Chapter 266
Chapter 266
Translation: Godtl
Ignition (8)
"Lord Notker!"
The deputy commander of Manggot cried out in alarm.
The Raid of Manggot was still to come. The monsters' offensive was still ongoing, and given time, the Barrier would surely be shaken.
Originally, the plan wasn't to target Aster directly. The sequence was supposed to be Manggot entering the battlefield first, creating chaos, and then Notker targeting Aster amidst the turmoil.
"It's too early! At least wait until the monsters start pounding the Barrier—!"
"No."
Notker kept his eyes fixed on Aster atop the Barrier as he spoke.
"As long as that bastard is there, this stalemate won't break."
"Huh?"
"That bastard is doing this on purpose."
Notker scrutinized Aster's movements closely.
At first, he had thought similarly to Hector, who had been observing Aster nearby. Aster fought well, but he seemed ordinary, lacking the overwhelming power to sweep away monsters. Above all, his fighting style was excessively methodical.
Hagley had described Aster as "a warrior comparable to Zodiac," but Notker couldn't even glimpse a hint of that.
But at some point—
"Berenga, how long has it been since the monsters began their attack?"
"About thirty minutes now..."
"Then, under normal circumstances, the corpses of monsters would have already begun piling up in front of the Barrier."
Monsters push forward in numbers, stacking corpses in front of the Barrier to climb over it. Lower-tier monsters have less intelligence than higher-tier ones, and those from the Outside exhibit an even more pronounced gap in intellect. This was a tactic seen even in the past during Yeranhes.
"But the area before the Barrier is still clean. Most monsters are dying before they can even get close."
"...How? The Barrier's forces don't seem that numerous."
"It's because of that bastard, Aster. It's simple, but he's using a method that's utterly absurd."
The monsters' advance, the archers firing to stop them, the weapons atop the Barrier.
The shifting flow of monsters as they are struck, fall, or sometimes dodge.
At the precise point where these flows interlock—
Swish!
Aster's sword moved slightly.
Crash!
The leading monster suddenly toppled over. Right at the spot where the scattered monsters, having dodged arrows and catapults, were regrouping.
Naturally, the monsters behind followed suit, stumbling over the fallen ones, and a hail of arrows rained down on those who lost their mobility.
"See that?"
"...Is that Aura?"
"Yes. A sliver of Sword Essence, no larger than a fingernail, severed the monster's ankle. At a glance, it's indistinguishable from monsters struck by arrows."
War, when actually unfolding, is rarely as grand or majestic as imagined.
From a distant vantage point, it might seem like a chilling clash of killing intent that sends shivers down one's spine, but up close, it's often a series of absurdly comical scenes—save for the fact that death lurks behind them.
Soldiers tripping over their own feet. Comrades blindly swinging weapons with their eyes tightly shut, hitting their allies instead.
Panicking and abandoning all their comrades, only for those comrades to die, leaving them as the sole survivor—making their choice the "right" one after all.
Soldiers who lose all morale, trickling one by one into enemy lines, until eventually, no one remains in their own camp, resulting in a bloodless occupation—such stories are heard all too often.
Events too shameful, trivial, and humiliating to be recorded.
A pitch-black comedy devoid of any humor.
"That bastard is doing the same. He's toying with the monsters. Alone, he's turning the vague, imagined image of war into child's play."
"...It must be coincidence. To read such a complex flow, topple one monster, and cause the entire surroundings to collapse?"
"Look at the state of the battlefield. The monsters' desperate resolve has turned into a joke fit for a third-rate novel."
It wasn't just about tripping them.
The winged monsters humans often call "birds" suddenly had one wing torn midair, causing them to crash onto their own kind, crushing them and blocking the path entirely.
The slightly larger ones suddenly drop the massive weapons they were holding, and the weapons come crashing down onto the four-legged dog-like creatures beneath them. The big monsters roar in anguish as they look around with question marks floating above their heads, searching for their missing weapons—only to realize their own wrists have vanished too.
Monsters that were advancing toward humans now seem to be obstructing each other, their roars growing louder in the chaos.
A true third-rate comedy.
Humor that doesn't elicit even a hint of laughter.
"If this keeps up, Manggot won't even get their turn to step forward."
Manggot's basic strategy relies on coordinated attacks with the monsters. If the Barrier remains this orderly, it's Manggot who will end up pressed for time.
"Then...?"
"You stay here."
Notker drew his sword. It was a greatsword as massive as his own frame.
Aster, while dealing with the advancing monsters, still kept his attention fixed on Notker. He even held the spear Notker had thrown earlier in one hand, exuding nothing but utter composure.
"For the operation to proceed properly, we have to stop that bastard. You know the timing, right?"
"Lord Notker!"
Even as his subordinate Berengar called out to him, Notker only deepened his grin.
"I'll show you what a real war looks like."
Thud!
Notker stepped out of the forest, greatsword in hand.
He revealed himself fully, deliberately drawing the eyes of the humans atop the Barrier.
"I'll slaughter every last one of you!!"
A booming voice infused with Aura.
The sheer volume was impossible to ignore, and in an instant, every gaze on the Barrier snapped toward him.
"M-Manggot!"
Hector's eyes widened as he caught sight of Notker.
"Archers! Take your positions—"
"No."
Aster cut Hector off before he could finish his command.
"The balance with the monsters is just right now. It wouldn't be wise to disrupt it recklessly."
"But we have to stop Manggot too! Look at that momentum. He's clearly no ordinary foe."
"That's true."
Aster's eyes turned toward Notker.
"I'll go."
"Wha...?"
"Seems like I've set up enough obstacles on the battlefield. I should have a little time to spare."
With that,
Aster leaped over the Barrier.
"Hey, hey!!"
Hector shouted in alarm.
He was so flustered by Aster's actions that he couldn't even begin to criticize them—where would he even start?
Just holding their ground against the monsters atop the Barrier was already a struggle, and now he was jumping over it? Not only that, but he was planning to face that man—who looked like a high-ranking member of Manggot—alone?
There was no guarantee the monsters wouldn't interfere, and even if Aster was stronger than that Manggot warrior, the rest of Manggot lurking in the forest wouldn't just sit idly by.
Had he really just jumped off the Barrier without considering any of that?
No, more importantly—
'Is he even okay jumping from this height?! He's not even a mage!'
The most immediate concern took precedence, but—
Thud.
Aster landed on the ground with such quiet grace that it was hard to believe he had just leaped from such a height.
"Hoh."
Notker observed the sight. He must have used some Aura technique, but there was no deceleration until the moment his feet touched the ground—perfect body control and Aura manipulation.
"Pleasure to meet you, Aster Evans."
"You know me?"
"Know of you. Heard you were a cocky little brat. Some even compare you to Zodiac."
Aster frowned at that.
"What nonsense."
"Hoh, so you do know your place?"
"Of course. My strength is far too lacking compared to the Zodiac members."
"Tch, you're no fun."
Thud!
Notker slammed his greatsword into the ground. The tip embedded itself lightly in the earth as he declared:
"My name is Notker! One of the Shepherds of Manggot! I've come to set the Empire ablaze!"
"Is that an arson warning?"
"Kehahaha! Exactly. Every last one of us in Manggot are arsonists. Damn right we are."
At Notker's bold proclamation, Aster gave a slight nod.
His expression gave no hint of what he was thinking—until, as if suddenly remembering something, he added:
"Ah, right. This."
Whoosh!
Aster handed the spear back to Notker, the very one Notker had hurled at him.
Notker caught it reflexively, his face filled with bewilderment.
"Here, I'm returning it."
"......?"
Notker stared at Aster's face for a long moment, wondering what the hell he was playing at.
Aster tilted his head slightly.
"Wasn't this yours?"
"......Hah."
The spear Notker had thrown—
the one he had launched with all his might to pierce through Aster's skull—
Aster was giving it back, claiming it was his.
As if he were simply returning a forgotten wallet.
"......They say only lunatics live in Constelle."
Notker's Aura flared up violently, his greatsword practically ablaze with power. In response, Aster drew his own sword.
Aster's stance was nothing special—just a basic mid-guard, gripping his sword with both hands.
Notker exhaled as if burning the air itself.
"You must be the worst of them all, Aster Evans."
"......I'm actually quite ordinary."
Crack!
Notker closed the distance as if there was no need to hear more. His Aura-clad foot kicked off the ground, and the earth split beneath him, fissures racing in his wake.
KAAANG!
Notker's strike descended like a storm, but Aster raised his sword to block it.
'What the hell is this clumsy defense?!'
Notker had expected Aster to deflect the attack. The stronger the force, the more skilled warriors tend to redirect it like flowing water—especially the truly powerful ones.
In fact, if it were Ludovic, a fellow swordsman and Zodiac, he would have deflected it effortlessly.
Notker specialized in exploiting such deflections, but with Aster blocking head-on, there was nothing to exploit.
"You're going to die if you keep blocking like that," Notker growled.
Even as their blades clashed, Aster's unremarkable face irritated him. He was clearly exerting himself, his expression serious as he stared at Notker, yet something about it felt unsatisfying.
Notker had always made those who underestimated him pay dearly since childhood, but Aster didn't seem like one of those people.
"......Then."
The Aura around Aster's sword gradually intensified.
"I'll begin, Mr. Notker."
"......Huh?"
What the hell is this guy doing? Now of all times?
Why was his defense so awkward? Why was he only now fully drawing out his Aura? Why was he suddenly using his name?
Why was everything a beat too late?
"......Don't tell me."
Notker asked, half-disbelieving.
"Was that just now... a declaration? Like, 'I'm about to attack now'? A signal to start the fight?"
"......."
Aster's eyes flickered slightly to the side.
"......It's something I've done since I was little."
"......."
Notker's mind blanked for a second.
But then it hit him—why he'd been so infuriated from the start.
"Right, I've decided."
"Decided what?"
"I won't be satisfied until I tear that pretty face of yours to shreds!!"
CLANG! CRACK! KAAANG!
What followed was Notker's relentless assault, each strike met head-on by Aster.
With every clash, Aster's sword was pushed back slightly, the faint evidence of it in the way he was forced half a step back from his initial position.
"Aster, our leader—"
During a brief lull in the clash, Notker spoke.
"—has already analyzed the matchups between the Empire's strongest and ours."
A smirk curled on Notker's lips.
"And from Manggot's perspective, the ideal matchup was always me against you."
Notker was certain now, after this exchange.
Aster was weaker.
Aster Evans, the so-called "all-rounder," the swordsman with no outstanding weaknesses.
There was only one way to defeat someone like that.
Someone who was simply stronger.
"You're dying here, Aster."
A near-Curse-like warning, backed by Notker's surging Aura and murderous intent.
Taking it all in, Aster blinked slowly.
Then, with a heavy exhale, he spoke.
"I'm not actually that good-looking."
"......."
"......."
Notker nodded as if something finally made sense.
"Just die, you damn bastard!!"