Linea (2)

We got lucky.

Though the traces had long since vanished and we didn’t know where the enemy had gone, wandering near the city walls in search of clues by chance proved helpful.

“Titan.”

“I see, they went outside.”

I sensed commotion atop the city walls. The number of guards who normally patrolled in pairs had noticeably increased, with some even gathered in groups.

If the enemy had crossed the walls, they wouldn’t have left any guards alive in that area.

The enemy went outside. What was just a suspicion became certainty.

“No time to explain the situation.”

“Then I’ll break through.”

Crack!

As soon as I finished speaking, Titan dug his hands and feet into the wall and began climbing.

There wasn’t even a moment’s delay between my assessment and Titan’s actions. Moving immediately upon instruction. The result clearly showed how many battles we had crossed together.

“W-wait… something’s climbing up from the base of the wall…!”

Boom!

By the time the gathered guards and knights realized the abnormal situation, Titan had already climbed to the top and was charging toward the other side.

It would be great if we could just jump down and head outside like this, but…

“I don’t know what it is, but stop it!”

The imperial knights, considered the elite among elites in the world. As expected, their situational awareness was quick.

They caught up in an instant to what should have taken 3 seconds to cross, swinging their swords.

Swoosh!

Since Titan charged straight ahead without even acknowledging the swords coming at him, I had to handle them.

Crunch!

I blocked the knights’ swords with chains I quickly deployed before transitioning into holy magic.

After completely stopping the knights’ aura-infused swords with chains and holy magic, I spread my hand.

“What…?!”

As Titan leaped down from the wall, I withdrew my hand.

Though brief, I had shown them the cross formation by opening my palm.

They should at least recognize I’m from the Pantheon Temple, so rather than rashly pursuing, they’ll likely inquire about this with the Temple.

That’s a much easier path, and they wouldn’t want to get involved in political matters by thoughtlessly chasing after a priest.

There won’t be knights reckless enough to pursue a priest who can use holy power without clear evidence.

“What next?”

Thud!

As Titan landed beneath the wall, he awaited my next instruction.

Having come this far, there was no need to look for other clues.

Unlike the empire’s capital with its rows of buildings, there was only one place nearby to hide.

“Head into that forest ahead.”

Just the vast forest left uncultivated for hunters.

*     *     *

The moment we entered the forest, I could feel the thick demonic energy.

And then…

“Ugh?!”

A dagger filled with killing intent flying toward my nape.

I immediately bent backward and jumped off Titan’s back.

There was no need to maintain such an awkward position once we were under attack.

And before hitting the ground, I immediately took out chains and adjusted my landing position by hooking them onto nearby trees.

“This is…”

Dozens of throwing knives embedded themselves in the spot where I was expected to land.

A series of responses that had even calculated my individual reactions.

A variable I had forgotten comes to mind.

The master of the Shade Coinur branch who had insisted on knowing nothing about information I should have known.

“Viera…!”

“Rude brat. Think you can just call an adult’s name so casually?”

A human silhouette wavers between the darkness blanketing the forest.

An assassin of overwhelming skill, enough to be in charge of the capital branch.

I had suspected she might be plotting something behind Shade’s back.

That’s why I had even gone so far as to remove Mar, who could become a hostage.

I did think it was strange how easily she handed Mar over, but…

“Your goal was to create confusion in information?”

“Quick on the uptake as I heard. So, how effective was it?”

“Yeah… I did spend a while pondering your schemes.”

Thanks to her readily handing over Mar, it wasn’t easy to be certain about Viera’s objectives.

Aiming for Shade’s position.

Though that much was simple enough to imagine, conversely, by readily handing over Mar, she erased that assumption from my mind.

The information she had about me as a person.

She created maximum efficiency while accepting some losses.

A method that becomes harder to understand the more deeply you think about it.

This is why information guilds are frightening.

“This is bad.”

Of course, in a situation like this, assassin guilds are even more frightening.

I was leaning awkwardly against a tree when I immediately dodged. Sure enough, throwing knives flew in and embedded themselves where I had been.

“He should never have become Shade in the first place. He wasn’t qualified. From the start, that position…! Should have been mine, not his.”

“Well this is… quite the twisted desire for power. Is that why you joined hands with demons?”

Right, it had seemed strange.

The Blade of Calamity’s abilities weren’t specialized enough for one-on-one combat to take down someone of Shade’s caliber just by luring him into a trap.

There must have been an outside organization helping with that incident from the start.

“Joined hands? What disappointing words. I am a righteous assassin. I simply… want to watch the outcome of this battle.”

“Then eliminate whoever survives, whether it’s Shade or the Spore Witch? How convenient.”

So she laid a trap to catch Shade who was pursuing Margaret.

No wonder Belial doesn’t use humans as pawns.

Aren’t humans the ones who betray as easily as breathing?

“Yes, so wait here. If you stay still until Shade encounters Margaret, I’ll spare your life. How about it?”

“That won’t work. You know who’s ahead, don’t you?”

“I’m not sure the wayward daughter of House Spirin is worth that much.”

“An assassin’s mindset would never understand.”

What can you expect from those whose basic principle is cutting off stragglers?

Thinking about it that way, Shade is rather human in comparison.

Since he cherishes his daughter so dearly.

“Titan, get ready. It’s time for your favorite tomato crushing.”

“Hmm.”

Titan takes out the spear and hammer he had strapped to his back while watching his surroundings.

Human silhouettes rippling through the forest.

Can’t even be certain if they’re really human. After all, it’s assassins’ technique to be hard to detect and move silently.

Even with Viera’s build that I saw before, that’s not an issue.

Rather, it’s chilling that someone with such an appearance can move so stealthily and swiftly.

From Viera who still hasn’t shown herself to the rest, assassins are cautious and persistent types.

“We’ll strike first.”

“Then I’ll go first.”

Bang!

The moment Titan stomps the ground hard, the surroundings change.

Rocky mountains spring up where human silhouettes had been, instantly transforming the dense forest landscape.

Of course, that didn’t eliminate cover.

Though it could be said Titan created it himself, there were still plenty of places to hide.

Of course, that much can be fixed by returning the earth to its original state.

“That much won’t be necessary, right?”

“Yeah, confirmed them all.”

But assassins are hard to find even when right in front of you.

Rather than trying to find those who would hide again during that whole process, better to decisively deal with the assassins who lost their footing and had to move when the environment changed just now.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

I immediately fire the revolver.

Bullets fly toward the group of assassins I had clearly spotted.

“No.”

But most either blocked my shots by twisting their bodies in mid-air or deflected them with weapons.

The only fortunate thing was that more than half of those who raised weapons to deflect took the full impact and were hit by the gunfire.

Clearly our firepower is superior.

However, the assassins’ agility far surpasses even warriors who have reached the master level.

“Hah, impressive. Who knew Prince Titan had such talents?”

Thud!

Despite shouting in surprise while looking at Titan, she attacked my side.

Allowing the attack due to unexpected psychological warfare, a dagger embedded itself in my shoulder.

“You dodged that? Seems it wasn’t a lie that you were a heresy inquisitor before becoming a saint.”

“What dodge? It hit properly.”

“Because I couldn’t kill you.”

Indeed, if I hadn’t reflexively twisted my body, the dagger would have pierced my heart rather than my shoulder.

“Phew…”

Bang!

I fired a bullet in the direction the dagger came from, but again no results.

As specialists in hunting humans, even catching one is difficult.

Moreover, can’t even know how many more might be hiding.

“Right, just that much is what you want, isn’t it?”

Even if we stop to search for the enemy, time gets dragged out.

Just throwing daggers while staying hidden would be enough to tie down our feet.

I immediately borrow Heimdall’s White Shadow based on holy power.

“Then we’ll have to force our way through.”

“Planning to expose your back?”

Titan who had approached under the veil frowns as he asks.

Even his tough skin showed small scratches here and there.

Honestly, it’s more surprising that he caught daggers with his bare body.

Heading toward our destination while leaving assassins behind. No need to mention what huge risks that leaves.

“That much of a challenge seems worth trying.”

But we’re the ones short on time. Dealing with assassins who could pop out from anywhere one by one would be endless.

Then we have no choice but to dash straight to our destination with the threat of assassins left behind us.

“At least I can block daggers.”

“What about those carrying weapons like short swords?”

“Well, maybe twice?”

“What a reliable shield.”

Well, what can we do?

Assassins are a type that fights with stealth, agility, and putting everything into a single strike.

The environment isn’t good to begin with. A forest shrouded in darkness.

Though Titan overturned the earth to simplify the terrain, it’s still advantageous for the enemy.

“Well then, let’s run again.”

Now that enemies are behind us too, we can’t conserve our strength.

Since the risk is too high to move while hanging onto Titan like before, I decided to enhance my body through Vidar’s power, the guardian deity who slew the monster of twilight, and run through the forest.

Ting! Ting!

At least 2–3 daggers fly in with each step.

Fortunately due to their weapon characteristics, they couldn’t pierce through Heimdall’s White Shadow that I, an apostle, had deployed – it was practically ignorable, but…

Crunch!

I couldn’t help but feel chills down my spine from the attacks of assassins who would spring out from the shadows and swing their weapons.

“This isn’t good. Wouldn’t it be better if I stayed behind to buy time?”

“No, with the enemy’s overwhelming numbers, splitting up won’t make a difference.”

Even if we become two targets, the enemy’s fierce attacks won’t decrease.

Maybe they’d just tie down Titan with minimal numbers and pursue me.

Crunch! Clash!

Attacks that cut, strike, and thrust continuously pound the barrier.

The assassins must have realized what works and what doesn’t by now.

More and more are charging directly at me, and cracks have started running through the barrier.

“Break out, Titan.”

“Mm.”

Without any questions or objections to my words, Titan bursts out of Heimdall’s White Shadow.

His combat instincts are excellent.

The flying daggers can’t deeply wound Titan’s thick skin to begin with, and he can handle charging assassins with his unique senses.

Then who will the assassins target? Titan who charged ahead first? Or me who fell behind?

Thinking about their original purpose, they should have pursued Titan.

But…

“Right, I expected this.”

Assassins are far from the warriors that Titan holds in high regard.

Rather than enjoying battles with the strong, they prefer eliminating the weak first.

Once some distance opened between me and Titan, dozens of shadows charged at me.

Crack! Crunch!

Shadows intersecting in an instant turn the barrier to rags and.

“You left your specialty sword behind, think you can shake us off?”

“Ugh…”

Thud!

The attacks of the assassins who charged in next pierce through my body.

One, two. Though I barely twisted to avoid vital points, I allowed far too many attacks.

I hang suspended on the assassins’ weapons while coughing up blood.

Already beyond the point of just avoiding vital spots.

Can’t even collapse with too many weapons stuck in me.

Viera and the remaining assassins who were certain they had dealt with me appear one by one around me to look down.

“The rest of you go find and kill Prince Titan. We can’t let him live. It would be troublesome if anyone left traces behind.”

“Really okay to split up forces like that?”

“Still sharp-tongued even while dying… no.”

Viera’s brow twitches for a moment as she was sneering.

Right, she must have understood.

She must have grasped this unnatural situation.

“…How can you still speak?”

“The sword is my specialty? For an information guild, your information is quite outdated.”

“He’s preparing something! Everyone fall back and get ready!”

The assassins who had been stabbing me instantly pull out their weapons and retreat.

“Kuh!”

I looked over the assassins maintaining distance while watching me as I coughed up blood.

“If you knew I was an apostle.”

The god of medicine and healing.

I layer the authority of Asclepius and Epione along with the power of their divine children Hygieia, Panacea, Iaso, Aegle, and Aceso.

I sustain my body by handling every healing-related holy magic.

“You should have carefully considered what I’m capable of.”

Even priests of the Pantheon Temple can’t use all holy magic. But I’m different.

As an apostle, I am the representative of all gods.

I can utilize the power of all gods, even those with opposing symbols.

“Especially what my symbol is.”

Creating distance to watch what I would do was a mistake.

“This time I win.”

Just as Viera handed Mar over to me, she too took my blood and must pay an appropriate price.

Swoosh!

My blood is sacred blood.

A catalyst and medium containing holiness.

I unfold my own symbol using it. Chains bloom like explosions centered on the assassins’ weapons, weaving together everything around.

“Hup.”

I put tobacco in my mouth and light it.

“This mere binding! Soon I’ll…!”

I take a big drag anticipating the spectacle about to unfold.

“Phew…”

After Hecate explained what an apostle’s authority was, I had constantly pondered the symbolism of chains.

‘Binding’ to forcibly stop those heading toward cliffs.

‘Restriction’ to stop someone.

Another aspect I discovered among these negative things.

“What should I attach to the chain ends?”

The strongest ‘connection’.

Crack!

The ends of countless extending chains wrap around trees and assassins’ bodies before bending to approach the assassins again.

Giant hooks, sickles, and harpoons hung from their ends.

“Well, this scene looks more horrific.”

Crunch!

When I pull on one part of the chains manifested through the blood stuck to their weapons, the assassins caught on hooks rise into the air.

My brow furrows for a moment at the sight like displayed corpses.

“As expected of one targeting Shade. You’re quite something, Viera.”

“…”

I face the single assassin who avoided that wave of countless chains.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Think I’ll let you go?”

“Ah, I wasn’t talking to you. Would I suddenly use honorifics with you now? The one I’m asking permission from is your superior.”

“…What?”

We caused quite a commotion.

Wouldn’t they have heard rocky mountains rising, holy light soaring, and the sound of clashing weapons echoing everywhere?

If no one else, there are beings who can distinguish such things even from afar.

Starting with that damn demon who just made a fool of me and…

“Hey, what’s all this about?”

The king of assassins who is more familiar with dark environments than anyone.

“I’ll be going ahead. I’ll make sure to escort your daughter safely.”

“Oh, is that so? Then shall I leave that side to the expert demon hunter?”

Shade had appeared.

“Now then, Viera? Care to explain what kind of mess this is?”