Chapter 103
Chapter 103
14. Sky Hole, Tearing Out the Roots -6
Crunch, rip—!
It was a one-sided trampling so brutal it went past fierce and into gruesome. Every time the fan swung, leaving afterimages, an arm went flying and a leg went flying. Elijah was being broken apart literally like a toy.
But.
Whirr—
Whenever the wires wove through the sky, whatever part had been severed was instantly rejoined. The wires that stitched the wounds shut broke down into fine particles and melted in, repairing the internal components.
She was broken dozens of times, and just the same, repaired dozens of times. That was the only reason the fight was holding together, however narrowly.
On top of that.
"Heh heh⋯⋯ It seems I'm not going down as easily as you thought? That's right, I'm a little hard to kill!"
Elijah was smiling even as her body repeated the cycle of breaking and being repaired. Even the Chinese Milk Vetch Elf seemed cowed by that eerie intensity.
He twisted his face like a demon and shouted.
"What sorcery is this, you wench who can hardly be called human!"
"Aha⋯⋯ Still, being questionable as a human is better than not being human at all, isn't it? Pointy-ears."
"⋯⋯『Violet-Radiance Ray (紫輝線)』—!!"
BOOM—!!
The Chinese Milk Vetch Elf's fan, swung in irritation, turned Elijah's right arm into scrap. The mechanical arm, wrecked beyond any hope of being stitched back on, rolled across the ground as junk metal.
Immediately, a new arm was launched from the 『coffin』 she had positioned in the rear.
Clank—!
Then Elijah restored her arm and went back into the fight. She treated her own limbs as thoroughly expendable parts, literally throwing her life away without hesitation.
Clank! Clank—! Whirr—
Arms and legs kept flying out of the coffin. She stitched them on in real time and threw punches. Oil, blood, some unknown fluid—they splattered everywhere. Even amid that carnage, she laughed without a flinch.
A berserker.
She had the face of an angel, but her fighting style could only be described as that of a berserker.
Because she was fighting pressed right up against the Chinese Milk Vetch Elf even while manipulating wires, the 『rose』 in the rear couldn't move easily. If it used its power, the elf would get caught up in it too.
But the elf bastard wasn't a fool either. His confusion lasted only a moment before he found his own way out of Elijah's bizarre combat style. After all, Elijah's part replacement was limited to her limbs.
"Let's see if you can fix yourself after I smash your head in, you revolting beast!"
As far as I knew, she had no spare head or torso prepared. Even if she did, I didn't think she could swap those out. The head would clearly be a fatal wound even for her.
Elijah answered brightly.
"Forcing others to do what you can't do yourself⋯⋯ isn't a very good attitude, is it?"
"Shut up! 『Su Family Chastity Hammer (蘇家貞錘)』!"
Wooong—
A heavy, dull resonance shook the air. My eyes read the Chinese Milk Vetch Elf's intent in an instant.
He was going to ignore the limbs that dazzled the eyes and, rather than overcoming them with technique, smash through with brute force. In other words, he meant to bulldoze us with raw specs.
And that, from our perspective, was the most troublesome approach.
KWAANG—!!
The Chinese Milk Vetch Elf's fist, gathered with magic power, slammed in like a battering ram. It was a punch that could have been described as being fired. Elijah didn't even have time to react.
Elijah's arms crumpled at once and became useless. She tried to force movement by manipulating her wires, but she was still a beat too slow. The Chinese Milk Vetch Elf shattered her defense with a single move and prepared the finishing blow.
After rendering those troublesome arms defenseless.
He apparently intended to smash her head, just as he'd said.
"Haaah—."
You think I'd just stand here and watch?
The fact that she could only be killed by targeting her torso or head meant—if I protected Elijah's torso and head, she would never die!
"Back—!"
"Okay!"
Elijah let the strength go out of her legs and simply fell backward, completely defenseless.
I leaped through that gap, wedged myself in, and swung my shield toward the Chinese Milk Vetch Elf's fist. It was a kind of active defense, where the shield sought out the point of impact and blocked it directly.
KWAANG——!!
[Impact Conversion: 295%]
"Guh⋯⋯!"
"Thanks, Noah!"
The shock reverberated to my bones and I spat blood again, but by then Elijah had finished her repairs. Clank—! New arms flew out from the 『coffin』.
Thoom—!
At the same time, Elijah detached her ruined arms and fired them at the Chinese Milk Vetch Elf. The elf bastard swung his fan twice like lightning and batted the incoming arms aside to either side, but by then Elijah had finished her repairs.
In that gap, Elijah launched her wires. The gleaming wires rippled as if dissolving into the sunlight and surrounded the Chinese Milk Vetch Elf from all sides, forming snares.
Neck, torso, legs. The snares were each sized differently so they would tighten with staggered timing. Soon Elijah clenched her fist and pulled her arms across in a cross.
Then, with a keeeeen— motor sound, the wires tightened all at once.
"⋯⋯『Peacock Spreading Its Tail (孔雀開屛)』!"
Shwaaak—! Thud!
The Chinese Milk Vetch Elf shook out his fan and spread it open. Like a peacock spreading its tail feathers, sharp slashes burst out along the fan's semicircle and cut through the wires in an instant.
The severed diamond-coated wires scattered through the air. I immediately coiled the wind.
"『Azure Wind Wanderer』!"
Hwoooosh——!! Pipipipipit!
I fired the wires like needles along with the wind. They might not have the cutting power of being pulled by motors, but against soft parts like the corneas, they could still slice through.
"You annoying—"
"Now, over here!"
The Chinese Milk Vetch Elf wrapped his whole body in violently blazing magic power and blocked the wires. Then Elijah rotated the arm that had fired the wires in a spiral and launched it forward.
It spun like a drill and cut through everything around it—it was no different from a mini 『Erect Violet』 fired by scientific technology. At the same time, I moved in as well. I prepared a two-skill Synthesis that could be fired quickly without taking time—
"You beasts—"
"Synthesis, 『Wind-Cloud Lightning (風雲雷)』!"
Flash—!
I fired it.
"You dare mock me——!!"
With a huff, a thick phytoncide scent spread through the air, and grass sprouted across the area where the Chinese Milk Vetch Elf stood. It was the precursor to the attack that had half killed me.
[Noah Won : .]
I sent Elijah a message with just a single dot. That alone was enough for us to understand each other. Elijah and I fell back into defensive stances.
KWAANG——!!
At that moment, it exploded.
A violet radiance erased my Wind-Cloud Lightning and Elijah's spiral arm in an instant. Thanks to having retreated beforehand, we weren't caught up in it. It looked less like any martial art and more like a simple magic power explosion, but if he'd used that much force⋯⋯
"I was graciously playing along for the sake of my dignity, and now you dare get insolent!"
Damn it, he's still full of energy.
His eyes were sharp and he showed no sign of fatigue. Look at him—he'd even forgotten who invaded Earth first and was spouting that nonsense. The nerve, for fuck's sake⋯⋯
"Heh heh⋯⋯"
Elijah suddenly let out a small laugh, as if she found something amusing. Ah, had he gotten angry seeing her? Sure, if an opponent he looked down on was laughing at him, it would be understandable for him to be irritated—
"Noah, I think he got angry looking at you."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯?"
"You're smiling, aren't you? Right now."
I was?
⋯⋯I touched the corner of my mouth with my fingertips, and sure enough, it was true. The corners of my lips had risen at some point. Wondering why, I traced back where my heart was leaning for a moment—and the reason was rather absurd.
It was because the coordinated attack with Elijah had gone so cleanly.
When you complete a puzzle, when a precise mechanical device meshes together and turns, when you chat with a friend whose mind is in sync with yours—there's a certain enjoyment in those moments. She and I were astonishingly in sync.
So⋯⋯ I guess I'd smiled.
Yeah.
I had a gut feeling that if I fought alongside Elijah, we could drag this out for another half day. That elf bastard, for all his posturing, had an utterly simplistic way of using his power.
I understood. Becoming an elf meant betraying the 『System』. He probably thought he couldn't climb any higher on his own. Because he lacked talent.
I was certain of it. Even among C-ranks, he would never be in the upper tier.
If you're ultimately a loser who couldn't adapt to the System—fine. With these eyes you envied, I'll devour you together with Elijah.
⋯⋯But that resolution was rendered meaningless all too quickly.
"I'll end this now. 『Rose』—you may use all your nutrients! Cut those bastards down!"
Kugung— Shrrrrk—
Crisis had arrived.
The 『rose』, which appeared to have absorbed a slash-type skill, raised its crimson bulk and spread its petals wide. As a metallic sheen flashed, my skin began to prickle involuntarily at that murderous aura.
"⋯⋯⋯⋯"
Even with the coordinated attack with Elijah, we were at a standoff with the elf bastard⋯⋯ no, honestly, we were slightly on the back foot. If the skill-devouring rose was added on top of that, the outcome was obvious as fire.
But expecting additional reinforcements was—
-Block them! Block the cavalry! I said stop their charge, even if you have to set off the mines!
-They're blocked by leaf shields, how the hell are we supposed to get past those?!
-Then cut their legs off if you don't want to die!
The rear was facing the plant army, and just handling the cavalry was already overwhelming. Elites like Minsik and Hyejin were concentrating fire on the main body of the green army, securing space so that Elijah and I wouldn't be surrounded.
We were short-handed. Just one more person—I knew it was greedy, but if we'd just had one more—
Charrrrng!
The petals moved, brushing against each other, and the sound was like blades being sharpened. The humming aura was taking on a distinct form. At the same time, the Chinese Milk Vetch Elf fluttered his open fan. The killing blow was coming.
Then Elijah laughed. Along with an unexpected remark.
"He's coming."
"?"
"I did a little⋯⋯ promoting. I thought he'd come, of course!"
⋯⋯Who?
There was someone who came to mind, but that couldn't be. That guy was supposed to be in the middle of his advancement right now. I was sorting through the roster in my head for people who might come as reinforcements.
Hwiiiiii—
A gale swept in from the west.
KWAAAAAA—!!
A spiraling blast of wind shot in like an arrow and struck the 『rose』 squarely in the head. With a clang—, several petals scattered and it staggered hard.
That form, that power. I knew it well because I'd taken it with my own body. How could I not recognize it?
Step.
"—Can't even make a Support Request by yourself now?"
"⋯⋯You."
『Whirlwind Thrust (旋風扎)』, and that arrogant voice.
Dressed in Greek-style clothing and gripping a single spear, the hero-worshiper, Sergios of Mount Moria, had finally shown himself on Earth.
As I stared at him with wide eyes, Elijah waved her hand as if delighted.
"Sergios! Welcome! We were just about to get started for real!"
"Hmph, you're already falling apart. You should have just gone through the advancement rite earlier. This is the fault of your laziness, Noah Won."
Sergios answered in his usual obnoxious way. I stood there dumbfounded, trying to spit out the first question that surged up.
"Your 『Embodiment』—"
But I stopped halfway through. Even as I said it, I knew it was a foolish question.
Fuck.
I ground my teeth.
Sergios's Embodiment—his rebirth—was still in progress. There was no way I didn't know what it meant for him to move in that unstable state. I'd already seen a similar case with Muyeon.
Sergios had.
Given up part of his future to help me.
Look. Strange magic power cracks were prominent across the surface of Sergios's skin. It was the result of using a 『Skill』 in the middle of his body's reconstruction—unable to withstand the shock, it was breaking apart from within.
He would suffer damage to his future growth. He might even fail the advancement, or worse, his realm might drop. He would have to undergo the rite again and challenge C-rank advancement—or in the worst case, find a path other than the Asura Path.
But Sergios said flatly.
"Don't waste your thoughts on pointless things, Noah Won. This is the path of a hero."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯"
"To explain more concretely for your dull benefit—it is the path of helping those weaker than oneself, stepping onto disadvantageous battlefields without hesitation, and hearing the praise of citizens."
I was struck speechless.
There was so much I wanted to say. That he didn't need to go this far, or that I could have won even without a bastard like him. But I knew those were pointless words too. I pressed my hand to my forehead, unable to get any of those sentences out, stammering.
With a sigh, I could only mutter this.
"⋯⋯You goddamn cool bastard."
"Heh. Even praise from that wicked mouth of yours⋯⋯ yes, it's not bad."
It wasn't praise, you bastard.
Now, at last, there were three of us.
The reinforcements that had dropped from the sky joined the battlefield. The scale that had been tipping precariously toward disadvantage now tilted back to equilibrium. The elf bastard must have felt it too, because the Chinese Milk Vetch Elf gnashed his teeth fiercely and threatened us.
"A D-rank hunter⋯⋯ Do you think adding one measly bastard like that will let you defeat me? I am an elf who has reached the realm of C-rank!"
"Wrong. Rather, we could win even with one fewer. Your judgment is so poor that you're worse than Noah Won."
"What?"
"Pointy-ears. You may rejoice. You are a citizen."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯"
But the threat wouldn't work on him. The two gathered here were strange enough that such words wouldn't shake them even by a fingernail.
"You need to cooperate this time, Sergios. If you pull that 'get out of my line of fire' nonsense and get in the way like last time, expect to get hit from behind."
"Why should I listen to a pseudo-citizen? You adjust to my movements yourself."
"You called me a hero too once, you bastard!"
"Then you shouldn't have made a Support Request. A man who can't even handle his own karma wants to be treated as a hero? You certainly want a lot."
⋯⋯I barely held back from saying I hadn't made it. It was a line with nothing to gain. If I said it, I'd just hear mockery like, 'How admirable, Noah Won. Well done.'
Let's just fight. Just fight. What kind of idle chatter is this when we're fighting for our lives right now?
But⋯⋯ the scale was still at equilibrium. I couldn't guarantee victory. So I wanted to add one more weight. I'd put the final touch on it here.
Sergios had made his resolve.
Then how could I keep posturing here?
[This rite accelerates the Embodiment of only one sparring partner. One sparring partner and one sparring target stand facing each other, and without leaving the circle, rise and exchange a bow⋯⋯]
"First-Realm Ladder Ascension Method."
"Th-this is⋯⋯"
I recited the incantation. The conditions were a circle and a bow.
First, the circle. When I had been building fortifications along the East Sea area, I had drawn a large circle in advance.
Second, the bow. Standing straight, I gave the elf a perfunctory nod.
The conditions of the rite were thereby established.
"Wh-what the hell is this damn beast trying to do——!!"
"—The rite of 『Battle-Demon Ascension (鬪鬼昇格)』, opening formation!"
The target was the Chinese Milk Vetch Elf. The sparring target was the anvil for harmonizing the sparring partner's three bodies, so every moment I fought against him—would become the forging that sharpened the human called me.
I too.
Would begin my rebirth in real time right here, and use that changing power as the driving force to kill the elf!