Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: When Meeting the Dead (8)
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Azel continued.
“It’s not just to stop us from escaping. I don’t know the exact intent, but there’s a reason they waited until now to attack.”
“Ugh...!”
Niberis bit her lip.
Azel had hit the nail on the head. The Curtain of Darkness wasn’t simply prepared to block Arietta’s escape. They had gone to such lengths to ensure no one outside could know what was happening inside.
Azel grinned.
“So that’s it, huh?”
From Niberis’s reaction, Azel was certain his guess was correct. For some reason, Niberis had a need to keep Arietta’s kidnapping completely secret, even if it meant deploying a grand spell like the Curtain of Darkness.
Niberis quickly schooled her expression. She glared at Azel with cold fury.
“You’ve played me for a fool. But... don’t think everything will go your way.”
The wise choice would be for Niberis to retreat here. But her pride wouldn’t allow it.
‘Me, fail at something like this? Impossible.’
Since earning recognition for her skills and being assigned missions, she had never once failed. A blemish on her flawless record from something like this? Unacceptable.
“Death awaits those who incite the dragon’s wrath.”
Niberis unleashed a wave of dense darkness. Azel vanished before it.
Crackle!
He had lunged with Flash Step, bringing his sword down on Niberis’s barrier... or so it seemed for less than a second.
‘An afterimage?’
Niberis was stunned. What attacked her was Azel’s afterimage.
‘An afterimage that strikes with physical force?’
She could understand if it were magic. Simply manifesting a spell from the afterimage’s position would do it.
But this attack was different. She had distinctly felt the impact of a mana-infused sword slashing down.
‘Impossible.’
Her mind blanked for a moment at the incomprehensible situation. In that instant, Azel grabbed Arietta’s hand and pulled away from the spot.
-Everyone, run! I’ll cover you from the side—match my timing to break out!
Azel shouted via Whispering. Zail and Boer, who had just finished off nearly all the beasts after a hard fight, were startled. Azel leaped between them, slashing down every beast in his path.
Having received the order a beat earlier, Zail and Boer reacted with astonishing speed. They felled the beasts frozen by Azel’s surprise assault, then Boer hoisted Enora onto his back and started running.
“Kyaa!”
“Lady Enora! Forgive my rudeness!”
Enora screamed, but Boer had no time for courtesy.
“Damn it!”
Niberis, snapping out of it a beat late, panicked. Escape like this?
“I won’t let you go!”
Darkness surged from beneath Niberis’s feet. It coalesced into writhing tentacles, and below them, the massive body that formed their core emerged.
The formless mass slithered across the ground, pursuing the group at high speed.
8
Azel’s group scattered and fled the moment they began their escape.
It was Azel’s judgment. He had ordered them to split up, believing that fleeing together would get them all killed.
But before everyone could follow the order, an unforeseen problem arose—one even Azel hadn’t anticipated.
Rumble...
A flash erupted before their eyes. Azel hastily raised his sword to block it.
Boom!
The explosion hurled him back.
“Gah!”
The shock piercing his body left him numb for a moment.
Before him stood a being radiating an overwhelming presence, clearing its throat as it spoke.
“Ahem. I was on standby just in case... and it seems I can be of help, miss.”
He was a swordsman clad head to toe in black armor. His voice was a deep baritone, but his face was hidden, making his age impossible to guess. All that was clear was his towering frame, over two meters tall.
In his hand was a jet-black sword that matched his armor perfectly. Fitting his massive build, the blade was twice the size and weight of a standard sword.
“Durang? Why are you here...?”
Niberis, pursuing from behind, revealed her shock. She hadn’t even known the Black Swordsman was present.
“Ah, I happened to be in the country on other business.”
“Did the Elders send you?”
“No. The Elders gave no specific orders. However...”
“However?”
“This old man came out of mere concern. If I’ve offended you, I apologize.”
“To doubt me over something this trivial...!”
Niberis bristled momentarily from wounded pride, then regained her composure.
“...No. I owe you one.”
“A wise decision. My thanks.”
The giant called Durang turned to Azel.
Azel gritted his teeth.
‘Ugh, this guy... he’s strong.’
The pressure emanating from him was no joke. And though it was a surprise attack, Azel had taken internal damage. He was the most powerful Spirit Order practitioner Azel had encountered since awakening in this era.
‘If it were just that Dragonkin woman, I could manage... but this changes everything.’
Azel’s original plan had been to scatter the group, then lure Niberis away with Arietta while the others escaped. Once separated far enough from the enemy’s other forces, he’d risk facing Niberis alone to buy time for Arietta’s escape before withdrawing. That was the optimal scenario.
Durang’s appearance scrapped it.
‘Hopeless. Damn it.’
Azel wasn’t omnipotent. More than half his confident facade was bluffing to gain a psychological edge. Internally, he desperately brainstormed solutions, betting on the slimmest hopes.
Durang ahead, Niberis behind.
Could he break through this?
‘If we scatter and flee...’
“Heh. I can hear your brain churning, kid.”
Durang chuckled coldly. Killing intent washed over Azel.
He didn’t attack immediately. Instead, Durang addressed Niberis.
“To continue, miss... I didn’t come because I worried you’d fail the mission.”
“What do you mean?”
“Even if the plan was proceeding smoothly, I came to lend a hand to end it quickly—or to urge you to withdraw.”
“...You mean abandon the catch we’ve nearly hooked?”
Niberis’s voice sharpened. Durang replied softly.
“I’d prefer that. It’s safer.”
“I don’t know your reasons, but I can’t.”
“Then I’ll respect your will and do my utmost to assist. But if the situation I fear arises, please heed my request.”
Durang warned of unfavorable developments while sparing Niberis’s pride. She held an important position in the organization, and he personally valued her.
Having decided on action, Durang asked,
“Have you decided what to do with the rest, excluding the Dragon Princess, miss?”
“Kill them all here.”
“Wouldn’t the Dragon Princess have value as a hostage, based on the reports of her personality?”
“Perhaps. But I don’t trust it. No matter how noble she is, if she recognizes her position, wouldn’t she risk the guilt?”
“Understood. Then...”
Durang vanished.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, he appeared before the group—not one, but one before each member.
They reflexively attacked in shock, but their strikes sliced only empty air.
Clang!
Only the Durang before Enora was real. His downward strike was blocked, sparks flying.
“Hoh.”
A sound of admiration leaked from Durang’s helmet.
“To pinpoint my real body... not bad for a kid.”
Azel had ignored the afterimage before him and rushed to Enora’s side.
Swords locked, Azel glared at Durang.
“Targeting the weak first... as expected of shady cultists, playing dirty.”
“I was showing mercy.”
“What?”
“You’re all dying here anyway. Better to send her off cleanly than make her watch the gruesome end, no?”
Durang spoke in earnest, not mockery.
Since Niberis had decided to kill them all, he would obey. Enora was marked for death regardless, so ending her swiftly—before she knew it—was mercy in his eyes.
“Either way, your skill explains why the miss is struggling. However...”
Durang vanished. Azel pursued with Flash Step.
Clang clang clang!
They blurred from sight, then clashes and sparks erupted everywhere.
It was ultra-high-speed combat no one else could follow. Boer and Zail couldn’t track them at all; Arietta could barely keep up with her eyes.
Suddenly, Durang halted. Azel appeared before him, slashing down.
“Hup!”
Clang!
Durang stood firm as a rock, parrying. The ground shattered beneath him, sending Azel flying.
Durang said,
“You lack power.”
Azel’s technique impressed Durang. In this era where great secret arts were lost, such skill at a young age was remarkable.
But his power fell short compared to his technique. Against someone he could overwhelm technically, it might work, but Durang had mastered the organization’s forgotten secret arts through his body.
“And you’re worn out from fighting the miss.”
Durang swung his sword at empty air. A transparent wave of force followed its arc.
Boom boom boom!
The crescent-shaped shockwave surged toward the group. A mere swing had cracked the earth ahead, unleashing a blast that threatened to swallow them whole.
At the same time, Niberis unleashed her magic.
Boom! Kaboom!
Lightning poured down on everyone except Arietta. Durang’s force wave struck with perfect timing after the bolts.
KABOOM!
The explosion rocked the ground.
As debris flew, Durang said,
“This kid truly is impressive. I wondered why the miss struggled against a mere Dragon Princess... it was because of him?”
“Unpleasant as it is, I acknowledge his prowess.”
From the settling dust, Azel emerged.
“Urgh...”
Blood streamed from Azel’s face.
The attack had been too precise; he couldn’t block unscathed. He could have dodged alone, but protecting everyone made it impossible.
‘What now?’
No path forward.
Durang was overwhelming. His technique was formidable, and his mana dwarfed Azel’s.
Their gear gap was vast too. Durang’s armor and sword brimmed with powerful magic.
‘Time to consider the worst case.’
Azel steeled himself to die here. He couldn’t save everyone. Prioritize.
That was when it happened.
“A—ri—et—ta—!”
A thunderous roar echoed from afar, shaking the area.