<h4>Volume 3, Chapter 180: Soar to Freedom (2/2)</h4>
“Ahaha! This is good! There’s so many to pick from!”
Laughter sounded as blood spurted about. Each time Vine swung her sword, screams would sound and corpses would rise.
“…n leader, your bad habit is showing.”
The gnome warrior, Berk, frowned, but he continued to support Vine from afar, shooting down the foes that entered Vine’s blind spot with his magic.
The sharpened rocks were difficult to dodge in the dark of the night, but worse than that was the fact that even if one did manage to dodge them, the only thing waiting for them was Vine’s evil de.
All that the eye could see, all that the de could reach, all were dragged into the depths of the abyss by the evil de of the Red Moon’s n leader.
“Die! Die! Die! Ahahaha!”
“The n leader’s opened a path. Now, go!”
At Berk’s behest, Pale ran straight ahead.
“Shurei, Rue, cover me.”
Pale used her senses to find her foes within the dark of the night and shot at them with her small bow. With every arrow nocked, screams would resound. This was the skill of the sylph that surpassed even the precision of Berk’s rock bullets.
“Hah?”
While Vine was happily cutting one person down after another, something managed to stop her, causing her to cry out in
displeasure. As sparks shed in the dark of the night, it became apparent that the one who stopped her was none other than the eastern swordsman who had named himself Shunrai.
“You look like you’re having fun. How about partnering with me?”
“Don’t put on airs around me! I’ll tear you into pieces!”
Vine shook off the flesh bits and blood clinging to her de, then she sheathed it, smiled fiercely, and rushed up to the eastern swordsman.
In response, Shunrai slightly inclined his scimitar over his shoulders and lowered his gravity, allowing him to move anytime he wished.
For a moment, there was silence between them.
But it was only for a moment.
“SEI!” [1]
“SHAA!” [1]
And in the next moment, Shunrai and Vine cried out, sparks erupting as their des crossed. When they saw that they failed to kill their foe, they swung their swords once more.
Vine’s evil de grazed Shunrai’s nose, while Shunrai’s scimitar cut several strands of Vine’s long ck hair.
Vine was shorterpared to Shunrai, so she aimed for his feet, but Shunrai didn’t show any intention of defending his feet as he took a step in and prepared to cut down Vine from above.
Vine clicked her tongue as she sensed death, then she brought back her sword and - relying on her instincts - jumped to the side to avoid the descending de.
In response, Shunrai swept with his sword, releasing an attack that was akin to a powerful wind. If that were to hit, Vine’s head would surely burst like a pomegranate, but as revenge for earlier, Vine jumped over his head instead.
In a contest of swords, one stakes his life in a moment. Sword technique, strength, vision, guts, speed… Even if one’s opponent surpasses oneself on all ounts, one must never doubt his sword, for to do so, is to ept defeat.
Which is why these two warriors have been keeping a firm hold on their spirit while focusing on the battle.
“!”
When Shunrai’s muffler was cut, the fierce smile hidden behind was finally revealed.
“What are you smiling for!?”
Veins bulged on Vine’s temples as she took a step forward, then as she unsheathed her de, she sent an attack toward the eastern swordsman. It was a blood curling sight when her graceful features were covered in blood and twisted in that ghastly expression.
Shunrai received her attack directly with his own scimitar andughed.
“Good, good! Give me more! Hee hee.”
“Hah!?”
As fury burned within Vine’s eyes, she pushed back the scimitar with all of her strength, and when a big enough gap was made, she swept with her sword to im Shunrai’s neck. But as Shunrai pulled back, the smile on his face did not vanish, and as he opened his eyes wide in excitement, he mimicked Vine.
Vine clicked her tongue upon seeing Shunrai’s entric behavior, and she sheathed her curved sword once more.
“I’ll kill you.” Vine spat.
“Kill me? Saying stuff like that repeatedly only makes you look weak, little girl.” Shunrai spat back.
Vine had always had a short fuse, so ites to no surprise that when she heard those words, she immediately lost all constraint. She smiled a sublime smile, but her eyes weren’tughing. Instead they emitted a powerful killing intent as she eyed the enemy before her.
“Go!”
As soon as that word was spoken, Pale ran past Vine, and Vine approached Shunrai to keep him from chasing after Pale, but Shunrai didn’t even nce at Pale and instead focused on Vine.
It was such a perfect decision that Vine couldn’t help but click her tongue. Vine had originally intended to take his head if he tried to go after Pale or showed even a little hesitation, but s…
Shunrai knew that Pale only wanted to go where Ryutanu was. But as far as he was concerned, the living was more interesting than someone about to die, so he instinctively moved for Vine.
In the dark of the night, the battle of the crazed warriors was yet to end.
◆◇◆
“Ryutanu!”
Pale couldn’t hear anything anymore as she ran. Not the battle urring nearby nor the enemies nor her allies, nothing. The only thing she could focus on was her old friend, whom she embraced
despite his bloodied body. Beside her was Ryutanu’s aide, the little girl that was hiding in the shed, looking like she was about to cry.
As Ryutanu faintly opened his eyes and breathed weakly, Pale swallowed her breath.
“… Tha…t’s… rea…lly… cru…el… Wh, y?”
Ryutanu’s eyes were filled with tears as he looked up at Pale.
Pale thought he was ming her, so she never stopped apologizing as she embraced him.
“I’m, sorry. If, I hadn’t left for the forest… you, I…”
Ryutanu shook his head. Just speaking alone was already difficult for him and his arms couldn’t move well, but despite that, he still desperately tried to wipe away the tears on Pale’s eyes.
“Prin… cess…”
“It’s alright. It’ll be alright… That’s why, Ryutanu!”
“Sophi…”
Even just breathing was difficult. Ryutanu’s voice was already powerless.
“Yes! Elder Brother!”
Sophia wiped away her tears and held Ryutanu’s hands.
“Dism…iss… Elks… Live… as you… please…”
“No, no, elder brother! We will… always…”
“Princ…ess… Please… take… care… of… these…”
Ryutanu couldn’t even finish thatst sentence.
“No, you’re joking, right? Ryutanu… Ryutanu!”
Pale openly cried while Sophia quietly cried. Shurei and Rue were protecting them, but that wouldn’tst forever. Rue did not have the power to resurrect the dead and Shurei was outside of his area of expertise.
But the ones most annoyed by this odd turn of events was the assassins surrounding them.
While the swordsman from the Red King n and the ck-haired woman were fighting, they were done in by some women and children. That fact greatly hurt their n’s pride, a n that had crushed the Elks n.
“How long are you nning to let these women and children run over you!?”
Openly furious, the assassin ordered his members to attack Pale and the remnants of the Elks n. Shurei readied to defend Pale and Sophia, while Berk attacked the Dagger of Webrus from afar.
It was frustrating being hit with those rock bullets in the middle of the forest, so the assassins clicked their tongues and went after the source of the rocks.
A closer look would reveal that the rocks had been shooting from the same ce all this time.
Several people had been done in as they closed in, but Berk figured Shurei would probably be able to handle them so long as they blocked the rocks.
Having decided that, Berk decided to make his appearance.
“I’ll make you regret for making an enemy out of Webrus’ Dagger,” the assassin dered, thinking Berk was hiding deep inside the forest.
But then a voice suddenly replied.
“I wonder,” it said.
The assassin turned around in shock, and lo and behold, the gnome warrior was right there behind him.
“Why, are you… How did you get here!? You were over there!”
“Hmm… You mean this?”
As the rock bullet floated in the air, it flew to one direction, then it drew a curve and shot out from the same location as before, blowing away another assassin from Webrus’ Dagger’s ranks.
“It’s a game we y back in my hometown. Looks like it was pretty useful this time around.”
“Bastard!”
The assassin jumped back in a panic, but Berk didn’t allow him to, and before he could, his body was cut in half.
“Hmm… What are you supposed to say at a time like this again?”
Berk leisurely thought himself like that as he took a breather.
“Berk Alsen has taken the enemy general’s head!!”
When that voice resounded throughout the forest, the members of Webrus’ Dagger cried and scattered about like frightened baby spiders.
The twin red moons of Ervi and Navi shone upon Pale’s eyelids.
“Ah, ahh…”
The eyes that were closed by her brethren gradually opened as the moonlight goddess, Vardina, bestowed Pale her blessing.
But ironically the first thing those eyes saw was the hopeless sight of arade’s lifeless body.
“AHh, AHH!! Ryutanu!”
That nostalgic face was wet with blood, his body was covered in blood. How long had he been fighting? It was no longer even possible to distinguish whose blood it was that covered him anymore. Was it his or his foe’s, no one knew, but much of the blood had already dried.
“Why… Why?”
Why was this cruel world so quick to take the things she cherished? Pale wondered, but no answer came.
“Ahh, toote, eh?” A friendly voice called out to Pale.
It was none other than Vine, who was fighting with that eastern swordsman just a while ago.
Her overlyx attitude caused Pale to re at her.
“What, got a problem?”
But Vine justughed as if she didn’t mind Pale’s re.
“Unfortunately, there’s no point in ring at me. The one who killed that was Webrus’ Dagger and you not making it in time was your
own fault. As someone who offered you assistance, there shouldn’t be any reason for you to be ring at me.”
Pale swallowed the emotions that sought to well up.
She didn’t think she was wrong, so she averted her gaze.
“Hmph. Well if you have enough self-control to keep yourself from yelling at others, then I guess that’s good. So, what are we going to do now?”
“…Now?”
Around them was the river of blood and corpses that Vine, Berk, and the girls had made.
“You want vengeance, right?”
“That’s…”
Within Pale burned the mes of hate. It was an emotion that demanded she consume everything or go insane. It was her first time feeling such emotions.
“The real enemy isn’t the Dagger of Webrus. Behind them is the Red King.”
Sophia wiped her eyes and then red at Pale and Vine.
“The Red King…” Pale muttered in nk amazement.
“Heh…” Vine nodded.
“What’s your name?” Pale asked.
Pale Symphoria gazed at the darkness within her heart, and the abyss gazed right back at her. What reflected on those beautiful pair of jewels she had for eyes was her own body being burned by the ck mes of vengeance.
“Sophia,” the girl replied.
“Ms. Sophia… I intend to exact vengeance on the Dagger of Webrus and the Red King. Would you like toe with me?”
Sophia wordlessly nodded, and so did the rest of the remnants of the Elks n.
“Ms. Vine.”
“Yes?”
“Shurei, Rue… There won’t be anybing back after this.”
“I-It’s better than abandoning ourrades!” Shurei replied
Rue nodded.
“From now on you’ll be following my orders. Mark my words, the Dagger of Webrus and the Red King will pay!”
The shadow of the Goddess of Vengeance appeared within Pale, and she was aware of it.
◆◆◆◆◆◇◆◇
Name: Pale Symphoria
Race: Sylph
Level: 89
ss: Commander
Possessed Skills: Seal Ether; Deep Schemes; Inscrutable Stratagem; A Tactician''s Wit; Bravery; Wind''s Voice; Magic Maniption; Bow Master B+; Wind''s Voice; Glorious Race
Divine Protection: Wind
Attributes: Blessing of the Goddess of Vengeance
Seal Ether
A skill that seals the targets ether. Can be casted with a special arrow.
Deep Schemes
Affects a tactician’s abilities.
Inscrutable Stratagem
Affects a tactician’s abilities.
A Tactician’s Wit
Aids one when leading an organization.
Magic Maniption
A more advanced version of ether maniption. Spells can be used with more efficiency.
Bravery
Allows one to regain calm when in a crisis.
Wind’s Voice
Increases one’s ability to grasp the surrounding area. Allows one to live normally even while blind.
Glorious Race
Due to being an elf, humans will be charmed to some extent.
Blessing of the Goddess of Vengeance
Charm effect to those close to the dark attribute.
[1] Battle cries. Doesn’t really mean anything.