sent Slow flying was Theo.

Just before Slow’s warhammer could strike Arin, Theo had rushed in, slamming into him with a shoulder tackle.

Turns out Selphid’s taunts worked better than I thought.

“You…?”

Arin couldn’t understand how such strength could come from Theo’s slender frame.

“This one’s mine.”

“…?”

What did he mean?

“I was already dealing with him.”

“…!”

“So…”

Theo raised the blade of Drake’s Fang high.

“Please don’t interfere with my fight.”

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The sound of a heartbeat filled the room.

The Dragon Heart and his core resonated, the pulsing sound filling the air like a war drum signaling the beginning of battle.

I can find out Balmung’s location if I use this guy.

Theo’s senses sharpened.

「Erika, Holkus. Take the hostages and get out while the senior members and I hold him off!」

He could feel the hesitation from Erika and Holkus, but there was no time to convince them further.

He’s coming!

Crash!

Slow burst out of the ground in front of Theo, his face covered in blood.

“Alright, kid! You’re first—I’m going to crush you!”

Theo’s blade, now crackling with dark lightning, slashed through the air.

The Three Claws of the Dragon.

The first claw struck.

Clang!

Slow flinched as his warhammer was blocked, unable to believe Theo’s strength.

How does a kid this size…?

Theo’s power was beyond Slow’s understanding. Despite his shock, Theo showed no signs of being pushed back.

They’re evenly matched!

But Slow’s surprise wasn’t over.

Theo’s second strike came even faster.

Swoosh!

The second claw went straight for Slow’s throat.

Clang!

Slow barely blocked it, but the impact left a crack in his warhammer.

Then the third claw struck.

The Three Claws of the Dragon – Rupture.

Thunderstorm – Gentle Breeze.

Target: the heart.

Slow swung his warhammer down vertically.

The two weapons crossed, creating a powerful shockwave that pushed both fighters back.

And then—

Thud!

The broken fragments of the warhammer flew through the air.

“…!”

Theo wasted no time, coating Slow’s face in the light of the Wolbaek Sword.

The fourth claw.

Boom!

A black thunderbolt exploded, echoing through the room like a griffin’s roar.

Splat!

Blood sprayed into the air.

Swoosh!

Selphid and Arin struck, unleashing a barrage of sword strikes upon Slow.

Crash! Crash! Crash!

The ceiling collapsed once more, burying Slow under the rubble.

Thud.

An arm protruding from the pile trembled before going limp, a pool of blood spreading out from it.

“Hah… hah… thought I was dead…” Selphid panted, catching his breath.

Slow had been a formidable opponent, tough to handle even for experienced fighters like him.

“Thanks, rookie. You saved us back there.”

“It was nothing,” Theo replied.

“Oh, come on. At least take a bit of credit. Are you sure you’re really a Ragnar?”

“He’s definitely a Ragnar,” Arin said, smiling as she approached.

“Didn’t you hear what he said? ‘Don’t interfere with my fight’—bold as hell.”

“Right? I was impressed,” Selphid added, chuckling.

Theo rubbed his cheek, embarrassed by the praise.

“By the way, where are the hostages? I haven’t seen them around.”

“I asked Erika and Holkus to take them to safety,” Theo answered.

“Smart move. Even if our primary mission was the annihilation of the enemy, rescuing the hostages was still important. You thought that through better than we did.”

Selphid was genuinely impressed with Theo. Having a subordinate who not only did his job well but also anticipated others' needs was a rare gem.

Theo scanned the devastated surroundings.

It seems like we’ve completed the mission, but… wasn’t that a bit too easy?

Not that fighting Slow was easy—he could have died if he’d made a mistake.

But Black Skull’s overall combat strength seemed weaker than expected.

Could they have really been the ones responsible for killing Captain Trainer and his team?

Then, something caught Theo’s eye: a shard from Slow’s shattered warhammer.

Let’s see if this reveals anything.

He picked up the shard and activated his skill.

[Activating “Skill: Hatchling Synchronization” to read residual thoughts embedded in the object.]

This was what Theo had hoped for from the beginning: if he could read the residual thoughts of a high-ranking member, he might find clues about Balmung’s whereabouts and other mysteries surrounding Black Skull.

Slow would have moved all over the fortress. This could save me the trouble of searching the entire place.

However—

Nothing.

No matter how thoroughly he probed Slow’s residual thoughts, there was no sign of Balmung within the fortress.

The Way a Regressor in the Sword Clan Lives