Chapter 185
Chapter 185
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 185
Chapter Title: Slayers' Assault at Sea
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BOOOOM!
One of the merchant ships positioned in the right column of the convoy fleet was engulfed in flames. It had been struck dead-on by a fireball hurled by a pirate mage.
“Oh my God.”
“We have to flee to the center column!”
As the fleet rocked wildly amid shouts and screams, pirates clambered aboard from above.
“Where do you think you’re going, pretty things? Heh heh heh.”
“We’ll have some fun with you!”
The sailors navigating this vast Southern Sea were all seafarers and fighters in one.
They grabbed swords and spears to face the pirates, but...
Before the three-meter-tall giants, they were nothing more than terrified lambs, no different from anyone else.
“Raaagh!”
The Giant Slayer slammed down his massive shield. Two sailors were pulverized into bloody pulp, and the entire deck caved in!
Spotting the cargo hold exposed beneath the shattered deck, piled high with countless barrels of liquor, the Giant Slayer grinned in satisfaction.
He snatched up three barrels at once, smashed them open, and guzzled the booze straight down his throat.
“That’s...!”
Before Valencidis, perched atop the mast, could even look down at the carnage in horror, the Mage Slayer charged in.
“Ha! You’ve got the leisure to look away? Impressive!”
A wind blade, infused with an infinite vacuum domain, was born from the tip of Valencidis’s fan as it swung, slicing through the air with a razor-sharp whoosh.
“Whoa, using some fancy toy, huh?”
It was a force that could effortlessly cleave through solid metal, yet...
“How does it stack up against my Mana Vein blade?”
The blade clashed against the enemy’s elegant swing—and instead of a thunderous boom, the wind blade fizzled out pathetically.
SCREEEEECH!
Sparks flew as fan met blade, filling the vision, their gazes locking up close.
“Bell Sidias...?”
“Aw, that surprised face is cute. But you’re not as shocked as I expected? We’ve met before or something?”
She thrust her left arm, forged of dark matter, toward him, but he slipped back with a dancer’s grace, slashing once—and it dispersed harmlessly!
“Attacks using abilities don’t work on me!”
A violet psychic surge coiled around his sword tip as it lunged forward.
Valencidis flipped through the air three times in succession to evade, while swinging her fan to spawn and unleash seven wind blades! Expertly done!
“Hah! That’s something!”
Mage Slayer Eren Ludwig deflected one with Mana Vein, dodged the next two, and dispersed the remaining four with it as well.
‘That sword...’
Valencidis narrowed her eyes as she landed on the deck of the central long-range fishing vessel.
‘There’s some mechanism in that sword. And it links with Bell Sidias to...’
Produce a power akin to Bell Quirius.
The ultimate force that nullifies all abilities—Bell Quirius. Facing it firsthand brought an immense sense of pressure...
The Mage Slayer truly lived up to his claim as the natural enemy of mages.
“Now, don’t move a muscle.”
As Valencidis prepared her next attack, the Mage Slayer—who had somehow landed elsewhere—grabbed a woman and spoke.
“Move, and she dies.”
Threads of mana extended from his fingers, ensnaring four other passengers as well.
“Of course, I’ll kill her even if you don’t.”
But before Valencidis could react, a boyish killer appeared, slashing the woman’s throat deep and grinning innocently!
“Why?”
“Why? Does killing people need a reason?”
“No. It was a pointless question.”
A sneer curled Valencidis’s lips as she watched the boy crush the throat of the woman gurgling blood foam.
Yes, just as the rumors said—inhuman to the core.
Whether 500 years ago, 10 years ago, or now. A band of madmen intoxicated by slaughter.
“So stop running and let’s have a hot night together! To calm this boiling heart of mine, I need a taste of your blood!”
Mana Vein tore through the air at eye-blurring speed.
“Beg for mercy! Cry to be spared!”
It nullified Valencidis’s first counter, exploiting the opening. A thin cut across the throat, then stabbing into the shoulder blade.
‘The worst matchup imaginable...’
Even the left hand conjured by black magic was scattered in one blow... That was the moment.
In the sliver of space between Eren, who had closed in for the kill, and Valencidis—fwoosh—a flame shot in and lodged there.
The Mage Slayer immediately backflipped, creating distance from the unknown attack, and grimaced.
“Stone Staff?”
And right then—
For an instant, it felt as if all color had drained from the world, only for a deafening roar to shatter eardrums.
Something icy cold flashed through the Mage Slayer’s mind.
“Huh?”
A lightning bolt tore across the night sky, plummeting to strike the sea surface.
The dozen or so pirate ships caught in the blaze had no chance to douse the flames or evacuate crew to other vessels.
In a single instant—just one.
They turned to ash piles and sank into the ocean.
And another one!
This time, a piercing flame column speared down onto the pirates who had rammed the merchant ships’ prows and were climbing aboard.
BOOOOM!
The water surface ripped upward as if torn, hot spray whipping even into the central column.
In mere seconds, every pirate aboard the fleet had been wiped out—except those already on deck.
“About time you showed up.”
A young man approached from where Valencidis urged him on.
Dreadful flames still flickered from the hand tying the straw hat’s cord securely under his chin—a backlash from unleashing massive fire magic.
Beneath the hat’s shadow, red eyes gleamed. The exact same glow as the Mage Slayer’s.
“You one of the Slayers?”
Overwhelmed by that supernatural presence, the Mage Slayer fell silent for a moment.
When he finally spoke...
His eyes sparkled with boyish innocence.
“Whoa, those eyes... You’re my descendant, aren’t you? No, my nephew’s descendant?”
“...?”
“Someday I wanted to collect eyes that had awakened Bell Sidias. Mind if I take yours?”
No point talking to him.
One look at that blood-drenched blade and the smile, and it was obvious—this was the legendary killer.
“Valencidis, help evacuate and treat the people. The witches can’t handle it alone.”
“Got it. Watch that sword. It seems to disperse mana.”
“Hey! Where you going in the middle of our fun—!”
The Mage Slayer lunged at the turning Valencidis, but Rain intercepted, and sparks exploded.
Stone Staff met blade—and beyond them, two pairs of Bell Sidias eyes locked.
In the next instant, staff and sword clashed over a dozen times, erupting with explosive bursts.
“Wow, impressive! You’re the first mage to match my swordsmanship this well!”
Strengths evenly matched.
No—Eren had a slight edge?
Pushing the locked blades inch by inch toward Rain’s face, Eren licked his thick upper lip.
“Can’t hold back anymore! I want to gouge out those eyes right now!”
The moment Eren’s Bell Sidias gleamed ominously, the death realm suddenly split in half.
No—not split.
More precisely, the violet-ether blade had slyly slipped between the staff.
“—!”
The tip shredded Rain’s hat brim, tracing a bloodline from jaw to throat.
Caught off guard, Rain kicked off the deck, somersaulting while unleashing a barrage of fireballs!
Eren dodged or nullified them with Mana Vein in fluid motion, pressing forward!
“Ha! Yes, run! Show me that fleeing face!”
Rain regripped his staff and shifted stance. He knew now for sure.
It doesn’t nullify mana.
It severs the framework of mana—the links that allow abilities to exist, using ability against ability. Knowing that was enough.
‘Using that synergy to partially draw out Bell Quirius’s power, huh.’
But it’s just a loser’s imitation. Useless against the real Bell Quirius.
‘More annoying than the sword is fighting on deck.’
One misstep in power control, and the whole fleet burns. Everything’s wood. Anywhere else, he’d have obliterated them.
“Third Thunder.”
With a finger snap, a blade of flame ripped across the sky. But Eren, sensing mana flow and coordinates via Bell Sidias, evaded easily!
“Whoa, nephew’s going all out! Trying to blow up the whole ship?!”
The bolt that seemed poised to incinerate the vessel outright fizzled and vanished just before striking the deck.
Bell Quirius.
0101010001—since it was his own spell, reverse analysis was instant. And he hadn’t aimed to hit directly anyway.
The real one was this.
Eren, evading the bolt’s coordinates, was suddenly engulfed by a torrent of flames surging toward him.
“Useless tricks like this!”
Eren’s eyes lit up—Bell Sidias.
In this world ruled by 0s and 1s, all abilities objectively unravel. Their structure, framework, formulas...!
Found it.
No matter how robust the ability, there’s always a boundary.
Where powers meet and join.
Sever that boundary, and the power reverts to powerless 0s and 1s. Just like this... wait, what?
“Bell Quirius.”
At that instant, annoyingly, the spell’s nature, form, and formula shifted.
“Huh?!”
The boundary’s position changed seamlessly as well.
The slash aiming for the boundary became meaningless motion, and his body was swept into the flame torrent!
Had the genius archmage instantly cracked the Mage Slayer’s style and seized the advantage?
“Raaagh!”
No—in that split second before engulfment, a giant surged forward.
Giant Slayer, blocking the flames to either side with oversized shields on both wrists.
The Mage Slayer exhaled sharply, patting the giant’s calf.
“Whew! You saved me, Adon.”
“Raaagh!”
And one by one, they appeared on deck, surrounding Rain—Slayer executives!
“Duur-Morris, Raven Slayer. Death to all crows.”
“Duur-Morris, Navy Slayer. Death to all navy men.”
“Duur-Morris, Sailor Slayer. Death to all sailors.”
Kora, watching the battle from the left column’s merchant ship, paled.
“Three Masters and two Arcs...”
The New Slayers were divided into four ranks.
Arc Slayers.
Master Slayers.
Adept Slayers.
Lesser Slayers.
Arc Slayers were the old Slayers’ Nine, the leadership. Master Slayers were the former 100 mercenaries under them.
Adepts and Lessers were newly trained slave soldiers from the Teresh Isles—Slime Slayer fell into this category.
“You gonna let him fight alone? Not gonna help?”
Valencidis shrugged as she chanted healing rites over the wounded.
“That’d just get in his way. Especially in a shipboard fight like this.”
“What? Helping would hinder him?”
“Simply put, no need to worry. He’s the strongest human alive right now, FakeWarrior aside.”
“...!”
“So Aki, you stay put too. That’s why I’m keeping you with me.”
Aki, mid-leap across decks, was grabbed by the scruff and shot Valencidis a pouty glare.
“Won’t work no matter how much you sulk. Unlike him, I’m not soft-hearted.”
Meanwhile, Rain glanced sidelong at the tightening encirclement of Slayers.
“Bell Quirius for real? I want it, hah! Want it so bad!”
Ignoring the Mage Slayer panting like a pervert and stomping his feet...
“What’s your goal?”
The fleet column, riding high waves, plummeted toward sea level, spraying water.
“What are Link’s descendants plotting? What’s your connection to Zernix? Did he tell you I was on this ship?”
In response, the water mage Navy Slayer spat on the deck.
“Guess the slime bitch’s accomplice really is this guy.”
Meeting Rain’s gaze head-on, Eren nonchalantly wiped a blood clot from his cheek.
“Who knows? What’s the right answer?”
“Doesn’t matter if you answer. I’ll head there soon enough and wipe out every last Slayer.”
“That cocky bastard mouthing off!”
Tension built, sweat beading on brows in that instant!
Sailor Slayer charged with dual blades—Rain’s staff smashed his cervical vertebrae, instant death! Expertly!
Raven Slayer’s monster crows were all shot down by Pipi’s flame wings from above!
“No way, why’s Beast Slayer...?”
“Idiot, that’s not Beast Slayer! It’s a different sun parrot!”
Giant Slayer charged at Rain as he yanked the staff from Sailor Slayer’s neck!
“Raaagh!”
Clasping both hands, he merged the massive shields’ weight into one, slamming vertically down at the boy’s head!
Any creature struck dead-on by that absurdly huge, heavy shield—dragonkin aside—would shatter to bone dust and die instantly.
But in that instant, a flame barrier encircled Rain, and the clash of power and ability unleashed a transcendent shockwave!
“Raaagh?!”
Blinding heatwave that made keeping eyes open impossible, sulfur and ash choking breath... Giant Slayer dropped to one knee.
“Heh, opening!”
A magic circle bloomed in Navy Slayer’s palm.
Maintaining a barrier required a stationary stance—common knowledge. He seized the gap, yanking up seawater from both sides of the ship in bulk.
This intense hydraulic pressure would shatter the barrier and clear a path for Mage Slayer!
“With this— what?!”
But what was this... The moment Rain changed hand seals, the barrier split into countless embers, raining down on Navy Slayer!
What had he done?
Had he altered the very definition of magic—the runes themselves? How?
“Gah, gaaaaah!”
No time to finish the thought.
Engulfed in transcendent flames, Navy Slayer charred to a lump before he could dive into the sea, collapsing.
As the charred remains swept away by a deck-crashing wave, Mana Vein and Stone Staff clashed from a blind spot!
“Hey~ Told you that won’t work!”
But perhaps because Stone Staff was ability-constructed, close quarters put him at a disadvantage.
Once more, Mana Vein impossibly slipped through, deeply slashing Rain’s chest!
Yet instantly, a whirlwind of flames swirled around Rain! Eren braced on the deck with one hand, backflipping to evade!
“That blood tastes divine...”
Licking the blood from his blade, the Mage Slayer sensed anomaly that instant.
“Huh?”
The ship was rocking wildly with the waves...
The convoy fleet had drifted far away. This ship alone was adrift on the open sea, crewless.
Pipi landed on Rain’s shoulder then, glaring at the Mage Slayer’s Bell Sidias with beady eyes.
“Fake, fake, loser, loser.”
Then shook its butt in mockery!
For the first time, cold fury flickered in Eren’s ever-smiling eyes!
“Pipi, tell Valencidis we’ll regroup at <Karshiko>.”
“Tell, tell, tell.”
Pipi flew toward the fleet. Watching it, Eren tapped his shoulder with Mana Vein’s flat and tilted his head.
“What? Self-sacrifice? ‘I’ll take these to hell, you guys go ahead’ type?”
Made him look ridiculous.
Mages can’t handle me. He caught me off guard earlier, sure.
“I can see every move you’ll make, every spell, every tactic. The moment you start casting, I know and counter. You know this power better than anyone—Bell Sidias.”
“Really? You sure about that?”
“Heh! Let’s test it! Adon, don’t smash his head! Those eyes are mine!”
“Raaagh!”
Adon’s triple shield slam pulverized the deck, filling vision with splinters and nails.
Left, right, left!
Rain rolled, dodging each by a hair, as Mage Slayer lunged!
“Swordsmanship’s my specialty! Bell Quirius won’t pierce me meaningfully!”
As Rain swung to parry Mana Vein, Giant Slayer’s fourth overhead smash!
He timed the deck-shattering recoil perfectly to disrupt Rain’s balance! Incredible combat synergy!
Shunk.
The sweet sound of blade ripping flesh, membrane, organs rang in Eren’s ears.
“Sorry, mages are all just prey to me.”
Blood trailed down the blade buried deep in Rain’s side.
Now, time to kill him slow and painful.
Gouge those eyeballs first...
But that instant, Rain’s hand clamped Eren’s sword hand and throat with terrifying grip strength.
“Wha...?!”
No, it hadn’t even pierced that deep.
At the moment of impact, Rain had seized Eren’s wrist, diverting the trajectory sideways.
And now, impossible to break free!
“Strictly speaking.”
As if underscoring the words, smoke rose from the blood dripping onto the deck—like flames incarnate in flesh, as with crimson dragons.
“I’m no mage right now.”
Perfect capture. No escape.
He’d deliberately shown an opening to lure and grab.
For this, he’d used Bell Quirius to sever the ritual chains binding this ship to the fleet.
“I’m a dragon.”
To finish them with his ultimate spell, Incineration Blood Fang, at full power—no holding back.
“You mad bastard, self-destructing now?”
Eren’s eyes widened in shock, reading the overwhelming mana surging in Rain via Bell Sidias. Instinctual terror at the insane density!
“Ever seen a dragon hurt by its own fire?”
“Adon, help, Adon!”
“Fourth Thunder.”
Rain snapped his fingers, and thunder roared its dominance across the world, devouring heaven and earth in blood-red.