Chapter 182: The Witch Behind the Mask 9

The unbelievable sight before their eyes caused Nune and Tine’s faces to freeze in horror.

“What…what is this…?”

“This…this can’t be happening…”

What they witnessed was the aura-beasts they had manifested slowly burning away like sheets of paper set aflame by the ghostly soldiers’ blades.

Although one ghost dissipated into smoke after the dog’s fangs sank into its nape, and others shattered like bursting objects from the bear’s swiping paws…

The aura-beasts themselves sustained considerable damage from the ghostly soldiers’ weapons.

Wreathed in black flames, the ghosts’ sword-strikes caused the aura-beasts’ forms to ignite with dark embers at each impact.

This was no mere nullification, but direct damage.

The sacred aura – the embodiment of holy power that invalidates all magic…

Seeing its materialized constructs, supposed to possess absolute resistance to spells, sustaining such harm…left Nune and Tine in profound shock.

“How…how is this possible…”

“This is cheating! Those are spells! How can spells affect the aura – let alone its materialized form – like this…”

It defied reality.

All magic was meant to be powerless before the aura – an undeniable universal truth.

Yet that truth now lay shattered before their eyes, an incomprehensible affront assailing the holy knights’ minds.

Even as their aura-beasts visibly deteriorated, the two could only desperately withdraw them.

“Damn it!”

“What in the…”

Anger and bewilderment gripped the pair.

From that brief clash, their beasts had already sustained nearly 30% damage.

While still recoverable, that wasn’t their true concern.

The masked woman before them possessed magic capable of defying the aura itself – an utterly staggering realization that shook them to their core, leaving them at a loss.

‘How…how do we deal with this? We can’t claim any chance of victory against her…’

‘Dammit…never imagined encountering such an adversary here…’

Their earlier confidence had utterly evaporated.

A palpable threat loomed before them – not of capturing their foes, but of being captured themselves.

Assessing this perilous situation, they quickly began contemplating their options.

And the conclusion they reached was…

‘…Should we flee?’

‘…Let’s flee. No need to gamble with such grave risks.’

While they might still defeat this foe through sheer perseverance, the risk of utter ruin was equally plausible.

And such an outcome would truly spell their undoing.

Certainly, capturing the Bohemian noble could yield a handsome reward.

But preserving their lives took precedence over any accolades.

‘Better a live dog than a dead lion…’

‘No point indulging greed only to perish. Fleeing is wiser…’

Having reached this decision, Nune and Tine began slowly retreating behind their aura-beasts, seeking an opportune moment to escape.

They had always preyed upon the weak while capitulating to the strong – never staking their lives to accomplish anything, be it just or unjust, unless it benefited them directly.

Thus, they harbored no genuine intention to confront this situation resolutely.

Prudently abandoning the endeavor was wiser than recklessly persisting at their detriment.

As Nune and Tine cautiously backpedaled, timing their escape, they inwardly prepared:

‘Fleeing from those mages won’t be easy, but we can use that woman as a decoy.’

‘Tine, I’m sorry. Thank you for your sacrifice – I won’t forget it.’

Having resolved to offer their ‘comrade’ as a scapegoat, Nune and Tine swiftly turned to retreat.

However…

“…Huh?”

“Ah…!”

The next instant, they instinctively exclaimed in dismay.

Their eyes beheld a group of ghostly soldiers who had somehow appeared, obstructing their path.

“What…what is this?”

“When did they…?”

Only then did Nune and Tine realize they were completely surrounded.

This realization plunged their minds into further tumult.

A momentary panic gripped them as their attempted escape was thwarted.

And in that fleeting moment, Freddie Mars – no, Queen Andreas – struck.

“Skewer them.”

At her command, the ghostly soldiers simultaneously charged the pair.

Although their powerful aura-beasts remained, the panicked knights failed to properly maneuver them, leaving openings.

“Ah!”

“You damned…!”

By the time they belatedly reacted to the enemies’ sudden assault, it was too late.

The ghosts bypassed the hesitating aura-beasts, plunging their blades into Nune and Tine.

Simultaneously, the searing agony caused them to attempt screaming – but before any sound could escape their lips, they collapsed lifelessly to the ground.

In those final instants, their minds flashed with visions of the horrifically bleak futures that likely awaited…overwhelming despair their final cognition.

“Did…did you finish them off?” Baiken’s trembling voice inquired.

The woman called Freddie slowly shook her head, her tone nonchalant. “Merely knocked them unconscious.”

“Ah…”

A curt, indifferent response.

Witnessing her demeanor, Baiken felt relief – not only that the prisoners survived, but that the perilous situation had been safely resolved.

‘That was dangerous…never imagined those scruffy-looking bastards were such formidable adversaries…’

Turning her gaze toward Freddie as that thought crossed her mind, Baiken inwardly marveled at the witch who had effortlessly subdued the holy knights who would have decimated her own forces.

Having encountered many reputed as powerful, Freddie clearly ranked among the elites – prompting both admiration and wariness within Baiken.

‘To instantly subdue two such mighty holy knights…I knew she was formidable, but not to this extent. Truly befitting a Dragonian witch…’

Inwardly awed while acknowledging how precarious their situation would have been without Cazeros’ assigned escort, Baiken instructed her soldiers to re-restrain the unconscious knights – this time with sturdy iron chains rather than flimsy ropes.

Standing impassively in her masked guise, Queen’s concealed expression betrayed profound, euphoric elation.

‘I won…I actually won! Against those powerful holy knights no less!’

She had been cautioned about holy knights from childhood.

Yet to have triumphed over adversaries undoubtedly among their mightiest elites filled Queen with immense pride.

‘They did try fleeing foolishly at the end, leaving openings…but isn’t exploiting such opportunities part of true skill?’

Reaffirming the righteousness of her chosen path, Queen followed behind Baiken, resuming their march.

At that moment, oblivious that one of the soldiers regarded her with trepidation…