Chapter 164

Chapter 164

Investing Through the Status Window.

Episode 164: Ashen (8).

Baaaa.

The chilling bleat echoed once more. Almost simultaneously, the demon struck down like lightning.

Natasha parried it again, even managing a brief counterattack, but the demon deflected it effortlessly.

Strong.

Through the brief exchange, Itty Titty Swordsman gauged the opponent’s level roughly. It was not an easy foe.

At that moment, the Blind Saintess flew in like a streak of light, swinging her fist.

!!!

The two women performed a coordinated attack as if it was prearranged… Yet, the demon was not easily pushed back. The Blind Saintess also realized this was not an ordinary adversary.

Indeed, a demon is a demon. It’s a totally different caliber from demon minions.

Of course, this was the Ash Hell. When the demon raised its hand, a tremendous amount of ash gathered in the sky and fell heavily.

As if mimicking the divine punishment used by the Milk-Jug Mage earlier.

!!!

The Itty Titty Swordsman and the Blind Saintess quickly distanced themselves from the group and left the area, while the Milk-Jug Mage set up a powerful dome-shaped shield. At the same time, a strong pillar of ash struck the shield.

Natasha and Ordnung rushed at the enemy again without even checking if their companions were safe. Just then, a bird swooped down from the sky, charging at them.

Sensing this, the Blind Saintess hastily tore off her blindfold and opened her black eyes.

An overwhelming amount of energy rushed in simultaneously.

She dodged it purely by instinct and pushed off the ground with all her might.

Eup.

At the same time, tears of blood streamed down.

Withstanding the demon’s energy was no easy task.

However…

The lives of people…

And…

Money was at stake.

My money……!

The Blind Saintess’s punch, more powerful and faster than usual, finally struck the demon’s body.

At the same time, poof, ashes burst out.

Of course, although the demon took a powerful hit, it swung its sword to retaliate without hesitation. The Blind Saintess anticipated this and quickly flipped backward to evade the attack.

Baaaa!

The demon, Pamalious, began to swing its sword wildly. Natasha blocked it, and Ordnung attacked the openings, coordinating their assault.

But the demon wasn’t alone either.

The surrounding ashes suddenly swirled and gathered into one, soon transforming into something like gigantic armor.

Ash Knight.

Allen decided he had to stop it from hindering the two women.

“Stop that thing!”

The first-line soldier charged at the Ash Knight with a large shield raised, but was sent flying backward after taking a massive axe blow.

Taking advantage of the opening, the Cautious Archer Gheorghe accurately shot an arrow drenched in holy water at the creature’s head.

Hit it…

However, just before the arrow struck, the creature sharply turned its head to the side to evade it. This time, Geese and Kori rushed in, but blocking an attack that even a massive tower shield couldn’t withstand with a mere small round shield was, of course, impossible. Instead, with his lower stats, Kori’s left arm was completely shattered and torn off by the attack.

“Aaaahhhhh!!!!”

The newbie collapsed, bleeding profusely on the ground, but no one had the luxury to tend to him. So Allen urgently grabbed Kori’s clothes and dragged him to the relatively safer third line.

“Kori. Kori! Damn it! Get a grip! You’re not dying! You’re not dead! Hang in there! Drink. Quickly, drink this, damn it!”

Allen picked up his severed arm, roughly attached it to the severed part, and poured a potion straight into his mouth. The rest he poured entirely onto the wound.

Fortunately, the arm reattached. But Kori, half-dazed, seemed incapable of rejoining the battle immediately.

Allen, fearing such a situation might occur again, shouted not to attack but to focus solely on defense.

“Don’t attack! Just defend! Keep it from getting close!”

Of course, that was easier said than done, with the Ash Knight being akin to a demon’s minion. It wasn’t easy for ordinary mercenaries to fend off its attacks.

Still, the members Allen had carefully selected held their ground well against the Ash Knight. The problem was, it wasn’t the only opponent they had to stop.

The Ash Soldiers kept swarming from all directions without respite. Although the Cautious Archer Gheorghe and Training Junkie Victor were somehow holding their ground, their bodies were already covered in wounds. Even if the Ash Soldiers were weak, they were overwhelming them with sheer numbers, leaving no options for them.

…There’s no other choice…!

Even considering the risk of getting caught in the explosion, Elena’s magic seemed necessary.

“Elena, magic!”

At Allen’s command, Elena’s eyes widened slightly, but she chanted the spell without a word.

The Group Leader also defended her, ensuring that enemies slipping through the gaps in the shield wall didn’t reach her while she prepared her magic. Just like the saying, “Even a school dog learns to recite poetry after three years,” he had picked up a thing or two by watching from behind, so he could fend off one or two of these Ash Soldiers with his short sword. He had already taken down a few like that. Of course, that was his limit.

Fortunately, the magic was completed safely without any interference. And since the members had practiced together more than once, the path cleared as soon as the Group Leader sent the promised signal.

At the same time, a mana bullet flew towards the Ash Knight.

The experienced and skilled female mage’s magic hit its target without missing.

!!!

The members in the front line covered their bodies with shields to minimize the impact of the explosion. Even so, the shock was considerable; it was as if they had been hit with an axe like earlier before.

The Ash Knight, whose body mostly burst due to the explosion, slowly gathered the ashes again to restore its body.

Of course, Allen wouldn’t just stand by and watch that happen.

“Kill it with holy water!”

The shield bearers, who had been in a mess, hurriedly popped open the lids of the holy water bottles, pouring them over their shields, and charged towards the enemy with faces filled with rage, despite blood streaming down their heads.

“You damn bastard!!!”

The Ash Soldiers tried to block their way, but they couldn’t stop the charge with the holy water splashed.

Then, after knocking down the Ash Knight, they relentlessly pounded it with their shields.

Of course, the enemy didn’t just stand by and take it. Even while fallen, it quickly regained control and severed the ankle of Furball Geese, who was momentarily exposed and defenseless.

“Aaagh, you son of a biiiitch!!!”

As Geese, who had lost his right foot, fell, the Ash Soldiers swarmed over him, scratching, stabbing, and biting his body indiscriminately.

Kalisman swiftly dealt with them, but in that brief moment, the exposed parts outside the armor were gruesomely injured. Fortunately, thanks to blocking his face with both arms, his face remained relatively intact.

Still, defeating the Ash Knight provided some breathing room. Natasha and Ordnung didn’t have to worry about their rear.

While the fierce battle raged atop the city walls, the interior of the city was being ravaged by the army of ash.

With only a handful of knights and vigilantes, it was impossible to hold back the overwhelming numbers pouring in. Naturally, the damage snowballed.

In the end, the knights, unable to hold their ground, headed to the last line of defense at the outer castle.

-Set it ablaze!

They lit a fire on the oil-soaked straw piles stacked under their mounts. However, the fire did not have a significant effect on the enemy army. The ashes flowing down as they burned weakened the flames.

Ultimately, the defense line of the outer castle did not last long and collapsed. Now, the only thing left was the inner wall.

Soon, the assault by the enemy soldiers climbing the walls like spiders began. Even the escort knights of the Count’s family stepped in to fight to the death, but it was clear they could not hold out for long.

The demon Pamalious relentlessly drove the two women.

Particularly, the unorthodox attacks using ash sometimes sent chills down Natasha’s strong heart.

However, amidst this battle flirting with death.

She was improving at every moment.

It was qualitatively different from mere sparring.

Battles with death at her side were vividly engraving the concept of the sword into her mind… and into her cells.

Ah.

An undeniable thrill spread through the female swordsman’s small chest.

The light, frequent sword scratches stopped increasing at some point.

She fell into a state of trance.

Somehow, she began to see what the next demon’s attack would be.

The opponent’s swordsmanship was becoming an excellent textbook for Natasha.

How is the opponent moving to kill me? Then what should I do?

Her body moved before her thoughts.

All of that was etched into her body and into her cells.

One step—no, half a step.

Struggling to advance just that much more.

A sword fight was about creating that half-step difference.

When one stepped forward, the enemy stepped back.

When one stepped back, the enemy stepped forward.

…However, there was a very subtle difference in their steps.

A very, very subtle difference.

At first, it was an insignificant difference, but as time passed, it grew.

Exactly by half a step.

Natasha finally moved half a step more towards the opening than her opponent.

She didn’t even think, ‘I did it.’

She swung her sword instinctively.

…At the same time, her opponent’s sword also came towards her chest, half a step later.

She would succeed in attacking, but she too would be hit by her opponent’s attack.

She resolved to give flesh to gain bone, but soon changed her mind.

No, I’ll avoid that too!

Her sword pierced the demon’s chest.

And simultaneously, the demon’s sword aimed at her chest!

Natasha twisted her body with all her focus.

And narrowly, the sword grazed her flat chest.

!!!!!!!

The Blind Saintess didn’t miss such a golden opportunity.

She flew like lightning and struck the demon’s head with her holy-water-drenched fist.

With a bang, the demon’s head exploded.

Natasha also dragged the sword stuck in her chest downward with a scrape.

At the same time, the Ash Soldiers trembled as if struck by lightning.

Baaa.

Baaaaa.

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

The sound of goats bleating echoed from all directions.

And those things slowly turned to dust.

The demon also gradually crumbled.

-Do not think it is over.

The thing that fought fiercely until just now disappeared as if it were a lie.

Ah.

Natasha collapsed to the floor, releasing the breath that had risen to her chin.

I did it.

I did it.

She successfully launched her attack and evaded the demon’s strike.

Twisting her body.

Barely above her chest!

Barely!

Barely, barely…

She dodged it because her chest was small.