383 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Chapter 383: "Hold Steady. Just Hold On." Eileen repeated her initial plan to herself once more. The goal of MacLaine, unlike the Holy Legion, was to diminish the Empire's superhuman forces. Four superhumans had been added to the other fortress walls, excluding the already superior northern wall. While Burdel's ability was originally meant for massacring lesser enemies, the others were different. The moment Ronian and Victor joined forces with the vice-commanders of the Holy Knights and defeated the Imperial commanders, they would come here immediately. All she needed to do was hold out until then. The Unyielding Fortress, greatly strengthened by the battle with the Sword Phantom, was specialized for withstanding attacks, so it should suffice. That's what she thought. Until she actually faced the Sword Phantom's sword. Shwick. "Ugh!" A faint aura on the Sword Phantom’s blade pierced through the Unyielding Fortress with alarming ease, leaving a wound on her arm. Counting the wounds inflicted by Egon Miller, there wasn't a sound place left on her limbs, but even in that situation, Eileen forced a smile, trying to appear calm. After all, it was within the range of what she had anticipated. Though admittedly, it was one of the worst-case scenarios. "Impressive. Your injuries seem severe, yet you are still able to use the power of space in this state." "Oh, you know about that? You're quite knowledgeable, young lady. Truly a pity..." The Sword Phantom casually responded, wiping the sweat from his forehead. She was deliberately trying to stall for time by feigning composure, but it was clear the Sword Phantom wasn't in the best condition either. But somehow, that made Eileen feel even heavier. ‘He mentioned that using the power of space consumes an enormous amount of energy. Yet...’ This person was different. With only a drop of aura he had barely formed, he could easily manifest top-tier abilities. Eileen understood that even within the same rank, there could be differences in proficiency, but wasn't this gap too extreme? – "I can face the Sword Phantom now." She remembered her husband smiling as he said those words. Does he know the Sword Phantom is at this level? Of course, given her husband's exceptional abilities, he wouldn’t lose, but... As her thoughts strayed, Eileen shook her head to clear her mind. ‘No, no. This is the chance because the enemy is weakened. I have to end it here.’ And as she resolved herself, the Sword Phantom smiled slyly. "Still haven't made up your mind?" His warm smile seemed as comforting as a friendly elder. The reason she could afford such distractions even during battle was because the Sword Phantom provided openings while still pressuring her. "Surrender, and just reveal where you're from. His Majesty values talent, so you won't have to worry about success in the Empire. Oh, and there's no gender discrimination either." Was this real confidence, or an act to hide his poor condition? It was impossible to tell, but the more time he spent talking, the better for her. The Sword Phantom had no idea she was waiting for reinforcements. If he knew, he wouldn't be so relaxed. Feeling a bit lighter, Eileen replied with a cheeky smile. "Thank you for the generous offer, Sword Phantom. But I must decline. I’m Aran Eshnell, a candidate for Vice-Commander of the Holy Knights of the Sacred Nation. I have no intention of surrendering to the enemies of God." "Oh, from the Sacred Nation? If you can show even a flicker of divine aura, I'll gladly recognize it." "I have yet to receive acknowledgement from the gods..." Her words made the Sword Phantom burst into laughter. "The gods would grant even the tiniest divine power as long as the resonance matches, even to the vilest child-slayers who pledge faith." Resonance? "And anyone capable of awakening force can match resonance with any of the Nine Gods. Yet the gods leave someone of your talent alone?" What on earth is he talking about? It felt like she'd heard something monumental. ‘It’s as if he compares gods to merchants making deals...’ Eileen, bewildered by the unfamiliar expressions and concepts, found herself at a loss for words. Noticing her confusion, the Sword Phantom chuckled again. "Indeed, you don't know. Claiming to be from the Sacred Nation without knowing how Paladins are birthed? A Vice-Commander candidate? A boring joke. Let’s stop this now." With that, the killing intent rose once more amidst the poised sword. "This is my last offer. Reveal your affiliation and surrender. What lingering attachment have you to a homeland that sends its superhumans to foreign battlefields cloaked in secrecy? Come to the Empire. You won't regret it." The moment he spoke those words, Eileen sensed his sincerity. His pride in the Empire and his resolve to waste no more time. Perhaps it was due to the increasingly tumultuous surroundings. The Imperial flags, now fervently moving at the rear, clearly indicated to Eileen that there was no logical reason for the tumult from observing the eastern wall’s situation. And soon, the awaited cry reached her ears. – "Egon Miller has been defeated!" ‘It worked!’ Recognizing a familiar voice, her fist tightened with resolve. The expressions of the two opposing figures visibly changed, and Eileen calmly shook her head. "I refuse." "…A pity." Before the word ‘pity’ was even completed, the Sword Phantom appeared beside her as if by teleportation. His neatly horizontal sword strike traced a crimson line centered on her neck. But the vibrant red merely passed over Eileen’s head, who had instinctively ducked in anticipation of his strike. Maintaining her lowered stance, she thrust her blade towards the Sword Phantom’s chest. It was a calculated counterattack, yet the Sword Phantom simply sidestepped, letting her sword sweep harmlessly through the air. What followed was a prolonged exchange of narrowly dodged strikes. Thwack-thwack-thwack. In a superhuman duel, the sound of missed blows filled the air. "Were you hiding your skills?" Amid the crimson afterimages, the Sword Phantom’s voice, tinged with anger, resonated chillingly. "I merely changed my approach." At Eileen's composed response, Triss’s eyebrows twitched ever so slightly. Eileen, despite her calm voice, was also sweating profusely under the pressure. "It's all about the slimmest margins. Focus!" In the face of the power that could cleave through space, the Unyielding Fortress was as effective as her bare body until she reached the same level as the Sword Phantom. There was no point in clashing swords with him when she knew she couldn’t possibly block his slashes. Eileen centered her attention entirely on dodging, offering minimal counters. Abandoning defense to concentrate wholly on evasion enhanced her maneuverability significantly. Of course, there was no room for distraction. The faint aura, hinting at the Sword Phantom’s imperfect condition, offered little comfort. Instead, frustration surged within her, avoiding even the exhausted enemy’s attacks. Yet that, too, soon reached its limit. It was only natural to find herself gradually cornered as she avoided clashing swords with a superior foe. Gritting her teeth, Eileen watched the Sword Phantom's blade reversing towards her anticipated position, aiming for her throat. As if she pretended it wasn't there, she ignored defense and drove her sword into the Sword Phantom's chest. A counterattack suggesting mutual destruction. Seeing this, the Sword Phantom's blade abruptly changed course, and for the first time since their clash began, their swords collided fiercely. BOOM! "Ugh!?" Eileen was flung inside the fortress with a powerful impact. Nevertheless, she didn't appear discouraged. She had steeled herself for losing her sword or even an arm, so the fact that such an impact occurred was quite unexpected. ‘...Was there a limit?’ Despite appearing to naturally wield top-tier abilities without having healed from severe injuries, he had been bluffing after all. Despite it seeming ridiculous, she couldn't deny the damage his previous attacks had inflicted, allowing her to quickly grasp the situation. ‘His focused attacks were only possible with resolved intentions!’ Unexpected situations or any deviation from the expected ‘normal trajectory’ would disrupt the delicately gathered aura. That’s why their swords collided. As if to validate her hypothesis, the Sword Phantom's complexion seemed to pale further. Just then, the voices she had been waiting for echoed around her. "Lady... Aran!" "Lady Aran!" "Sorry for being late!" With the arrival of her reliable allies, a smile naturally graced Eileen’s pale face. "Ha, not just an archer but another aura user and a mage? Just what are you all?" The Sword Phantom chuckled incredulously, looking at them. His slightly lowered sword suggested a loss of will to fight. Nonetheless, Eileen wasn’t about to let her guard down. "Don’t clash with the sword’s aura directly. Be adaptable! We’ll take down the Sword Phantom here!" Defeating him here would greatly ease the ongoing war and any future conflicts in MacLaine. Their thoughts united in that moment. However, the Sword Phantom was far from an easy opponent. "Heh, that's my line. I hope none of you run away." Even faced with four superhumans, the killing intent in the Sword Phantom's eyes only deepened. ‘In that condition?’ No one could consider him in good shape. His flimsy and small aura seemed unworthy of someone robed in the title of the Continent’s Greatest Sword. Yet, with an uncanny gleam in his eyes, the Sword Phantom straightened his sword. "I suppose I'll have to shorten my lifespan. The price..." Woosh. A red mist faintly rose from his entire body before bursting into fiercely burning aura flames. "...Will be your lives!" “Charge!” With Victoria’s startled voice, a powerful magical force oppressed him, and a rain of arrows fired by Burdel showered down. Simultaneously, Eileen and Ronian rushed towards the Sword Phantom. BOOM! The impact of their steps shattered part of the fortress wall. Though it demonstrated the effective work of Victoria’s gravity magic, it paled in comparison to the swiftness with which the Sword Phantom suddenly appeared before her, swinging his sword down. As a wide-eyed Victoria instinctively channeled her magic. CRACK! A massive golem surged forward, blocking the strike, only to be cleaved in half. “Agh!” The impact caused by the golem splitting delayed Victoria's scream by a half-beat as she crumpled weakly. ‘A golem?’ The Sword Phantom seemed momentarily flustered by the unexpected scenario. It wasn’t a mere stone puppet. Despite using the power of space, he felt a strong resistance. Had it been an ordinary aura-laden strike, it might not have even penetrated. During that pause, arrows altered their course to swarm around him, while Eileen and Ronian flanked him from behind. BOOM! The flaming aura enveloping the Sword Phantom’s body was momentarily halved, but in return, the two superhumans were sent flying out of the fortress. “This monster...!” Burdel unleashed a barrage of arrows like a madman, while Victoria, bleeding from the mouth, restrained him with magic. Yet, as if trusting the aura shield resembling flames, the Sword Phantom pressed on, targeting Victoria again. And in that fleeting moment, something glinted in the Sword Phantom’s eye. ‘Oh?’ Under the intense impact, the illusion magic broke, revealing a girl with blue hair and mismatched red and blue eyes before him. Her peculiar appearance was one thing, but her unexpectedly youthful appearance caused the Sword Phantom’s hand to unconsciously slow, even if only slightly. And that saved Victoria. “Attack!!” BOOM! A sudden gray aura struck his side. It deflected the Sword Phantom’s attack sideways and further diminished his already halved flaming aura. “Brother!” “Hang in there!” Leaving just a shout behind, Victor launched a fierce assault on the Sword Phantom. A strange, faintly blue luminescence enveloped Victor’s body.