Chapter 125
In the darkness, Ceres dashed forward in haste. Behind her, the wailing of metal and glimpses of white eyes shone intermittently.
― Grrrr.
Ceres halted abruptly.
She reached her hand out toward the group with gleaming white eyes.
On her forearm, where a tattoo had once been, there were burn-like scars visible beneath her rolled-up sleeve.
A mage is a being who passes down knowledge.
For them, something as important as knowledge itself is receiving the tattoo inscribed with magical techniques passed down from master to disciple.
However, Ceres had lost all the magical techniques she received from her master when she was expelled by Laurenti.
In other words, at this very moment, she was incapable of using magic as powerful as she once could.
― Wuuung.
The remaining traces of black tattoos on her forearm squirmed.
Within what seemed like mere tattoos, minute, tiny letters twisted like coiled snakes.
At the same time, the tattoo, infused with Ceres' mana, dispersed the condensed letters, quickly filling in the area where the scars were.
'It doesn't have to be efficient. As long as I can hold them by the ankles...!'
In an instant, the black tattoos shone. With that, small explosions erupted at the feet of the dead who revealed themselves in the darkness.
― Kaboom!
A burst of air gathered and then scattered, making the ankles of the dead dangle loosely.
'If I add a chain reaction here.'
Immediately after, explosions spread out from the spots where the blasts had just gone off, bursting again at the feet of the approaching dead, like spiderwebs.
'If it were before, these things wouldn't even be opponents.......'
For Ceres, who had hastily improvised these tattoos, this was the most she could squeeze out.
― Grrrrrr!
The reason Ceres was facing such adversity was simple.
The moment she escaped the facility, she began to be attacked by the dead.
Most likely, they thought that since she had lost her magical tattoos, she could be easily dealt with by the dead.
However, Ceres was using all her remaining strength, struggling to break through somehow.
'I just need to make it back to where the unit is.'
That was the force that allowed Ceres' weary steps to keep moving.
However—
She had lost almost all her abilities as a mage, and the harsh environment was steadily wearing down her will.
Ceres' pace through the snowy field grew slower and slower. In contrast, the distance to the approaching dead steadily closed.
Still, the reason she kept moving was...
"Maybe..."
Maybe the Tower's judgment was wrong—such a thought was the reason.
Mages are rational, and ordinary people are not. That was the belief ingrained in the minds of all mages.
But after coming here and meeting many people, Ceres began to feel that maybe it was the mages' thinking that was the real stereotype.
And if that narrow-mindedness brought about a great disaster... that was her judgment.
If, by chance, Ceres was right, it would be impossible to even guess the magnitude of the disaster that would ensue.
However, her steps soon halted. It was due to the intense chill she felt behind her.
Instinctively, she drew up her mana. The reason she, who intended to use it as efficiently as possible, pulled on her mana to such an extent was simple.
― Grrrr.
Rapidly, ice spread out over the snowy field where Ceres stood. She turned her gaze to look behind her.
A gigantic dead was turning in her direction. Its eyes shone white and it was armor-clad.
Already equipped with a huge shield and greatsword—something no freshly made dead would have. Ceres immediately recalled the name of a dead knight from legend.
"Death... Knight."
She realized that had she not drawn up her mana, she would already be frozen solid.
Upon quick inspection, several faintly glowing cores caught her eye within its armor—it was surely what Albrecht had shown her before.
For a brief moment, her blue eyes shone brightly. Then, a small flame ignited at the neck of the Death Knight.
― Fwoosh!
Though it was just a small remaining blaze, it was the maximum output Ceres could currently muster. At that moment, maintaining her mana output to keep her body warm, she dashed away swiftly.
She had to put as much distance as possible between herself and it. Otherwise, she would surely freeze to death.
Yet, her sliver of hope was short-lived.
― Kwaaaang!
The Death Knight, having stopped for just a moment, was instantly behind her. With a single stride, it had covered the distance.
Its rotting gums showed as its teeth clattered, almost as if it were grinning. Ceres felt a chill run through her.
'This... isn't a manufactured soul.'
Her instincts told her so.
The soul within the Death Knight was not an ordinary one. Nor was it the type used for marionettes, like those given to golems.
What pulsed within was a powerful animus and hatred. The faint sneer she sensed sent chills down her spine.
The Death Knight raised its towering greatsword high above. Without any hesitation, the tip of its blade came toward the center of Ceres' brow.
Ceres squeezed her eyes shut.
'Is this the end?'
But at that moment—
― Kwaaaang!
A loud clash of metal.
Someone, their familiar black cloak fluttering, stepped in to block Ceres from behind. The sword he swung gathered golden light, scattering beautiful prismatic powder.
"Where have you sold your magic off to, standing around like that?"
The young commander of the Watch—Erich.
Ceres, at a loss for words, directed her gaze forward.
Countless Watchmen and standard-bearers of the Southern Grand Duke's house were riding towards them.
***
Erich had gathered every soldier he could muster. Those he had aided before: the 2nd Fortress Commander Hern, the grand duke's Milan, and the main Barbarians led by Hrung-ga.
Including the Watchmen under his command and the extra holy knights sent by the Patriarch, Erich's force had grown to a tremendous size.
As soon as he assembled the troops, Erich set out for the 1st research facility, where Albrecht was.
Along the way, Erich sensed something strange.
The aura of frost spread by the dead. And not just ordinary dead—the aura of upper-level beings, like Death Knights or Necromancers.
No way would Albrecht scatter such valuable creatures so carelessly—there had to be a reason.
And so, at the end of that pursuit, he came across the very Death Knight before him—along with Ceres.
Erich's gaze went to her exposed arm.
'... The tattoo is gone. Was she expelled or something?'
Erich instantly grasped the situation. It seemed Ceres had parted ways with Laurenti. Otherwise, a mage wouldn't have lost their powers.
Ceres spoke slowly.
"B-be careful. The power he holds..."
"I know. The aura of frost, right? Is it because you are a mage that you figured it out?"
Of course, under these circumstances, it would be stranger for Erich to know about the power of frost.
Yet, Ceres only smiled faintly without comment.
"I will take a moment to recover my strength."
Saying that, Ceres walked off toward the advancing troops.
Now, only the Death Knight and Erich remained on this battlefield. And Erich considered this quite an opportunity.
'... Four cores. Quite the effort went into this one.'
All this time, Mikhail had aided Erich's training, teaching him his secret techniques.
Erich, familiar with Mikhail's instruction even before his regression, picked them up quickly.
Thus, a four-core Death Knight was the perfect opponent to test what he had learned—especially as a warm-up before facing Albrecht.
The Death Knight seemed to be assessing the situation for a moment.
Gauging the distance between Erich and the soldiers behind, it fixed the shield to its body—intending to fight.
From its behavior, Erich realized something more. This was no ordinary Death Knight.
'It holds the power of the Lord of the Dead.'
This one did not move solely for slaughter, but responded to purpose and orders.
That made all the difference—like the gap between a ravenous dead and a true swordsman.
Erich drew his sword back. Instantly, the Death Knight struck first.
― Shrieeeeek!
The greatsword cleaved the air with a chilling sound as it fell. Erich raised his sword to block and, at the same moment, pointed its tip at the Death Knight.
― Kraduk!
The Death Knight staggered for a moment. Shards of broken metal fell from its helmet.
Certainly, it should have been out of reach. The Death Knight braced itself further behind the shield.
Erich pressed forward and swept his sword to either side. Even the slightest twist, with the tip aimed at the Death Knight, left cracks in the armor and shield.
At each of those moments, Erich layered sharp scales of aura along his sword.
And through the long-edged blade of aura extending from the tip, he landed attacks on the Death Knight.
It wasn't exactly Mikhail's technique, but an adaptation. Before his regression, Erich often used such swordsmanship.
Of course, its power was much reduced compared to back then, but it was enough to handle a four-core Death Knight.
The Death Knight slowly cocked its head. Its eyes glowed white. Even stronger frost enveloped Erich.
― Pat!
Moving quickly, Erich slashed at the Death Knight. The creature blocked with its shield, but Erich's blade half-crushed and sheared through it.
― Kagagagak!
Yet the Death Knight, as if expecting this, raised its greatsword overhead and then brought it down.
Ordinarily, the shield would have concealed its preparations for the strike.
But not to Erich.
A thread of murderous intent from the Death Knight targeted Erich's brow, but Erich spun quickly.
― Wuuung.
With a crimson radiance rising from both eyes, a layer of crimson aura-scales swiftly covered Erich's blade, scales writhing like a serpent, forming a sharp new edge.
They settled onto the blade as if they had been one from the beginning.
The aura blade now looked twice the length of the original sword.
― Fwit!
Judging by the distance, the Death Knight's greatsword should have landed first. Yet Erich's hand accelerated, matching the Death Knight's greatsword blow for blow.
― Kwaang!
When the two weapons collided—
A shockwave rippled out from where Erich and the Death Knight stood. And a faint smile slowly crept up Erich's lips.
It was the moment he had perfectly mastered Mikhail's secret technique.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
Noice...
Toight...
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】