Chapter 202: Haven't You Had Enough? (3)
Chapter 202: Haven't You Had Enough? (3)
Isabella, Matthew, and Riman Sierra joined April at the scene.
They stood frozen in shock at the sight of the absolute carnage.
"What on earth happened here?"
"It looks like another war."
"Are these people kidding me?"
Isabella gritted her teeth, her brow furrowing. She already had a massive headache dealing with Patrick’s situation, and now another war? If anyone ever called elves a "race of peace" again, she felt like she might just punch them in the face. But then…
"Dark Elves? I see. So that’s how it is."
Riman Sierra’s eyes widened as he spotted the Dark Elves.
Yes, this made sense. He didn't know the full story, but the presence of Dark Elves explained everything. There was more than enough reason for a war.
Riman’s expression hardened as he drew his sword. Then…
"Mers, Ignil, Lagios, Turan, Aria."
Riman immediately activated all five of his Soul Weapons.
The Soul Weapons, representing the four major elements, began to glow faintly as they hovered around him, arming him for battle. In that state, he spoke.
"Riman Sierra of the Tower of Truth. I shall join the fray to purge these seeds of evil."
While Dark Elves were objects of hatred for the Elves, they were also targets for extermination by humans. After all, they were those who had become slaves to the Demon Clan.
Riman Sierra, the magic swordsman now fully armed with his Soul Weapons, stepped forward. And then…
"I’ll help as well."
"I’m joining in. As for Patrick’s business… let’s talk about that later."
Matthew and Isabella also stepped forward, weapons in hand. April had already drawn hers long ago.
Seeing this, Kantaros bared his teeth.
"Do you really think the situation will change just because a few humans joined in?"
"It’ll change, alright."
The one who answered Kantaros was Kilios, who was currently chuckling while slumped on the ground in the distance. He knew the strength of these humans to some extent. Even without the monster known as Patrick, the humans gathered here were formidable powerhouses in their own right.
Kilios raised his right hand toward Kantaros, back of the hand facing him, and proudly extended his middle finger. It was a gesture of insult he had learned while interacting with humans, and he felt it was the perfect time to use it.
Squeezing out his remaining strength, Kilios spat out, "Enjoy getting fucked."
The moment those words left his lips, April transformed into a streak of light and lunged at Kantaros.
Boom!
"Ugh…!"
April’s strike carried enough weight to deal significant shock even to Kantaros, who was protected by Demonic Energy. As he was pushed back, sparks of fury flew from his eyes.
"You bitch…!"
Kantaros gritted his teeth and raised his hand to counterattack. But by the time his fist, wreathed in thick Demonic Energy, swung through the air, April was already gone.
She didn't stop after landing that one blow. Instead, she charged toward the other Dark Elves who were busy slaughtering the Elves.
Fast… even faster…
Swish!
Her form became a flash of light, flickering across the battlefield in every direction.
Twin Dragons Eight Sword Styles
Third Form
Flash Dragon Strike (Modified)
Big Dipper Sevenfold Strike
Crash! Bang! Boom! Crack! Thud!
The Big Dipper Sevenfold Strike was originally a finishing move that focused seven afterimages on a single target to strike simultaneously. However, April split the technique, directing it at multiple enemies.
The individual power was slightly diminished, but it was more than enough to knock back the Dark Elves who were intoxicated by blood and slaughter.
With a single move, she saved the Elves who were being unilaterally massacred and drew the attention of every Dark Elf to herself.
"Kill that human woman first!"
"Don't let your guard down! She’s fast!"
After the flurry of attacks, April landed gracefully, closed her eyes for a brief moment, and steadied her breathing.
"Whew…"
The next instant, her eyes snapped open, and her body once again became a golden flash.
"Block— Gah!"
"Aargh!"
"Kuaaaakh!"
The enemies were struck down by the incoming flashes before they even had a chance to prepare.
Boom! Crash! Roar!
Despite being protected by Demonic Energy, the attacks were powerful enough to force screams from their lungs. These strikes continued in a relentless sequence, driving the Dark Elves back.
April alone was overwhelming ten Dark Elves.
"…My god."
"Is she… is she even stronger than Lord Patrick?"
"No way. But still…"
The Elves could only watch April’s performance in a daze. Some wanted to help, but they couldn't even move. They were in a different league. Though they had learned to use Aura, at their current level, they would be a hindrance rather than a help. They could only watch April with clenched fists.
Meanwhile, the Dark Elves…
"Grrr…!"
"Catch her! Just grab onto her!"
"You bitch— Gack!"
"Dammit!"
Driven to the peak of fury, they swung their Demonic Energy wildly, smashing everything around them.
Boom! Crash!
Terrifying destructive power was ravaging the forest, but they couldn't even graze April, their intended target. They even tried to tank the hits to counterattack at the right timing, but it was useless.
Thud!
"Gah… Aaargh!"
A Dark Elf who took a hit to the back gritted his teeth and swung his arm behind him. But his hand caught nothing but air. April was already far away, striking from someone else’s blind spot.
The difference in speed was simply too great. Subjected to attacks that could come from anywhere at any time, the Dark Elves were being one-sidedly pummeled.
Seeing his subordinates struggling against a single opponent, Kantaros roared.
"Group up! Don't let that bitch hit your blind spots!"
"Right!"
"Everyone, cluster together! Watch each other's backs!"
Following the order, the Dark Elves gathered in one spot, taking a defensive stance against April’s hit-and-run tactics.
At that, April, who had been moving like a lightning bolt, finally stopped. She looked up toward the sky and shouted at the top of her lungs.
"Lord Riman!"
As if he had been waiting, Riman’s voice echoed from above.
"Turan, Ignil."
High above his head, much further up in the sky, something began to glitter. The light grew larger and larger until it was close enough to be identified by the naked eye, leaving everyone in horror.
"Fireballs? No, meteors?"
"Holy…"
What was falling were massive boulders wreathed in flames. Their target: the clustered group of Dark Elves.
Riman pointed his sword at the spot and roared.
"Die!"
K-BOOM! CRASH! RUMBLE!
The attack detonated. The power was truly terrifying—enough to completely lay waste to the entire area Riman had designated.
"…Unbelievable."
"Did Patrick really beat this man?"
Matthew and Isabella were left speechless, staring in awe at the sheer destructive force.
Seeing their reaction, Riman pushed up his glasses with a smile.
"It’s an attack I developed using the legendary magic 'Meteor Shower' as a motif."
"Meteor Shower? How could a magic swordsman like you…?"
"It’s not the same magic. It’s a technique I researched and created to logically produce a similar effect."
Riman spoke calmly, but this was an incredible feat. Most magic swordsmen simply train to increase the output of their Soul Weapons if they want more power. Higher output equals higher destructive force.
However, Riman delved into the principles of magic to produce massive destruction even with low output. He imbued the Earth element, which has high physical mass, with the Fire element, and then raised them as high as possible. Then, he let them fall naturally while guiding the impact point toward the target.
By doing so, it became a Pseudo Meteor—not a true Meteor Shower, but one based on similar principles. It was an attack that maximized destructive power by deeply studying elemental properties and borrowing the force of gravity. It was a move perfectly suited for Riman Sierra, a man who never stopped researching the logic behind power.
Riman pushed up his glasses with a proud expression.
"No matter how tough Dark Elves are, they couldn't possibly have survived that—"
Whish!
It happened then.
Countless crescent-shaped blades of Demonic Energy flew through the air, targeting him while he was still airborne.
"Kh…!"
Riman tried to move quickly to dodge, but there were too many sudden attacks to evade them all. The blades of dense Demonic Energy grazed his body, and he felt a searing, agonizing pain.
"Aaaargh…!"
Amidst the burning pain, Riman Sierra grimaced. Through the settling dust, he saw the Dark Elves emerging. Their clothes were tattered and they were covered in wounds, but none of them had suffered a fatal blow. If anything, their murderous intent, fueled by rage, made them even more threatening than before.
"How dare a human brat…"
"I’ll tear you apart alive and chew on your heart."
"I’ll kill you. I will definitely kill you."
Facing such savage killing intent for the first time in a real battle…
Ugh…
Riman instinctively flinched, nearly backing away. He would have, if not for the two backs standing firmly in front of him.
"Can you do that attack one more time?"
"I need some time, but… yes, I can."
"Then get ready. We’ll protect you."
Matthew and Isabella stood before him, swords drawn, shielding him. They deflected the blades of Demonic Energy the Dark Elves threw, guarding Riman.
The sight moved Riman more than a little. These were young powerhouses who had reached the 4-Star and 5-Star realms. Objectively speaking, they were not stronger than Riman. However, their combat experience far exceeded his. They had quickly identified what they needed to do in this situation and were giving it their all.
Watching the two of them block the Dark Elves' attacks, Riman spoke with a look of determination.
"Just give me five minutes."
Riman focused his mind once more. Behind him, boulders began to rise, imbuing themselves with flames as they floated higher and higher into the sky.
Naturally, the Dark Elves weren't about to just let that happen.
"Stop him!"
"Kill that magic swordsman fir— Gah!"
It happened then.
A streak of light flashed, plunging into the group of Dark Elves. It was the same attack as before. But the situation was different.
The blade, now clearly shrouded in the sharp edge of an Aura Blade, sliced straight through the Dark Elf’s Demonic Energy and took his head clean off.
April appeared where the flash had passed, stepping on the fallen enemy’s head as she spoke quietly.
"So, you can't block an Aura Blade."
"……."
Initially, to conserve her strength, she had struck with 5-Star level Aura. While those attacks had shocked the enemies, they weren't enough to pierce their Demonic Energy protection. But now…
Hummm.
The Dark Elves stared with fearful eyes at the Aura Blade shimmering on April’s twin swords. They couldn't block that. The enemy now possessed a means of attack that could bypass their Demonic Energy.
April spoke to the Dark Elves in a chilling voice.
"That’s one."
The Dark Elves recoiled in terror. Even though they were consumed by Demonic Energy, they were originally Elves, a race capable of rational judgment. Thus, they could quickly grasp the reality.
The situation had completely changed.
* * *
"Hah!"
Jincheon, the Radiant Dragon Hero, bolted upright in bed.
Beside him, his wife, Tang Su-yeon, who had been sleeping, woke up as well and looked at him.
"What’s wrong?"
"No, it’s just… maybe I’m a bit tired?"
"Hmm…"
His wife lay on her side, watching him with worried eyes.
"Is an old wound acting up? Like that injury you got pushing yourself too hard at Nakbongpa?"
"Nakbongpa…"
Jincheon muttered the name unconsciously at his wife’s words.
Yes. Nakbongpa. The day he had smashed the Heaven and Earth Net of the Unorthodox Faction Alliance and carved his legend into the Martial World.
But…
"Ugh…"
Jincheon pressed a hand to his forehead as if he had a headache.
"Are you really sick? Should I check your pulse?"
"No, it’s not that. I’m fine."
After reassuring his worried wife, Jincheon got out of bed and put on his outer robe.
"Where are you going?"
"Just going to get some fresh air."
"If you go out and come back drunk, you’re dead."
Jincheon chuckled at his wife’s threat.
"I won't, so don't worry."
"You’re always so good with words."
After soothing his wife, Jincheon stepped outside. Walking through the night air, he let out a long sigh.
"This is driving me absolutely crazy."
"What is?"
"Whoa! Scared the life out of me!"
Jincheon shouted in surprise. He turned to see his Master, who had appeared behind him without a sound.
"Seriously, stop popping up like that! You know approaching me from behind without making a sound is the forty-ninth thing I hate most, right?"
"Stop adding to that damn list of things you hate."
"Telling me to stop adding to the list is the forty-fourth— ugh, fine. Let’s just talk."
"……."
His Master sighed and sheathed the sword he had half-drawn. He let out another breath and asked, "What has you so grumpy?"
"Just… I was thinking about how human greed knows no bounds."
"Using your own greed as the standard for a normal person is a bit much…"
"That hurts, Master."
"Let’s just move on."
At his Master’s words, Jincheon sighed.
"Everything I ever wanted is right here."
"……."
"The sect I grew up in, my junior brothers and disciples who have zero talent but are somewhat endearing, my beautiful wife, friends who buy me drinks, and…"
"……."
"Even the Master who changed my life."
"……."
"Everything I desperately wanted and longed for is here. And yet…"
"And yet, what?"
"Now that the things I longed for have been fulfilled, I find myself regretting what I left behind."
"……."
"It’s funny, isn't it? I missed living as Jincheon, the Radiant Dragon Hero, so much, but now that I’m actually doing it…"
Jincheon squeezed his eyes shut and spoke the words buried deep in his heart.
"I find myself missing the life I lived as Patrick Schneider."
His Master replied calmly.
"Is that so?"