[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-knight-from-apprentice-to-the-almighty":3,"chapter-knight-from-apprentice-to-the-almighty-knight-from-apprentice-to-the-almighty-chapter-117":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Knight: from Apprentice to the Almighty",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1847931,2453,"Chapter 117 - 107: Anomaly","knight-from-apprentice-to-the-almighty-chapter-117",117,"\u003Cp>\"Damn it! What the hell is going on?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lor gasped for breath, his chest heaving like a bellows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared fixedly at the bloody scene on the deck, his face grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a veteran Guard for the Black Shell Trading Company who spent his years at sea, he was all too familiar with these Demons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shahua Fishmen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These fish-like Demons that lived in the Deep Sea had always been known for their cunning and brutality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They roamed the shipping lanes in packs, like greedy wolves, preying on passing ships to plunder their wealth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But because they possessed intelligence on par with humans, they had always picked off the easy targets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They would either attack coastal fishing villages or plunder small merchant ships.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Large, well-built merchant ships like those of the Black Shell Trading Company were typically targets they went out of their way to avoid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But today...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Watch your back!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pained scream of his companion snapped Lor back to reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could only watch as another Guard was impaled through the chest by a Fishman’s rusty Fish Spear, blood spraying across the deck in a gruesome arc.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lor let out a furious roar. Ignoring the gash on his left arm—so deep the bone was visible—that was still gushing blood, he raised his Iron Sword and charged forward once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"CLANG!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ringing clash of metal sent a numbing shock through the web of his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His would-be killing blow was effortlessly parried by the Fishman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Damn it! When did these bastards get so strong?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lor cursed under his breath, preparing to fall back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then the Fishman’s scaly, webbed feet slid unnervingly through a pool of blood, its slimy claws leaving a viscous trail across the deck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simultaneously, the Dagger in its hand abruptly changed direction, scraping along the blade of Lor’s sword with a shower of dazzling Sparks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"SCREEECH!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the ear-splitting scrape, the Shadow of death descended. The cold glint of the Dagger filled Lor’s vision, growing larger by the instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Am I going to... die here?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that very moment, a silver flash streaked past like a shooting star.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"SQUELCH!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following the sickening sound of a blade sinking into flesh, the Fishman’s savage expression froze on its face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its scale-covered head slowly tilted, then slammed onto the deck with a heavy THUD, splattering a pool of dark green blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lor stood frozen to the spot. It was only when the familiar figure flicked the blood from his blade that he snapped out of his daze and cried out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lo... Lord Roland?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stay focused!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Roland snapped, his brow furrowed as his gaze swept over the Shahua Fishmen swarming over the gunwale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was stern and steady, carrying an undeniable authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gather the remaining Guards and form a defensive line! I shouldn’t have to teach you basic tactics like these, should I?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But, my lord, you...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Leave this to me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing those resolute words, Lor’s gaze lingered for a moment on Roland’s youthful face, a flicker of doubt crossing his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he quickly recalled Colin’s repeated instructions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This distinguished guest is remarkably powerful. You must treat him with the utmost respect and courtesy. Understand?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that thought, his hesitation vanished completely. He answered with a loud cry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He immediately turned and rushed to the other side of the deck to rally the surviving Guards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Shahua Fishmen, clearly unwilling to let such easy prey escape, shrieked and gave chase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, a Longsword, glinting coldly, barred their path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"CLANG!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the muffled clash of metal, Roland’s wrist dipped slightly. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Not bad Power...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A slight smile touched his lips. The practiced skill granted by his [Short-Handled Mastery] allowed him to flick his wrist, deflecting the blow as smoothly as flowing water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Mithril-forged blade carved a cold arc through the sunlight. Before it, the hard Scales covering the Shahua Fishman’s body were like paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"SLICE!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood sprayed as the Fishman’s burly body was cleaved in two, crashing heavily onto the deck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the death of their kin did nothing to deter the bloodthirsty predators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, the scent of blood only served to fully awaken their savagery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They let out piercing shrieks, gathering in small groups to launch a furious, storm-like assault on Roland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An ordinary person would have been cut down in moments, overwhelmed by such a relentless onslaught.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for the Roland of today, it was nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t even need to use any of his Traits or Combat Skills. Relying on pure physical prowess alone, he precisely reaped the lives of the Demons before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, as he cut down the Fishmen, a peculiar expression flashed in Roland’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Something’s not right...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sensed an anomaly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ordinary Demons, like the goblins, Kobolds, and Gnolls he had encountered in the Black Water Territory...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was rare enough for them to know how to use weapons, let alone possess any actual combat skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most of them fought by wildly swinging their weapons, relying on brute force or speed with no rhyme or reason to their attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Shahua Fishmen before him were completely different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their Fish Spear thrusts were cunning and ruthless, their Dagger slashes swift and precise. Their movements were so practiced they were on par with professionally trained soldiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every strike aimed for a vital point, and their coordination was unnervingly perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’No wonder Lor and his elite Guards couldn’t hold them off... Is this also an effect of the resurgence of Magic Elements?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought had barely crossed Roland’s mind before he dismissed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’No!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As his sword danced through the air, he keenly perceived an even more crucial difference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it was a weak goblin or a powerful Alien Demon, even if they couldn’t understand human language, their eyes always betrayed emotions humans could comprehend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fear, greed, rage, or contempt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the eyes of these Shahua Fishmen remained utterly devoid of emotion from start to finish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only slaughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pure, cold, almost fanatical lust for slaughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if they were being lured, or perhaps, controlled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’This is... strange...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Roland’s brow furrowed, but the Longsword in his hand never faltered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To the hum of his blade slicing through the air, the Shahua Fishmen fell one after another like stalks of wheat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind him, Lor, having rallied the Guards, led them forward to join the fray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Roland leading the charge, the tide of battle quickly turned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Shahua Fishmen’s line broke, and in the blink of an eye, they were driven back to the ship’s edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fewer and fewer enemies managed to climb aboard, unable to keep pace with the speed of Roland’s slaughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the cabin, the panicked distinguished guests finally breathed a sigh of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the portholes, they gazed at the invincible figure on the deck, their eyes filled with awe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet among the admiring gazes, one brown-haired young man stood out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His slender fingers idly plucked at the strings of a Harp, his emerald eyes fixed on Roland, a complex mix of emotions revealed within them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Curiosity, surprise, and a hint of barely perceptible excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just when everyone thought the assault was about to end in victory...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"BOOM!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deep, muffled boom suddenly echoed from beneath the ship, sending a violent tremor through the entire vessel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone on deck lost their footing; several Guards even stumbled and fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sha... sharks! A school of them!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Guard let out a bloodcurdling scream, Roland’s Longsword flashed in a silver arc, slicing the Shahua Fishman before him in half at the waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then snapped his head around, his gaze following the others’ terrified stares.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There, beneath the surface of the sea, several massive Shadows were circling manically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were five great sharks, each over twenty feet long, their pale underbellies flickering in and out of view in the murky depths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They darted back and forth beneath the hull, each pass churning up a murky vortex. They seemed to unerringly find and ram the ship’s most vulnerable points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such tactical coordination was something no ordinary shark could ever achieve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The successive impacts sent the entire merchant ship lurching violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barrels rolled across the deck, crashing with a series of dull thuds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several Guards lost their balance and fell sprawling into the pools of blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cacophony of screams erupted from the cabins as the distinguished guests huddled together in terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hold fast!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lor roared, a noticeable tremor in his voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, a crewman threw open a hatch, poked his head out, and yelled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The hold... The planks in the hold are about to give way!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just at that critical moment, an ethereal song suddenly echoed across the surface of the sea.\u003C\u002Fp>",1455,"2026-06-09T07:01:39.614Z",1,"novelbin.me","8cc79ee2660213d2386f61032ed43cb711366da39c35182e959f5e597c243a5f","knight-from-apprentice-to-the-almighty-chapter-118","knight-from-apprentice-to-the-almighty-chapter-116",216,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fknight-from-apprentice-to-the-almighty-cover.jpg"]