Episode 16: Clash (2)

 

The situation had changed from an unexpected encounter to disunity and then to battle.
Everything was unplanned and unwanted.
In his mind, Verdel keeps cursing the angel of fate who hated him.
Verdel is staring at the girl that is slowly approaching him. He was staring at the witch.

"Damn it!　It was going so well!　This the worst!”

“I completely agree. Originally something like this—“

“Release the arrows!” 

Without waiting for the witch's words, arrows were released by the group of mercenaries on Verdel's orders.
More than a dozen arrows were released from their bows, drawn with all their strength, and surrounded the girl.
But the tentacles extending from behind her deflected all of them.
She smiled as she displayed her reaction speed, which was impossible for an average human body.
The archers' attack were useless. It didn't do any damage--not even a scratch.
Realizing the disgusting fact that it won't be easy to defeat the opponent, Verdel turned his eye to dismayed Ronius.
Maybe Ronius only thought that girl was an evil priest. At least at first he still considered her an ordinary human.
While regretting why he didn't share information about the witch before, Verdel immediately shared brief information about the witch.

"The saintess gave the oracle, the superiors also acknowledge it is a disaster level monster. 
Currently, only two people have been confirmed. Probably this is the third person! ‥
If I say the cause of the Northern riots, you can understand, right!? "

"No, no way ..."

“………”

Witch.
The words Verdel spoke showed the girl's level of danger.
Until now, the turmoil in the Northern Province showed no sign of abating.
Its said that the disaster was the cause.
Ronius would never have expected that a world crisis that was desperately kept hidden by the Holy Kingdom would appear before his eyes in this way.
The girl was still swaying her tentacles while looking at them with frightening eyes.
Her attitude was as if to say, "I'll play with you, come on."
They can't run away.
With an attack speed that even the senior knights of Verdel had a hard time dealing with, the witch pointed her tentacle at Ronius.

There was clearly no chance to ignore it.

"Let's go all at once! Mercenaries, you will only burden us! Assist from behind!"

Verdel shouted while Ronius held his sword.
The two of them already had experience defeating magical beasts.
Skills against inhuman threats must have stuck to their bodies.
Thanks to the battles only holy knights could do, they had no fear.
The only thing to do now was to crush the opponent with all their might.

“Come on, Ronius.　Whooooo!”

A strong explosive sound was heard, and Verdel's feet exploded, followed by a thunder-like rush.
Ronius sprinted to chase him.
The battle with the witch of disaster had just begun here.

…… The mercenary group couldn't see their movementz.

It was an attack and defense that far exceeded the speed of their vision.
They could only see the moment when Ronius pounced on the girl, but even that was a speed that defied common sense.

“That’s too slow and weak."

Her expression said that she can take full blows from the Holy Knights.
The two swords were blocked by the girl's tentacles, which were still in a defensive position.
That defense exceeds the senior Holy knight attack speed.
It seemed to show that their abilities were not as good as those of the witch. But--

"No, unexpectedly, it might just work!"

"--Mmm?"

With a splash of purple blood, a single tentacle rolled to the ground.
The two holy knights jumped back with a single leap and retreated to avoid being hit by the falling blood spray.　

They looked at the tentacles biting and bouncing as if it had life, then the slice turned toward them.
The girl who was called a witch frowns, looking a little troubled. 

“A God punishment technique with divine blessing........it increasea the special attack and defense against evil attributes. This is why I said that the units of good civilization are cheating.”

“I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm not going to miss this!”

They quickly ran forward again. And slashes.
Two moving shadows at the same time, their combination attack timing was perfect.
Just like the previous repetition, blood splashed again.

"Hmm. Can you cut it?"

The second tentacle was cut off.
　But the attack by Verdel and the others did not rest.
　Verdel dived from the lower side with a beastly movement as if to attack through the blood spray.
The witch tried to pierce him with two of her four remaining tentacles aimed at him.
　But the penetration, which was supposed to be a deadly attack, is easily countered by a unique sword strike that seems to draw a circle.
The acceleration of her tentacles dropped as she was forced to engage in close combat.
Verdel was using a unique sword technique, spinning and gaining an advantage.
The girl begins to become irritated by the sword attack, which had holy power with each swing.

“How about this one?　--Tch!”

A shadow fell on the girl's vision.
She instantly sensed that she was being targeted from above and waved her tentacles upward without looking.
　There was a sound of delayed impact and an explosion.
　There are three tentacles left. (PRN: werent there only 2?? Then if one got cut here, should thers only be one left?)
　This time it was the girl's turn to jump back and take her distance.

"Now! Shoot the arrows!"

"I've underestimated the Holy Knights. This is difficult." 

The girl moved her tentacles more impatiently than before to flick off the arrows. Because her tentacles had decreased.
　The coordination was perfect.
　Ronius made a chance, then Verdel, who had the extraordinary fighting ability, releases the fatal attack.
The mercenary group did not move poorly and relied on long-range attacks.
　If they destroyed all remaining tentacles, their victory seemed inevitable.
　But their opponents will bring disaster.
　Her hidden malice is unfathomable.

"Then, how about this?"

"What !?"

Seeing her disadvantageous position, the witch changed her tactics and extended her tentacles to the left and right.
　By the time Verdel hurriedly tried to issue a warning, it was already too late.
　UWAA!　And then two small cries were heard, and two members of the group, entangled in her tentacles, were held up in front of the witch's eyes.

 

"I like humans. They are weak and fragile, have a high sense of family, and are perfect for shields."

"HE, HELP..."

"Fufu, be quiet."

"Gebeebh!"

The tip of the witch tentacle stuck through the mercenary's throat.
　The captive members of the group shock and trembles, but seems still alive.
　Typical, but the effect is excellent.
It's an unthinkable battle strategy for these holy knights.
　His anger at this heinous deed was accidentally reflected on Verdel's face.
But he shouldn't be caught in the heat of anger, Verdel restrained himself.
　This was a provocation. If they were provoked, and the holy knights will miss their chance to win.
Don't expect the witches to have human ethics. They are far outside the realm of understanding.
In fact, the evil girl seemed to be enjoying seeing the suffering of the mercenary members she just caught.

"This devil!"

 "Ronius! Don't move around. Suppress your anger! The other party is so exhausted that she has to take hostages! Let's go at the same time!"
 
"Oh! Will you come! What do you do with the shield? Will you kill them? Oh, That's right, they are mercenary, they have no value."

The two mercenary corps members who became shields were about to die.
However, Verdel's unyielding attack was laudable.
The attacks he carried out were as if so that their deaths were not in vain, he not only managed to injure the witch tentacles but also injure her body.

"Two more ... if we cut two more of those disgusting body parts, we'll win."

"Yes, Verdel-sama"

They had seen through witch's tactics.
The end was near, and the time had come for them to destroy evil.
　Her beautiful white cheek that does not resemble demons now had a single scar. 
　The witch of disaster can undoubtedly be killed.
　It had given them hope in the name of victory.

"Let's go! Don't lose focus--"

The end is about to come.
The end, everything was finally over.

"Oh! I forgot to say it."

Strangely enough.
　As if she had just remembered, the witch clapped her hands, and she smiled like a baby girl. She released a blow that almost broke their neck.
She skewered Verdel with countless tentacles.

"...... My power could easily be described as being the size of an army.
If you don't bring at least 5000 armed soldiers, then it won't matter. Maybe you still need to add more."

 

　Countless tentacles sprouted out from behind her.
　She had been playing with them from the beginning. Verdel regrets in anguish how naive he was to think he could win.
　Realizing that the multiple tentacles stabbed into his belly and that his life is now about to run out. He grabs the tentacles and spits out a goblet of blood in a last-ditch effort.

 

“Run, run Ronius….”

“Ve, Verdel….sama”

“QUICK RUUUN!!”

While tilting her neck and the girl stabbed Verdel's skull.
The holy knight convulsed for a moment and then fell silent.
His body fell to the ground,
It shows that his life had been lost forever.

“Well, now it's your turn. Holy Knight Ronius. I killed him too quickly. Unfortunately, you won't.”

Countless tentacles swayed around her.
As if to show despair and declare that they would be killed from now on.
There is no way to beat her anymore.
Since Verdel was lost, Ronius can't even cut her tentacles.

Despair started looming over the mercenaries.
If Ronius was defeated, it would be their turn next.
One of the mercenaries who understood that screamed.

“HII! HII!! –-RUN.”

The horrified members threw bows and arrows to escape, but they were instantly killed by tentacles protruding from the ground.

The girl glanced over there and returned her gaze to Ronius.
Escape is meaningless. Despair haunted everyone.
However, only Ronius felt uncomfortable with the gesture.
Why did the girl show a gesture that particularly worried someone will escape?
By the way, she was aiming for a horse and a messenger at first.
Many small questions popped .
When he got the answer, Ronius quickly shouted out. 


“Spread out!　One of us has to survive and get this message out!”

“This is not good........ It can't be helped.”

A glimpse of impatience appeared on the witch's face.
At the same time, Ronius could see that his conclusion was correct.
As she expected, the girl aimed her countless tentacles to attack the escaping mercenaries.
Her tentacles, which were as sharp as spears, stabbed into the ground with a loud sound.
The screams of the stabbed mercenary group members echoed through the area.
And Ronius took advantage of this moment.

“God! Grant me the power to conquer evil!”

Casting down the power of God again, he ran to the witch with all his might.
　Because she was distracted by taking care of the mercenary group, the girl's defense was less than adequate.
　Ronius manages to push away the remaining tentacles that came in a hurry to block the attack and penetrate the girl's body.
It was a quick moment of attack and defense. And the Goddess of Victory smiled at him.
　The remaining tentacles were no longer in time to intercept the attackers.
　He was determined to end everything with one strike.
To take on the enemies of the fallen Verdel.
Ronius swung his sword down.
 

 　--Kin.

　A hard metallic sound and a scene is unfolding in front of him.
Ronius trembled as he felt like falling to the ground, but he tightened his grip on the sword even more.

"Wha, Why ...!?"

 "I’m surprised. I will praise you."

"Why are you!?"

"—the holy knight sword with the divine blessing? Why I'm able to use it? Is that it? "

　All her tentacles were sealed, the witch of the disaster was cornered.
　But she picked up Verdel's sword lying on the ground and overcame Ronius's attack.
An evil being cannot use the weapons of a blessed Holy Knight.
　This is a common sense and unchanging fact that is generally believed in the Holy Kingdom.
　However, Verdel's holy knight's sword in the girl's hand as if such common sense is meaningless.
The girl was laughing while swinging her sword in a circular motion.
The movements resembled those of Verdel's holy knight she saw in this battle.

"I took the ability of the holy knight who was lying there dead. The results of his years of training, the skills he had been honing I absorbed when I killed him"

Impossible! Ronius was overwhelmed by these thoughts.
Taking away one's abilities was absurd, let alone absorbing one's sacred skills.
Seized and imitated by evil creatures.
What is justice? If the majesty of a god is so easily tainted, Ronius could only tremble.
Realizing that the more the witch kills, the stronger she will be.

"It seems that the Holy Knight Verdel is a unit that deserves to be a hero. Maybe he was born under a fate star to achieve something great. But he died because of your short temper."

He could hear the screams of the mercenaries who had failed to escape.
　All that remained was Ronius, who stood stunned, the reason why he was the only one left was clear.
　It is a stain on his pride.
　As a holy knight, pride is everything.
 

“His feelings can be felt along with his Holy Sword Technique. 'What will happen to Ronius if I’m dead here?
What will happen to his family, his wife Marsha and daughter Meena?　
The mercenary group has a family too.
What will happen to them?　
He can't die. He cannot die.--He is a fearless, very noble man.”

“Impossible! That’s impossible!”
 

Ronius shouted without a care in the world.
　It was indeed the name of his beloved wife and child.
　His beloved wife and daughter. Once, he had told Verdel.
Ronius, in his heart, looked down on Verdel as a rude man and unworthy to be a holy knight. It turned out that Verdel really cared about them, how noble a soul he was.

　Ronius cried out pitifully, half in tears.
To the the grief of a great man's soul and memory, a man's noble pride, stolen by the evil in front of him and now being consumed by it.

“What are you thinking about now?　What do you think, little man, about a man who has the dignity and strength, and above all, the nobility of a senior knight?”

“The mercenary who escaped will surely tell our country about this and send us a holy army to defeat you... His will never be extinguished!”
 

Their operation had been halfway successful.
　The witch's tentacles had come around to attack the fleeing mercenaries. Still, they hadn't been able to kill all the dozens of people running in all directions.
　He doesn't know how many, but one of them would escape that Mad tentacle fang.
　He is sure that that person will be the one to alert the authorities about this tragedy... Ronius was sure of it.

“Aa, about that? –- It will fine with this.”

 
Dosh!　And then there was a loud sound, and the tentacles were thrusted into the ground again.
　At the same time, something that sounded like a scream could be heard from a distance.
　He looked around hurriedly, but there was no sign of the fleeing mercenary.
　However, the way she speaks and her actions make Ronius face pale as he arrived to the answer of what has just been done.

"...What? No, no way.

“Huh?　Did I mention that I can't reach that distance?　I never say that, did I?”

She could still carry out attacks beyond her line of sight.
Realizing that all hope has been crushed, Ronius holds his sword with a trembling hand.

''Well, come on?　I will deal with you with the sword of the holy knight Verdel, whom you have dismissed as unworthy.

　Her circular motion was indeed Verdel's technique.


= Message =============

Sludge Atou gained the following abilities by defeating the unit.

《Holy sword technique》
 

・ Blessed swords can be equipped
・ The following abilities are obtained when the sword is equipped:
1.2 times Attack power against evil attribute units
1.2 times Defense power against evil attribute units

Proofread by: Shinigami Nanashi

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