The 9Th Class Swordmaster: Blade Of Truth [EN]: Chapter 448

269. The Third Disaster (2)

Ueeeeeeeeeeng……!! Eeeeng……!!

The sharp sound of hard shells colliding echoed as the insects moved. The noise was deafening, but there was no way to locate them.

“Ughaaack!!”

“Aaaack!!”

“Deploy the shields!! Unleash all the magic artillery fire from the remaining operational ships!!”

Inside the control room, the fleet commanders screamed at the top of their lungs.

Taang-!!

“……!!!”

An invisible small insect collided with the control room window, and blood splattered with a sharp sound as if a bullet had struck.

The commander and adjutants on the ship watched the flowing blood with tense eyes.

Tang! Tang! Tang! Tang! Tatatatatatata!!!!!!

At that moment, dozens, hundreds of insects simultaneously hammered on the control room door as if pouring out.

The steel interior began to crumple as if it were paper.

“Sh, shields!! What’s happening!!”

“That’s… They are already active. It seems they have penetrated the shields and infiltrated inside.”

“Penetrated the shields?! For this battle, the ship was equipped with a Class 5 intermediate shield device that used to be in the Empire’s capital! But how….”

Crack…… Crrrrack…….

The commander stared at the cracking control room window and bit his lip tightly.

“Damn it!! How are we supposed to fight monsters we can’t even see or find!!”

Kwaang!!!

It was then.

The drakes of the Wyvern Brigade flying in the sky dropped something around the Silver Wing Fleet.

As small boxes touched the sea, they emitted a flashing electricity and a large hemispherical light above the water.

Chajajajajak!! Chajajajak-!!

Tsuzzzzzzzzzz……!!!

The moment the light enveloped the ship, the insects that had been fiercely pounding on the window began to burn away instantly. The surroundings of the control room turned red with the exploding corpses of the creatures.

“S, saved…….”

The commander slumped into his chair as if his legs had given way, no longer hearing the Rice pounding on the walls.

Kwaang……! Kwaaaang!!

The hemispherical light pouring from the boxes began to envelop ships everywhere, and, just like before, it began to wipe out the insects around the ships all at once.

“Barrier rounds deployed! Effective!”

One of the Wyvern riders shouted, watching the insects fleeing from the Silver Wing Fleet.

The Rice were too small and fast to be seen with the naked eye, but there were insects that survived after being hit by the barrier rounds, though charred black.

Black insects were sparsely mixed in the swarm, and now their movements could be captured.

Hwiiiiiiik……!!!

Hwiik……!!

The insects, seemingly in pain from the barrier rounds, began to clump together.

“Good. So, magic isn’t the only way to deal with them.”

Ganes recalled Wingel Hart, who had created the barrier rounds, and muttered to himself.

When he heard the plan to fight the Rice with the magic division, he knew it was the most certain method, but the small number of mages couldn’t possibly cover the entire continent.

“Wyvern Brigade!! Descend!! From now on, we fight!!”

“Yes!!”

“Understood!!”

The Wyvern riders controlling the drakes were all knight-class Sword Experts. Originally, they could protect their bodies with mana, but they couldn’t catch the Rice.

However, the situation changed from the moment the barrier rounds succeeded. The movements of the monsters, which could not be tracked with the naked eye, were now clearly visible.

The insects, which began to clump together in an instant like a sandstorm in the desert, looked like giant monsters.

But they were still not easy opponents.

“The enemy is a disaster!! Maintain formation! Never try to catch them alone!!”

Ganes shouted and swung his large halberd at the same time.

Buuuuuung—!!!

Mana blades erupted from the blade of his halberd. As his spear strikes scattered towards the Rice that appeared on the deck, the insects that had clustered together quickly dispersed.

Pazzzzeuk……! Pagak!!!

The sound of insects burning on the halberd’s blade could be heard, but it was only a small fraction. The spear only cut through the air, and the insects instead attacked Ganes, enveloping him as if to surround him.

“Keuk!!”

With the impact of being struck from all directions, he was trapped in a barrier created by the insects, unable to move.

“Captain!!”

The Wyvern riders swung their swords around him all at once, but the insects that had evaded the attacks of Sword Masters were unlikely to be hit by the swords of mere knights.

“Everyone, scatter!!!”

At his shout, the knights who had been swinging their swords hurriedly retreated.

“Heuaaaaaaa!!”

Ganes spread his arms, which had been covering his face, to both sides and released his mana with all his might.

Kwazzzzzeuk!!!

Then, lightning struck around him, and the insects that had been attacking him fell in droves…!

Hundreds of insects were killed in a single attack, but it was only the tip of the iceberg.

“Haa, haa…….”

Ganes wiped the cheek scratched by the insects and said.

“You’re not going to be caught easily, huh…….”

The Wyvern riders, who thought they could seize the victory after the success of the barrier rounds, couldn’t hide their unease at Ganes’s struggle.

“Sir Ganes. I’ll lend a hand. Knights, prioritize rescuing the members of the Silver Wing Fleet. I will deal with them.”

It was then.

A voice was heard from behind him.

‘Aidan?’

With the appearance of that familiar voice, Ganes realized that the magic sailboat had already reached the center of the wrecked ships.

“Already…….”

It was an unbelievable speed.

Paat-!!

At that moment, something seemed to pass behind Ganes, leaving only scorched marks on the floor before disappearing.

Kwazzzzzeuk!! Kwazeuk!

Kwagaga—!!!!!

Ganes reflexively covered his face with his hands and took a step back at the sparks bursting before his eyes.

The electricity that had burst in the air, similar to the electricity he had emitted a moment ago, did not end as a one-off like his.

The lightning that burst simultaneously from all directions connected with each other like a net, creating a single, massive current.

Seuak-!!

The wind came first,

Kwagagagak–!!!

Then, blindingly bright electricity followed in the place where the wind had passed.

“I can’t believe it…….”

Ganes had been well aware of Aidan Hamil’s Swiftness, but this was the first time he had seen it with his own eyes.

No, whether he could say he had seen it directly was difficult even for him to say. Because even Aidan’s figure was not visible to his eyes.

The electricity that occurred after his movement was proof that he was moving faster than light.

‘I heard he mastered the Super Roar Technique… Has he even surpassed that?’

Ganes smiled bitterly.

Unlike himself, who had stagnated in the hollow honor of being one of the 5 Great Sword Masters in the past, they were constantly growing.

That was probably the difference between himself and the people who had sought him out before Carryl left, including Miliana.

‘Perhaps the reason we weren’t chosen as the 10 Saviors of the Gods is also because of that…….’

Kung-!!!

Something fell on the ceiling of the control room.

“Hup…….”

Ganes’s eyes trembled at the sight of Anchar, who was wearing clothes made from cut bear skin.

“Aidan!! I’ll gather them in one place!”

The color of her eyes changed. At the same time, the energy emanating from her whole body changed.

As she exhaled the breath she had been holding back, she stretched her hand above her head and struck down with all her might.

Kuaaaaang—!!

Then, with the sound of air exploding around her, the bodies of the people around her floated up lightly.

“……!!!”

They had only risen by 1 or 2 cm, but at that moment, Ganes felt as if everything was clearly visible, as if time had stopped.

Surprisingly, the shapes of the insects that he had not been able to see until now were visible in his sight.

He belatedly realized that the sight he was seeing was not with his own eyes. Her senses resonated with the people around her and connected with each other.

At that moment, it felt as if all the creatures in the natural world were connected to her.

“Lansen! Unt Gavna!!”

She began to chant a spell in the language of the Wildlings. But it was different from the spells of mages.

It was like a ritual offering a prayer, but it was also different from the prayers used by the priests of the Order.

Shuiiiiiiiik……!!

As she gathered her arms, the insects began to gather as if they were being controlled by her.

“Druid…….”

The moment he saw the abilities of the Wildlings, which he had only heard about in stories, Ganes burst into a hollow laugh without realizing it.

Because there were so many beings outside the realm that he had thought was the strongest until now.

“……But it wouldn’t look good to just stand by and watch.”

Kwajik-!!

Other knights were still floating in the air, but Ganes’s feet heavily pressed down on the deck.

Kwagagagak—!!

“I’ve been using the power of lightning longer.”

Ganes couldn’t stand still as he watched Aidan of the wind attribute use the power of lightning with thunder and lightning strikes. As the only lightning attribute Sword Master among the 5 Great Sword Masters, his competitive spirit was ignited.

“Heuaaaaaaa!!”

Every time his mana-condensed halberd was swung, it flashed and sparked.

* * *

[There’s no end to it if you do it like that. Can’t we help them?]

On a cliff far from the battlefield of the Silver Wing Fleet.

Carryl, standing on a giant wolf, shook his head at Aln Zavius’s words.

“No. I need to check. I already know Aidan’s skills, but I don’t know hers yet.”

[Don’t know? You already know in your memory.]

“It’s different from that. The Anchar I remember lost her father and awakened that power with anger.”

[Well……. But it seems useful enough at this level.]

“It’s different. If we go into Pharell, there will definitely be dropouts. If necessary to pass the gateway to reach the God’s Seat, I will go even if I have to leave behind the 10 Saviors of the Gods.”

[Are you saying you’ll abandon your comrades?]

“I believe they are the ones who can survive even if they are left alone there.”

Carryl smiled faintly.

“So, a disaster like this……. Shouldn’t they be able to stop it even without me?”

[Keu keu. You’re good at talking.]

Aln said that, but he thought Carryl’s thoughts were not wrong. He also knew how painful and terrible the inside was because he had seen the inside of the Thousand Year Ice Cave’s Pharell [a dangerous and challenging location].

[Well, it’s actually difficult unless you’re an extraordinary being like you.]

“Aidan has definitely raised himself one step further while I was away. Anchar……. How about you?”

Carryl glanced at them with the Manhwan [his special eyes or vision].

“Hmm?”

It was then.

The corner of his mouth slightly went up as he found something.

“It’s getting interesting?”

* * *

Aidan and Anchar.

There was another person, no, another being, in the support force that came on the magic sailboat besides them.

The Sacred Deer, Alkar.

“Muu-”

The small deer cried softly next to Anchar. Then, she gently placed her hand on the Sacred Deer’s forehead.

There were five spirits of the Great Forest.

Among the Wildlings, Anchar was a special being who could make all those spirits her own.

But now, before leaving the Great Forest, she became the only being with the power of the sixth spirit.

“Shape.”

Uuuuuuung—!!!

As she murmured in a low voice, a pure white light enveloped her whole body.