Chapter 112: Extremity

Boom!

The moment he collided with Black Dog.

Isaac’s body flew backward.

He was almost sent rolling across the ground, but he barely managed to steady himself, so he only got pushed back a little.

Thanks to this, he could resist Black Dog’s follow-up attack that came up soon after.

Clang!

“Keuk!”

This time, it swung its arm down, trying to crush him.

He managed to cross his two tachi to block it, but…

That still got him to kneel on one knee and lower his head. He even had to use his shoulders to support his blades, or else, he’d be crushed by Black Dog’s raw strength.

At that moment…

Crimson Essence poured out, pushing Black Dog away.

“Isaac!”

Rianna urgently called out.

Having left her greatsword behind, she could only fight with the Crimson Essence extended from her hands.

It assumed the shape of a beast’s claws—just like in yesterday’s duel.

“Are you alright?”

She rushed forward to protect him as he caught his breath and stood up, his body trembling.

“I’m fine… My hands just feel…a little numb…”

“That creature—“

“Primordial. It has the bloodline of the first Transcendent Race.”

“That thing…”

This was Rianna’s first encounter with a Primordial.

The overwhelming aura emanating from Black Dog made even her hesitate.

“Father faced five of these…”

She bit her lip hard when she recalled the former family head’s stature. As the current family head, she felt the burden of the position.

At that moment, a resounding shout was heard.

“Enemy attack!”

When she glanced over, Jonathan was there. Thanks to him shouting at the top of his lungs, people began to emerge from the staffs’ quarters.

The Blue Stream Society and Eisenwolf.

They weren’t the only ones, the soldiers also came out with their swords and spears.

At first glance, they seemed to be at an overwhelming advantage, and they really were.

After all, Black Dog was still confused as to why it had fallen here. But…

“Rianna, we can’t afford to lose troops here.”

“…I understand.”

Rianna immediately understood what he meant.

In their effort to reclaim the North, every single person’s life was precious.

Especially considering that their effort wouldn’t end at just reaching the Malidean Wall, they still had to defend it and hold their lines.

If they lost too many troops here, the chance of them failing to reclaim the North would increase.

“The Grandmaster will be here soon. So—“

However, the creature showed no hesitation.

Just like a real hunting dog without a leash…

It bared its teeth towards the humans surrounding him.

Its first target was Jonathan.

The guy probably caught its eye because he was a mixed-blood.

“Glory to Helmont—!”

His Crimson Essence, almost black in color, rose up.

Unlike before, it wasn’t flimsy, it was radiant with his color, proving his growth, but…

Crack!

With just one swipe of the creature’s hand, the Crimson Essence was shattered.

This left his chest open to the creature’s follow-up attack, and it managed to make him roll on the ground, leaving him with three long gashes in his chest.

“Guhk?!”

One strike.

Even if Jonathan hadn’t used his full strength, the difference in strength between him and the Primordial was apparent.

After that, the creature headed towards the commander’s tent.

Befitted of its name as a hunting dog.

It knew exactly who to target; looking to ‘hunt’ instead of to ‘fight’.

There was a reason why it didn’t charge towards Rianna who managed to push it away.

“Hmph! Are you ignoring me because I’m old?!”

At this, Eisenwolf drew the sword at his waist.

The Blue Stream Society members around him also drew their weapons, and among the young men, there was one particularly spirited individual.

“I, Leian of the Reeves Family, am here!”

He scattered his Aura as he gripped his sword; an Aura of splendid and refreshing color, befitted of the name Magic Sword.

But, Black Dog’s red eyes blatantly ignored Leian and charged towards Eisenwolf instead.

“Where are you looking at?! I’m right in front of you!”

Unfortunately for the creature, the brilliant Aura that illuminated the night like an aurora wasn’t something it could just ignore.

Seeing the Aura pouring towards it, the creature turned towards Leian.

Crash!

Then, it struck him down, as he was unable to withstand even a single exchange with it.

“Gack–?!”

“Grooooowl!”

It then stepped on Leian and was about to crush him as it roared, but…

Amidst the brilliant light.

Someone moved, using the shadows as a cover.

A faint line was drawn on the Black Dog’s back.

Soon, red blood flowed from the line, and when the one who drew that line, Marlin Reeves, was about to swing her sword again…

Black Dog grabbed her wrist and flung her away.

“…!”

Crash!

She crashed into a soldier’s tent.

But, thanks to the brief gap she and her brother provided, Isaac and Rianna had enough time to stand in front of the commander.

Rianna extended her hand, her Crimson Essence and Black Dog’s fist collided.

Not having her greatsword was a significant disadvantage.

Though she held up well, the Crimson Essence created with bare hands lacked its usual durability.

Hence why it didn’t take long for Black Dog to break through her Crimson Essence. But, when it extended its hand towards her, it felt a cold sensation wrapped around its neck.

“…!”

For the first time since the fight began, it retreated.

Drooling and gritting its sharp teeth, it glared at the swordsman who had targeted its neck.

“Isaac…?”

Even Rianna looked at him with a bewildered voice.

Because something strange was flowing through his entire body.

Blue light, like a waterfall flowing upwards.

Though its presence was subtle—unlike Aura—it emanated an ominous atmosphere.

It was Isaac’s new technique that he obtained after taking countless lives in Volten.

“Demonic Energy…?”

Even Black Dog, which had only been growling until now, looked at Isaac with surprise.

It was shocked to see the power wielded by its kin, the Sword Demon’s bloodline, residing in Isaac’s body.

“Hoo.”

Meanwhile, Isaac’s breath was tinged with cold.

The coolness was sharp like a blade, even Black Dog slowly lowered its stance, exercising its utmost caution.

The Grandmaster will be here soon.

He had been told not to use the Demonic Energy carelessly, but if he didn’t use it now, when would be the appropriate time?

I’m still lacking to hold the two blades…

He sheathed both of his swords.

As he slightly bent his waist, extending his right leg behind him, scraping the ground to take his stance…

Black Dog had already leaped towards him.

“That! The power of our kin!”

I can react to its movements.

The moment he realized that he could now follow the creature’s movements with his eyes, he immediately imbued one of his tachi with Demonic Energy and unleashed an Iai.

Boom!

A sound like something exploding echoed.

Isaac realized that he was flying through the air. Soon after, he also realized that that exploding sound was the impact that the Black Dog’s strike made.

“Guhk!”

Then, he felt a crushing pain on his shoulder.

The pain opened his eyes wide and shut his lips tightly.

“Isaac!”

Thankfully, Rianna caught his flying body and he didn’t have to end up rolling on the ground.

Now cradled in her arms, though he was still whimpering from the pain, he was still using his eyes to track Black Dog’s movements.

“Grr…”

At that moment, a low growl echoed from the creature.

It looked down at its left arm—cut off at the elbow—and frowned.

They both had inflicted significant wounds on each other.

However, the other side had a much greater advantage when it came to durability.

Unlike Isaac, the creature was still able to fight. It picked up its severed left arm and put it in its mouth.

It was about to charge at Isaac again, but this time Rianna blocked its path as she scattered her Crimson Essence.

“How dare you—!”

Her Crimson Essence poured out like a storm.

Despite her not having her greatsword in hand, its momentum was like a calamity.

Even Black Dog hesitated momentarily.

But that wasn’t all.

“As a master, I cannot deny my unworthiness.”

At that moment, the Grandmaster appeared on the battlefield.

Her tight grip on her odachi felt like a self-reproach for her lateness.

“Grr.”

The creature took its stance, eyeing the two women.

Its eyes held a vicious determination to take at least one more life, even if it had to die here.

“I will kill you! No matter what! Black-haired dual swordsman!!”

It bared its fangs and glared at Isaac, clearly enraged after seeing him stealing the sword that could only be wielded by its kin.

As the creature charged again with murderous intent…

A whirpool-like phenomenon appeared on its body, and then, just like when it first arrived…

It disappeared without a trace.

A sky filled with nothing but darkness.

At a glance, it looked like the night sky, but there were no stars, moon, nor clouds, just a long stretch of pitch-black.

Not a single blade of grass grew in the ground, only barren dust rolled around.

In that barren land, a massive wall stood, completely out of place.

It was riddled with traces of damage from numerous battles.

Moreover, it was emitting the fierce cold it released during crisis situations.

“Without it, we would have been in big trouble…”

Behind the wall, Silverna, with a spear on her shoulder, muttered in monotone.

Her expression was flat, her vitality had disappeared, and her eyes were filled with despair.

“Please rest for a bit, Miss.”

At that moment, Anna approached her.

Just like her, Anna’s voice too, was low and lifeless, but to anyone in their situation, it wasn’t a strange thing.

If anything, it’d be out of place if they were to smile in such a situation.

No light… No supplies… Even the air is rough on us…

The last part specifically was harsh on them.

After all, just inhaling the air here made their lungs burn, and there was no mana in it.

Thanks to that, Silverna couldn’t even utilize the Aura she had diligently honed.

If that’s all we have to deal with, it’d be better…

But, the real problem here was the state of the Malidean Wall.

Because the cold it was emitting came from magic.

If this kept up, the stored mana would be used up, and it’d eventually be reduced to an ordinary wall.

And that would be when the Transcendent Race would launch another fierce attack.

When’s the support gonna come…? No, can they even come?

They don’t even know where we are.

They don’t know we’re here, struggling against those bizarre Demonic Beasts and Transcendent Race attacking us every day…

I never thought I’d miss the sky so much.

When she looked up, there was only darkness, space without any meaning.

Even time only increased her worries, the number of sighs she let out, and the number of her comrades’ tombstones.

We’re doing our best here… Fighting… Do they know…?

I’m sorry, Isaac.

She didn’t want to think of this, but…

I might not see you again…

Too bad, I really wanted to show you how much I’ve grown…

“What happened to that Transcendent Race from earlier, Miss?”

Anna tried to change the subject.

Hearing her words, Silverna nodded with a sigh.

“I don’t know either. That was a Primordial, right? It seemed stronger than the rest of them.”

“Definitely. Could its sudden disappearance also be an ability of the Primordials?”

“I don’t know. Actually, it’s because of that thing that I’m here. It disappeared around here.”

Just a while ago, the Transcendent Race pushed their way into the wall. They had retreated by now, but there was a dog-like creature in particular that had a terrifying and ominous momentum.

“What on earth—“

Woooosh!

Then, without any warning, the sound of splitting wind was heard.

The pair immediately looked up.

Up in the sky, a distorted space appeared, spat something out, and then disappeared again.

Boom!

Whatever it was that fell to the ground, its impact sent dust flying everywhere.

Though startled, the pair immediately took their combat stances.

At the center of the crater created by the fall…

“Graaaaaaaaaah!”

The black hunting dog roared with anger.

“Its arm…”

“What is it?”

It was already confusing enough that it had suddenly appeared, but the sight of its severed left arm was even more incomprehensible.

Though they didn’t understand the situation at all, they saw this as an opportunity and rushed forward.

“That black-haired Dual swordsman!”

Hearing the Black Dog’s roar of anger, Silverna’s eyes widened.

Black-haired dual swordsman…

Only one person came to mind that matched that description

“Isaac?”