Subjugation War (9)
“Ugh.”
Ashu’s pained groan burst out.
Two minutes. Just 120 seconds.
Already, his body was torn to shreds in places.
Can’t even endure this much.
Fortunately, there were no major wounds yet, but it was only a matter of time. His body was starting to disobey him. The injured areas wouldn’t respond.
Paralysis poison, huh.
Ashu bit his lip and retreated. His legs trembled. His body had reached its limit.
Clang—!!
As if refusing to give him even a moment to think, the knight charged ferociously. Swinging his sword like a leech clinging on, Ashu—smaller in stature—had no choice but to be pushed back.
Slash!
“Aaack!”
Ashu screamed and dropped to one knee. The deep gash on his thigh made it clear he wouldn’t be moving for a while.
“...You sneaky bastard.”
Whoever it was, someone had clearly ordered him to kill Ashu with thorough preparation.
“No, not like this...!”
If this continued, not only would he die, but Ideal too. There was no way they’d let anyone inside the tent live.
Ashu gritted his teeth in fury, but he couldn’t see any way out. The knight loomed before him.
“Ptoo...!”
He spat at the mask. Grinding his teeth, he glared at the knight.
The North was merciless to everyone. Child or family breadwinner, newborn babe—it took lives equally.
Ashu was no exception. Surviving this long was already impressive.
...Still, it was fun.
Ten days since Ideal arrived. Thanks to her, life hadn’t been boring. She’d made him realize for the first time that someone leaving could hurt.
Will you feel the same?
The knight raised his sword high. A downward chop to sever life.
Ashu squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the horrific pain to come.
But even after a long moment, nothing happened.
Clang—!!
Instead, a sharp clash of metal rang out.
“Really despicable, huh.”
Amid the deafening noise, a very familiar, longed-for voice cut through.
“A grown man beating up a kid...”
Ashu slowly opened his eyes. A woman’s back blocked the sword. The usual foolish demeanor was gone. Her slender legs braced heavily, her arms reliable for the first time.
“I-Ideal...?”
Ashu’s throat tightened with surging emotion.
At his words, the woman slowly turned her head. A glimpse of her beautiful face. Her captivating eyes met his. Bathed in moonlight, she looked like an angel descended from heaven. Ashu could only stare blankly.
Ideal smiled brightly.
“My disciple, I came to save you.”
Ashu Kan Hart is in crisis.
Immediately assist Ashu Kan Hart in repelling the assassin.
Success: Training Degree +3%, Recovery Potion granted.
Failure: Ashu Kan Hart and Player die.
“...”
She glared at the blue window floating before her eyes. Good thing she’d kept her eyes barely open, just in case. If she’d slept soundly, she’d probably have woken up in heaven.
Glancing back, Ashu was already a battered mess. Poisoned with paralysis toxin, he couldn’t even speak properly.
To a mere 10-year-old kid...!
The masked man. His sturdy build suggested a style that crushed foes with raw power, unlike Ideal’s.
“...Aren’t you ashamed, doing this to a child?”
The man said nothing. Without a hint of fluster, he corrected his crumbling stance. Different from yesterday. Unlike the worthless assassin who only came for a kill, this one moved like a properly trained fighter. She couldn’t handle him like before.
“Y-You, be ca-careful...!!”
Her precious disciple’s worried voice came from behind.
“Disciple, you’re worrying about me right now...?”
Thrilling. Her Ashu, worrying about her...! She might actually be respected as a master now.
“Don’t say weird stuff...!! H-He’s coming!!”
The man kicked off the ground and charged.
“Disciple, stay as far back as you can.”
“...”
Ashu nodded laboriously. He knew his condition would only hinder her.
Ching—!!
A horizontal slash. She barely blocked it by raising her sword vertically.
What power...!!
It felt like being hit by a cannonball. Her hands shook; dodging seemed better than blocking.
If only I didn’t have this woman’s body!!
She’d never liked it from the start, but now she truly regretted it. Why possess Ideal of all people, forcing this ordeal? More spectacular than her past life.
Still, I can manage.
Get hit, and she’d die. So dodge and strike back. Her past self couldn’t, but Ideal’s body could.
The man clung like a leech, swinging to seize momentum.
Whoosh—!!
The sword cleaved air with deadly menace. Each narrow dodge sent chills down her neck. A different terror from bullets or bombs.
“Ugh...!”
Irritated by her cat-like evasion, the man let out an angry groan.
“You’re awfully slow.”
“You bastard...!!”
The voice was familiar. She’d heard it somewhere.
A few more words, and I might remember.
Slash—!!
A vertical downward strike tore the air like lightning.
“Ugh!!”
She twisted aside just in time, but a wound opened.
Damn...!!
Paralyzed and Poisoned!
Mockery emanated from the man’s mask. She could feel his confidence in victory skin-deep.
Sure enough, the silent man finally spoke.
“Annoying wench. That pathetic dodging won’t last.”
“...Finally speaking, huh.”
“Once paralyzed, you can’t beat me.”
He aimed his sword as he spoke.
“Sneaky, using paralysis poison...”
“Assassination is sneaky by nature.”
...Fair point.
> Current Paralysis Rate: 8%
The paralysis rate was filling fast.
“I’ll play with you slowly. Once I grab you, Ashu Kan Hart won’t escape far anyway.”
“...That voice.”
Now she got it. So familiar.
“You’re my disciple’s escort knight, aren’t you.”
“...So what?”
The escort knight’s body flinched. She hadn’t expected to meet him here again.
Her wounded leg started to tingle. She had to end this quickly.
“A knight, trying to kill his own lord. Guess any dog or pig can be a knight these days.”
“...You little shit.”
“Or maybe you’re just that vile, without a shred of loyalty.”
Veins bulged on the knight’s forearms. Rage and carelessness bred mistakes. He might seem cold, but she knew he lost control over personal matters. She remembered the vein on his forehead when she’d struck down his knights at their first meeting.
She giggled, provoking him relentlessly.
“A knight who can’t kill a malnourished boy and a frail criminal woman? How tragic~”
“You dog of a bitch!! I’ll kill you!!!!”
Those words triggered him. The knight charged with terrifying momentum.
Thud thud!!
Like a raging bull, shaking the ground.
Boom—!!!
His high-raised sword slammed down. An explosive sound echoed through the forest, dust billowing.
The escort knight smirked satisfactorily and looked ahead.
“Gone...?”
No Ideal in the settling dust. Not even a squashed rat.
Hiding!
Eyes bloodshot, he scanned around.
“Come out!! Hiding just means I’ll grab Ashu Kan Hart instead!!”
A chill at his nape made him whirl around. Nothing.
As he turned back—
“Not there, right here.”
Stab—!!
“Ugh!!”
A blade pierced through his chest. Blood fountained from the hole.
“H-How...!!”
“Idiot, lose your cool in a fight, and your vision narrows. Especially in a forest full of hiding spots—big moves are suicide.”
Many places for enemies to hide meant she could too. A hard lesson from her past life.
“A knight who doesn’t know that...”
The knight’s body, heart impaled, collapsed with a heavy thud.
“My disciple’s pathetic for having trash like you as escort.”
Truly pitiful. An escort knight turned assassin.
Disciple’s life is rough.
...But this should be safe now.
> Current Paralysis Rate: 98%
Damn, effective...
If her past life had this anesthetic, she’d have won a Nobel Prize.
Her eyes grew heavy. Even holding onto consciousness was at its limit.
Never joining another subjugation war...
Oh right. Gotta heal her disciple too...
“I-De... al! —Al!!”
The following rewards will be granted:
Recovery Potion x1, Ashu Kan Hart Training Degree +3%
May you ultimately reach a happy ending.
With her vision fading, she finally lost consciousness.