Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: The Name of the End: Johan (4)
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The floating Sky Fortress in the heavens.
Austin had heard the legends of the massive citadel that blanketed the skies over Alperatz several times in his life.
The Heptagon, whose fame echoed across the continent.
The sky fortress that commanded countless magitech puppets like limbs, one even the continent's nations dared not trifle with.
It was a tale of a world where puppets lived, crafted over the lifetime of an ancient mage.
Rumors about the Mobile Fortress Laplasia piled up like mountains, but most told similar stories.
'A magitech workshop that produces an endless supply of puppets—.'
A workshop with peerless technology in magitech puppets.
That was the essence of Laplasia.
Kwaaaaang—!
As Austin, aboard the magitech armor Sirius, kept his gaze fixed on the Mobile Fortress.
The fortress, which had been watching Sirius enter Alperatz's airspace, soon began to change with a deafening roar.
'Attempting to intercept me again?'
Clank—!
The harsh scrape of metal echoed loudly.
Austin watched warily as the Mobile Fortress before him shifted.
He had already been shot down by the Mobile Fortress once before.
So it was only natural that he tensed at its response.
Thus, as Sirius's vigilant gaze remained locked on the fortress.
—"This is……!"
Static, zzt-zzzt—.
Noise rattled his ears, and at the same time, doors across the Mobile Fortress began to open.
Clank, drrrrk—.
Laplasia's entrances opened in sequence.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Countless magitech puppets began emerging from them.
The puppets appeared in perfect order, swiftly filling the fortress's entrances.
'Not just a simple intercept—it's gearing up for a full response!'
A parade of puppets too numerous to count.
Amid that sight, shock surged in Austin's chest.
The only magitech puppets he had ever faced in his life were Sirius and maybe some test models at best.
Now he faced thousands of them.
'Is this my first real fight against magitech puppets?'
Clank—.
Sensing battle, Austin immediately manipulated Sirius to draw its blade.
'I can't even guess how many more will pour out from inside.'
A clash not with humans, but puppets.
As Austin tensed in overwhelming numerical inferiority and prepared for combat.
Kugugugu—.
The moment the puppets waiting at the entrances began descending in unison.
—"Ah……!"
Flash—!
The lower edge of Sirius's field of view.
A white beam suddenly lanced out from there.
————.
Kwa-gwagwagwang—!
The beautiful white light shot straight ahead, pulverizing the descending magitech puppets.
The flash scattered glittering halos.
Its destructive path melted the puppets in its trajectory.
Kwa-gwagwagwa—!
As the light beam shaking the air mercilessly destroyed the vanguard of the Mobile Fortress.
Sirius's optic caught a massive something in the corner of its vision.
—"……."
The skies over Marquis Alperatz's territory.
Unfurling its wings there was a white dragon with exquisitely beautiful scales.
—Hegemonic Dragon.
The dragon bearing the leader's name roared, exhaling white flames.
Kwaaaaa—!
In the heatwave shaking the air, Sirius beheld the light-scattering dragon.
—"Lady Feria……?"
Amid the resounding roar, Austin Rainer finally recalled what he had forgotten.
The Marquis Alperatz territory had a surprisingly powerful guardian holding the line.
* * * * * *
Leintus, a member of the Extreme Magitech Research Society.
The swordsman who had made a name for himself in the mercenary world began traveling with the Doctor just a few years ago.
Mad Doctor Begerton Antares.
After repeatedly crossing paths with the Doctor seeking escorts both inside and outside the organization, he ended up sticking with him to handle the group's affairs.
Frankly, working with the Doctor wasn't bad for a mercenary.
First off, the Doctor had money.
Having lost his lover and hit rock bottom in reputation, the Doctor had amassed gold without shying from crime.
Dangerous research required vast funds.
Moreover, the Doctor was highly capable.
Even in the Extreme Magitech Research Society, full of eccentrics, his insight was acknowledged by many.
Especially in unethical and immoral fields, he was unrivaled.
No wonder they called him the King of Torture within the organization.
They didn't trust or follow him blindly, but they gave him at least basic respect.
Everyone opposed his self-appointed title of Technical Advisor, though.
"……."
Thus, over years with the Doctor, Leintus had earned hefty pay and witnessed all sorts of bizarre spectacles.
He had seen every freakish thing imaginable.
Despite surviving countless life-threatening perils, even Leintus had never anticipated one situation.
A crisis even the Doctor's intellect and Leintus's martial prowess couldn't overcome—.
Like, for example, a member of the Heptagon appearing before him now.
"……He promised no double suicides, but here we are."
Hoo—.
Letting out a deep sigh, Leintus's gaze turned downward.
A mangled chimera lay sprawled on the ground.
At its center, a blood-soaked elf glared at him.
—Sword Ghost, Raparia.
The elf's eyes burned with deep killing intent as she caught her breath, drenched in blood.
"Looks like he meant I'd die alone."
"……."
Clank—.
Leintus drew his sword from his waist, facing the murderous Sword Ghost.
He had heard of the centuries-old elf mercenary.
Leader of the Eight Swords Society, Raparia.
A legendary swordmaster who had amassed unparalleled experience beyond human lifespans.
She led the continent's strongest mercenary group, an immortal being.
Any mercenary knew her name.
"Filthy, vile humans……."
"Well now, you seem quite upset."
The Sword Ghost drew her cursed blade and aimed it at him.
Staring at the utterly surreal scene, Leintus soon raised his sword with a bitter smile.
Her bloodied eyes glared at him as she brushed back her hair.
The new chimera the Doctor had boasted as his masterpiece had crumbled without even buying time.
"But meeting the one who upset you will be tricky. Gotta earn my pay, you see."
Self-deprecating humor slipped from Leintus's lips.
He had long realized the gap just from eye contact.
He could never beat the elf before him.
Running away didn't sit right either.
Mercenaries had no honor, but fulfilling a contract was professional courtesy.
Scratch, scratch—.
Scratching his head awkwardly, Leintus stared down the Sword Ghost.
"Hand over the fruit and get lost—."
Raparia's angry voice rang out.
Leintus's reply was simple.
"Well, can't do that. Pointy ears must be blocking the sound—."
Whoooong—!
In an instant, the air shifted.
Leintus cut off his words and moved on instinct.
A slanted blade.
He reflexively raised his arm to counter.
Kang—!
A metallic clash rang by Leintus's left ear.
"……!"
Leintus's shocked eyes fixed on his opponent.
At some point, the Sword Ghost's blade had swung at him.
He couldn't comprehend when, how, or from what angle.
Kagagak—.
As their swords locked, Leintus's mind raced in tension.
'Reacting after seeing it is too slow—!'
The attack was insanely fast.
Gritting his teeth, veins bulging in his eyes.
Raparia's strikes poured at him again.
"Urk……!"
Kang! Kang! Kaaang—!
Storm-like sword strikes filled his front.
Overhead and low sweeps.
Mixed thrusts.
Trajectories targeting vitals assaulted him with lethal intent.
Kaaang—!
Each blow pushed Leintus far back.
Kang! Kang—!
The barrage of strikes disrupted his balance without him realizing.
Endless impacts cornered him relentlessly.
'This woman's a monster……!'
On another level.
A different view.
Different reason for swinging the sword.
She was a monster.
One who had piled up far too much over endless time.
Kang! Kaaang—!
A flashing blade before him sliced his shoulder.
Amid the incoming attacks, Leintus's breathing grew ragged.
Hah, hahk—.
Even through disordered breaths, Raparia pressed mercilessly.
"……!"
Kaaang—!
A heavy blade struck his sword.
Kwarururung—!
A sky-shaking roar rattled his ears.
Building impacts.
Accumulating blood loss.
His mind drowned in chaos.
"Grk, kgh……!"
Kaaang—!
Every sound in his ears felt like clashing steel.
Kwang! Jjeojeojeok—.
The air's vibrations rang like alarms.
He couldn't grasp what was happening.
Only the leaden weight in his arms and his presence on the battlefield registered.
"What trick are you pulling……!"
"……."
Kang! Kaaang—!
In the exchanging strikes, all was mere noise.
He felt alive from dripping blood, confirmed his sword held from wrist shocks.
Leintus gave his all.
He gritted his teeth against the monster's onslaught.
And as the exchange reached its limit.
————.
Leintus's hand, at last at its breaking point, moved a beat slower than his head.
A fatal mistake.
"Ah……."
Light flashed.
A blue gleam crossed the air like a meteor crashing.
Chwaaaak—!
Blood sprayed from Leintus's chest.
A deep gash tearing into his vitals—.
Like bidding farewell to a mercenary, the Sword Ghost's strike sliced him sharply.
"Cough……!"
Thud—.
Leintus's sword slipped from his grasp as his body tilted backward.
From the fierce exchange, perhaps.
The sky in his vision had changed drastically from before.
"Kek, keh… kheuk……!"
Kwang! Jjeojeojeok—.
A vast sky cloaked in deep darkness.
In that scene, Leintus's senses reeled.
'In the end… I die like this.'
Much had changed during the fight.
He couldn't pinpoint where he was.
Nor how he got here.
Only the spreading blood from his chest would see him off.
'I knew it wouldn't be pretty, but I didn't expect it so soon.'
Drip—.
As blood trickled from Leintus's mouth.
He prepared to curse the Doctor and tally his life.
'Damn that Doctor… next time we meet, I'll tear his limbs off myself—.'
As Leintus moved to close his eyes.
"Leintus. How about dropping the grim thoughts for some wholesome ones?"
Swish—.
The Doctor had appeared in the corner of his vision, looking down at the fallen Leintus.
"……."
"……."
A brief silence.
In it, Leintus and the Doctor regarded each other.
An irritating face peered through the monocle.
Wriggle, wriggle—.
In the Doctor's hand squirmed a grotesque lump of flesh.
"Doct, or… danger……."
"Ah, better not talk if it's dangerous. This'll keep you from dying for now."
Smirk—.
The suspicious smile accompanied the flesh lump dropping from the Doctor's hand.
The mass burrowed into Leintus's wound, embedding itself in the crevices.
Kwadddddk—.
Watching the chimera emergency treatment begin, Leintus bit his lip.
"Might as well become a chimera at this point—not a bad deal. We'll discuss the procedure later. Good work for now, Leintus."
"……."
"Thanks to you, things went smoothly. Should wrap up the ritual without issues."
Leintus's puzzled eyes turned to the Doctor.
The Sword Ghost still glared bloodshot from nearby.
"Filthy, humans, think I'll let you do as you please—."
"Hm, quite angry. Best calm down a bit."
A situation where the Doctor could die any second.
Yet what meant "smoothly"?
As Leintus's mouth opened in confusion at the incomprehensible words.
Kwaaaaang—!
A roar erupted from the scene in his view.
"Ah—."
Crack, crrrk—.
Leintus's eyes turned skyward.
Beyond the crumbling sky, an unfathomable darkness emerged.
Rippling darkness.
Expanding cosmos.
Within it, a single red-glowing eye fixed on them.
"……."
Only then did Leintus finally understand.
The insane Doctor had gone and done the impossible.