Chapter 68: The First Letter (68)
Chapter 68: The First Letter (68)
The two girls charged forward. Their opponent was a massive wolf, standing three meters tall at the shoulder. The demonic beast, covered in pitch-black fur, stared at its prey with eyes dyed a brilliant, sapphire blue.
A low growl rumbled from the wolf’s throat. Seria was the first to strike.
Her azure aura traced several trajectories in an instant. From bottom-left to top-right, bottom-right to top-left, and straight down from above.
The azure aura painted the air so quickly that it was impossible to distinguish feint from true strike. This swordsmanship, unfolding like a mirage, was the very root of the Yurdina family.
It was the "Golden Silk Sword," a technique spoken of only in rumors.
The name came from the way multiple trajectories were drawn simultaneously, like the claws of a lion. It was a style rarely used, as it aimed to withhold as much information as possible regarding which strikes were feints and which were true.
The fact that Seria had drawn her family’s secret sword art was proof of how dire the situation had become.
It was a technique she had been reluctant to use even when facing death. It wasn't the kind of art one would normally reveal so readily in the opening exchange. Yet, here she was, wielding the Golden Silk Sword.
She had judged that there might not be a next time. Their opponent was a monster that moved in defiance of the laws of physics, and their only hope, Senior Elsie’s lightning magic, had just been proven useless.
The word "defeat" inevitably flickered in her subconscious. As if to give voice to that grim resolve, Seria gritted her teeth. It was then that the beast opened its maw.
It was sudden. To open its mouth while a blade was flying toward its face? That left its vulnerable interior wide open.
Seria instinctively shifted the trajectory of her sword. But in the next moment, a thunderous howl erupted from the beast’s throat.
As the howl rang out, the beast’s glowing blue horn flashed. What followed happened in a heartbeat.
Lightning swept through the surroundings indiscriminately. Every time a pale bolt struck the ground, a deafening explosion followed.
Startled, Seria immediately withdrew her sword and leaped back. However, the storm of electricity was wide-reaching.
Crackle!
Current surged through the sword and into Seria’s body. When electricity flows through a human, it is accompanied by violent muscle contractions. Seria’s legs gave out, and she collapsed to her knees.
Seria’s bewildered gaze fixed on the beast. It seemed the creature could manipulate lightning as well.
Whether this was the result of magic was unclear. Given its inherent lightning resistance, it was more likely a natural ability.
Of course, neither possibility was good news.
To guard against that storm of lightning, they couldn't afford to approach recklessly. No matter how mystical the trajectories of Seria’s Golden Silk Sword were, they were meaningless if she couldn't get close.
The only silver lining was that once the storm passed, the beast’s glowing blue eyes faded back to black.
To unleash such massive firepower, it likely needed to gather a corresponding amount of mana. It wasn't a technique it could use at will.
And once that mana was recharged, the light would return to its eyes.
Before a proper analysis could be made, the wolf lunged off the ground. Another body slam—an attack the paralyzed Seria couldn't possibly dodge. Panic flashed in her eyes.
Then, a heavy thud echoed.
"Agh!"
The one sent flying through the air wasn't Seria, but Celine. She had used her signature sword-drawing technique to put the brakes on the wolf’s charge. Even so, she couldn't neutralize all the momentum; Celine smashed into a tree and rolled across the ground.
Taking a hit like that without a shield... she wouldn't be dead, but she’d be immobilized for a while. While the beast let out a cry of pain from Celine’s strike, I dashed forward and grabbed Seria by the scruff of her neck.
I threw her toward the rear. The lightning must have been quite potent, as Seria was trembling uncontrollably with no sign of regaining her movement. At best, she was grimacing in pain; she was safer in the back.
The wolf let out a roar. It seemed infuriated that it had allowed another strike from its "insignificant" prey. Its eyes, which had been glaring at Celine and Seria in turn, finally landed on me as I leveled my sword.
Fearing it might target the other two, I deliberately flashed a provocative smirk. Twisting the corner of my mouth, I spoke to the predator standing before me.
"...Come on, you bastard."
I didn't know if it understood my words. However, I felt the nuance, at least, had been delivered.
Because immediately after hearing me, the beast bared its teeth in a savage grin.
Despite not being human, it was mimicking a human expression. That made it all the more skin-crawling. It hated humans more than anyone, yet it imitated them.
The hair on my arms stood on end. The beast’s forepaw stretched out unnaturally and lashed out like a whip.
It was at the height of my waist. An awkward height to either jump over or duck under. The creature instinctively knew how to make things difficult for its enemy.
My choice in response was to throw my body down.
As I pressed myself against the ground, the scent of earth filled my nose. Immediately above me, I heard the sharp whoosh of the air being sliced. Right after, I pulled my lower body in and coiled into a crouching position.
What came next was obvious. A leap. My sword was shrouded in a silver aura.
The moment I swung, the wolf stretched its body again. Its neck snapped at a grotesque angle as it opened its maw, narrowly dodging my blade.
However, the wolf had overlooked one fact: I was swinging my sword with only one hand. My free hand was already fumbling at my waist.
The wolf’s eyes widened. In that split second, our gazes locked. I wore a triumphant smile.
Since you bullied my two precious juniors, you’re going to have to take a hit.
Thud!
The hand axe slammed into the wolf’s nose once again. That made twice. The wolf’s body rapidly contracted around its head, and its massive frame was hoisted into the air.
Awoooo!
The beast threw its head back and shrieked. It was a bone-chilling sound. Simultaneously, a crackling noise filled the air.
Electricity was coiling around the beast’s horn again. Before the wolf could even lower its head, I retrieved my hand axe and, seeing the blue current, kicked off the ground with everything I had.
The blue light returned to the howling beast’s eyes. Then, with a series of thunderous booms, lightning struck the ground in a radius around the wolf.
Even though I threw myself away at the last second, a bolt grazed my foot. That sensation alone—the stinging numbness and the extreme contraction of my leg muscles—was enough to make me wince.
"Ugh, damn it...!"
Suppressing the urge to curse, I forced myself up, slapping my leg to regain feeling. The beast wouldn't wait for me to recover. Just as I expected, it prepared for another body slam.
Crash!
A sound I had heard several times already.
A pitch-black projectile shot through the spot where I had just been. After smashing through several trees at the edge of the clearing, the wolf stopped its charge and turned its fierce gaze back toward me.
My legs were still numb, but I staggered to my feet. There was no time to rest.
The thing was terrifying. After allowing me to hit it with the axe twice, the beast seemed even more driven by spite. It flicked its tongue out, licking the thick blood dripping from its nose.
The scent of blood was exciting the predator. Its growls were more savage than before.
I took a deep breath, calming my ragged lungs. Someone stepped up beside me.
Gray hair. I didn't even need to look at her face. I asked Seria.
"...How’s Celine?"
"Not great. She’s trying to force herself up, but..."
That gut-wrenching pain—I knew it well. Since it was likely Celine’s first time experiencing it, it wouldn't be strange if she started vomiting on the spot.
I nodded silently in understanding. My eyes remained fixed on the wolf.
"Senior, Senior Elsie says she’s almost ready."
That was the best news I’d heard all day. I didn't want to give that wolf any more time to gather mana. I spoke to Seria.
"Seria, can you stop that wolf just once?"
The wolf was measuring the distance. Its reactions were always consistent. If you got close, it would stretch its body for erratic attacks; if you stayed far away, it would aim for a heavy blow with a sudden body slam.
Right now, it would likely try to adjust the distance with another charge. But the power of that charge was beyond imagination; taking that hit without a shield would undoubtedly result in serious injury.
It was a difficult request. I was about to explain more of my plan, but Seria’s answer came faster.
"I’ll do it."
An answer without a hint of hesitation. My eyes drifted toward her.
In her deep blue eyes, as always, there was an unwavering trust.
"Because you don't lie to me, Senior Ian. You said you’d make sure I win, didn't you?"
Did I say I’d make her win against Senior Delphine?
Maybe I did. Saying we were aiming for the championship was essentially saying we’d beat Senior Delphine.
Normally, people would think that was an absurd claim.
Even Senior Elsie, though she was doing her best now, had reacted negatively when I first asked her to join me. That was how formidable Senior Delphine’s skills were.
But in the eyes Seria turned toward me now, there wasn't a speck of doubt. Her eyes were filled only with absolute trust.
So, I had no choice but to offer a small smile.
"...Yeah. I’ll make sure you win."
The moment I said that and turned my gaze back to the wolf—
Shove.
A hand pushed against my chest. It was Seria. It was sudden, but sensing the reason, I didn't resist.
The moment Seria adjusted her grip on her sword, my vision was dyed pitch-black.
It was a dark gale.
I couldn't even hear the sound of the wind being cut. By the time I realized it, the beast had already reached Seria’s immediate vicinity. It was a charge of terrifying speed.
Seria stood her ground against that charge with a single blade. She, too, had no room left to conserve mana; her dark blue aura was more vibrant than ever.
Light and projectile collided. A rupture tore through the air, and a shockwave exploded outward.
It was Seria who was pushed back. Her feet plowed through the earth as she skidded backward. Perhaps because she had no shield to dampen the impact, Seria coughed up a mouthful of blood as she stopped. The moment she plunged her sword into the ground to steady herself, her knees buckled.
She must have been in pain, but she had done perfectly. Hanging my sword at my waist, I used the tension in my coiled body to spring toward the beast.
It was the same setup as before. As if determined not to fall for it again, the beast endured its pain and wrenched its maw wide open.
Its pitch-black eyes, which let not a single ray of light escape, were fixed on me. It seemed to be predicting my next move. It clearly expected me to dodge.
But my charge didn't stop. Instead, as if to show off, I thrust one arm toward the wolf.
Crunch!
Teeth sank in, tearing through flesh and muscle. Blood sprayed like a burst fruit. The wolf’s eyes actually flickered with bewilderment.
It clearly hadn't expected me to sacrifice an arm. My other hand fumbled at my waist.
It hurt like hell. Heat surged through my nerves like a brand. It was a sharp, electric pain that made the back of my head throb. My teeth clenched involuntarily, and my eyes became bloodshot.
Even so, I raised the hand axe. Only then did the wolf realize something was wrong, but it couldn't immediately pull its teeth out of the dense muscle fibers they were buried in.
It was only a fraction of a second. And that brief moment was exactly the opportunity I needed.
Thud!
The hand axe buried itself into the wolf’s nose once more.
That was the third time. Perhaps because I had put too much strength into it due to the overwhelming pain, the axe sank in even deeper than before. Which was perfect.
Awoooo!
Unable to bear it, the wolf threw its head back and shrieked. My mangled arm was finally released, and I used that momentum to pull myself up by the arm holding the axe.
I spun once in mid-air and landed atop the beast’s massive head. I locked my legs around its neck as tightly as possible. Of course, that wasn't going to choke a beast with a neck as thick as a log.
My only goal was to secure my body. Only then could I strike effectively.
My sword cleared its scabbard. It was a bolt of pure white lightning.
I raised the blade high and plunged it into the gap between the horn and the hide.
It was a strike delivered with every ounce of my strength. The sensation of the sword sinking deep confirmed that my effort hadn't been in vain.
A moment of silence followed before the wolf, driven mad by the agonizing pain, thrashed its head wildly and threw me off. I didn't resist. I fell and rolled across the ground.
The sword was buried in its forehead. It must have pierced the brain; it was a fatal wound. Yet, the beast, with its tenacious life force, was still moving.
In fact, it seemed even more frenzied as it panted heavily and glared at me. The blue radiance was returning to its eyes. Its horn crackled, ready to unleash lightning at any moment.
But I smiled.
Because I could see the spear of lightning falling from the heavens.
Once again, the world turned white.