Chapter 6
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: It Suits My Taste
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"Offer my mana as sacrifice and rage-."
Luke's weary heart grew as heavy as a rock.
'Ah, so this is mana.'
It somehow felt similar to the aura he'd sensed from the knights.
Rumble...
Groooan...
The ground cracked in all directions around Luke Seid.
"It's the power of the earth!"
"Don't lose your footing!"
The knights, focused solely on the single enemy named Luke Seid, couldn't dodge the sudden fissures.
"Uwaaaah-!"
"Give me your hand! Ack!"
Booom-.
Like jaws snapping shut to devour prey that had slipped into its mouth, the earth's cracks sealed tight.
Those who had fallen into the gaps, and even the knights who tried to grab them, were swallowed by the ground.
No trace of them remained on the dry plains, scarred here and there like wounds.
'Wh-whoa, that's insane...'
Over a dozen enemies had vanished just like that.
Huff- huff-.
Luke's breathing grew ragged.
His shoulders sagged heavily, and his chest heaved dramatically.
Abilities are like that. They devour life force by greedily consuming mana.
It was the backlash from unleashing such a mighty technique.
That's why so many warriors rely only on their physical might. Those knights possess precious abilities too, but they haven't properly developed them.
A few knights escaped the earth's grasp, encased in translucent orbs.
Others floated up from the ground like leaves caught in the wind.
Teacher Luke took in the sight of them as he steadied his breath.
Those are the exceptional ones among them. Even they are lackluster. If they'd put as much effort into mana cultivation as they did sword training, I would've been dead long ago.
Mana cultivation...
Like eating, or something?
You elevate the rank of your abilities with the size of your soul and fatten them with mana.
Ah, I can confidently say it.
I didn't understand a single word of that!
But Teacher, how exactly do you elevate the rank?
The answer lies in divinity. Only those who have attained divinity through trials can ascend realms and expand the vessel of their soul.
I wanted to hear more, but Luke Seid clamped his mouth shut and assumed a combat stance.
The enemies were still numerous, and their swords were formidable.
Bang-!
A Red Dragon Knight's sword, which had only been breaking before, blocked Luke's double-edged blade.
Though the knight had dropped to one knee, and his hands trembled on the hilt.
'Is summoning weapons another form of ability? Or is he just weakened from exhaustion?'
Twaang-!
An arrow from a knight struck Luke's armor hard.
The divine light that had acted like a transparent shield was nearly pierced through.
'Even his divine power is dwindling fast.'
Luke's collapse seemed only a matter of time.
This body might not be mine, but after being reborn like this, was I really going to die here?
No way.
'If it were me in this situation...'
I knew from scrapping with street punks as a kid.
Running away when you're out of strength is third-rate. If they catch you, you get beaten even worse.
Those pissed-off chasers put their full weight into every punch, making it hurt more.
'You need to conserve your strength now if you want to live!'
Running when you barely have the energy to flee is second-rate. You won't have any fight left if they catch you.
The exhausted pursuers put all their emotion into their kicks, making it hurt like hell.
'Just checking, but are you listening?'
Bolting when you still have plenty of energy left—that's first-rate. You need stamina to keep running or fighting.
I shouted with all my heart.
'Run!'
May my thoughts reach him...
"Luke Seid is running away!"
Teacher Luke seemed to be thinking the same thing.
After agonizing over discipline versus survival, the Star's voice rang out and the path appeared. It was darkness, yet soon became light. It must be followed.
Pfft, I knew all that without you saying it!
Surviving comes first, right!
But what's this about the Star's voice?
It's not talking to me, is it?
He ran and ran some more.
The armor's weight was no joke, and the flapping cloak tugged at him from behind, but Teacher Luke ran like the wind.
'How can his heart and lungs not ache? He's not even panting.'
Even as dusk settled, his speed didn't slacken.
"Indomitable spirit, resilient flesh, divinity dwelling within me, mana slumbering in my heart— I command you: awaken beyond your limits and aid me."
Ah, got it, got it.
Sounds like taking out loans from everywhere.
"Over there!"
"He's heading for Negaf Arron!"
"We can't let him escape!"
Wooah- damn, don't they ever get tired?
Did those bastards take out massive loans too?
"Stop right there!"
Would you stop if you were them?
'Those guys don't seem right in the head either.'
He burst through the leaf-strewn plains, crossed an icy shallow stream, and traversed a field of sharp gravel like thorns.
He pushed through underbrush that hadn't yet awakened from winter.
A dense forest appeared.
Beyond it loomed a massive mountain.
'So that's Negaf Arron.'
The northern bulwark.
We're heading south, but the mountain's name means northern bulwark.
That means this range encircles something beyond it like a wall.
'Fitting name either way.'
It resembled the Himalayas I'd only seen on TV.
Or maybe the Alps?
Several peaks pierced the clouds, their snow-capped summits gleaming white below the clouds.
Below that, it was all sheer rock, with meltwater forming waterfalls that cascaded into gorges.
'What a sight. If I had my phone, I'd record a video.'
Even as these idle thoughts crossed my mind, he didn't stop running.
Luke was doing the running alone, but it felt like I was running with him.
'Is my soul fusing with his body?'
It wasn't tiring.
The mental fortitude, stamina, mana, divine power—whatever he was drawing on—it was all extraordinary.
Whiiiish-.
Vroooom-.
He was running so fast that wind whistled fiercely through the gaps in his helmet.
'Not a giant or dwarf.'
Trees, rocks, birds, and so on.
Comparing Luke and the other knights to their surroundings, their proportions matched those of humans on Earth.
As he passed through the dense forest, Luke slowed down. His stamina seemed fine—why?
"Over there! He's slowing down!"
"He's exhausted!"
Luke answered my question right away.
"I command you, spirits of the forest—take my mana as tribute and protect your contractor-."
Groooan-!
Thick, long tree roots erupted like the beanstalk from Jack and the Beanstalk.
"It's his ability! Cut them down!"
"Uwaaaak-!"
The loyal beanstalk wrapped around the Red Dragon Knights. It whipped its roots like lashes, slamming the intruders to the ground and hurling them far away.
The ancient trees native to the forest answered the call as well.
Craaaack-.
Snap snap craaack-.
They bent like flexible saplings before smacking the Red Dragon Knights flat. Oof, brutal.
"Dodge!"
Dodging wasn't always the answer.
Knights who avoided being pulped were swatted like flies and sent soaring into the sky.
'Ahh—he's ascended to stardom. Safe travels back to your home planet. Amitabha.'
I found myself humming poetry involuntarily.
Watching him fly back the way we came, I guess I missed my own home too.
"Don't fall back! They're just trees!"
"No big deal!"
The skilled ones sliced through the trees with swords flickering blue and pursued relentlessly.
'Is that an ability too?'
The blue flames wavered like fire, then stiffened like torches when swung.
Aura knights. But useless against a Holy Knight who has reached the Crystal Realm. Even in the plains battle, my divinity shattered them all.
Ah, don't know the details, but I get it.
Divinity is the superior power, huh.
If all divinity were that strong, my brothers wouldn't have become light. Pity—only Crystal divinity can suppress aura.
Hmm.
Realms... so there are stages. Like firefighter, lieutenant, captain...
Wonder which stage Crystal is.
To reach the Crystal Realm, one must pass through nine prior stages. In the 3,000 years since the great Heup, only twenty Holy Knights have attained it.
Whoa, so Crystal is the tenth—chief level?
"Uwaaaak-!"
A knight chasing close got snagged by a root whip and launched into the sky.
'With tricks like this, no wonder he could fight alone.'
Swords have no eyes. The faster and stronger, the more so. None of my brothers could block my blade, so I must wield it with care.
Ah, that makes sense.
He was alone because friendly fire was a risk?
'But Teacher, were you just answering me?'
Luke gave no reply, and his pulse remained steady.
He talks to himself so much that it's getting confusing, but I'm no fool.
I'm convinced Luke already knows I'm here.
'You answer every one of my questions.'
I've seen his realm with my own eyes, and as a Holy Knight chosen by the gods, he must be extraordinary spiritually too.
'Teacher, I was a firefighter. You know what firefighters do? Are you listening?'
Tch. Ignoring me.
I just wanted to introduce myself since we're stuck together.
Does "on duty" mean no chit-chat?
Even navigating steep rocky terrain beyond the forest, glimpses of Luke's prowess shone through.
"I command you—desires of the rock-."
Rumble rumble-.
We dodged and climbed tumbling boulders, scaling the mountain over and over.
"Just rocks! Cut them!"
Telling them to slice rocks—those guys are tough.
Teacher Luke let out a small sigh and glanced back briefly, as if telling me to see for myself.
'Oof? They're actually slicing them?'
Not tough—insanely strong.
But many knights were tiring out.
"Uwaaaak-!"
"Kwaaa-!"
Sounds of impacts and crushing echoed from behind, but I felt at ease. It wasn't me getting crushed.
I even felt a thrill of exhilaration.
'Back in my world, laws and lack of money meant I couldn't fight back properly and just took beatings.'
Here, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
This mad world somehow suits my taste.
I wonder if Teacher Luke feels the same.
The corner of his mouth curved up.
'Knew it. Teacher Luke's a madman too.'
Huh, did something like displeasure just flicker from the heart?
Climbing the northern face of the mountain, darkness fell early.
The sun was setting just in time.
We perched atop a massive boulder, our backs to the gloom, peering down.
Searchers prowled the valley below.
Fools flaunt their power. It's courting death. Fight with all you've got only when you must; otherwise, hide it to survive.
What a grandiose way to say he's holding back to avoid detection.
The Holy Knight concealed his power.
The brilliant glow faded, leaving the surroundings dim.
"We must find him!"
"Keep your voice down. Who knows what beasts lurk in these treacherous peaks."
The Red Dragon Knights lit magical flames on their swords and shields, but they couldn't spot us.
We ascended along the stream, keeping boulders between us and the gorge.
Walking openly by the water is dangerous.
I figured it meant we risked being spotted by moonlight reflecting off the water.
Kyaaaaaoooo-!
A shrill shriek blending multiple voices filled the gorge.
If it were my body, my hair would stand on end and my legs would give out.
Kiyaaaaaoooo-!
It vibrated sharply with power.
Needles of leaves pattered down from the sparse conifers.
"It's Jess Riper!"
The knight's vigorous shout brimmed with unyielding resolve.
At that moment, I heard Luke's murmur laced with regret.
If I were the great Heup, if I had the power of water, that beast would be my ally. But my water divinity has dried up.
Ah, what the hell are you saying.
Stop talking nonsense like you're weaving wigs from eyelashes and speak plainly!