Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Distortion (2)
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Riu's horse kicked off the ground, surging ahead of Bulki.
"Captain!"
"Knights, pair up in twos and surround the enemies! Hold on attack orders!"
Riu charged at the front, slicing through the space between the monstrous creatures and the beastkin group. The grotesque beings began to reorganize their formation at Riu's sudden appearance. They clearly possessed intelligence.
"I'll pair with Bulki, so the remaining pair protects Nia and the beastkin cart!"
Thinking that maybe dialogue could work, Riu dismounted and approached slowly. Up close, the grotesque creature-twice Riu's size-seemed curious about her, and they started murmuring among themselves. In the meantime, Riu observed the creature.
They had tattoos dyed in a blood-like red over their gray skin, and each one wielded a bizarrely shaped sword-though it looked more like they were holding a chunk of crude metal.
"Is there anyone among you who can speak? Why are you chasing these beastkin!"
Riu demanded with dignified authority, showing no intimidation from their size difference. Just then, the other knights arrived, and the beastkin who had been receiving Nia's treatment shouted out.
"They're the Red Blood Savages from the western continent! I know them as a beastkin. They suddenly burst out from deep in the highlands and plundered our supplies!"
It came from a beastkin who resembled a pointy-eared civet living on the highlands.
"Deep in the highlands? Isn't that the wasteland right before the Granblad Great Canyon?"
"Captain!"
Right then, the fur of the lead Red Blood Savage turned even redder as it raised its metal lump. It had the momentum to crush Riu's small body at any moment.
A crisis in the blink of an eye. Riu suddenly closed her eyes and murmured softly.
"[Sword Draw]."
With eyes blazing a murderous intent far redder than the Red Blood Savages' fur, Riu drew her sword at invisible speed,
Boom!
The Red Blood Savage that had vigorously lifted the metal lump was sliced through and exploded from the wind pressure of Riu's sword.
"They have intelligence but no desire for talk. Knights! Wipe them all out! Show them the overwhelming difference in power."
Riu leaped toward the next Red Blood Savage, and the entire knight order drew their swords and charged. Bulki, gripping his own sword tightly, was no exception.
"Drakan Hon! Kamishunarack."
At that moment, what seemed to be the leader among the Red Blood Savages shouted, and one from the rear fled.
"Hup!"
As Riu turned her head briefly to block it, the Red Blood Savage leader hurled its iron sword. A knight with a blue sword blade raised his weapon to block it, but the thrown iron sword crushed him, severing both arms.
"Don't try to block those hideous blades! Keep your distance so they can't swing their barbaric weapons!"
At Riu's sharp command, Bulki distanced himself from the savage swinging the iron sword back and forth amid rippling red fur.
"Omer, like a mountain anchoring the black sky amid descending storm clouds."
Seizing the opening, Nia drew her sword-which doubled as a green metal-bound book-and chanted her spell.
Green magical power flowed from the book, rippling around Nia like a shroud.
"Gah!"
The mana gathered instantly in front of Nia into a massive boulder, then shot like an arrow to strike the Red Blood Savage in front of Bulki.
The savage's arm that tried to block it was mangled, and Bulki didn't miss the chance.
"Hah!"
Bulki thrust the bladed lower part of his sword hilt into the savage's belly with all his might. Blood sprayed-it was surely a fatal blow-but the Red Blood Savage swung its blade at Bulki even more ferociously.
"No!"
With Nia's scream, the barbaric metal crushed Bulki's left shoulder the moment it struck. Bulki released the sword embedded in the savage and blocked the iron sword with both hands.
The bones in both hands shattered instantly from the impact, but his new gauntlets held firm.
"Arrrgh!"
Bulki roared like a scream and unleashed light from his broken hands. The savage couldn't help but flinch. Bulki gritted his teeth against the pain, clumsily fixed his grip on the sword with his broken hands, and slashed upward.
In that instant, it was as if the spot where the Red Blood Savage stood shattered and reformed-the blade pierced savagely through its body in all directions.
"Hah... Kgh!"
Riu, who had just finished off her second savage, saw it and shouted.
"Nia! Heal Bulki first!"
"Omer, the spring in a deep forest no one seeks."
Before Riu finished speaking, she glanced at Nia casting another spell and charged straight at the savage leader. The leader, sensing it, swung its arm ferociously before Riu could close the distance.
Riu slid low to dodge and slashed the savage's arm. But as if unbothered, it attacked Riu with its other arm.
"Drakan Hon!"
"[Sword Draw]!"
Just before the brute savage's massive arm could smash Riu's upper body, she sheathed and drew her sword in an instant.
Their attacks collided, sending Riu bouncing away like a ball from the recoil-but the savage's remaining arm shattered to pieces.
"All knights! Now!"
Riu shouted, propping herself up with her sword. The knights, who had slain the other savages and waited for an opening, charged while unleashing fire and ice.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In an instant, a massive explosion pulverized the enemy leader, forcing it to its knees with its body in tatters.
"Did we get it?"
"Don't let your guard down!"
Riu rushed forward shouting, as the enemy leader muttered something. Drakan Hon, Drakan Hon...
"Drakan Hon!"
Suddenly, despite all limbs being useless, the savage leader thrashed its blood-soaked fur and charged ferociously at the nearest knight as if to devour it.
"[Sword Draw]."
Boom!
But once again, Riu was faster.
With a flash of red light, the savage leader's head exploded into dust. Riu brushed back her hair, wiping away blood and sweat.
"Hoo."
She scanned the surroundings. The urgent situation seemed resolved for now.
"Report casualties."
The knight beside her, who had nearly died moments ago, let out a sigh and spoke.
"Report. Eight injured, no fatalities. That's all, Captain. Is the situation over now?"
"Not yet."
The immediate crisis was over, but the matter of these new demons they had encountered was far from done. Finishing her words, Riu asked the cat beastkin beside the healing Bulki.
"Do you know the size of the enemy forces in the wasteland?"
"Ah, yes. I saw them with my own eyes. Not exact, but fewer than the ones you just took down."
"The wasteland isn't their main base...? Western continent, huh. I'd never seen these demons before either. How do you know them?"
"Y-You're... Riu, 1st Knight Order Captain, aren't you?"
"Yes. Explain how you know them first."
"Ah, yes! Haven't beastkin crossed to the eastern continent since the first demon invasion? We beastkin, who lived generation after generation in wastelands, barren lands, and highlands, learned from history that we fled here to escape those Red Blood Savages while on the western continent. It's certain!"
"Understood. But that wood you have... Are you coming from the Sun Forest?"
"Yes, that's right. The sun fairies are kind to beastkin. We beastkin handle all trade between Sonain and the Sun Forest. But recently, some mountain giant blocked the path..."
"Mountain giant?"
"Yes, so we had to detour through the highlands and ran into those savages there."
Riu nodded at the prostrated beastkin's words and gestured to the knight order. All knights, including the injured, gathered before her. Riu addressed them.
"Knights! Combat is over. The enemy is annihilated, but our losses are severe. Still, we've gained clues about the Sun Forest and learned of the Red Blood Savages appearing in the highlands. We'll split into two groups. The uninjured come with me straight to the depths of the highlands. The injured, led by Bulki, return to Sonain with the beastkin."
"Yes!"
"Those who recover in Sonain and can fight again, request reinforcements from 2nd Knight Order Captain Graveheim and handle the mountain giant before heading straight to the Sun Forest. We'll head to the Sun Forest right after subjugating the Red Blood Savages in the highlands. That's all! Any questions?"
"None!"
"Then inherit the sword once more, Yerutsa Rahav."
"Yerutsa Rahav!"
After issuing orders, Riu approached Bulki. He was already healed enough to move his hands but couldn't meet Riu's gaze straight on.
And for good reason-he had put the knight order in danger as the price of saving the beastkin.
He wasn't strong enough to take responsibility for his choice.
"Bulki, can you stand?"
"I didn't expect the injured to turn out like this. My strength was lacking. If you're resenting me for this..."
As Bulki asked almost as if hoping she'd blame him, Riu suppressed her anger and said,
"It's not that you lack strength. You just can't distinguish what you can and can't do."
"Many got hurt because of me. I'm sorry for screwing up on the first mission."
"You clearly have the power to be a Hero. Destined to protect the Saintess. But you don't know what a true Hero is."
For a moment, a flicker of longing passed through Riu's eyes as she looked at Bulki.
"A Hero isn't someone who chooses and takes responsibility. It's someone who always agonizes from their own position."
The image of her mentor-the true Hero-overlapped with Bulki.