Chapter 114 - Brawl at the Back Door
The clash between Gradena and Ghost marked the beginning of the battle.
Gradena wielded her usual longsword, while Ghost used a shorter blade. Even with the difference in reach, Gradena had the advantage.
However, as Gradena began to swing her sword, her movements suddenly slowed, as if someone had hit the brakes. Her sluggish strikes were easily avoided, and Ghost’s quick, consecutive attacks quickly put her on the defensive.
"Damn, my body won’t move!"
"Sorry, but this will be quick. I’m in a hurry, you see," Ghost said.
Gradena’s movements were unusually sluggish, as if she had suddenly been weighed down. This was not just a simple magic debuff; it was a type that affected both magic and physical attributes.
Of course. As the leader of a powerful organization, Ghost would have experience with such magic. I had struggled against similar debuffs in the past.
Ghost intensified his Physical Enhancement Magic, overwhelming Gradena’s defenses. Despite her sluggish movements, she managed to block most of his attacks, a testament to her skill. However, his sword still grazed her arm and torso, and occasionally landed direct hits. Her coat protected her from being cut, but the metal blade still caused pain and damage.
Even if the wounds weren’t fatal, the cumulative damage would eventually bring her down.
Indeed, there was a reason for his confidence. His magic output clearly surpassed Gradena’s. She was one of the strongest in the Kikyo Society and could probably defeat any senior member of our organization. The difference in power was significant. Even if she used her full strength, it would be difficult to overcome this gap. With the debuff magic, it was nearly impossible.
---
Under normal circumstances.
Gradena, however, was not just any fighter. The Kikyo Society had prepared for such debuffs, and while it took her a bit of effort, she managed to counteract the magic. This was no small feat, especially while fending off Ghost’s attacks. Once she figured it out, the debuff would no longer affect her.
Still, it was strange that she showed no signs of the damage she had taken. Her toughness and resilience were beyond mere physical strength or mental fortitude. There was something more.
"Alright, alright, alright! How’s this?" Gradena said, regaining her composure and deflecting Ghost’s sword with a confident smile.
Despite the damage she had taken, her eyes were full of determination. She was truly formidable.
Ghost’s Physical Enhancement Magic was at full strength, while Gradena’s was only at about half. Yet, she managed to hold her ground. This was possible thanks to a magic potion that provided the same level of enhancement as Physical Enhancement Magic.
While the effect wasn’t simply additive, the combined use of the potion and the magic gave her a significant boost. With the potion, her strength was on par with Ghost’s. If she used her full strength, she would surpass him, making the difference overwhelming. This was why I had been able to watch the fight with confidence.
She was essentially toying with him. She was enjoying the fight, something she rarely got to do against a stronger opponent.
The younger members of the Kikyo Society, selected from the third combat unit and combat support unit, were also holding their own against the enemy. There were about three times as many enemies, but they were already taking down a significant number of them. The younger members were not just relying on the potions; they were also highly skilled and well-prepared.
Ghost, on the other hand, was assessing the situation.
His debuff magic had been countered.
The enemy woman was displaying strength beyond her physical enhancement.
His subordinates were being overwhelmed.
Despite this, he decided to continue the fight, but with a different approach.
He drew a short dagger from his pocket and threw it at Gradena. Three of them were laced with poison. Impressive.
At the same time, he started running towards the back, where the Kikyo Society’s younger members were stationed.
"Get out of the way!"
Gradena deflected the daggers and issued a warning. The younger members, without hesitation, jumped out of the way.
However, Ghost was no ordinary opponent. His speed was too great, and one of the younger members’ wrists were severed. Ghost didn’t stop, targeting another of our members.
This was bad. Even with the potions, our younger members couldn’t handle Ghost. He was far too experienced, and this was a surprise attack. They could be overwhelmed before they could regroup.
To make matters worse, one of the enemies cast an explosion spell. The blast was wide but weak, but it completely obscured the view. This was a familiar pattern.
"Listen up! Don’t move until I say so! If you don’t want to die, protect your head!"
Good call. The air was filled with a gas, completely obscuring the view. Even from a distance, the gas enveloped everything, leaving us blind.
But this was all part of the plan.
The battlefield, which had been noisy, suddenly fell silent. Then, the fools started their conversation, believing their sleep gas had worked. It hadn’t.
"...Damn, you’re tough. Are you all still alive?"
"Hell, I was almost done for."
"Boss Ghost, can we do whatever we want with these women?"
"Amor, where are you? Are you alive?"
"He’s dead. I saw him get taken out right in front of me. Not just Amor, but Bursmen and Dias too."
"What!? Damn it! I’ll kill them!"
"...Kill all the women. We’re not done yet. Hurry up."
As the smoke cleared, what remained were not the fallen Kikyo Society members, but a group of fierce warriors with menacing smiles.
The sleep gas and poison gas had no effect on us, thanks to our coats with Purifying Engravings. While the enemy was distracted by the smoke, we had used our Physical Enhancement Magic to cut off our presence and lie in wait. Our members, with their exceptional skills and nerve, had managed to heal their wounds with recovery potions and use magic perception to track the enemy’s movements.
The moment the enemy lowered their guard, we struck. Our weapons found their marks, and half of the enemy fell without even a chance to scream.
Ghost, likely exhausted from his battle with Gradena, had not anticipated this. Despite the one-sided nature of the fight due to his debuff magic, he had been pushing himself to the limit. An assassin like Ghost was not built for prolonged battles.
His attack had indeed caught multiple of our younger members, and while not fatal, it was a direct hit. In that situation, it would have been easy to assume they were immediately incapacitated by the gas.
The enemy had likely used an antidote, and their magic perception was far inferior to ours. In a battlefield with obscured vision, the Kikyo Society had the upper hand.
As the enemy fell one after another, Ghost showed signs of panic. Gradena, however, stood in his way, preventing him from escaping. I added my presence to intimidate him.
In the end, Ghost was the only one left standing.
The younger members, having taken down the enemy, stood by. One of them had lost his wrist, but I would use a second-grade recovery potion on him later.
I continued to maintain my vigilance. Valeria was still engaged in battle, but it seemed she was close to finishing.
To be continued in the next chapter, 'The Thunder Warrior'.