Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Rampaging Heavenly Killing Star
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Yonia and Enoch headed straight for the nearest city the moment they emerged from the forest. Thinking back on it now, most areas around the forest were cities—at least from what Enoch had seen.
Was there something unexpectedly drawing people to settle around here? Could the forest's bounty alone attract so many? Pondering this, they stepped into the city.
"This is a human city..."
Yonia glanced around curiously. She probably hadn't had the leisure to sightsee last time, what with being captured.
Enoch took it in stride and tugged down the hood Yonia had thrown over her head a bit further.
"Ah! Pull it gently!"
"If they figure out you're an elf, it'll be a hassle. I told you to cover up properly."
"Ah, but they won't notice!"
Yonia grumbled. She had a point, so Enoch silently bought provisions for the journey and stuffed them into his bag.
The market was crowded today, which grated on his nerves more than usual. Better to grab what they needed quickly and move on.
"It looks pretty different on the surface, but it's still a place where people live, so it's not that much different from the Elf Union."
"There's one big difference."
"What? Don't start with your weird nonsense again."
"There, elves live. Here, humans do. That's a huge difference. Keep it in mind."
"...You're right, but it sounds kinda off."
Had she gotten used to his rambling? Yonia grumbled, then suddenly perked up as if realizing something.
"Ah!"
"Yeah?"
"No wonder it felt like something was missing."
Tsking, Yonia fiddled with her hands.
"Forgot my bow."
"Buy one. We've got plenty of money."
"Nah. Bows are better when you make them yourself."
She planned to craft one if she spotted a good branch on the way. As for the string, a bit of her hair would do, and apparently no bow could compare. Elves. Even their hair was superior to humans'.
"Then let's stock up a bit more food and head out... Hngh!"
Enoch's eyes widened in an instant. He sensed killing intent from a passerby, and sure enough, a dagger shot out.
"Oh ho, nice reflexes."
He dodged swiftly, but not completely. Clutching his side where a deep gash bled steadily, Enoch glared at the passerby.
A woman with brown skin and ash-gray hair. Skilled at concealing her killing intent, and her burst speed suggested expertise in ambushes. An assassin? But she seemed too elite for that.
"Hey, hey! You okay?"
Yonia rushed over in a panic, but Enoch held up a hand to stop her. This wasn't someone he could fight while protecting her.
"...You handle the others."
"Huh? What do you—"
Shing! A dagger flew toward Yonia. She snatched it midair with instant reflexes, then slid forward gracefully on light feet.
Landing right in front of the man who'd thrown it. Her elven palm struck his jaw.
Crack! The man flew back with the sound. As the fight broke out, residents hurried to get out of the way. Those who stayed were probably enemies. Now surrounded, Enoch's eyes grew cold.
"Urgh..."
Poison, maybe? His vision blurred. Glaring at the ash-gray haired woman, she cackled.
"You're the one guy Adolph couldn't reach in time. I almost had you all to myself."
"......"
"The name's Gray. At least know who sends you to the afterlife, kid."
Gray licked the blood from her dagger. Poison on that thing—didn't it affect her? Steadying himself with that thought, Enoch rose.
"Bye-bye, then."
Gray crouched and lunged in a flash. By the time his blurry vision caught her through the poison haze, she was upon him. Without hesitation, Enoch unleashed the core from his middle dantian.
Krakakakaka───────!!!
Bolts of lightning crashed down around him. He glimpsed Gray dodging desperately. In his hazy mind, Enoch's judgment stopped there.
'...Come to think of it, it's about that time, huh?'
It didn't follow a fixed cycle, but sometimes the Heavenly Killing Star's madness overflowed beyond what he could contain. He hadn't vented lately, and this stimulus made something ready to burst.
Like it was some menstrual cycle. What a pain.
'Hm?'
Speaking of cycles reminded him— he'd never sensed that from Leone. Enoch was sensitive to blood scents. He could detect a single drop from afar. Yet he'd never smelled it on Leone?
'...No way.'
Had Leone reached an age where she could no longer bear children? Not that it mattered. He didn't particularly like kids anyway.
Thinking something that would send Leone into a fit if she heard, Enoch unleashed the Thunder God's Apotheosis stronger than usual.
Kiiiiing───────
A halo floated above his head. Faint lightning wings spread behind him, and his black eyes turned violet.
"What the—? Some ultimate technique? Looks brutal."
Gray seemed slightly rattled. He'd converted all his mana and blood to lightning, detoxifying the poison as well.
"Hoo..."
Enoch exhaled, violet lightning spreading like mist. The poison was gone, but his mind still swam. Three flowers bloomed behind him once more, the violet lightning染ed with the Heavenly Killing Star's killing intent into dark purple.
"...Let's end this quick."
Enoch vanished. Gray reacted instantly, twisting gracefully and swinging her dagger.
Boom────!!
Their strikes crossed, and Gray's body lifted into the air.
"Grk...! This much in one instant...!?"
Until moments ago, Gray had the edge in most aspects, but that strange technique flipped everything in a heartbeat.
Instead of panicking, Gray calmly righted herself midair. Or tried to.
Flash────────!!
The Heavenly Killing Purple Thunder God Art's power. A spell cast with the form swallowed Gray whole.
"Grrgh...! From some nobody...!"
Gray wrapped her body in qi to endure, kicked off the ground, and vanished between buildings. Her presence winked out in an instant. Enoch's eyes flashed.
"Can't even hide properly."
Trained by Leone's senses. Detecting the faint trace, dozens of magic circles appeared behind him.
"Strike them down."
Rumble! With his chant, dozens of lightning bolts fell. A faint scream echoed from a nearby alley.
Enoch kicked off the ground. Vanishing and reappearing, he saw Gray, her body half-charred. She glared ferociously, drawing up her power.
"You fucking—!"
Shaaa────, mist-like qi enveloped her. Faint starlight lingered in the nebula. Her presence faded to near-nothingness.
But she'd already entered Enoch's sight. No escape. He clenched his fist.
Heavenly Killing Purple Thunder God Art
He unified his martial arts into one. Boundaries between methods vanished. Sword, spear, fist, foot—none bound him.
Brutal Slaughter - Prime Unity
Countless paths converged into one fist. Not a point, but a surface-smashing strike.
Explosive Strike
The space before Enoch erupted, brilliant violet lightning exploding spectacularly.
KABOOOOOM─────────!!!!
Part of the city was obliterated. No trace of Gray remained in the blast. But Enoch's expression didn't change. He knew he'd missed his prey.
"Haa..."
Faint reason warned him. If the fight dragged on, he might self-destruct like against the forest lord.
Replacing part of the Thunder God's Apotheosis with thunder cores kept major issues at bay for now, but once those cores depleted at this rate, his body would start burning up.
Truth be told, it was already iffy— the stronger Apotheosis was damaging him bit by bit.
"Don't hide. Come out."
Thud! Rising into the air, Enoch's eyes locked on two figures. One was Gray, half her body scorched. The other, Adolph, barely pulling her to safety.
"Pests."
Lightning rippled around Enoch.
*
Yonia knocked out the clinging pursuers one by one as she fled the city.
Slithering low to dodge a dagger, tripping one into a face strike. Sweeping her leg to topple two more, then bolting.
"Halt!"
Guards at the gate blocked her, but she slipped past in a blur and dashed into the forest.
"Gahhh!"
"Intruders! Sound the alarm!"
Glancing back, Yonia saw pursuers slicing through the guards in seconds to chase her.
Grit. She bit her lip. No hesitation in cutting down their own. Did humans lack any love for kin?
"Spread out!"
The command scattered the pursuers. She got the intent, but against an elf? Last time, surprise foes and carelessness got her caught. Not this time.
Racing up a tree, Yonia snapped off a suitable branch.
"Huff... That bitch is troublesome. End of the line."
Seeming cornered, pursuers gathered below. But Yonia's face was coldly impassive, saying nothing. Instead, she sliced off a lock of hair and swiftly shaped the branch into a bow.
"Yeah, he's right for once."
Pitying enemies was foolish—at least against these, she had to admit.
Snap, snap. Thin twigs filled her hand. Pursuers slowly tightened the net. The elf smirked.
"You gonna just watch an elf draw a bow? Idiots."
Creak— the twig nocked on the string.
Twang!
It shot like a beam of light.