The Butcher of Sargon (LoL x Arknight Fanfiction)

Having visited the scorching Hotlands once before, Garde was reluctant to return. 

It was mainly due to the powerful enemies within the Hotlands. 

A single misstep could mean death or losing himself to rage. 

However, the enemies in his eyes didn't include the trash on the outskirts!

Bang! 

Garde took the disaster beast's head-on collision, swinging his axe to strike one of its horns. 

The tough horn bore a huge gash, nearly snapping. 

The force of the blow staggered the beast. 

Seizing the opportunity, Garde grabbed the beast's horn and lifted it.

No matter how powerful, once off the ground, it was a lamb to the slaughter.

Bang! Bang! 

The sandcastle was swarming with beasts the size of sheep and cattle. 

The operators fought while retreating, barely climbing onto two vehicles. 

Saria stood at the front, her Arts covering all the operators, helping them fend off the beasts.

The ones entering the Hotlands were elite operators from Rhine Lab. 

They had experience from battles against mercenaries and even participated in the Columbian-Bolivarian territorial wars. 

The sheer number of beasts emerging from the ground was overwhelming, but with Garde holding off the biggest threat, the Rhine Lab operators organized themselves and aimed to reclaim all the vehicles. 

The convoy's supplies were on those vehicles, and without them, the two vehicles' supplies wouldn't sustain them until the mission's end. 

Of course, if they died before that, it wouldn't matter.

Boom!

Garde slammed the disaster beast to the ground, crushing smaller beasts underneath. 

If the beasts attacking the operators were ordinary cattle and sheep, then the one attacking Garde was a heavy truck! 

But to Garde, a prey was a prey, regardless of size.

The sandcastle, built for rain protection, was shattered by Garde's blows. 

Cold rain poured in, drenching Garde instantly.

Roar—

The disaster beast, rising from the ground, issued a low growl as Garde approached. 

The growl seemed to emanate from its belly rather than its throat since the beast had no head. 

Its face was a blurred mess at the neck, with horns growing from its shoulders.

In response to the beast's growl, Garde answered with his massive axe. 

The four-meter-tall beast clashed with the two-meter-tall Garde, but it was the beast that retreated under Garde's relentless attacks. 

Garde could even jump and strike, smashing the headless body into the ground.

The only commendable trait of the beast was its toughness; even Garde couldn't kill it quickly.

More and more small beasts poured out, and as the Rhine Lab operators reclaimed their vehicles and climbed aboard, Saria stood at the rear, shouting.

"Garde!"

"You guys go first!"

Just as Garde finished speaking, another massive beast broke through the ground, trying to launch Garde into the air. 

Garde twisted his body, and at the moment the second beast lifted its head, he brought his great axe down. 

Cold blood splattered all over Garde.

"Garde, calm down. Now is not the time for fighting," Someone said.

Savoring the scent of blood in the air, Garde resisted the urge to stay and kill the two beasts. 

Instead, he turned and ran toward where the Rhine Lab vehicles had driven off.

Sometimes Garde wondered if it would be more enjoyable not to follow the Rhine Lab team into the Hotlands. 

This was beyond question. 

For Garde, although the Rhine Lab operatives could be somewhat helpful, except for Saria who was strong, the others, including Carnelian, were just burdens.

For instance, now Garde could have fought to the end and killed the two beasts, but instead, he had to turn away to protect the Rhine Lab operatives. 

It was like being in the middle of a jungle fight and then realizing all your teammates were signaling for help.

However, Garde had no complaints because this was the path he had chosen. 

The path between his human side and beastly instincts. 

He needed something to tether himself, to prevent him from completely succumbing to his thirst for blood and battle. 

But now, it didn't seem to be working so well.

As he reluctantly left the two wounded beasts behind, his slightly blood-red eyes scared them into an abrupt halt.

"Garde, are you okay?" Saria, waiting at the back of the convoy, sighed in relief as she saw Garde breaking free from the beasts.

"I'm fine. How could I not be?" Garde grinned, the sight of blood in his gums causing Saria to tighten her grip on her shield. 

But upon closer inspection, Garde looked no different than usual.

"Saria, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Saria suppressed the strange feeling in her heart as she saw Garde had already rushed to the front of the convoy. 

Without Garde leading the way, the convoy would take many detours. 

It was nighttime, and they wouldn't have moved if the camp hadn't been attacked.

Fortunately, the convoy soon found a temporary spot to stay. 

With Carnelian's help, a new camp was quickly set up. 

To prevent a repeat of the earlier attack, Saria reinforced the ground, refining the calcium below the camp. 

This way, beasts from underground wouldn't threaten them.

Everyone was exhausted from the previous ordeal, but some had to stay on watch.

"Marlon, Duke, Willy, Gavin, you four guard three sides of the sandcastle with me. The others rest. Danny, Charles, Bart, Benson, you'll take over in four hours. Clester…"

Orders were given systematically, and almost everyone received their tasks. 

But someone noticed something.

"Director Saria, aren't you going to rest tonight?"

"No," Saria shook her head. "I'll keep watch tonight. I rested during the day."

In fact, Saria hadn't rested well during the day due to the rain and the humid environment. 

Continuous use of Arts had also strained her. 

But she wouldn't say this because she knew someone else was more exhausted. 

Garde faced far more than she did and needed rest the most.

"Garde, I can take over for you temporarily. You know I'm much stronger than you think. Going without sleep for a few days is nothing to me."

"Alright." Garde shrugged. 

If something happened, he would wake up immediately. 

This time, he didn't choose to lie by the window, keeping some distance from Saria. 

He admitted he liked Saria a bit, but he already had two partners and couldn't afford to indulge more.

As Garde closed his eyes, his bloodthirsty desires slowly diminished with his sinking thoughts.

Seeing where Garde lay down, Saria couldn't help but recall the scene from last night when Garde lay beside her. 

She wasn't blind; she had noticed Garde's secret glances. 

His gaze made her feel a bit lost.

If he couldn't sleep, he could just chat with her. Why steal glances?

Because Garde hadn't slept at all the previous night, Saria wanted him to rest more. 

But seeing him so far away made her feel uneasy.

Hmm? Why was she feeling this way?

Saria sighed softly, leaning against the window, watching the lightning and thunder outside, unusual weather for a desert. 

She took out a pack of compressed biscuits, deformed from being squeezed, tore open the bag, and ate the biscuits. 

Such food, only meant to fill the stomach, was never tasty, regardless of the era.

Drowsiness hit, and Saria forced herself to stay awake. 

With no entertainment devices, she could only listen to the continuous rain and the occasional roars of beasts.

Time ticked away. Saria didn't notice one operative dozing off from exhaustion. 

At the window he was supposed to guard, another operative yawned, about to wake his colleague. 

Just as he turned his head, a large mouth appeared out of nowhere.

Warm blood splashed on the face of the dozing operative, waking him. 

He looked up to see a pair of lantern-sized eyes staring directly at him.

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