Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Spear and Shield (2)
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The guy blocking my path looked at me with an arrogant expression.
How disgraceful.
There were a total of thirty-one of them.
Far more numerous than the prairie jackals, but their overall combat power wasn't overwhelmingly superior.
Individually, the prairie jackals were far superior.
From a rough glance, they seemed to be a special unit composed of mid-level Expert knights.
It didn't look like I'd pass them as easily as before.
"This time, you'll feel some impact. Hang in there."
"...Even now, leave me behind. I'm just a worn-out old man."
"Man, you've been yapping about that since earlier. I'm busy, so just grit your teeth and bear it like I said."
An uncomfortable groan came from behind at my cheeky tone. He'd been nagging me to abandon him since before, and it was getting seriously annoying.
I was already annoyed enough as it was.
I wanted to slice through these guys in front of me cleanly, but Lordr's body couldn't take it, so I couldn't move rashly.
"Charge!"
At the shout of the mustached guy in front, those surrounding us formed up and rushed in.
It was definitely a systematic combat formation.
Guys swinging their swords as they surrounded me from all sides.
Their movements were nimble and organized.
I reached out to deal with the sword coming at me first.
Kiiing!
The blades resonated as they clashed.
I caught the panicked expression on his face.
Because the blades had stuck perfectly together.
I twisted his sword's path sideways.
He was pulled along to my side, serving as a shield.
I spun my body following the momentum of pulling him in.
Kakakakang!
The sword tip, following my spin, swept wide and deflected all the blades shooting toward me.
I slipped through the momentary gap that opened.
As if predicting my movement, others blocked my path ahead.
Chaerejaejaeng!
Silver trajectories intertwined in an instant.
Sharp metallic sounds overlapped and spread.
I forcibly pried open their sword formation and dragged my body through the gap.
Damn it.
As expected, more blocked ahead.
I'd pierced a gap in a flash, yet a complete sword formation blocked the front again.
At this rate, I'd thrash like a fly caught in a spiderweb, tire out, and get my throat slit.
Of course, that was for anyone other than me trapped in their sword formation.
Like that Nederman guy, for instance.
Jjeoeong!
A heavy resonance rang out as steel swords infused with inner energy clashed.
This time, I put weight into the sword.
Even if it shocked Lordr, I needed to get out of this sword formation first.
But it seemed this wasn't enough.
The spot of the guy whose sword I deflected was filled in an instant.
They seemed unremarkable, but they were highly trained.
The sword formation was tightly woven.
The blades they created were gradually constricting the space.
No choice then.
Since it had come to this, quick and decisive.
Kwaaakwakwang!
Those blocking ahead were all blasted back by flashes splitting space in multiple directions.
The guys panicked at the suddenly surging sword force.
I used that instant to slip away cleanly.
It was the gap revealed as those who blocked and were deflected disrupted the sword formation.
Exactly as intended.
Facing multiple foes alone.
It was something very familiar to me.
It was a pretty good sword formation, but breaking something like this was nothing to me.
During the Orthodox-Demonic War, I'd broken through the Demonic Cult's main forces alone.
Compared to them, these guys were mere drops in a bucket.
I tore through their sword formation and slipped out like a loach.
They couldn't keep up with my ever-changing movements, like flower petals riding the wind.
But even I couldn't shake them off easily right now.
Kwaang!
Another guy dropped down just as I shot forward.
With thirty-one of them, shaking one off meant another latched on immediately.
Small sword formations combined into a large one.
Break one, and another bloomed right away.
Their assaults linked endlessly like interlocking gears.
In that moment, a flash shot across the gap between them.
Kwaaaang!
I blocked it and had to step back for the first time.
It was the mustached guy who had talked about executing me.
A powerhouse on par with Isoluuni, the leader of the prairie jackals.
He too had reached peak Expert level.
Couldn't pierce with a half-hearted sword.
Damn pests being such a hassle.
I dodged the sword falling from above and stepped back once more.
...This wasn't working.
But I couldn't sweep them away either.
Since they weren't pushovers, going into full battle would mean Lordr couldn't handle the recoil.
Minimizing contact like this was the best for now.
Still, I'd have to endure some shock.
As I gripped the sword hilt tightly, my fingertips blurred.
Heavenly Spirit Divine Art, Sword Chapter.
Chapter 3: Falling Flower Flowing Sword.
The sword's shadow bloomed like falling petals.
Sharp sword ki exploded along its trajectory.
The blades scattered like drifting petals, encroaching on the surrounding space.
It was as if blue petals swirled around.
Even maximally light swings caused the Royal Knights' sword formation to reveal a massive gap as the blue flowers bloomed and wilted into red.
If I hadn't controlled my power, the blue flowers would have rained down as red rainwater.
Heavenly Spirit Divine Art, Lightness Chapter.
Chapter 1: Phoenix Wings.
A movement erasing space in a single bound, like a phoenix flapping its wings.
Light steps like feathers stirred a gale and pierced the sword formation in a flash.
My stifled view, blocked by the guys, suddenly opened wide.
"Chase him!"
Scattering voices from behind.
I sensed them pursuing urgently.
But the end was already in sight.
The city walls, shimmering like distant mountains, now loomed grandly ahead like sheer cliffs.
I'd covered quite a distance without realizing.
I could have gone all out much earlier.
Held back for no reason.
It would strain Lordr, but I'd have to endure some anyway.
Now that I was this close to the walls, it was time to settle it.
But short and sharp.
"Get your head straight. This time, I'm serious."
I warned Lordr and gripped the sword hilt.
Unlike before, this was real.
Even passing the gate, I couldn't keep dragging them along, so we'd settle here.
That's when something flew in and slammed into the ground.
Kwaaaaang!
A heavy explosion.
It landed behind me, in front of the Royal Knights—between the enemies and me.
I'd sensed something flying from far away but ignored it since it wasn't aimed at me; it seemed not targeted at me from the start.
Kwaaaaaa—!
At the explosion point, a bone-chilling wind like North Sea ice suddenly swirled.
At the same time, ice spikes sprouted from the ground in an instant.
They grew exponentially and swallowed the entire street in a flash.
In a moment, an ice wall rose between me and them.
In the short instant I glanced back then forward, I spotted the direction the arrow came from.
Focusing my senses there, the space seemed to expand, revealing the ones who shot it.
A plump man, a woman with glasses, and a young man.
Independence Army?
I couldn't be sure, but high probability.
Using the time they gave me, I pressed forward without delay.
Kwaaaaang!
From behind, the ice wall shattered, spewing fragments with a roar.
But it was too late to catch me.
The walls were right before my eyes.
* * *
"Tch. That was an artifact I was saving to use later."
Ripord, who had quickly hidden, scowled. Sarpe beside him gave him a thumbs-up.
"Still, you did something worthy of a city wall for once. Very cool."
"For once? Is that a compliment, you bastard! Anyway, now I can sleep easy tonight."
They continued talking while pressed flat against an alley wall. A crow messenger passed overhead. It was probably searching for those who helped the White Lion.
"Feels like we made eye contact."
"What?!"
Ripord gasped at Reina's words.
Damn! Did they get spotted?
"No, not the crow."
Reina shook her head.
Meaning not what he thought.
"Whew. Not that? Right. Definitely nothing nearby."
Ripord let out a deep sigh of relief.
They'd seized the gap when forces gathered toward the White Lion's location.
He was confident they wouldn't be spotted.
Hearing about eye contact had sent him to death's door and back.
Sarpe, also patting his chest beside him, looked at Reina.
"Then what do you mean eye contact?"
"White Lion."
Reina spoke while removing the magnifying lens over her right glasses lens.
"What?!"
This time, both jumped in shock, eyes bulging. The distance between their position and the White Lion's was considerable.
Without Reina, they wouldn't have even dreamed of shooting.
And they made eye contact?
"You're kidding? He's wearing a mask. How could you make eye contact? Why not say you saw his face too while at it."
At Ripord's words, Sarpe chimed in.
"Yeah, impossible distance for eye contact. You could see with the magnifying lens, but the White Lion wouldn't even know where we are."
Reina nodded too.
Even she knew it didn't make sense after saying it.
"...Yeah, probably? Must've been my mistake."
But there was definitely a feeling of eye contact...
The more she thought, the less sense it made.
Yeah. Must be a mistake.
At that distance, in that brief moment.
Impossible no matter how you looked at it.
"Anyway, if that guy escapes safely, we've got a foot in that achievement."
Ripord boasted proudly.
Not befitting the leader of the Blazing Sun representing the East.
Feeling their gazes, Ripord protested aggrievedly.
"Why look at me like that? This is important. Who knows if even a crumb falls our way later?"
"Yeah, yeah."
Reina and Sarpe didn't even want to respond.
While someone else stormed enemy lines alone to rescue Lordr, this guy bragged after firing one artifact from afar.
"What? What's with those looks? Disappointed in me? I'm not the weird one—that guy's abnormal. And do you know how much that artifact cost! Beyond money, it's my life insurance, life insurance!"
Ripord vented his grievances into their ears.
Though it didn't reach them.
He didn't know that staying quiet would at least get him middle credit.
* * *
Thanks to the ice wall shaking off the enemies, I'd reached near the walls before I knew it.
Ahead, the firmly shut gate was visible.
But the situation wasn't over.
Knights filling the avenue stretching to the gate.
Seeing them densely lined up felt like facing a small wall.
Knights with spears were also positioned atop surrounding buildings.
"Prepare to throw spears!"
At someone's command, they readied their javelins.
Looked like a black rain of spears would fall on my path.
"Throw spears!"
With a resounding shout, dark shadows launched.
They briefly blotted the sky.
Combined with my forward speed and their launch velocity, they were no longer mere spears.
Like black meteors raining down.
I put strength into my toes.
Heavenly Spirit Divine Art, Footwork Chapter.
Chapter 1: Scattering Clouds.
Spear strikes pierced through as my shadow scattered like clouds.
Kwaaakwakwakwang!
A roar of the ground shattering swirled from behind.
I dodged the countless raining spears while inching forward.
The spears that fell where I'd passed embedded deeply into the ground.
To the point it looked like black spear shafts sprouting from the earth.
They poured spears even while forming a net to block my path, but it was futile to catch my ankle.
As my form scattered like clouds, widening my movement radius, the spear density naturally thinned, revealing gaps in the blackened view.
Kwang!
Before I knew it, I was charging straight ahead.
Judging spears useless now, they rushed at me.
The soldiers packing the avenue surged toward me.
Like a wall pressing in.
I charged straight at it.
A short, heavy blow.
That's what was needed now.
"You'll pass out, but it'll be better."
I gripped the sword hilt hard.
This time, I was partly serious.
Kwaaaang!
Stamping down hard with my lead foot caused a roar as the ground around cracked like shattered glass.
A ferocious strike whipped up from the sword tip.
To brace for the recoil from unleashing monstrous power, my lower body rooted firmly to the ground, and the pulled-back sword began advancing.
No second chances.
I planned to end it in one.
Heavenly Spirit Divine Art, Sword Chapter.
Chapter 2: Black Piercing Flash.
Overflowing inner energy concentrated to a point, honed further, then thrust out.
The sword strike extended like a beam of light and struck its mark.
The simple motion of thrusting into empty air culminated, and the compressed energy at its tip exploded all at once.
A single ray piercing thick darkness.
Kwaaaaaa—!
That strike pierced space longwise.
A fiercely blazing flash crossed the avenue in an instant.
Everything in its path was swept away.
People, gate, space.
As if a massive cylinder had slammed down, the stirred dust wind spread vastly outside the circle.
With the obstructions gone, my view cleared wide.
Even the plains beyond the gate came into sight.
And from me to beyond the gate.
A long furrow gouged through the avenue's center.
I ran along the path I'd carved.
And before I knew it, I was dashing across the open plains.
"You okay?"
"..."
Lordr gave no answer.
But faint, steady breathing continued.
Fortunately, he hadn't died.
Anyway, we'd escaped Stis City, so we'd passed one hurdle.
But it wasn't time to relax yet.
They wouldn't let me go this easily.
As long as I was with Lordr, I couldn't cover long distances. Nor run too fast.
They surely knew that too.
The clash of spear and shield had ended in my victory.
What remained was a grueling, tenacious pursuit.