Episode 422

Eye of the Storm (4)

I had abandoned all hope of rescue.

We discarded our food and our equipment.

Even after fleeing like that, I had to helplessly watch my comrades being caught and die.

That’s what survival is all about.

Giving up, and giving up again.

Deceiving ourselves that the most irrational decision was, in fact, the most rational under the circumstances.

So, I burned everything I had, using it as fuel to move forward.

But…

“Enemies! New enemies have appeared!”

Now, what else must I give up?

Damn it, I already know the answer.

“Jun, I’ll leave this place to you for a moment.”

I quickly passed the baton and moved to the rear.

As soon as I turned my back, I saw our ranged unit running toward us from behind.

Enemies were chasing them.

“Mister…!”

“Erwin!”

“There are about a dozen of them! They don’t seem like knights, but they’re using aura! Gerod is holding them off alone right now!”

Ventis Gerod.

A support type from the third team.

A man with a smiling face and an unnecessarily positive attitude, whom everyone scolded and yet liked.

“Thanks for letting me know. Quickly join the main force with Akuraba.”

“…Be careful!”

When I reached the rear after brushing past Elwin, I found him collapsed on the ground, hot blood splattered around him.

Swooooosh—!

Blood steamed as it met the cold air.

‘So… another one is gone.’

If not for this man, more people would have been hurt and killed.

Thump—

For a moment, my heart tightened, but the harsh reality didn’t allow time for sorrow.

Swish.

I lifted my head and gazed straight ahead.

Over Gerod’s corpse, I saw about a dozen enemies.

As soon as I saw them, I recalled a conversation I had with the leader of Orcules in Noark.

[Human females]

[Red aura in the form of spikes, specialized in daggers]

[All characteristics of the Rose Knights]

The Rose Knights.

A specialised unit of the royal family responsible for assassinations, infiltration, and special operations.

So, the day has come to meet them too.

Drip, drip, drip, drip—

A woman holding a dagger dripping blood stood still, staring at me.

It was similar to when I first met Amelia.

Eyes that showed no emotion.

And…

“You’re Baron Bjorn Jandel.”

A cold, monotonous voice that lacked even a hint of warmth.

“According to our information, you possess at least second-class sword defense abilities. Your assessed combat power is two levels higher than each of us, so handle with caution.”

As soon as the woman’s businesslike briefing ended, their unit took stances to attack at any moment.

It’s been a while since I felt this way looking at an enemy, but I genuinely got chills down my spine.

I wasn’t afraid of someone irrationally screaming that they’d kill me without even knowing me.

But these were different.

Experts trained solely for the purpose of killing.

Thump!

Even before our weapons clashed, my warrior’s instincts warned of a grueling fight.

But…

Crack!

So what?

“Did the Marquis send you?”

I asked while maintaining a posture ready to respond at any time, but no answer came back.

“……”

Well, those eyes are chilling.

Is it that they don’t talk to someone they’re about to kill?

That thoroughly professional demeanor left no room for expectations, though I did hope for an answer to at least one thing.

“How did you know to wait for us here?”

“…”

“Hmm? Tell me. No matter how I think about it, I can’t figure out this one thing. Don’t you feel sorry for us?”

Even in my joking tone, the woman looked at me without changing her expression and quietly spoke.

“…We were stationed here on someone’s persistent request, just in case. Even the intelligence department judged that the possibility of you actually coming all the way here was slim.”

“Slim, huh…”

I couldn’t help but chuckle.

After all, what were the odds?

Completing an impossible mission after an arduous journey, being abandoned by our allies in the heart of enemy territory, and still making our way here on our own.

And by an expedition force hastily assembled just a few days ago.

Even ‘slim’ wouldn’t suffice to describe it.

“…Why are you laughing?”

“Just thinking that we can’t possibly beat you guys.”

I mean, does it make sense to keep such a force on standby just to block that slim possibility?

It feels like a massive wall is closing in from all sides.

A feeling that there’s no exit no matter where we turn.

“Then, the conversation has failed.”

At that moment, the woman murmured while looking at me.

“Failed?”

“Because those who have lost heart don’t have eyes like that.”

So, the reason she responded was because she wanted me to despair?

I complained.

“That’s strange. I was sufficiently despairing just now.”

“Then are you planning to die as is?”

“No, I have to try as much as I can.”

“Yes, there are people like you sometimes. Those who never take death as an escape…”

At my answer, the woman’s expression changed for the first time. Very subtly, but perhaps she looked somewhat regretful?

Of course, I couldn’t be sure.

Maybe I was mistaken.

And even if I wasn’t, it wouldn’t change anything.

“It seems our conversation is truly over now.”

“……”

The woman didn’t answer.

We both knew.

“Bethel—raaaa!!”

That no more conversation was needed.

***
The aura-defensive essence, Bol-Herchan.

Thanks to this, I could evolve into a nightmare for knights, but that doesn’t mean I’m invincible.

After all, there’s no such thing as absolute invincibility in Dungeon and Stone.

Slash, slash, stab—!

I didn’t get sliced like tofu, but every time the dagger touched my body, small injuries piled up.

The priest’s holy power had already run out, so I couldn’t expect any healing.

In the midst of that…

[Your character has been poisoned by Royal Mixed Poison.]

[Your character’s physical stats are above 700.]

[Your poison resistance is above 100.]

[Poison effects are reduced by 70%.]

I didn’t know what they had smeared all over their blades, but a tingling sensation spread from the wound area.

To make matters worse, it seems to have some wound-deteriorating properties, even blocking natural regeneration.

Injuries continued to accumulate steadily.

Whoooosh—!

I swung my hammer as if swatting flies, but once again, it sliced through empty air.

They climbed walls, somersaulted in mid-air, and suddenly changed direction with deceleration abilities that defied physics.

They dodged all my attacks, and if I showed even a slight opening, they sliced my body with their daggers.

Of course, each injury wasn’t significant, but…

Slash, slash—

My already relatively slow body became even more sluggish, and the number of times I was wounded increased.

If the terrain had been wider and a dozen of them attacked from all sides, I would have already collapsed into a ragged heap on the ground.

“…Ugh!”

My body staggered and leaned forward.

At that moment, a dagger swung toward my neck.

‘Yes, now!’

I gathered strength in my legs as if I had been waiting and swung my hammer upward.

But…

‘Damn it, just get hit already!’

Damn, this doesn’t work either?

It’s like I’m fighting a machine, not a human.

I couldn’t help but think, ‘This game is so messed up.’

[Your character has cast [Soul Dive]

[Soul power is regenerated in proportion to the soul power consumed]

First, I immediately used [Soul Dive], whose cooldown time had reset, to recover my MP that was nearing depletion.

And just at that moment.

“We’ll help too!”

Reinforcements had arrived.

It was Ravien and Amelia, who should have been holding the front line against the Noark bastards.

“The front? What happened at the front?”

“They’re outside the Glacier Eye boundary and have been holding the line ever since”

So, they’re biding their time.

Waiting for our forces to diminish while we fight these guys. Well, not knowing the situation, it’s a wise decision since they can’t be sure the Rose Knights are their allies.

‘Damn it, why are we caught in the middle.’

I raised my shield to protect my upper body.

Bang—!

Their dagger bounced off as if blocked by an iron wall.

But for some reason, this time there was no pain radiating from my lower body.

Usually, they’d exploit such moments to aim below.

Why was that?

Looking at the Rose Knights, who had awkwardly increased the distance, I realized the reason.

‘Ah, it’s thanks to them.’

With Amelia and Ravien flanking me, the rose knights couldn’t freely aim for my weak spots like before.

Yes, the rule is that agile characters handle agile opponents.

‘Hah, now I have some breathing room.’

I shouted loudly so Akuraba in the rear could hear.

Because I’m both the tank and the leader of the expedition team.

I have to fulfill both roles at once.

“Akuraba, if possible, tell them to maintain the status quo with the Noark bastards!”

It pained me to give time to the Noark bastards when we were so close to finishing them off, but there was no other way.

‘Huh?’

But what’s this?

Despite my shouting, the Rose Knights show no reaction.

Not as if they’re ignoring me—but as if they genuinely didn’t hear anything.

“Emily, is the voice control magic active right now?”

“Ah, it must’ve been cast by the mages who came down earlier.”

“…Came down?”

What’s that supposed to mean?

Ravien intercepted a dagger aimed at my shoulder and replied,

“When the rear was attacked, the priests and mages used levitation spells to escape and regroup here.”

“Flee? Don’t tell me… there were enemies above too?”

“Yes. Priest Royta Memander was killed in a surprise attack.”

“I see…”

Why is it that only bad news keeps coming?

As if having over a dozen enemies here wasn’t bad enough, now a priest is dead too…

‘Now there are 19 of us left…’

From 30 at the start, the expedition has dwindled to this.

Even if we managed to return alive, the number would be less than half.

Clench—

The pent-up frustration welled up inside me.

I had continued to give up, again and again.

It wasn’t as if I had envisioned a golden future and let it go.

I bled and fought for that future, which was no different from rolling in dog shit.

But why did these unreasonable situations keep happening endlessly?

I wanted to curse and blame the gods and scream right now.

But…

“Ahhhhhhhh!!!”

I exhaled all my heated breath all at once.

I even force myself to suppress the anger clouding my mind.

Because what I needed now was not burning rage.

At least at this moment, I shouldn’t be like that.

“…Akuraba!”

“Yes, please speak!”

“Don’t worry about helping over here. Focus on recovering as much as possible. Soon, we’ll need all the strength we can muster.”

There will only be one chance.

**

No one argued that the plan was ridiculous.

No one said we’d all die if we followed it.

By this point, there was no room for such complaints.

“…Understood. We’ll do as you say.”

Akuraba immediately carried out my orders, and the other members did the same.

Have I finally earned some recognition as a leader during this expedition?

If so, I felt somewhat proud.

At least my efforts haven’t been entirely in vain.

“BETHEL—RAAAHHHHH!!”

With the rear line’s support cut off, the Rose Knights’ assault grew fiercer.

“Jandel is facing over ten enemies alone! Block them somehow!”

To make matters worse, the Noark bastards, who had finished reorganizing, ended the standoff and started attacking again.

And we did just one thing.

“Hold on!!”

To endure, somehow.

In a situation where our priests had run out of holy power, and ranged support had stopped.

To buy time by maintaining the front lines both front and back.

“Aaaaah!”

We were being harassed, surrounded from both sides, but surprisingly, it was more manageable than expected.

‘They already consider us corpses.’

The Noark and the Rose Knights, who had accepted our annihilation as a given, were having a silent standoff.

‘So if we all die, they’ll have to fight each other?’

Well, personal feelings aside.

The enemy’s complacency was a positive sign for us.

Thanks to that, the time finally came.

Rumble rumble rumble.

The canyon shook as if an earthquake had occurred.

Swoooooosh—!

From below the cliff, which was nothing but abyssal darkness, a white chill rose in the form of mist.

[Your character is exposed to [Frozen Faith]

[Binding magic is released]

Kariadea, the Glacier Mage.

It had finally arrived after struggling up from the depths.

“Damn it! Break through!”

At this point, urgent cries erupted from the Noark side.

“…We’ll finish this as quickly as possible.”

Though more composed, the Rose Knights also seemed flustered.

I couldn’t help but chuckle.

‘So I was the only one who had calculated the boss’s arrival.’

Well, that’s why they had been so relaxed.

[Grrrrrrrr]

From within the mist came thousands of skeletons, flailing their arms, and at the center of it all, the Elder Lich, Kariadea, glared at us with crimson eyes.

“Jandel, we’re ready!”

The “big one” I had asked of the ranged DPS was finally prepared.

So now…

“Fire.”

We had no choice but to go all out.

「James Carla casts [Piercing Light].」

「Erwin Fornacci di Tersia casts [Elemental Synthesis].」

「Titana Akuraba uses [No. 1911 Pavel’s Broken Pocket Watch]」

「Vercil Gowland has cast Level 3 offensive spell ‘Flame of Destruction.’」
「Mckelly Leiadas has cast Level 3  offensive spell ‘Judgment.’」
「Riard Ashid has cast Level 3  offensive spell ‘Dark Ray.’」

Not only the ranged dealers, but everyone who had even a single ranged skill did the same.

They poured out their skills with all their might, as much as their cooldowns and MP allowed.

Not toward the Noirak side.

Not toward the Rose Knights.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Toward the Elder Lich that had just appeared.

[The first Soul Vessel of Kariadea, the Glacier Mage, has been destroyed]

Phew, looks like the firepower was sufficient.

[Screeeeeech!]

Banshees emerging from the mist screamed in agony and went berserk.

And at the same time.

Grind, rattle, clatter, creak.

The Elder Lich, who instantly restored its shattered bones, looked at us and extended its hand.

[Kariadea, the Glacier Mage, casts [Soul Extraction]

The pattern it uses in its second phase.

I steadied my breathing and closed my eyes.

“Whew…”

That was all I could do.

The die had already been cast in the storm of chaos.

[All characters within range are stunned]

Now, all we can do is hope for a favorable roll.