Chapter 324
Chapter 324
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 324
Chapter Title: Side Story 8. In the New Continent (2)
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"They're definitely spies. Kill them!"
The man who appeared to be their leader shouted. At the same time, the masked figures hurled something all at once. Kakang! Dozens of shurikens sliced through the air, hammering against Asel's barrier.
"H-Hyaack!"
Asel let out a scream. Of course, not a single shuriken pierced his barrier. Bewildered curses erupted from the masked men's mouths.
"Damn it, first the sword, now ranged attacks don't work either?"
"Looks like he's no ordinary guy. Even sorcery must have a weakness..."
"What if he's not from a hostile sect, but dispatched from the Demon Slaughter Hall?"
They started chattering away, throwing around words he couldn't understand. Sorcery, sects, Demon Slaughter Hall. None of it was anything he'd heard in the Empire. Finally losing his patience, Asel mustered his courage and spoke up.
"L-Look, I told you, I don't want to fight you guys! Why are you doing this?!"
He couldn't make sense of it. It had been nearly half a month since arriving in the New Continent, but this was the first time anything like this had happened. Asel had been ambushed by these masked figures while taking a solitary nighttime stroll.
At least the Karabel Merchant Group's camp was far enough away. That was a small mercy. The masked leader, having heard Asel, snorted derisively and yelled,
"Don't make me laugh. No intention to fight? I saw with my own eyes that black monster bird you're raising snatch the statue sealing the Nachal and fly off!"
"B-Black monster bird?"
"That's right! The monster flapping those four wings. You can't deny it!"
"Th-That..."
Asel's face drained of color. Every description matched Sita perfectly. The memory from just a couple days ago flashed through his mind.
'Oh no, this is bad.'
He'd been touring the village with Marya at the time. Sita had suddenly appeared, proudly showing off a statue plastered with talismans in its mouth. That had to be the sealing stone they were talking about.
On top of that, Sita—new to the New Continent—had been wandering everywhere, collecting anything that caught its fancy. Realizing the situation too late, Asel swallowed hard.
"Wh-What's a... Nachal?"
"A monster born from the evil hearts of villains like you. Don't pretend you don't know!"
"No, I really don't..."
"Shut up! Only a lackey of the Demon Slaughter Hall would commit such wickedness! In the name of the Youngwol Forest Guardians, I will execute you!"
The masked man fumed. Asel felt utterly wronged, but now wasn't the time for pleas. Just as they closed in again and drew their swords...
"D-Danger!"
Asel shouted urgently, sensing the threat. Boom! A massive log arced through the air and crashed down on the masked men's heads. Cries of surprise burst from where it landed.
"Ambush!"
"Wh-What!?"
Fortunately, no one was hurt. The masked men scattered with disciplined precision. Naturally, everyone's eyes turned toward the direction the log had come from. One masked figure spotted something and pointed in horror.
"L-Look over there!"
"No way...!"
Terror spread across the masked men's faces. Far down the valley they'd come from, something dark and hulking was rapidly approaching. The ground shook with booming footsteps growing louder. A beastly death rattle echoed through the night.
"Kieeeek!"
At the same moment, the creature shrouded in darkness revealed itself. It was a humanoid monster nearly five meters tall. Someone cried out.
"I-It's a Nachal!"
The beast called Nachal had a horrific appearance straight out of nightmares. Its obsidian body was covered in dense molten-gold script. Sharp claws gleamed in the moonlight.
"Th-That thing...!"
Asel's face went pale. In the years adventuring with Ronan, he'd encountered all sorts of gruesome horrors, but nothing like this.
It was completely different—unlike any monster he'd seen before. The panicked masked men halted their pursuit of Asel and milled about in confusion.
"This is the end..."
"I'll buy time—everyone, run!"
"Brother Jang, how can I do that?!"
Each of them looked resolute, as if ready to stake their lives. The Nachal seemed to be a powerhouse rivaling a dragon. What should he do? Asel stared at it, on the verge of tears.
"...Huh?"
Asel tilted his head, sensing something off. The mana emanating from the Nachal was weaker than expected. Despite its fearsome exterior, its power was only slightly above an ogre's.
Asel's racing breath steadied. Maybe he could handle it after all. Gathering his courage once more, he spoke.
"If... if I deal with that thing..."
"What?"
"If I take down that monster, will you stop chasing me?"
The masked men frowned. What nonsense was this? Their leader snorted.
"Ha! Ridiculous. You think that's possible? That Nachal was barely sealed by the mightiest sorcerers—you, a mere girl?"
His subordinates spat curses in agreement. No amount of foreign sorcery could make it feasible. Asel was about to correct the "girl" remark when a booming voice rang out from behind.
"Asel—! What are you doing there?"
"M-Marya?!"
It was an all-too-familiar voice. Asel hunched his shoulders and slowly turned. Marya strode forward, greatsword slung over one shoulder.
"I've been looking everywhere for you. What's going on?"
Her lush golden hair whipped in the night breeze. Drowsiness clung to her frame, draped in red silk robes bought at great expense to bridge the gap with the New Continent natives.
"Th-These guys kept following me... I was trying to shake them off so they wouldn't bother the caravan."
"Ugh, you and your soft heart. They look like bandits—should've just sent them flying. You're too nice for your own good."
Marya clicked her tongue. Hearing "bandits," the masked leader bellowed,
"Bandits?! Who are you calling that?!"
"Oh? You're not?"
"Of course not! We are the noble Guardians of Youngwol Forest! You unheard-of foreign thugs..."
"Youngwol Forest?!"
He was midway through when Marya clapped her hands, eyes wide with admiration. Boom! She dashed forward in an instant, stopping right in front of the leader.
"Handsome hero. Did you just say Youngwol Forest?"
"Th-That speed..."
The leader gaped. To him, Marya's form had vanished and reappeared in a blink. Puffing one cheek, she poked his side teasingly.
"I asked if you're from Youngwol Forest."
"Y-Yes. What of it? Seeing you use sorcery too, you're in cahoots with that girl!"
"Wow, I searched high and low, never dreamed I'd run into you here. I'm Marya Karabel, vice-leader of the Karabel Merchant Group. If you have some time..."
"Queeeek!"
Marya switched to sales mode in a flash, speaking sweetly, when the Nachal bellowed again. It twisted its limbs grotesquely and charged. The masked men's faces blanched.
"H-Hey! Cut the chatter and get out of the way!"
"Ugh, such a pain."
Marya furrowed her brow. Only now noticing the Nachal, she turned. Whatever it was, interrupting business talk rubbed her the wrong way.
"Then let's finish that thing off and continue."
The masked man had no chance to respond. Marya kicked off the ground and lunged. Boom! Cracks spiderwebbed from her foot, flinging up stones.
"Quiririk?"
The Nachal's eyes widened. Closing the gap in three leaps, Marya was at its feet. Sensing danger, it raised an arm high.
"Hah!"
Gripping her greatsword two-handed, Marya twisted her body horizontally and swung. Kwaaaang! With a rending crash, one leg sheared clean off.
As the hulking body toppled forward, Marya halted abruptly and thrust upward. Slash! The heavy blade arced, cleaving the Nachal's head in two.
"Kuee...!"
"What?!"
The masked men's eyes bulged. Impossible power from such a petite frame. Thud! Leg and head severed, the Nachal collapsed with a thunderous boom. Marya, having finished it in seconds, flashed a grin.
"There. All good now?"
"Wh-What the hell are you...?"
A few masked men dropped their swords. Martial prowess from a dream. Then, eerie roars echoed through the mountains.
"Kraaaah!"
"Kerelererek!"
Not just one this time. Tens of thousands of birds took flight over the moonlit forest. Trees snapped, massive footsteps thundered closer.
"Now what?"
Marya scowled. Suddenly, huge shadows loomed over the road. The masked men froze, looking up. At least a dozen Nachal glared down from the cliffs on both sides.
"Grrrulk."
"I-Impossible!"
Blood-curdling sight. Each grotesquely ugly Nachal was hill-sized, mismatched eyes scanning them from twisted bodies.
"...We're done for."
"It wasn't just the one."
Despair etched the masked men's faces. No time for questions. Even the golden-haired girl's skills couldn't handle this many.
But Marya's expression remained serene. Gazing up calmly, she chuckled.
"You guys have the worst luck."
"Grrruk?"
"If you'd come when I was alone, you might've had a shot. But showing up when our little cutie is here too?"
Marya shook her head. Her genuine pity confused them. Cutie? Who?
Come to think of it, the redheaded girl was gone. As one Nachal leaped from the cliff to crush Marya, raising a foot—Kwaang! An invisible fist smashed its chest.
"Grwk."
The ogre-sized behemoth flew like a pebble. It cratered into the opposite cliff, head lolling. Its steel chest was caved in like a meteor strike.
"Th-This...!"
The masked men stiffened. Marya, lowering her greatsword without turning, said,
"Asel. Handle it."
No reply came. As the other Nachal stirred—
A low voice echoed overhead.
"Lock Up Frost."
⟨ Frost Lock ⟩
It sounded like casual conversation. As the incantation completed, massive magic circles bloomed under seven Nachal. Before they could react—Kwaaaang! The circles flared, pillars of blizzard erupting skyward.
"H-How?!"
The masked men gasped in awe. The seven ice storms tore through moonlight, piercing the night sky. Soon, the storms subsided, revealing immobilized Nachal.
"All done."
Marya smiled. The Nachal stood as seven ice statues. As Asel dispelled the spell—Crack! Like splitting rock, their bodies crumbled.
"Huuu..."
Asel sighed in relief, having ended it with minimal mana since the Nachal were weaker than expected.
As he descended slowly to join Marya, the masked men suddenly surrounded them, bowing deeply in unison.
"Miss! Please help us!"
"I-I'm a guy."