Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Laying Out the Mat (2)
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"Old timers?"
"C... Closel, sir!"
It was a situation where every minute and second counted, so the more people, the better.
The place I'd seen was deep in the mountains.
To search it, we had to set out as quickly as possible.
"H... Horses! I need horses!"
At my shout, Randolph looked ready to bolt off at any moment.
"Wait here. I'll fetch some right away."
That's when Parmon spoke up.
"No need for that."
"Old timer! This is urgent! We have to hurry!"
"Heh heh... Seeing you keep staring in one direction, it must be that way."
I was frustrated to the point of bursting—why was he dragging his feet like this?
This wasn't the time to be smiling leisurely.
"Urgent, you say? Then we definitely don't need horses."
Closel stepped forward from beside Parmon, who wore that relaxed smile.
"We're faster than any horse."
"What are you talking abou—"
Closel's arms swept through the air.
"Fly."
"Wh-whoa?!"
At that instant, my body floated lightly into the air.
"It's been ages since I flew..."
"Feel free to hurl if you need to. Your stomach might churn a bit."
With those words, our bodies shot through the air—mine and the old timers' alike.
"Gasp...!!!"
"Is that the right direction?"
I couldn't even answer Closel's question.
A fierce wind whipped across my face.
Breathing was hard enough, let alone speaking.
All I could manage was a feeble nod.
"We'll go even faster, then."
Whoosh—
The scenery blurred past us.
Through my half-closed eyes, shapes vanished before I could make them out.
"Keh keh... Looks like an ordinary young fellow from up here."
"Won't be easy to talk. Try signaling with your hand."
Unlike me, gasping for breath with effort, the two old men's voices were calm, as if out for a stroll.
I raised an arm against the wind, pointing in one direction.
The only sensation that felt real was the rattle in my hand.
Wait... the rattle?
I flinched.
Ting-a-ling—
That's right—I had the rattle in my hand.
Just because my eyes were closed didn't mean I couldn't see.
I've had my Spiritual Eyes open since birth, as a shaman.
"Haa..."
I exhaled the breath I'd been holding, and my mind sank deep within.
Into the darkness, and even deeper.
Shaaa—
Waves crashed in my ears, it seemed.
My senses awakened fully, perceiving other things.
"Ho? You?"
"Fascinating."
The resistance I'd felt moments ago vanished clean away.
Though my eyes were shut, I could see every landscape.
I could feel it, touch it.
"Closel, old timer—a bit more to the right."
Our bodies veered toward my outstretched hand.
A little more, just a little farther, and we'd reach the place I'd seen.
Far off, I sensed a faint energy.
A huddled, trembling presence in the brush.
It matched the energy of the hair ribbon clutched in my hand exactly.
"Old timer!"
"We've sensed it already. A few goblins."
"Descending now."
It was right below us.
The moment my feet touched ground, I dashed forward.
The spirit attached to the child brimmed with desperate emotion.
This was critical.
Thud-thud-thud—
"You goblin bastards."
Several goblins rummaged through the brush, snickering with their "hee-hee" laughs.
"Kerrk?"
"Kirrk!!"
Spotting me charge out, the goblins swarmed toward me in unison.
More than ten of them, by the look.
Yet my mind was astonishingly calm.
Ting-a-ling—
"Filth that can't even pass for human—where do you get off wielding blades?"
They were spirits of the lowest rank.
Lumps tangled with base instincts like lust and gluttony.
That's all the goblins facing me amounted to.
"Vermin slaying humans... Tsk tsk..."
"Kirrk!"
Fortunately, the child seemed unharmed.
The energy from under that small rock was just frightened, not in peril.
The spirit beside it had also calmed, its aura stabilizing.
"Sir over there, mind lending a hand?"
The rattle rang out as the spirit clung to my body.
At the same instant, sharp claws slashed toward me.
"Kerrk!"
But those claws never touched—they merely sliced empty air.
My moving body dodged with the fluid grace of lifelong practice.
It was that mystical sensation where I couldn't tell if I was moving or the spirit was.
"How peculiar... Lingering in this world without even grudges."
My arm swung in a clean, efficient arc.
Splut—
The goblin struck by the rattle had its head smashed, caving in.
"Whatever the reason, time to face judgment."
My body leaped high, swinging the rattle once more.
The arm moved like it was wielding a sword born for it—utterly familiar.
Splut—
"Keee! ...Krrk..."
One more goblin with a shattered skull.
My body, effortlessly evading their attacks, smashed head after head.
Splat!
"So vile and filthy."
Splut—
"With souls harboring nothing but this refuse—how pitiful."
"Kerrk...!"
The rattle pulverized goblins like a mighty mace.
It felt like dancing through a shaman ritual.
My feet skimmed the earth feather-light, the rattle's chime resounding in my mind.
Before long, no goblins stood.
"Tsk tsk..."
I tucked the bloodied rattle into my belt at my back.
Step.
Parting the brush with my steps revealed a small child.
Her trembling head turned toward me.
"Keep your eyes shut. Not a sight for you."
Nod.
I could still feel her terror.
Her hands shook that much.
"Child, what's your name?"
"...A... Alisa..."
"Don't open your eyes."
Nod.
Foul energies still lingered nearby.
Attracted by the blood scent, perhaps?
Goblins gathered, bodies heaving.
Dealing with all of them would take time, I figured.
As I moved to act again, the spirit detached from my body.
"I still need more help..."
The spirit shook its head, as if saying it was done.
It even wore a faint smile.
Then its gaze turned to the old timers behind me.
"...To see this before I die."
"How did you do that?"
I turned slowly to look at Closel.
Smashing goblins was trivial compared to flying through the sky on the power of old men.
Why the curiosity?
"...Do you not even realize?"
"Seems that way."
Strange words.
The only remarkable thing in their eyes should've been how adeptly I'd fought...
Parmon's voice broke my thoughts.
"When do you plan to open your eyes?"
"...?"
Eyes?
My mind cleared in an instant, senses returning to normal.
"Crazy..."
Lifting my eyelids, I saw the fallen goblins and the old timers on the ground.
That's right.
I'd fought with my eyes closed.
The senses had been so vivid, I hadn't even noticed.
My Spiritual Eyes could do this much?
I swear, they'd never been this sharp before.
"Keh keh."
"Now do you get it?"
No wonder Closel and Parmon were intrigued.
What human fights goblins blindfolded?
Closel's eyes held deep fondness.
"Fighting so well with eyes shut. Using the empire's soldiers' combat techniques, no less."
"Pardon?"
"Rushing to the child was impressive. And I hear you have no lust for wealth?"
This old man seemed to have some misconceptions about me.
But no chance to clear them up.
Goblins gathering around began to reveal themselves, one by one.
"Kirrrk."
Goblins everywhere.
Bad terrain for protecting the child while fighting.
"No worries. Though in these times, sights like this are rare."
Parmon strolled toward the goblins with leisure.
"No sword anymore, but I've grown quite used to this."
Swish.
A small hammer emerged from Parmon's bosom.
The same one he'd carried when we first met.
"Keh keh."
Parmon laughed as he walked, still as relaxed as on a stroll.
"Can't recall fighting with such a smile... Living happily still feels awkward..."
Light began to emanate from the hammer raised overhead.
Fsssh—
Blue light rose like smoke, then coalesced sharply into form.
Was that what an Aura Blade looked like?
Parmon's presence shifted—from kindly grandfather to something else.
Slowly, his arm descended, hammer meeting ground.
A thunderous boom erupted.
Kaboom—
A hammer strike on the earth, making that sound?
But that wasn't all to shock me.
Cracks spiderwebbed from Parmon's front.
No—shattered was more apt.
"In...sane..."
The goblins before Parmon exploded.
The ones I'd killed looked merciful by comparison.
These burst apart, limbs scattering everywhere.
"Keh keh."
Kaboom!
Kabooom!
Bomb blasts echoed on.
Earth split in all directions; fleeing goblins burst without mercy.
Kabang!
Vibrations from the ground shook my whole body.
When Parmon tucked the hammer away, the surroundings were utter ruin.
Except precisely where we stood.
"Heh heh heh..."
Parmon laughed hollowly amid it all.
Before that jarring scene, one thought struck me.
So... last time, I nearly got hit by that thing?