Chapter 140
Chapter 140
As I'd already warned my inner circle, I'd anticipated that Vifros would leak information and our enemies would come seeking us because of it.
But I never expected their arrival to be this swift—let alone that it would be an army of Transcendents.
"Have they lost their minds?! Are they fine with their main base getting raided?!"
Had MacLaine held even a shred of lingering attachment to the Second Prince's faction, I would have immediately sent a communication at this very moment—urging them to attack the First Prince's stronghold while the Stormblade and his elites were here.
The damage that would have caused was unimaginable.
Beyond sheer military strength, the tactical value and morale impact of a Transcendent on the battlefield was incomparable—worth more than two Border Lords combined.
In other words, the First Prince's faction regarded MacLaine as far more significant than I had thought.
"Damn it, the timing is just—!"
Just as one battle was winding down.
Casualties still uncounted, our forces scattered.
"Reform ranks! Quickly!"
Despite my frantic orders, judging by the speed of their approach, they'd breach our rear before we could even halfway regroup.
Especially that Wycken Calria.
"Fire volleys as soon as squads form! Fire at will! Target the approaching Transcendents!"
The urgency in Heinkel's shout spurred the troops to move slightly faster.
And then—
"FIRE!"
Thwip-thwip-thwip-thwip!
The first to reform—a thousand crossbow cavalry—aimed their bolts at a single person.
The numbers grew as MacLaine's forces gradually tightened their formation.
But—
A black rain of death poured down.
An assault even a Transcendent couldn't ignore.
Any other Transcendent, maybe.
The Stormblade—Wycken Calria—smirked confidently as thousands of quarrels rained toward him.
Even his rival, if caught in this situation, would have to stand still like a massive target, forced to defend—unable to do anything else.
Without external aid, that rival might even get injured—or worse.
But he was different.
Whoooosh.
The wind attribute force—transcending human limits.
Just by channeling it briefly, an impenetrable fortress formed around him.
At least against projectiles, it's a perfect barrier.
As expected, the thousands of quarrels collided with his wind barrier, deflecting and shattering against each other.
Seizing the opening, he closed the distance—reaching the enemy's frontlines before they could even nock their second volley.
"Now! Let's play!"
Wind attribute force enveloped his entire body, enhancing his speed.
His beloved sword, Transfixio, began glowing pure white.
The rapier's signature thrust—his specialty since his early days—had evolved into a deadly technique after becoming a Transcendent, piercing countless enemies in a single line with wind-imbued force.
Vortex!
With a confident smirk, a white whirlpool erupted from his blade—
Just as a massive golden sword descended upon him.
KWA-BOOOOM!
"Ghk—!"
Logan staggered back, dazed, as if his entire Earth-Cleaving Slash had been shattered in an instant.
Not just overpowered—but something forced into dissipation.
Whoooosh.
The forcibly dispersed Earth-Cleaving Slash placed a heavy burden on his force core.
Barely regaining his balance, Logan saw the white-glowing rapier already lunging toward him.
"—MacLaine!"
The enemy's voice, spat out right after the collision, barely registered in his ears.
The rapier's tip touched his armor—
But thankfully—
KWA-CRASH!
"Guh—!"
A crimson force blade intercepted the strike.
But the cost was steep.
His father coughed up blood, stumbling back.
Even at a glance, the internal injuries were severe—but there was no time to help him.
The enemy, as if splitting into two, simultaneously thrust at both Logan and his father.
Not yet!
No Transcendent should be this overwhelming.
Ignoring the lightning-fast thrust, Logan retaliated with a stab of his own.
A golden beam erupted from his blade—stretching faster than thought toward the enemy's torso.
FWOOOSH!
The iron-cleaving light passed through an afterimage—Logan's expression hardened—but at least his father steadied himself.
A brief sigh of relief—
But only for a moment.
"Better than I heard. Impressive, youngster."
The gaunt Transcendent's icy smile filled Logan's vision.
"RAAAAH!"
The enemy knights' war cries grew closer—matched by rising shouts from his own forces.
A battle that might decide the fate of their house—but Logan had no mind to watch.
The enemy before him would take his life the instant he lost focus.
"Ghk!"
Fwip.
A light wind sound—with terrifying results.
Even as he dodged, a hole pierced his left shoulder.
But the enemy seemed surprised—smirking wider before launching another flurry of thrusts.
An illusion of countless overlapping strikes—
The flickering rapier tip threatened to pierce anywhere, no matter how he defended.
Logan unleashed sixteen golden waves, trying to block—
Fwish-fwish!
"Gah! Damn it!"
Only to suffer piercing wounds—thighs, right flank, right shoulder.
"Oh? Protecting your vitals even now? Not bad— Where—?"
THUNK.
"Father!"
His father, seizing the moment to strike, took a grievous wound to the abdomen.
Logan cursed himself for holding back—and drew his last resort.
Whooom.
White light from his left wrist instantly healed the five wounds.
Followed by another golden beam.
Iron-Cleaving Slash—refined from his last battle—lashed out murderously.
But the results were unsatisfying.
CLANG! CRASH! BOOM!
Even his final gambit barely fazed the enemy.
The smirk faded—but no panic.
Only absolute confidence that Logan's blade would never reach him.
This gap... is this big?
The confidence gained from mastering Snake Blade crumbled away.
And it wasn't just his confidence.
CLANG! CRASH!
Every clash with the white-glowing rapier erased Logan's force blade momentarily—wrenching his heart.
Not just overpowered—forcefully ripped away.
Unnatural. Violent.
Wycken Calria was known among Transcendents for weaker single strikes—prioritizing speed and wind attribute.
This shouldn't be possible.
This makes no sense! How is the gap—?!
Despair gnawed at Logan—
As his golden force blade, flickering back each time, vanished completely.
No!
By the time he realized his mistake—the rapier was already at his eye.
He could imagine it piercing his brain and exiting his skull.
MOVE!
His consciousness, hyper-focused in crisis, ignored pain and forced his body to shift—
But still far too slow.
He had already used Lux's time acceleration—once per day.
Then—
The white radiance around Wycken Calria flickered.
An explosion?
The enemy twisted his head—
And in that impossibly perfect timing—
Logan was granted another miracle.
The aura enveloping Wycken Calria's body and weapon faded—
The rapier's aura visibly weakened—reverting to force.
A process most Aura Users couldn't even describe—
Now crystal clear to Logan's heightened senses.
And—
"What the—?!"
Wycken's movements slowed noticeably.
No idea why—but Logan didn't hesitate.
FWOOSH!
If aura scatters force—then just don't touch it!
His force blade twisted like a serpent—avoiding the wind aura—and aimed for the enemy's life.
"Prepare to charge!"
CLANG! CLANG!
Heinkel's voice—commanding MacLaine's forces in place of the lord and heir—was met by knights clashing weapons.
They dared not interfere in the Transcendent duel—too fast to follow.
But even after consecutive battles, over 160 knights stood firm—eager for orders.
Morale, buoyed by victories, remained high.
Even Pereta's surviving knights had bonded—naturally assimilated into the ranks.
MacLaine's soldiers, tightly formed, fired endless crossbow volleys at the approaching Calria knights.
Golems from the Earth Tower hurled Liberatio explosives—detonations echoing from afar.
KWA-BOOM!
Thwip-thwip-thwip!
"AAARGH!"
Screams erupted sporadically from enemy lines—but their advance didn't slow.
Soon, even screams faded—
A dozen enemy knights intercepting falling bombs mid-air.
Among them—one knight stood out.
A crimson force blade, over 3 meters long, deflecting crossbow bolts and bombs at the vanguard.
A murderous aura even from a distance.
Calria Knight-Captain—Jorge.
No flashy epithet—but second only in strength within Calria's marquisate.
Heinkel scanned for weaknesses—but found none.
They must be exhausted from pushing through crossbows and bombs.
The barrage had inflicted steady damage.
And if not him—no one else could stop Jorge.
The others capable were all—
Heinkel forced his gaze away from the Transcendent duel—where lord and heir fought.
Better to face a High Knight than interfere clumsily in that battle.
Steeling his resolve—
Father!
A familiar shout—his head turned reflexively.
And he saw—
His lord collapsing—blood gushing from his abdomen.
His mind blanked.
Memories surfaced—
"You've already handed over authority, but lend Logan your strength. Show your loyalty—it'll solidify his position as heir."
"Hah. But my lord is still you. Of course, I'll serve the young lord too—"
"Haha, you fool. I'm telling you—prioritize Logan over me now."
"I can't. I'll retire when you do."
"That's no good. You're still—"
"My lord, don't you remember? When I was knighted, you promised I'd rest when you did."
"...That's a generous memory. I meant to work you to death. Didn't know I'd have such a talented son back then."
"Then let me serve you until death. The young lord still lacks experience."
"Hah. You're the only one in our territory who'd say that."
"My loyalty is only to you, my lord."
"Hah. But if something happens to me—"
"...Why say such things?"
"Just a bad feeling. Anyway—support Logan firmly then."
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that."
"You stubborn—"
Laughter had ended that talk.
Now—
Heinkel's body moved on its own.