novelraw Chapter 75 : Chapter 75
Chapter 75 : Chapter 75
Chapter 75
The Fairy Wings were a groundbreaking invention.
One could say they gave wings to humans who could not fly.
They were a revolutionary magic tool that transformed infantry into an air force.
However, no matter how outstanding the Fairy Wings were as a magic tool, they were bound to be of a lower class compared to an airship.
Unless one was a top-tier hero, it was nearly impossible for infantry to destroy an airship, and it was safe to say that the only thing that could destroy an airship was, in fact, another airship of a similar class.
The situation was already difficult to consider advantageous.
If the enemy’s airships were to join the fray, the tide of battle would turn greatly against us.
‘Even though the Alliance’s airships are also on the move…’
Since the location where Galakal appeared this time was overwhelmingly closer to the Purity side, if the airships of both sides had departed at the same time, the Purity’s airships would inevitably arrive first.
It was bad luck.
There was no other way to explain the situation.
I first used the communication device to call Byan, the field commander of Squad 2.
“Byan.”
[Yes? Yes! I’m listening!]
“How’s the situation?”
[It’s a mess. It’s too chaotic… It’s all I can do to protect my team members, let alone deal with Galakal. I’m sorry.]
Byan spoke as if he were ashamed, but I hadn’t had such high expectations for his squad in the first place.
Byan’s squad slashes through all the Purity units blocking their way, subjugates Galakal, obtains three mana sources, and returns in triumph?
I, more than anyone else, would have been greatly surprised.
What I had wanted was for them to buy time and create an opportunity until Squad 1 dealt with Hobelerus and joined them, and Byan had fulfilled his role as much as I had expected.
It was just that an unexpected accident had occurred.
“No, you did well. You must have heard from Selina, but the situation has turned strange. We plan to avoid engagement with the enemy until our airships join us. Gather your team and retreat for a while.”
[Understood.]
Despite being considerably exhausted from the rough battle, Byan’s voice was full of energy.
After checking on Squad 2.
I searched for the members of Squad 1.
I was able to find Lirisa engaged in combat with the enemy not too far away.
Even though she was an archer, the reason she was engaged in close combat was probably because she had the bad luck of having an enemy at the spot she reached when her altitude was forcibly lowered.
I also found Latia fighting two enemies in another location.
Without a second thought, I was about to fly toward Lirisa, who had next to no experience in close combat.
But I was interrupted.
BOOM!
“…Huu.”
A sigh escaped me on its own.
My heart was pounding violently.
If I hadn't instinctively raised my shield at the chilling sensation on my spine, a sharp spear would have pierced my head.
“Hobelerus…!”
His expression was still eerily stoic, and his eyes held only the ferocity of a beast.
If Odin’s heroes had seen this side of Hobelerus, they might have screamed in surprise at the discrepancy from his usual self.
And so began the second round with Hobelerus.
In the previous battle, both Hobelerus and I had sustained numerous large and small wounds, but my wounds had already fully recovered.
However, I couldn't say I had a complete advantage.
I had managed to hold on to some extent because Hobelerus' fighting style was simple and foolish and there was a difference in our weapons’ performance, but the gap between a Level 4 and a Level 3 still existed.
“Field Commander! I’ll help you!”
A familiar voice was heard.
But it was not the voice of a trustworthy person.
Mars stood behind me, gripping his sword with a trembling hand.
“Mars. I’m fine, so for now, go and rescue the other members nearby.”
The reason I had requested Mars be put on the team was solely because of his potential as a supporter.
But perhaps due to bad luck, his Authority had not yet awakened, even though he was on the verge of Level 2.
In this state, if Mars were to intervene in the battle, he would be more of a hindrance than a help.
Mars, too, seemed to be well aware of this fact, as he nodded and flew precariously in the direction of the other members.
Hobelerus' continuous attacks persisted.
I had a plan of my own.
First, I would calmly block the attacks and wait for the remaining members of Squad 1 to assemble, and after shaking off Hobelerus, I planned to retreat.
However, as always, my plans, no matter how trivial, never went according to my wishes.
Wooooooooh—!
An unidentified sound came from far away.
It must have been a sound from quite a distance, yet the atmosphere trembled and the earth shook as if it were thunder.
Some people even forgot they were in the middle of a battle and covered their ears, their faces contorted.
I involuntarily turned my head in the direction the sound came from.
“…What is that?”
I had spoken aloud without realizing it.
The clouds were spread out thick.
From there, something huge was approaching.
At first, I couldn't even imagine what on earth it was.
I couldn't quite focus on the battle, and my hands slowed down.
Thanks to that, the number of small scratches increased exponentially, but still, I could not focus on the Hobelerus before me.
My instincts were screaming.
That the unidentified object in the distance was more dangerous than the Hobelerus in front of me.
‘The direction is north… The altitude is about a hundred meters above Tet. And, if its size is comparable to Tet…’
The puzzle pieces were slowly fitting together.
Sweat poured down like rain.
I could finally realize it.
The identity of that unbelievably huge shadow.
“Roka…!”
There was no mistake.
That was the second island of the Frey Archipelago.
The shadow of Leviathan Roka.
“Selina! Turn the airship around!”
I urgently sought the commander.
Perhaps because the communication state was not very good, a moment of silence followed, and then Selina’s voice, mixed with static, was heard.
[…Rian? What is that all of a sudden….]
“Roka is approaching from the north on an abnormal trajectory. At this rate, Roka and Tet will collide within five minutes!”
[What?]
A dazed voice was heard, and a moment later.
A piercing scream came from the communication device.
At the same time, the massive island… no, a fiend with a body so huge it couldn't help but be reminiscent of an island, tore through the thick clouds and revealed itself.
The great fiend Leviathan.
Seen from below, its form was certainly more like a living creature than an ordinary island.
On that Leviathan’s snout was a small crest, one that could not be seen unless you looked closely.
I knew the identity of this crest.
It was a crest completely identical to the one that appeared on the ring I possessed.
“Hobelerus! What in the world is Reysia plotting!”
I pressed the Hobelerus before me.
Since he had said that all of Odin’s heroes, from the highest to the lowest ranks, shared the same information, he must have known what Reysia was thinking to have plotted such a thing.
However, Hobelerus said nothing.
He only gazed at the distant Leviathan for a moment before focusing once again on attacking me.
As if he were a machine programmed to do so.
“Aaaaaaaargh!”
“Th-that’s Roka, isn’t it? Why is Roka here…! A Leviathan has never deviated from its path before?!”
Screams of astonishment were heard from here and there.
The battle had stopped long ago.
When an irresistible disaster had befallen them, did they have the luxury of fighting each other?
They were too busy trying to escape to survive.
The only ones still engaged in combat were me and Hobelerus.
“You crazy bastard…!”
I, too, wanted to stop fighting.
I wanted to shake off the Hobelerus before me and get out of here, but Hobelerus clung to me tenaciously.
As if he didn't care if he died here with me.
“Rian!”
Lirisa, who had some leeway now that the battle had stopped, shot an arrow.
Latia also got behind Hobelerus.
However, Hobelerus, lightly ignoring the attacks of the two, clung to me even more tenaciously and boldly.
Hobelerus' spear pierced my shoulder.
My swung sword left a deep wound on Hobelerus' chest.
We became covered in each other's blood, performing a life-risking tightrope walk.
Even at that moment, Roka was getting closer to Tet.
As if drunk, as if it had lost consciousness due to a large impact, as if it were seeing a phantom and rushing toward it in a daze.
It just flew forward at high speed.
And then.
Roka finally collided with Tet.
BOOOOOOOM!
Waaaaaaaaaaah!
An impact wave like a meteorite falling, and the roars of the two Leviathans echoed.
Tet, which had been flying serenely, began to shake violently.
The ground rose up and buckled madly, and over it, Roka’s huge body was trying to overlap.
BOOM! BOOOM!
Explosions occurred in succession.
They were not man-made explosions.
Tet and Roka.
As the two massive fiends, harboring immense amounts of mana, collided, blue explosions occurred in various places on the island due to the clash of their mana.
As the contact area between Tet and Roka increased, the size and number of explosions also increased exponentially.
The explosions were gradually approaching where we were.
“……”
My mind went blank.
I didn't know what to do.
Even if I shook off the Hobelerus before me now, I didn't think I could escape the encroaching Roka and the surging mana explosions.
Suddenly, a red light poured out from the ring.
For a very brief moment, I saw Hobelerus' blue eyes.
“I’m sorry, Commander.”
Immediately after that inexplicable apology.
As the red light filled my vision, a blue light exploded nearby.
The two colors mixed together and glowed white, and my consciousness faded at the head-shaking impact.
* * *
When I opened my eyes, a world I had seen once before unfolded before me.
A world where white and black were strangely mixed.
There, Rian Kaltz with white hair was staring intently at me.
When our eyes met, he smiled faintly, knelt, and bowed his head.
Like a knight of a kingdom, with perfect formality.
“I have been waiting for you.”
This was a very confusing situation.
Hobelerus, who had not been rational at all.
Reysia’s crest on top of Roka, which had collided with Tet.
The red light that had subsequently emanated from the ring.
And this unidentified world that I had been to once before.
It was so confusing that my head was starting to hurt.
“…Where’s the black one?”
The white Rian smiled slightly.
For the first thing I said after much thought to be this.
Even I had to admit it was a laughable line.
For a very brief moment.
“He will not show himself. The events of today will be quite heartbreaking for him. This is a rare opportunity created by Reysia. I hope that this time, I can have as long a conversation with you as possible.”