Ch.238237. Reckless

# 237. Reckless

Despite his provocation, Basago remained in position. Thanks to that, Reina was also able to find a suitable spot.

Albert was looking roughly in the direction where Reina would be.

‘Did she get there safely…?’

Contrary to Albert’s worries, she was maintaining an appropriate distance as he had instructed.

Seeing this, Basago spoke to the executioners.

“All of you, don’t leave your positions.”

The three executioners, including Basago, were each looking in different directions.

Amon was watching Albert’s direction, Basago was facing where Reina was, and Marbas was looking toward the others.

Albert spoke to the one who had switched places with Basago.

“Can you handle this alone?”

Unlike them, he appeared confident.

And for good reason—the person holding that sword was not someone that someone like Amon could easily stop.

The sword’s pitch-black color, the overwhelming aura it emitted, and the snake-shaped pattern decorating its side reminded one of the founding myths of the two countries, just like Bael’s spear.

“This situation is quite similar, except for the weapons we’re holding.”

Hearing those words, Bael bit his lip hard and stared at the sword that had pierced him.

Then he ordered his subordinate.

“Amon…”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“Don’t infuse your shield with mana.”

“What…?”

“When I say don’t, then don’t.”

Trusting those words, Amon withdrew his mana. Seeing this, the man who had been watching carefully clicked his tongue.

“What a shame.”

Then he approached Amon with a speed that suggested every second was precious.

Though the mana was gone, the shield remained massive.

Albert swung his sword with all his might at the shield, which was twice his size.

-CRASH!! BOOM BOOM!!-

His strength must have diminished, as the shield remained undamaged.

Instead, something positive happened elsewhere.

‘I think we can win…’

The battle between Marbas and the others had begun.

Numerically, they had an overwhelming advantage, but it didn’t feel particularly favorable.

And for good reason…

-THUD!! PAK PAK PAK!-

Marbas’s punches were fast and powerful.

Moreover, thanks to her unique skill [Profound Camaraderie]—an upgraded version of Chris’s own skill—they were even more so.

‘That would apply to herself too…’

Thinking about it, Albert realized it could be dangerous.

With that thought, he tried to leave his position to join them.

However, a massive barrier suddenly appeared, blocking Albert’s path.

“How annoying, setting up something like this…”

A barrier separating Albert from that direction. The barrier completely isolated the two spaces.

Judging by its scale, it didn’t seem like it was created by just one person.

He struck the barrier forcefully.

-CRACK!!-

The barrier shook momentarily.

But that was all—no cracks or damage appeared.

“Pretty thorough, aren’t they.”

They must have known they were being followed.

Otherwise, they couldn’t have prepared something of this scale…

Amon spoke to Albert, who was now effectively blocked.

“You probably won’t be able to break through, it’s a barrier made with mana accumulated over a long time.”

“Seems that way.”

It wasn’t just a bluff—it truly seemed like an impenetrable barrier.

Moreover, Albert wasn’t particularly skilled with mana, so he’d have to break it by force…

‘This is going to take forever.’

Realizing this, he changed his objective.

“I guess I’ll destroy that first, then.”

He raised his sword. Then he stood before Amon again. With his sword held high, he brought it down against the shield.

The shield remained as sturdy as ever, unfazed by those few strikes, but he didn’t stop after just a few attempts.

One strike became two, two became three, three became ten.

Just as Bael had done to him earlier, he swung his sword relentlessly.

-CRASH! BOOM BOOM!! CRACK!!-

It was exhausting.

He was already squeezing out what little strength he had left, but it seemed to have little effect, and his arms felt like they were about to fall off.

Sometimes he even took counterattacks and fell.

But he kept swinging his sword as if he was born to do just that.

“Huff… huff…”

Even as he breathed heavily, coughed up blood, and his arms convulsed.

***

“Right side…!!”

When Rachel shouted, Raycle looked to the right. A fist approaching his face came into view.

-THUD!!-

Though he took the punch head-on, Raycle endured it.

Then he threw a punch of his own, a punch that could create deep wounds just by making contact. But it didn’t reach Marbas.

Instead, another fist came flying.

-THUD!!-

He had somehow endured the first one, but the second was too much.

With a nosebleed, Raycle collapsed to the ground. In his place, Chris rushed at her.

Chris’s fist aimed for her head.

Marbas ducked to avoid the punch.

“For a healer, you’re quite physically trained, aren’t you?”

Then she drove her fist into Chris’s abdomen.

-THUD!!-

Chris coughed up blood and hung his head. Seeing this, she smiled and withdrew her hand.

But for some reason, her hand wouldn’t move, as if it was blocked by something. At the same time, she felt a chill.

“That hurts…”

Chris muttered, looking at her with faint madness in his eyes. That madness seemed to have given birth to strength.

His right hand, trembling with anger, struck her head.

-THUD!! CRACKLE!-

Simultaneously, a beam of light appeared and engulfed her.

That light, made of mana, hit her precisely along with Chris’s fist.

“But… it doesn’t seem to have done much?”

He had definitely landed a blow.

But she was still wearing that unpleasant smile. That smile deepened even more, and eventually she burst into laughter.

That laughter filled the battlefield.

“Hahaha!! This is more fun than I expected!! I thought you were just clueless kids.”

After laughing for a while, she straightened her posture.

She looked like a snake eyeing its prey, a look that matched her attire perfectly, making them tense.

Using [Swift], she instantly appeared before them, grabbed the necks of the two, and slammed them to the ground.

-CRASH!!-

Briton, who had been standing in front, charged at her in anger, but he was no match for an executioner either.

With just a few punches, his [Invincible Rampart] was on the verge of breaking.

Of course, thanks to [Absolute Defense], he could hold out for quite some time.

Aelin and Rachel seized the opportunity and unleashed a barrage of spells.

“Tch…!”

Finally, she was forced to step back.

The two who had collapsed earlier were just barely getting up from the ground.

“Hey, you two, get behind me.”

“We were just there…?”

“Why is she so fast?”

The two had definitely been behind Briton. She had broken through and gotten inside.

They couldn’t even see her properly… they had every right to feel wronged.

“‘She’? I have a proper name, you know?”

“Not particularly interested, actually?”

Chris’s response was rather bold.

She was still looking at them as if they were children, and then she said something that didn’t quite fit the situation.

“Then I’ll make you interested. You’d better be careful.”

Once again, she was the one to approach them first.

And once again, her fist led the way.

***

Unlike the other two locations, these two were still just watching each other.

Realizing that [Stealth] wasn’t working, Reina had already deactivated it and revealed herself. Yet there was no progress in their confrontation.

‘I can’t see an opening…’

From Reina’s perspective, it was due to the overwhelming difference in strength and ability…

‘If I lose here…’

From Basago’s perspective, it was because of the person behind him.

So neither of them could take any decisive action.

Reina looked at him and Bael behind him, who was in a similar situation to herself.

‘I need to do something…’

Looking elsewhere, both sides seemed to be in similar situations with no end in sight.

This made her anxious. Albert had told her to just maintain distance, but she was conflicted.

‘Maybe I could do it?’

She had those eyes that could make the impossible possible.

But that was all. He seemed quite skilled with magic… but magic could be dodged. As she was pondering this, Raycle’s earlier words flashed through her mind.

-Just believe, you can do it.-

After already doing something so reckless, was there any point in hesitating now? The fundamental question arose. And the answer was, of course…

“No.”

That simple and clear answer gave her courage.

We were already acting incredibly recklessly, so what was there to worry about now…

Realizing this, Reina gripped her sword tightly.

“Do you have a death wish?”

Ignoring the old man’s nonsense, Reina activated [Swift] and charged toward him.