kscans

Chapter 254 - The Siege of Miglutt and the End of a Bloody Battle

The flames created by Zeno stained my entire field of vision red.

Even if I tried to escape, the violent gale made it difficult just to stand. My whole body stung as if seared by the torrent of heat, my vision distorted, and it felt as though even my thoughts were being incinerated. Yet, there was one person who walked with light steps, as if the scene and sensations were a mere illusion. Her wavy black hair was tossed about by the gale, the veil covering her face was burned away by the flames, revealing her true face.

"Kalpana..."

"Mash, stay by my side." As if clad in the crimson torrent itself, Kalpana began to dance with graceful movements. She quietly raised her hands to hide her face, then gently spread her arms as if melting into the flickering flames. Amidst the fierce heat, her figure wavered like a shadow puppet, and in the next moment, she had become a gust of wind. Standing softly on tiptoe upon the swirling waves of fire that threatened to swallow everything, she drew a gentle spiral like a ripple. Her black hair swayed and danced along with that rhythm, faintly dyed by the crimson of the flames. The torrent of fire soon began to flow with her movements, changing its course as if it had gained a will of its own.

As Kalpana spread her arms wide, the flames were guided, undulating, and calming like gentle waves. She gracefully extended her fingertips, drawing the flames in as if to entangle them. Rising onto her toes, she spun her body as if winding them up. The flames still raged, cutting off our retreat, but the scorching torrent subsided like a receding tide. The heat calmed, and my vision began to clear.

"Sensing the flow of mana and changing its course... This is... the Dance of the Sun Maiden..." Elisha murmured in astonishment. Like her, my mouth was agape, mesmerized by Kalpana's dance.

"Mash, now!" Kalpana's voice brought me back to my senses. I gripped my katana and charged toward Zeno. I swung down from an overhead stance in a diagonal slash, but he easily parried it. Undeterred, I struck a second and third time, but he parried those as well. Zeno's movements, wielding a two-handed sword with one arm, seemed crude and careless at first glance, but he accurately read my movements and stopped my attacks. I tried to jump back to reset, but at that exact moment, Zeno stepped in and slashed at me.

"Kuh!" I barely managed to deflect his sword, but my feet got tangled and I nearly fell.

"Die!" Just as Zeno was about to bring his sword down, Irisalie leaped in with perfect timing and deflected it. In the next instant, the two of them began a fierce exchange of blows. I wanted to cut in between their swordplay, but Zeno skillfully used his body to block my advance. Like Clovis, Zeno must have mastered multiple professions. He had mastered magic, and his swordsmanship had also reached the level of a master. It was something only a long-lived race like the elves could achieve. The only one who could stand against him was another elf, Irisalie, but even she was beginning to be pushed back by Zeno's brute force.

"Why...? He should still have the wound I gave him earlier..." He must be under the effects of the body enhancement magic he had used on Sameim, and the immortality magic he had used on Irisalie and his soldiers. His movements showed no signs of slowing down. I tried to shoot icicles with water magic, but they evaporated instantly in the surrounding heat.

"Then... how about this!" I unleashed multiple spheres of water with my magic. They burst like explosions, sending up pillars of fire and steam. I pushed through the steam, enduring the heat, and closed in on Zeno. He was a little slow to track my movement. We swung our weapons at almost the same time. A split second faster, I slashed across Zeno's side. A moment later, Zeno's sword swung, but its trajectory was off, and it sliced my cheek.

"Guh..." With Zeno's muffled cry, his blood splattered in the mist. But my blow must have been shallow as well. Zeno didn't fall, instead raising his two-handed sword for another strike. Seizing the opportunity while Zeno's attention was completely on me, Irisalie swung her rapier down. Her blade cut deep from Zeno's shoulder to his chest, and he collapsed.

We stood there, breathing heavily.

"...Mash, when you have a plan like that, you need to tell me beforehand," Irisalie muttered, looking down at Zeno, who had fallen on his back. The flames surrounding us had not subsided, but with the caster in this state, they would eventually die down.

"Was this okay? Zeno was your..." Before I could finish, Irisalie shook her head.

"It's fine. This way..." Just as she started to speak, Zeno's body moved. He pointed a finger at Irisalie. In that instant, her entire body was engulfed in flames.

"Irisalie!" She cried out in surprise and reached for Zeno. I hastily cast water magic on her. But, just like before, the flames only grew stronger, erupting violently and sending up a cloud of steam. I needed to get the flames off her body. I needed more water, enough to wash away the intense fire. I tried to create more water with my magic.

"Mash, it's fine..." Her voice was tinged with resignation. She backed away so the flames wouldn't jump to me.

"Don't be ridiculous! Stop saying whatever you want! It's not fine!"

"No, Mash, this is for the best..." Irisalie said, and then threw herself on top of Zeno. The flames that had been consuming her spread to him, becoming a single, larger inferno.

"Guaaaaaah!" Zeno's scream-like cry echoed. The flames surrounding us still raged. Kalpana was controlling them, keeping our immediate area safe from the torrent, but they showed no sign of weakening. I wanted to call for help to save Irisalie, but I couldn't think of a way to extinguish the fire. The flames would probably die down once he was dead, but Irisalie's body wouldn't last that long. Kalpana was at her limit just holding back the vortex of fire. I looked to Elisha for help, but she just shook her head with a grim expression, clutching her crosier. Just then, the flames that had been consuming Zeno and Irisalie vanished.

I looked back at the two of them. Zeno pushed Irisalie aside and slowly stood up. The wound on his stomach and the cut on his shoulder were already starting to close. The arrow wounds he had received earlier were gone. He looked up and glared at me. Deep wrinkles were etched into his once handsome face, his teeth were clenched tight, and the flames that should have been extinguished were burning in the depths of his eyes.

"Mash... I'll kill you..."

"The feeling's mutual. Zeno, I'm going to kill you." Just as I was about to ready my katana in a middle stance, Zeno threw the two-handed sword he was holding. The sword flew like an arrow and pierced Kalpana's side. Her dance stopped, and she crumpled to the ground. The flames she had been suppressing roared back to life, dancing and closing in on us.

"Kalpana!"

"Mash, I've got her!" Elisha ran to Kalpana's side. And just as my attention was diverted to the two of them, Zeno moved. In his hand, somehow, was Irisalie's rapier. I raised my sword to block his swing, but I was a breath too late. The impact on my shoulder sent a jolt of intense pain through my entire body. Enduring the pain, I jumped back to create distance, but Zeno launched a fire spell at me.

"Damn it...!" I reflexively covered my face with my arm to shield myself from the heat, but the heat never came. Elisha had put up a magical defensive barrier. That barrier, too, was consumed by the heat and vanished. I gripped my katana to counterattack. The cut I had just received ached, but suddenly, the pain subsided. It wasn't Elisha's healing magic. Kalpana, lying next to her, had extended a hand and was looking at me.

"Mash..." she managed to force out.

"This is a pain," Zeno muttered, pointing his finger at Kalpana and Elisha.

"Like I'd let you!" I quickly stepped in and slashed at his arm. Zeno pulled his hand back, but my blade reached it first. His severed arm fell to the ground.

"I've fought an immortal man like you before. If I cut it off, it can't regenerate, right?"

"Are you sure about that...?" Zeno laughed and looked down at his missing arm. Then, as if growing from the inside, flesh extended, and his lost arm was regenerated. He opened and then clenched his new hand, testing its function.

"What...?" I could only stare in stunned silence. It was an incredible regenerative ability, far beyond Takamura's Vampire skill. We needed to escape this vortex of fire immediately. But if he could just regenerate endlessly no matter how many times I cut him, escaping this situation would be difficult. I ground my teeth.

"Mash... it's not... infinite..." Irisalie's fingertips twitched slightly, and she lifted her head a little.

"Irisalie! Stay down. I'll save you. Elisha is here too. We'll get you to the church right away!"

"Mash, it's not infinite. The immortality ability... it depends on the user's mana. Zeno... he's absorbing Mana Seeds... and using them as power... the flow of mana... gah!" Irisalie arched her back slightly, her eyes widened, and then her face fell to the ground. A sword was sticking out of her back. Zeno casually pulled the sword out and flicked it, shaking off the blood on the blade.

"You bastard..." I tightened my grip on the hilt of my katana. And then, with all my might, I kicked off the ground and charged at Zeno. He effortlessly blocked my blow and deflected it aside. I stumbled past Zeno, almost losing my balance. He brought his sword down on me. A high-pitched metallic clang echoed. I blocked his sword with my blade, but his follow-up attack prevented me from regaining my footing, and I tumbled onto the stone pavement. The stones were hot, and I felt a burning sensation on my skin. I couldn't leave Kalpana and Irisalie lying in a place like this. But the difference in our swordsmanship was clear, and my mind was racing with panic. Zeno pointed his sword at me.

"Surrender. You will be my hostage and get me to a safe place. If you do, I'll spare your life."

"Don't be ridiculous. As if I'd help someone like you..." Zeno smirked at my words.

"Are you sure? The nomad priestess and the high bishop of Miglutt will burn to death." I swung my katana, knocking Zeno's sword aside, and stood up.

"Taking me hostage is meaningless. You'll end up being killed anyway. You should be the one to surrender. I'll plead with them to spare your life."

"You underestimate yourself. Otherworld hero sent by the goddess."

"Shut up! I didn't ask for this."

"Your relationship with Maryanne, the de facto commander of your forces. And the man who supports the Star Union Family now that Augustus is gone... your presence in this city is immeasurably important."

"Augustus isn't dead!"

"What did you say?" Zeno's eyes widened slightly.

"Your entire plan has fallen apart! Besides, even if I did agree to your terms and help you escape, you have no intention of letting me or anyone else here live, do you? In any case, even if you escape this place, your future is already lost. Give up and surrender, Zeno."

"You are the one making the wrong choice, Mash. I won't do anything to harm you. Trust me." He held out his hand as if to make peace.

"Zeno, I will defeat you. Kalpana, Elisha, and Irisalie are all my women. I will save them with my own hands." His eyes narrowed. He then stepped on Irisalie.

"Irisalie has no interest in you. All she has is her lingering attachment to me."

"I don't give a damn! Get your foot off her! I was the last one to hold that woman! She's my woman!" I charged forward again. I'll cut him down, sword and all. With that thought, I swung my katana down, but he lightly parried the blow. I pressed forward and swung my katana sideways. Zeno retreated, and the tip of my blade cut through empty air.

"Damn it, just one hit... just one hit..." I gripped my katana and edged closer. The blood had rushed to my head, and I couldn't think straight. Just land one blow on Zeno. But that desire was just spinning its wheels in the face of our skill difference.

"This should be enough, right?" Suddenly, I heard Irisalie's voice from where she lay on the stone pavement. There was no pain in her voice, only a chilling coldness. And she was gripping Zeno's ankle.

"You traitor, let go!" Zeno tried to pull his foot away, but Irisalie didn't let go.

"You were the one who betrayed me first. And you were the one who made my body like this, Zeno." Zeno raised his sword to strike Irisalie.

"I won't let you!" I channeled mana into the tip of my katana, kicked off the pavement, and charged. I slashed at Zeno's sword. A high-pitched metallic sound rang out, the rapier broke in two, and the tip grazed Irisalie's body before sticking into the pavement.

"Zeno, I'm going to find out if you've really become immortal!" I slashed at Zeno diagonally, and then continued to swing my sword with all my might. Eventually, Zeno collapsed to the ground.

"Damn you, Mash, you're coming with me! I'll use all my mana to burn this entire area to the ground!"

"Shut up and die already!" I delivered the final blow, and Zeno collapsed. But the flames surrounding us didn't weaken; instead, they flared up. I sheathed my katana and lifted Irisalie into my arms. Elisha, with Kalpana leaning on her for support, walked over to me. The flames were now burning more fiercely than before, closing in to swallow us. We huddled together, trying to escape to a place with less intense fire.

"I will use a defensive barrier spell. But I don't know how long it will hold..." Elisha handed Kalpana over to me. With both Kalpana and Irisalie in my arms, I was unable to move. Elisha looked at the scene, then raised her crosier.

"I need to apologize to Elisha. I was the one who, blinded by the prospect of quick money, sold the Mana Seeds to Zeno." A smile touched her lips at my words.

"I see. In that case, we must consider this fire a trial and endure it to the end. Mash's choices must always be the right ones." After saying that, Elisha cast a magical defensive barrier. The vortex of flames pressed in, trying to crush the barrier. The flames were held back by the barrier and couldn't reach us, but I could feel the searing heat on my skin, making it sting. Sweat trickled down her cheek, but it evaporated before it could reach her chin, leaving a river of salt in its place.

"Mash... you called me 'my woman' earlier, didn't you?" Hearing her words, I tightened my grip on the limp forms of Kalpana and Irisalie.

"Elisha, that's not what I—" I started to make an excuse, but she looked at me and shook her head with a smile.

"No, it's just as I said before. When I heard about you from Myra, I was so envious. I want to travel with you too. I want to chase after what you seek. I want to fulfill Lady Laciel's wish with you. I wanted to meet you before anyone else..."

"Elisha..."

"I was so happy when you called me 'my woman.' Just like Myra..." The barrier Elisha had created was about to break. The torrent of fire was melting it, trying to crush it. There was nothing I could do but hold Kalpana, Irisalie, and Elisha close.

"Mash. No, Lord Mash. I'm sorry. But, even at a time like this, I... Elisha is happy..." The fire crushed the barrier. The torrent descended to swallow us whole. I held them protectively, closed my eyes, and lowered my head.

We were engulfed in flames. I braced myself for the inevitable, but the moment never came. I cautiously opened my eyes. The fiery torrent had vanished as if it were a lie. In its place, a single girl stood before us.

"...Glad I made it in time." She let out a deep sigh and slowly lowered the wand she had been holding. Her long, silver hair swayed. She rarely showed emotion, but she must have been in a hurry. Her eyes were faintly teary, and her porcelain-white cheeks were unusually flushed.

"...Mash. I finally found you."

"Mo... I was looking for you." Marmi ran forward and threw herself into my arms.