Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Black Arrow 3
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“Alright then! Can you stand?”
Midiām lifted the fallen Brand to his feet.
“Ugh….”
“Wait a second. They took the New King Scripture!”
The Naga agent Shati stomped her feet in frustration. I understood her panic over losing a copy as precious as her own life, but from the Herald Clan's perspective, it was irritating. How much blood had the Herald Clan shed just to create that copy of the New King Scripture in the first place, only for some stranger—a Naga, no less, an enemy of humanity—to act like it was hers?
“There’s a lot I want to say, but let’s get out of here first!”
“But miss, you have those threads embedded in your body.”
“We’ll deal with pulling them out or cutting them later. For now, let’s go!”
Midiām took command and began leading everyone out of the forest.
*********
Zect moved to pursue the fleeing group, but at that moment, he sensed Azadin’s killing intent from the darkness of the forest. The sharp intent pricked at his skin like an incoming arrow, startling him into retreating.
“Surprised?”
“Impressive. Staying behind on that perilous road to face me in order to save the civilians. Your spirit of sacrifice is truly admirable.”
Zect offered what might have been sincere praise or mockery as he watched the Herald Clan boy and girl fleeing with the others.
“I’m not planning on sacrificing myself. The one sacrificing here is you.”
“But if you talk to me….”
Zect flung needles toward the direction of the voice. But there was no reaction, as if they’d snagged on nothing. Instead, an arrow came flying from the north, farther from the voice. It struck a bandit who had been pursuing the group.
*Thwack!*
The bandit’s upper body tore sideways from the impact. His ribcage shattered, lungs bursting out as entrails spilled forth.
“…….”
“N-No way.”
The bandits recoiled in horror. It wasn’t the power of an arrow—it was like a thrown spear, or siege weapon, or cannon blast.
Even bandits who regenerated from arrow wounds via worm-like bugs couldn’t heal this. The bisected bandit gasped, slowly dying.
“Hmm?”
Zect’s eyes gleamed as he watched.
“Interesting, you are.”
Zect licked his lips and smiled.
“Yeah. Aren’t I fun? So play with me instead. Stop harassing the weak for no reason.”
“I’d love to play with you, but aren’t you just stalling for time?”
“It’s like hide-and-seek. Take your time and enjoy it. You don’t expect fish to bite the moment you cast the line, do you? The waiting is part of the fun.”
“Haha, that’s one way to do it. Can’t be helped, then.”
Zect pulled out an incense burner and shook it. Flames ignited within on their own, and incense smoke began to rise. As the smoke traced a circle, a horrific black energy escaped from within, racing along the ground toward the bandits at ferocious speed.
“……!”
“Huh?”
“Ah!”
Black shadows enveloped the bandits’ bodies.
“Eek!”
“Argh?”
The bandits began trembling violently. At first like someone with a fever, but soon it turned into convulsions no living being could mimic. They staggered, then froze in place.
“Uh… ughhh.”
Drool poured from the bandits’ mouths. They gripped their weapons, awaiting Zect’s command.
“Go find them. Kill those Herald Clan kids and that guy, as your desires demand.”
Zect shouted the order loud enough for Azadin to hear.
“That’s not a command a holy knight would give.”
“The holy knights’ mission is to eliminate the Herald Clan on sight.”
“Still, aren’t you rushing it? Try savoring the slow wait.”
“Teasing them with anticipation is fun, but a breathless chase has its thrill too, doesn’t it? Come on, take me down quick before those monsters arrive, or your cute disciples and the civilians won’t stand a chance.”
“…….”
“Hide-and-seek’s over. Come out.”
An arrow flew straight at Zect. Aware of the bow’s power, he didn’t block rashly with threads or needles but drew his sword.
What a normal warrior would wield two-handed, he grasped lightly one-handed like a dagger and swung to deflect the incoming arrow. But this arrow felt weak.
*Hm?*
In that instant, Azadin appeared from the opposite direction. He must have set some trap mechanism to fire the arrow while moving to flank.
*Whistle!*
Azadin rapid-fired arrows while charging.
“Such skill!”
Zect swung his greatsword, knocking away every arrow.
Then suddenly, Azadin shifted stance. He crouched low to the ground, drawing his bow to near-breaking tension. Bracing wide against the ground to absorb the recoil, he loosed the final arrow….
The arrow was pitch black, invisible in the night.
‘A black arrow? But nothing special.’
Zect’s eyes pierced the dark; he swung his greatsword at the incoming shot. But….
*Clang!*
This arrow was made entirely of steel, shaft and all. And upon contact, Zect felt his protective spells shatter.
‘What?!’
Black Steel Arrow.
The Herald Clan’s secret weapon, fired amid ordinary arrows.
*Thud!*
Azadin’s Black Steel Arrow pierced Zect’s golden armor and solar plexus. The special black steel arrow tore through metal plate and ribcage like paper, the tip emerging from his back.
*Crack!*
Azadin’s Moon Horn Bow couldn’t withstand the recoil and snapped.
“Hah!”
Zect stared in shock at the arrow through his chest. Mana drained from the wound. This wasn’t a normal arrow.
“You pathetic… I….”
Zect yanked out the arrow in panic. Blood gushed from his mouth and wound. Even with his vitality, it was a fatal injury.
“Thanks for letting your guard down. So, time to say goodbye? We chatted a bit, and I’m almost sad to part ways.”
Azadin discarded his broken bow, drew his waist sword, and lunged at Zect. Despite the fatal wound, he didn’t relax—aiming to sever the throat.
*Clang!*
But Zect, hole in his chest and all, parried with his greatsword. Azadin’s blade snapped in two; the sword edge drove toward his head.
He barely dodged by turning his head, then unleashed a bare-fisted punch at Zect’s face. But Zect grabbed Azadin’s sleeve and flung him skyward. Azadin’s body soared about two stories high.
“……!?”
Azadin twisted midair, recovering balance for a landing. But Zect was already charging. His greatsword whirled at terrifying speed.
‘A hole in his chest, and he moves like this?’
Azadin couldn’t block; he focused solely on evasion.
Perhaps that’s why—Zect’s kick flew at Azadin’s torso.
*Thud!*
He blocked the kick, but it launched him back, crashing through branches spine-first.
“Gah!?”
Azadin cried out. Pain scrambled his mind. Cracked ribs sapped his strength.
“Kukukuku. Masterpiece. A true masterpiece.”
Zect approached, his chest wound bubbling and boiling. Trees withered around him with each step; grass dried to dust. And those blazing red eyes?
“You were truly entertaining. I almost grew fond after our little chat. But as a holy knight, I don’t mix personal feelings with duty.”
“Hmm.”
Azadin rose, wincing. Broken ribs dulled his movements with pain. He’d nearly died in that last clash; Zect seemed unfazed by the Black Steel Arrow, while Azadin struggled just to stand. Escape wasn’t an option.
“First, return this.”
At Zect’s words, the Black Steel Arrow floated skyward and launched at Azadin like a homing missile. Azadin dodged in surprise, but it curved in a half-moon arc, targeting his back.
“Tch!”
In haste, Azadin drew a new sword and batted it away. But the blade shattered instantly. As the Black Steel Arrow pressed in, he gripped its center with broken hilt and hand to block.
*Crunch!*
Azadin’s feet gouged long scars in the earth, sliding back like plowed furrows.
“N-No!”
He held it at bay, but it still drove forward, piercing leather armor and embedding in his chest. Blood streamed, yet it pressed on undeterred.
“Now….”
Zect shook the incense burner as Azadin suffered. Black shadow leaped from the smoke, racing along the ground.
Azadin saw it clearly but couldn’t twitch a finger, fully occupied blocking the Black Steel Arrow.
In this desperate moment, a mace of light plummeted from the sky and exploded.
*Strike of Divine Chastisement!*
The shadow writhed in shock; the Black Steel Arrow piercing Azadin reverted to a normal arrow.
“Ah!?”
“Tasio!”
A knight burst through the underbrush, extending a hand to grab Azadin’s. Azadin mounted behind him instantly.
“Sir Zibek!”
“Sir Zibek!?”
Zect and Azadin called his name in unison.
“We’re escaping!”
Sir Zibek cast an encouraging spell on his horse and galloped at full speed.
“Sir Zibek, halt! Damn. They’ll get away!”
Zect whistled to pursue. His horse came galloping along the stream.
Then suddenly, a saddled mountain goat leaped from the brush, blocking Zect’s horse’s path before racing after Azadin.
“What!”
Zect gaped at the fleeing Kerim mountain goat obstructing and escaping.
“People are heroes, and horses are spirit beasts. Or in this case, an alpaca?”
“Are you alright?”
Mayya belatedly joined Zect.
“Sir Zibek escaped with the Herald Clan. Unexpected. He didn’t seem the type.”
“Well, Sir Zibek and that Herald Clan seemed to know each other from before.”
“Know each other? Hm, what connection could a holy knight and Herald Clan have?”
“I’m not sure myself. But Sir Zect.”
“Yes.”
“My father—the wraith knight—has been completely dismantled by the Herald Clan.”
“Is that so?”
“So, about recovering the body….”
“If fully dismantled, it won’t reanimate as undead. No need to recover.”
“Yes? But my father devoted his life to the church. You can’t mean to leave him in this forest? At least recover the body for a proper funeral….”
Mayya watched Zect retrieve his weapons and shed broken armor, her feelings complex as he ignored her.
“Um, that Herald Clan and Sir Zibek said my father killed civilians, so perhaps….”
“True.”
“Yes?”
“While training squire knights, an accidental discharge killed civilians. That’s why, when he became a wraith knight, we didn’t purify him but used him for tracking. Of course, it’d tarnish the order’s honor, so we won’t publicize it.”
“…….”
“I permit burial. Go retrieve and bury him.”
“Yes, understood.”
Mayya bit her lip and withdrew from Zect.