novelraw Chapter 207 : Unkind Battlefield (2)
Chapter 207 : Unkind Battlefield (2)
Chapter 207: Unkind Battlefield (2)
Grapheos cut across the sky.
Each time its two enormous pairs of wings flapped once, they stirred up fierce gusts of wind as it advanced forward.
However, it could not do that often.
If it increased its speed too much, the ‘Gravity Shield’ protecting the people riding on its back might not withstand the pressure.
While moving forward like that, before long, they entered the skies above the Kinazen Territory of the Dior Empire.
“Something’s visible down there……?”
Jade, who was in charge of ground surveillance near Grapheos’s left shoulder, tilted his head as he spoke.
The Holy Knight Commander Larsen Heights, now a warrior of comparable skill to him, also stepped closer to take a look.
“…It appears to be monsters and imperial troops.”
By focusing Aura into his vision, he was able to discern them.
“It does seem that way. What should we do? If they’re heading in that direction, that would be the Boluzan Kingdom.”
“They seem to be the imperial army’s rear support force we already dealt with.”
“But can humans really advance that fast?”
Monsters had fundamentally different physical conditions from humans, so that was understandable.
However, even the group of silhouettes that appeared to be human were moving at a speed comparable to the monsters.
At this pace, they would reach the Boluzan Kingdom within a few days.
The Boluzan Kingdom alone was not the only issue. It was clear that their final target was the Bachenan Holy Kingdom beyond it.
“Should we wake the Master?”
Even now, Raion sat cross-legged with his eyes closed.
The air around him rippled violently. Anyone with a certain level of skill would immediately understand what that situation meant.
“Hmm…….”
The number currently advancing below was far greater than the force they had faced at Neju Castle.
Even at the most conservative estimate, it was at least 1.5 times more. If that force poured into the Boluzan Kingdom, it would be only a matter of time before it fell.
Moreover, most of the Bachenan Holy Kingdom’s main forces were currently gathered here together with the Holy Emperor.
Even if they went to the Empire and defeated the Demon King, the damage would be anything but small.
Because of that, the Holy Emperor and the Holy Knight Order hesitated.
At that moment…….
Shiaaaaaaaaak! Kwaaang!
An explosion erupted near Grapheos’s head.
[Kiiiaaaaaaak!]
Startled, Grapheos cried out and staggered midair.
Those riding on its back hurriedly grabbed onto the fur beneath them, struggling not to be flung to one side.
Thanks to the ‘Gravity Shield’ Raion had deployed, they did not fall.
However, those who failed to regain their balance collapsed into the edges of the shield and were crushed together.
“Aaaaagh!”
“Move out of the way!”
Shiaaaaaaaaak!
At that moment, a pitch-black flash shot upward from below.
Unlike before, Grapheos was prepared and quickly twisted its body to evade it.
“Uuuhhh!”
“Uuuhhh!?”
“Watch out—!”
But every time Grapheos moved rapidly, the people struggled to keep their balance and were tossed about in all directions.
“The Master? What happened to the Master!”
“I’ll check—!”
Grapheos’s body was thrown violently up and down, left and right, tilting sharply as it moved.
Jade and Cayman noticed first and turned their gaze.
“…….”
Yet Raion, still seated cross-legged, was stuck tightly to Grapheos’s back and did not move in the slightest.
“How is he doing that?”
“Could he have used some kind of magic we don’t know about?”
“That’s really incredible. Ugh!”
Even now, Grapheos continued to evade the pitch-black flashes fired from below.
From time to time, Grapheos counterattacked by firing its own Breath.
Kwaaang! Kwakwakwaaang—!
“Isn’t this the kind of situation where we need to wake the Master?”
Negis, who was clinging tightly to Grapheos’s fur, was also worried.
Caldein and Calsios beside him felt the same way.
Everyone was in a situation where they could do nothing atop Grapheos.
But going down below was also out of the question, with the overwhelming number of monsters and Dior Empire troops.
“Grapheos-nim! Can’t you break away any farther from here?”
Jade gathered his courage and shouted.
Grapheos continued evading for quite some time before finally answering with difficulty.
[Can’t! Can’t!]
“Is there really no way?”
[Dangerous! Dangerous!]
“What do you mean by that!”
The one in the sky was Grapheos. With just a bit more wingbeats, it seemed like escape would be possible.
Yet for some reason, Grapheos only spun around in circles.
Shwaaaaaaak!
A Breath was fired from above as well.
Grapheos barely dodged and looked upward. The others’ gazes followed.
“That’s… a Bone Dragon?”
A gigantic dragon made entirely of bones. It was said that such a thing could only be created through necromancy, a technique now lost.
And there wasn’t just one Bone Dragon—there were three of them floating in the sky.
“Sir Jade! You need to wake the Master immediately!”
“Got it!”
“I’m already awake.”
Raion was already on his feet, having awakened at some point.
“Three Bone Dragons, and those things below as well…….”
“What should we do?”
“Wait a moment.”
It was no different from having both hands and feet bound.
But going down below would also be a reckless move.
Raion immediately pierced through the ‘Gravity Shield’ and leapt into the sky.
After floating up using flight magic, he cast a spell into midair.
“Gravity, Limit Frozen Wave!”
For a moment, it seemed as though a blizzard raged through the air, and then a mass of ice steadily grew larger.
In an instant, it formed into something like a gigantic inverted iceberg and floated in the sky.
“Graphe! Land over there and let everyone get off!”
[Got it! Got it!]
As Grapheos moved in that direction, Raion stepped forward to block the Bone Dragons’ path.