Chapter 800
Beyond the fluttering intangible cloak, a back blocked Chief Inquisitor Leight.
[Run. I will face him.]
‘Simon……!’
Loraine’s pupils trembled, and Serne brushed back her hair with a meaningful smile.
Kagagagak!
The greatsword and the cross clashed in a taut tug-of-war without yielding an inch, sparks scattering. Beyond the cross, Leight suddenly stuck out his head.
“What’s this now.”
The corners of his mouth curved up in utmost satisfaction.
“An Ancient Undead, appearing here all of a sudden? What sort of bastard are you.”
Simon gave no reply, and shouted.
[Go!]
Loraine flinched.
Serne narrowed her eyes at Simon, then suddenly smiled gently.
“Then I’ll leave it to you, let’s go.”
“No, we must fight together……!”
Loraine tried to run to Simon, but Serne roughly pulled her arm and whispered in her ear.
‘He seems to have some plan. If we stay here, we’ll only get in the way.’
‘…….’
Loraine bit down hard on her lips. In the end, with her voice ragged and trembling, she uttered one phrase.
“Please come back alive.”
The two turned and ran, and Serne cast illusion magic, twisting the surroundings so their retreat path could not be traced.
Regardless, Leight now only saw Simon.
“Do you plan to stall for time alone.”
He drew back and put force into his cross, flicking away Simon’s greatsword. The two faced each other with a small distance in between.
“Predictable. Predictable, and yet why does it stir such interest.”
Leight briefly glanced at his right hand.
From the first clash, since crossing blades, the tremor in his wrist hadn’t ceased. It was a most impressive strike.
“That aura, that scent, and to handle an Ancient Undead besides. Yes, yes.”
Leight’s eyes glimmered.
“You’re the one who shook the Dark Alliance, the next ‘Commander of Traitor Legion’.”
[…….]
He stretched out his palm toward Simon.
“I hear you suffer disgrace for some matter long past, unrelated to you. Rather, become the hound of our Federation, and bring down the Alliance. Then I will grant my mercy, to let you keep your life.”
It was nonsense unworthy of reply, and Simon held his tongue.
When Simon remained silent, Leight scratched under his eyes with his fingertips.
“A joke before battle, but dull.”
Whooqarak!
Leight, scratching his eyes without care, suddenly charged without any sign of preparation. Simon hurriedly thrust his greatsword forward.
Cross and greatsword collided once more, a massive boom bursting out.
Kaaaang!
Chaeaeang!
Kwaaaaaaang!
Each clash of the weapons ripped the ground apart as though explosions went off, dust clouds rising.
“What is this.”
Leight’s expression twisted as he swung his cross.
“That strike you showed when saving the woman earlier, where is it now!”
Kaang!
Jjeoeoeng!
Kaaaaaaaang!
Leight’s form blurred, abnormally fast, slamming down the Greatsword of Destruction again and again with his cross.
Simon was using every ounce of strength to defend, but he was pushed back constantly. His knees trembled as though they would buckle, wounds appearing here and there through Feer’s Bone Armor.
“If this is all, it’s not worth sending those big shots away to face you!”
After sweeping aside the Greatsword of Destruction, Leight kicked Simon in the chest. Even protected by Bone Armor, Simon staggered back several steps, struck as if by a carriage.
“My mood has soured.”
Leight’s cold eyes glanced past Simon’s shoulder, toward where Loraine and Serne had fled.
“Even now, if I chase those women……”
Shuquaaaak!
Suddenly, from beneath his jaw, a blade surged up at terrifying speed. Leight jerked back his head in surprise, narrowly evading it.
A faint chill down his skin made his lips curve higher.
“Now this is it!”
Kwaaaaaaaang!
The two weapons clashed furiously again.
This time Simon did not yield. Grinding his teeth, he swung his greatsword like a madman.
“Now I see how it works. When you seek to protect someone, that impressive strike emerges!”
Leight, in the midst of exchanging ferocious blows, clenched powerfully with his right hand.
“Raise the pace! Try to keep me from chasing those women!”
Advancing, he swung his hands like a madman.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Striking the greatsword in rapid succession, he then spun his body, sweeping his cross in a massive arc. Simon barely received the blow, forced back.
But even as he was driven back, he slammed his greatsword into the ground, thrusting forward and sweeping it upward.
Kwaquaquaquaquaqua!
A mountainous slash erupted, striking Leight’s body. Yet Leight neither blocked nor dodged, walking through it.
“You are still waiting for something, aren’t you? More! Show more of your true power!”
Simon lowered his greatsword and shifted stance.
Suddenly, from beneath Leight’s feet, zombie arms burst forth, seizing him. Looking down, Leight saw a small boy-shaped zombie, blood pouring, grinning wide.
‘Corpse―’
The magic circles affixed to its body all lifted into the air.
Simon clenched his fist tightly.
‘―Explosion!’
Beyond his fist, a blinding flash filled his vision, a buzzing ring erased all sound in an instant. Simon’s body was flung back, forcibly hurled away.
Around him, trees ripped up by the roots, flying. After tumbling far, Simon caught hold of a nearby rock and stopped, collapsing forward.
[Be careful, boy!]
Feer transformed his body, spreading wide to shield Simon’s back.
Kugugugugugu—
When the explosion’s peak passed, Simon, dripping sweat, raised his head. A giant mushroom cloud loomed.
‘I hadn’t planned on this.’
The corpse explosion of Prince, his hidden weapon.
So powerful, it had wiped out not only Leight but the nearby museum without a trace.
Simon staggered upright, Feer reshaping back into Bone Armor around him.
‘That aside.’
Simon wiped his mouth, staring ahead.
‘How is he still alive.’
Gooooooo—!
Beneath the mushroom cloud.
Amidst the towering blast, smoke, scalding steam, and Darkness energy, human eyes gleamed, staring this way.
Soon it walked out, step by step, through the explosion. The skin was burned away by the heat, making it look like a lump of red muscle walking.
“You.”
From within the explosion, Leight spoke. His lips, stretched to expose gums and molars grotesquely, curved up like rotten cheese.
“The best.”
Kkudeudeuk—
Kkudeuk—
His gums and molars were covered again by regenerating flesh. His skin rapidly restored, returning to his original form.
Dragging his cross, Leight strode, growing stronger with each step.
“When was the last time I felt such joy! At last, I feel alive, breathing! Life is struggle, struggle is pleasure!”
He slowly raised his cross.
“I cannot but thank the Goddess who gave me someone to slaughter!”
Kwaaaaaaaaaa—!
From his body, a sea-like surge of Holiness erupted.
Simon sweated coldly.
‘In what way is that a priest serving a god.’
[Khhuhuhu! Nothing is more hideous than twisted faith. But more importantly, what will you do now, boy!]
Simon had thought that with Prince’s corpse explosion, whatever the outcome, it would be settled. But Leight was beyond what Simon imagined, a true monster.
There was reason Loraine and Serne found him so troublesome. Whatever the attack, Leight would rise again.
‘If that’s the case…….’
Though his Holiness overflowed, for Leight’s body, once ruptured by the explosion, to fully heal would take time.
‘And the blast hurled me in the opposite direction.’
Behind Leight’s back, Loraine and Serne were fleeing.
If he turned now and chased them, it would be dire. Simon pressed Prince’s ring on his left hand to his lips, and whispered softly one word.
“Come at me! Keep coming! Traitor Legion’s Commander!”
Leight dragged his cross and charged. Simon calmly flung open an enormous subspace.
One of the techniques he had once learned from Grand Duke Jin of the North, a commander’s skill.
A method where, the moment multiple legion-type undead were expelled from subspace, they would form tactics and formations on their own.
‘All units, charge!’
Urrrrrrrrrrr!
From the enormous subspace, dozens of zombies poured out, rushing at Leight.
“Just zombies here? You must have something else prepared.”
Leight, limping on a leg whose muscles had not yet healed, swung his cross. zombies were hacked apart in chunks, spraying blood in every direction.
Those whose torsos were severed tried to cling to his ankles, but their strength soon gave out, dangling uselessly.
But then.
Kurururururung!
A black lightning bolt struck from the sky, and one of the zombies holding onto Leight transformed into Prince.
[Got you!]
Prince clung tightly to Leight’s leg, and Simon clenched his fist.
Kiiiiiiiiiing!
Prince’s body flashed black once more. Leight’s pupils shifted downward. It was the same sign as before, the precursor to an explosion.
‘Remarkable. Can he truly use an explosion of that scale one more time?’
But that wasn’t all.
Simon, with the opposite hand from his clenched fist, hefted his greatsword, lowering his stance with bent knees. From Simon and Feer surged forth an immense Darkness.
To anyone watching, it was clearly the posture of a charge attack.
‘After causing the explosion, he intends to rush in and cut off my head.’
For Leight, Simon, the Seventh Legion Commander, was an unknown foe.
He had to guess from momentary judgment alone.
Could a commander unleash such an explosion again?
If the commander caused the explosion, would he himself not take damage?
Or was he prepared to take damage and still charge?
‘Whatever the case.’
Leight adjusted his grip on the cross.
‘Whether he can use the explosion again or not, one more hit is enough. I’ll keep my eyes only on him.’
Simon kicked off the ground and charged. Prince’s body flared with deadly Darkness, preparing to detonate.
Leight fixed his gaze on Simon, raising his cross to strike when—
‘!’
He realized too late.
Simon was not looking at him.
Within Feer’s helm, Simon’s pupils shone not at Leight, but far beyond him, at the distant girls.
‘No way!’
Leight hastily readjusted his grip on the cross and swung. At the same moment, Simon rushed past Leight’s body, leaving behind a black tail.
<Legionary Technique - Leap>
Whioooooooosh!
A great gale stormed around them, centered on the two crossing figures.
Thud.
Leight touched his fingertips to his cheek, smeared with warm, sticky blood.
Simon was gone without a trace.
Even his scent, his presence, cut away.
As though he had never existed in that place to begin with.
‘Did he leap across space itself.’
Leight lowered his gaze.
Prince, raising his middle finger, darkened and reverted to an ordinary zombie.
Grinding his teeth, Leight crushed the zombie’s skull.
“I took one blow.”
* * *
Loraine and Serne were running madly, cutting through the wind.
In the distance, the last chimera carrying the students could be seen flying.
“We’re almost caught up. We’re nearly at the border now.”
Serne, moving along her feathers, glanced sideways at Loraine.
Even while running, Loraine kept looking back with a worried face.
The massive explosion, then the following gray blast cloud.
She couldn’t even imagine what kind of battle was unfolding there.
“Worried?”
Serne asked curtly.
“And you’re not worried?”
Loraine snapped back, her voice bristling with disapproval.
“Of course not. I believe in Simon completely. Perhaps you still underestimate his abilities.”
Serne shrugged her shoulders.
“If you cannot trust Simon like that, then as the leader of an organization, you’re unfit to take him in, aren’t you?”
“What’s wrong with worrying about a friend?”
“My, then why does your anger feel directed at me?”
Serne’s smile vanished for a moment, and she answered coldly. Even she had no room in her heart now to play her usual sly games.
“If you’ve realized your own shortcomings, then blame yourself. Don’t pick a fight with me.”
“You’re the one picking a fight!”
“See? You’re getting angry at me.”
They growled at each other, like water and oil that could never mix.
Then, running, Loraine suddenly stopped short.
“Simon.”
She turned her head, looking back. Only the desolate plain lay there.
“? What are you doing. We need to catch up to the chimera.”
Loraine stopped, turning fully back.
“Simon is coming.”
At those words, Serne also halted her flight, landing on the ground. Soon, the surrounding air began to twist. Loraine slowly spread her arms.
Kwaachachang—!
The air shattered like glass, and a drooping Simon appeared. His pupils reflected Loraine and Serne.
“Simon!”
Loraine spread her arms and caught Simon’s rough, charging body. Her feet skidded back across the ground.
Only after retreating far did Simon’s body finally slow. With trembling hands, Loraine lifted his half-removed helm.
“Ah.”
A blue-haired boy, his face burning hot, panted harshly. Tears welled in Loraine’s eyes as she held him tight.
“Thank you, for keeping your promise.”
The wind blew slowly.
As they clung together, their feet floated gently into the air.
“Enough with the tearful reunion, we must hurry.”
Serne gestured with her hand. Feathers had already attached to their bodies.
“The border barrier is closing. If we don’t leave now, we’ll be surrounded by the army.”
As she twitched her fingers, the feathers activated, thrusting their bodies rapidly forward.
Fwoooooosh—!
Their bodies shot out like bullets, flying toward the chimera carrying the students at the border’s barrier.
“And~”
Tok.
Serne slipped in at the side, shouldering Loraine away, and took Simon into her arms.
“Well, well. Where do you think you’re going, holding my man so naturally?”
Loraine, showing no anger, simply raised her clenched fist.
“Decide with this.”
“……?”
Serne frowned.
“And what’s that?”
* * *
Inside the third chimera.
There lay one assistant and the students, with the wounded Grerion and other instructors collapsed.
Grerion’s party had been brought there by some winged summon, whose sender they did not even know, and shoved into the chimera. The other students looked around, anxious, not knowing what to do.
Then the chimera’s mouth creaked open.
“The entrance is opening!”
“Who else is coming?”
At the words, Toto, slumped from worry over Simon, snapped his head up and was the first to run. The other students rushed to the entrance to greet whoever it was.
Fwoooong!
With a strong wind, someone approached.
“They’re coming!”
“Stick to the wall!”
Whooaaaahhh—!
Everyone’s mouths fell open.
A black-haired girl slid in on both feet, carrying Simon gently in her arms.
Skidding to a halt, she reported to the assistant.
“Defensive Squad Three, all returned.”
Waaaaaaaahhh!
Shouts of joy exploded at once. They all jumped and cheered, while Toto, sobbing with tears and snot, rushed to the two of them.
Trailing behind, Serne smacked her lips, lowering her open hand.
“Never again.”
Question what is the release schedule for chapters?
your coins are way too expensive. for like 20$ you can read 26 chapters. thats nothing lol
when is the next release.
Is there a release schedule for free chapters? I need more!
How do we get the next chapters? I've read all the chapters up to this one
how do i get the next chapters
1 week ago