Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: Chapter 3-1. Black Tree Tribe
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Cain, who had been standing silently at the base of the hill, drew the greatsword he had planted in the ground and charged forward, swinging it with all his might. A red aura bloomed from the blade like a haze, then stretched out with form and mass.
The blade of mana that erupted clashed head-on with the arrow Isabel had loosed. Their powers seemed evenly matched, as the two energies gnawed at each other before vanishing simultaneously.
Cain let out a guttural roar toward Isabel, who was rushing at him.
"Your opponent isn't me."
Isabel leaped into the air, lightly evading Cain's upward slash and stomping down on his shoulder to shove him aside. By the time Cain, staggering and about to fall face-first, turned around, Isabel was already closing in on Quake.
Quake, who had been watching with arms crossed, let out a hollow chuckle at the sight.
"You dare come at me, the chieftain of the Red Bear Tribe, in close combat? Isabel!"
Just in case, he drew a greatsword from his back—one identical in form and weight to Yakal. Even as fellow owners of spirit swords, their specialized abilities differed. Quake had spent his life wielding swords in close-quarters battle, while Isabel had devoted hers to hiding in shadows and loosing arrows. Quake couldn't help but find her abandoning her advantage to charge in ridiculous. He deflected the incoming arrow with the broad side of his greatsword. The mana-infused arrow hit like a massive boulder. And as he swept it aside, Isabel was right in front of him.
"You won't know until you try, right?"
Quake's lips curled into a long grin at the sight of her swinging her bow upward like a club. He brought his sword down to meet it, sending her body floating into the air.
'She's stronger than I thought?'
As the ground fell away, Isabel had already nocked an arrow aimed at him. How fun. So much fun. Was this the sensation of fighting without surrendering to rage? Quake couldn't hide his excitement at the rising thrill.
The defenseless man airborne slashed his greatsword at the incoming arrow. The mana-wreathed blade split it cleanly in two. No sooner had he landed than more arrows flew at him, and Quake realized what Isabel was aiming for.
"Ha! Will our fight end first, or the kids'? Either way, you're at a disadvantage, Isabel!"
"...Where does that confidence come from?"
Isabel looked at Quake in disbelief as he drew up his fighting spirit and unleashed an even fiercer aura. Irritated by his tone of absolute certainty that she would lose, she loosed an arrow. He was blocking well, but for now, she held the initiative in the attack. She infused even more mana into the next one. The sound of it cutting through the air was heavy, its spin tremendous.
Kwa-kwakwakwa!
Quake's eyes widened as he lowered his stance to dodge. He backpedaled, then kicked off the ground into the air. An arrow's strike zone was just a single point. That was its limitation. But the one she had just fired didn't strike a point—it assaulted an entire area.
"Huh?"
He landed and parried the second arrow, but it pushed with enough force to snap his greatsword. He felt his massive frame shoved back, his back slamming into a tree. It felt like his body was sinking into the wood. As he sensed the arrow's power fading and pulled himself free, the same attack was flying at him again.
"Heh, hehahaha!"
Quake gripped the hilt with both hands and swung his greatsword like a baseball bat. A fierce wind pressure erupted from the tip, upturning the earth as it met the incoming arrow.
While Isabel was pressing Quake like that, Judah's group was clashing with Cain. Cain charged, dragging his sword along the ground, clad in armor of garish colors that showed no sense of taste. Red light gleamed from the visor of his helmet. Though unseen, Judah felt his glare.
'Cain!'
Seeing the knight in full plate armor protecting his entire body, helmet pulled low, Judah called out his name. His speed climbing the hill was tremendous. As Cain closed in instantly, Judah extended his left hand to summon Altemia while simultaneously toppling a mantis warrior and wrapping mana around the taedo he had taken as spoils, leaping down the hill with a mighty overhead slash.
'!?'
But Cain evaded Judah's attack. No—he simply passed by it. And in an instant, he closed in on Arhil behind him.
'Is he targeting Arhil?'
He goes for the weakest first. Or does he know she's dangerous if left alive? Stunned by the sight that showed no loss of reason, Judah hurriedly turned. It was too late to chase. Judah looked to Jeanne at Arhil's side.
"Jeanne, block him!"
"Got it!"
Jeanne, clad in beautiful silver armor contrasting Cain's, boldly thrust out her shield and activated her unique skill as a Blue Lancer. It was a technique she had picked up hunting orcs and battling monsters while roaming Regen. A skill used by seasoned Blue Lancers, it amplified the shield's durability and defense two or three times and gradually repaired it over time.
Kwaaaang!
It wasn't a mere clash but an explosive boom. A blue barrier shimmered over the reinforced shield. It shattered on impact, denting the struck portion of the shield, but it held against the fragments and Yakal's strike.
"Urk!"
Even so, Jeanne couldn't fully absorb the shock. She gritted her teeth and dropped to one knee. Thunk—the sound of her striking the ground. Cain's feet hit the earth, and he swung his greatsword relentlessly. Arhil's blessing descended first on Jeanne. She swung her shield wildly to push back the approaching Cain, then thrust her lance savagely. If the tip didn't reach, she quickly withdrew and targeted another spot.
Cain, his reason clouded by rage, deemed the attacks threatening and focused more on evasion than offense, seeking an opening. Just as the 'Bloodwind' skill was about to erupt from his red-mana-wreathed blade, Altemia flew in. Thanks to Jeanne holding out briefly against Cain, Judah could catch up.
"Cain!"
"......"
Naturally, Cain showed no reaction to Judah's call. His eyes twitched at the sight of the man silently retreating then advancing to swing again.
Something was off.
Gabriel—they had come this far with her help, yet here he was, reason devoured by Yakal.
Was she no longer aiding him? Or did she believe he could overcome it himself and was watching?
Then, when Cain died, would Gabriel appear to interfere?
What about Liel?
She and the others who had adventured with Cain—where were they and what were they doing?
No one answered. Cain, his reason eaten by rage, might know, but in this situation, questioning him yielded nothing.
"Ha!"
Judah let out a hollow laugh and watched Cain swing to decapitate him, eyes filled with hostility. His attacks were far more tricky and threatening than when facing the orc tribe before.
Judah deflected Yakal with Altemia in his left hand, then brought down the taedo. The blade slipped smoothly into a crudely patched section, slicing flesh. Blood sprayed from the gap in his armor—had he nicked an artery? Enraged by the wound, Cain roared and swung his greatsword. Bloodwind—the red blade erupted from the sword.
Judah reflexively dodged, but it flew straight toward Arhil. Jeanne, waiting in position, moved in front to block. Kaang—a clear ring, and the blade ricocheted off the shield, slicing a tree stump. Judah's eyes sharpened as he hurled Altemia at Cain.
Kaang!
The first dagger was blocked by Cain's greatsword and embedded in a tree. He dodged the second. Third, fourth, fifth—Judah kept summoning and throwing new daggers. On the eighth, he collided with Cain.
As the fight dragged on, Cain's amplified strength was no joke, but using Arhil's blessing and his strength points high for his level, Judah pushed him toward where Altemia was lodged. Startled by Judah's sudden aggression, Cain faltered without proper response, retreating step by step. In that moment, the scattered Altemias unleashed.
Those embedded in the ground, tree trunks, branches—like landmines, they spewed blood-red energy, stabbing blades into the air from all sides. Rather than dodging the surging blades, Cain swung his greatsword to shatter them. And in that gap, several red lines expanded from the blade of the final Altemia in Judah's hand.
Having suffered it once before, Cain warily retreated. Unfortunately, this was entirely different. With a snap of his wrist as he threw Altemia, the red lines from the blade formed a spiral, rotating like a drill toward him.
"!"
Surprisingly, instead of blocking or evading, Cain gripped Yakal two-handed in a thrusting stance and stabbed at the incoming Altemia.
────!
It met the greatsword's tip precisely, and Cain broke through with sheer power. Watching Altemia bounce away, unable to withstand, Judah was impressed.
As expected of Yakal.
The more the battle continued, the more power it granted its user—a fitting fragment. Judging danger from behind, Jeanne's lance flew at Cain. Seeing the heavy thrust, Judah immediately kicked off the ground to follow.
Cain swept his sword from inside to out, annoyed, batting away the lance. In that instant, Judah slipped into his guard, switching the taedo in his right hand to a reverse grip, and plunged it into Cain's body.
Puk!
Aimed for the heart, but his wild motion sank it into the shoulder. Cain's body reacted instinctively, knee rising toward Judah's gut. Judah stepped back, twisting to evade, and grabbed Cain's right wrist with his left hand.
The cold metal touch came with an immense force from his fingertips. Through Yakal, tremendous power was granted to Cain. Quickly, he summoned Altemia in his right hand. The scattered ones vanished, a new one appearing. He gripped the dagger properly and slashed down hard.
Sensing his arm would be severed if he stayed still, Cain tried to pull back. Judah's left hand clamped tight, palm scraping against the armor's metal. Still, he didn't let go.
'Cut it!'
It was a split-second moment. Faster than Cain could retreat, Altemia severed his right arm gripping Yakal. The taedo from the mantis warrior was deeply embedded in his left shoulder, and blood spurted from the stump as he fell back. Amid the whoosh of blood and rising dust, Cain glared silently at Judah.
"......"
"......"