Chapter 214
Chapter 214
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 214
>Chapter Title: Soaring Escape and Fatal Ambush
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Woooosh-!
Woooooosh-!
Kupa soared into the sky, flapping its enormous wings. Clinging tightly to its feathers on its back sat the four companions, huddled together.
“B-block it….”
“How could this happen?!”
“Block it! Shoot! Fire—!”
“What the hell are the mages doing at a time like this?!”
“You idiots… if you don’t know what’s going on, just shut up and stay back!”
The remaining soldiers, knights, and some mages left behind in the mountains.
They stared blankly at the massive bird already flying far into the distance.
“This… makes no sense….”
“It flew off into the sky….”
Rumble rumble crash-!
Even the other birds that had been circling the skies until Kupa arrived now followed in its wake.
“Damn it… pursue it!”
“As if we know where it’s going!”
Kupa was heading south.
It flew at an altitude even higher than the mountains, so high that breathing grew labored.
“Urgh… L-Liona! Hold on tight!”
“I feel like I’m going to fall! The wind is too….”
Liona’s words weren’t exaggeration.
Fierce winds battered them from the front, shaking them as if to hurl them off.
Woooooosh-!
“Urgh….”
“Can’t… hold on….”
That was when it happened.
Swish-!
Swiiiish-!
“…Huh?”
“This is….”
Shadow Hands emerged from Kang Seol’s body, firmly supporting them.
At this point, they wouldn’t fall even if they tried.
- Teacher, no seatbelt means a fine.
- Phew, almost got fined^^; What the fuck, it’s hands?
Only then did it sink in for everyone.
That they were floating in the air, riding on the back of a winged creature.
Only after being secured by those sturdy arms and leaning against the soft back of the beast did they truly realize they were flying through the sky.
“Haa… haaa….”
Liona panted heavily.
“Is breathing difficult, Lione?”
“N-no, I was just startled. I mean, we’re flying through the sky.”
“Indeed. We’re truly… flying through the sky.”
Wooosh-!
Woosh-!
All the scenery below slowly passed by.
Dawn was breaking.
Considering they had attempted to cross the mountains in the dead of night, it showed just how intensely focused they had been on their breakthrough.
Coo coo roo-!
Kupa soon entered some nameless ravine.
Whoooosh-!
A ferocious gorge wind—known as a knife gale—greeted them.
“Ugh….”
Liona squeezed her eyes shut.
The knife gale was so savage and biting it felt like it was tearing at their skin.
It was so cold she wanted to button her collar tight, seal every gap where the wind could sneak in—and even close off her heart.
Whiiiiiish-!
“Liona, look ahead.”
“Ahead….”
“You need to open your eyes.”
At Chadolf’s words, Liona slowly pried open her tightly shut eyes.
“…….”
“The sun is rising.”
The blazing sun erased the shadows lingering on their faces.
The dawn repainted their features with the pigment of sunlight, melting everything away.
The perfect temperature.
“…It’s beautiful.”
“Hahaha! Exactly, Liona! The world is still full of mysteries you’ve yet to discover!”
“It’s… nothing like the world I knew.”
Sunlight dispels shadows.
Conversely, shadows reveal the value of light.
Liona had endured far too many trials in a short time.
Her brother had mobilized an entire small world to kill her, and she had faced it all with her frail body.
With just two—no, three allies.
For the first time in her life, blisters covered her soles; she had run at full speed.
She had tumbled head over heels after tripping, gone all day without a meal.
All these experiences made this moment all the more precious.
“Ugh… ughh….”
“…Liona.”
“I’m definitely going to survive and go back.”
“…….”
“I’ll definitely… survive and proudly tell everyone later. That I….”
Tears streamed down her contorted face.
The sunlight made them sparkle like diamonds.
“That I’m a person worth living! And that all these experiences were truly precious… I’ll tell them all.”
“How… truly admirable.”
“I won’t give up anymore! I’ll see all this as a test now! A test to teach me to see the world with the right eyes!”
“…I shall follow that path with utter loyalty.”
Kang Seol flew for quite some time after that.
By now, the soldiers and knights who had gathered at Bragland would be too far to ever intercept them again.
Coo coo rrr…
Kupa’s intent transmitted through resonance to Kang Seol.
“…Looks like the flight ends here.”
“Is Kupa tired?”
“It says we need to land urgently. Seems it flew a long distance for this.”
Wooong…
Woooosh…
Kupa flapped its wings and descended to the ground.
Coo coo…
After setting everyone down, Kupa stretched its neck forward and bowed its head.
Kang Seol understood and reached out to stroke its head.
“Thanks, Kupa. Truly.”
Coo coo rr!
Princess Liona also extended her hand hesitantly.
“C-can I pet it too?”
“Of course.”
Stroke…
Princess Liona stroked Kupa’s head and smiled brightly.
“Thank you so much, Sir Kupa. For bringing us safely. I hope we meet again.”
Coo coo rrr!
Woooosh-!
Woooooosh…
After a brief farewell, Kupa took to the skies and vanished with the other birds.
Kang Seol gazed south and said,
“We’re almost there. Priyun is just ahead.”
* * *
Gurgle…
Blood poured from his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth.
A human dying.
“Gaaaaah!”
Boom-!
The man’s body ballooned like a balloon before bursting completely.
Only then did the surrounding magic circle activate.
Ziiiiiing-
Those standing atop it teleported away all at once.
Having completed the transfer, Briya pressed her temple and grimaced.
“Mm… a bit dizzy?”
“Are you alright, Lady Briya?”
“Yeah. It’s nothing—just the strain from chaining teleport circles. Side effect for those with strong mana. Let’s rest a bit before continuing.”
“Got it. How many sacrifices left?”
The short old man counted the gagged victims.
“We brought about twenty. Used more than expected, but the branch can resupply the rest as needed.”
Calling headcounts “pieces” showed just how depraved they were.
After the Immortal vanished, the Eternal Life Church had been replaced by those who performed atrocities without hesitation.
“Alright, short break then.”
Step… step…
She, draped in a fur that could be fox or wolf pup, approached the ornate chair ahead and sat.
“Not bad speed. We’ll catch them just barely.”
“But… the branch chief said Shuro passed through here recently.”
“Shuro? He’s alive!”
“Yes. Apparently unharmed.”
“As expected—not a kid to go down easy. And?”
“Heard you were coming and left a hasty letter before departing.”
“Really? Hand it over.”
Rustle…
Briya opened Shuro’s note and read.
- Lady Briya, it’s Shuro. Sorry, I let them slip away. But I left a trace on them during the clash, so I can track them again soon.
“Hm… so Shuro did lose.”
- Don’t worry about me since regular contact’s cut off! I’ll keep them pinned! Here, their abilities and setup. Lady Briya… I miss you.
Fwoosh-!
Briya burned the note with a candle.
“Smart kid, right? Handles his duties without being told.”
“Kekeke… That’s why you treasure him, Lady Briya?”
“Anyway, their location?”
The gaunt man spoke.
“They broke through Bragland’s front line.”
“Already? That strong? Well… with a grand mage. …Wait?”
Briya tilted her head.
“Shuro’s note didn’t mention a grand mage?”
* * *
The gateway just before Priyun.
To descend from the north to the port city, one must pass here.
Shuro—who had been half-sliced by Karuna’s fierce assault but recovered—waited at the pass.
“Must grab them here.”
Hoo… hooo…
He had to admit it.
They were formidable foes.
‘But is he really a summoner?’
The black knight boasting overwhelming prowess.
Shuro had been utterly helpless against him.
His body had recovered impossibly perfectly, but his bisected waist still throbbed uncomfortably.
‘Next time… I can win.’
Shuro was a monster who grew stronger with each fight.
Having tasted near-death, he was confident he wouldn’t lose so easily next time.
Surely.
‘…Still, better avoid direct clash?’
The aura in that summoner’s eyes gripped Shuro’s heart—like a gaze saying, “No matter what you do, you’ll lose.”
“Don’t mess around….”
Stab-!
Clatter…
The scorpion impaled on the dagger writhed.
“There, good boy….”
Shuro squeezed venom from the scorpion’s tail into a vial.
Next, he stabbed a dagger into a snake’s throat to immobilize it, collected the dripping venom from its fangs; then scraped venom from the skin of a frog whose color shifted constantly, transferring it to another vial.
“Phew… now.”
Smack.
Shuro dipped a finger in the frog’s venom and tasted it.
“Not bad….”
Thud…
His head lolled forward.
Moments later.
Snap.
He jerked his head up and muttered,
“Wow… I really just died there.”
Shuro’s recovery had skyrocketed post near-death.
Even he had blacked out from that venom.
It was that vicious.
“Now, mix them….”
Sizzle…
Some bizarre chemical reaction? The venom turned blood-red.
“Add a bit of water….”
Siiiizzle…
Shuro immersed his dagger blade in the venom-filled vial.
An hour later.
“Done.”
The blade now glowed red.
A mere graze would poison.
“Stabbing their summoner with this might be tough?”
Then the princess, her guard knight, or trailing nobles.
‘Eh, anyone will do.’
Just drag out time.
That was the goal anyway.
He’d diluted it slightly, but still lethal on contact for any commoner.
Slink…
‘They’re here! It’s them.’
The scent he’d scattered on the summoner during his narrow escape—detectable only by Eternal Life Church members.
‘Short duration, but enough for tracking.’
He considered ambushing upon sensing the nearby scent, but success odds would drop, so he advanced and waited.
‘Passing here. Princess in tow and already this far! Thought it’d take at least two more days….’
Slink slink…
[Shuro uses Veil Blade.]
[Melts into shadows, concealing presence.]
[Senses sharpen, but vision sealed until exiting veil.]
Shuro merged into the shadows.
Soon, voices drifted in.
“Just over this pass is Priyun.”
“We’re… almost there.”
“Still a ways to the destination, but not far—should arrive soon.”
“Hahaha! Just pass the gate safely, no need to worry…”
Blend in.
I am shadow.
I am natural.
Thud.
Heavy footfall.
Not it.
Guard knight’s.
Tap…
Elder’s gait.
Step.
Light, bouncy steps.
Childlike innocence. Who has steps this pure?
Princess?
No—this is him.
‘It’s his footfall….’
Next should be the princess.
Then…
‘Now….’
Grab-!
Someone suddenly seized Shuro’s head.
“You’re tougher than you look.”
“Urk….”
Kang Seol yanked Shuro from the shadows.
‘This summoner bastard… what strength….’
Shuro tried resisting, but couldn’t.
And then.
Stab-!
“Huh…?”
“Then die.”
The dagger Shuro held to stab the princess pierced his own chest instead.
“Kyaaah-!”
“Lione, close your eyes!”
With Chadolf’s shout as the last sound…
Crunch-!
Kang Seol crushed Shuro’s head.
Drip drip…
Red blood splattered on the crow mask.
Kang Seol wiped the blood from his gloves with a handkerchief and said to the group,
“Let’s go.”