Chapter 214
Chapter 214
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 214
Chapter Title: Shyrfang's Wielder
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“These guys slacking off somewhere? Why the hell aren't they here yet?”
It was the fifth time Rem had grumbled.
He had sent the waiter for that cool, minty traditional liquor three times already.
It was a village about half a day's walk past the Great Bridge, and they were supposed to link up here.
“Something must've happened to them, right?”
Rem snorted at Bart's words.
“Hmph, don't talk nonsense. We checked thoroughly passing the Great Bridge—no suspicious vibes anywhere.”
“Hmm.”
“What, you don't trust me? Guess the fake couple act turned into real lovey-dovey stuff.”
As he said that, a single crack suddenly spread across his teacup, shattering it cleanly with a ting.
Serwebon let out a single cry, emitting light.
At that ominous portent, Rem belched.
“Hmm, maybe something really did happen?”
Just then, something caught the archer's sharp ears.
- ……Run, run away…….
The sound of footsteps rushing desperately toward the village, cart wheels rattling, a merchant? Panicked screams and mutterings, warnings.
“Plague, plague! The plague's spread to the Great Bridge! It'll hit here soon!”
“Plague?”
“Plague?”
“The one from the plague zones—they say the Great Bridge is a total hellscape! It'll spread here too—run for it!”
Plague?
In an instant, Rem and Bart's eyes met. They tossed two silver coins on the table and bolted out of the inn.
* * *
“Mental construct: Thunder Radiance—Flow Sovereign.”
Like dipping a brush in ink on blank paper, a golden circle spread across the ground from its center, where thunder runes flickered.
The four auxiliary squares forming around it were octagonal, the shape of lightning magic arrays.
Transcendent lightning, too overwhelming to describe, sparked and flashed from every corner of the arrays.
- Shyrfang, that greatsword-class holy sword, has the special ability to absorb some of the enemy's magic power. It amplifies strength with it.
A conversation with Rista from 300 years ago surfaced.
Rista Alter Shyrfang.
Her middle name "Alter" meant proxy from the start, so he had no intention of claiming to be Shyrfang's sole swordmaster.
- In other words, the greater the power opposing Shyrfang, the higher the limit of what I can wield! Isn't it fantastic?
But that holy sword wasn't meant to be used like this. It shouldn't be used to cut down the innocent.
Just as Serwebon had been part of Kies, their comrade, Shyrfang had journeyed with them to the world's end.
“Pip, Aki! Protect Obin.”
“Understood!”
“Pipi, pipi, pipi.”
As he inhaled and exhaled to steady his thoughts, he spotted the assassin kicking off the ground.
“Wire Iron Halberd.”
With a crackle of burning current, countless thunderbolts erupted from the mental barrier's arrays like stakes.
A 5-star steel spell devised in the era of chaos—now with lightning attribute, its speed was beyond words.
The thunder barrier clashed with lightspeed slashes, unleashing a ferocious gust that tore at skin with a deafening craaaack.
“Paper Chain Thunder Bind, Thunder Style.”
Before the aftershock could sweep heavily underfoot, he activated the尊 rune in the barrier.
Twice as powerful as usual without full mental expansion, chains whipped forth at lightning speed, targeting the assassin's limbs.
Was it coincidence that Rista's image overlapped the assassin as they dodged the chains with acrobatic minimalism?
'No coincidence.'
The sword, the swordsmanship, the movements—all identical?
Cold sweat poured as the assassin closed in, evading lashing chains with divine footwork.
And the next instant, after all checks failed, stone staff met Shyrfang in a wrist-shattering jolt of pain.
'Setsunen's power bracing my wrist saved me.'
Pain alone? The savage blade's wind nearly hurled his body away.
Shyrfang's edge began glowing like flames, slowly absorbing the opponent's power—Alakish's, that is.
Then a mental blow hit harder than the physical.
“You, you're…… who the hell are you?”
What the—.
He gasped blankly.
Even the tiniest habits in a single motion matching Rista's……?
[Aruu……!]
Overwhelming strength pushed his arms back, blade slicing toward his face.
“Fall back!”
Miria's red afterimage filled his vision, shoving the oppressive pressure away.
'No distractions. Focus.'
Sword vs. mage matchup—even generously, 8:2.
Mage always at disadvantage.
Milone Alter Gaumris outclassing Nariaduk by levels yet dominating combat? That matchup.
Mages were built for one-vs-many, not duels.
'And that Shyrfang…… worst matchup for a mage.'
Absurd plan, but treat it like fighting Rista.
Activate流 rune.
Recalling moves from 300 years ago: next would be right dodge.
“……!”
Left foot steps forward.
Converting dodge momentum to aggressive lunge. Closing gap with a leap.
Read perfectly to there.
'Got you.'
Before the assassin, tracing a chillingly smooth arc to slash his throat with Shyrfang—
Pre-deployed Paper Chain Thunder Bind chains lunged straight for the body.
From right, left, ground, sky—every direction…… target locked.
Magic array construct, 5-star.
Runes engraved:砲,闡,殲,激,雷.
“Annihilation Thunder Radiance Cannon.”
Ring克兰's dragon-breath mimic 5-star fire spell, swapped to lightning—prioritize speed over power.
That speed to seize victory in the blink between life and death.
Array shatters with a clear tone, birthing absolute thunderstrike amid the echo.
Before the sound ended, before instinct closed eyes from blinding flash, fierce light bathed the ground gold……
“……?”
……Convinced of victory one step away, Bell Quirius hyper-amplified focus, world flow suddenly slowing.
In the sharply cognized slowed world, it was clear.
Ignoring slowed world's laws alone, assassin regripped hilt at terrifying speed.
Unknown pressure chilled his mind.
No, he knew exactly.
Spacetime around him—the Great Bridge area—shimmered like heat haze.
‘Spacetime Annihilation.’
Bell Quirius boost for dodging this? Could evade and counter easily.
High win chance.
But then……
His right rear—Aki tilting head—eyes met, body moved before mind.
Screeech, griiiind, shiiiing!
Thin cracks spreading along slash trajectory through spacetime.
Cracks shattered like glass, slicing all existence in the area.
Shyrfang's Spacetime Annihilation ignored all defenses on its path.
The forbidden art that ended the chaos era, elevating Rista from hero to legend.
Why it eclipsed even the Dragon Slayer's fame, humanity's greatest sword.
Heartbeats passed—one.
Hals Dracus—the Great Bridge symbolizing draconic peace—now bore a straight void.
As if heralding the final era…… the newborn void resisted providence, storm raging, robes flapping.
“Guhk.”
Only then did a heavy breath chunk burst from his throat, with scorching blood and bile.
“Aki, you're not hurt, right?”
He could still smile.
Had to.
Seeing Aki and Pipi safe. Despite the slash carving his chest deep, entrails spilling, blood pouring.
“A, Abu……?”
Good thing he threw up a barrier merging two healers and Selesia's power—or one's absence would've decapitated his upper body.
“Lin, Lin, Lin, Lin, Lin.”
Pipi flew in panic, but victory was decided. Reverted Setsunen to hatchling form.
“Pipi, take Aki and Nen and…….”
Before finishing, clang—a heavy shadow darkened vision.
True assassin eradicates without mercy. And those words to Pipi might be his last.
Mental barrier dispersing, Balensidis and Miria rushing but half-beat late.
‘Should've prioritized win, sacrificed Aki?’
No.
Even if right, he'd do the same.
'No regrets. Same situation a hundred times, same choice.'
With Aki and Nen behind him.
Sensing end, head turning forward—that instant, time froze.
Was "can't believe my eyes" for times like this?
‘Am I still trapped in a nightmare?’
Aimed to kill him over offsetting Annihilation Thunder Radiance?
Helmet melted or flung—assassin's face fully revealed.
Uncannily serene.
No sorrow, joy, malice, goodwill—emotionless eyes.
'No.'
Couldn't match those always brimming with feeling.
'How……?'
Felt like filthy nightmare. But that face, those eyes.
“……Rista?”
Just uttering the name stabbed his heart like needles.
Why, why?
Shock halted even Pipi's wingbeats, nearly crashing—both voiced simultaneously.
“Genuine, genuine, genuine.”
Might be their last emotion, voice……
Suddenly, Shyrfang raised overhead flickered with sobbing swordlight.
Assassin's eyes wavered, blade poised to claim lives.
“Mission…….”
Swallowed dryly.
Clutched forehead in agony.
That voice—clear, refreshing spring sunlight.
“Must…… complete the mission…….”
Thread holding crumbling body snapped—knees buckled.
“Rain Ludwig!”
Miria blocked between Rista and him, Balensidis supporting as situation hit rock bottom.
“Even heroes are just human in the end.”
Three shadows entered fading, muddied vision.
Spearman with bladeless shaft.
Archer nocking.
Hands clasped in prayer.
Vastly stronger presence than nightmare flutist, suffocating killing intent.
Dawn Brigade elites?
“Flesh may be frail human, but soul harbors dragon.”
Bowstring drawn.
“Show minimal respect.”
Bladeless spear erupted blinding light, forming blade.
“In place of unworthy humans, we first heirs claim that life.”
Second life nearing curtain—flame explosion roared. Aki blocking them, shouting.
It called miracle.
Instantly, his body, Balensidis's, Miria's, Pipi's, Obin's, Setsunen's, Aki's—engulfed in flame.
“Hm……?!”
Flames holding untouchable power.
Yet not hot.
Same warmth from polar wastes, sending him to future. Alakish's power? No, impossible. Alakish……
“Flame space-time transfer?”
“Such power exists?”
“Run—they'll finish us!”
As their power reached, Great Bridge scenery warped impossibly, inverting.
Salty sea vanished, replaced by ancient basement dust and mold.
Ocean-sky horizon gone, ominous yet comforting darkness ruled vision.
Where? What happened?
Before one voiced, whoosh—mysterious flame kindled in dark, like lit candle.
「Forgive this discourteous summoning.」
Basement air quivered silently at the flame's voice. Proof of transcendent presence.
Not Alakish. Elderly, stern male.
Soul trembled. Alakish's fragments wept clearly.
“Uncle?”
Aki stepped forward with odd familiarity; Setsunen clung, consciousness hazy.
「Until my niece's blood responded to my call, I couldn't intervene—my flesh long decayed, only soul remnants remain.」
Red blade vanished from Miria's gripped demon sword.
Who are you?
「Second of five Red True Dragons, named Shalessaroom by the Great Flame—'to cradle' in your tongue.」
Shalessaroom?
Brain numb from nonstop shocks.
Shalessaroom died 500 years ago. Statue on Great Bridge, right?
“Thanks for the aid, but what's the purpose of summoning us?”
Balensidis cut to core. Shalessaroom replied, voice faintly sorrowful.
「Indeed. To avert calamity upon this land—and judge my daughter.」