The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 193

193. The Reincarnated Hero Party Archmage-193

The moment I left the golden pyramid, chasing after the Dragon Slayer, the Slayers’ counterattack began.

“Dur-Moris, Archer Slayer here. Death to all archers.”

“Dur-Moris, Knight Slayer here. Death to all knights.”

Actually, it started the instant I stepped onto the suspension bridge connecting to Island 3.

Being confronted by two legendary mercenaries was already a handful, but an even bigger problem was blocking my retreat.

It was the descendants of Link, brainwashed by the Slayers. Was our escape route also cut off?

“You shall not pass.”

The arrows of the Yuryungsa [a prestigious imperial archery clan known for trick shots] grazed my ear.

In that split second, barely dodging the arrow, the Knight Slayer’s blade aimed for the gap as the suspension bridge creaked under my weight, throwing me off balance.

The sword, imbued with Mana Chain’s Sword Qi [a type of energy or aura used to enhance sword techniques], clashed with my staff, sending sparks flying.

“Now, kill him!”

What kind of training have they received? How can those boys and girls move so freely on this suspension bridge…?

Below the suspension bridge was a dizzying cliff. Falling would mean plunging into the sea and suffering severe injuries.

Faced with such a deadly drop, there wasn’t even a hint of hesitation in the children’s eyes.

“You mustn’t kill them, Aki!”

“Huh?”

I had no choice but to shout that to Aki, who was blocking the path of the boy soldiers and drawing out the power of his Mana Heart [a source of magical energy within a person].

After examining his internal structure with Bell Curios [likely a magical artifact or ability used for analysis], there were no magical or spell-like devices whatsoever.

Just what are they using to brainwash them…?

“You mustn’t kill them? You seem awfully relaxed.”

The Knight Slayer’s sword was a bastard sword [a versatile sword that can be wielded with one or two hands].

A sword with a bifurcated hilt. It’s a versatile weapon that can be used with either one or two hands, depending on the swordsman’s preference.

His blade, switching between one-handed and two-handed grips, aimed for my weak points with incredible precision.

‘The 3rd and 5th ranked mercenaries from the previous platinum tier…’

A flash of Sword Qi swept past my eyes in an instant, and my lips twitched as I barely dodged the attack.

Swish, swish, swish, swish!

Immediately, magical arrows rained down on the spot I had just vacated. The planks making up the suspension bridge shattered, sending splinters flying.

“All battles are business! A true gamble where the winner takes all!”

As expected, it was impossible to fight against these top-tier swordsmen in close combat with just the staff techniques I learned for self-defense.

“You cowardly…!”

I shouted, deflecting the Knight Slayer’s sword as he charged in.

The bigger problem than those guys is that they chose this place as the battlefield, in such a cowardly manner. A place where I can’t properly unleash the power of fire magic, and if it weren’t for those boy soldiers…

“Cowardly? You’re such a kid! There’s no room for such words in a battle where lives are at stake!”

Deflecting the flashes of light dancing wildly before my eyes, I gradually get pushed back.

Towards the position where Aki is guarding our rear… closer and closer. If I get pushed back any further, even Aki will get caught up in this.

In that instant of worrying about Aki, the air in my lungs burst out along with stomach acid, accompanied by a suffocating pain.

‘Yuryungsa… when did he…’

This is Yuryungsa’s acrobatic shooting secret technique, the Serpent Barrage.

Five arrows fired by the Archer Slayer from below the suspension bridge instantly changed trajectory beneath the feet of the two engaged in combat.

Piercing through the planks of the suspension bridge, five arrows simultaneously pierced Rain’s back.

“Ce, Celesia───!”

Whoosh…! Sensing the wearer’s crisis, Celesia [likely a magical artifact or protective barrier] emitted a crimson light.

The dimensions to which the arrows belonged twisted and warped, and then, in the next moment, they disappeared without a trace.

By extremely consuming the magic power stored within, the fabric woven from magical threads momentarily thinned and became transparent.

“──?!”

The Archer Slayer’s eyebrows shot up as he had just released the bowstring, witnessing that bizarre phenomenon.

‘He must have gotten lucky somehow. Did he avoid a direct hit? But that’s all it is.’

It seemed that he couldn’t completely negate the shock of the impact and the excruciating pain that momentarily disrupted his balance.

Unless they are warriors who always stand on the front lines, especially if they are mages specialized in ranged combat, their center of gravity is bound to collapse even for a moment due to such excruciating pain.

And the Knight Slayer is not a swordsman who would miss such an opening.

“I’ll finish you off with this!”

The Knight Slayer’s blade, leaping fiercely enough to shatter the planks of the suspension bridge, slashed horizontally through space.

The Sword Qi, amplified to the extreme, makes the blade three times longer and thicker.

In response, I hurriedly raised my staff, but it was not an attack that a mere mage could block.

“Uryaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

“Kkeueueueueueuaaaaa!”

Grim determination clashes.

The staff gradually gives way, and the Sword Qi slowly pierces his neck.

The blood that seeps out immediately evaporates in the Sword Qi’s intense heat. And the Archer Slayer nocks the next arrow on his bowstring.

“Die!”

That moment of crisis, that unacceptable stench of blood, ignited a flame in the heart of the baby dragon who was subduing one of the boy soldiers.

An echo reverberates in his soul.

A red-haired woman, whom he does not yet know or remember, lovingly strokes Aki’s head, whispering that this situation must not be allowed to happen.

With a movement close to instinct, he immediately translated that whisper into words.

「Da Hal be tas.」[Draconic language, meaning unknown]

Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooo… The world trembled at that absolute roar, and the movements of all humans stopped.

Is this feeling of a burning throat fear?

Everyone standing in that area felt an alarm ringing in their hearts, and felt their entire bodies freeze.

“……?”

“……?”

“……?”

The roar of power emitted by the absolute predator.

That power, which paralyzes even instinct and reason, paradoxically severed the wyvern’s coils that had been binding the souls of the boys and girls.

The terrifying heatwave seemed to sweep through their souls, and the moment the reverberation stopped, numerous metallic sounds echoed from behind the suspension bridge.

“Huh…?”

As if having had a long nightmare… the boys and girls muttered, dropping the weapons they were holding.

“What…?”

He extinguished big brother’s power? That’s the power of a dragon?

Just what is that power?

How long has it been since I sensed fear from the roar of a mere creature… Overwhelmed by that fear, even the Sword Qi that I had honed to the extreme disappeared.

‘That just now was Alakish’s power…’

In that moment of chaos, only Rain roughly understood this mysterious situation.

‘You’ve helped me again, Alakish.’

The warm feeling that resonates in my heart.

As the memories of laughing together in that harsh arctic land flashed through my mind, Rain turned to look at Aki and shouted.

“Aki, take those children off the suspension bridge!”

The Knight Slayer took a step back, and now it was our turn to capitalize on their moment of bewilderment.

The number of magic circles woven on the palm is five, and the runes engraved are Cannon, Expose, Annihilate, Strike, and Fire.

Constructing a simple magic that maximizes only the power of fire and emits it forward without any trickery or skill.

A magic inspired by the power of Alakish, who swept away hundreds of the dead with just a breath of fire when we first met.

‘Instant calculation of 5-star magic…?!’

The distance must be closed.

When a mage uses great power, the distance must be closed no matter what…!”

“Step back, brother!”

The Knight Slayer enveloped his sword in Sword Qi and charged, scattering his body into a haze.

Before the Archer Slayer’s urgent cry could reach him, the five layers of magic circles rotating on Rain’s palm shattered with a clear sound.

The five runes, led by the root rune, alter providence. A fragment of the dragon’s power is released into this world with a clear sound.

“Annihilating Flash Heavenly Strike Cannon.”

The ultra-high-temperature flames that erupt like an explosion.

That radiant flame emitted from Rain’s palm eradicates even the shadows scattered in every corner of the world without leaving a single one behind.

The breath of fire, which burns even the retinas of darkness, extends forward.

Even the ropes and planks of the suspension bridge, and even the blade wrapped in Sword Qi that was raised to block that breath, are instantly reduced to ashes.

“─────!”

The skin crumbles into ash, the flesh and fat melt, the bones shatter, and the internal organs burn.

There was no sound in the world where color had disappeared.

Before he could even scream, before the suspension bridge could be severed and hang limply on both cliffs, the flames that had annihilated the Knight Slayer engulfed the Archer Slayer.

‘This crazy…’

I’m going to die.

That realization made the Archer Slayer’s body enter an evasive maneuver.

He rolled his limbs to the side with all his might, escaping from the trajectory of the flames. One of his legs was instantly swallowed by the flames… but if he could somehow survive.

“───!”

At that moment, he could see Rain’s face appearing through the flames.

Meeting those eyes and hearing the clanging sound of the staff was the last thing he remembered.

A hot blade, like fire, pierced deep into his heart, and at the same time, he slammed the Archer Slayer into the ground.

“You bastard…”

“You guys went too far.”

Rain, who twisted and pulled out his staff, took a deep breath and looked back.

Beyond the severed suspension bridge, on Island 6, Aki was hopping cheerfully and waving his arms.

The sight of the boy soldiers standing around blankly was also visible. Aki must have done his job well.

‘Aki, Alakish would have been proud of you.’

But there was no room to indulge in sentiment.

No sooner had the heatwave that swept through Island 3 subsided than the stench of blood and loud noises began to be heard.

A fight is taking place even here, where the Dragon Slayer has fled. Is it Valenci?

‘I’ll see you again later, Aki.’

As soon as he confirmed that Miria was running from the golden pyramid on Island 6, Rain began to run towards the golden pyramid on Island 3, which could be seen beyond the lemon trees.

* * *

“The presences of Seizan and Grul have also disappeared.”

Engineer Slayer Hermann said to Arthur, who had arrived at the golden pyramid on Island 3.

“Yes, dragon hunting should be this fun. I’m already thrilled.”

The armor that fastens and secures to his body is dragon scale armor.

A dragon scale armor that is harder than any steel and has absolute resistance to all abilities.

Arthur, who fastened the last greaves, then pulled out a strange spear that was fixed to the outer wall with one hundred and eighty layers of chains.

A dragon bone spear.

A weapon that is the symbol of the Dragon Slayer, made entirely of dragon bones from the spearhead to the shaft.

It was made by collecting only the dragon’s collarbones, the most solid part of the dragon bones, and was famous for being unable to be transported even by ten first-class swordsmen when Arthur was defeated.

Arthur lightly lifted such a weapon with one hand and slung it over his shoulder.

“I saw some Special Task Force guys still alive on the way here.”

“That section chief is quite skilled.”

“Demon Slayer will go dragon hunting with me. You take the kids below and take care of them.”

“Humans, you’re really annoying. I told you not to touch me when I’m doing research.”

Then Arthur smiled brightly and playfully patted Hermann’s head.

“What’s wrong with that? You have to play outside to grow taller.”

“I’m tall among the Aein!” [Aein is likely a race or group that Hermann belongs to]

Arthur dismissed Hermann’s protest with a wave of his left hand, and the smile disappeared from his face as he turned away.

He only frowned heavily, glancing up at the eerily gleaming dragon bone spear.

‘You arrogant half-dragon bastard, wipe your neck and wait. I’m coming to kill you now.’