Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Snow-Covered's Awakening
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The Snow-Covered that the villagers remembered was a kind and gentle mountain girl, far removed from the dignified image of a king's heir.
Sometimes like her own daughter,
sometimes like a close sibling.
The villagers truly loved Snow-Covered, who never shied away from the dirty jobs others avoided.
But they had no idea.
They never imagined that the little child they watched over with affection would come charging to save them.
Clop, clop, clop, clop!
"Anyone who can wield a weapon, follow me!"
The moment tiny Snow-Covered drew her sword, she was cloaked in the majesty befitting the king's heir.
The child, who had been growing in secret, now spread her wings to take flight.
"It's Snow-Covered!"
"The knight is here!"
The soldiers fleeing down the alleys hurriedly chased after the horse that overtook them.
With a new focal point to rally around, they too awakened to their duties and responsibilities.
Amid the surging flames, the brave began to gather once more.
"Hyaaah!"
Snow-Covered leaped from her horse right away.
She slashed the orc dragging a child by the hand, severing its head in a single stroke.
The orc warrior died without even a scream, its head floating lightly in the air.
The other orcs, who had been reveling in the massacre, froze in shock and stopped what they were doing.
Before they knew it, the soldiers who had fled were gathered at the inner keep's entrance, trembling as they gripped their spears aimed squarely at the orcs.
Snow-Covered, who had become their sudden rallying point in an instant, shouted to the still-youthful soldier.
"Ride back to the palisade! Tell them the shelter is in danger—no matter what!"
"Wh-what about you, Lady Snow-Covered...?"
Even gathered together, there were barely twenty soldiers guarding the inner keep's entrance.
Facing the orcs with so few was as good as saying they were ready to die.
But Snow-Covered gave no answer. She led her horse over, hoisted the young soldier onto it,
slapped its rear to send it galloping off, and gripped her sword hilt with both hands.
"Close the shelter doors."
"...Yes, ma'am!"
The soldier, biting his lip, spurred his horse toward the shelter where all the villagers had taken refuge.
He ignored the desperate cries calling for Snow-Covered and locked the doors behind him.
There was no place left to run.
The soldiers swallowed hard and stood by Snow-Covered's side, blocking the inner keep's entrance.
"Grrr..."
Tigr emerged from the brutal slaughter, his face twisted in irritation.
Precious time had been wasted on this one tiny girl.
But the cunning orc suppressed his rage and flicked out his serpentine tongue once more.
"Brave one. Hand over the people behind you. Out of respect, I won't pursue if you flee now."
The soldiers, holding back their fear, flinched at his words.
They knew it was a lie meant to tempt them, but with their lives on the line, they couldn't help but waver.
What if they could escape?
What if he meant it?
Within them, their duty to protect clashed endlessly with their instinct to survive.
But the more they wavered, the more their eyes turned to one place—their last bastion of conscience.
"Rather..."
Snow-Covered spoke.
From her small mouth came warm breath and unyielding resolve, steady as stone.
Her whisper pierced the ears of both orcs and soldiers alike.
"...die here with them."
In this hopeless battle, she couldn't promise life.
But trust her: if death comes, she would shed blood alongside them.
Clink.
Snow-Covered leveled her sword forward.
The soldiers behind her, protecting their families, rallied with renewed will and raised their spears.
Huff!
Tigr's face flushed red.
The battle favored them overwhelmingly, yet honor and warrior pride belonged to the humans.
He would tear them all apart.
Tigr hid his rising shame and commanded his remaining warriors.
"...Attack!"
"Ewah-ah!!!"
The orc warriors bellowed.
They charged fiercely toward the narrow inner keep entrance, intent on smashing the shelter.
Their speed was ferocious enough to sweep away the flimsy palisade and soldiers in an instant.
Bam! Crunch!
Slash!
Stab, stab!
One side to defend, the other to breach.
Orc warriors and human soldiers clashed head-on at the narrow inner keep entrance.
Spears snapped, blood sprayed everywhere.
In the cramped space where swinging an arm was a struggle, torn flesh and entrails soaked each other.
Yet despite the vast difference in strength, the entrance held firm.
At its center stood Snow-Covered.
Slash!
"Grrk!"
Snow-Covered swung her sword like a madwoman.
Orcs fell bleeding; soldiers caught their breath.
Her small frame and agility proved an asset in this chaotic melee.
Stab, crunch!
Rolling across the ground to dodge an axe, then thrusting her blade between thick armor plates.
Her black hair was caked in mud and blood, her face scratched and unrecognizable like broken branches.
Clang!
Thud!
But despite her desperate stand, soldiers fell one by one, bleeding out.
No matter their resolve or spear thrusts, the orcs remained numerous and mighty.
Aaah!
Harrowing screams raced across the battlefield.
The blood and guts spilled by soldiers showed the steep price of resistance.
Overwhelming disadvantage. Humanity's defeat.
The preordained outcome left only carnage in its wake.
"Urk!"
"Grrk, let go!"
Spear and arm alike shattered.
But the gritted soldier desperately clung to the orc's leg as it tried to push inside.
He wouldn't let it through. No matter the agony stabbing his gut, tears streaming, he held on.
The orc warrior recoiled from such tenacity.
Trembling in fear, it finally smashed down its axe with a roar.
Slash!
The soldier's final moments, clutching the orc to his death, flashed before her eyes.
His dying gasp and last words etched into Snow-Covered's soul through the mud.
'Run, Knight.'
What did it mean to them?
Born human, dying human.
Spring flowers rising against the northern cold, unseen by any...
"Ah..."
Snow-Covered turned her head.
Amid countless deaths and lives, the world slowed, mocking existence.
What do you ask of me, Mother North?
She passed endless anguish and pain to the little child.
Will you give up here?
Do you still fear death?
And when all blood fell to the world below, her soul shed tears.
Invisible essence trickled from her eyes.
Those tears washed her retinas, revealing a new world.
Silent yet not quiet,
Holy yet not radiant.
Snow-Covered lifted her heavy sword lightly and cleaved that world asunder.
It was a slash unlike before.
Slash!
Kagagang!
The orc's hammered steel armor and body parted.
Between the severed chunks gleamed eyes bearing blue spectral energy.
The path every warrior must tread, the canvas to be defiled with gore.
Unable to prevent countless deaths, Snow-Covered placed her sharp claws atop that milestone.
"------!!!"
Slash!
Clang!
The first to notice the change was none other than Aura user Tigr.
The realm he had labored to reach, this young girl soared over like a lofty crane.
The first stage: sensing Aura.
This second awakening, reserved for innate bloodlines and true warriors, was beyond mere orc warriors.
The girl, thought to be in death throes, kindled Aura like a precarious flame.
Slash!
Northern Swordsmanship, Form 2, flashed like lightning.
Three orc warriors fell in an instant.
No, perhaps four!
Before her fluid sword dance, like a painting come alive, orcs were swept away.
Tigr had no choice but to raise his axe again and shout to his warriors.
"Fall back!"
She had sensed Aura at such a young age.
If left to grow, she might surpass even the Sword Saint.
Convinced he must nip this bud here, Tigr drew forth his blazing Aura.
Tzzzzzzt, zzzt...!
At Tigr's command, the orc warriors hesitated and began to retreat.
But Snow-Covered, now alone, still guarded the inner keep doors.
She wouldn't let them pass.
The blue will in her eyes seemed ready to burn the world—and herself.
A sudden unease surged in Tigr. He charged furiously at Snow-Covered.
"Ewah-ah!!!"
No matter the 44th son cast from power, imperial blood ran true.
Tigr had already reached heights where he could condense Aura.
She stood no chance.
Aura was an insurmountable wall.
Whoosh, boom!!
Tzzzzzzt!
An Aura axe plummeted from above.
Blocking would shatter her sword.
Snow-Covered rolled across the ground, barely dodging.
Clang!
"Pathetic!"
From the ground, Snow-Covered swung at Tigr's Achilles tendon.
But he parried knowingly and kicked at her low stance.
Crunch!
"Gah—!"
Excruciating pain, as if her organs tore.
Spewing blood, Snow-Covered flew back, crashing near the inner keep entrance.
Her ribs were surely broken.
The sensation in her legs was dire.
Huff!
Tigr thrilled.
Trampling a rival who stirred his inferiority brought ecstasy.
Now, who won?
I did. The great emperor's son!
Not that tiny human girl!
Twitch.
"What?"
But his thrill turned to shock swiftly.
His smirk vanished.
Shiver.
"...Grrk, keh."
Blood boiling audibly, Snow-Covered crawled despite torn nails.
Staggering up once more, she gripped the inner keep doors with one hand and slammed them shut.
Creeak, thud.
Atop corpses of the fallen.
Her hands trembled violently.
Yet Snow-Covered picked up her dropped sword and aimed it at the enemy again.
The king's heir still stood.
Before those she vowed to die with.
"Raaah!!!"
Tigr lost his reason.
He rushed Snow-Covered, hacking wildly with his axe.
She might fall, but wouldn't yield.
Before the warrior spirit in that small body, orcs bowed their heads.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Tzzzzzt, crash!
The sword forged by Red Iron couldn't withstand the Aura and shattered like glass.
Snow-Covered, enduring to the end, finally knelt amid deep wounds.
"Hah, huff!"
Tigr panted heavily.
His trembling eyes swirled with shock and fear.
Speechless orcs,
Even the flames paid homage beneath the night sky.
The child still clutched Broken Sword.
Trembling, Tigr asked.
"Wh-what's your name? Who... who the hell's child are you...!"
Black hair, unyielding conviction.
How had he not known?
Tigr shuddered, recalling the hero who once drove orcs from the North.
Snow-Covered raised her head.
With a face pure of regret, she bowed it again and smiled faintly, just like that day.
"...My name is Snow-Covered."
Tigr gasped.
The orc warriors stirred.
"------!!"
It was the immense pressure bearing down after her name.
Something approached.
A hellish yaksha baring fangs to devour all injustice!
"Heir to the Northern King."
Tigr whirled around hastily.
Facing the massive gust swallowing all flames, he gripped his axe.
Damn, too much time wasted!
Retreat now!
But the words that followed rendered it all meaningless.
"...disciple of Sword Saint Broken Sword."
Tigr's eyes bulged.
A streak of flame returned—the Sword Saint slashed Tigr's stunned throat.
Slash!