20demayo Chapter 214 : Chapter 214
Chapter 214 : Chapter 214
While Bihen was struggling in the Springeus camp, the Windermere camp was also moving busily.Circumstantially, the main battlefield was highly likely to be the 'Western Plains.' The Western Plains was a dry, barren open field. Located between the territories of Springeus and Windermere, it was characterized by a low hill nestled within it.
Both camps were already forming a front line, deploying their troops in the right places across the Western Plains.
Confronting the Mercenary King Hugin head-on was handled by the Windermere family led by Rowen and Isaac.
Circumstantially, these two forces could be considered the main armies of both camps.
The hill was also an indispensable strategic point. The tactical value of high ground on a battlefield is immense.
The terrain worked to the advantage of the Windermere camp. Thanks to the much gentler ridge on the side of the Windermere territory, they were able to seize the hill in an instant.
The defense of the secured base was led by the Conwell family.
"Spear Mas—ter!"
"……."
"It's a guarantee within ten years. If I say I'm going to do it, I do it. When it comes to grit, it's me, Janson. Right?"
Janson walked with a swagger, a long spear shaft tucked behind his shoulder. Two low-ranking soldiers followed behind him. Before anyone knew it, Janson also belonged to the ranks of veterans who had experienced quite a few hardships.
"……Aren't you guys going to answer?"
"A-Ah! I'm sorry! I-I saw something down there……!"
The soldier hurriedly pointed down the hill.
Watchtowers were erected at regular intervals between the wooden fences lining the ridge. Looking at it again, it was impeccably proper. It was a field construction technique perfected through countless real battles, and a point that clearly demonstrated the status of the Conwell army.
'Kyah, it feels like just yesterday when I used to follow Bihen around and get praised for building temporary tents well.'
Janson's melancholic eyes narrowed. He abruptly kicked the soldier's shin.
"See what, you bastard? There's nothing there."
"Ack! S-Something definitely passed by, sir……!"
"It's probably a squirrel! Sigh, you foolish bastard. You've gone soft."
Then, a voice was heard from behind.
"Janson, stop bullying the kids."
It was Bill. The two subordinates behind him and the two behind Janson simultaneously saluted the opposing superior.
Janson said nonchalantly.
"Bill, why on earth does your face get plumper whenever a war breaks out? I just don't get it."
"Look who's talking, your personality's getting weirder and weirder. By the way, don't you think we're bumping into each other on our patrol routes quite often?"
"That's because you're slow as hell, man. We've already been here several—"
Janson's words cut off. It was when his gaze landed on the exact spot where his subordinate had just claimed to see something passing by.
"Is it not…… a squirrel?"
Janson murmured in a low voice. He was readjusting his grip on his spear without even realizing it.
Rustle—
It was the sound of dry leaves being stepped on. The gazes of the six people gathered simultaneously.
"Calling it a squirrel is going a bit too far."
Everyone's gaze whipped around again. It was behind Bill's group.
A person completely covered in a long robe and a bird-beak mask stood alone.
"Great Raven Mercenary Band……?!"
"Heh, yes. That is correct."
THUD—!
The two subordinates of Bill who stood nearby were grabbed simultaneously in his grasp. His touch was rough, as if seizing the scruff of a beast's neck.
SNAP—!
Along with the sound of bones twisting, the bodies of the two men went limp. Their pupils instantly clouded over murky.
"Ha, haaa—"
A faint groan leaked from the mouth of Bill, who was right in front of him. There was no time to even feel fear. His body was simply frozen and refused to listen.
"What're you doing?! Run away, Bill!"
The shout plunged into his mind like a bolt of lightning. Only then could he breathe. At the same time, Bill felt his body leaning backward.
"Aaaaargh!"
It was Janson. While grabbing Bill's body and pushing him back, he was throwing himself forward, thrusting his spear.
"Oh, even a flying insect has something resembling spirit."
Laughter flowed from within the bird-beak mask. He was even nodding his head as if truly impressed.
GRAB—!
The bird-beak masked man caught the rushing spear shaft with one hand. It felt as though the tip of the spear was naturally sucked into his lightly raised arm.
'……!'
Janson cursed with his eyes. It did not budge. It was an absurd level of physical strength.
In his panicked vision, the bird-beak mask grew larger. It drew close enough for the tip of the beak to touch him.
"It is a magnificent spirit rarely seen these days."
"W-What……?!"
"I shall spare your life. Live on without forgetting today's humiliation."
The voice of the bird-beak masked man was strangely peaceful. It contrasted sharply with Janson, who was struggling to pull his spear out.
As the bird-beak masked man slightly twisted his wrist, Janson's spear shaft snapped helplessly. Holding the spear blade in a reverse grip, the man plunged it straight down.
SQUELCH—!
A long spout of blood splattered onto Bill's cheek. A leaking scream caught in his throat.
"Haaaaaargh……!"
Janson collapsed right where he stood. The spear blade was embedded obliquely in his left eye.
The bird-beak masked man looked down at Janson, who had collapsed at his feet, for a brief moment before turning around as if he had lost interest.
"It is fine. You will not die."
"My eye! Aaaaargh!"
"Hahaha! Yes. Despair is what makes a man grow."
The bird-beak masked man stopped next to Bill. At that moment, Bill's shoulders flinched violently. Cold sweat poured down like rain over his trembling face.
"Why are you standing there like that? Even if it is out of respect for the comrade who risked his life to save you, you should run away with all your might."
"Heup……!"
"Go and tell the Duke of Conwell. Tell him that Crow of the Great Raven Mercenary Band has arrived. Now, hurry."
The bird-beak masked man disguised as a member of the Great Raven Mercenary Band, Crow, tapped Bill's cheek.
Soon, the strength left Bill's legs and he collapsed. Leaking urine trickled down his trouser legs.
"Hahahahaha!"
Crow laughed heartily and turned around. His eyes narrowed behind the mask.
'Hooh.'
A flashing, sharp spirit surged from the front. A silver trajectory drew the shape of the character '之' and dug in within an instant. It was a speed that an ordinary person wouldn't have even been able to capture in their vision.
However, Crow himself did not move a single step.
CLANG—!
Merely raising his sword calmly was enough. The aftermath of the collision expanded ferociously.
'Ah, definitely—'
Crow curled the corners of his lips. The face visible between the clashing blades was deeply welcoming.
"You are that daughter of Theodore I have only heard rumors about."
"Y-You know me?!"
"Of course I do. I heard you were born with talent for the sword, yet you adamantly refused the rank evaluation? I certainly wanted to ask what the reason was."
Linda bit her lower lip. Talent for the sword—the moment she heard those words, her blood ran backward.
She didn't care about something like talent for the sword. All she wanted was the life of a natural-born woman. The only reason she had joined this war was the single expectation that she might see Bihen again.
In the midst of this, hearing those words again from a bastard whose identity she didn't even know made her stomach churn completely.
"Shut up! Give Janson his eye back!"
STEP—!
Linda reached through the crossed blades and grabbed Crow by the collar.
Crow admired her slightly. A magnificent talent reveals itself without fail, even in a fleeting instant.
'Was it Kampringen?'
He decided to set his task aside for a moment. Crow let his body yield to Linda's grip.
CRASH—!
In an instant, the entire mountain shook. Along with a roaring sound, the two crashed into the ground. A tremendous cloud of dust rose.
Linda was the first to quickly get up. Holding her sword in a reverse grip, she plunged it straight down.
CRUNCH—! CRUNCH—!
Crow avoided it simply by dodging his head left and right. The blade grazed his ear.
'Relentless.'
A faint smile formed on Crow's lips.
"It is a pity. Our compatibility is not good."
Linda looked down at the bird-beak mask speaking those words. His arms were completely pinned down by her knees. Until now, not a single person had ever survived from this position.
"Who do you think you're showing off to? I'll show you exactly what that terrifying talent of yours is, just like you said."
"Hahaha. It is truly laughable."
It was the exact moment Linda's eyebrows furrowed.
CRASH—!
“……!”
A tremendous impact rose from behind her back. It was enough to make her pupils tremble.
An invisible blade had struck Linda from behind. Fortunately, she avoided a fatal injury thanks to her mana barrier, but she couldn't do anything about the impact. It was an impact so intense that her body bent like a bow.
"To think you were born with a body-protecting true qi of this level as a talent. Even I am truly covetous. It is fortunate that it is me; if it were an ordinary human, it would have been difficult to bear the sense of deprivation."
While Linda groaned while curling her body, Crow leisurely escaped and calmly rolled his neck around in a full circle. The sound of his bones popping was as utterly indifferent as his voice.
"Kuuuh…… You, if you aren't human, what, what are you……?"
She didn't even know what had hit her. The only thing certain was that the mana barrier surrounding her body had been completely smashed to pieces.
"Well, I wonder what I am."
Crow formed a sword finger.
Linda looked up at him, unable to move a muscle. The pain spreading throughout her entire body was completely binding her.
“……”
Suddenly, Crow swung his sword finger backward. A loud wave of energy swept from all directions.
SWISH—! SWISH—! SWISH—!
A strong gale blew in along with dirt and dust. Linda turned her head away and then back to its original position. A bundle of broken arrows lay scattered at Crow's feet.
"Dammit! You monster! Do you have eyes in the back of your head?! To think my trump card, the magic arrows, would be blocked so pointlessly!"
Declen was appalled. Behind him, mages and archers formed ranks in pairs. They were also panicked just like Declen, their bows and staffs trembling violently.
"Since things have turned out this way, I shall—"
"No! Brother! Don't come!"
"Shut up! If not me, who will protect you?!"
Declen shouted to the mages.
"Hurry! Everyone, channel your strength into my sword! The spirit of Theodore cannot be broken before a suspicious scoundrel like that!"
The mages immediately extended their hands. Various threads of mana released from their fingertips permeated Declen's sword.
Declen immediately leapt off the ground.
"Ooooooh!"
Crow twisted the corners of his lips as he watched Declen leap high into the air.
"Theodore. You are far better than those foolish royals."
Crow smoothly drew back his left arm. Instantly, a silver-white blade uncoiled like a snake, advancing as it fiercely tore through the empty air.
CRUNCH—!
The whip-like blade coiled around Declen's sword as if snatching it away.
Declen's surprise lasted only a moment; as gravitational pull was added to the fall, his body plunged rapidly downward.
"Uwaaaaaah!"
GRAB—!
Crow grabbed Declen by the lower jaw. The sword that the mages had gone to the trouble of enchanting flew away uselessly.
"However, your loose mouth is a flaw. I shall correct it."
"Ugh— Uuugh……!"
Declen struggled desperately, but it was useless. His opponent did not budge a single millimeter. It was like striking a boulder.
"Please, I beg you……! Let my brother go!"
Linda screamed as if squeezing her throat. She was equally unable to move her body.
Strength gradually drained from Declen's body. It was completely evident that his pupils were losing focus.
It was the exact moment Crow, who had been watching that state for a while, slowly raised his hand to place it on Declen's abdomen.
"Put him down this instant!"
He turned his head toward the source of the voice. The corners of his lips curled up once more.
"You have finally shown yourself, Duke of Conwell."
Declen fell limply from his grasp. Crow turned around immediately and walked toward Adeline, as if his interest in the Theodore siblings had already cooled down.
"Remove your mask."
"Hahaha! Duke. Are you not being far too arrogant? Surely you are not so foolish as to remain ignorant of your own situation?"
There were only two soldiers behind Adeline. She was practically alone. Even so, there was no trembling in her gaze. On the contrary, it even gave the illusion that she had foreseen this situation. Because of that inkling of a premonition, Crow's eyes narrowed behind his mask.
"Your inability to reveal your true identity surely means you have another scheme in mind."
"……Did I not tell you, Duke? I am of the Great Raven Mercenary Band—"
"The Great Raven Mercenary Band consists of the descendants of Partizan. The descendants of Partizan do not commit such a cowardly act as hiding behind a mask."
Adeline raised her chin high.
"You are foolish, and careless."
“……”
Crow's footsteps halted abruptly as he was approaching.
'A life force so fierce that it makes me want to devastate it.'
She was on a completely different level from the rotten things he had seen until now. He quite liked that arrogant gaze.
The Eight Demons govern the wheel of creation and destruction.
Since becoming intoxicated by a desirable life force only to inevitably crush and extinguish it is also part of their contradictory instinct……
"Intriguing."
Crow lunged forward. His cloak fluttered long.
His figure drew within roughly ten paces of Adeline.
'My word.'
Crow clicked his tongue softly. He realized belatedly that he had unintentionally become excited.
SHWRING—!
A sharp resonance echoed from all directions. It was as if aiming for prey that had fallen into a trap.
It closed in rapidly.
"Now!"
Jayden shouted as he rushed from the left. Clyde responded from the opposite side. Both were masters of drawing the sword.
"Hooh."
Crow crossed both hands. In accordance with his hand gestures, Ethereals swept through the empty air as if clawing at it.
The trajectories surrounding Crow inevitably tied down Jayden and Clyde's feet.
"Caught you."
Joel, appearing in front of Adeline, thrust his sword. It was a Destreza that was gradually resembling his master's sword.
SQUELCH—!