Chapter 42
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Why Are You Here!
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A chilling wind brushed across my entire body, snapping me back to awareness. As my mind cleared, the constant jolting felt like it was slamming into me from every direction.
As I opened my eyes amid the pain, I saw Serimuk slamming her staff into the ground right in front of me.
Damn veins wrapped around my whole body and hoisted me up.
There wasn't much pain at first—just the creepy wriggling of these unidentified veins making me nauseous.
Scratch that... Suddenly, the veins tightened, crushing my broken body like a vise.
"Hng...!"
A groan of agony escaped me, and her mouth opened.
"You're awake."
Serimuk looked up at me with indifferent eyes.
She'd been rambling about sacrifices and such—looks like she was prepping some kind of ritual.
From this high vantage point, I could see we were on a massive carriage. Warhorses of fine stock were pulling this mobile altar along.
"You can look forward to it. Until we conquer the Empire, you'll witness every moment with your own eyes."
A hollow laugh burst out of me at her words.
"Pfft... There are several people in the Empire stronger than me... Big dreams you've got there."
Serimuk's face remained expressionless, but her eyes burned with hatred.
"Doesn't matter. Whether it takes years or centuries, I'll drive a blade into the Empire's heart—block by block, smash by smash, inch by inch."
I had no idea what had happened to her, but the grudge ran deep. Still, she was the enemy; we weren't exactly chummy enough for heart-to-hearts.
So I decided to just poke at her nerves instead.
"Hey, it's cold. Go grab some blankets and wrap me up."
"..."
"What's this ritual anyway? Nomad witchcraft? Feels just as creepy as you."
"..."
"Got a question—do these secretions absorb on their own? 'Cause I think I'm about to let one loose. Watch your head!"
"!!"
I smirked at Serimuk as she whipped around to check behind her.
"Kekekeke, you fucking idiot—fooled ya."
Serimuk scowled, then silently tightened the veins around me without a word.
"Eugh! Wait! Joke! Aaaagh!"
"Vulgar scum."
And so, dangling there helplessly, days passed.
-Boom! Rumble!
An explosion echoed from somewhere.
Serimuk opened her closed eyes and assessed the situation.
"What's the commotion?"
One of the barbarians rushed over with the report.
"Ulu Shaman! The enemy's trap struck our vanguard unit."
"Extent of the damage?"
"The trap was massive. We lost 100 cavalry and 1,200 infantry. Around 400 more are wounded."
Seems the detachment's trap had triggered perfectly.
'What confidence... She's up at the front lines too, huh.'
Thinking about it, she had reason to be cocky. She'd fought well.
The schadenfreude was sweet enough to draw a chuckle.
"Heh heh heh."
'They must've gotten away clean.'
As I thought of my comrades, cheers erupted from afar.
-Waaaaah!
-Rescue the Prince!
-He's alive!! Charge, everyone!!!
I turned toward the noise and saw my comrades and the Grand Duke's forces charging in.
Straight into what might become their graves.
"You fucking morons!"
Far from joy, rage boiled up inside me.
Tens of thousands against fewer than ten thousand.
That force wouldn't last hours before getting massacred.
In a final desperate bid, I tried spinning all my circles, but each attempt failed.
Something was jamming them—they creaked and refused to respond.
"Comrades, huh... Not a bad end."
Serimuk muttered something incomprehensible, then focused and began chanting a spell.
"What are you... Ugh! Aaaaaah!"
The veins binding me writhed, injecting a red liquid into my body.
"I'll shatter your soul and leave just the shell."
The red liquid seeped slowly through me, unleashing excruciating pain across my entire body.
"Aaaaaargh!"
As I screamed in torment, Serimuk said coolly,
"Hurts, does it? Don't worry. I'll devour your soul bit by bit... ever so slowly."
My mind was fraying at the edges.
The red liquid seeped in, feeling like it was drilling holes all over me.
"Aaaargh! You bitch! Aaaaaagh!"
-Prince!
As I shrieked in agony, Jenia Ardell at the vanguard screamed back, her face twisted in fury.
-Get out of the way!!!
My comrades smashed through the enemy lines toward me, but the numbers were overwhelming—the foes seemed endless.
Serimuk narrowed her eyes and summoned the Four Kings.
"Warriors, hear me! Grant these fools who dare rescue this vile usurper eternal darkness!"
Her roar echoed amplified by mana, and the Four Kings charged in unison.
The one with the halberd bellowed,
"You rat! This time, I'll start by hacking off your legs—no escape!"
The gap-toothed one spewed black poison toward Veronica.
The four-armed freak cackled maniacally as he lunged at Jenia.
"Uahahahaha! Time for slaughter!"
The blue-skinned brute stealthily approached Owen.
'Gotta break free somehow.'
Before my comrades shattered against the enemy wave, I closed my eyes and focused every ounce of will.
To aid them, even a second sooner...
My gut churned with pain, but I forced down the screams choking my throat.
I have to save them.
Jenia Ardell took in the rats swarming toward her.
Behind them, the man she'd give her all for was screaming in agony.
Her head burned with rage, but she reined it in—hot-headedness clouded judgment.
Jenia opened her eyes and slashed long through the charging foes.
Three burly warriors died as their waists split open simultaneously.
She deflected the shaman's magic smoothly, ducked low, and severed their ankles.
Using the blocked greatsword's force against them, she spun her body.
Like a petal riding the wind, Jenia soared and smashed into the enemy center.
-Kwaang!
Amid the flying chunks of flesh, she glimpsed panicked enemies.
Not missing a beat, she stabbed throats and flung them aside, then swept her greatsword horizontally to diagonally bisect the cavalry.
She dodged pursuing foes effortlessly, tripped them, and stomped viciously.
-Thud! Crunch!
The brutal sight gave the enemies pause. Jenia leaped like a butterfly, raining sword ki from midair.
-Aaaagh! Shaman! Shoot her down!
She recoiled from the incoming magic and landed in retreat.
Lowering her stance to sense her surroundings, she felt a massive aura charging in.
Following it, she saw the freakish four-armed barbarian spinning toward her.
-Thudududung!
She swiftly blocked with her blade's flat. A metallic clang rang out, sending Jenia flying.
As she regained balance and landed, the barbarian grinned.
"Time to finish our unfinished duel?"
"Out of my way."
Amused by her urgency, the barbarian's smile deepened.
"Then kill me and pass!"
As he gathered his blades and charged, Jenia's greatsword slipped through a gap.
Twisting her wrist into the opening...
-Clang!
The blades rebounded with tremendous force.
"Such strength!"
Stunned briefly by the wrist power from her slender frame, the barbarian forced through the recoil and swung down his two high-raised swords.
Jenia raised her sword to block; his remaining two blades gained a bloody aura and lunged for her jaw.
She poured aura into her blade, twisted the upper block vertically, then pressed down like a seesaw...
-Twaaaang!
The downward sword bounced up from the counterforce, and the upward one slammed into the ground, exposing his upper body.
Jenia slashed the defenseless torso at blinding speed. Blood sprayed as he staggered back.
He glanced at his chest, then at Jenia.
"...Not ordinary at all."
Her decisive strike had been shallow. Biting her lip at the unscathed foe, Jenia watched him charge again, face now deadly serious.
As if prior skirmishes were mere play, diverse sword arts bloomed from his hands.
Sinuous curves mesmerized the mind, followed by hidden dagger-like thrusts amid the chaos.
She deflected a straight thrust, but a horizontal slash targeted her waist. Unable to fully evade, it grazed her, drawing blood.
Retreat cut off, deadly blades raining down, wounds multiplied across her body.
'Can't go on like this.'
As defeat loomed, Jenia maxed her focus.
'Faster... Make it look like I'm brushing off all incoming blades at once!'
-Thudududung!
She batted away the insanely fast blades.
The rattled barbarian pressed on without showing it.
Jenia keenly caught and deflected or countered strikes from blind spots.
'Faster... Faster still...'
Focus peaked; her sword, one with her arm, preempted attacks before thought.
His blades checked, he scowled and struck harder—but Jenia's blade accelerated in response.
Battle's din forgotten, she fixated solely on the foe.
Her heartbeat thrummed; she saw air crack from his twitching shoulders.
Suddenly, her swordsmanship swirled like wind, flinging his weapons far.
He gaped at his exposed torso again, feeling wind brush his wound...
-Pshuk!
A mere breeze, yet his body wouldn't move—connection severed.
Blood gushed from the cleaved edge.
Only then did he realize his body was sliding diagonally.
"No... way..."
Entering the initial Sword Master realm, Jenia had no time to rejoice. She refocused her senses and plunged back into the enemy ranks.