379 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Chapter 379 “What’s with that look…?” Even in that moment, with his superhuman vision, he precisely captured the distorted expression of the enemy commander. The opposing commander also seemed to possess the kind of eyesight befitting his reputation. It was as if flames surged from the eyes glaring straight at him. “Do not worry, Sir Amil. Although not quite at my level, Sword Phantom is certainly no ordinary being. It will be burdensome for him to step forward directly.” Ignoring the words of the Divine Sword, Burdel continued to shoot arrows relentlessly. He didn’t need to be told that. No matter how renowned Sword Phantom or the continent's greatest swordsman might be, this was his own territory. – You are the kingdom’s, no, the continent’s greatest archer. Able to change the tide of battle faster than anyone else. – Just hold on for a little longer. Once the war begins, your name will burn across the entire continent. And I will ensure you are rewarded for your patience. Burdel recalled the words of the ruler who had propelled him to the realm of superhumans and promised wealth and glory. He didn’t possess the unwavering loyalty towards the king like the others. It was merely half out of gratitude and half out of expectation for the grand future ahead that he aligned himself with Mackline. Yet, even to seize the future he so desired— ‘I must showcase my abilities with absolute clarity.’ Thus, he had no qualms about disregarding the continent's greatest swordsman who glared at him from a distance that couldn’t be reached. ‘Well, he’s not the greatest swordsman of the continent any longer, is he?’ Burdel snickered at the Sword Phantom and continued to target the knights with insignias pinned on their uniforms. Three arrows shot at once, like red lightning, would veer in midair according to his will to pierce their target. Of course— ‘…If that man comes any closer, I’ll have to run.’ He didn’t forget to occasionally check his escape routes. Additionally, he ensured to identify allies who could protect him in a pinch. “My liege… Lord Arran.” “Don’t worry, Sir Amil.” A confident smile played on Eileen’s lips standing behind Burdel. Western Battalion Commander, Slash Sword Egon Miller. And although still recovering from injuries, one of the continent’s strongest, Sword Phantom. Though formidable opponents, Eileen seemed to await the battle with the notable superhumans of the continent. However, the Divine Sword couldn’t muster a smile while observing her. Aside from the northern fortress, which had held superiority in previous clashes, a superhuman was placed in both the south and west, and two additional superhumans were positioned at this eastern wall. Even if the Great Sky Barrier’s efficacy waned, the situation wouldn’t crumble easily. Moreover, thanks to the unexpected asset of an aura-user archer, the initial skirmish was, in fact, tilting in their favor. A commendable performance exceeding expectations. But complete optimism was unwise. “Leaving aside the Sword Phantom, there are rumors that Egon Miller’s slash can cut through even an aura blade like tofu. He’s a mighty figure with a reason for leading the Western Battalion.” “It’s fine.” But what exactly was fine? Even if generously appraising, Arran couldn’t be more than an intermediate aura-user. On the other hand, Egon Miller was an advanced class aura-user. Moreover, his razor-sharp aura blade possessed the power of an absolute attack that did not adhere to conventional type advantages. Furthermore, although likely cloaked by magic, the bodily pattern seen through perception suggested that this individual, Arran, was… ‘No, now is not the time to distinguish gender.’ Due to religious inclinations, the male Divine Sword from the Holy Kingdom could only sigh before speaking again. “Perhaps I failed to explain properly. To elaborate once more, Egon Miller is…” “I understand fully. Please trust me. If things go according to plan, we can definitely hold the eastern wall. In the event that we capture Sword Phantom, who hasn’t fully recovered, or even just inflict cumulative damage, the future defense battles will tilt further in our favor.” Perhaps it was due to being from a small kingdom, but there was an excess of confidence. Or perhaps… ‘Could it be that the hidden superhuman lacks experience?’ Sending a frog that knows not of the wide world into the battlefield was dangerously reckless. Nevertheless, it wasn’t a situation where he could forcibly lecture, so his gaze grew somber. ‘The limitations of this battlefield are clear…’ The anticipated future wasn’t bright. Harman had to consider the worst-case scenarios. Lost in thought, it was Arran's voice that brought him back. “They’ll soon be atop the wall. Stand back, Commander.” To emerge to boost morale, only to meet an untimely death, would be a source of jest. Harman nodded at Arran’s words and heavily stepped towards the back of the wall. Meanwhile, Burdel’s splendid performance persisted. As a result— “I’ll kill you! Pest!” Egon Miller, his face flushed with rage, appeared before them. ‘As expected! The Divine Sword isn’t here!’ Scarcely having set foot on the wall, Egon Miller swiftly darted his eyes around. He had been the closest witness to the clash between Sword Phantom and Divine Sword. Thus, overwhelmed by the ominous strength that even invoked fear, he was unable to ignore Sword Phantom’s boasts. – It's mere bluff. Once our army approaches, the Divine Sword will vanish. Act assertively. Hence, occupying his mind were Sword Phantom's boasts, leaving him anxious. It was to the extent that he longed to suggest, if you’re so confident, why don’t you lead? His furious, boastful cry was close to hubris to mask the fear. Yet confirming the absence of the most dangerous opponent, Egon Miller unleashed all that emotion upon the archer before him. “Die!!” His coarse shout, unbecoming of a legion commander and a count's prestige, was a form of desperate struggle to reject the weakness and shame unknowingly lodged within his prideful role as a longtime absolute authority. Alongside that desperate shout, his aura blade swung fiercely, intent on cutting away even that disgrace. KBOOOM! Despite his expectations being defied, with a loud crash, a red pillar stood menacingly before Egon instead of the sly archer. "Urgh!" Egon stumbled backward, barely managing to stop at the edge of the battlement, and raised his head. Before him stood a youth with a lithe physique, appearing smaller even among knights. Of course, the sword poised before him and the auspicious red glow encasing his entire body signified that this was no ordinary youth. But to Egon, it was merely an infuriating obstacle exacerbating his anger. ‘This fool can't even control his aura and lets it spill all over the place!’ Grinding his teeth, Egon propelled himself forward, utilizing his momentum to swing his sword horizontally. The intimidating aura blade, extending over five meters, promised to cut through everything in its path. It was a sweep intended to catch both enemies before him simultaneously. It seemed excessive to expend so much strength against fellow aura users, but he was confident. His unique ability was ‘Severing’—an aura sharp enough to cut even through other aura users. Earlier, he’d hit the flat of the blade rather than the edge, and thus it had been blocked. So he thought. However— BANG! With a deafening impact, a crude red aura, more akin to a club, once again withstood his strike. “What the...!?” Faced with a baffling situation, Egon's expression hardened. ‘This isn't just some rookie!’ At the chilling realization, he hesitated for a split second, and in that moment, three streaks of red lightning surged toward him from behind. At a distance, they posed no threat. But at this proximity, the red arrows seemed considerably fast. Nevertheless, attaining the advanced aura-user rank wasn't mere luck. “You've got to be kidding...!” Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! “...me!” His belatedly moving sword effortlessly deflected the incoming arrows as he closed the distance. From this, one fact was clear. ‘The archer is barely intermediate.’ Not someone worth his attention. This time, his condensed aura blade, significantly reduced in size but much more concentrated, radiated vibrantly and vertically bisected the slender opponent blocking his path, and— CRUNCH. The thrilling impact followed by an electrifying jolt left Egon disconcerted as he staggered back. “Where the hell did you come from…?” He barely calmed his rage at his unintended outburst, managing to regain his composure. ‘Indeed. Where did these two superhumans suddenly emerge from?’ The enemy's provocatively relaxed demeanor helped Egon regain his composure instead. There was no way they were superhumans hidden by the Holy Kingdom. If so, they’d have appeared earlier in the initial engagement. If they revealed themselves now, they must have joined the battlefield late, evading vigilance systems to do so. But their appearance was utterly unfamiliar. With such prowess as to block his attack, they couldn't be nobodies… Egon carefully aimed his sword at the ‘enemy.’ “Who the hell are you lot?” “The Holy Kingdom.” “Don’t mock me!” “Then don’t believe it.” “Are you so ashamed of your origin that you can’t even admit it?! Such a waste of skill!” “The legion commander of the Empire only has big talk. Are you scared?” The opponent’s endlessly casual approach inflamed Egon’s fury once more. However, he wasn't foolish enough to get agitated against someone who could deflect his attacks. “A superhuman who doesn’t even take pride in themselves. Hmph, then here I will bury that name you cannot reveal.” Egon’s sword glowed resplendently as he charged towards his foes with incredible speed, almost seeming to compress space itself. ‘Stronger than anticipated!’ Though Eileen showcased a composed exterior, internally she realized she wasn’t quite at ease. Despite warnings from her comrades, she had deliberately volunteered for this position. She had believed her attribute, the Indomitable Fortress, could counter the Severing Sword adequately. Yet, the impact was stronger than anticipated. By the second clash, she worried about suffering internal injuries if she wasn’t careful. ‘The difference in focus…’ The aura spread throughout her whole body versus Egon's aura concentrated solely in his sword. It appeared the difference was greater than she had surmised. And even knowing this, there was a limit to what she could do. Indomitable Fortress was an ability created for her to stand firm in the world by becoming strong herself. Even if she desired, she couldn’t wholly dismantle the aura armor enveloping her body—a static trait. She could focus all her potential into her sword, but it wouldn’t narrow the difference much. BANG! SLASH! She blocked one more slash, but the subsequent attack broke through her defense, leaving a shallow wound on her arm. BOOM! The relentless onslaught forced her to absorb the shock with her entire body and step back. “Hah!” Is this all she had? The arrogant huff and further red slashes continued coercing her into sustaining damage. After experiencing such exchanges several times, Egon no longer met her sword head-on but concentrated on exploiting her openings. SLASH. SWISH. WHIR. Amidst the hardly noticeable sounds accumulating on the battlefield, more wounds appeared across Eileen’s body. Evidence that Egon had completely grasped her unique ability. While Burdel absconded from the battlefield, the two remained solely focused on each other. It was reckless to divert attention elsewhere when faced with an opponent of such extreme opposition. “How long do you think you can withstand this?!” Though her adversary's mocking voice applied pressure, Eileen's gaze remained calm despite being cornered. No, if anything, her eyes seemed deeply contemplative, as if not even focused on the opponent. ‘I can handle this. Strangely enough.’ Indeed. The gap in their ranks was more than a step apart. The attribute advantage was also in the opponent’s favor. Yet oddly enough, she was managing just fine. Moreover, Eileen had a vague hunch she would manage somehow. The current outcome was merely confirming that suspicion. ‘Why?’ The primary reason was easy to surmise. It was likely thanks to her unique movement technique, the "Feather Step," which she had perfected during the Kingdoms’ Union War. The defensive movement technique incorporated into her ethereal shadow of aura layers—created from the vibration of dozens of aura shields encasing her body. This technique, a blend of her talent, the Swordmaster’s experience, and the formidable aura endurance from the Sacred Sword’s vision core, reduced the impact by ninety percent, minimizing damage. But that wasn't all. From the moment Eileen had heard about Egon Miller's ability, a vague sense of expectation had filled her. She had hoped that his strength, in extreme opposition to her own, would reveal her shortcomings. And the genius who reached intermediate aura-user status in her mid-twenties found that her own goals and expectations were superbly met. Unbelievably, the aura which continuously fractured and collapsed under the enemy’s assault was transforming in real time. The layers surrounding her, now sticky and capable of re-adhering even after splitting from impacts. ‘Just a bit more. A bit more!’ In the midst of the battlefield, seemingly absorbed beyond the brink of life and death, the genius's fervor soon bore complete fruit. At one point, the shallow slashes, aimed at exploiting her openings, disintegrated without penetrating her aura. "It's done!" She accidentally exclaimed in triumph, despite her appearance being beyond disheveled. Her body armor, now shredded to tatters, barely protected her vital points like her face, while faint sword injuries spread across her limbs like a spider's web. Though her celebratory shout could have seemed ridiculous given her state, Egon’s expression twisted deeply instead. “That cursed brat…” He instantly understood the significance of his blocked strike. Unless he delivered a direct, true hit, he could no longer cut through his opponent. An already troublesome opponent had evolved to become even more daunting. At that moment, an aged voice echoed from behind them. “Enough. Go capture the runaway archer, Egon. I’ll handle this one.” A man, who had piled up a mountain of corpses on his path, the Sword Phantom’s voice made Eileen’s expression harden. ‘I just need to hold out. Just hold out.’ All strategies had already been outlined, and the recent achievement against Egon Miller was substantial. Her sticky, refined aura would now multiply the strength of her Indomitable Fortress, significantly enhancing her aura endurance as well. Though she had given up the possibility of sharpening her aura to enhance attack power, she opted for maximizing her strengths instead of fixing shortcomings. Moreover, the faint droplet-like aura barely hanging at the tip of the Sword Phantom’s blade bolstered her confidence. ‘He’s definitely not fully recovered.’ However— “With such skills, why would a young lady resort to cross-dressing? Such a waste.” His chilling gaze that pierced through everything instantly halved her confidence.