Like placing a cup on a coaster
Like placing a cup on a coaster
"They've departed for Hepas Island."
"Only Adolf and I will go."
The cunning plan was simple. Kill Saklasi upon his arrival at the deserted Hepas Island and frame Heifer for it. After all, Heifer was the type of person who would die if asked, provided he was given 100 liters of Elixir and promised that all his people would be saved.
Even if it meant losing the Elixir collected over decades, the Holy Water Ability User had to be killed. An Elixir created by a mid-level water ability user over 100 years. Even if they were the same mid-level, it was something that couldn't be produced by a beastkin's lifespan.
It was only possible for an empire teeming with 1000-year-old elves, and if someone were to mass-produce Elixir—which was already in such high demand that it couldn't be bought—all the wealth in the world would flow into the Empire.
He didn't know how much Elixir a Holy Water Ability User could produce, but it was obvious that it wouldn't be a small amount.
A dark night. Hepas Island was different from any other city. There were few buildings with lights on. Because most of the citizens were asleep in a coma, there was almost no economic activity.
"It feels like a ghost might pop out."
"Are you disappointed?"
A shadow fell over the face of Heifer, who was always confident whether in battle or when playing pranks.
"No, let's go see the sleeping people first."
Thinking aimless thoughts like, 'Taking responsibility and the burden of a king are synonyms,' the three of them, including the assistant manager, walked on.
Two people were already waiting for Saklasi's group. The King of Raigen, Albrecht, and Adolf were currently hiding on the rooftop of a building. Watching the two disembark through a scope, they waited for them to enter range.
Heifer wasn't the problem. The iron ability user would just hold out for a long time with his characteristic toughness, and Adolf's skill would be enough to handle him.
The problem was that Soi tribe member. In particular, his [Wish] was very concerning. To stop blood? They had to avoid a head-on collision. There wouldn't be a second chance. The only way was to draw his attention with Adolf and then cut him down in one go with the super-acceleration of [Lightning God Manifestation].
Just as Saklasi's group entered range,
[Lightning God Manifestation]
Flash!
First, Adolf struck Heifer directly, as if driving lightning into him. Before Heifer could perceive it with his five senses, he used the beastkin's innate instinct to raise his sword, barely blocking Adolf's blade. However,
[Lightning God Manifestation] is a [Wish] that turns the user into a beast with their entire body electrified. It was the myth of the white ferret beastkin, 'Laiju'.
The electric shock exploded into Heifer through the clashing swords. As a piercing scream rang out, Saklasi was startled and tried to rush toward Heifer, and at that very moment,
The opportunity came for the King of Raigen.
The roar of electricity, the blinding flash, Heifer's scream—everything was perfect.
He used [Lightning God Manifestation] to super-accelerate and slash at the neck of the distracted Soi tribe member. The Soi tribe member seemed to react to some extent, but in the end, he couldn't block it. Success. The sensation of severing the neck was transmitted to his fingertips.
The King of Raigen said, confident of victory.
"Greetings? You stepped into my country and tried to leave without a word. How is it? My greeting?"
Blood poured down from Saklasi's neck, and his head slowly began to tilt.
"Nooooo!!"
Heifer no longer felt the pain from the high-voltage current that had been flowing in from the sword clashing with Adolf. Tears gushed out at the sight of Saklasi's head tilting.
He was such a blessing of a person, how did they meet!
Saklasi's head soon fell from his neck.
The King of Raigen, convinced of Saklasi's death, said gleefully.
"Speak up!!! How is my greeting!"
When Saklasi's falling head reached about the level of his navel, passing his chest,
Thud.
It was naturally caught in the palm of Saklasi, who had been waiting there beforehand. He carefully turned his head, which had fallen from the crown, back to the front, and while still holding it in his hand, he winked at the King of Raigen.
At that bizarre sight, the King of Raigen felt goosebumps all over his body.
Saklasi lifted his own head and placed it back on his neck, just like placing a cup on a coaster.
"That was intense pain! Never had a greeting like that in my life!"
"Argh!"
Adolf forgot to even use his [Wish] at that shocking sight. Heifer, who had been wiping the tears from his eyes and was in shock, immediately kicked Adolf with all his might.
Allowing Heifer's attack while defenseless was fatal. Adolf was sent flying, all his ribs broken at once.
Heifer thought, 'What a waste of worry.' 'Well, if he's fine even with his heart pierced, of course he'd be fine even if his head fell off!' Heifer's standards for Saklasi were becoming strange.
He was reliable when on the same side, but the King of Raigen, who was on the opposite side, was trembling with shock and fear.
'What on earth is this? Is he even human?'
The King of Raigen, who hadn't lost his competitive spirit even in front of the Emperor, lost all will to fight. He couldn't think of any way to kill him.
'This guy was a Transcendent too! Is this the power of a Transcendent! Are there really two of these in the world?'
The King of Raigen felt like he was going to go crazy with frustration. From the time he was young until now, 800 years later, thanks to his Mythic Awakening, the Emperor hadn't aged a bit. That Emperor created High Elves every 100 years, and those High Elves naturally became monsters too.
Currently, there were two Holy Water Ability Users in the Raigen Kingdom. Now, while the total number of Holy Water Ability Users on the Allied Kingdom side was still ahead of the Empire, it was the last chance to fight. But the other kingdoms didn't move properly. He had no choice but to try to deal with this Soi tribe member at least,
'Was it impossible to kill them even if you cut their heads off once they become a Transcendent!? If so, there's absolutely no way!'
It was a natural assumption for the King of Raigen, who wasn't a Transcendent, but if the Emperor had seen the current situation, even that Emperor would have said,
'What is this? It's too scary...'
Flash!
The King of Raigen abandoned Adolf and used [Lightning God Manifestation] and [Wish] once again. Solely to run away.
The King of Raigen, who had moved a distance so far that he couldn't even be seen as a dot in the blink of an eye, had reached the middle of the ocean.
However. Being on the ocean was a blunder for the King of Raigen. No matter how fast he had moved away, it was useless if it was on the ocean. It was an act of telling Saklasi exactly where he was.
"Aaaargh!"
Saklasi, who had already used Mist Transformation and appeared behind his back, kicked the King of Raigen.
His mind froze at the sight of Saklasi's leg appearing from behind in an instant. Furthermore, he had never expected that Saklasi would follow him when he had moved this far away with [Lightning God Manifestation]. Because of that, he couldn't react properly, and his arms came out first.
Unfortunately, the King of Raigen couldn't withstand the power of the Han River. Both his arms broke at once and were sent flying. With that recoil, the distance between him and Saklasi widened considerably again. He prepared to run away somehow, using the crisis as an opportunity, but,
[Blood is also water]
Saklasi's [Wish], who had appeared beside him again, was heard.
"Are you some kind of ghost or something!!!!"
It was a nightmare-like situation for the King of Raigen.
Saklasi realized one more thing at this time. The blood of a Holy Water Ability User doesn't stop immediately. Thinking, 'They said there are few Holy Water users in the world, so they are certainly different,' he thought that this [Wish] might not work on a Transcendent at all, so he was just thinking that he should avoid the Emperor even more.
While it was just 'It's not easy' for Saklasi, the King of Raigen felt despair. The delay was only temporary. Was it because the blood stopped? The manifestation of [Lightning God Manifestation], which was already physically demanding, was several times harder. He had been running across the sea with [Lightning Speed], but in the end, all the blood in his body stopped, and he sank into the sea.
"You don't know your place."
Katerina, who had heard the whole story from Manneric, arrived at the 「Raigen」 Kingdom. A mere Count of Raigen dared to touch a Duke of the Empire?
.
.
.
"W-who, who did you say?!"
"They say Princess Katerina is personally on her way here."
"That Soi tribe bastard made me like this and then went and snitched about it? What a spineless jerk!"
"It was a sacred duel between men, so this is truly disappointing."
They were people who only spoke in their own favor without thinking about what they had done.
"Could it be? No way! That can't be?! If so, what should I do?"
"Is something the matter?"
There was something the Head Butler didn't know. It was the request to assassinate Saklasi.
The Count was anxious that this matter would reach the ears of the Empire after hearing that Heifer had failed, but he had been relieved when he heard that Sir Adolf and His Highness were personally stepping in.
Why is Princess Katerina coming here?
At the news that a group wearing the Imperial Knights' uniforms had arrived at the Count's mansion, the Count loaded his broken body onto a wheelchair and rushed out to greet them.
"Her Highness, Princess Katerina. It is an honor to meet you!"
Boom!
The Count endured the pain of his broken limbs, jumped down from the wheelchair, and prostrated himself on the floor.
[Like a Wildfire]
Katerina drew her sword without a word and manifested her [Wish] first.
The representative [Wish] of a high-level fire ability user, [Like a Wildfire], was a [Wish] where fire burns in a radius around the caster.
The colorful flower garden in the mansion's yard burned in an instant. The saplings that were being cultivated as high-class bonsai also burned and fell. The marble sculptures decorated on the grounds were scorched gray-black and shattered into pieces.
"Ughhhhh~~~!!! My, my garden!!! How much was this garden worth!!"