Chapter 401
Chapter 401
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 401
Chapter Title: 2-24. Major Counterattack (11)
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#24
『No matter what, we must hold them here. He is watching.』
『Beware the mortal who knows of the Former King's existence.』
『For a filthy mortal to invade our world... Gah!』
The giant who had been blabbering plummeted downward.
A savage double-headed axe was buried deep in his chest.
As Pantasion reached out, the axe returned to its master.
"With this... we're almost there."
"Seems like it! Hya!"
Rtansia shouted, our backs pressed together.
We were riding atop the corpse of a giant she controlled as we advanced.
Every time Rtansia chanted a spell, an invisible torrent of power shook the giants' formation.
Pantasion, Orse, and Abel finished off the ones staggering off-balance.
"Filthy traitors."
Abel muttered.
Honestly, that was rich coming from him.
Now fully engaged in battle, he was personally proving how he'd risen to the top of the Nebula Klage cult.
Every time his white sword flashed, a crescent moon twenty meters wide sliced through the sky.
The ones who dodged survived, while those foolish enough to block it were bisected and fell.
Seeing five shot down in an instant, Abel turned to me with a cackle.
"This is pretty damn good. Nephew. How about making a few more and giving them to me?"
"Who the hell told you to call me that?"
"So sensitive... Well, now I get how strong you are."
Abel didn't hide his admiration.
He'd been utterly crushed by the giants before, but after drinking my blood, he'd made a spectacular comeback.
I'd agonized over whether to give such a twisted guy a chance, but his performance proved it wasn't a bad call.
Abel, who had been firing sword beams, pointed with his finger.
"That's the dimensional gate. Can't believe we reached it this fast."
I turned my head, and a massive pillar of light came into view.
From the beam connecting the two seas of clouds, furious giants poured out endlessly.
The remaining distance was at most a few kilometers.
I wiped the blood from my face and muttered.
"Should've done this from the start. Why the hell did I even think of letting these bastards live?"
The souls reduced to resources had restored my original resolve.
A true swordsman shouldn't shy away from getting covered in blood, and those who deserve death must be given the most painful end possible.
We were heading toward the city's center.
Our goal was the same, but now we weren't hiding anymore.
We killed every giant in sight and destroyed warehouse-like buildings on the spot.
Besides the warehouses, the giants' city had a few other facilities.
Crystals receiving energy from roots, springs replenishing souls, and such.
All utterly revolting installations, but the pinnacle was undoubtedly the cradles where giants were born.
Just then, a massive hexagonal pillar caught my eye.
"Lord Ronan! It's a cradle!"
"I see it. I'll smash it myself."
Just looking at that shitty building made my blood pressure spike.
No wonder there weren't any vital spots—the baldies reproduced in a way completely different from ours.
An inorganic method devoid of love or sensuality.
I was about to unleash a slash when—
"Wait, above us!"
Pantasion shouted.
The group looked up almost simultaneously.
Dozens of lightning bolts struck down like dragons from the distant sky.
Far more widespread and powerful than the light spears the baldies commonly used.
"Tch, annoying."
I spun around.
Concentrating my mind slowed time.
The lightning, perceived only as blinding light before, now revealed its form clearly.
Billions of tendrils like uprooted plants flooded my vision.
I scattered sword strikes in all directions.
The accelerated slashes formed a dense hemisphere, blocking the light and heat.
"I'll handle the rest."
Any stray attacks were cleaved by Abel's sword.
He was the only one in the group who could move at my speed.
Rumble!
Delayed thunder boomed.
As the flash faded, charred black baldies revealed themselves.
"Oh, now it's even taking out allies."
They were ones nearby caught in the blast.
A gust blew, shattering their coal-like bodies into dust that scattered away.
Only then did Rtansia and Pantasion grasp the situation, exclaiming in shock.
"Hyak! W-What happened?"
"...We blocked it."
"Grrr! I couldn't even see it this time!"
Orse ground his teeth.
Similar situations had happened several times before.
The three of them still couldn't see the world I did.
Raising my gaze to wield aura, I frowned.
"They're finally using their heads."
The baldies who'd thrown the lightning were nowhere to be seen.
Instead, beasts made of light wandered the air like fireflies.
"Kyarak! Kyaaaak!"
"Guooo!"
It was some kind of breakwater tactic.
I narrowed my eyes.
Beyond the beast horde, dozens of baldies were positioned in the upper sky.
Most had six wings, and their attire suggested some special unit.
One of them spoke.
『The intruder remains intact. Prepare the next attack.』
"You oversized cowards just chirping from afar... Scared to cross blades like men?"
I growled, aiming at the sky.
No response came.
Having lost hundreds of kin, the baldies were finally devising a strategy against me.
Indeed, hitting them with aura from that distance was tough.
The floating light army in between was annoying too.
The baldies, ascending higher, prepared to unleash lightning again.
The electricity gathered in their hands was about to erupt.
Orse, who'd been glaring at them, turned to me.
"Ronan!"
His voice was seething with rage.
He seemed pissed at having to just defend earlier.
No lengthy explanation needed.
Our eyes met, and I grabbed his right hand.
Four wings unfurled as Orse shot upward.
Whoosh!
Strong winds tugged at my skin.
Shimmering minions couldn't stop us.
Lightning reflexively hurled by giants grazed past narrowly.
Breaking through the defensive line, Orse hurled me with all his might.
"Raaaaah!!"
"Perfect!"
My speed surged further.
Sunset aura rose along the blade.
In the open sky, nothing blocked me from the baldy special forces.
Their group began to waver.
『Danger. Gain altitude.』
『Interception failed. Summon more soldiers...』
They seemed intent on trying something, but I had no intention of letting them.
Gripping the hilt tightly, the sunset aura enveloped the giants.
They were dragged toward me like herring caught in a net.
Trajectories overlapped, but I didn't slow down, swinging my sword.
Passing through the white masses felt like cleaving through clouds.
The moment I burst out of the baldy special forces—
Splat!
Dozens of giants exploded, bisected.
Blue rain soaked the sea of clouds.
A nearby baldy muttered in lament.
『Even the Executioners... Gah.』
And he too plummeted.
Orse's spear had pierced his brow.
Boom!
I landed back at the leap point, drenched in blood.
In that brief moment away, hundreds of giants had gathered, surrounding the group.
『Perish.』
"Feels nostalgic, this vibe."
But I felt no sense of crisis.
If anything, I overflowed with more power than when at home.
Since arriving in baldy world, my condition had been hitting new peaks in real time.
And it wasn't just me in top form.
"Hic... Kuuh..."
A hiccup echoed in my ear.
The blood-soaked holy sword vibrated.
Its spirit rising like heat haze warped the air.
The blade, sharpening with every drop of blood absorbed, seemed ready to slice space itself.
"Rin. You okay?"
"Kuh, heehee... Of course."
A coquettish laugh rang out.
Unlike usual, it dripped with charm.
Absorbing too much blood seemed to intoxicate her beyond mere fullness.
Her slurred speech showed she was long past tipsy.
After a brief silence, Rin spoke.
"......Ronan."
"Yeah?"
"You know... Hic, don't get cocky just 'cause you're kinda cute... If sis wanted, she could snag a kid like you in seconds? Hoo... Pissing me off all of a sudden?"
My mind blanked for a moment.
I had no idea how to react.
We were in the thick of serious battle, and now this?
"Pissing me off... Why won't my old form come back? Guh, how long do I have to live in this body...?"
"Doesn't sound okay to me."
"Ronan... Sis used to be a total bombshell... Tall... stacked up top and bottom... Who was it? Right, go ask Baren... Hic, that brat followed me everywhere, you know?"
It smelled like booze without any alcohol around.
The Baren she meant was probably not the old throne-sitter, but the founding emperor from history books.
It really hit me that I wielded a holy sword.
Her drunken ramblings were top-tier from experience.
Situation didn't allow indulging her further, so steeling for backlash, I jabbed back.
"Granny, you're wasted."
"W-What? Granny?!"
"You little shit!"
I nearly dropped the sword.
The hilt stung like static shock.
My body moved on its own, unleashing a wide sword arc.
"You dare spout that nonsense?!"
The blade bubbled like a furnace.
Its trajectory traced a vast circle.
Thousands of sword qi scattered every which way.
Blood-formed projectiles reminiscent of bullets pierced the giants indiscriminately.
"Whoa."
I couldn't help but be impressed.
That single strike felled most remaining baldies.
Giants with fist-sized holes in torsos and heads were swallowed by the clouds below, never to return.
The group stared wide-eyed in awe, but I had no time for that.
A furious voice echoed in my head.
"Say it again! What did you call me?!"
"Damn it, I said you're a pretty sis!"
"......Sis?"
"Yes! If we'd gone to the same academy, I'd have asked what classes you took. So calm the fuck down now!"
"Heh... Hehehe... Right, sis... Didn't think you'd say that..."
Silly laughter rang out.
The bubbling blade returned to normal.
"Hehe... Yeah, that's it. Nice ring to it..."
"We'll settle this later... Can we fight normally now?"
"Heehee, sure. Do whatever you want, Ronan."
Finally, Rin shut up.
I sighed at my companion returned to weapon form.
Who'd have thought the holy sword's spirit had such a drinking habit.
Right up there with her porn-reading vice.
Rtansia tilted her head.
"L-Lord Ronan? Why the sudden muttering...?"
"Nothing."
Not something I cared to explain.
I waved it off and turned back to the cradle.
A new giant was emerging from beneath the hexagonal pillar.
"Trash."
Made me nauseous no matter how many times I saw it.
A sphere of light gradually took form.
Limbs sprouted, wings grew.
Composed, of course, of souls stolen from across the universe.
Up close, it seemed more manufacturing than breeding.
Boom!
I launched toward it.
Just as I arrived, the huddled giant opened its eyes.
Thick lips slowly parted.
『...Who are you?』
"Happy birthday."
Instead of answering, I swung.
A vertical line bisected the baby baldy and the cradle.
Rumble!
The severed flesh lump and building sank below the clouds.
Nearby giants uttered dismay.
『The cradle...!』
『Impudent one, do you not fear judgment?』
"Judgment?"
『Your sins shall never be forgiven. The pains of hell shall eternally punish your souls and flesh.』
I scoffed and turned away.
Killing a newborn seemed a grave crime even in baldy world.
Instead of approaching, I activated aura.
As sunset dyed the sky, the one who'd just spoken was dragged before me.
Slash!
The pale head soared into the air.
『What.』
"Talk of judgment and drop dead. None of you are leaving alive."
Blue blood splashed my face again.
I stabbed the falling head.
The giant's eyes widened, senses still intact.
Leaning close, I spat in its face.
"I'm your hell."
It didn't take long to clean up.
The dimensional gate's light swallowed us.