Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: 14. Drawing the Sword (1)
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A massive magic circle loomed large enough to dye the vast night sky red. Even assassins with scant knowledge of magic could tell it was sorcery of an extraordinary caliber.
"Dodge!"
"Th-the ground is freezing!"
The sky was stained crimson, while the earth below was blanketed in frigid white. The assassins couldn't even muster proper evasion maneuvers before a rain of fire poured down from above their heads.
"H-High-tier magic..."
Watching the entire scene from afar, Sylvia couldn't hide her shock.
Having grown up in the forest, she had never encountered high-tier mages on the battlefield.
"So this is the terror of the battlefield..."
They were Hashashin who had massacred elves in the verdant woods, along with the 2nd Prince's minions, yet before this unexpected feast of high-tier magic, they crumpled helplessly.
"Miss, we should fall back."
Shadin approached Sylvia cautiously and whispered. But as if catching even that faint voice, a nearby assassin glared with axe-like eyes and drew a sharp dagger.
"In case of emergency, you're to secure our escape route! Any unauthorized movement, and you'll lose your life!"
His voice rose with agitated emotion.
"I'm not going anywhere, so don't worry."
Sylvia replied and turned her gaze back to the battlefield.
She wished the 2nd Prince's minions slaughtering elves before her eyes would all perish, but regretfully, for her own survival, she had no choice but to pray for their victory. If the Hashashin and the 2nd Prince's forces were annihilated or captured, she and her entire clan would be in peril.
"Mage!"
Among the 2nd Prince's subordinates was a top-tier mage. As he flung open his robe and raised his staff, the frigid white ice blanketing the ground melted away entirely.
"Cough!"
Even for a top-tier mage, canceling high-tier magic took a severe toll on his body.
Having drained his mana to the limit, he staggered, blood pouring from his nose and mouth. Temporary mana exhaustion had set in.
"Evade!"
"Find the high-tier mage. Take them out first!"
Thanks to the top-tier mage's sacrifice, their feet were freed. The Hashashin and assassins scattered.
They darted their eyes frantically in search of their target, but what appeared before them were not the Azure Tower Lord and Crimson Tower Lord—instead, a hundred Imperial Army soldiers and the Mage Tower's combat unit.
"For the Philius Empire!"
With thunderous roars, the Imperial Army and Mage Tower knights charged. Mid-tier mages from the Mage Tower supported them from behind with spells.
"Lightning Arrow!"
"Ice Rain."
Mana surged, spells completed. Sharp ice shards rained down, lightning arrows pierced the air.
The 2nd Prince's subordinates collapsed without resistance. Assassins were blades that lurked in shadows, striking foes unseen. They stood no chance in open combat like this.
"Wh-what are the mages doing?!"
The assassins desperately sought their mages, but excluding the aged top-tier mage now in mana exhaustion, their companions included just one advanced mage and three mid-tier ones. Though they poured out their mana, the magical forces led by the 5th Prince vastly outclassed them.
"What the hell is this 5th Prince?! Where did he get these elite mages?!"
As chaos reigned and the 2nd Prince's minions fell dead amid the turmoil, the Hashashin from the Edriger Kingdom vanished using 'perfect concealment'.
"Gah!"
"Where are the Hashashin... Aaaargh!"
The 2nd Prince's subordinates died searching for the vanished Hashashin. With their last hope gone, the assassins fell even faster.
"The 2nd Prince's forces are dropping."
"Doesn't matter. We just need to kill the 5th Prince."
Their gathering today bore the pretext of aiding the 2nd Prince, but their true goal was assassinating the 5th Prince, Raymond Philius, whose name was inscribed in the black book.
The 2nd Prince's minions? They could all die for all they cared. Hashashin pursued their objectives with ruthless precision.
After a brief exchange in a spot away from the fray, the Hashashin scattered once more to hunt the 5th Prince.
Invisible blades began drifting across the battlefield.
"Don't fall back—fight! We are the proud Imperial Army of the great Philius Empire!"
Raymond had been observing from a short distance away when the voice of the Imperial Army commander, Cassius, reached him.
He must have amplified it with mana.
"Isn't it about time they showed?"
"Will we be alright without the Tower Lords?"
Gestain approached cautiously, voicing his concern upon overhearing Raymond's near-mutter.
Among those with the 5th Prince, the strongest forces were the two Tower Lords at the high-tier mage level. Yet they were currently up front decimating the assassins.
With the Hashashin suddenly vanished, guarding the 5th Prince were Gestain, Desia, the Imperial Guard—save for the retired Royal Guard. Not knowing the exact number of Hashashin, they couldn't relax.
"The Guard Captain worries too much."
"Call it a strong sense of duty, Lady Desia."
Desia was about to continue when she sensed an approach from the darkness and gathered her mana.
"My lord!"
Gestain swiftly drew his sword with his lone arm. A vivid mana blade rose from the drawn sword.
"Your Highness, stay close to me."
Wearing his red mask, Jace said little and stuck tight to Raymond's side.
"You've come."
A cold smile crept across Raymond's lips. Even with Hashashin this close, he lost none of his composure.
"They're here."
From the shadow bereft of light, black silhouettes surged. In an instant, front, back, left, and right were sealed off.
"Seven of them?"
Seven had revealed themselves. But who knew how many more lurked? Hashashin were cunning vermin, every one.
Raymond silently shifted his gaze aside. Meeting it, Desia spread sharply honed mana in all directions to probe.
"Several more are hiding beyond the veil."
To pierce perfect concealment perfectly required at least top-tier mage prowess. Desia, near the pinnacle of advanced mages, could vaguely sense how many hid within the veil.
"How many exactly... roughly?"
"Judging by the intense auras beyond the veil, at least five more."
Had Raymond's calm rubbed off? Even stating over ten hostile Hashashin encircled them, Desia remained unflappable.
Was it faith in the impenetrable shield? Her growing magical prowess seemed to bolster her confidence—it was heartening to see.
Enough distractions. Time to greet the Hashashin.
"I don't recall inviting you here."
"No more words, 5th Prince."
No need for further talk? The Hashashin kicked off the ground and leaped skyward.
Half melted back into darkness; those still visible hurled daggers.
Some dissolved into shadow, some brimmed with black mana, others split into multiples. Secret assassination arts the Hashashin boasted.
"Fall back!"
Desia shouted sharply. Imperial Guards rushing forward hastily retreated as a shield infused with blue mana formed before them.
The massive blue shield blocked the Hashashin daggers. But it wasn't over.
Three Hashashin leaped over the shield, cloaked in darkness. Tearing through the veil, they slashed at nearby guards with daggers.
"Arrrgh!"
Two guards fell. Elsewhere, darkness split as five more Hashashin appeared, hurling hidden weapons. Two more guards dropped from close-range throws.
By the time other guards rushed to intercept, the Hashashin had vanished into shadow again.
"Scatter."
"But my lord, that's what they want."
To minimize casualties, they needed to disperse. Raymond issued the calm order, but Gestain objected.
Dispersing spread the guards thin, limiting Hashashin movement but weakening the formation, endangering Raymond.
"I have no intention of surviving alone."
Gestain bit his lip at Raymond's words and ordered the guards to scatter. As they did, the Hashashin could no longer pop in and out freely.
"Your Highness, the 5th Prince..."
"Desia, prepare the shield."
They're coming.
Blood sprayed from the neck of a frontline guard. Four black shadows leaped over the wordlessly collapsing body.
"The blood of the Philius Empire's imperial line is here! Who dares point weapons at him?!"
Gestain kicked off and surged forward, swinging his blue mana sword. The slashing blade severed the lead Hashashin's neck in one strike.
"Watch it—high-tier knight!"
"Gang up on him!"
More Hashashin tore through the dark veil. The guard formation had crumbled; five rushed Gestain, binding his feet.
"The rest go for the 5th Prince."
The Hashashin moved swiftly. Dark blades from all sides targeted Raymond's vitals.
"Desia."
"I know, Your Highness."
The blue veil unfurled again, repelling all the murderous projectiles.
"Ranged attacks aren't working!"
"Close quarters! Get in tight and strike!"
Mana blades rose from the Hashashin swords. At the same moment, the hitherto stationary Jace moved.
The instant he stepped forward, two Hashashin spewed blood and fell.
"Wh-what just happened?!"
"Another high-tier knight-level foe here!"
Sensing crisis, the Hashashin all tore free of darkness, revealing themselves.
"More than expected."
Beneath his mask, Jace's face hardened. Far more Hashashin hid than Desia had sensed.
Six newly revealed, plus those Gestain faced—eleven in total.
Once elite enough for Royal Guard selection, but now retired and aged.
Eleven Hashashin radiating ferocious auras. Jace doubted he could protect the 5th Prince.
"Lady Desia, I leave His Highness to you!"
Jace charged the Hashashin, shouting. Defense alone wouldn't win—he was going all-in. He tied down seven alone, but the remaining four rushed Raymond and Desia.
The shadows charging fiercely, brimming with killing intent, were nightmares incarnate. Yet Raymond calmly raised his hand, stirring mana.
"Fire Spear!"
"Ice Blast!"
A flaming spear pierced the dark; ice exploded before them. Three Hashashin left. Too close for advanced spells.
Desia's hastily conjured ice arrows pierced a Hashashin. One fewer, but two remained, and close.
Desia strained to muster mana, but a flash scattered the half-formed magic circle like a mirage.
Magic disruption scroll—never imagined they'd bring such an expensive one-use artifact. Raymond's lip twisted; the Hashashin lunged like wolves scenting prey.
"Your Highness! Cough!"
Desia spewed dark red blood and collapsed. Resuming casting right after a cancel had overburdened her mana circuits.
"Y-Your Highness..."
Even falling, Desia reached out with bloodied hand to complete her spell.
Without Raymond, reaching this level so swiftly would've been impossible. She feared he'd vanish before her eyes.
"'Shield' down!"
"No mana aura!"
"5th Prince's alone! Strike!"
The Hashashin moved. Despite their ferocious advance, Raymond didn't retreat.
Instead, to confront them, he stepped forward, raising his right hand.
"Do I seem alone...?"
Mana coalesced in his outstretched right hand. It soon took the form of a sword.
"A mana sword?"
"Isn't the 5th Prince a mage?"
Toward the momentarily flustered Hashashin, Raymond kicked off, closing the distance.
"With a thousand knights fighting alongside me..."
His eyes gleamed sharply; the raised Soul Sword erupted with white mana.
"I am never alone."