Chapter 101
Chapter 101
-----------------------------------------------------------------
>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 101
>Chapter Title: Why Me?
>-----------------------------------------------------------------
‘What the hell...'
From a distance, Shine stared ahead with trembling eyes.
Grooooar—!
The air wailed. The atmosphere all around grew scorching hot, and even the dark clouds overhead were engulfed in flames, scattering into the distance.
It was an utterly overwhelming sight!
"......"
Obern stood frozen, as if he'd forgotten to breathe, his gaze locked on the pillar of fire.
Blue lightning crackled across the battlefield. Even that was pure ecstasy.
Could anything be more beautiful?
No, absolutely not.
Mana in its purest form. Pulled forth in its raw essence and infused with destruction—that was the blue lightning Obern had witnessed.
But what the hell was that?
Rustle, rustle—
Goosebumps prickled his skin. The mana in the entire area thrashed for the sake of a single spell.
As if the whole world had gained a will, manifesting through mana.
Fierce flames roared.
Grooooaaar—!
That roar was like the world's guttural scream. No, more like the boiling rage spewed by some great being.
[San-nim! Get a grip!]
"...Ah!"
Shine's thunderous voice snapped Obern's eyes back into focus.
"S-Sorry..."
[Tch.]
Shine clicked his tongue in annoyance.
But he couldn't entirely blame him.
'Even I...'
It had been chilling for him in that instant. How much worse for San-nim, whose realm was far below his?
Besides, weren't mages even more sensitive to mana flows than knights?
That sight alone might spark enlightenment for them—a catalyst to draw it forth.
But.
[No time to space out. Didn't I tell you? That guy's already at his limit.]
"Yes, got it."
[If you don't want to watch the guy you call senior die, keep your head straight.]
With that, Shine started walking.
Obern followed in a daze, and Shine looked up at the pillar of fire.
'What the hell is going on...'
Just moments ago.
Shine had sensed something off around the time Destrow's evil aura began swirling.
Purple mist blanketed the battlefield, pierced by blue lightning. Their clash had been fierce, but suddenly the lightning vanished.
Shine figured something had gone wrong for him then.
He'd hurried to save Aster, but what was this?
Rumble!
A single thunderclap echoed from the sky. Soon, an enormous bolt of lightning slammed into the ground.
It wasn't ordinary lightning.
Like divine punishment. As if a heavenly god had hurled it to smite an earthly being, brimming with ferocious momentum.
That's when it began.
Groan!
The earth shuddered and screamed, a typhoon ripping through with overwhelming force.
And now...
'...Did he drag hellfire here or something?'
Considering his nature, the bastard deserved hell. Maybe he'd slipped in while holding his breath and swiped a strand of infernal flame on the way back.
Of course, bullshit. But that's how baffling it was.
'What kind of spell carries such savage will?'
Crafted solely for annihilation, violently unmatched.
Yet not a speck of malice tainted it. How bizarre was that?
On the other hand, a thought crossed his mind.
'Maybe...'
That spell.
'...could it work?'
Destrow was formidable, but his power wasn't fully restored.
In ancient times, they couldn't erase him, settling for a seal—but how many eons had passed since?
Time unrecorded in history.
Naturally, that much power would have faded.
So...
That spell might utterly annihilate a weakened Destrow like him. That was the hope.
But it was just wishful thinking.
'Anything more than that... is dangerous.'
A terrifying spell.
Even Shine, no mage expert, could tell it was extraordinary.
But could that vile bastard withstand it? No doubt he'd surpassed his own limits.
What if Destrow survived unscathed?
He couldn't let the guy fighting alone die pointlessly.
Whether he could extract him from Destrow or not, standing idle with thumbs up his ass was out of the question.
[...]
Thus, Shine pressed on toward Aster, enduring the searing heat one step at a time.
But.
[...This damn...]
Shine let out a low sigh.
[...pathetic body of mine.]
He couldn't withstand the heat. No, if it were just heat, he'd push through.
The problem was the will within those flames. It raged wildly, shaking his already unstable vessel.
"Hah, ha..."
Even Obern panted raggedly when a voice rang out.
"I'll ask you one thing."
Whoosh—
An unfamiliar voice. In an instant, the all-encompassing heat scattered—poof!
[...Who the hell are you?]
Shine's hand went to his sword hilt at the stranger's arrival.
A scrawny frame. His sheathed sword dragged on the ground, comically pathetic, but the poise held no jest.
Yet the stranger scoffed.
"Quite the cute little corpse, aren't you? But the moment you draw that sword, I won't forgive you."
A faintly smirking unfamiliar face.
[Quit the bullshit and state your identity.]
As Shine bristled and pressed, the grand lady's eyes flicked to Obern.
"Boy, you're Obern, yes?"
"...Yes. And you are...?"
"I cannot reveal my name. This visit is my little secret. But rest assured, I possess the power to exterminate wretches like him as easily as breathing... Yes. A sturdy ally, you might say."
Arrogant words indeed.
But those blue eyes. The nobility in her very breath elevated that arrogance to refined grace.
"I'll ask again. The master of those flames is Sakwol of the New Moon. Does that impudent priest of mine bear his token?"
"That's... correct."
"Hmm, indeed..."
The grand lady languidly took in the scene ahead.
'That mad master of mine... created an absurd monster.'
She could tell just by looking.
Those flames. How much meaning dwelled within. How potent the will infused.
As a sharp glint briefly crossed her languid eyes.
"Um...!"
The grand lady snapped from her reverie at Obern's call. The light in her eyes vanished, returning to lazy calm.
"...?"
"Please... help us."
Obern bowed his head to her.
"We have to... save senior."
"Save? Why? Boy, you're weak. So who does a weakling like you intend to save? Surely not that monstrous priest of mine?"
Her question dripped utter incomprehension.
[Tch, blue-eyed brat. That's not it.]
"Blue-eyed, you say... A fresh moniker. A crime deserving death, but..."
Her sharp gaze swept Shine.
"Well, since you're already dead, I'll forgive it. Speak, then."
As the grand lady brushed it off, Shine clicked his tongue.
'What a bitch...'
Priest, huh? Shared a master with that vile bastard? No wonder—they both oozed unmatched rudeness.
But what could he do?
That wasn't the priority now.
[He's at his limit. Guessing... yeah, he broke through a wall of enlightenment in his fight with Destrow. Even so, that spell's no ordinary thing. Beyond what that scumbag can handle.]
"...Hmm."
The grand lady tilted her head, intrigued.
[So, if by some chance that spell ends and Destrow survives...]
"Grab my impudent priest and run, is that it?"
[...Yeah, exactly.]
"Hmm. Why should I?"
[...?]
Shine cocked his head at the unexpected reply. Only for a moment.
[!]
Overwhelming killing intent surged. As he reflexively went to draw—!
"Just kidding. Yes, as his senior sister—well, not the only one, but I can't just watch my priest die."
She withdrew her aura. But Shine glared at her through the blazing flames.
'...Kidding?'
No way in hell.
Those at her level could manifest killing intent with will alone, but that had been no feint... pure, heartfelt murderous intent.
"Rest easy, corpse. I swear on my name. I won't kill you—at least not now."
[...Crazy bitch.]
Swearing on a name she wouldn't even reveal? Pointless.
Priests were all insane.
"But... I don't need to help, do I?"
[...?]
Shine blinked in confusion. The grand lady pointed toward Aster in the distance.
And there...
"See? The flames are gone, aren't they?"
Molten earth. Nothing else remained.
[...No way?]
A grim premonition flashed through Shine's mind.
Nothing.
Not a trace of evil aura, not even Aster's presence.
"N-No way. Senior..."
Even Obern realized belatedly when the grand lady's voice whispered in their ears.
"He's still breathing."
[...?]
"Can't sense it? Well... that makes sense. The boy's nature is quite secretive."
Float—
As she spoke, a figure rose into the air.
"S-Senior!"
[!]
Obern cried out at the sight of the unconscious Aster being drawn in.
Gray hair. Sakwol's mask. His clothes alone confirmed it.
As Obern exclaimed in relief.
'...Hmm.'
The grand lady pulled Aster with mana, tilting her head slightly.
'He looks... kinda young.'
Couldn't guess his age, but she could tell at a glance. His build and aura screamed boy.
Thus, as Aster returned to the group.
Step.
[Keep your eyes off him, you crazy bitch.]
Shine blocked her path. She chuckled at the sight.
"Didn't I promise? I won't touch. Though I'd love to peel off that mask... I gave my word, so I'll hold back. No need to worry, you scaredy corpse."
[...]
Shine stared for a moment, then turned to Obern.
[San-nim, how's his condition?]
"Condition..."
Obern checked with pulse diagnosis and Insight Eye.
"...A mess."
Aster's state was dire.
How to put it.
Like a body abused for decades? No circuit or core intact.
'...No external wounds, at least.'
Oddly, only mana-related organs were wrecked.
"Hmm, even if I check his pulse..."
[Back off, crazy bitch.]
"You're a fun corpse to provoke."
The grand lady, sidling toward Aster, retreated under Shine's glare.
[Can you heal him?]
"...Yes. Not critical right now. And luckily, Master has herbs great for internal injuries..."
[Phew.]
Shine finally sighed, slumping down exhausted.
[...What a pain in the ass that guy is.]
Seriously, his heart had dropped. Well, no heart, but you get it.
'Snotty, vile bastard...'
But still. Didn't want to see him croak.
Wanted to smash his skull when nearby, but it'd be boring without him?
'Now... I can leave without regrets.'
Honestly, he'd planned to bounce even if Aster died.
Not ending his Death Knight life.
Probably... seek traces of his long-lost house, Remanga.
Doubtful even a grave remained, but as a traitor, his own corpse endured. Surely innocents left some trace.
[Then, now...]
Shine scooped Aster with one arm. About to say 'let's go'—
Screeech?
[...?]
An unpleasant noise from somewhere.
Screeeeech!
[Urk!]
"Urgh!"
The air filled with a dissonant cacophony that instinctively repulsed.
"...Filthy."
With a wave, the grand lady quelled the area's discord. But changes didn't stop.
Swirl—
Purple mist converged from all sides.
The vanished evil aura sucked into the pit, and soon a figure floated up.
Crackle, pop.
A colorless body formed from gathered malice.
[Ah, deal... or no?]
The emperor eyed the dangling, half-regenerated Aster with his single remaining eye.
[Still... while I'm here...?]
Rage flickered in that eye.