The Shadowed Legacy Of The Soulless Messenger [EN]: Chapter 452

‘These guys, they look down on us while complaining that the Herald Clan subtly ignores them?’

‘Well, they’re good at seeing others’ faults but not their own…’

‘What if these guys get angry? They’re scary when they do.’

The Chitai nomads were well aware that each Northern Aragasa possessed immense power.

Unless they all attacked together with a plan, they wouldn’t stand a chance.

So, even in this situation, the Chitai army’s leader tried to present his opinion as logically as possible.

“There’s a high chance of ambushes in the forest. We’ll also aim to capture the king. If you succeed in assassinating the enemy’s king, they’ll fall into chaos, and we can break through easily. Or is assassinating the king just empty talk?”

“Now that the enemy’s forces are out of the castle, how about attacking the castle instead? If you assassins can get over the walls and kill the officers hiding inside, I think we have a good chance of winning.”

“The discussion is all over the place. Even if we kill the officers, it won’t be easy to capture the castle, and if King Azadin sets up a forward base on our retreat route and fortifies it, it’ll be difficult to return. Now, while the base is still weak, is the perfect opportunity to kill the king.”

“Then we’ll attack the forward base. Wouldn’t it be better for you to hide among us and then assassinate the king? We don’t want to dismount and move through the forest. The enemies are taking advantage of their scouting magic, and they’ll surely notice us moving through the forest. Isn’t your real intention to attack us as we move through the forest, then take advantage of the gap to assassinate the king? It seems like you’re planning to use us as bait.”

“That’s right. You should be the bait. Isn’t that the most certain way to kill King Azadin?”

“You want us to be the bait while you take all the credit?”

“It’s also your merit. You’re really a bunch of lowlifes.”

“What did you say?”

“Ah, never mind. We’re both from nomadic tribes, so how about we settle this with an archery contest, like true nomads?”

“…….”

The Chitai nomads fell silent. They were also confident in their archery skills as nomads, and they often resolved disputes with archery contests.

However, competing in archery with the Aragasa was foolish.

It was as good as saying to their faces, ‘You are inferior to us.’

“You think you’re so great!?”

The Chitai nomads, unable to hold back, rose up in anger.

*********

The Chitai nomads and the Northern Aragasa competed in archery and wrestling, and naturally, the Northern Aragasa won.

However, the Chitai nomads didn’t accept the results, so the match was ultimately decided by a gambling game called ‘Tupa’ [a traditional nomadic gambling game].

The Chitai’s proposal was accepted, and they would charge the Azadin army’s forward base, aiming for the king.

“Damn it. Are you crazy, Centurion? Why gamble….”

“Well, the Chitai guys were being so prickly.”

“We should have pushed forward when we won the archery and wrestling!”

“No, bringing out Tupa afterward was a good thing, you know? Those guys admitted they couldn’t beat us in martial arts and changed the competition to gambling.”

“And then got completely cleaned out. Seriously, that guy would gamble away his underwear. He’d even sell his wife.”

“Well, what’s done is done. We just have to hope the Chitai nomads are somewhat capable.”

The Chitai nomads, using their swift speed, launched a surprise attack on the Azadin army, which had not yet completed its forward base.

But then….

A tall man with black hair stepped forward at the front. In his hand, he held a black horn bow much larger than the Wolgak bow [a type of recurve bow used by the Herald Clan], and on the bowstring, he had a spear-like object made by binding a golden sword to a bizarre wooden shaft.

King Azadin himself had stepped forward.

He transformed Grimslawen’s mace into an arrow shaft and attached a Seramite sword from the Rescue Knights, shooting it into the sky.

The massive sword-spear soared into the sky, emitting a golden halo and exploding.

Golden sparks rained down, pouring over the Chitai light cavalry.

“Ugh?!”

“Heeheeing!”

The hot molten metal burned the horses.

The cavalry wearing armor and helmets were mostly unaffected, but the Chitai ponies, which were not wearing horse armor, were startled and fell, writhing in pain as their skin burned.

Starting with that arrow attack, the Celestial Fire Knights on the left flank of the forward base charged.

“Cast vigor spells on the horses!”

“Yes!”

The Celestial Fire Knights, all composed of Celestial Knights [elite knights with magical abilities], cast vigor spells on their well-rested horses and charged, passing through the right flank of the Chitai army at terrifying speed, despite being heavy cavalry.

“The Celestials are strong indeed.”

The Northern Aragasa members disguised as Chitai nomads were also mixed in the right flank, and they were swept away by the Celestial Fire’s charge without being able to do anything.

However, the Celestial Fire Knights simply passed through them, continuing their charge.

It seemed they were trying to maintain their momentum and continue their attack… In the meantime, the Chitai light cavalry fired arrows and charged forward, approaching King Azadin.

“Holy Knights! Swords ready!”

With Zibeck’s shout, the greatsword knights holding greatswords stepped forward.

They were well-equipped Holy Knights wearing plate armor, but their numbers were not that great.

“Flash!”

They simultaneously cast flash spells, emitting light from their swords.

The blinding light blinded the horses, causing those who were charging to stumble and fall again.

And King Azadin himself fired arrows from the front line.

The iron spear fired from the black horn bow flew and instantly tore through the front of the nomadic cavalry.

Azadin skillfully aimed at the very tip of the enemy’s charge, slowing down their momentum.

The Chitai light cavalry also fired arrows, but Zibeck’s Holy Knights, standing beside Azadin, blocked the arrows and held their ground.

Meanwhile, the Celestial Fire Knights, who had broken through their right flank, turned around and charged from the rear.

“So, that’s why he suddenly seized the throne. He’s quite the man.”

The Northern Aragasa were impressed as they watched Azadin fight.

The Azadin army suffered almost no damage, while the Chitai light cavalry were taking all the losses.

“That guy is incredibly strong. Hey, didn’t they say he was sick and weak?”

“Would he be king for no reason?”

“Anyway, if we don’t move now, all the Chitai guys will die! Let’s start!”

The Northern Aragasa simultaneously fired Iseon bows [a powerful type of bow used by the Aragasa] at Azadin.

Ten members fired two arrows each at Azadin. Azadin’s escorting Holy Knights blocked the arrows with their armor and shields, deflecting eight of them, but four arrows still flew towards Azadin.

Azadin swung his black horn bow, deflecting the arrows and retreating.

But in that gap, the Northern Aragasa members had already infiltrated like shadows and surrounded Azadin.

“Are you the Northern Aragasa!”

“That’s right, King Azadin! We’ll take your life!”

The Northern Aragasa centurion said, stepping in front of Azadin.

Even as he spoke, the other Aragasa members continued to fire arrows at Azadin.

“It’s a pity. You’re skilled, but you serve a petty man like the Northern Emperor. Do you have any thoughts of changing your master?”

Azadin asked the centurion as he dodged the arrows.

“I’d rather serve the Northern Emperor than a young one like you.”

The Northern Aragasa continued to fire arrows, forcing Azadin to keep moving.

They knew they couldn’t subdue Azadin, a member of the Herald Clan, with arrows alone from a distance.

So, they were strategically firing Iseon bows or magic-infused arrows to force Azadin to move in a direction that would separate him from his subordinates.

“Your Majesty! You don’t need to deal with the assassins!”

Zibeck and the Holy Knights tried to protect Azadin, but the Northern Aragasa’s arrows were too fierce and accurate, making it impossible for them to keep up with Azadin.

“The overall strategy was excellent, but all we need is your head! You overlooked that! Herald Clan member!”

The Northern Aragasa centurion, thinking he had sufficiently separated Azadin from his subordinates, charged directly.

Killing King Azadin was the greatest achievement, and there was no reason to hand it over to his subordinates.

But the moment he approached, a cold chill ran down his spine.

Something was wrong.

Azadin was running like this, yet his breathing was not disturbed at all.

‘I heard he was sick and weak?’

The centurion, who was charging, quickly deployed the ‘Flower, Bird, Wind, Moon, Earth Spider’ technique [a complex martial arts technique], dodging sideways while maintaining his charging speed.

-Crack!

Instead, his adjutant’s jaw was dislocated.

Azadin had charged into the Northern Aragasa’s arms and struck the adjutant’s jaw with a long punch, dislocating it instantly.

“Kuh!”

“Hey! He’s empty-handed!”

An Aragasa member wielding dual swords jumped in to attack Azadin, but Azadin grabbed the head of a poleaxe, used it to block the swords, and curled his other hand into a dragon’s claw.

At that moment….

-Thud!

The Aragasa member was knocked away by a mace that flew from behind.

“Cough!”

It was a powerful blow that vibrated his insides.

Grimslawen’s mace had returned to Azadin.

Moreover, that wasn’t all.

Golden fragments poured from Grimslawen’s mace.

The Seramite longsword of the Rescue Knights, Aurelia Dawn, shone brightly and merged back into a single sword.

“Magic weapon….”

“It seems you guys also use the Kazas Scripture [a martial arts and magic scripture], but I’m sorry to say I’m far more experienced in that. Using techniques familiar to my eyes will only be a disadvantage for you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! Then it’s the same for you, isn’t it?”

“That’s right! Using techniques we both know….”

“The problem is that the level of skill is different, even if the techniques are the same.”

Azadin left those words and began to move in earnest.

Azadin, who had disappeared from sight with terrifying speed, suddenly appeared in front of another Aragasa member.

Startled, he swung his sword, but Azadin accelerated once more, went behind him, and struck him hard in the back of his side with the end of his sword hilt.

The immense shock to his kidneys caused the Aragasa member to collapse forward, curling up like a fetus and clutching his wound.

“…….”

Everyone became solemn as they watched.

Azadin’s movements, using the Flower, Bird, Wind, Moon Scripture and the Kazas Scripture in succession, were even more apparent to the Aragasa who also used the Kazas Scripture.

His skill was far superior to theirs.

No, rather, his skill was more refined than anyone they had ever seen, and his magical power was immense.

‘Come to think of it, doesn’t he also possess the New King Scripture?’

“No, wait a minute! Don’t be afraid! This is….”

No matter how skilled Azadin was, they were still a large group attacking one person to assassinate him.

There was no way they could lose!

However….

Azadin defeated the charging Aragasa members one by one.

Moreover, what was surprising was….

‘He’s not killing them?’

Everyone was bewildered as they watched Azadin use non-lethal attacks against the Aragasa.

Even if Azadin’s skill was superior, how could he afford to use non-lethal attacks?