Landlord World - Start with SSS talent-Chapter 232: I am a Lord

Noan frowned, feeling that this Challenge was becoming increasingly bizarre. However, he didn't care. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

He would complete the mission if the reward were great enough. As for everything else... sorry, he had no interest in paying attention.

"The Ice Core?" Noan murmured as he leapt onto the roof of a watchtower, surveying the entire fortress.

Snow was everywhere. Howling winds carrying thick flurries of snow limited his visibility.

Even so, Noan could still tell that this fortress was enormous—at least the size of a small city, around 150 square kilometers.

In the distant background stood a towering mountain, its peak hidden from sight. At its base lay a massive castle, easily over two hundred meters tall.

'That seems like the most suspicious place,' Noan thought.

He used teleportation magic and instantly appeared before the gates of the castle.

But upon arriving, he realized there were people here—only... they were frozen.

That's right. In front of the castle gates stood two knights guarding the entrance. They were clad in heavy black armor engraved with the symbol of a bird seemingly formed from ice.

However, Noan could see that their bodies had already decayed considerably, with many parts revealing bone underneath.

Perhaps due to the freezing temperature, the decomposition process had been slowed drastically.

But the strange thing was... why were they still standing here?

Exactly—if a disaster had struck, the guards would usually flee. Why were they still here?

Noan thought of one possibility: they hadn't had time to escape.

It was as if the snow and ice had come so swiftly that they were frozen before they could even react.

Judging by their standing posture, Noan believed his speculation was at least 90% correct.

Noan looked toward the castle gate, encased in thick ice. He chose the same method as before—

Using a space orb to break through it.

However, just as he raised his hand, something came hurtling toward him at an incredible speed.

Of course, Noan sensed the danger approaching. Yet he didn't turn around. Instead, he swung his arm and accurately caught the object flying at him.

Smash!

Noan lifted the object to examine it. It was an arrow, inscribed with strange, magical runes that flickered with light.

At that moment, the runes began to glow even more intensely, and then...

BOOM!

The arrow exploded, the blast carrying a destructive force on par with a grenade.

In the distance, inside a small, enclosed room within a watchtower, a shadowy figure stood—cloaked in white with a hood drawn low.

The mysterious figure held a longbow in hand, eyes fixed on the spot where the explosion had just occurred. However, due to the smoke and snow scattering from the blast, they couldn't see any trace of Noan.

A sense of unease seemed to creep into the figure's mind. They reached for another arrow from the quiver, not hesitating to nock it and draw the bowstring tight.

The arrow was aimed directly at the site of the previous explosion, and then—

Whoosh!

The arrow launched, shooting toward the distance at a terrifying speed.

BOOM!

Another explosion echoed out, sending even more dust and snow flying.

"Ah! Your arrows can explode like that?"

"Heh?!" Suddenly, a voice rang out from behind, startling the mysterious figure.

They turned around to see Noan standing behind them, the overwhelming sense of danger flooding their mind.

"A woman?" Although the figure was cloaked entirely in white, Noan could easily discern that she was a woman.

In an instant, she regained her composure. With a quick motion of her hand, she flung a sparkling powder—like glittering stardust—straight at Noan's face.

Whoosh!

However, the powder halted just ten centimeters away from him, unable to advance further due to a spatial protection circle surrounding his body.

"Tsk!" the woman clicked her tongue in frustration, leaping swiftly onto the windowsill and diving outside.

But Noan was far faster. The Abyss Cube in his hand transformed into a chain that pierced through the swirling folds of space.

"What?!"

The woman had just leapt out of the room and was suspended in mid-air when she witnessed the scene before her—utterly shocked.

'Damn it! He possesses the Space talent,' she thought silently, heart pounding.

But it was already too late.

A spatial vortex opened above her, and from it, a chain shot out with blinding speed, coiling tightly around her body.

"Damn it!" she hissed, spinning her body as her cloak flared out, perfectly shielding her from the incoming chain.

But the moment she landed—

A shadow appeared right in front of her.

Noan swung his leg, kicking the girl.

BAM!

The kick landed straight in her stomach, flying over twenty meters backward, crashing into a pile of snow.

The pain was so intense she could only clutch her stomach, lying helplessly in the snow, her teeth clenched tight as it felt like her insides had just exploded.

Noan liked beautiful women, but he wasn't a fool. That girl had tried to kill him earlier—every arrow had been aimed at vital points, and even carried explosive magic.

If he were just an ordinary Lord, he would've already been dead by now, reduced to a pile of minced flesh.

From the moment she tried to kill him, he had considered her an enemy. And if she were an enemy, then mercy was not an option.

The girl struggled to get up but couldn't—her stomach pain overwhelming.

'Damn it! Why is he so fast? And… why didn't my magic barrier block his attack?' she wondered silently.

But she didn't have time to think further—Noan was already standing before her.

Now, Noan could see her face.

She wasn't human, but an Elf girl, with the race's signature long ears and shoulder-length golden hair.

Her face bore the striking, proud beauty typical of the Elven kind—a Western sharpness mingled with elegance.

Her blue eyes were like still lakes, drawing Noan's gaze in.

She was stunning.

Only slightly less beautiful than Vylyss, but she possessed a unique presence—something distinctly different from Vylyss.

"What's your name?" Noan frowned, asking.

The Elf girl snorted disdainfully, lips tightly sealed.

BAM!

"PFF!!!"

She spat out a mouthful of fresh blood as Noan kicked her in the stomach again.

This time, the kick was weaker—he didn't intend to kill her.

After all, this place felt like a dead world—now that he had encountered someone still alive, he wanted her to live, at least long enough to gather some information.

"Don't test my limits. My patience runs very thin," Noan said, his voice icy cold and filled with killing intent.

"You…" the girl growled through clenched teeth, refusing to speak.

Seeing this, Noan sighed. "Ah! If you won't talk, I have no reason to keep you alive."

The chain formed from the Abyss Cube shot into his hand and instantly transformed into a sword.

The girl was startled at the sight, her eyes filled with disbelief as she stared at Noan.

And when she saw him raise the sword without a hint of hesitation—aiming it straight at her head and bringing it down—

She suddenly panicked.

Faced with death, her courage crumbled, and she shouted, "Wait!"

Whoosh!

"Hm…" The girl flinched as the blade stopped less than five centimeters from the back of her neck.

The gust of wind generated by the sword's swing brushed past her nape, sending a chill down her spine.

"I don't have much time," Noan said.

The girl swallowed hard, then stammered, "I… my name is… Monica."

"You're an Elf, aren't you?" Noan asked with a frown.

He found it a bit strange. After all, this space only allowed Lords to enter. Lords couldn't bring in their Heroes or Soldiers.

And yet, an Elf girl had appeared here. It made no sense.

"I… I'm not entirely an Elf," Monica said. "I… I am a Lord."