Chapter 464 – Wandering Nightmare (2)

In the mansion’s corridor,

-Tadadadak!

A black warrior, as if flying along the wall, targeted Shiba’s torso.

“…!”

Shiba’s body buckled beneath the force. She could barely keep pace. He was faster and more powerful than anyone she had ever battled before.

-Screech!

Sword clashed against sword, sliding against one another.

“Ugh…!”

Despite blocking the downward strike with both hands, she felt the force of the blow. It was a battle on a razor’s edge.

‘I must swiftly defeat him and rescue them.’

“…Ugh!”

‘I must rescue…!’

At that moment,

-Whoosh!

Flames surged forth from the mansion, engulfing Shiba. In response, the man withdrew his sword and stepped back.

Shiba, though afflicted with burns here and there, had avoided being sliced by the sword thanks to the flames. Her bloodshot eyes rapidly scanned the surroundings.

-Thump thump thump.

Above, the sounds of footfalls echoed, and suddenly the ceiling came crashing down. Was there another skirmish upstairs?

A woman with pink hair fluttered down from the debris-filled ceiling, landing before Shiba. She was dust-covered and gasping for breath.

Shiba recognized the animalistic ears poking up from her head.

“Saku, is that you?”
“…Shiba?”

They quickly recognized each other, but there was no time for conversation. A man who had descended with Saku was now bearing down on her.

“First thing, run- Aaah!”

A man in bright yellow armor, unlike the warriors dressed in black. Shiba’s eyes widened at the sight of him, a figure hailing from the same lineage as Saku.

“Britain.”

-Bang!

The national symbol of Britain, Bell.

-Whiiiir!

From the distant sound of a chainsaw, she could sense two other forces of a different nature. Like a will-o’-the-wisp, they were relentlessly pushing Bam around.

‘Prajna.’

Bam was dodging spells here and there, valiantly swinging her chainsaw around. Despite the odds, it seemed like Bam was managing to push Prajna back, if only marginally.

-Bang!

As Shiba hesitated, Saku, who was engaged with Bell, was forced back.

-Clatter!

Before them fell chunks of cement and steel. Saku quickly cast a talisman, creating a solid barrier amongst the rubble. This bought them some time, and Saku made a decision.

“Shiba. Go to Soo-yeon.”
“But… what about you?”

Saku, getting up, tightened the gauntlets on her hands, tapped the muscle of her shoulder with one hand, and snorted.

“I’m strong. I can handle it.”

“Hmm!”

Saku’s tail and ears, protruding from her hips, suddenly doubled in size — akin to a hedgehog with its spines raised.

“And Soo-yeon, she seems to be in danger. She needs help-“

-Crack!

The shield had cracked.

“-We must hasten.”

The adversary resumed her onslaught. As Saku gestured, Shiba promptly pivoted away.

“I apologize.”

It was a precarious situation, leaving no room for moderation. Shiba drew upon her magic, blue energy sporadically spurting from her form.

She couldn’t afford to linger. With the gray magic slowly seeping in, a focused Shiba lifted her foot.

‘Just a little longer.’

-Boom!

Like a warplane, Shiba’s body launched and vanished into the corridor, a tailwind of her airborne assault followed suit.

* * * * * * * * * *

-Crash!

The door flung open violently, her soaked pink hair swaying.

“Huff… Huff.”

Camellia, with her breath ebbing away, observed the unfolding spectacle in despair.

“My lady…!”

A moment’s delay in her attempt to thwart the intrusion of the agents. Thankfully, it wasn’t the worst-case scenario she had envisioned.

-Clatter.

The disheveled wheelchair, and Camellia sprawled on the floor, paralyzed. And Su-yeon, wielding a sword, was pushed to her limit, with no time left to tend to Camellia.

[What’s up with that kid?]

A young girl with slightly torn clothes spoke. Bored, she puffed up her cheeks, tapping her left foot with her right in anticipation, like a child awaiting a toy.

“…”

Camellia stared at the fallen Camellia. Her breathing was harsh.

“Huff, huff…”

Camellia’s feeble word.

“Camellia.”

She was calling my name. Enraged, Camellia drew her sword from her waist.

“How dare you…”

As Camellia stepped forth, ready to retaliate, a bloodied arm was extended towards her.

“Now, huff, please stop.”

Soo-yeon was the first to move and spoke to her. Her eyes, hidden in the shadows, were chillingly cold.

“…It’s better to keep still.”
“What?”

-Tap, tap, tap.

In stark contrast to the tense atmosphere, the little girl carried on her antics. Behind her stood A.B., his face etched with discomfort.

“…Lerard.”
[Why?]
“It’s about time to end-“
[No. Something fun is about to happen. Ah!!]

What’s happening? When Camellia looked at Su-yeon, Su-yeon clenched her teeth as she caught her breath. Su-yeon whispered to her.

“That creature… is waiting for someone.”
“What?”

Mint eyes set in blue hair. But there, she commanded a more formidable presence than anyone else. The reason for Su-yeon’s bloody state was the same girl.

“If you engage now, you’ll likely meet a dog’s death.”

“Then… how.”

[ Ah! ]

Lerad abruptly interrupted the conversation between Soo-yeon and Camellia with a sudden exclamation. Lerad, adopting a defensive stance, pointed accusingly at the man he referred to as his older brother.

[ That’s right…! He just needs to secure that woman, and I can handle the rest, right? ]
“So who will-“

– Crash!

A burst of light suddenly shot from outside the mansion. As Lerad struck A.B, his body wobbled. A large hole was etched into the ground where A.B had been standing.

– Hiss.

Steam flowed from the gap in Lerad’s teeth as he grinned.

[ …They’re here. ]

Thump.

A woman with raven-black hair stepped in through the window. Gu-seul, pistols in each hand, looked at Lerad and smirked provocatively.

“Hello?”

– Bang! Bang! Bang!

Her gun incessantly spat out fire.

Dodging the bullets, Lerad shifted his footing left and right. Gu-seul, keeping her eyes on Lerad, spoke to Camellia and Soo-yeon.

“Do we have a score to settle? Handle that man yourselves. Hehe.”
“…You-“
“The king is coming. Watch carefully.”

King.

At that word, a wave of discomfort washed over everyone’s faces.

“Tsk.”

Immediately, A.B channeled magic into his hand to create a spear, while Soo-yeon and Camellia also adopted battle stances. And then, as Lerad dodged the bullets, his body sprang forward, delivering a powerful kick to Gu-seul’s abdomen.

[ Where do you think you’re looking? ]
“Alright, alright. I’ll entertain you soon, will you just shut up?”

The two plunged together beneath the mansion’s window, the attack seemingly allowed.

Gu-seul yanked two iron rods lodged in her thigh. As she freed herself from the restraints blocking the flow of magic, her body surged with vitality.

Their weapons clashed.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

If you were to identify a common trait among veteran hunters, trained through years of real combat, it would be the ceaseless vigilance they maintain, even in situations like these.

– Thud, thud.

Several statues in the garden crumbled. The wildfire twisted and writhed in the wind’s direction.

– Whoosh!

In the space clouded by intense smoke and fire, visibility was nonexistent. I muttered, dragging my sword.

“Ebony.”
“…Yes!”
“You must be careful when dealing with these foes. Many quietly aim for your life. Like this-“

Calmly muttering, I extended my hand to the side.

– Smack!

An arrow lodged itself in my hand, just in front of Ebony’s nose. I crushed the violently trembling magical arrow with sheer willpower, and it gradually melted away.

“-The weak ones will be hiding in the corner.”

Beside me, Ebony swallowed audibly.

“I…I understand.”
“Good.”

Life is a fragile thing, constantly on the precipice of danger. It’s true for both you and me. One can never predict what’s around the corner.

“In a situation where you’re outnumbered, it’s prudent to escape. Underestimating superior numbers is a fool’s game.”

-Paang! Bang!

Duelling spells, piercing through the fiery turmoil.

“Ah…damn it!”

The first spell belonged to the light spectrum. A stark white sphere detonated before my eyes, blinding me. It spread magic energy chaotically, disrupting my ability to sense the next incoming spell.

-Flash!

The subsequent spells were destructive elemental magic, lethal in nature. Perhaps they were flame spears or lightning bolts, something of that ilk. They might appear simple but that just makes them more dangerous. The more proficient a mage, the more monotonous their spells tend to be. A natural ebb and flow of magic. I’ve encountered this kind of attack pattern numerous times.

-Thud!

As I lunged forward, a wall of earth erupted from the ground. The onslaught of spells aimed at me was halted by this colossal barrier.

-Ku Kwa Kaka Kaka!

Spear and shield.

A common tactic, seen both in the training routines of academy students and in the battles of professional hunters.

“Learning magic is beneficial. Once you’ve got it under control, it becomes second nature.”

The thermal distortion in the air, caused by the spells, gradually faded along with the spatial ripples. I raised my sword.

“And then…”

I swung it once.

-Pasissy.

Wildfire dissipating as if doused by a fire extinguisher. The surrounding noise was swallowed by the wind, causing a dull ringing in my ears. It vibrated with dark magical energy.

Ebony’s eyes reflected my sword.

-Suddenly!

The sensation of cleaving through space. A linear phenomenon that momentarily split the world in two. The space slid along the cleavage as if on a cross-section, and magical energy seeped out through the cracks.

Sword Qi.

The blade reached its distant target, severing the agent’s neck. Ebony stood there, watching the scene in a daze.

‘…Merciless.’

I brought out the crown. There was no time for conversations in such a dire situation. A black thorny crown ascended above my head.

【 1st Fairy Tale 】

With caution.

The scene had turned into a one-sided massacre, solely because I didn’t leave any openings. If this ambiguous distance between the opponent and me wasn’t managed, no matter how skilled I was, I would inevitably be dragged into a battle of attrition.

‘Furthermore.’

Not showing any weaknesses, despite my relentless assault, showed they’ve weathered countless battlefields. They were formidable adversaries. It seemed I would have to create an opening myself.

-Koo-goo.

I conjured mana, exerting pressure on the surroundings.

The ground beneath us crumbled. Steam billowed from the fissured earth.

-Koo-gu-gu-gu!!!!

With more intensity,

-Quagga!

A tremor, incited solely by the resonance of magical energy, enveloped the garden. Furthering the intensity to ensure undivided attention was drawn towards me. If not halted now, it threatened to obliterate the city entirely. I gathered my focus.

Bowing my head, I let the point of my sword drift towards the ground. I ceased any movement.

“…”

Silence descended. In the tranquil break of dawn, all light had been extinguished, rendering our sight useless.

Black magic seeped down the blade, dripping like oil. As these dark droplets touched the ground, they vaporized into nothingness with a sibilant hiss.

Despite the encompassing darkness, our vision was unhindered.

Now.

With a resonant clang, the contorted blades clashed. Ebony was forced back, yet at this moment, no one bore witness. As long as not a single force targeted me, my head would remain intact.

A man clad in black armor brandished his sword at me.

His boldness was commendable, yet his movements were sluggish.

Should I pierce him? The thought barely formed when I stepped back. A presence lurked above, another at my back. There was no need to engage with the man before me, granting him an advantage.

I parried the descending blow with a swift step. Following the arc of my foot that traced a half-circle, I twisted my head, dodging the subsequent sword strike.

With a loud thump, I dispersed a dense concentration of magic around me. It was an apt strategy for those who discerned their opponent’s position through the flux of magic.

There was only one method of destruction. Typically, the quality of the magic enveloping the body differed from that radiated externally. Piercing through this quality difference to ascertain the opponent’s position was the norm.

However, it was unlikely to work here. If the quality of the magic shrouding the body was equivalent to the magic sprinkled around, pinpointing a location was next to impossible.

A muffled thud sounded.

If magic veiled all senses, it was a bonus. Thanks to the support of an immense amount of magic transcending the realm of the ordinary, it was possible. I methodically struck my opponent’s neck with my sword.

A gasp of surprise. A stifled exclamation.

One by one, the fallen swordsmen sprawled on the ground.

“The rest of them…”

Seven remained. The journey was far from over.

Let’s increase the speed a notch. I unsheathed my sword and opened the energy center.

A low, resonant hum.

The spiked circlet above my head trembled violently.