novelraw Chapter 106: Escaping the City Part I
Chapter 106: Escaping the City Part I
In seconds, the steel doors were pushed open, and a flood of armored figures stormed into the vault. Their silver plate glinted against the torchlight, each one wielding polished blades and shields engraved with carvings of the Holy Kingdom’s banner, a seven-branch menorah. These were no mere guards—these were the Templars, the kingdom’s iron fist.
[Third Order’s Templar – Lv.83]
An elite knight of the Holy Kingdom, trained in both martial combat and divine blessings. Clad in consecrated silver armor and wielding weapons sanctified by their church, they are disciplined, relentless, and loyal to their cause. Each of them possesses both high-level combat skills and resistance to Elemental Magic.
But my eyes were drawn not to the rank and file, but to the pair who led them.
The first was a knight much like the rest, yet distinguished by his lack of a helmet. Golden hair cascaded to his shoulders, framing a face almost too handsome for a battlefield. His blue eyes were cold, unwavering, and his presence alone carried authority. He walked as if certain of victory, as though the outcome had already been written.
[Acting Master of the Third Order, Dolton Astrea – Lv.115]
Once the Vice Master of the Third Order, he now serves as its Acting Master for various reasons. Despite his position in the Templars, Dolton is both cunning and ambitious. His men obey him not from loyalty, but out of fear of his ruthless punishments. His mastery of swordsmanship, combined with holy blessings, makes him a formidable foe.
Threat Level: Very High
Beside him strode another figure—one who stood out even more. His skin was tanned, his features sharp and regal. He wore no armor, only fine desert robes trimmed in gold, as well as a feathered turban, and carried himself with the confidence of nobility. A jeweled scimitar rested at his hip, though the way his hand lingered on its hilt made it seem like he was familiar with using it.
He must be none other than the Desert Prince—Homuraz. The very man whispered by the people of Saharan, spoken of as a captive under “protective custody.” And yet, here he was, standing proudly at the side of the Holy Kingdom’s Templars.
Interestingly enough, just like Istellise, there was no System description of him.
A mocking smile appeared on Homuraz’s lips as his gaze swept over us. “So, these are the rats bold enough to sneak into my castle’s heart. Sir Dolton, your scheme to draw them out and use them to find the relic was flawless.
“It’s hardly worth praise, Desert Prince,” replied Dolton smoothly, inclining his head with feigned humility, though it carried a hint of smugness.
Istellise’s breath caught. “Homuraz… Dolton… Just as I thought—you two are working together! Those assassins from before were your doing!”
Dolton’s expression didn’t so much as flicker at her accusation. Instead, he raised a hand with casual authority. “Men, kill the traitor and her accomplices. Leave no one alive. Take that relic off her hands at all costs.”
At once, the Templars raised their shields and blades in perfect unison, advancing with a rhythm born from years of discipline. The synchronized march made the floor tremble, causing Istellise to instinctively flinch as she clutched the crystal ball tighter as if to shield it from sight.
Boris rolled his shoulders, suppressing a grin. “Finally. Been itching for a real fight.”
Michelle’s bowstring quivered in her hands as her eyes darted between the encroaching knights. “Maxim, what should we do? We’re surrounded.”
“Of course, we escape,” I answered firmly before turning to Boris. “Can you clear a path with your skill?”
“Hah! A piece of cake.” Boris grinned, slamming a fist into his chest before stepping forward with heavy, eager strides. “Just stay close behind me.”
“Don’t get carried away,” I cautioned. “Our goal is to break through, not waste strength fighting every last one of them.”
Lucian’s eyes gleamed as streams of mana circled his hands. “Let’s see how well these so-called holy knights fare against real magic.”
Tuilë grinned, hefting her hand cannon as sparks began to dance along its barrel. At the same time, she pulled a round canister from her belt.
“Advance!” I shouted.
Boris responded instantly by activating Adamant Flesh, his skin hardening with a metallic sheen. His muscles rippled like forged steel, and with arms crossed before him, he barreled forward like a living juggernaut. The clang of steel meeting steel rang out as his body smashed against the Templars’ shield wall, the sheer force of his charge scattering their formation.
“Arrghh!”
The others didn’t waste a second and immediately took action. Tuilë hurled the round canister she was holding into the thick of the enemy ranks. It burst with a sharp pop, spewing thick gray smoke that blanketed the entire vault and corridor in seconds. The knights coughed and staggered, throwing their once-perfect rhythm into disarray.
“Petty tricks!” Dolton’s cold voice rang out from within the haze. “Hold the line! Tighten the formation!”
Even as they tried to rally, I gathered mana into my core and released it in a crushing wave. “{Gravity Field}!”
The crushing weight bore down on the Templars, their movements slowing as their armor dragged them into the stone floor. Yet, through the thick haze, Dolton rushed ahead unfazed by my magic. His silver armor was gleaming faintly with divine enchantments. His longsword shimmered with holy light as he raised it to strike Istellise from the side.
“Die, you filthy traitor!” he shouted.
Not a chance! I leaped and swung my sword, activating Heavy Slash. Steel met steel with a deafening crash, sparks bursting in the dark. The impact jolted my arms, the sheer force of his blow enough to buckle an ordinary Gimmel-rank divine warrior’s stance. However, I held my ground just fine.
Dolton squinted his eyes as our blades ground against each other, his face twisting in disdain. “You… You’re no mere thief. Who are you? Why are you helping the Holy Kingdom’s traitor?”
I smirked despite the strain in my arms. “Me? It’s your mom.”
“What—?”
That single heartbeat of distraction was all I needed. Mana surged through me as I invoked Weapons Manifestation combined with Cryo Magic. Dozens of crystalline daggers shimmered into existence, gleaming with frost. Within moments, the daggers whirled around me before launching forward like a storm of icy blades toward Dolton.
In the blink of an eye, it slammed against Dolton’s armor in a flurry of sparks and frost. He grunted, sweeping his longsword in a gleaming arc that shattered several projectiles mid-flight. The rest thudded against him, chipping the stone floor at his feet and freezing the air in glittering shards.
Chantless Casting has leveled up.
“Your puny tricks won’t work against me!” Dolton roared. A surge of holy aura burst from him, scattering the lingering frost as though it had never existed.
As expected of a peak Gimmel-rank boss, bringing him down was no simple feat. However, the scenario wasn’t about defeating him—it was about survival and protecting the target. That single moment of distraction was all I needed to pull away.
I twisted on my heel, pouring strength into my legs as I unleashed Wind Rush. My body shot backward through the haze, disengaging before Dolton could strike again.
“An ant dares to run from me?!”
Ahead, my party was already in the thick of battle, fighting tooth and nail to clear a path. Boris plowed through the weakened line of knights like a bullet train. Michelle’s arrows sang through the smoke, finding throats and joints with deadly precision of any knight who dared to raise their neck. Lucian’s hands blazed with magic circles, releasing bolts of condensed mana that tore holes into the formation. Tuilë’s hand cannon thundered intermittently, smaller explosive shots bursting against shields and sending Templars stumbling out of formation. However, there were simply too many enemies blocking our path outside.
I clenched my jaw, cutting down two knights who blocked my way in quick succession. My blade pierced through their armor, ending them instantly.
You have hunted [Third Order’s Templar Lv.83].
You have gained 1,430 EXP.
You have hunted [Third Order’s Templar Lv.83].
You have gained 1,430 EXP.
You have leveled up.
Your Strength has increased by 1.
Amidst this clash, my eyes flicked to Homuraz. The Desert Prince hadn’t made his move or drawn his blade. He stood back with his arms folded, watching carefully. To him, this was already a done deal. Even if the Templars fell, he clearly believed Dolton alone could handle us.
“Not good. We have to escape now!” I muttered, gripping Howling Edge tightly. Mana surged into the blade, activating the runes as I activated its innate skill. “Windstorm!”
The sword howled like a living beast, unleashing a spiraling torrent of wind. A roaring cyclone burst forth from the blade’s edge, ripping down the corridor. Knights screamed as they were hurled off their feet, shields torn from their grips, their formation shattered in an instant. Dust, smoke, and fragments of stone whirled violently, reducing their perfect discipline into chaos.
“Go!” I shouted over the roaring wind.
Boris charged through the breach, smashing aside the few who tried to recover. Meanwhile, Tuilë hurled another smoke canister into the fray, thickening the choking haze. As for the others, they quickly followed to escape, with Lucian casting {Mana Shield} over the group to guard Istellise from stray blades and arrows.
I brought up the rear, controlling the cyclone to keep the enemy off balance, using its force to propel our retreat. Even at this moment, I was still maintaining {Gravity Field}, increasing and decreasing gravity on the enemies as I saw fit, and my MP was being drained. Had it not been for me increasing my Magic Power stat previously, I would’ve already collapsed from mana deficiency.
Behind us, Dolton’s furious voice thundered through the smoke. “Do not let them escape!” His presence alone was like a mountain, and even through the smoke, I could feel his killing intent.
But the knights were too disorganized—blind, coughing in the smoke, being crushed by twice the gravity. Those desperate enough to close the distance were swept up in the storm of my blade, lifted from the ground, and hurled back like ragdolls after I decreased the gravity on them.
And so, we managed to carve our way out of the treasure vault and into the corridor, our footsteps pounding against the stone as we sprinted toward the smuggler’s tunnel that had first brought us into the castle’s underground. The stale, damp air of the passage closed in around us as we retraced our steps into the dark passage.
Before long, the ladder came into view, and the faint moonlight was seeping through the trapdoor above. Boris was first to climb, shoving it open without as much as a grunt, and we emerged back into the half-collapsed warehouse in turn. The night air felt sharp in my lungs and refreshing compared to the one underground.
But the relief didn’t last long.
Torches flared all around us and in the distance. Dozens—no, hundreds—of city guards filled the streets, holding spears and their armor clattering as they locked the exits tight. Above the walls, more guards holding bows could be seen, seemingly pointed in our direction.
“They knew…” Michelle whispered, dread in her voice.
I clenched my jaw, scanning the encirclement. The trap wasn’t just the vault; it was the entire city. It appeared we weren’t escaping Saharan tonight.