Chapter 71
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: The Holy Knight Who Races Through Time
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My thoughts had long escaped the shackles of time.
Now my body was slowly breaking free from time's bonds as well.
Freedom found alone amid these slowpokes.
'Potion power! Mint! Toothpaste!'
With time on my side, I wielded the Glacier Sword with even greater precision.
When your target's got that kind of bulk, a sniper tastes true freedom.
Just like right now.
Shooooosh-.
Cold burst from the sword's tip, piercing the nearest ogre's throat.
It tore through the others' chests, punching holes in their sides.
Their limbs ripped apart like frogs snagged by a heron.
'Can't push it further. Too risky.'
Even as I drew on the limit of Toolsep, I countered with divine power.
Couldn't let it take hold.
Groooaaar-!
These ogres, craving human blood.
Monsters who longed for terrified human screams—they writhed in agony instead.
Ebu, having witnessed the cold storm, smartly draped herself over the hippo and hunkered down.
Not that her bulk could really cover it, but still.
But then.
'Huh?'
Due to their size difference, it looked like Ebu was riding the hippo.
Ebu on hippo-back...
A plausible idea sparked.
Time to change the rescue plan for Pig and Crazy Bitch.
They might not last until I'd wiped out all the ogres.
'Silver Star, clear us a path.'
Not expecting a reply. Calling out anyway.
That's just how I am.
Chattering away.
To keep the madman from going madder...
Ah, feels like I've said that before.
'Dizzy.'
Anyway!
With the hippo's strength and speed, it could carry Ebu and bolt from here. That was the calculation.
The hippo would understand my decision.
That tiny, frail thing with a mind half-broken had thrown herself to protect it.
If it ignored that, the hippo would have to forfeit its sacred beast status starting today.
That was my verdict.
Grroooaaar-!
The cold storm's power fell a bit short.
It only dropped two or three.
'Thought I'd gotten way stronger.'
These foes were on another level entirely from what I'd faced before.
Size class alone was worlds apart.
Ogres had small heads atop massive shoulders.
Their limbs were freakishly long and thick, proportions all wrong.
How did I look in their eyes?
'Like a kindergartener, maybe.'
A kindergartener facing giants needs a miracle.
'I command thee—Wrath of the Glacier—.'
So what miracle could I conjure?
Prayer didn't suit a guy like me.
I'm an atheist.
Then arm the mind with will and resolve.
A violent intent to kill them, even if it chewed up my lifespan.
Better to kill the bastards tormenting me and die than get beaten, robbed, and run.
Just talk.
I'd prefer we all die but I survive.
"Hup-!"
Craaaack-.
The Glacier Sword rang with the sound of cracking ice.
Gripping it two-handed—bigger than the greatsword I'd snatched from Charles—I danced like a fencer.
Thighs bulging to burst, twisting my waist to load my weight.
Channeling that full force into my arms.
The ogre charging at Ebu was target one.
"Don't mess with my Ebu!"
Words slipped out.
Head hot, limbs dizzy.
The ogre's head flew back as its neck froze solid.
A single swing.
"Chaaa-!"
Quenching the immediate fire, I unleashed cold storms in all directions again.
The big lugs clustered together, movements sluggish.
Aim true to spare Ebu and hippo—hits landed clean.
Ogre hides were tough.
Second cold blast from the Glacier Sword killed three outright.
Grroooaaar-!
Limbs severed, holes punched—they lunged like rabid dogs.
Grraaaah-!
Fear's a luxury.
Since dropping into this world, I'd traded fear for healthy curiosity.
Fear half, curiosity half—call it an exploratory spirit.
Not intentional.
Instinct for survival.
I balanced on a fallen ogre's torso.
Pointed left-handed at the cleared path, yelling to the hippo.
"Run! To where we can live!"
And leaped again as one.
Surviving ogres' axes slammed down in unison.
Thud- craaack-!
The ogre torso I'd used as a springboard split into chunks.
As they raised axes, ogre bits flew airborne.
"Fuckers! Hippo! Ebu can fight more!"
Even yelling that, I clung to the hippo's ear to stay on.
Grooooom-!
Hippo bellowed something, but I couldn't understand.
Silver Star would've translated.
Not a cry of ear pain.
Probably "Quit yapping and hold tight."
Clear from how it charged without looking back.
'Riding a hippo into battle. Cool. Romantic.'
Heh heh. Smirking in satisfaction, the hippo bolting free overlapped with the Ogre King's shadow.
Opposite directions.
Good—they were focused fully on me.
Sensed bustle atop the walls.
Archers moving to cover me.
The fixed greatbow swiveling this way.
"Kruk!"
"Your orders, boss!"
"Ignore the king! Target the minions!"
Kruk replied, but ogre roars drowned it.
Grroooaaar-!
I stomped the lead ogre's head, bounding to the next.
No matter how fast they were, they couldn't match me, even slightly free of time's grip.
And their skulls weren't tougher than their axes.
Splaaat-!
Axe buried in the head I'd just leaped from.
'No Silver Star, feels like solo fighting. Ah, not alone. Whew, outta breath.'
If survival's on the line, what can't I do?
No advisor, so strategize solo.
When weak, turn enemy strength against them.
Released the Glacier Sword ages ago.
Right arm muscles swollen to bursting.
Hit ground—axes incoming.
Perfectly vertical, ruler-straight.
'Slow.'
Or I'd sped up more.
Whipped right foot around.
Left foot planted firm, weight on right.
Kicked axe veered, cleaving another's leg.
'Martial arts they've never seen, huh.'
Saw it in cartoons myself.
Followed by body charge.
Slammed shoulder into its ankle.
Kneeling target's neck in sword range.
"Your tendons that tough, huh?"
Before it turned.
Sword from throat slit to nape in a white flash.
Giant's coarse hair snapped along the arc. Stiff as hog bristles, longer than horsehair.
Head tilted, body left to gravity.
Grrooo...?
Its question cut short.
"What's grooo? You're dead, asshole."
Next foe's ankle in view, gearing to kill me.
"Your bones that sturdy?"
Crack!
Mad Holy Knight's sword severed ogre Achilles.
Bone halted the blade.
Leg bone tougher than neck. Note to self.
'Fatigue's hitting too.'
Toolsep turns me superhuman, but side effects bite hard.
Breath ragged quick, drains stamina proportional.
'No choice but to use it.'
Axe from giant or beat 'em and die tired?
Anyone'd pick the latter.
If dying anyway, say you'll just keel over without the hard work? Come here.
I'll kill you first.
Fucking pessimists, soaked in nihilism.
Nothing more precious than my life!
With weak minds blaming others, circumstances—argh, idiots—.
Trials don't make me strong.
I overcome because I'm strong.
Strong from the start.
Resisted starlight's pull.
My people died, but I shoveled food, shit to survive.
Refused to quit being human. Faced arrogant pricks head-high, stiff-backed.
Possible because I'm strong.
Not 'cause I'm crazy!
"Got it, you dog bastards?!"
Axe hit ground—I stomped the head and launched.
Transferred momentum to arms. Weight loaded the upward slash.
Snap-!
Split its lower jaw from below up.
Loginin's sword lived up to its name.
Ogre's mandible sheared clean.
Grrooo-.
Jaw-to-forehead split, eyes rolled separate ways.
"What's grooo?! Die!"
Too immersed.
No Silver Star to brake—slight, very slight rampage.
But the yell snapped me back.
Nice.
Yell to refocus. Note.
"Come on! All of you! I'll kill every last one!"
I hung in midair.
Ogre corpses littered around.
Armless ones swinging severed arms at me.
Near-black blood sprayed wild.
Lip blood hit tongue.
Bitter sharp.
Delusion too? One drop held resentment, sorrow, curses, helplessness.
Spirits of humans sacrificed and devoured.
Descending, severed its last arm.
Gonna bite it and charge?
Nope—slashed throat too.
I'm a damn fast Holy Knight; multiple cuts in a blink.
Rumblle-.
One spilled guts.
Dumbstruck, scooping innards, looked skyward.
You like stargazing too?
Parried a wide axe swing softly, redirected elsewhere.
I'm the time-racing Holy Knight; hyperfocus moves me light-speed.
Crunch-!
Axe embedded in gutless ogre's neck.
Who told you to sightsee mid-battle?
My eyes blue now? Red? Purple maybe.
Probably purple.
World looks purple.
Kroooaaaar-!
Ogre King finally shoved through minions.
"Purple too, huh."
Blue Eye saw brown before.
Ogre fangs elongated.
Small head vertically stretched too.
Yeah, horse-faced.
Mane from crown near to ass.
Horse tail vibes.
Ogre King over six meters easy.
Full jump reach its head height?
Current me? Yeah.
Raised Loginin's sword, aimed at Ogre King.
Black blood dripped.
Blade weight bowed grass blades in greeting. Hi, King. I'm grass.
Huff huff-, I gasped.
"You. Pig. Authority. What is it. Hand it over. Then. I'll spare you. Send you off."
Call?
Please call. I'm dying here, you fuck!