episode_0123

After taking down eight Basilisks, we began to thoroughly explore the fortress.

The tension and sense of crisis from the first battle had already dissipated halfway.

It makes sense though; they were ghosts to begin with, and if we managed to kill eight out of the small number, it meant that our guard was gradually becoming lax.

Unless the remaining Basilisks were gathered in one place like having a feast, the chances of encountering two or more Basilisks simultaneously were slim.

It meant that we now had the leisure to explore more leisurely.

“Hilde, Hilde. Hey, how do you think the inside of that tower looks?”

“Well, probably like a tower.”

“What? But…”

Unlike Freide, who seemed curious about this and that like a child on an outing, I already knew the internal structure of that watchtower.

In the center, it’s empty with a spiral staircase along the wall, leading up to the top where magical runes are inscribed on the ceiling and floor.

There would be a small altar at the center of the floor’s rune, with an extinguished brazier placed on it.

And between the two dense magical runes, there would be a visible high density of magic swirling.

During Banditsa’s heyday, the watchtower served as a fixed turret firing spears powered by mana and acting as a searchlight illuminating enemies.

Currently, the tower was being used as a relay for a wide-area barrier magic protecting Banditsa from the river.

By absorbing the tsunami-like magic emitted by the sapphire seal of Aseong, it spread it widely into the air as a magical barrier.

In other words, touching it wrong would mean this ruin would be swept away by the river in an instant.

Was there any need to enter such a dangerous place? It was wiser to watch from afar like watching a cow and enjoy it.

“There’s probably nothing much inside. Judging by its condition, it might collapse and bury us if we’re unlucky. So, let’s focus on finding the rest of the ghosts now. Got it?”

“…Yes! I’ll do my best! For you, Hilde!”

Freide nodded vigorously, clenching her fist tightly. She said she would do her best for me. Honestly, it was a slightly awkward statement.

Given her appearance, rather than being reliable, it gave off a cute yet impressive feeling, right?

Humans are creatures greatly influenced by appearances, so even the same message can be received very differently depending on who the messenger is.

Knowing that Freide looked younger than her age, whatever she said made her look cute without context.

Although I knew she was stronger than me, there was a feeling akin to watching a young child grow, almost like a protective uncle.

No, comparing it to a protective uncle is a bit much, isn’t it?

That guy, after approaching the girl with a fourteen-year age difference, offering sponsorship, and coercing her into becoming a spy through prolonged letter exchanges, he must have been quite the gaslighting sponsor back in the 21st century, right?

I just thought she was cute and nothing more, so compared to the middle-aged man who manipulated a child with money, I was honestly a hundred times purer.

Right?

◆◆

“Innbrotsþjófar!”

Intruders!

The ninth Basilisk was quite an intelligent one.

Or should I say, it was more of a traditional one?

Upon seeing us, it must have been confident that close combat was futile, as it quickly distanced itself at top speed, taking cover behind obstacles and continuously hurling ice spears.

– Kwaah! Kwaah! Kwaah!

The echoing sounds reverberated one after another. The shattered and broken stone pieces surged like waves, further transforming the surroundings into ruins.

The first-floor house, already halfway destroyed, collapsed with a roar as if struck by a shell, and the rooftop pinnacle snapped off and crashed into the ground.

A series of destruction akin to a rampaging elephant gone mad on alcohol.

Dodging the bastard’s attacks while closing the distance, Freide and I had to rush forward like beasts caught in a wildfire.

This fight is getting dirty.

“That reckless bastard!”

“Hilde, please! Watch your language!”

“Why bring that up now?”

What polite language? What I hate the most are those damn snipers shooting from afar?

“Refsing!”

Punishment!

That’s what these guys are all about.

“They’re just asking for trouble!”

I exclaimed as I urgently bent my waist to avoid the spear flying towards my head.

The missed spear cut through a few strands of hair, shattered the dojo behind me, and the shockwave pushed against my back.

“Freide, do something with your Holy Sword! If we keep this up, more and more ghosts will gather!”

“I’m trying to dodge…!”

Freide replied, firing a golden shot. The shot of light flew, hitting the building wall used as cover by the Valkyria.

– Crash!

The stone wall crumbled diagonally. However, the Valkyria they aimed for had already moved far away.

“Darn it…!”

Seems like it’s impossible to hit from this distance. We need to get closer…

“þú ert hægur.”

You’re slow.

Taunting us, the Valkyria recovered her twisted left arm from the spear’s recoil, holding a new ice lance in her already recovered right hand.

“You’re really persistent!”

Continuously recovering both arms, she fired a barrage of spears without giving us a chance to close the distance.

As we continued this destructive chase for quite some time,

“Hilde!”

Freide turned to me with a look of realization.

“Why? Do you have a good idea?”

I shouted back. Due to the successive explosions, we could barely hear each other without shouting.

“That ghost, Hilde, you mentioned she’s from your family, right?”

“Something like that!”

“So! Can’t you, Hilde, do something like that, that thing?”

That thing? Is she talking about Einstein-style spears? In that case…

“Maybe, I can…?”

If Brunhilde can do it, then I should be able to as well. I did glance at the technique earlier.

“Then let’s do it! Here!”

Freide abruptly stopped and kicked up a spear lying beneath her feet, throwing it towards me.

Is she expecting me to throw this spear to shoot down the ghost?

…That didn’t seem very likely.

“Sorry, I’m not confident in hitting it! It’s flying around!”

Throwing a spear and accurately hitting a target are two completely different things.

If it were a stationary target, maybe, but as someone who has only practiced flying after eating, I doubted my ability to hit a flying ghost with a spear.

So…

“I’ll try aiming for the incoming spear! You handle the next two, Freide!”

“Alright! That should work! As expected of Hilde!”

I decided to aim directly at the spear thrown by the enemy instead of the elusive ghost.

At least it was coming straight towards me, so if I timed it right, there wouldn’t be much difference between hitting a fixed target and hitting that.

“Nú, deyja!”

Now, with a curse telling me to die, Valkyria pulled the ice lance tightly behind her shoulder.

I engraved each of her movements in my retina, subconsciously relying on the senses remaining in me and descriptions from novels to mimic her exact posture.

From toes, legs, pelvis, abdomen, chest, shoulders, right arm, and wrist. Twisting every muscle in my body to its limit, accumulating strength, and invoking the power of the bracer to enhance the impact.

Einstein’s throwing spear is a combination of straight and spiral.

Twisting the body with accumulated overall muscle strength to generate the rotation of the spiral, and shooting it in a straight line with the strength of the arm.

The essence was contained in the right arm holding the long spear.

Thud, thud.

Arm muscles swelling and thudding inside the gauntlet and greaves.

Just like a strong bow pulled to its limit, all the twisted and accumulated power is concentrated at the tip of the worn-out spear.

I held my breath, aiming at Valquiria, waiting for the moment to unleash the gathered strength.

And.

– Twaaang!

In the next moment, an ice spear imbued with the power of erupted with a loud noise like a cannonball.

A throwing spear with immense force capable of distorting Valquiria’s arm due to the recoil.

As I turned my body as if possessed by something, I extended my right arm that I had pulled back with full confidence that it would hit 100%.

– Ssweeeak!

The worn-out spear shot out diagonally with a sharp piercing sound.

Since I couldn’t afford to throw the throwing spear once, the power and speed did not match Valquiria’s thrown spear, but—

– Quadddududuk!

The moment the two spear tips touched precisely, the resulting shock exceeded the limits that the worn-out spear or ice could withstand.

With a roar as if the air itself turned into a bomb and exploded, their spears clashed and exploded into dust as they neutralized each other.

“Now!”

“Yes!”

Thanks to the brief moment of respite, Freide and I, no longer needing to spend time dodging, rushed forward with all our might to close the distance with the opponent.

Perhaps due to the control of Gwanwan’s output, the pain in my arms was tolerable.

“Kiyaaahrr!”

Valquiria let out a fierce cry, seeming slightly surprised and somewhat angry. A new ice spear formed in the left hand raised above the head.

Before the spear was even fully formed, he pulled his left arm back straight, and as soon as the spear was complete, he immediately shot a second throwing spear.

“It’s my turn this time!”

“Alright, I trust you!”

Freide continued charging without stopping his steps, swinging the greatsword over his right shoulder. A golden light shimmered on the splendid blade.

“Hyaaaap!”

The blade struck diagonally, emitting a dazzling flash of light. Not aimed at the evasive Valquiria, but towards the throwing spear he had launched.

– Swiiiiish…!

A completely different collision sound from when the throwing spears collided.

The ice spear hit by the flash of light disappeared as if being erased, dispersing like smoke. It was a sight as if light was devouring ice.

Unlike a neutralization, it seemed more like overwhelming dominance. Was it due to compatibility or output difference? Perhaps both.

Well, whatever the case, the important thing was that both of his throwing spears failed.

Thanks to that, as the distance closed, he was now disabled with both arms twisted.

He had no confidence.

“Krrr, ósvífinn…!”

Arrogant…!

Hastily recovering his right arm, he tried to prepare for a third throwing spear, but it was already too late.

“I finally got you!”

I leaped up and grabbed his ankle, pulling him down with a force enhanced by Gwanwan.

“Kyaaak…!”

Balancing precariously under the weight of my added mass and Gwanwan’s strength, Valquiria staggered. He let out a yelp like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

I ignored it. What was there to fear from an arm-disabled guy grunting? Especially one with roughly only 2 seconds left to live.

“Hyaaap!”

Before he could attempt any proper resistance, Freide, who had followed me, reduced his weight by half with a swing of his greatsword.

– Thwooong.

The black-gray breastplate crashing onto the ground resonated with a clear metallic sound.