Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Vaidian Mountains (6)
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“Graaaah!”
“Kroooaaargh!!”
The duet echoed through the mountains, piercing the rain. The Twin-Head Ogre raised its fist. Ronan, who had kicked off the ground and charged, gripped his sword hilt.
It should snag less than back then.
Ronan surged to the ogre’s right side and swung Lamancha. The sensation of the blade slicing through tough hide traveled up his arm.
At the same time, the ogre’s fist smashed down where Ronan had been. Boom!! The ground flipped over in chunks, sending up sprays of still-dry soil. The left head, turning its head a beat late, let out a roar.
“Kroooaaargh!”
Lamancha was truly a famed sword. A clean slash, straight as if measured with a ruler, was carved into the ogre’s thigh. It was a stark contrast to his past life, where he’d had to swing his sword hundreds of times at the same spot for an effective hit.
“Damn it.”
But Ronan’s expression wasn’t all that bright. The wound wasn’t deep enough, and it was healing far too quickly. In mere seconds, the bleeding stopped, and even the grime was washed away by the rain.
That was when the ogre’s kick came flying straight at him. Ronan rolled to dodge the attack. Before he could even stand, a massive log came crashing down over his head.
“Damn it all...!”
Too late to evade. Still in a crouch, Ronan swung his sword. The tree split in two, revealing the ogre’s flustered faces. Ronan leaped immediately, latching onto the log in the ogre’s hand.
“Gruk!”
The ogre dropped the log. At the same moment, Ronan bounded up the branches and plunged Lamancha into the ogre’s chest. Squelch! About a third of the blade sank into the flesh.
“Kraaak!”
The ogre swatted at him with its opposite palm like it was smacking a mosquito. As if he’d been waiting, Ronan dropped to the ground. Thud! The palm crushed down on the hilt, driving Lamancha even deeper into the chest.
“Kraaaargh!”
“Groooaaargh!”
Pained screams erupted from both mouths. They were coughing up blood, suggesting internal damage. Ronan climbed up along the ogre’s innards and gripped the hilt again.
This had to end it. Ronan yanked the hilt downward and leaped right up to the ogre’s faces. Lamancha was pulled free in a dragging motion, tracing an arc.
Slash! A red line appeared on the left head’s forehead, followed by a gush of blood and brains. The right head, confirming its brother’s death, widened its eyes and screamed.
“Kwaaaargh!”
“You’re coming too.”
Slash. The follow-up strike severed the right head’s neck. He clearly felt the arteries and vertebrae snap. Thud! The ogre’s massive body toppled backward. Ronan, landing lightly, muttered bitterly.
“Would’ve been nicer if I’d fought it sane.”
As the ogre’s breath ceased, the blinking brand on its chest slowly faded. Blood mixed with rainwater flowed down the slope.
Even after finishing the unresolved fight, it didn’t feel refreshing at all. Leaving his old rival’s corpse behind, Ronan dashed up the mountain path.
The closer he got to the temple, the more desolate the surroundings became. Trees were snapped or uprooted. Corpses of mountain beasts and ogres littered the area.
Come to think of it, neither the dragon’s surge nor the turbulent mana was visible anymore. Finally reaching his destination, Ronan came to a halt.
“...Fuck.”
The ground was churned like a plowed field. The forest that had surrounded the temple had become a jagged clearing.
Not a single pillar remained; the ruins offered no trace of the temple. As he moved to step forward, a man and woman’s voices pierced the rain.
“Ho...w...?”
“I told you. It’s about time you grew up.”
It was Sarante and Brigia’s voices. Ronan whipped his head around. In the middle of the ruins, Brigia stood drenched in the rain. Sarante was still hidden behind her back.
That bitch after all...!
Ronan twisted his lips. Concealing his presence as much as possible, he approached Brigia. Sarante’s voice rang out again.
“What... trick... did you use...?”
“That’s what I want to ask you. Without the Star’s Blessing, I’d really have been in danger.”
“Star’s Blessing...? Another... weird power...?”
As he drew closer, Brigia came into full view. Ronan grimaced at the horrific sight.
Her left elbow was cleanly severed below. Her clothes were all but shredded, leaving her nearly naked. Blood still dripped from her right ear, more than half gone. It was miraculous she was standing.
“I didn’t expect this much either. For something incomplete to have this power... I get why the executives are desperate to rank up.”
Yet Brigia’s voice carried a lightness. She even sounded relieved that it wasn’t worse.
Then what the hell happened to Sarante? As Ronan closed the distance bit by bit, he finally saw Sarante.
He was leaning against Seniel’s statue, gasping for breath. His priest robes and both ears intact, he seemed better off than Brigia at first glance.
The problem was his lower body was entirely gone. From where his waist should be, an absurd amount of blood gushed out in waves.
Ronan’s eyes widened. Reflexively gripping his hilt, he charged at Brigia. Just before the blade reached her neck, Brigia turned her head slightly, met his eyes, and smiled.
“Oh, it’s that kid.”
Brigia raised her hand. Clang! Lamancha stopped futilely, unable to cut her. In her hand was a dagger wreathed in black energy. Ronan unleashed a barrage of strikes, spitting out his words.
“You fucking bitch! What the hell did you do!!”
“Thanks earlier. Your back was nice and broad.”
There was no urgency in her smug voice. She blocked his strikes again, but Ronan swung relentlessly.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Sparks flew in the rain with every arm movement. Brigia effortlessly dodged or parried Ronan’s attacks and spoke.
“So why’d you come? I spared you, but now I have to kill you.”
“Shut... up...!”
Ronan glared. Perhaps due to the leyline nearby, mana flows scattered everywhere. Ronan traced one aimed at Brigia and unleashed a slash.
“Huh?”
The strike, several times faster, sliced through raindrops as it flew. Sensing danger, Brigia hurriedly assumed a defensive stance. Claaang! The dagger flew into the air, unable to withstand the impact.
“Kuh!”
“Die!”
As Ronan wound up for another swing, a chilling aura crawled up his nape. Instinctively halting, he leaped back. Boom! A massive shadow spike erupted exactly where he’d been. Brigia’s voice came from beyond it.
“Not bad.”
“Using shitty tricks, huh.”
Regaining his stance, Ronan charged again. Spikes shot up the instant his feet left the ground. The air rippled, and five spikes from different directions flew at him.
Ronan spun five times, swinging his sword. Slash! The spikes were severed along his sword path, revealing Brigia. Ronan gritted his teeth. Over her shoulder, pitch-black, ominous mana rose. Within it, a familiar glow twinkled like stars in the night sky. He muttered through clenched teeth.
“...Nebula Klazie.”
“What? How do you know that...?”
Ronan answered with strikes instead. Brigia backflipped to dodge. Shadow from her feet climbed her legs. Her eyes fully changed, she snapped with murderous intent.
“Where’d you hear that name?”
“Your mom told me.”
“...Can’t let you live for real now.”
Brigia whipped her remaining arm like a lash. Whoosh! An impossibly long shadow blade shot at Ronan. Unbelievable skill for someone so wounded.
“Damn!”
Ronan held his sword vertically. The bisected shadow crashed into the peak, causing a massive explosion. But the assault didn’t end. Finger-like spikes lunged again. One he couldn’t cut pierced his shoulder.
“Ugh!”
Blood sprayed. Pain surged, but no time to feel it. The shadow spike writhed like vines, pursuing him. He needed to close in, but approach was impossible. As he backpedaled, fending off spikes, Sarante’s voice suddenly echoed in his head.
[Ronan. Fall back further.]
“Shit, startled me. You’re alive?”
[For now. I’ll buy time. Escape when there’s an opening.]
His fingertips suddenly tingled. Instinct screaming danger, Ronan turned and ran. Brigia sneered.
“All that bluffing, and now you run?”
Smirking, Brigia swung her hand. Another crescent shadow blade flew at him. Ronan ducked instead of blocking. As it grazed over his head, the sky blazed bright.
“What?”
Brigia looked up. Simultaneously, a massive lightning bolt struck down on her. Kaboooom! Currents mixed with mana exploded, blinding light engulfing everything. Now was the chance. Ronan veered and hoisted half a Sarante.
“Damn, was that you just now?!”
[Why’d you come here!]
“You want me to just let you die? Besides, that bitch is probably toast anyway.”
[Probably not. Put me down and run now. Don’t waste Seniel’s chance.]
“Huh? What’re you talking about?”
Ronan furrowed his brow. Then the light faded, revealing Brigia.
“Hah... haaah... heuk...”
She stood catching her breath, looking shocked but unscathed. Monstrous bitch. As Ronan muttered, something caught his eye.
That’s...?
A translucent barrier flickered around Brigia. Utterly unlike a mana shield, it gave an eerie sense of familiarity. Sarante continued lamentingly.
[Ahh, once again...]
“Not just me seeing that, right? What is it?”
[She calls it ‘Star’s Blessing’... I don’t know much. Attacks hitting it just slide off or vanish.]
“All attacks... don’t work?”
[Yes. No idea what power, but it’s a different league. Not something you can handle.]
Ronan shrugged. He definitely remembered seeing it before. Brigia, steadying her breath, spoke.
“Hah... Can’t let my guard down, Sarante. Heuk, nearly died for real this time.”
“Coward...ly...”
“Haha, cowardly... Heuk, anyway, this seals your fate completely...”
Brigia extended her hand. Shadows gathered, reforming the dagger Ronan had knocked away. Spinning it once, she glared at Ronan and Sarante.
“Getting boring... Heuk, let’s end this.”
Shadows pooled at her feet, climbing her body like armor. The shadow on her dagger grew into a longsword shape. Space rippled behind her, hundreds of spikes emerging.
Anyone could see she was prepping a final blow. A weary voice leaked from beneath the shadow helm.
“My friend’s neck... Heuk, I’ll take it myself...”
“Ah... Aah...”
Pale as a corpse, Sarante let out a despairing groan. He’d explained that Brigia with that barrier active was virtually invincible. The moment Ronan heard, his eyes nearly bulged. An unforgettable bastard’s name flashed in his mind.
Ahayute...!
He remembered. The barrier around Brigia felt just like what that fucker exuded.
Ahayute deflected or nullified everyone’s attacks except Ronan’s. The scattered clues fit like puzzle pieces. A group worshiping baldies. Baldies’ authority.
After a moment’s thought, Ronan whispered to Sarante.
“Sarante.”
[Yes?]
“Can you make just one tiny opening?”
[What do you...]
“Not even hoping for another bolt. Anything small is fine. So...”
Ronan hurriedly whispered his plan. Sarante, silent with doubt, nodded. At that instant, Brigia vanished from sight.
“Farewell, Sarante.”
Ronan focused. Time slowed, her charging form clear. Spikes trailed behind her, tearing through the rain. In this do-or-die moment, Sarante’s incantation rang in his ear.
“...Wind Spear.”
Whiiish! A magic circle formed in the air, launching a wind spear at Brigia. Simultaneously, Ronan burst forward, swinging Lamancha.
The distance closed in a flash. Ronan was a hair faster. Brigia glanced between his slash and Sarante’s spell, turning to the spell.
A perfectly rational choice. The blessing would block it anyway, but a veteran mage’s spell was naturally more threatening than some kid’s sword swing.
And that choice sealed her fate. Lamancha tore through the barrier unimpeded, tracing an arc. Slash! Brigia’s head soared into the air.