Chapter 238
Chapter 238
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 238
Chapter Title: Plunge into the Sky Citadel
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Ramin figured there was no way to hold a proper conversation while plummeting through the air, so he said nothing and simply looked down.
The round horizon came into view, along with the Sky Citadel drawing ever closer, the fleet of airships surrounding it, and the naval fleet below.
Water columns erupted continuously around the fleet due to the Empire's bombardment.
'Considering the Sky Citadel's trajectory, it has to be that way.'
Ramin steadied himself mid-freefall.
He had initially thought his body might spin, but spreading his arms slowed him slightly, while tucking in his limbs increased his speed.
Once he got his bearings, he oriented himself toward the Sky Citadel.
'It's coming into clearer view now.'
Fortunately, as he fell faster, the vast expanse of the Sky Citadel became more apparent, making a plunge into the ocean seem unlikely.
The Sky Citadel itself retained the ancient framework from antiquity.
A tower roughly two hundred meters tall featured a streamlined spiral staircase ascending from the outside.
This was an architectural style unseen not only in the Union Kingdom but also in the Empire or the Ronante-Oban Alliance.
The original Sky Citadel had only the spiral staircase, with nothing inside, rendering it non-functional as a true 'citadel.' It was merely a massive chunk of land floating in the sky.
Later, the Union Kingdom filled the tower's interior, so the buildings visible from each ascending spiral level changed accordingly.
The tower's lowest tier retained the initial crude stone stacking from when the Sky Citadel was first discovered.
Subsequent layers mimicked ancient styles with neat stone walls, followed by opulent constructions during the unification of the Second Continent—symbols of abundance and praise for the gods. These eventually gave way to utilitarian designs amid the long wars with the Empire.
The top of the spiral staircase remained empty, seemingly reserved for the Union Kingdom's future conquests.
'Wait, if I jump straight to the top of that citadel, couldn't I land right in front of the Sovereign and take him out?'
The citadel around the spiral tower was known to be divided into concentric sections by several walls, housing a city for nobles who frequented the king's tower and soldiers guarding it. But now, the interior stood empty.
Instead, the fortified city bristled with anti-air cannons on every rooftop, and the few people moving about wore plain uniforms rather than conquest regalia.
The Union Kingdom's scouts likely hadn't spotted the three tiny, fast-falling figures.
But Ramin abandoned the idea of assassinating the Sovereign.
Killing the Sovereign wouldn't stop the Union Kingdom's army.
Stopping the Sky Citadel, however, would halt their forces.
'...Alright, but...'
Ramin felt a sudden pang of doubt as the Sky Citadel loomed abruptly close.
'...How do I land?'
Ramin tried to right himself properly.
A large tree beside what looked like stables might cushion the impact, but on second thought, his speed was too great.
'Huh?'
The final dozens of meters blurred past before Ramin could even register them.
The ground rushed up far faster than expected.
-Thud.
Ramin doubted his ears.
He glanced down at his feet.
Firm ground supported him solidly.
"...?"
Ramin felt a powerful gust of wind catch his entire body just before impact.
The wind spun him once from head to toe, setting him down properly on his feet.
Behind the bewildered Ramin came Gorgota, wearing a grumpy expression that suggested the fall hadn't been enjoyable, followed by Owen, who looked as if he regretted plummeting alongside them.
Owen spoke.
"Is there any need to get so worked up over a miracle from the god?"
"Well, sure..."
"From the descent, it looked like that direction."
Gorgota shook his head as if still dizzy and said,
"Mm... We'd better take that side path."
"Isn't that the long way around?"
"Right before we landed, I think we were spotted. They didn't pinpoint exactly what we were, or maybe didn't have time to fire, since no anti-air shots came. But a small scout squad is heading this way—right where you landed, Ramin."
Ramin and Owen agreed.
This was movement they'd anticipated to some degree.
However, the Union Kingdom wasn't some insignificant minor nation; it rivaled the Blackscale Empire as a great power.
No matter how they infiltrated at freefall speed, it could still be seen as suspicious activity.
That alone wouldn't easily draw the gaze of the gods, though.
But if a fight broke out and escalated, it would attract the Wrathful One's attention, lowering their chances of mission success.
The three quickly slipped into a side alley between stone walls and vanished into the maze of backstreets.
The Sky Citadel was designed with intruders in mind, so despite appearances of a normal city, its layout twisted like a labyrinth.
It even accounted for imperial surveillance, irregularly demolishing and rebuilding walls in new positions.
This was possible because the interior wasn't a living space for ordinary citizens.
Still, the three had access to the latest maps, though their complexity left Ramin and Owen unable to make much sense of them.
Fortunately, they had an agent with them who excelled at such learning, unlike the other two.
"It was confusing from above due to tunnels and passages, but navigating it firsthand jogs my memory of the layout. ...This way."
With Gorgota leading the sprint, Owen keenly picked up on the enemy scouts' noises or spotted their shadows, allowing them to reach the Sky Citadel's edge without interference.
The edge featured massive spiral wings the size of houses.
Before each spiral wing stood a bunker-like control station.
Gorgota said,
"Now for the tricky part. As far as I know, standard Union Kingdom bunkers house at least one machine gun. That size could fit two easily. And it's wide open between us and the bunker."
"True. Then one of us draws their attention while..."
A bolt of lightning streaked horizontally, striking the bunker.
-Boom!
Smoke billowed from the bunker's gun ports moments after the flash pierced inside.
Gorgota and Ramin stared at Owen in shock.
Owen, burning herbs, replied,
"I figured we were in a hurry. How long would it take to turn that massive spiral wing by hand? Right now, speed matters more than safety."
Gorgota, who had been prone in the brush, brushed off his clothes and stood.
"...You're right, elder. The scouts will arrive anyway, so that's not the issue. We need to reverse-thrust those spiral wings somehow—and fast."
"Then let's hurry."
They entered the bunker with Gorgota in the lead, immediately revealing the controls.
The simple mechanism allowed Gorgota to quickly teach Ramin and Owen the bare minimum for propulsion.
Once reverse thrust was engaged via the controls, the key was to smash the propulsion device to lock it in place.
After the explanation, Gorgota said,
"This is where we split up. We need at least five spiral wings reversed."
The thrusters lined the Sky Citadel's edge, so they divided into two teams heading opposite ways.
Owen said,
"I'll go alone. My disciple here still doesn't quite grasp the explanation. He's never been good with machines."
"Don't say that, Master. You're embarrassing me."
"Did you get it?"
"Not really, but... You aren't exactly an expert either, are you? You never studied it yourself..."
Owen shook his head.
"Kid, I pick it up just by looking—that's laziness on my part. You're just lazy because you want to be."
Ramin had no retort and averted his gaze.
Gorgota mediated awkwardly.
"Then we'll take the left."
"Alright. Stay safe."
"Yes, good luck."
Ramin added,
"Okay. Then I'll finish my side way faster than you, Master, and flatten your nose... Wait, that doesn't work on Lizardmen."
"As long as you don't sass your master like a disrespectful disciple, that's just slang—nothing wrong with it."
But contrary to Ramin's hopes, he and Gorgota didn't finish their tasks quicker.
First off, they ran into scouts.
"Intruders!"
The Union Kingdom's defenders leaped along the walls, spotting Ramin and Gorgota easily.
They ducked behind a stone wall, and Gorgota said in a panic,
"What do we do?"
Ramin replied calmly,
"Looks like they only spotted me. I should buy time here and draw the Wrathful One's gaze."
Anyone who understood what bearing a god's attention meant couldn't say it so casually.
Being noticed by the god of an enemy nation and faith meant death soon—or worse, a cursed fate of agonizing ruin.
The gods executed their values without mercy.
But Gorgota saw it as the most rational choice.
"Agreed. Let's do that."
"Can you infiltrate the bunker alone?"
"If safety's not a priority, I've got plenty of ways."
Ramin nodded.
"I'll charge into that inner passage, then you slip by."
Gorgota agreed.
As Ramin bolted, gunfire erupted behind him, and Gorgota dashed past.
Ramin drew every eye from the Sky Citadel defenders as he ducked into the passage.
'...Good?'
But the Sky Citadel guards were the Union Kingdom's elite.
They anticipated assaults, positioning for optimal pincer attacks on intruders.
In other words, Ramin faced an ambush from more defenders.
"Fire!"
Guards emerged from blind spots in the supposedly empty passage, unleashing a volley.
Ramin reflexively dodged and charged.
He drew his sword, slashing the bullets head-on.
The split projectiles grazed between his ears without losing speed.
Ramin twisted his blade more on the next volley.
This time, the split bullets rode the flat of his sword, curving sharply away.
'...It works!'
No matter how agile Ramin was, he couldn't outpace supersonic bullets.
But as he braced for pain, the shots merely grazed him.
'What?'
Closing the distance in a flash, Ramin struck faster than they could fire again, subduing them.
He checked himself.
'...Not a single hit?'
No time to wonder.
A woman emerged from the bent passage.
Her silhouette suggested human or Nix.
She wore a military uniform but was oddly bare-handed.
"Civilian?"
Ramin kept his sword trained on her, suspicious.
From the shadows, she said,
"You reek... of decay."
"Decay?"
"I've got a good nose."
Ramin sniffed his shoulder anxiously.
"...Not that bad, is it?"
"..."
Ignoring him, she continued,
"Mingling with the living won't make you one of them. Cursed brother."
"Cursed brother? So you're a vampire too?"
She crouched, chuckling lowly.
Ramin thought she stood, but no.
She lowered further, hands to the ground, shoulders and back bulging.
Her body was transforming.
'...Huh?'
Ramin knew the only race that changed like this.
Not vampires, but kin in some ways.
Both born from antiquity, from the Demon God.
'...Werewolf!'
Before he could fully process it, his body reacted to the danger.
His leaping footwork brought his blade down on the werewolf's lowered head.
But clang!—it was blocked.
The fully transformed werewolf had shed her human guise, revealing a fur-covered beast.
She gripped Ramin's sword with one hand.
The blade caught on her claws.
"This all you got? Empire vampire?"
The strength baffled Ramin.
He abandoned the strength contest, moving his free hand for a second sword.
Or tried to.
-Thwack!
Like slamming into a tree trunk, Ramin's body launched.
He smashed through the stone passage ceiling, flew into the air, then crashed back down.
'What? What just happened?'
He'd reflexively guarded, but his forearms throbbed and back burned—likely fractured.
A punch from the werewolf.
'Even for a werewolf, this power...'
Ramin rolled to his feet swiftly.
Debris rained from the ceiling where he'd lain.
The werewolf leaped onto the passage roof, revealing herself in the sunlight.
Ramin recognized her from the silver fur.
'...The Calamity Wolf!'
The werewolf approached.
"Yes, I am Arrega Lop, seventh apostle of the Wrathful One."
Ramin felt bile rise belatedly.
'So we got made. Facing an apostle...'
With Owen, maybe. Alone? Impossible, he thought.
'No, reframe it. One apostle here means their forces are poorly distributed. If I hold out with my life...'
A chill ran down Ramin's spine.
A familiar sensation now.
The thrill at the precipice, gazing down as vision expanded.
Not just the scene, but deeper, darker revelations.
The resolve to face death.
'This is the final sensation those who sacrificed in the Pantheon felt.'
Ramin embraced it.
Drawing his second sword, he declared,
'This is the power of the Wild Heavens.'
He finally understood.
'The closer the Sky Citadel gets to the Empire, the more fiercely the skies churn.'
Just as he thought.
Seongun was already preparing the next strike.
A shell from afar.
Fired from Mobility, its accuracy was abysmal at range.
But the shell arced skyward, riding the winds across the atmosphere.
Seongun realigned the wind paths for Mobility's shell.