The Shadowed Legacy of the Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 88

“Huh?”

“…….”

Donair and the bandits were bewildered by the figure that appeared from the bushes.

Wasn’t that a holy knight in golden armor walking towards them?

It was the very same Judge Zekt who had subdued them.

“Ah, no, Sir Zekt. Th-this is….”

“You’ve found a copy of the Divine King’s Scripture. Well done. Hand it over to me. Or perhaps, are you going to test me, swayed by that Naga woman’s trickery?” [Naga: A mythical creature, often depicted as a serpent or serpent-human hybrid.]

Sir Zekt asked with a smile.

“Are you going to see if the Judge’s reputation is just an illusion?”

“…….”

The bandits were flustered.

‘Aren’t we immortal now?’

‘But it was that man who made us immortal….’

‘Right.’

The bandits swallowed hard as they looked at Sir Zekt.

“Hand it over. The copy of the Divine King’s Scripture.”

“Y-yes, I will.”

Donair couldn’t resist Zekt’s pressure and handed over the copy of the Divine King’s Scripture. Zekt, having received it, gave a bitter smile.

“I’m a little disappointed in you all. I thought you would handle this without me, a holy knight, having to dirty my hands.”

“Huh?”

“Ah, no, that’s….”

“Make sure to leave no witnesses. Then, I shall take my leave first. I’ll see you at the Lantaric Holy Knight Order headquarters.”

But at that very moment!

-Swish!

An arrow flew towards Zekt.

“No!”

It was an arrow that surpassed even the triple-shot that had targeted Donair. Four arrows simultaneously aimed at Zekt from all directions.

Hwajo Pungwol, Hwanghak, Baekhak. [These are likely names of specific arrow techniques or types.]

Two magic-infused arrows and even a triple-shot flew towards him.

“Hmm?”

But Zekt lightly flicked his hand. At that moment, a faint silver ray emanated from Zekt’s fingertips, and the incoming arrows exploded in mid-air.

“Interesting archery skills. Are you from the Messenger Clan?”

“Yes!”

A girl emerged from the bushes. Midiam walked out, an arrow nocked on her bowstring. Surprisingly, she confidently puffed out her chest and glared at Sir Zekt.

“A holy knight who joins hands with bandits and causes innocent people to die, you are a disgrace!”

“Hahaha, how audacious, little miss. Are you, a member of the Messenger Clan, lecturing me, a holy knight of the King’s Church?”

“Of course! I am Midiam Etar! One who delivers the Emperor’s voice! The vulgar call us soulless, but aren’t you the ones who are truly soulless!”

Midiam said that and aimed her bow at Zekt.

“To be corrupted and become part of a cruel band of thieves, yet call yourself a holy knight, is insolent! I will deliver the Emperor’s divine punishment in his stead!”

“Hahaha! How cute.”

Zekt, despite being aimed at, wasn’t tense at all, but rather watched Midiam’s fuss with amusement. He was intrigued by Midiam’s exaggerated voice and actions.

‘Good, he’s hooked!’

Midiam fired her bow. At the same time, Ismail, who had been moving above the trees, swooped down from above with his sword, aiming for Sir Zekt.

“How cute.”

As Sir Zekt spread his hand, silver flashes flew towards Midiam and Ismail respectively.

-Clang!

Something collided with Ismail’s sword, shattering the blade into seven pieces, and the arrow Midiam fired exploded in mid-air. And….

-Thud!

Something pierced through Midiam’s body.

“Ugh?!!”

Only then did Midiam realize what had pierced her body. It was a needle threaded with a thin string.

‘N-no way! A needle… pierced through my body?’

Because it was so thin, she only felt a slight pain despite it piercing through her abdomen. But the string was still through her body.

“Don’t move rashly. If I just pull this string a little….”

“Aaaah!”

Midiam screamed as a pain that felt like it was burning her entire body surged through her abdomen.

“Midiam!”

Ismail, flustered, tried to jump at Sir Zekt, but he shot another string and needle.

-Hwajo Pungwol, Dusk! [Likely a more powerful version of the previous arrow technique.]

As soon as Ismail dodged the string flying towards his head, a heavy roar sounded, and a large tree was pierced through. The needle had pierced through the large tree. Moreover….

“Hup!”

As Zekt lightly shook the string.

-Whoosh.

The string vibrated, and at the same time, the tree shattered as if it had exploded, breaking in the middle.

“Ah!”

Midiam was horrified by the sight. Now that she was pierced by Zekt’s string and needle, if Zekt did that, Midiam would be shattered without even leaving a corpse.

The pain Midiam was feeling was only because Zekt was controlling his power to not kill her; if he wanted, he could shatter Midiam into pieces at any time.

“Huk.”

The bandits who were watching also clicked their tongues.

“This is, the Judge.”

“Good heavens.”

The bandits had been full of confidence after gaining bodies that were impervious to arrows. But seeing the power that Sir Zekt was displaying, it was clear that they wouldn’t stand a chance even if they tried to fight him with their bodies.

“Damn it!”

Ismail tried to find an opening by shooting arrows, but when Zekt shook the string, a shockwave occurred in the air, and the arrows shattered in mid-air. Even a slight graze of the string was enough to shatter an arrow with a steel tip.

-Thud!

Eventually, Ismail was also hit by a needle.

“Aaaah!”

Ismail screamed as he was pierced by a needle that went through his arm. The needle flew up to the top of a tall tree and wrapped around a branch, lifting Ismail’s arm into the air, causing his feet to leave the ground.

Unlike Midiam, who was standing on the ground, Ismail, who was hanging in the air, had his weight on the string, causing his wound to tear. Flustered, Ismail quickly grabbed the string and the wound with his hand to prevent his forearm from tearing. But the wound pierced by the string tore, and blood flowed down the string.

“Th-this is….”

Both Ismail and Midiam were subdued by Zekt in an instant.

*********

Zekt seemed to be subduing Ismail and Midiam, not trying to kill them.

Was it the composure of an absolute power?

No matter what Ismail or Midiam did, it was no threat or hindrance to him, so he was looking at them with a generous gaze, like a parent watching their child’s antics.

‘He’s weird. He’s crazy. This guy.’

Why would such a guy just watch as a band of thieves ravages innocent civilians?

Midiam bit her lower lip as she watched Zekt approach her.

“You’re still young boys and girls, but your spirit is impressive. It’s a waste to keep you as mere members of the Messenger Clan. How about becoming my disciples from now on?”

“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll pass. A proud daughter of Etar would never beg for her life and become a disciple of a bastard!”

“Is that so?”

Another string and needle flew and pierced Midiam’s thigh.

“Kuh!”

“It’s good to have spirited members of the Messenger Clan, but there’s no need to keep both of you alive. I’ll take only one of you as a collectible. Now, who will live and who will die?”

When Zekt asked that, both Midiam and Ismail’s eyes blazed. Seeing that neither of them lost their fighting spirit despite being in a life-threatening situation, Zekt was once again impressed.

“It seems impossible to persuade you like this. Then, I’ll have to tamper with your brains a little….”

At that moment, another arrow flew.

“Don’t do useless things!”

Zekt shot a needle without even turning around, but the moment the arrow and the needle collided, an anomaly occurred.

-Ting!

The arrow bounced off the needle and flew straight.

“Hmm?!!”

The arrow, which had flown close to Zekt’s palm, exploded, and the tension of the string that had been restraining Ismail and Midiam disappeared, allowing Ismail to land back on the ground.

“Hoo?”

Zekt opened his hand and looked at it. The spool in his hand was trembling. His hand was vibrating from deflecting the arrow just now. The trembling soon subsided, but the opponent was not to be underestimated.

At that moment, Midiam and Ismail were freed from the string. Azadin had thrown a dagger and cut the string that had been restraining Midiam and Ismail.

“Azadin!”

“You’ve arrived.”

Even Ismail, who had been dissatisfied with Azadin, couldn’t help but be glad at this moment.

“Well done, Midiam, Ismail. I’m proud of you.”

Azadin praised Midiam and Ismail. It seemed he had heard that Midiam had shown the spirit of a messenger to draw Zekt’s attention.

“On the other hand, this Judge Zekt is just tormenting children. Does the King’s Church have no dignity?”

“Interesting. So you’ve decided to attack instead of running away this time, Messenger?”

Zekt mocked Azadin for running away from him until now.

‘Certainly, Azadin was wary of this Judge.’

Both Midiam and Ismail now understood why Azadin had been avoiding the Judge. Azadin, who had been running away from the Judge until now, replied calmly.

“The world is in chaos, so I was holding back because killing someone like the Judge would only add to the confusion. You guys are useful when dealing with the Kurt gods or monsters.”

“Hahaha.”

“But tormenting civilians or children is not right.”

“Those boys and girls look like they could already be parents of one or two children in regions with early marriage customs. It’s not something to be criticized for tormenting children, is it?”

“Who cares? I don’t care about other people’s local customs.”

“If you ignore the customs of other cultures, you won’t be well-received.”

“Then, you should already be lying in a coffin in a town where they have early funerals, right? Don’t you want to die right now and respect the customs of such a region?”

“…Is there such a region? Where?”

“Ah, anyway, there is. There is.”

Azadin made an unreasonable argument and signaled to Midiam and Ismail.

“I’ll take care of that guy, so you guys lead the people and run away.”

“Huh?!!”

“You’re going to face the Judge alone?”

“Yes.”

Azadin said that and flew into the forest.

“No, after making such a grand entrance, he’s running away!”

As Zekt was dumbfounded, an arrow flew towards his face. Zekt, startled, turned his head to dodge, but the arrow also changed direction in mid-air, flying towards the direction he was dodging, like a fish in a rapid current.

-Thwack!

The arrow slid off Zekt’s armor, leaving a large wound on it. It was such a powerful bow that the arrowhead had almost torn through the armor.

“Your armor saved you.”

Azadin sneered.

“I apologize for that.”

Zekt realized that Azadin’s strategy was more difficult than he had expected and clicked his tongue.

*********

“Amazing.”

Midiam was amazed by Azadin’s archery skills, which had instantly shot down Zekt’s needles that had given them so much trouble. Ismail was grumbling while staunching his wounds.

“Isn’t he just using a powerful bow? I could do that much if I grow up… no, if I use a Black Steel Arrow, I could do it even now….”

“Ismail is always complaining about Azadin, isn’t he?”

“Isn’t it because you were strangely influenced by that man that you didn’t run away from the Judge and faced him head-on, which led to this mess?”

“But we got praised, didn’t we?”

“…….”

That was the problem.

Midiam originally didn’t care much about other people’s recognition or praise. As a young lady of the Etar clan, there were many people who wanted to curry favor with her, so she had always dismissed people’s praise as flattery or something to be expected.

But now, she was so influenced by Azadin that she was speaking like him, acting like him, and even happy to be praised by him. What was most annoying was….

‘When that guy praised me, I was also a little happy….’

That made her unbearably angry.