113. Bascon Family vs Grander Family
Ssssss.
White smoke billowed from Moden Bascon's body. It was an immense surge of mana. The air trembled, and the ground began to quake beneath their feet.
Rumble rumble rumble.
The Grander family's executives couldn't even close their gaping mouths at the sight.
"……!"
Their bodies shook uncontrollably, eyes wide in terror. Instinct told them what was coming: the slow approach of death.
It was then, amid the chilling dread hanging in the air, that Moden—his eyes rolled back to pure whites—slammed Tombstone into the ground.
Thud.
In that instant, cracks spiderwebbed outward like shattered glass across the surrounding earth and manor houses. And into those deep chasms tumbled countless Grander soldiers.
Stunned, they screamed as they fell.
"Urk!"
"Gah……."
The Crimson Squadron knights flailed their arms desperately as the ground collapsed beneath them, utterly disoriented. But this was merely the beginning.
Crack. Rumble rumble.
The ominous sounds drummed in their ears relentlessly. Soon, the Grander executives' eyes bulged in horror.
"Th-that's……!"
"Even with a rusted sword, this power... I-it's impossible……."
They had good reason to be shocked. Massive waves of earth were rising from both flanks of the Grander formation, surging forward like ocean swells. Their height rivaled the walls of Plentel Castle.
Waves of sand, shattered manors, and debris crashing toward them. At the sight, the soldiers gulped involuntarily.
Gulp.
They said facing utter despair froze the mind. In that moment, their heads went blank. Even the instinct to flee vanished. They simply let go—of their will, their very lives.
Not even the executives with stronger resolve could escape. Moden's eyes, shrouded in whites, had unleashed mana of wisdom. Consciousness faded from all but a few.
Only Grander deputy lord Emma Grander and family head Helden Grander held out. The rest stood frozen, legs rooted, ears filled with the rumbling doom.
Ssssss!
Rumble rumble!
The earthen waves pulverized surrounding manors, swallowing Grander soldiers whole.
"Urk!"
"A force like some natural cataclysm……."
"I-is this what they mean by the Bascon family head's Opening……?!"
As the executives stammered, the leftward swell crashed over them.
Splurt!!
Even the Crimson Squadron leaders in their red epaulets began to fall one by one. Helden's scowl deepened with each loss.
'Are we just going to take this lying down...?'
Then the rightward swell bore down on the Grander forces.
Crack.
Helden drew one of the two swords from his belt and swung it toward the oncoming wave.
Swish.
In that moment, a blast of air erupted from his blade, hurling the sand wave backward. It was the repulsive force of Repulsao.
Rumble. Crack.
Collapsing earth and debris. Billy and Shirley gaped at the sight.
"Father's Opening……."
"H-he repelled it in one swing!"
Helden had shattered a 1st-class knight's Opening with a single blow. He was Moden's rival for a reason.
Assessing the dire situation, Helden lit a cigarette.
'Sigh. Looks like quitting smoking this year is off the table.'
Their forces were dwindling, Moden's assassination had failed, and everything was unraveling. Only worsening circumstances lay ahead.
In the end, Helden ordered a retreat—still coveting Luminare.
'I'll claim that sword along with your life next time.'
It was a decision unlike his past self. Bin's foreknowledge had thrown Grander's plans into disarray, making it possible.
Glaring at Bin, Helden was certain.
'What an irritating face.'
He'd surely block his path one day. Helden itched to sever Bin's head now, before the weed could grow further.
As Moden unleashed his innate power of earth, a colossal earthen hill rose in the plaza, entombing countless Grander soldiers. It felt like staring at a giant grave.
Only then did the meaning of Earth Fortification sink in.
A brief silence followed Moden's Opening.
"……."
Many foes had fallen, but the Bascon onlookers were equally stunned. Crimson Squadron knights and executives buried in an instant.
Billy and Shirley felt dazed.
"Wh-what did I just see……."
"Br-brother, I'm scared……."
They couldn't believe their eyes. Was it a dream? Doubt gnawed at them, making their own existence feel insignificant, hollow.
Willie and Silva reacted similarly.
"To think the realm of gods wields such power……."
"This is Father's Opening?!"
Meanwhile, Codic at Bin's belt scowled at the flying dust.
'Dirt in my liege's noble eyes...! Even if it means dust in mine...!'
As Codic muttered to himself, Helden had already withdrawn. He seemed poised to flee.
But Bin wasn't one to just watch.
Swish.
Shadows trailed him as he closed in on Helden, Luminare raised to strike—
Clang!
Emma blocked Bin.
"Hic, you're facing me."
He turned to Helden.
"Family head, get out of here."
"……."
Helden ground his teeth, exhaling smoke.
"Hoo."
He scanned the other Bascons. Lingering meant risk.
"Until the stronghold, then."
Helden turned and vanished.
Swish.
Mounted executives followed.
Bin and Emma locked eyes, blades clashing.
Ching. Ching.
Despite Emma's massive frame, Bin held firm.
With cold eyes, Bin warned, "If you insist on blocking me to the end, the price will be your life."
Emma smirked lightly at Bin's icy gaze.
"Heh, brat. Got your old man's spirit, at least. But keep your eyes wide open. Know who stands before you."
Emma's eyes sharpened—serious, unlike his usual drunken self. He even drew his sword, one he hadn't bothered with against Willie and Silva.
It meant he acknowledged Bin.
Emma glared, mentioning his severed arm.
"Debts must be paid. Opening, Gate Blossom."
Red light flowed from Emma's hands. Crimson gates erupted around him and Bin.
Bin gripped Luminare tighter, eyes flashing.
'Opening.'
Black aura surged around him.
Ssssss.
Emma smiled back at Bin's Opening.
"Heh. Mastering Opening already? This'll be fun."
Swords flew wildly from the gates around Bin.
Swish swish. Swish. Swish.
Left to right. Front to back. Back to front. Right to left.
Blades from every direction. Bin dodged nimbly with mana of agility.
Swish. Swish.
Black blades from Luminare parried the onslaught.
Ting. Ting. Ting. Ting!
Bin frowned.
'Swords from all sides...'
Willie marveled at Bin deflecting the barrage midair.
"Parrying that many swords... even I, the speed prodigy, couldn't dodge them all."
Yet Bin slipped through the gaps effortlessly.
"Dodging like a rat."
Seeing the attack fail, Emma joined in. He dove into a gate below, emerging from another to swing at Bin.
Clang. Clang.
As they traded blows, Bin analyzed.
'Impressive speed despite that bulk. And every strike aims for vitals.'
Emma's attacks lacked nothing—power, speed, precision. The flying swords added chaos.
Yet Bin's superior mana of agility made them miss.
Swish. Swish.
'Mana of agility at this level...'
Emma's eyes widened. It was top-tier among those he'd faced. Most would have yielded vitals to the hundred blades long ago.
Bin matched Grander's deputy lord blow for blow. Billy and Shirley couldn't hide their shock.
"H-how is he holding against Emma?"
"Too fast to follow with my eyes... like a dream."
Was it Bin? And Emma had handled Willie and Silva together. Meaning Bin now rivaled their combined might—unpredictable.
Willie and Silva gaped at Bin matching Emma.
"Falling further behind again...?"
"He's grown even stronger...?"
Ching. Ching.
As Bin adapted to Emma's patterns, his defenses outpaced the attacks. He was reading them.
Yet Emma grinned.
'Heh, took the bait.'
Emma had waited for this. As Bin preempted another strike, red light flared in Emma's hand. A new gate appeared unexpectedly.
Emma vanished into it, reemerging behind Bin.
"Brat, get cocky against me, and gaps like this open."
As Emma struck from behind—
Smirk.
Bin's lip curled. Emma faltered.
"Wh-what...?"
Smiling with his back exposed? Unthinkable.
As Emma's sword descended—
Bin's eyes chilled.
'Gate.'
Luminare gleamed silver, spawning a black gate before Bin.
Yes—during the fight, Bin had absorbed Emma's magic via Opening.
Emma's face went slack.
"……!"
He never dreamed Bascon blood could wield his own spell.
"Hic!"
As Emma whirled for the vanished Bin, a low voice echoed from above.
"Time to end this, deputy lord Emma."
Zzzzzing.
Blue lightning crackled over Emma's head, a deafening buzz filling the air. From Bin's Luminare.
The Taia ancestor's Astraphe ability: condensed lightning.
Emma recoiled in shock.
'This power... could it be the absolute weapon Astraphe?!'