Chapter 107
Chapter 107
-----------------------------------------------------------------
>Translator: Lord First
>Chapter: 107
>Chapter Title: The Final Clash
>-----------------------------------------------------------------
*
He reads the future. To be precise, he perceives danger within the next five seconds.
Thus, in this moment, Ignac could fight like a seasoned superhuman clad in neural acceleration. After all, no matter how fast an attack, if you saw it coming, you could react.
Therefore, his body grew faster and faster, brimming with black mana. He was becoming more refined.
A sharp sword strike aimed for his neck—deflected.
Another thrust at his chest—parried.
A fire spell aimed at his head—dodged with a tilt of his head.
A powerful axe blow from behind—glanced off his shoulder guard.
-Clang! Screeeech!!
Even against four, he wasn’t pushed back. In fact, he was overwhelming them. With greater strength, with more ferocious mana. The kids before him were still green to begin with, and they were even injured.
All four of them were battered and panting, like candles about to flicker out. With every passing moment, they struggled, throwing their all into the fray.
But a candle always burns brightest just before it’s extinguished.
-Crack—!!
The first clean hit landed. It was an axe blade, falling from an angle he had perceived but could not evade.
Ignac fought back the bile rising in his throat and swung his staff.
-Smash!
But he was stopped. The furious orc warrior’s powerful strike was blocked by two fighters. Isabelle and Oskar. They intercepted the attack aimed at Esidis with perfect, measured coordination.
And then, the next blow landed.
-Fwoosh— Boom!
A fireball shot toward Ignac’s head. He tried to twist away, but it was impossible from his current position. Even though he’d seen it coming, he couldn’t move further with his staff caught as it was.
“Grraargh—!! You brats—!!”
Bloody foam frothed at Ignac’s lips. He was so furious his vision blurred.
The more he fought, the more he understood. Because he could see the future, his understanding was all the clearer.
These brats were growing more precise with every passing moment. Even with bodies that looked ready to collapse at the slightest touch, they gritted their teeth and refused to stop, despite the pain tearing through them.
One would throw themselves forward to protect a comrade, while another pushed themselves to the limit to support the one who advanced.
-Boom—!!
And as the ones in front absorbed the full force of Ignac’s strength, another would land a blow. From an angle impossible to dodge despite knowing it was coming, and at a speed difficult to react to.
And so, their ‘neural acceleration’ was being honed, growing faster and sharper.
Isabelle’s time limit had long since passed. Her overloaded nerves were frayed, as if they could snap at any moment. But she didn’t stop. One more step forward, one more strike.
*No one will die before me today. I won't let that happen.*
Isabelle's blue eyes shone like a cluster of stars. Not even the pain could cloud her perception. Her blade finally sliced deep across Ignac’s side.
-Slice!
Blood scattered into the air. Since everyone’s perception of time was extremely accelerated, it looked like a gliding wave. It reflected the campfire’s light as it soared into the night sky.
Ignac’s stance faltered. Was this it? No, not yet. His strength wasn't completely spent yet.
“Grrrrrr!!”
Ignac roared in fury, spitting bloody foam as he swung his arm at Isabelle.
The difference in physical prowess between an orc and a human was so vast it was almost unfair to compare; they could land dozens of clean hits on Ignac and still struggle to kill him, while a single blow from him could end any of their lives.
So, as Isabelle’s posture broke after her attack, she simply smiled at the sight of Ignac’s massive fist hurtling toward her.
“I… protected them!”
She had kept her promise. The promise that no one would die before her.
She had protected her comrades. With that blow, she had broken his stance, and by taking his counterattack, she knew her comrades would finish the job.
Her only regret was not being able to confirm the old man’s safety.
*Please be alive. Please be safe and sound.* Just as she thought this and prepared to close her eyes…
-Claaaang!!
A blade slipped between them, pushing Ignac’s fist away. Oskar gritted his teeth as he saw his own right hand, the one gripping the sword, twist at an unnatural angle.
“You fool! You should have attacked instead of saving me!”
“But I did save you, didn’t I?”
With this, Oskar was out of the fight. In truth, he should have been out long ago. At Isabelle’s shocked cry, Oskar let his arms hang limp, smiled faintly, and collapsed to his knees.
Ignac’s eyes gleamed. Once more, this time he would land a decisive blow—.
-Crack—!!
“Kuh-heok!!”
Seizing that moment, an axe slammed into his back.
-Craaash—!!
As he staggered back, a massive chunk of ice came down on his head like a hammer.
And then.
-Swiiish.
From the darkness, a blade carrying the light of the stars swam gracefully. Golden hair billowed and flowed, and beneath it, an arm holding a sword swept along the ground as smoothly as a wave.
Isabelle, who had regained her footing in that fleeting opening, ducked low and drove her blade forward. The backs of both his knees were sliced open. Blood gushed out, and Ignac’s stance wavered violently.
He knew. He had seen all of these attacks beforehand!
But he couldn’t reach them. Death was approaching. Ignac’s trembling hand reached for the ground, trying to lift his staff—
-Thud!
His vision shook, and his body slumped to the ground. *Huh?* He turned his head and saw that his forearm, which had been propping him up, was now flying through the air.
Esidis, axe in hand, was looking down at him as she readied her stance again.
With his balance gone, a fireball slammed into his head. His vision went black, and a loud ringing filled his ears. The impact must have rattled his brain, as his sense of balance was completely skewed. Ignac vomited onto the ground.
-Splurt—!!
And on his back, a sword plunged straight down.
Ignac’s body twitched and then went still. It was over. He could no longer move.
He let out a ragged breath and slowly lowered his head.
“Tumor. Guide me to the plains….”
Ignac coughed up a mouthful of blood and muttered.
“If, if we too have a heaven, a heaven… Brothers. Brothers. Let us fight… forever….”
With eyes that had lost their light and turned a milky white, he struggled to look up. He saw the four people surrounding him. Above them, the moon shone brilliantly, and a cluster of stars refused to be dimmed by its light.
The Hero.
Ignac could trace their faces in his old memories. Yes, they resembled those accursed ones… so much. How could I not have realized it?
Hate surged within him,
yet a deep sense of satisfaction settled in his chest.
He had crossed swords with the Hero. He had fought to the very end and fallen like a warrior.
May Tumor not be ashamed of this day’s defeat. For you, too, were once vanquished by the Hero.
Ignac slowly closed his eyes. They would not open again.
Blood soaked deep into the ground.
*Crackle, pop.*
The sound of the campfire comforted the silence that followed the frantic battle.
*
“We… won…”
“Anyone hurt?”
“Me.”
“Me too.”
“Do you even have to ask?”
Oskar chuckled and shook his dangling arm.
“Just kidding. I feel like I'm going to die. It really hurts.”
“To think a Knight of Tyles would say that.”
“Knights are people too, you know. With both arms broken, I honestly want to cry, but I’m too exhausted to even shed a tear.”
“For the record, I’m shedding tears and blood at the same time, so I can barely see. This must be what sacrifice is. Grikhenkos has always sacrificed for humanity, after all.”
“Every time I talk to you, I feel like I’m learning a history I never knew. I even hear things that don’t sound like they’re from our world.”
“That’s just being human. Short on learning. Typically, both your lifespans and your learning are on the short side.”
Isabelle chuckled at Elfihera’s words and staggered to her feet.
“Bella…? Where are you going?”
“I have to go find the old man. Who knows where he’s collapsed somewhere. *Sigh*. I wonder if he’s even alive.”
Isabelle shrugged and took a step. Before she had even taken three, she found herself slumping to the ground against her will.
Esidis, who had approached her side without her noticing, was supporting her by the arm.
“Ah, thanks.”
“Don’t mention it. I have the same reason. Should we look together?”
“The old man?”
“Yeah, my uncle. I’m worried. He’s family, you know.”
“Faaamilyy??”
Esidis gave Isabelle’s questioning gaze a mature smile.
Just as even Elfihera was debating whether she should get up, and Oskar had given up and remained seated…
*Step.*
The sound of footsteps rang out clearly.
“There’s no need for that.”
…came a voice that was somehow,
a bit familiar.
And therefore, a bit unsettling.
“Huh…?”
Isabelle was the first to react. She stared straight ahead with a dazed look. Her vision was blurry, but she could make out the approaching shadow.
She lifted a trembling hand to rub her eyes, then focused again on what was in front of her….
And she saw.
She saw.
“Old man…?”