Chapter 439: Proof of Existence (27)
Chapter 439: Proof of Existence (27)
The ‘Faceless Assailant.’
It was a being that had once attacked Lia. I recalled hearing that they were unfortunate puppets whose bodies and minds were seized by the Dark Cult’s contract magic, leaving them unable to think or act for themselves.
Their appearance was equally hideous.
Their faces looked like squashed modeling clay, with features that were barely discernible. Their eyes were mere slits slanted across their faces, and their noses had lost all definition, leaving only the nostrils visible. Lacking even lips, the boundaries of their mouths were blurred and indistinct.
Several of these monsters were now closing in, surrounding the Saintess and me.
Where had they come from?
I hadn't even properly sensed their presence. This was the part I found particularly strange.
It was the same with the black-haired woman I met at the Holy Kingdom’s military camp; these faceless assailants didn't give off a presence, as if they were intentionally erasing it. It felt like standing in the middle of an empty field.
I could investigate that further in due time.
For now, protecting the Saintess came first. My hand was already gripped firmly around the hilt of my sword.
The hand axe began to vibrate.
I had already crushed the skull of one faceless assailant. Aided by the Secret of Stillness in Motion, the axe blade danced through the air once more.
What surprised me was that, unlike before, these faceless assailants possessed considerable skill.
Clang!
The hand axe was deflected with a sharp metallic ring. Considering how much my skills had grown recently, their performance was remarkable.
They were likely Experts, or at least possessed equivalent strength.
And it wasn't just one or two of them showing this level of prowess.
Several daggers traced bizarre trajectories through the air.
The daggers themselves were cheap, but the mana infused within them was extraordinary. Virtual lines began to draw themselves before my eyes.
The daggers were clearly aimed at the Saintess.
In fact, it wasn't just the daggers.
Every monster that leaped over the wall was heading straight for her. Even the swordsman who had parried my hand axe ignored me entirely, his gaze fixed solely on the Saintess.
Naturally, I wasn't about to just stand by and watch.
“Where do you think you’re going… you bastard!”
I drove a kick into the ribs of the swordsman trying to bypass me. The monster rolled across the ground several times without even a gasp of pain, then stared back at me in silence.
That was when a bolt of lightning struck from the sky.
Thwack!
The hand axe, which had been spinning in the air, fell like a waterfall of light. Even so, the creature's skull didn't shatter instantly, forcing the axe to repeat its vertical motion as if splitting firewood.
Thud, thud, thud.
Against the backdrop of that rhythmic noise, I threw my sword.
I aimed for the daggers flying toward the Saintess.
The Saintess had just lowered her posture in surprise, and my sword grazed past her, crossing the path of the projectiles. A silver curtain was etched into the air like a brushstroke.
It was a technique applying Unbinding.
The daggers that touched the mist of Aura began to collide and spiral out of control. It was because their trajectories couldn't hold firm as their mana was scattered. I used that opening to close the distance to the Saintess.
It was only a few steps. The Saintess was holding her breath, not even letting out a scream.
Her trembling, pale pink pupils betrayed her inner state. She must have been startled, but she didn't make a sound recklessly.
Instead, her eyes showed she was desperately contemplating her next move.
What would be the best course of action? How should she act to benefit me most?
She had grown accustomed to the battlefield. In the past, she would have screamed whenever she was surprised.
I decided to reassure her first.
“Saintess, are you al—ugh?!”
Suddenly, a fist lunged at me.
The assailant who had closed the distance in an instant possessed a well-trained physique. From his stance alone, it was obvious he was a martial artist of the Holy Kingdom.
If I backed away now, the assailant’s elbow would strike the Saintess directly in the back.
I couldn't let that happen.
I grabbed the arm that was swinging past me, spun my body, and slammed the assailant into the ground.
Boom!
A powerful shockwave rippled through the monster’s body, causing it to convulse. Despite that, it struggled to get back up, forcing me to kick its head with all my might.
With a crisp crack, the assailant stopped moving.
That made two.
I quickly scanned the surroundings. There were still four more assailants alive and moving.
The one with the daggers was particularly bothersome.
An opponent who could adjust their trajectory from a distance was extremely tricky to deal with—especially when there was someone I had to protect.
I was only now realizing just how difficult the Secret of Stillness in Motion was to counter.
That was when the Saintess broke her silence.
“……It’s too precise.”
“Pardon?”
I didn't have a moment to spare. To my absentminded question, the Saintess hurriedly stood up.
“Ian, please leave me be for a moment.”
I reflexively suppressed the question of what she meant.
The Saintess must have a plan of her own.
However, I couldn't entirely shake my anxiety, and my worried gaze remained fixed on her.
The Saintess was busy dusting off her clothes.
“Hurry. Instead, you take care of that monster throwing the daggers.”
Her tone was solemn. In the end, I swallowed a groan and turned my head.
Trusting one's comrades was also an important virtue.
Immediately after, the assailants watching us resumed their attack all at once.
Blades were thrown again, and the remaining three rushed toward the Saintess.
I rolled across the ground and snatched up the sword I had dropped. Then, rising to my feet, I swatted away the daggers one by one.
Clang, clang, clang!
Daggers scattered into the air with every spark. As I advanced step by step, I caught one of the daggers in my free hand and threw it, the blade whistling through the air like a bolt of light.
Thunk!
The monster’s body twitched convulsively as the blade pierced its forehead.
There was only one way to stop a barrage that wouldn't end even in death.
Slash!
A silver galaxy sprayed out, cutting through the storm of daggers.
A severed arm writhed on the ground in a final struggle. Yet, there was nothing a single arm could do once it had lost its support.
It could only wait for the remaining arm to be cut off as well.
It was around the time I had finished dismantling the limbs of one assailant.
“……O Light!”
A burst of pure white light washed over my retinas. Judging by the subtle warmth and the surge of vitality I felt, it was undoubtedly divine power.
To project such dense divine power over such a wide area…
No matter how many times I saw it, the sheer amount of her divine power felt absurdly unfair. Though the person who performed the miracle herself didn't seem to think much of it.
What was more striking was the reaction of the faceless assailants.
“Kreeeeeeeeek!”
“Kieeeeeek!”
The monsters touched by the Saintess’s divine power collapsed on the spot and began to shriek. Some clawed at their own throats with both hands, while others writhed like cockroaches sprayed with insecticide.
A golden glow shone through their parched skin. The peaceful light filled the monsters' interiors like flames.
Just from coming into contact with divine power?
My eyes filled with suspicion. Divine power was fundamentally a force meant for healing. While it was powerful, the damage it could deal to a living being was limited.
Unless they were undead.
Despite the scene, the Saintess didn't show the slightest hint of agitation. As if she had expected this result, she stepped lightly toward one of the writhing assailants and grabbed him by the collar.
A suppressed question leaked through her gritted teeth.
“……Who are you?”
Naturally, the mindless monster didn't answer. It only flailed, trying to pry her hand off.
Unable to contain my curiosity, I finally had to ask.
“Saintess, what on earth is going on? Why are these monsters reacting to divine power like this…?”
“They were being controlled.”
I was momentarily speechless.
It was an obvious enough answer. Being controlled—it made sense, given that the Dark Cult had completely usurped their bodies and consciousness.
But of course, the Saintess wouldn't give such a meaningless answer.
She soon followed up with an explanation.
“Their movements are too precise. No matter how complex the spell formula is, it’s impossible for a being that has lost its reason to move with such agility. In other words……”
“They’re being watched.”
The Saintess pressed her lips together instead of answering.
She didn't need to elaborate; it was clear who was watching, and through what.
The being that created those monsters was watching us.
Right then.
Giggle. A sharp, piercing laugh dug into my eardrums.
The sound came from the monster she was holding by the collar.
“Heh, hehehe… Puhaha, ahaha, ahahahahahaha!”
As if squeezing out every bit of air from its lungs.
The monster laughed uproariously. Its wrinkled head shook violently with a clicking sound, as if it didn't care if it choked to death.
Its narrow eyes turned toward the Saintess and me.
“Did I make it too obvious?”
It was a scene I had witnessed before.
When Mitram possessed a test subject, he had exuded this same eerie, alien atmosphere.
The Saintess ground her teeth and repeated her question.
“……Who are you?”
“Calm down, calm down… Is there any reason for us to be at each other's throats already? Besides, what if you do find out who I am?”
The corner of its mouth curved into a thick, oily arc.
“Can you even handle the truth?”
“I’m asking who you are!”
At the Saintess’s uncharacteristically agitated state, the monster shook its head slowly.
Its sticky gaze lingered on me for a moment before pulling away.
“Don’t be in such a hurry. We’ll be meeting soon enough anyway.”
“What on earth are you doing with the children? How many spies have you planted in the Holy Kingdom?!”
“I told you not to rush.”
The wrinkled face formed something resembling a smirk.
That was the end.
“You’ll find out soon… everything.”
When the voice cut off abruptly, the Saintess’s emotions boiled over. She grabbed the monster’s collar and shook it violently.
But there was no response to be had from an empty shell.
I silently placed a hand on her shoulder. It was a signal to stop.
“It’s too late, Saintess.”
“B-but… but, Ian!”
“We’ve already obtained all the information we can get.”
Only then did the Saintess’s grip loosen.
Meeting her gaze as she looked up at me, a low murmur escaped my lips.
“……Probably.”
All that remained was a catalyst to solve the mystery.
And that opportunity found me not long after.
One night, an orphan boy approached me. It was the same boy who had once looked at me with wary eyes, asking if I had ‘come to take them.’
The little boy spoke, his voice trembling on the verge of tears.
“Mister, please help… The adults say they’re going to take my sister away.”
The hands of the clock ticked with a lonely sound.
The time was now midnight.
It was time to uncover the secret.