Chapter 47: No Forest Stands After a Single Swing (3)
Chapter 47: No Forest Stands After a Single Swing (3)
Looking down from atop the barrier, I managed to spot my disciples amidst the crowd.
Even with the dense gathering of numerous Heroes, each flaunting their own unique individuality, the two of them were easy to find.
There was Baek Si-hyun, happily spinning her hammer and striking up a conversation with anyone she could grab.
And there was Han A-bin, slowly turning her head as she took in the sight of the massive crowd.
I wondered why.
I hadn't known these two disciples for long, yet why did they stand out so clearly to my eyes?
"Are you looking at your disciples again?"
"One of them is down there, happily picking fights with everyone else."
"She’s energetic."
Oxymoron also looked down from the barrier and began searching for the two, but she eventually shook her head as if she couldn't find them.
"Over there."
When I pointed with my finger, she finally spotted them and looked down with a delighted expression.
"She’s spinning that hammer like that, yet she hasn't hit a single person."
"She has talent. She’s just a bit of a free spirit."
I hope she isn't using Amplification for that.
"Are those your disciples? They look as scrawny as you."
Heavenly Sword chimed in from beside me, peering through circles he’d made with his fingers like makeshift binoculars pressed against his right eye.
"Despite appearances, she’s a talent within the top 100 since the founding of the Management Bureau. Though she still falls short of me," Librarian added, fiddling with his helmet.
"What do you mean, 'falls short'?"
"I finished my doctoral course at that age. I am superior."
"Listen to the adult, bragging about being better than children."
So that was why he’d been showing off his intelligence for the past few days.
"What’s the point of being smart? For a Hero, combat power is far more important."
As he spoke, Heavenly Sword released his gray Hwando from his hand, manipulating it in mid-air.
Was that Sword Kinesis?
"Didn't the Heavenly Demon Sword God tell you to spend less time on those tricks and more time on perfecting your downward strike?"
If the Old Man saw his disciple putting on such airs, he would have slapped him on the back of the head.
"My disciples happen to prefer flashy things. I ended up getting used to it out of necessity."
The gray Hwando flew through the air, creating clones, manifesting Sword Qi, and performing aerial acrobatics as it whirled about.
I suppose the younger generation would like that.
"Even when I try to teach them techniques, they ask if there’s anything flashier. In my day, we wouldn't even dare to step on our master's shadow."
"Bullshit. If the Old Man heard that, he’d bury you in the ground for lying."
Step on his shadow? More like he’d get beaten with a scabbard and buried for causing trouble. He sure knew how to lie.
That aside, perhaps it was because the defensive perimeter had narrowed, but it had been a while since so many of the 'younger' old-era Heroes had gathered like this.
Even if they were on the younger side, everyone except Oxymoron was in their forties.
Unlike the first line of defense, S-Ranks and A-Ranks had been given orders to use their own judgment in holding the containment line, which made this gathering possible.
"Where are the others?"
"Commander Macbeth is at the command center, and Prohibition is probably holed up in some tavern."
Heavenly Sword stated the obvious, true to his intellect.
There was no point in looking for Mishika Misha, Calavera, or the Yellow King. They weren't the type to socialize with others anyway.
"What about the Lord of Infinite Castles? I had something to ask him."
"If you mean the acting commander, he’s inspecting the barrier. He said he needs to make it even sturdier until the very last moment."
It couldn't be helped. I’d talk to him after everything was over.
After the brief small talk ended, everyone fell silent as if they had nothing left to say.
As the conversation died down, we slowly turned our gaze toward The Sea.
Beyond the distant horizon where The Enemy was not yet visible—to the place that was now beginning to take on a gray hue.
"I heard 1.1% died yesterday."
"A lot of people died."
"It’s a loss rate, so while many died, it doesn't mean everyone is dead...?"
"At this point, about 40% have perished."
Ignoring the two dry remarks behind me, I continued.
"My disciples were blubbering because three people died. In that case, shouldn't we make sure everyone else makes it back alive?"
"What are you trying to say?"
To think this impatient man was the head of China's largest Martial Alliance. Surely there must have been someone more useful.
"I'm saying let's sweep them all away without worrying about collateral damage. As long as we can land a single blow on that damn Leader Entity."
I swung my hammer and struck the barrier.
Thump.
The ground shook from the brief impact.
"Because I’m going to finish this for good."
The gazes of the three Heroes focused on me.
Heavenly Sword made a strange face, letting out a "Ho-oh."
Librarian stroked his face with his massive metal gauntlet.
I couldn't tell for sure because of the Gas Mask, but Oxymoron’s breathing seemed to quicken, exhaling heavily.
"I thought you were a corpse since you’ve been inactive for years, but it seems you were hiding such emotions inside."
Heavenly Sword looked at my face with a smirk. His martial robes fluttered as he began to slowly circle around me.
"They say an image ordained by heaven is changed by the earth. However, your heart, once changed by the earth, has changed yet again. Whose power is it? Is it those young disciples?"
The sly grin on his face grated on my patience.
Does he only act like a Martial Artist at times like this?
"Get lost."
I swung my hammer quickly.
It was a short strike without any rotation. I had swung it briefly, fully expecting him to dodge it.
Thwack.
"Guh?!"
"Ah?"
The Golden Hammer slammed right into that smug face.
How should I put it? The sensation of an entirely unexpected attack landing perfectly was... something else.
Heavenly Sword hadn't expected the attack either; he couldn't steady himself and went stumbling, falling right off the barrier.
...He won't die, right?
I soon realized what had happened. There was no way Heavenly Sword would be taken down by an attack of that level.
"...You guys did that, didn't you?"
"His smug face was annoying."
"I agree."
Oxymoron held a syringe.
Librarian held some unknown weapon.
I didn't know what technique they used, but they must have momentarily paralyzed Heavenly Sword or broken his concentration.
To think they were playing pranks like children at their age. I sighed at the level of my colleagues, but since I had acted similarly, I didn't bother saying it out loud.
* * *
Boom. Boom.
Even sitting atop the barrier, I could feel the vibrations.
The sound of the giant entities marching.
If the sight of the small entities marching was a gray sea painted in pointillism, what should I call this?
The sight of massive buildings standing upright, tilling the earth as they walked.
Old Man Infinite Castle. Doesn't this make the barrier meaningless?
Even if the current barrier was taller than the one at sea, it was insignificant compared to those things.
At best, it might reach their waists.
It seemed sufficient to prevent them from jumping over, but the height difference was such that most wouldn't even be able to land an attack.
The sheer size alone was oppressive, but their forms were also enough to gnaw at one's sanity.
The most common and relatively 'normal' ones had disgusting skin where the outer shell had been peeled away, revealing countless rising blisters.
Among them were those whose internal organs seemed damaged, constantly spewing gray foam from their mouths, and others whose bodies were half-crushed, polluting the ground with an unknown gray discharge.
As that bizarre host marched forward, blotting out the horizon, the pressure was indescribable.
"Would they understand if I told them they’re just big and actually weak?"
"Urgh. I don't think anyone would believe that."
Un-ho, who had recovered his original body in just a day, let out a burp from atop my head.
Was this guy really okay?
Though he was a white balloon far removed from anything trustworthy, his words seemed somewhat plausible. Even now, The Enemy was slowly marching forward under a bombardment from numerous weapons.
As if such explosions couldn't pierce their carapaces, the massive crustaceans marched on, leaking discharge and foam.
Woooooooooo.
And then, a sound like a ship's horn provided the finishing touch to the oppressive atmosphere.
Though I couldn't see where it was coming from yet, the gradually increasing cry was enough to weigh down the spirit.
Likely, everyone except those with the strongest willpower had lost their will to fight.
"Those things are just scarecrows as long as there’s someone to block their attacks."
If there was a Hero to deflect those heavy pincer strikes, all that remained was to keep attacking.
Even if they couldn't deflect attacks as effortlessly as I did, the power was something a high-ranking physical-type Hero could sufficiently block.
That fact had been relayed to the Heroes, but with the current morale, it didn't seem like the Tanking Rotation would function perfectly.
First, I had to make them realize these things weren't immortal. And that wasn't my job.
Flash.
A bright flash erupted from the barrier to my right.
A Silver Armor soared high, spraying flames from the jetpack on its back.
Librarian.
Numerous pieces of metal appeared around him as he ascended. Additional equipment manifested in the air. Then, those parts attached themselves to the armor, expanding its size.
It transformed from a humanoid suit into a bizarre giant robot with excessively large limbs.
The Silver Armor that was Librarian’s trademark turned black, and the matte armor, which reflected no light, plummeted toward the ground.
The black giant armor fell toward the swarming host.
Thump.
The armor collided with the ground, tilling the earth as it blocked the Gray Host.
Had the metal heated up from the booster's acceleration? The scenery around the armor appeared distorted, and the sight of dirt and stones scattering in the air was quite impressive.
But that was all. Though the entrance was flashy, the giant armor, standing at about 15 meters, looked pitifully small compared to the massive Gray Crustaceans.
The disparity in size made it look like an impossible match.
"Who is that?"
"Looks like a transformation Hero or a Sentai Hero. Isn't that suicide?"
"Is he crazy?"
I could hear the groans of the Heroes and soldiers huddling behind the barrier.
If he heard that, I wondered what Librarian inside the armor would think.
Wuuuuuuuuu.
And those groans were drowned out by the massive engine roar vibrating from the armor.
Thud. Thud-thud.
Small anchors fired from the black armor. The devices meant to secure its position slammed into the earth, and the black armor spread its arms wide.
Something began to slowly spread from the armor's arms.
Something that high-ranking mages sensitive to mana or high-level martial artists trained in Qi could feel.
"Starting with Reality Manipulation right away? I told him to use it on a large scale, and he really went all out."
Librarian’s unknown energy, which had spread in an instant, enveloped the vast front line.
Splat.
Numerous crustaceans lost their balance and collapsed onto the ground.
Without any warning, the battlefield that had been a plain transformed into a massive swamp in an instant, and simultaneously, someone dashed out from the left wall.
A man with a ponytail wearing purple martial robes, holding a gray Hwando.
"Disciples! I shall show you one of those flashy techniques you’ve been begging for!"
He was blasting a Lion's Roar across the entire battlefield.
Was he insane?
Because I hadn't expected him to do something so bizarre, I felt a slight pain in my ears.
"Hearing that weird noise makes me want to vomit."
"If you vomit, I’m going to make Si-hyun feed you nothing but ramen every day."
After throwing a warning to the White Fur Ball covering its mouth atop my head, I followed Heavenly Sword with my eyes as he dashed forward.
He moved forward like a gale, unhindered by the ground that had turned into a swamp.
At the same time, I felt a massive amount of Qi being gathered into the Hwando.
"...Is that an S-Rank Technique?"
I sensed the Qi again, wondering if I’d felt it wrong, but no matter how I thought about it, it felt like an amount of Qi that would take half a year to accumulate.
Was he in his right mind?
There wasn't a single tremor in Heavenly Sword’s Qi. It was a straight, honest energy, as if he intended to pour everything into a single swing of his sword.
Reaching the front of the enemies, Heavenly Sword swung his Hwando.
The purple robes billowed wide in the wind, and the sword swung at a speed even I could barely perceive.
Pouring all of one's Qi into a moment of acceleration to swing a weapon. It was a unique technique of martial artists, using the weapon as a brush to paint their mental image.
The closest equivalent would be a mage's magic.
However, a Martial Artist’s 'Form' was different in the most crucial way. It was the height of inefficiency, the polar opposite of magic, which pursued efficiency to the point of reducing incantations to a single syllable.
A single trajectory drawn by the sword was the Magic Circle, and the sound of the sword cutting through the air was the voice of the incantation.
Magic manifested in the most primitive way became the most powerful physical force, influencing the world.
As the Form neared its end, Heavenly Sword spoke the name of the technique.
"Dance of the Severed Limbs!"
Countless sword pressures grazed past the legs of the crustaceans.
The sword trajectories, which had seemed meaningless, mixed in unpredictable ways to generate a powerful pressure that reached even places physically untouchable.
Slash-slash-slash-slash.
The flash of the Hwando enveloped the entire battlefield, and as the light faded, a beat later, the sound of countless things being severed reached my ears.
It was easy to see what he had cut. He had cut the legs of the crustaceans that had collapsed into the mud.
The numerous crustaceans that had been trying to pick themselves up collapsed as they lost their legs. They could only flounder, struggling to move somehow.
It was truly a technique bordering on the divine.
If he had performed this Form in normal times to show off its elegance and stability, even the picky Heavenly Demon Sword God would surely have praised him.
If there was one disappointing thing...
"Did that idiot really only cut their legs?"
"Uh... I don't know much about martial arts, but the manifestation formula I skimmed... I think it said to purely cut the legs."
So he literally meant 'Severed Limbs'?
It was our fault for expecting anything from that lunatic.
Afterward, Librarian, having fully charged all his energy, fired a massive laser cannon.
But I didn't feel much of anything as I watched Heavenly Sword walking back with a proud, 'I did good' look on his face.