Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: White Dragon Knights (3)
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The white dragons simultaneously released the devices attached to their feet.
Mana bombs.
Explosive shells engraved with blast magic, a weapon the White Dragon Knights frequently used for air strikes.
KABOOM!
Rumble!
As soon as the mana bombs rained down on their designated points, massive explosions rocked the fortress.
The crumbling walls collapsed in a heap, and flames shot up from every direction.
The deafening roars shook the surroundings.
-Enemy attack!
-Block...! Aaaagh!
-W-Where?!
-The sky! From the sky!
The soldiers guarding the fortress scattered in panic at the sudden assault.
They had anticipated reinforcements from the White Dragon Knights arriving soon,
but it never crossed their minds that the attack would come from high above, out of clear sight.
-Those mad bastards... They don't care at all about the hostages...!
The officers' faces drained of color as they belatedly grasped the White Dragon Knights' intent.
Krarumble!
The barrage of mana bombs continued relentlessly, reducing Blancy Fortress to half ruins in an instant.
And then,
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Seizing the chaos, the air drop operation commenced.
All thirty-three White Dragon Knights leaped down at once.
Each time a knight landed on the ground, a tremendous shockwave spread outward.
Dust and smoke billowed from the cratered earth as if cannons had fired,
and the fierce glint in their eyes beneath their white helmets burned like will-o'-the-wisps.
"Eliminate them all."
Flash!
At Evelyn's command, the knights surged forward along their assigned routes.
A blitz to the command center in one swift stroke.
Slashes!
Shrieks echoed from all sides each time a blade of pure white flashed like lightning.
-Aaaagh!
-White Knights! White Dragon Knights!
-Seal the entrance, hurry!
-Th-They're pushing through relentlessly... Grrraaah!
The Black Skull terrorists fell helplessly.
Some tried to threaten with hostages' lives as leverage, but they were met only with merciless slashes.
Puddles of red blood pooled in the knights' wake.
A white storm filled the fortress.
* * *
「As you've all heard from the squad leader, I'll explain once more. Our objective is hostage rescue. However, knights' lives take priority over hostages, so abandon them without hesitation if circumstances demand it.」
Selferd's telepathic message pierced the ears of the three rookies.
Erika was grinning, thrilled at being thrown into real combat right after assignment,
while Holkus gripped his sword tightly to calm his pounding heart.
And,
Theo remained expressionless.
'Is this really his first real deployment? It feels like he's done this a few times already...!'
Arin let out a hollow chuckle as she watched Theo beside her.
Rookies' reactions on their first mission typically fell into two categories.
Excitement like Erika's, or tension like Holkus's that hindered their performance.
But Theo was far too composed.
That cold gaze... It almost resembled the veteran squad leader's.
'No way, what am I thinking? As if he has experience like Lady Evelyn. He's just naturally unflappable, that's all.'
Arin shook her head, dismissing the thought. She had always idolized Evelyn.
「Deploy.」
In the meantime, Selferd's order came down,
and
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The five landed atop the ramparts.
The upper level of the blue-marked point where hostages were confirmed.
"Enemies here too...!"
The soldier guarding the area lost his head to Selferd's ruthless strike.
"Arin and I will clear the path ahead. You three, cover the rear."
Flash!
Selferd and Arin took point, Theo and Erika flanked the sides, and burly Holkus brought up the rear.
The wedge formation (∧) they'd drilled endlessly over the past three days.
Perfect for breakthrough at shortest distance.
Boom! Boom! Kraaang!
Selferd and Arin smashed anything in their way.
Whether man or wall.
'Ruthless.'
Theo clicked his tongue lightly while observing the pair's attacks from right behind.
Having been embedded solely with the Black Snow, this was his first time witnessing the White Dragon Knights in action up close.
Now he understood why the northern powers—even the Six Snow Houses—feared them.
Veterans who infiltrated combat zones directly, unbound by terrain or obstacles to execute their ops.
To enemies, they must appear as emissaries of hell.
And the wrath of those who had lost comrades burned even fiercer.
[Observing 'Selferd Gardner.']
+
Selferd Gardner (27/Male)
· Title: White-Haired Monster Blade
· Talents: Bastard. Free-spirited. Anti-establishment. Hates old fogeys. Ruffian. Rebel.
· Status: Furious over the news of his respected squad leader's death.
+
[Observing 'Arin Negative.']
+
Arin Negative (26/Female)
· Title: Gale Blade
· Talents: Tempest. Swift Strike Specialist. Reckless Charge. Team Harmony. Self-Sacrificial.
· Status: Worried the rookies' tension will hinder their skills on first mission, potentially harming comrades.
+
In their status windows, Selferd's [Ruffian] and Arin's [Reckless Charge] talents stood out.
They seemed the perfect descriptors for the two.
'Selferd's style is straight-line aggression, Arin's curved support. He breaks through, she backs him up? Their synergy is flawless. Do they train together often?'
The swordsmanship they wielded was unmistakably the White Dragon Knights' shared secret art: [Barrage Strikes].
A unique style unleashing over a dozen slashes in a single breath.
Theo hadn't learned it yet due to insufficient training time, but he was already gleaning varied inspirations on its applications.
Their blades, forged purely in brutal melee, shone as perfected masterpieces in their own right.
Slashes!
In the meantime, the five reached their destination in one dash,
and
KABOOM!
With Holkus's raw power, the wall shattered entirely, revealing the room holding the hostages.
-Wh-White Dragon Knights!
-Ragnar! Ragnar's here!
-Hooray! We're saved!
The hostages, thrown into confusion by the sudden turn, welcomed them with tearful joy.
Selferd's expression, however, hardened.
'The hostage count is off.'
Intelligence had confirmed twenty in total.
But only twelve were here.
The rest had been moved elsewhere or killed resisting.
No helping it.
"Please don't rush. Follow us in order."
"Um... There are others taken to different places...!"
"Rescue teams are already heading there. Time's short. Hurry."
"Y-Yes!"
Of course, it was a lie.
But the part about time being short was true.
Black Skull was known merely as a fledgling terror group so far.
But after what they did to Trainer and the others, they couldn't be underestimated.
They had the element of surprise now, but once they regrouped, who knew what resistance they'd mount.
They had to move within that window.
[Expanding detection range of 'Hatchling Synchro' skill!]
Whoosh!
Theo guided the hostages alongside Selferd while sharpening his senses.
-The balmung might be somewhere here.
In this brief infiltration of the fortress, he had to locate and retrieve the balmung somehow.
'Not in this room. Are the upper-floor items stored elsewhere? Or disposed of?'
No time for searching.
Ask the hostages?
Pretend retrieving items is part of the mission?
No, can't do that.
Too many eyes watching—Selferd, Arin, and others.
They might let it slide now, but they'd question him later about recovered items.
Had to do it covertly.
Without anyone knowing.
'Or just collapse the entire fortress and come back for it later?'
That could work.
But he'd need to figure out how to bring it down.
Meaning, not feasible right now.
'Damn it. Any way...!'
Just as Theo's mind grew tangled,
Thump-thump-thump!
His heart suddenly hammered wildly.
A chilling unease prickled his spine.
'...What?'
The Dragon's Heart's senses were sometimes as instinctive as a wild beast's.
And it was warning him now.
-Something's there!
Theo swung Drake's blade at the empty wall beside him, following his gut.
Erika beside him was about to ask why when,
KABOOM!
Clang!
The wall exploded like fireworks on cue.
The massive hammer aiming for the hostages clashed with Drake's blade and rebounded.
'Urk! Ridiculous strength...!'
Theo staggered back, losing balance.
Enough to repel [Brute Strength].
Who the hell?
"Tch, close one! Meant to smash you in one go. Guess you sensed a beast like me, huh?"
A hulking brute emerged, brushing away the dust.
Hostages paled and trembled as he licked his lips, warhammer in one hand, scanning the room.
"It's him! That guy! He's the one who locked us here...! Took the others away!"
One hostage screamed, pointing at the brute.
Selferd swiftly positioned himself between the brute and the hostages.
"Bald Hammer?"
The brute's face twisted grotesquely.
"Fuck! Outta all my nicknames, why that shitty one?! Damn Ragnars—should've killed you all to avoid hearing that crap!"
"Why's someone like you here? You're Black Skull's hidden ally?"
"Figure it out yourself, smart guy."
The brute sneered, curling one lip.
Selferd said nothing, silently assuming his stance.
'Bald Hammer' Slow Gang.
A terrorist-anti-establishment figure infamous in the North, despite the comical moniker.
His skill was exceptional; Selferd couldn't guarantee victory alone.
Arin stepped beside him, gripping her sword.
「When we clash, run.」
Her warning reached the three rookies' ears.
But,
"What, planning to distract me and sneak the hostages out? Not happening!"
Slow Gang sneered as if reading their minds and abruptly veered toward the hostages.
Precisely toward where Theo and Erika stood.
"Damn...!"
Selferd and Arin whirled toward them in alarm,
but Slow Gang was nearly upon the rookies already.
Whoooosh!
Like a battering ram piercing castle gates, his momentum was overwhelming.
Yet,
"Thanks to you, finding it just got easier."
"...!?"
Theo, facing him head-on, smiled instead.
Zzzzap!
The Moonblade was drawn.
Spewing thick, pitch-black lightning.