Chapter 160: Lake of Swords (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 160: Lake of Swords (4)
Weapon clutched his sweat-drenched hair.
"Chief... am I doing okay?"
Just as Kang Geomma had said, he had first sent word to the Academy. Then, he desperately tried to calm the restless atmosphere of the election hall.
Of course, it was impossible for Weapon to control this many people on his own.
However, unexpected figures helped quiet the commotion.
"Did you already forget what Number Seven just said?! To think that aspiring heroes are rendered combat-incapable, paralyzed by Fear—how pathetic!"
Den Range bellowed. Kim Woo-jin chimed in as well.
"We received word that the Academy will arrive within ten minutes. Until then, please refrain from acting so pathetic."
The two of them also knew that now was not the time to indulge in rivalry.
In terms of raw talent, they fell far short of Kang Geomma.
Their pride didn't easily allow them to admit it, but they couldn't help but be moved by the leadership Kang Geomma had shown before heading outside.
Thus, the two agreed to assist Weapon.
Besides, weren't they still members of the student council?
While they couldn't inspire courage the way Kang Geomma did, they could at least manage the panicked cadets.
‘Thanks to the current student council president and vice president, the chaos is quickly settling.’
Even so, instead of sighing in relief, Weapon bit his lower lip. He was feeling a profound sense of helplessness.
This was his limit. Keeping the cadets from going outside alongside the presidential candidates—that was all he could do.
He couldn't join the fight alongside his Chief. Weapon knew that much all too well.
Against a mediocre enemy, he could at least cast buffs from behind. But against anything stronger, he would only be a hindrance.
Still... was it really right to just sit here twiddling his thumbs? Did he even deserve to stand by the Chief's side in the first place?
The Chief has always overcome every situation on his own. He felt that disappearing into the background would be more helpful to the Chief than becoming a burden.
In that brief moment, countless stray thoughts plagued Weapon's mind.
Just then, someone slapped him across the face with all their might.
Slap!
The sharp sound drew everyone's attention. Regardless, Saki slapped Weapon's other cheek as well.
Slap!
Then, grabbing Weapon by the shoulders, she yelled, "Hey, you idiot! Kang Geomma trusted you and left this place in your hands, and you're going to make a face like that?!"
Weapon cupped his cheeks. His lip was split. He tasted blood in his mouth. An archer's hand was incredibly stinging.
"Weapon, I'm feeling the exact same way you are right now, okay? Geomma asked this of you. How long are you going to stay spaced out when he trusts you that much? And does it make sense to just do exactly what you were told and then fall into despair? 'Find a way.' Remember those words, got it? Your attitude right now is betraying Geomma's trust!"
"……."
Weapon stared blankly at Saki before running a hand through his hair. He was wide awake now. The stinging pain had physically snapped him back to reality.
...Still, she could have just used her words. His head was ringing from the slaps.
Just how hard did she hit me?
Weapon merely let out a short sigh and didn't open his mouth. If he tried to make excuses and got hit again, he'd probably lose a tooth.
Saki spoke in a low tone.
"And I'm going to do what I can. Weapon, both you and I owe Geomma our lives several times over. And..."
She muttered, her voice trembling as if she were on the verge of tears. It was a monologue, not expecting an answer.
"Because I can't just stand by and watch the person most precious to me."
"……?"
Saki didn't wait for a response. Stomping her feet, she stepped up onto the podium. A firm resolve weighed heavily in each of her steps.
With all eyes on her, Saki spoke.
"How are you all feeling?"
At her sudden question, the cadets looked bewildered. Saki's eyes narrowed fiercely as she looked back at them.
"You guys always looked down on Geomma, calling him a 'special admission student' and whatnot. Babbling about commoners and nobles. Yet Geomma never even reacted."
Silence fell over the election hall. One by one, they lowered their heads.
"You're cadets of Joaquin Academy, so you must know that the enemy outside is no ordinary foe. But Geomma went out there, prepared to die."
Saki clenched her fists. Her tear-rimmed eyes were tinged with a faint red.
She was frustrated. She was anxious. Perhaps her words were self-deprecating, or maybe she was just venting.
After all, she, who was lecturing them like this, hadn't been of any help to Kang Geomma either.
She understood Weapon's feelings completely. She, too, hated and loathed her own weakness to death.
But even so, she couldn't just stand here stamping her feet in frustration.
"Why? To protect you all, who did nothing but pour contempt and mockery on him. He went out there alone!"
Overwhelmed by emotion, Saki finally collapsed to her knees. She poured out her final burst of grief.
"If you have any conscience at all, at least pray for the guy fighting out there in your stead. Please..."
Saki clasped her hands in front of her chest. Her hands trembled violently.
Starting with her, the cadets began to join their hands in prayer. The hands brought close to their faces held their respective resolves.
Support for Kang Geomma, the desire to live, a way to erase their fear.
And so, they closed their eyes and prayed. There was no specific target for their prayers.
They simply pleaded. Without knowing whether it would be a light to illuminate the world or a darkness to dye it black.
Humans who have lost their way merely seek a transcendent being.
* * *
The voice of Vesna, the 3rd Corps Commander of the Demon King's Army, trembled faintly.
"Y-You..."
Kang Geomma stood still. His once-black hair was now completely bleached white.
"Could it be... have you awakened?!"
Occasionally, humans who surpassed their limits underwent physical changes. It was commonly referred to as awakening.
She had witnessed it a few times during the 1st Human-Demon War, so she knew.
There were a few among the seven disciples of that damn Hero of the Origin.
The Sword Saint Aaron Nibelung, the Divine Archer Seong Na-yeon, the Golden Wolf Phrygia Midas, and the Yaksha Hojo Moriyasu.
Those who awakened expanded the limits of their power by pleading with whatever entity bestowed their blessings. Naturally, a price followed.
Their lifespan. That was why the Seven Champions died young.
Despite this, they burned their lives away to resist the demons. They willingly threw themselves into the fray for the survival of humanity.
Thanks to that resolve, the scales between demons and humans tipped heavily in humanity's favor.
They backed the demons into a corner with their overwhelming divine might, ultimately seizing victory.
It was a shameful past. Just recalling those times made Vesna shudder.
However, since then, no other awakened humans had appeared.
That was why the demons had knocked on the sealed gates of the Human Realm and were able to descend.
But why, now?
"……."
Kang Geomma stood still, quietly looking up at the sky. Motionless, like a statue.
Even though that was all he did, her heart sank with anxiety. An emotion she had never experienced in her life was laid bare on her face.
Had any hero 700 years ago ever evoked such a sensation? It was a spine-chilling presence.
To be precise, he was completely unfathomable. For Vesna, he was not an existence whose strength could be measured.
Naturally, a lower-dimensional being could not peer into the realm above.
Just because they trod the same ground did not mean they saw the same world.
Unfortunately, Vesna's thoughts could not progress any further.
"...Was it that power that defeated my sister?"
As if responding to her call, Kang Geomma's gaze, which had been fixed on the sky, lowered.
Sss.
Light leaked from his clouded, white eyes. His face was utterly serene.
"What is with those eyes, you mere insect! If you think you can put me on the same level as my sister, you are gravely mistaken!"
Vesna hurriedly chanted a spell. The strongest technique she could wield.
「Aqua Punishment」
A spell also known as the punishment of water, representing the absolute pinnacle of water magic.
Rumble!
Magic power spread far and wide in all directions. In the next instant, hundreds of thousands of water spears, precisely constructed from water, rose into the air.
Each spear, compressed by Vesna's magic power, possessed terrifying power.
Now that things had come to this, she had to kill Kang Geomma. Even if she lost her vessel, this was no time for regrets.
"I will eliminate you here and now, nipping the bud of your futile hope."
Vesna raised her hand. The tips of the spears aligned simultaneously toward where Kang Geomma stood.
Snap!
With the snap of her fingers, the spearheads surrounding Kang Geomma like a cage surged forward.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Hundreds of thousands of spears rained down on Kang Geomma. The shockwave sent the lake water surging high, scattering a thick mist. The sheer sound of the explosions caused the walls of the annex building to crumble, sending debris flying.
Amidst the onslaught pouring in from all directions, no emotion showed on Kang Geomma's face.
He merely raised his two sashimi knives. He did not dodge. He met the hundreds of thousands of attacks head-on.
His actions and decisions stemmed from pure instinct. Kang Geomma had completely surrendered himself to a sweet euphoria, as his consciousness and perception had already faded.
He swung Murasame in his right hand, deflecting a barrage of hundreds of spears. The impact sent a tingling sensation through his hand. Yet, without hesitation, he swung the Ten-Thousand-Year Frost in his left hand to meet them. Once again, the spells were sliced away by the dozen and vanished.
One strike hit Kang Geomma's thigh. A chunk of flesh was torn away. Blood gushed out, seeping into the lake. The essence of his life was draining from his body.
With an expressionless face, Kang Geomma immediately activated the [Blessing of Regeneration]. His flesh rapidly knit back together and healed. Without even checking, he kept moving his arms.
Even the act of healing was a distraction to him. He felt lightheaded, as if dreaming a vivid dream—an ecstatic dream he never wanted to wake up from.
To be able to cut and slice without stopping. As pleasure wrapped around every corner of his body, he had no time to waste on a mere wound. Though he staggered, he kept his back straight.
Vesna frantically chanted and unleashed her magic. The number of spears continued to multiply. However, as his blades swung, the thorns were cleanly sliced apart.
Multiplication and suppression occurred simultaneously. It was a battle that transcended the boundaries of time. Even space itself seemed warped and distorted.
Blades clashed against magic, sending out wave after wave of shockwaves. A deafening roar echoed as if the entire area were being destroyed. Just as the earth shook violently, the walls of the building finally collapsed with a loud crash, fully exposing the interior of the election hall.
The praying cadets raised their heads. In the next instant, the clash of magic and sword filled their vision.
? ? ?
Yet, even as they tried to look straight at it, their pupils rolled in different directions. It was a clash of too high a dimension for them to comprehend.
In the face of overwhelming terror, humans realize how insignificant they are, and the brain refuses to understand.
"Geomma!"
Saki cried out his name, reaching out her arm. Then, without hesitation, she dashed out of the election hall.