The Retired Supporting Character Wants to Live Quietly-Chapter 197
Chapter 197 – Kirrin’s Black Forest (20)
The dark elf, whose temple and part of his face had exploded, collapsed limply to the side.
Thud—
Silence fell.
The human had done nothing more than lightly brush shoulders with him—and yet, his head had burst.
No one had seen clearly what had happened.
But judging by the bit of blood on Dian’s right hand, it was clear he had struck the dark elf in the head with his fist.
But how?
Even the exceptional vision of the dark elves hadn’t caught the motion—it was that fast.
And to explode a skull with a fist? A human?
Dark elves were a race of heightened instinct and acute intuition.
And without needing a word, they all understood—
This human was dangerously lethal.
Still, the advantage of time was with the dark elves.
The Black Forest at night, with not even the moon overhead—
To human eyes, it was pitch black, nearly absolute darkness.
That last hit had been possible only because the target was standing still. In a real fight, that luck wouldn’t repeat itself.
With that thought, the dark elves sprang into action, attacking Dian from all directions.
But it was a misjudgment.
Dian vanished from sight, and in the next instant, a dark elf flipped through the air.
Dian stomped on the fallen dark elf’s skull from above, crushing it.
Appearing behind them without a trace, Dian made the dark elves flinch back in shock.
“W-what the hell?!”
Something was off.
That human should be virtually blind in this darkness.
How had he circled behind them without a sound?
But the dark elves had no time to reflect.
Dian vanished again.
“GAAAAH!!”
Another scream rang out, this time from the opposite side.
The unlucky dark elf caught by Dian had his arm shattered to pieces, now dangling limply as he fell to his knees, clutching it.
“He’s cloaked! That bastard’s using stealth!”
At someone’s shout, the eyes of the dark elves lit up with red glow.
Detection ability.
A unique racial trait honed for locating traps and hidden threats during infiltration.
And yet, no matter how they searched—
Dian, who must have been hidden somewhere, was nowhere to be seen.
Naturally so.
Dian wasn’t using stealth in the first place.
He was simply moving in explosive bursts so fast he slipped out of visible range entirely.
That’s why, no matter how hard the dark elves scoured the area with glowing eyes, they couldn’t find him.
“Shit! He’s above!!”
One of them shouted.
Dian came leaping down from the towering trees of the Black Forest.
His entire body crackled with aura, descending like a blazing meteor.
As he crashed down on top of a dark elf, the shockwave exploded outward, sending the rest tumbling.
“Regroup! Don’t scatter! Stay together!”
Amid the storm of swirling leaves, the leading dark elf shouted in a panic.
“We can’t take him one-on-one! Form a defense around—”
A chilling, indescribable sensation cut him off mid-command.
No one was responding.
Not a single dark elf moved to regroup.
No way…
As the swirling leaves settled, the dark elf’s mouth dropped open.
The comrades who had just been alive moments ago were now scattered across the ground—lifeless.
No… in that short moment… he wiped them all out…?
“What the…?!”
A thread flew in and coiled around the dark elf’s neck.
Sharian sprinted like lightning, pulled the thread taut, and drove her knee into his back, yanking the thread with both hands.
“Grgh…”
As the dark elf died, Sharian shoved him aside without a second thought and turned to Dian.
“Thanks for the help. You were amazing.”
“Not at all.”
“KIRRIN!!!”
Zakrion came barreling in, foaming at the mouth, and grabbed Dian by the collar.
“Where is Kirrin?!?!?!?!?! KIRRIN!?!?@#!”
“She’s over there.”
Dian pointed.
Behind a tree, Kirrin was peeking out, just her head showing.
“KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!”
Zakrion, throwing aside his pride, stumbled and tottered over, grabbing Kirrin by the shoulders.
“You’re safe!! Do you know how worried I was?! I thought that lunatic Nishira might’ve…!”
Realizing how blatantly he’d just exposed his true feelings, Zakrion quickly pulled back from Kirrin.
“Ahem.”
“It’s alright. Dian protected me.”
Kirrin smiled as she looked at Zakrion.
“Anyway… what about Drebren?”
“Gasp! Brother might be in danger too! Nishira’s top priority is him!”
“We have to go—now!”
# # #
“Brother Drebren. What’s all this?”
Baltar said with a smirk.
“To think the number one candidate for clan chief would be in such a pathetic state.”
“Baltar.”
Drebren, bleeding and down on one knee, responded.
“Look behind you.”
Behind Baltar lay the aftermath of the brutal battle.
Bodies broken, crushed, and scattered—those who had fallen to Drebren’s iron trident.
And yet, many dark elves still remained.
The children of the wives Nishira had carefully recruited and fostered over the years.
Just yesterday, many of them had spoken with Drebren like nothing was amiss.
Drebren understood now—this was the limitation of the dark elf race.
A shadowed people, incapable of trust, always scheming behind each other’s backs.
They couldn’t even imagine a normal succession of leadership. Instead, they relied on archaic customs like Karsal. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
Only bloodshed would accomplish anything. In such a culture, dialogue had no place.
Not the deceiver, but the deceived was to blame.
They would draw cold blades even against those of mixed blood.
No wonder, in their long, winding history, not once had a clan left the Black Forest.
A people who would stab even their own kin in the back. Who in the world would trust a dark-skinned, pointy-eared devil?
Maman had believed dark elves could change.
But look, Maman. Aside from your children—no one else has changed.
The moment Father began neglecting the clan, lost in longing for you—They pounced like vultures, spilling blood among themselves.
“What are you thinking? Have you already given up?”
Baltar looked down on the silent Drebren and scoffed.
“Looks like you’re not fit to lead the clan after all.”
“That remains to be seen.”
Drebren rose, using the trident as a cane.
Once this is over, Nishira and her co-conspirators must all be executed.
Not only was there no formal Karsal, but letting this go would destroy the clan’s hierarchy.
Even if hardly any survivors remained afterward, it couldn’t be helped.
More importantly… may my siblings be safe.
“You’re getting up?”
Baltar chuckled and spun his dagger.
“Are you really alright?”
“You want me to stay down? Running out of steam already?”
“Perish the thought. I only say this out of concern, Brother. You’re pale—like one of those white-wood elves.”
Though he couldn’t see his own face, Drebren knew Baltar wasn’t exaggerating.
He’d been deeply slashed in the thigh and elsewhere, losing a great deal of blood.
His hands and feet were going cold, and waves of dizziness washed over him.
Even if he killed Baltar, the remaining traitors would still be a problem.
“Let’s end this, Brother.”
Baltar said.
“I’ll send you off peacefully—as if you were falling asleep.”
He turned his head.
“Bring the poisoned needles.”
But no one answered.
There were no followers—only a man standing alone, holding a small bundle.
Judging by his appearance, he wasn’t a dark elf. He looked human.
A human? In the Black Forest?
Maybe someone they’d abducted for a contract.
Like that human woman they once called Maman.
If so, no need to care.
But where the hell were his men?
“Bring the needles! Where are they?!”
“That’ll be difficult.”
The man threw the bundle forward.
“They ended up like this.”
The cloth rolled across the ground—stopping at Baltar’s feet.
It was the severed head of a dark elf.
Baltar instantly dove to avoid the man’s attack.
But the man was faster.
He grabbed Baltar’s ankle midair and slammed him into the ground.
“Urgh!”
Baltar struggled to free himself—But the man’s grip was too strong.
A human… with this much strength?!
“Baltar.”
Drebren, staggering over, raised his trident.
If he didn’t dodge this, he would die!
“W-wait! Brother! Please hear me out! This was all my mother’s doing!”
Baltar flailed and shouted.
“She was the one who told me to guide Morkan here! She ordered me to strike you—it was all her!”
“Morkan… is here?”
Drebren hesitated.
Baltar inwardly rejoiced.
“Yes! He must be with Father by now! Let me lead you—”
Drebren’s trident crushed Baltar’s skull.
“Brother!”
“Drebren!”
Sharian, Zakrion, and Kirrin rushed over to support the staggering Drebren.
“I’m glad… you’re all safe… Thank you, Professor Dian.”
“Don’t mention it. But are you alright? You’re covered in wounds.”
Drebren’s black robes were soaked in blood. His face had gone pale.
Still, he didn’t collapse. He leaned on his siblings’ shoulders and stood.
“I’m fine. Even if I’m not… I must move. Father…”
“Brother!”
Drebren collapsed to his knees.
“Morkan… Morkan is here…”
“Gasp!”
At that name, both Sharian and Zakrion gasped.
“Professor Dian… forgive me, but I must ask one favor… My siblings can’t stand against Morkan. And I… not in this state…”
“Don’t explain.”
Dian waved a hand.
“I’ll go to Nemara.
You stay and get treated. If you move in this condition, you’ll die.”
“Thank you… I owe you…”
“Pay me back later. Today’s going to be busy.”
With those words, Dian sprinted off toward Nemara’s quarters.
