Chapter 287
Chapter 287
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 287
Chapter Title: Total Assault (1)
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[Adeshan. Danger.]
"Agh...!"
Adeshan clutched her forehead against the sudden headache. That woman's voice echoed in her mind once more. It was the first time it had intruded during such a high-focus situation.
"So what exactly is more dangerous in this situation...!"
She muttered to herself without realizing it. As expected, no answer came. By now, it was starting to piss her off. This wasn't the time to be receiving vague warnings. Shouts, screams, and frenzied roars erupted sporadically from various points across the battlefield.
"Bring more dilution solution! Don't scatter it—focus on one spot!"
"Blow them away in one shot. Request support bombardment from the Magic Tower right—"
Boom! The soldiers' conversation besieging the fortress was swallowed by the explosion. A spear of light had struck dead center in their formation, exploiting a blind spot. As the smoke cleared, chunks of mangled flesh came into view.
"Damn it...!"
"M-My leg! My leg!"
Pained screams rang out. Defensive magic activated instantly, enveloping them overhead. Bang! Bang! Spears of light rained down one after another, exploding against the barrier.
No further damage occurred, but that single surprise strike had already claimed dozens of casualties. A soldier who had barely survived pointed at the sky and shouted.
"Up there! Three of them right above us!"
Adeshan looked up. Just as the soldier said, three artificial giants were preparing to hurl their spears in turns. She drew her crossbow, aimed at the nearest one, and pulled the trigger.
"Fall."
Positioned in the rear, the distance was far, but it didn't matter. The bolt shot out in a straight line and struck the artificial giant between the eyes. Crack! The arrowhead, forged with Ronan's blood, burrowed deep into the giant's brain and detonated.
The giant, with the top of its forehead gone, plummeted powerlessly. Adeshan reloaded swiftly and fired two more shots in succession.
Thud! Thud! Both hit between the eyes and the temples. With small explosions, the falling giants crashed against the barrier and bounced off. The soldiers cheered at the godlike sniping skill.
"The commander got 'em! Hooray!"
"We're not at a disadvantage at all! Push forward!"
The emboldened allied forces charged. Adeshan was refining her strategy once more when a soldier shouted urgently.
"C-Commander!"
"Hm?"
Adeshan whipped her head around, her eyes widening. A man cloaked in Star's Grace was charging at her, dagger gripped in reverse grip.
"You're the head, huh? Die!"
He was an assassin from the cult who had slipped out of the fortress. The man, who led the southeast branch, had been picking off allied officers one by one. Adeshan bit her lip.
"Tch...!"
"In the name of the great Star!"
It was too late to dodge. As she hastily tried to seize his mind, Rumble! The ground swelled, and a stone wall erupted between her and the assassin. The startled assassin spat curses.
"Damn it, what the—"
The moment he tried to retreat, a rock shaped like a giant hand seized him. Crunch! The sounds of crushing and bursting echoed simultaneously.
"Gahk!"
A thick glob of blood sprayed from the assassin's open mouth. Instant death, no doubt. Bang! Bang! As his body was flung like a flail, dozens more rock hands surged up. A voice came from behind the stunned Adeshan.
"You alright?"
"P-Professor Jarodin?"
Adeshan gasped. A gaunt man stood there with hands in his pockets. It was Professor Jarodin of the Imperial Phileon Academy, whom she knew well. He spoke in a dry tone.
"As that fool said, you're one of the alliance's staff officers. I think you should fall back a bit further."
"...Thank you."
"No problem."
Adeshan bowed her head. Jarodin turned away and snapped his fingers. Groan! The massive rock hands moved freely, blocking the giants' attacks or pounding the fortress walls.
"...Incredible."
Adeshan marveled. The magic's power was impressive, but casting such large spells repeatedly with almost no mana waste was astonishing. He'd always holed up in his lab, so she'd underestimated him, but he truly was a tower mage of the Full Moon Magic Tower.
Cracks were forming in the fortress's ironclad Star's Grace. The cult's followers fired arrows and spells in resistance, but it couldn't halt the alliance's tidal wave.
The total assault was proceeding as fiercely as expected. The alliance had committed nearly all forces except minimal reserves, hammering the gates of the nine fortresses. They were checkpoints that had to be passed to reach the Pale Castle where Iril and the cult leader were.
"These ignorant fools...!"
"Hold out until the Archbishops arrive!"
Nebula Klazie's followers waged desperate resistance against the alliance. With the artificial giants being a pain and quite a few bishops and branch leaders among them, it wasn't easy to break through.
But if asked if the situation favored the alliance? Absolutely not. The blade honed for so long was doing its job.
Only one thing nagged at her. Adeshan muttered.
"But... where the hell are all the Archbishops?"
****
"Just... ordinary."
Ronan spat it out bluntly. Even after finishing the ritual and slicing a few monsters, he felt no tangible change. His body felt a tad lighter at best? He rotated his wrists and ankles, then continued.
"Is the curse really gone? I can't tell."
"The ritual succeeded clearly. It's probably still breaking down the curse. I expected excruciating pain, but you're fine... Your adaptability is remarkable."
"Excruciating pain? Why?"
Ronan tilted his head. The savior scratched his head, speaking somewhat apologetically.
"The curse I placed on you is far stronger than you think. Vicious and evil enough that an ordinary human couldn't endure even a fragment."
"Gee, thanks."
"Big or small, the pain will come eventually. Anyway, you're fine now, that's what matters. Let's head in... Koff!"
Suddenly, the savior covered his mouth with his left hand and coughed. The wet sound was ominous. The startled Ronan supported him.
"What? You okay?"
"Yeah... I'm fine."
The savior subtly wiped his hand on his pant leg. Red stains smeared, but his sly motion escaped Ronan's notice.
"Damn, you don't look fine. Why insist on coming here, anyway."
Ronan frowned. The guy never listened. Ignoring Elsia's advice to rest, he'd dragged them all the way to Dainhar. Sita, who carried them, let out a worried whine.
"Prrrng..."
"See? Even she's worried. I said I'd go alone."
"No."
The savior said firmly. Veins bulged on Ronan's forehead. Honestly, plenty didn't make sense. Never mind being sick—his sister might be suffering at the hands of those lunatics right now, yet detouring through this wasteland? The savior continued.
"There's something you must see. Now, or never."
"Seriously."
Ronan clenched his fist. Punch him for bullshit and bolt? But his eyes were too earnest. Not the type to toy with his only daughter. Biting his lower lip, Ronan sighed.
"Sigh... Fine."
"Thanks."
"But if we're late and something happens to sis, you're dead by my hand."
"Don't worry. We'll be early, not late. This one's pretty good, but still."
The savior glanced confidently at Sita. Ronan didn't reply. No idea what he planned, but trusting was the only option now. Ronan scratched Sita's neck.
"Sita. Scout around. Report back if anything happens."
"Prrt!"
Sita took off at the command. They hadn't walked far before reaching Dainhar. Ronan surveyed it and sighed in dismay.
"Hasn't changed a bit."
Dainhar looked as monstrous as ever after all this time. The mountains of rock and metal grown around the ruins resembled flames blooming in the desert.
The barrier activated after expelling Ronan and Schlieffen still enveloped Dainhar perfectly. Memories of that bizarre experience three years ago flickered. Something about unidentified, then auto-ejected.
"What the hell was that."
Among all his ordeals, that was the weirdest. As he reminisced, a man's voice came from near the rock mountains of Dainhar.
"R-Ronan? Is that you, Ronan?"
"Huh?"
Ronan raised an eyebrow. Familiar voice. Looking up, a tanned native youth peeked from a crevice. Ronan's eyes widened.
"Dreaming Thunder?"
"Ronan! It really is you!"
The youth clamored excitedly and started descending the rock mountain. Time had passed, but he remembered clearly. Dreaming Thunder, the native boy they'd met in Dainhar before. The savior asked, somewhat surprised.
"Connected to the locals here? Close friends?"
"Yeah. A bit, from before."
Ronan nodded. He and Schlieffen had saved him when fleeing from Teranil and Yuria, Nebula Klazie's executives. They'd gone to the ruins' core with his brother, Raging Gale. Brightening, Ronan waved.
"Long time! You good?"
"We're all good! No intruders since you guys!"
Dreaming Thunder shouted. Indeed, three years later, he'd grown noticeably. He said the tribe and ruins were safe.
Nebula Klazie had come several more times but couldn't breach the new barrier. Ronan sighed in relief and spoke.
"Good to hear. Let us in now!"
"No!"
"What?"
Ronan's brow furrowed. So firm he thought he'd misheard. Cupping his mouth, he yelled.
"Why not!"
"Transparent barrier won't vanish! Can't enter or exit unless you're tribe!"
"What the hell."
"For real! Even we need permission from some woman to leave!"
Thunder finally landed on the sand and sprinted toward Ronan, flailing his long limbs. A woman? What? As Ronan tapped the barrier.
"Ah, shit. Scared me."
Zap! A stinging sensation and a woman's voice echoed in his head. Ronan yanked his hand back. Same voice as when ejected before.
"Playing hardball, huh?"
He got what Thunder meant. The expulsion order was still active. Shing... Ronan gripped his sword hilt. No matter how thick, it was just a mana barrier.
As he raised his arm, the savior grabbed his wrist and shook his head.
"Don't get worked up. It's natural. And breaking the barrier now would fail it at a crucial moment."
"Natural?"
"Yes. Dainhar has always allowed only select few. That tattoo means the lineage endures, luckily."
The savior's gaze fixed on Thunder's tattoo. Indeed, all locals bore such tattoos. Gazing nostalgically at Dainhar, the savior placed his hand on the barrier.
"Long time no see here, too. Truly."
Shimmer... Soft light emanated from his palm. Ominous. Seconds later, the woman's voice resounded in everyone's minds.
"Gasp?!"
The barrier enveloping all of Dainhar vanished simultaneously. Mana inside rushed out. Charging Thunder yelped and fell butt-first on the sand. The savior turned to Ronan.
"Let's go. Save my daughter and save the world while we're at it."