The Fist That Breaks the Barrier
Ivy couldn’t help but be shocked. “F-Fast!? She’s way faster than me, a Dark Elf!?”
In a forest thick with trees, Albert was moving at a speed far beyond any Dark Elf. Could even an Elder run like this? The air cracked with the sheer velocity of his charge. If a Dark Elf, who prided herself on speed in the forest, felt terror, that said everything. It was an overwhelming pace. A new experience. The sensation of leaving the entire world behind and surging forward alone was something even Ivy, who had lived over a century, had never felt before.
How can a human run like this? H-He’s even carrying me on his shoulder… and yet it feels this stable.
Normally, dashing through the woods like this would be rough, but even slung over his shoulder, she felt an odd comfort. It was almost soothing. Reliable… enough that she could stay like this forever…
Ah, this isn’t the time for such thoughts!
“B-But! W-Why are we in such a hurry!?”
“Wow, you’re opening your mouth in this situation? Bold. Watch your tongue. Bite it by mistake and you won’t be able to pick it up.”
“Eek…….”
“The village is under attack right now.”
“The v-village!? H-How do you know that!?”
“I can just feel it.”
“Goodness…… That’s impossible. The village is so far away……”
“Others can’t sense it, but I can.”
“Whoa……”
If anyone else had said it, it would have sounded arrogant and conceited. But coming from Albert, it felt perfectly natural. It was the quiet confidence born of his own overwhelming ability.
Normally I’d call someone showing off like that obnoxious…… but he’s different…….
“W-Wait a second. So we’re heading straight for the village right now?”
“That’s right.”
“Th-That’s going to be a problem!”
“Why?”
“The barrier! The village is protected by a powerful barrier. We can’t get in without breaking it first!”
“Ah, that’s no issue.”
“Huh?”
“If there’s a barrier, I’ll just smash through it.”
A suspected barrier has been detected.
Collision in 0.2 seconds.
It appears to be a strong barrier deployed to protect the village. How about it? I could probably dismantle it in ten seconds……
No time for that.
Then what will you do?
At the System’s question, Albert simply gathered his energy as if the answer were obvious.
Mana Reinforcement
Physical Reinforcement
The System assisted him, activating the most suitable skills at the perfect moment.
I’m breaking through.
As expected of Albert!
I knew it!
╰(*°▽°*)╯
Collision imminent!
“Hup.”
Albert thrust his fist forward at the exact moment. It looked as though he was swinging at empty air, but his knuckles struck something solid. The instant they connected—
CRASH!
A shattering sound echoed through Helbram Forest.
“Hrk!”
Ivy gasped. The village’s protective barrier was an illusion type. It showed intruders hallucinations to prevent them from approaching. The Elder had asked the dragon living here to create it.
A human broke the dragon’s barrier!?
What shocked her even more was that he had shattered it with raw force. The only ways to break an illusion barrier were to dispel it through proper means or locate and destroy its core. Yet Albert had destroyed the barrier itself without touching the core at all.
Th-This is impossible…… How……
Whether Ivy was shocked or not, Albert kicked off the ground once more. The moment the barrier broke, the scenery around them changed.
It appears to have been an illusion-type barrier.
Seems so.
The ordinary forest from moments ago had transformed into a snowy mountain. Snow blanketed the ground, and both the earth and trees were frozen solid. The temperature had dropped so low that even Ivy, a Dark Elf resistant to cold, felt the chill pierce her skin and bones.
“G-Good heavens, wh-what is this…… The f-forest is frozen solid!!”
“Not a bad natural refrigerator.”
Body Temperature Regulation skill activated.
Ice Terrain Running skill activated.
The System used Body Temperature Regulation to eliminate the cold for Albert and even activated a skill allowing him to run on ice without slipping. Of course, he didn’t strictly need it, but this too was a professional habit. Even if unnecessary, the compulsion to “support” Albert made the System activate the skill anyway.
Whoosh!
Thanks to that, his speed never faltered even on the slippery ice.
Albert, ahead of you!
I know.
“I’m throwing you for a second.”
“Huh?”
“Make sure you don’t bite your tongue.”
Albert hurled Ivy forward mid-sprint.
Telekinesis skill activated.
The System activated the skill to ensure Ivy landed safely.
Sheesh! Albert! That’s way too rough!
Throwing her at that speed means she can’t even break her fall—she’ll die!!
You would’ve handled it, so I trusted you.
……Tch. Saying it like that makes me happy, you know?
Albert chuckled at the System’s reaction, then turned to face the figure ahead.
She was a tall, beautiful woman. Her hair was whiter than a blanket washed in bleach, and she wore a white dress that looked as though it had been woven from threads of cold eyes. She was stunning. The kind of beauty that would make any man turn his head. In that moment, Albert understood why elves were called the race of beauty. Yet unlike her white hair and dress, her body was stained crimson with Dark Elf blood.
“Who…… are you……?”
A voice that was somehow both cold and strangely gentle brushed against Albert’s eardrums. Any other man would have hesitated to lay a hand on such a beautiful being. But Albert was different.
“Put that down. She’s my soap-making slave, after all.”
In an instant, Albert closed the distance and drove his fist straight toward the elf’s face. She flinched in surprise but quickly leaned back, dodging the blow, then created distance between them.
Good heavens!!
Albert! How could you punch such a pretty girl in the face!?
What’s the big deal? She’s the enemy. Besides, she’s not that pretty.
“My little sister is way prettier and cuter.”
……There’s really no helping a siscon.
Albert glanced around. It was indeed a Dark Elf village. The Dark Elves stood with their preferred weapons in hand. Several were trapped in ice pillars, and others lay dead, pierced by ice spikes. It was a scene of brutal slaughter.
Analyzing……
She possesses power comparable to an SS-rank Hunter.
She appears to be contracted with a high-grade ice spirit.
Based on analysis, this elf is likely the Elder. A strong connection can be felt.
This is the first formidable opponent we’ve encountered since arriving here!?
An Elf Elder, huh. Already running into a big shot like this?
“Well……”
It wasn’t bad. To secure the Dark Elves who could make soap, he would have had to settle things with the elves anyway. Their obsession had bordered on madness right up to the end.
They probably would have chased us no matter what.
Right.
Ivy had said it. No matter where they hid, the elves would find them. Even if they went to Legrian Territory, those people would keep pursuing.
Can’t afford to lose valuable talent for making soap.
Soap was essential for survival in Legrian Territory—no, in this entire world. Otherwise, the same thing would happen again. With doctors and medicinal herbs or healing magic, food poisoning and such could be treated, but—
Prevention is better than cure.
For the sake of hygiene, he needed slaves—no, talented individuals—to make soap. I absolutely hate doing annoying things. He couldn’t afford to lose such precious talent who could take over the tedious soap-making process. Albert would take the Dark Elves with him no matter what. If anyone got in his way, he would crush them. If they interfered, he would kill them. Thinking that brought a strange peace to his mind, making him feel lighter.
Albert!
I know.
Countless ice spikes flew toward him.
A total of 100 ice spikes incoming.
80 aimed at the face, five each at the left arm and leg, two each at the right arm and leg, three at the heart and abdomen.
Wow! She must’ve been annoyed that one almost hit her face?
Was this revenge? She looked cooler than anyone, yet her pettiness knew no bounds.
Each spike carries power equivalent to 5th-circle magic.
As expected of an Elder, she’s quite strong.
Well, she’s pretty strong, but……
“Not enough to be my opponent.”
The ice spikes, whistling through the air, would freeze and pierce anything they touched. Griel, the Elf Elder, believed this attack would be more than enough to kill the rude human who had struck her.
Why a human is here doesn’t matter. I will do what I must.
Purification for the sake of the World Tree. The World Tree’s corruption stemmed from the Dark Elves. Therefore, eradicating them without leaving a single one alive would purify the corruption. This was purification for the sake of the world. For the greater good, these filthy nebulae had to be eliminated.
“Die.”
She could already see the ice spikes, born from the power of the ice spirit, piercing the human. This was the end. The human’s movements were fairly fast, but he was powerless before the spirit’s attack.
“Now, for the purification……”
—Danger. Dodge backward.
The ice spirit’s urgent voice rang out. Griel instinctively threw herself back, and in the next instant, a fist passed through the spot where she had been standing.
It was the first time. Surprise appeared on Griel’s usually expressionless face. The human who should have been skewered by the ice spikes had closed the distance and swung his fist at her. It was absurd.
How……
“Oh? You dodged that? Not bad. I’ve been fighting weaklings lately, so my power control’s a bit off.”
Until now, Albert had always fought while restraining his strength. Naturally so. If an EX-rank Hunter like him swung without holding back, most humans would die on the spot. Not many could withstand the power of an EX-rank Hunter. That was why he had always adjusted his strength when fighting.
I’m not a murderer. I don’t kill unless necessary.
Perhaps because he was so accustomed to controlling his power, the habit had slipped out when attacking Griel, who was somewhat stronger.
You can hit a little harder, you know.
I know. Still, adjusting is tricky. I’ll get used to it after a few more hits.
—She’s coming again! Dodge!
Another fist came flying from right to left.
Same as the first time.
The trajectory of the attack was identical to the one he had used when they first met. From right to left. A fist came flying. This time, it was faster than before.
But I can dodge this much.
After dodging once more, another fist came. Right to left. Even faster. As if to show that this wasn’t her limit.
“……”
After dodging again, yet another fist came from right to left. Griel, unwilling to keep taking hits, summoned an ice pillar to attack Albert. But he paid it no mind and swung his fist anyway. The ice pillar wrapped around him but shattered in less than 0.01 seconds.
“……!”
—Dodge!
Startled, Griel dodged the fist once more. And another fist came. Right to left.
—That guy’s insane!!
Madness. The fanatical obsession to land a hit no matter what radiated a chill that even Griel, who had contracted with an ice spirit and could no longer feel cold, could sense.
I will hit you. I will hit you. I will hit you.
The unyielding resolve never to stop until he landed a blow made Griel cry out without realizing it as she watched Albert swing his fist.
“S-Stop!”