Chapter 298
Chapter 298
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 298
Chapter Title: Final Battle (6)
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"I can protect you."
Schlieffen murmured. The blade enveloped in storm winds vibrated. The Verminion, whose neck had been slashed, staggered to its feet.
Blood still bubbled from the gash on its neck. However, compared to when it was first cut, the amount had clearly decreased.
'Too fast.'
Schlieffen furrowed his brow. He had anticipated enhanced regeneration, but not this quick. Did he need to kill it in one go? As the Verminion raised its head, a roar erupted from its mouth.
At the same time, the Verminion's form vanished from sight. Schlieffen reflexively raised his sword. Kaang-! A resounding clash of metal sent his body reeling backward.
"Ugh...!"
Schlieffen gritted his teeth. Even just defending felt like his arm was about to tear off. It was as if a massive beast had struck him, not a person.
The Verminion's attacks continued. Savage yet precise martial arts. Each mana-infused punch and kick made Schlieffen feel the threat to his life. As he spun away like a swallow and tried to steady himself, a voice came from behind.
The hairs on his nape stood on end. Schlieffen whipped his head around. Coconut-sized glowing orbs flew toward him at high speed.
One glance told him they were not to be hit. The moment he dodged, Archbishop Rtanci, who had been watching Schlieffen, made a pressing gesture.
"Urk..."
An invisible force crushed Schlieffen's shoulder. In that instant his movement faltered. Kwaaaang! The orb at his feet exploded.
"Kuhk!"
This time, he couldn't block. His body flew back, slamming into the wall with a boom. By the feel, two ribs were broken.
The pain was enough to make him want to pass out, but there was no time to lie there. Schlieffen rolled sideways and rose. Kwajik! At the same moment, the Verminion's heel smashed down where he had been.
Pulling his leg from the floor, he snarled viciously. By the depth of the crater, it would have been instant death if it had hit.
Schlieffen, widening the distance, turned toward where the orbs had come from. A hunched old woman stood leaning on a staff. Dozens of the glowing orbs that had exploded orbited her, spinning.
The old woman, meeting Schlieffen's eyes, let out an exclamation of admiration.
"You..."
The old woman named Maron smiled amiably. Schlieffen didn't respond. Then, a bloodied man stepped out from behind her.
The man grumbled. Archbishop Anaquiel, bearer of that name, had tried to charge through the whirlwind Schlieffen had set up bare-handed and failed. The horrific wounds covering his body were proof.
Maron laughed. Schlieffen's face hardened slightly at the sharp analysis. Indeed, the Ronan blood he had was used up on the sword just now. By the duration of its power, it was woefully insufficient to take down five archbishops.
Schlieffen twisted his lips. Truthfully, this was arguably his last chance to save his life. The odds of him slaying all five were absurdly low.
He'd done something similar in the City of Dragons, but the situation was far worse now. Honestly, even taking them one by one was questionable.
'No choice.'
Finally resolved, Schlieffen closed his eyes tightly. Swaaa... The whirlwind encircling the tower began to die down. Anaquiel's face brightened.
Maron was midway through speaking. Schlieffen, drawing back the energy used for the whirlwind, gripped his sword hilt. The blade of Pale Lord scattered into wind form.
Tensing his whole body, he spun once and swung. As the sword wind tracing a wide circle returned, kwaaang! The upper part of the room where the wind passed was sliced clean off. The wall and ceiling slid along the cut and collapsed.
But none of the archbishops were hit. Maron laughed. Having sensed it early, they had already levitated with telekinesis or leaps. Anaquiel frowned.
Sneers echoed from all sides. But Schlieffen didn't panic. This was the situation he had aimed for from the start. Kwang! Charging forward, he kicked Maron in the chest.
This was unexpected. Floating in the air, she couldn't react and was sent flying back. Next, he swung at the Verminion charging from behind—never intending to spare him.
Hwaaak! A sudden gale blew him back. The two bodies soon entered the area where the whirlwind had raged moments before. Maron's leisurely face turned pale.
The Verminion, still not grasping, tilted its head. Maron cried out desperately.
Rtanci, belatedly realizing Schlieffen's intent, gasped. Spinning his sword once, Schlieffen thrust the tip into the floor. Kwaaaaa! The dying whirlwind raged fiercely again.
Rtanci reached out, but it was too late. Agonized screams echoed in the wind. The blade winds, still potent enough to shred even the stars' blessing, ground the two archbishops' flesh to nothing.
"Hoo..."
Schlieffen exhaled. He had taken down two, but the overwhelming disadvantage remained unchanged. His ribs were still broken, and the remaining archbishops seemed far stronger than the first two.
Of course, it didn't matter either way. Pulling his sword from the floor, he spoke. A belated answer to the offer to dispel the whirlwind.
"I refuse."
Rtanci shrieked in fury. The remaining archbishops charged all at once. Schlieffen, steadying his breath, gripped his hilt again.
"Schlieffen...!"
Marya gritted her teeth. Her gaze lingered on the topmost floor of the pale castle. The storm Schlieffen had unleashed swirled around the spire.
It seemed to weaken briefly, only to rage even fiercer—an ill omen. Sruk! Swinging her greatsword with one arm, Marya bisected a zealot charging from behind.
"Kuhk...!"
This cleared all the forces stationed nearby. The two who had leaped from the tower had taken position at the most remote corner of the ramparts. Marya looked up again and spoke.
"He's definitely going to die. We need to help."
"B-but protecting Lady Iril comes first. If we don't, Schlieffen's sacrifice will be in vain..."
"I know that, you squid-head! Of course we'll secure sis first, but I'm trying to figure out where to go! And don't jinx it with talk of sacrifice?!"
Marya bellowed. Her resounding voice echoed through the castle. Startled, Braum flinched back.
"Wh-why are you yelling."
"...Sorry. Just can't find a way out. Ugh, what now."
Apologizing, she clutched her head. The gravity of the situation had frayed her nerves. Amid it all, Iril still slept soundly. Her face looked utterly serene.
"By the way, what's going on out there?"
Marya glanced outward from the ramparts and frowned. Abel's stars' blessing was too thick to see outside. Something noisy was happening, but...
Braum, groaning, spoke up.
"How about checking the sewers? Underground might not have that barrier."
"Oh, good idea?"
Marya's face lit up. It made sense. Sewers usually led outside, and a massive castle like this would have sizable ones for people to pass.
"Let's go now. You got any blood left?"
"Yeah. A little..."
Braum nodded. Marya shook blood from her greatsword and was about to move when a familiar voice came from below the ramparts.
"What. You're alive."
"Z-Zeifa?!"
Looking down, Marya gasped. A hulking were-tiger stared up at her. The four commandos who entered with him panted around Zeifa.
By their battered state, they'd suffered too. Exhausted and blood-soaked, like they'd bathed in gore. Suddenly, Zeifa's eyes widened.
"That girl..."
Zeifa's gaze fixed on Iril in Marya's arms. He leaped to the ramparts in one bound. Glancing between the three, he chuckled dryly.
"Looks like you succeeded. How embarrassing."
"This isn't the time! Did you see any sewers while moving?"
"Yes. But not what you're hoping for. Completely sealed tight."
Zeifa shook his head. He and his men had just come from the sewers. Expecting an escape route, they found swarms of enemies and an even thicker stars' blessing.
"N-no way..."
Marya's face hardened. Hope crumbled audibly. After a silence, Zeifa spoke.
"From your getup, that girl can't fall to zealots, right?"
"Yes. Definitely."
"Hm... No helping it. Guess we'll have to push."
Zeifa clicked his tongue. Setting down his glaive, he stepped toward the stars' blessing. Marya tilted her head at the ominous move.
"What're you doing? Why the glaive..."
"Gotta break through somehow. Give me that brat's blood, all of you."
"...Pardon?"
Marya asked, but Zeifa ignored her. He took Ronan's blood from his followers and Braum, slathering it on his hands.
"Wh-why on your hands..."
Braum uttered in confusion. Zeifa's hands, soaked in Ronan's blood, gleamed hellfire crimson.
His dagger-length fingers sprouted hook-like claws. His already thick forearms swelled massively.
"No way."
"Hup!"
Marya raised her brows, realizing his intent. Zeifa's fist shot out, smashing the stars' blessing. Kwaaaang-! A thunderous boom like pounding iron with rock resounded.
"Tough as expected."
"Heavens...!"
Zeifa tsked. Marya's eyes went wide. His claws had pierced the blessing, however slightly. Spiderweb cracks spread around the gouges.