Chapter 170
Chapter 170
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 170
Chapter Title: Threat from the North 2
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Meanwhile, Azadin was confirming the movements of Doneer and his gang through the Emperor's Voice.
The Emperor's Voice had taken it upon itself to act as a Foresight Bird, scouting the surroundings and relaying the information to Azadin.
It wasn't connected by magic to share vision directly like a true Foresight Bird, but the Emperor's Voice's descriptions alone were plenty helpful.
It hadn't been like this before.
The Emperor's Voice was an artificial spirit. An ownerless one would normally conserve mana as much as possible for its own maintenance.
Yet here it was, cooperating with Azadin like this. Maybe it was because he'd been promoted to Second Herald, or perhaps due to his accumulated contributions—either way, the increased cooperation was nothing to complain about.
[Be careful, Azadin. An armed group of about eight is heading this way.]
“An armed group of eight? Is that them? The killer monster the roadside bandits were looking for?”
[I can't say for sure, but Nether mana is definitely emanating from them. And get this—near those guys, there are ogre and goblin corpses piled up. A whole company's worth.]
“Eight of them took down a company?”
If that was true, then those must be the killers—the monsters—the bandits had been hunting.
“Hey, can you relay my voice to those bandits we passed earlier? If you explain it well without freaking them out too much, we might get their help.”
The bandits might bolt in fright if an artificial spirit suddenly spoke to them. But then the Emperor's Voice made an unexpected suggestion.
[What if we imitate the voices of their murdered comrades? If we explain the situation in a creepy tone, don't you think they'll come running on their own?]
“A dignified voice like yours pulling a stunt like that...”
[Should I not?]
“No, I'm all for it. It's just... you're being so proactive all of a sudden, it's throwing me off. Is this because I got promoted?”
[Many Heralds have quit, willingly or otherwise. We're just protecting the ones we have left, even if they still have mana.]
“What?”
Azadin was stunned by the Emperor's Voice's words.
Heralds quitting voluntarily or by force? That was unthinkable.
Of course, Heralds weren't completely invincible. They could suffer injuries, some permanent enough to end their duties.
Or age could dull their skills, leading them to pass the role to a successor and retire.
But that kind of retirement or succession wouldn't prompt the Emperor's Voice to mention leftover mana.
It was referring to vacancies left by vanished Heralds.
Euphemisms for execution or dismissal.
Dying in the line of duty seemed unlikely... especially right after the recent Arael tribe rebellion.
“No way... Did they execute the Heralds who sided with the Arael tribe that rebelled against the Council of Elders?”
[That's not for me to say, Azadin. I've told them—as if speaking with their comrades' voices—to avenge us, or face our curse—and passed on the info.]
“Ah, even threatening a curse? Then they'll come running with sweat on their feet.”
[Exactly. They're scared out of their wits but not fleeing. To escape the curse and avenge their comrades, they're rushing over.]
Just as the Emperor's Voice said, the bandits were grabbing weapons from their camp and charging this way.
“You're planning to sic the bandits on them. Not a bad idea.”
Shati was surprised by Azadin's scheme, deliberately using even the Emperor's Voice to drag the bandits into the fight.
“But it makes sense. The bandits want revenge, and we can't just leave those guys alone, right?”
Zibek defended Azadin as he drew his sword, inspecting the blade and wiping away grime with a leather strap.
“Enough chit-chat, everyone—get the civilians to safety! We'll link up with those bandits!”
Azadin, who had retreated while protecting the migrants, now joined forces with the oncoming bandits.
And almost simultaneously, Doneer and his gang crested the hill and arrived before Azadin's group.
*********
“Isn't that one of those Herald clansmen?”
Bandit King Doneer spotted Azadin's group and actually seemed pleased.
The Heresy Inquisitor Zekt had ordered him to hunt down Azadin and Zibek. He hadn't expected to find them here.
‘That bastard Zekt's a real mastermind. How'd he know a Herald would cross the border? Or just a lucky coincidence?’
Doneer felt his body itching for action.
In the past, he'd gotten a bitter lesson from Azadin's crew.
But he wasn't the same man now. How would it go this time? Even against a Herald called the God-King Slayer, the Soulless Blasphemer—his group, now accustomed to their monster powers, might have the edge.
That's when he saw Azadin nocking an arrow.
-Whoosh!
An arrow came flying.
Incredibly fast, but there was distance, and since he saw it fired, he could track its path.
“It's obvious! You bastard!”
One of Doneer's men tried to swat it away with his shield.
But...
-Thunk!
The arrow pierced the head of the shield-bearer. He'd clearly seen the trajectory and swung his shield to deflect it, but midway, the arrow spun, veered off-course, and nailed him in the skull.
“Ka-ha-ha-hat! Idiot! Herald arrows change trajectory! You didn't even know that?”
Even as their comrade's head was skewered, they laughed it off like no big deal.
The victim himself sheepishly yanked out the arrow. For a normal person, it would've been fatal. But amazingly, as he pulled it free, dark red worms wriggled from the wound, sealing it up.
The Azure Banner soldiers who saw this recoiled in horror.
“Eek?!”
“W-what the hell is that?!”
“Monsters!”
“Oh, that's the...”
The image of the shattered roadside tree flashed in their minds.
Monsters with strength to hurl people and snap giant trees. Those were the beasts slaughtering and devouring people.
They charged like men, but the monstrous shadow they cast made the onlookers tremble in fear.
‘Funny thing—you lot are spawn too.’
They'd been neutralized by Arael's drug, but just yesterday, they too had been monsters dealing out death.
“Let's see what you're made of.”
Azadin unleashed a barrage of cheap iron-tipped arrows.
He deployed the Herald art of the Serial Shot Palace—firing arrows in sequence from one draw, striking the target simultaneously. Three arrows hit one foe at once.
The man tried blocking with his shield but got tagged by the others, screaming—only to recover from the arrow wounds moments later.
“Arrows won't kill them.”
The Azure Banner Daoist Jiswa panicked, but Azadin kept firing, slowing the eight enemies' charge and splitting their formation so they couldn't rush all at once.
Then the bandits stepped up.
Furious over lost comrades and invaded territory, they gladly charged in, shooting arrows and swinging polearms to hammer the lead monsters.
Blood sprayed, and a sanguine wind rose.
The well-armed bandits fought with impressive skill, chilling the Azure Banner youths to the bone. They must have been renowned mercenaries once.
“Damn, these bastards fight too well. Doneer!”
“We've got limits in human form!”
“Do it!”
The monsters revealed their true forms.
They'd been toying with the vengeful bandits' swordplay like cats batting cornered rats, secure in the knowledge they could crush them at full power.
The bandits, dominant moments ago, fell into dire straits instantly.
“I get what you're going for, but I can't just stand by and watch.”
Zibek couldn't hold back at the sight and stepped forward.
He knew Azadin was pitting the bandits against Doneer's gang to wear them down, but he couldn't let them die right in front of him.
“This guy's...”
“That's the holy knight?!”
Doneer's crew recognized Zibek and lunged. Zekt had ordered them to capture him too.
But Zibek calmly met the bandits—no, the oncoming foes.
“Sir Brand sends his regards.”
In that instant, a rusted mace flew from Zibek's hand, crashing to the ground. The sacred magic of the King's Church activated, smiting the freshly transformed ones with the divine punishment of King's Radiance.
“Argh!”
Zibek charged in, slashing with his longsword to sever arms from Doneer's gang, then angling right to slice hamstrings and calves behind the knees.
The bandit crew were skilled swordsmen, but Zibek's refined technique made their efforts look like children's play-fighting.
In a flash, he crippled limbs, forcing them to kneel, then swung his sword horizontally—like an executioner beheading a convict—severing their heads.
Not letting his guard down, he recited a litany, casting a purification spell that burned the black worms pouring from the severed bodies in white flames.
“Ugh!”
“King's Radiance!”
Doneer's gang couldn't even look at Zibek—the King's Radiance pouring from him was too blinding.
They'd gained immense power as monsters, but that made them all the more vulnerable to King's Radiance. Against a true holy knight like Zibek, they were even more outmatched.
“…What? That guy's that strong?”
As Doneer faltered in shock, Azadin charged him.
*********
“Block him!”
“You bastard!”
Doneer's men spewed worms from their bodies, bulking up and flailing limbs. The weapons in their enlarged hands—and their massive forearms themselves—hurtled toward Azadin with terrifying mass.
But Azadin unfurled Shadow Step, slipping under their attacks, ignoring the others to appear right in Doneer's face.
“Long time no see, Doneer. What brings you here?”
“Urk... You! You're that Herald from before!”
Doneer tried countering Azadin, but first, Azadin's hand speared his left eye.
Fingers hooked and bunched, he jabbed lightly, shredding the eye and socket entirely.
“Argh!”
For the current Doneer, losing an eye wasn't a big deal.
But from the struck wound, a burning pain spread through his whole body—as if aflame. Azadin, infused with King's Radiance via the New God Scripture facsimile, inflicted agony on Doneer.
“Aaaah!”
Doneer writhed on the ground in unbearable torment. Azadin kicked him away.
“Urk!”
“You're being a real drama queen. I can't kill you quick and painless for Sir Brand's sake if you're gonna whine like this.”
“You bastard... that old man's...”
“You need to die in agony.”
“Don't make me laugh!”
Doneer reflexively swung his weapon, but Azadin dodged and drove a kick into his torso.