The Spearmaster and the Black Cat-Novel

Chapter 304 - Banquet of Darkness

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A man displayed footwork similar to the dancing of a clown, magnificently dual-wielding his daggers. His name was Kary. He was commonly known as the biggest battle maniac in the Shadow Wing Brigade. No, you might as well call him a pervert.

That battle maniac fought against a skilled fighter hired by the Asura Religious Organization in the basement of Dignified Heaven’s Shrine Briant. His name was Chiroc the Cudgel Wielder.

While repeatedly shifting his body’s center of balance in an unnatural way, Kary entered an offensive stance in a forward-bent posture. He compactly brandished his two daggers, trying to simultaneously stab Chiroc’s neck and torso.

Chiroc blocked the pair of bluish-white dagger blades by lifting his long cudgel diagonally. Each time the cudgel repelled the skill, which caused Kary’s daggers coupled with his arms to quiver repeatedly, sparks scattered erratically. Hard metallic screeches, as if chainsaw blades were scratching against metal, reverberated. While continuously retreating, Chiroc warded off the guidance sorcery’s dagger blades approaching his head with the『Rising Cane - War Lord』stance involving his cudgel being thrust upwards.

Following the chain of defensive cudgel movements, Chiroc thrust out his weapon at Kary’s chest in an attempt to launch a counterattack. Kary dodged by swaying his body. Moreover, he let the daggers, which he had been manipulating with , dance through the air, splendidly blocking the skill of Chiroc.

Kary didn’t allow the cudgels’ blows to reach his body. Even while keeping Chiroc’s center of gravity in sight of his narrow eyes which were as eerie as his nasty and shady smileCurse Smile, the daggers connected through the magic string of moved about as if having their own consciousness. His level of Guidance Sorcery was extremely high. Even as he dodged Chiroc’s three-chained combo attacks of batting, thrusting, and mowing with movements reminiscent of a dancer, he manipulated the Guidance Sorcery daggers hovering around Chiroc like satellites. Kary maintained his offensive setup without losing his composure, continuing to watch for an unguarded moment of Chiroc to strike with his floating daggers. At the same time, he kept the combat distance between them in check with the two daggers in his hands.

Suddenly Kary changed his pace, beginning to walk sideways.

“――Do those use that special metal called adamantine?”

“They do.”

“Hmm.”

While revealing an evil smile, Kary adjusted the position of the floating blades, and then he made those daggers head for Chiroc who wore a monk’s outfit.

“This Guidance Sorcery gives me the feeling as if I’m facing another excellent dagger fighter――” Chiroc commented while keeping up his vigilance.

He clad his body in mana while observing the approaching daggers. With Magic Combat Style being emitted from his body like an aura, he held out the cudgel to the front.

Daggers and metallic rod clashed. Chiroc’s cudgel skills were fairly advanced. He managed to obtain the combat occupation “Magic Cudgel Smasher” of the blunt weapon master category which could be obtained through the development of blunt weapon skills. Chiroc splendidly kept blocking Kary’s Guidance Sorcery daggers.

“But, if it’s only this sharp, you’re much easier to handle than nonhuman beings.”

Hearing his words, Kary lifted one his cheeks into a warped smirk. “You haven’t seen anything yet――”

While laughing, he revealed his unique dual-wielding stance, charging at Chiroc, who was displaying his sophisticated cudgel techniques, in a forward-bent posture.

“Fast.” Just as Chiroc mumbled, Kary was quick.

After stabbing out his two daggers at Chiroc’s chest, his arms kept crossing with dagger arts that included feints. It was the advanced sword stance of the Flying Sword Style, 『God Break』. After making the blades cross, both daggers drew semicircular trajectories. Twisting his arms, Kary turned the dagger blades over. While drawing one arm back in front of him, he had the other arm’s wrist turn towards the opposite direction. Just like that, he aimed one dagger at the top of Chiroc’s shoulder, slashing diagonally down from the shoulder.

Even while having his head and clothes cut, Chiroc managed to wedge his cudgel in to counter Kary’s diagonal slash. However, Kary raised his speed by yet another level. On top of using dagger arts combining stabs and slashes, he began to use his floating daggers for feints.

Kary twisted his waist with a movement that focused on his trunk like a rhythmic sports athlete would do, and moved both his legs, unleashing a series of simultaneous kicks and dagger sweeps. He had activated the skill.

Chiroc suffered the full blast of the combo attack. His stance fell apart, and the cudgel in his hand was blown away.

At that moment,

“――You used some nice cudgel techniques, but I fought the spearmaster in the past.” Kary advanced while rotating like a spintop.

“W-What did you say!?” Shock dyed Chiroc’s expression.

He couldn’t move even when he tried to. It’s because the Guidance Sorcery skill had twined a faint layer of mana around Chiroc without allowing him to notice it.

“Hihihi, hahaha――” Kary whirled around while laughing ominously.

Creating blue traces in the air, the blades of his daggers dug into the neck of the immobile Chiroc, detaching his head from its torso. Continuing onwards with his rotations, Kary didn’t even bother to check how Chiroc’s body collapsed behind him. He kept running through the basement of Briant.

‘Sein should have gained total control of the first floor about now. Once I get rid of the other guards protecting this underground path, I’ll join up with him on the first floor.

While revealing his nasty and shady smileCurse Smile, Kary attacked the guards of the Asura Religious Organization defending this part of the forking underground path.

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First floor of Briant. A man with dark brown skin swept across the floor’s hall. His name was Sein. He used an original sword style based on the Peerless Sword Style. Among the members of the Shadow Wing Brigade, he was one of the biggest guns.

With the broad sword blades gleaming yellow, he had just now slashed the abdomen of one guard, and cut open the windpipe of another. Immediately following, a third spear-wielding guard aimed a at Sein’s chest while he was releasing his sword spirit.

Sein dodged by twisting his body, and right after rhythmically evading the approaching spear thrusts, his earlobes trembled. He brandished his broad swords ingeniously with a swordplay that revealed his fierce spirit as a martial artist. His sword cut through the spear user’s belly alongside the spearhead. Losing all power in his body after having his belly sliced, the guard crumbled to the floor.

“Meryuu!”

“Oh, an opening――!”

The shouting dual-wielder had his chest gouged out by the thrusting technique of Sein’s Triple Lightsword Style.

“…Hey, Meryuu the Vampire and the dual-wielder were done in.”

“To pick a fight with the Eight Lights…”

“How fun! A banquet of darkness is on, eh? We’ll join in as well!”

“Nice idea, Konron. My blood is boiling, too.”

They were the lion beastmanRahakarn duo belonging to 【Sparrow Tiger】.

“Both of you, you better avoid fighting that dark-skinned swordsman. The skills of the guys who went up to the second floor, and the strength of the one here are the real deal.”

“You’re telling us to let the Shadow Wing Brigade do as they please after picking a fight with the Eight Lights?”

“Yeah, we’ve got to show our power!”

“Seeing as there’s no harm being done to Rinabel-sama, leave them alone. This is much more a battle against the 【Blood Star Sea Moon Alliance】 than the Eight Lights as a whole.” The human Tokman explained, keeping his calm in contrast to the lion beastmen.

Tokman revealed a card clad in mana in his hand. And just like a magician would showcase a sleight of hand to his audience…square cards deployed around him like bubbles. Tokman was yet another leader of 【Sparrow Tiger】, holding the alias “Card User of the Devilish Fanciful Concept.”

“It doesn’t matter whether the target might be Jellyfish or Blood Star Jellyfish, attacking this inn is a sacrilegious act. It ain’t no different from looking down on us.” 1 Ujit, the lion species, roared loudly as you’d expect from a lion.

While putting on a fiendish look, he slowly drew the huge hammer connected to a chest strap from his back as if pulling on a heavy stone weight.

“…That new alliance, huh? Sea didn’t stay here from the start. I saw Star pulling out while protected by the religious organization. It looks like Blood is still remaining on the third floor, though.”

“Remains of the Moon isn’t here either.”

“Tokman, sorry, but my beast blood is throbbing. I’ll slaughter that dark-brown guy――”

Ujit ran up to Sein, who was racing across the first floor, with lumbering footsteps.

“I’ll join in, too.”

“…Curses, like chickens, come home to roost.”

The ominous proverb of Tokman, whose gaze was as chilly as a star-filled winter night sky, didn’t reach the lion beastmen.

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At the same time as Kary was in the middle of fighting in the basement, and Sein on the first floor, another battle unfolded in the reception hall on the second floor of Briant which was connected with the first floor through a huge stairway. Usually it was a big hall crowded with so many guests that the air in here would become stuffy. But, right now, the reception hall of Briant was fully booked by the Asura Religious Organization.

Two people were exchanging fierce blows in that empty hall.

“What hard fists. The owner of this place, eh――?”

“――You people, do you know what kind of inn this is?”

One of them was Embodiment of Iron Briant. A largely built man wearing crimson scale armor and having three iron claws equipped on his knuckles. He was the owner of this inn, and a former S-Rank adventurer.

Squaring off against him was a humanoid with his entire body clad in a Demonic Steel armor. He was a mysterious person scattering mana into the vicinity. Still, he also belonged to the Shadow Wing Brigade. In the underworld of Mahaheim’s eastern parts, they referred to him as Demonic Steel Palda.

Palda wore a Demonic Steel helmet, whereas Briant covered his face with nothing but a plain iron mask. Nothing could be read from Palda’s face.

“…Of course,” Palda mumbled through his helmet, and then added, “It’s the inn booked by the Asura Religious Organization for a big amount of money. It’s easy to find out, if you look it up. The adventurer party 【Mysterious King Slayers】 led by Embodiment of Iron Briant killed the incarnation of a cursed god, Soltinban. Its former party members are Chiroc of the Cudgel Mastery, Ai of the Void Magic, Vampire Meryuu, and Twin Blade Tolga - all of them currently working here. In addition to them, the religious organization also hired folks such as the Frozen Court of Blue Waters, and Fissure of Sorrow.”

“You’ve investigated us this far, huh? Who are you?”

“Shadow Wing Brigade――”

“Guuaaah.”

The instant Palda mentioned their guild’s name, four eerily gleaming blades protruded out of Briant’s chest.

“For my body said to be the embodiment of iron…”

Without Briant noticing, the beastman Leaf, a practitioner of the Four Sword - Grim Eye Style, had circled around behind him. It was an assault with just when Briant’s attention was completely focused on Palda.

As Leaf pulled her four demonic swords out of Briant’s back, fresh blood gushed out of Briant’s chest. Spitting blood with a look full of anguish, the tall man collapsed.

“――The only one I couldn’t kill with this assassination technique was Lezalaysa.”

“Lezalaysa and her underlings are on the top floor. Guildmaster and the others should be done with the guards anytime soon now.”

Just as Leaf and Palda mentioned, Bloody Long Ears had returned to their room on the third floor. They had already confirmed the departure of the dark guilds led by the other Eight Lights from Briant.

The Shadow Wing Brigade was homing in on their target, Bloody Long Ears. As long as the guild members of other dark guilds didn’t attack them, they wouldn’t start anything from their side.

At that point, the dark-skinned man with the dangling, fleshy earlobes showed up. His special earrings were swaying like pendulums.

“Palda, Leaf, it looks like you finished off Embodiment of Iron.”

“Yep, Sein, you’ve got the first floor under control as well, I guess.”

“…Including Twin Blade and Vampire, I’ve got rid of the dark guild members, who picked a fight with me, sparing only those who remained spectators. And, just for caution’s sake, I’ve activated Fallen Leaves Rustling.”

One of Sein’s ears squirmed. The number of earrings on that earlobe had decreased. Just as he had mentioned, Sein had activated his unique ability . It created a simple barrier, allowing him to sense invaders. Its biggest effect might be that the dead leaves, which were linked to his ears, would guarantee the combat distance of his Three Lightsword Style during battle. You could call it a unique ability he had developed because of his race and sword mastery.

“Okay. Alford deployed his barrier as well, but it’s weak on the first floor. If any outsiders trespass into the inn, we’ll leave them to you, Sein. By the way, what about Kary? He was supposed to join up with you.”

“He seems to be still stuck in the basement. Someone among the guards over there might be a strong fighter. Or maybe he’s just having fun by roasting their nether region as usual.”

Sein laughed, but to other people his face looked nothing but unpleasant with a punch of gloom.

“I guess the pervert stays true to himself. Let’s leave him to his own devices, and head upstairs then.”

“Uh-huh.”

Leaf turned her three eyes at Sein and Palda. Once she sheathed her four swords into their scabbards at her hip and back, she headed towards the stairs. Palda and Sein nodded, and walked across the carpet while looking at her back.

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The saloon on the top floor of Briant. There were two big rooms on the left and right. It was a high-class saloon. Here two white twins confronted Lightning Lalay of the Shadow Wing Brigade while deploying magic barriers in front of them.

The twins both possessed white, sleet-like symbols on their foreheads. The guildmaster of the Brigade, Galroh, and a dwarf stood at the handrails of the stairs, seemingly observing the battle of magic.

Galroh didn’t summon his magic creature. His black eyes were fixed on the battle unfolding between Lalay and the twins. The dwarf with his thick eyebrows and onion head had recrossed and placed his hands on the protrusion of his Adamantine Wood breastplate. Octagonal magic gems were embedded in the center of the dwarf’s back hands, bordered by geometrical patterns.

“Give it a rest and let me hit you!”

Lalay released lightning from the fingers of her hands. The lightning repeatedly transformed into scissors, swords, spears, and clubs. Those dreadful lightning strikes continuously headed for the twins as if cutting through space.

However, the twins kept expanding layers of transparent defense barriers in front of them. The barriers, which overlapped so much that space appeared to be warped, developed cracks on their surfaces as they suffered Lalay’s brutal lightning onslaught.

But, only several of the layers crumbled apart with the rest completely shutting out Lalay’s attacks.

“That woman is strong.”

“Yep, she has whittled down the barrier to its third stage.”

“And yet the breath of the Evil Dragon King only reached the second stage.”

The twins chatted cheerfully on the other side of the barrier which was cracked like glass. Seeing that, Lalay’s face twisted in rage.

“…White twins, you sure are cheeky to resist my lightning to such an extent.” Lalay pointed a finger at the twins.

“Not white twins. My name is Alan. Over there is my younger sister, Aina.”

Hearing Alan’s reply, Lalay spoke up with irritation showing on her face, “…I see, Alan-kun, Aina-chan, could you not get in our way?”

“We were paid, so we have to do our job.”

“Yep, since we promised the evil god to become strong, we earn money and buy unknown items.”

“Evil god? What are you talking about? Rather than that, could we have you pull back if we pay you money?”

“We will withdraw if you pay us five platinum coins.”

“Nii-san, we got five platinum coins for the job. I think it’d be better to withdraw if they pay us more than five platinum coins and on top of that, an unknown item, don’t you think?”

“Oki.”

The twins nodded at each other.

“――Guildmaster, what’s it gonna be?” Lalay asked Galroh behind her.

“Give them the money and some items.”

“Understood.”

Complying with Galroh’s order, Lalay took a small item box out of her robe. She retrieved a holy coffer, a round scroll, a shriveled arm with a crest on the back of its hand, a green leg, and ten platinum coins from within.

“I’ll give you these items and the money ― could I have you withdraw then?”

Lalay tossed the items and money towards the twins.

“That’s the Holy Coffer of Wisdom?”

“Oh my, you know about it? It looks like you’ve got appraisal eyes.”

Lalay poured mana into her eyes while asking the twins. Several small magic crests manifested within her yellow shining eyes - Demonic Eyes. She possessed unique Demonic Eyes which fused the eyeballs of Lightning Spirit Ge Ra and Light Spirit Bodoyle through the power of a certain famous outer world practitioner and Clairvoyance Alford, another Shadow Wing Brigade member who wasn’t present here.

“It says that it can “give wisdom to a foolish god”…” Alan muttered.

Lalay’s eyebrows twitched while she was using her Demonic Eyes.

“Twin boy, wisdom is an eternal treasure, you know?”

Alan ignored her retort.

“Nii-san, rather than the Holy Coffer of Wisdom, that pattern is a spirit seal. I don’t know about the green legs, though.”

“Looks like it. We did it, Aina!”

“Yes, nii-san. It’s an unknown item.”

The moment the twins rejoiced after confirming the items and the platinum coins in the bag thrown over by Lalay, a magic crest appeared beneath their feet.

“Bye bye――” Aina cutely waved her hand at Lalay.

The crest magic on the floor activated, and Alan and Aina disappeared with their eyes half-open. The speed of their disappearance had definitely accelerated in comparison to the last time when Shuuya witnessed it.

And then, wind blew through the corridor from an open window at its end. After watching those abnormal children, Lalay thought…

Alan and Aina. To break through Alford’s barrier after casting invisibility without chanting, and moreover, swiftly deploying flight magic…it looks like many more powerful people are still lurking in Pelneet.

Lalay, who had created a lightning doll on her palm, felt a shiver run down her spine while gazing at the sky where the twins had vanished.

“I can’t even detect them anymore. Just who were those twins? I’ve never heard of them during my underworld work.”

“Alford’s barrier is back to normal. If you base your judgment on that, I think they possess an ability to erode magic. It’s great that they were the type who can be influenced by money.” Galroh frankly stated his impression.

If it was my power, it might have been able to finish off those twins…but, it’d also mean exposing everything before the showdown with Lezalaysa and Bloody Long Ears.

Galroh assessed.

“…You’re right, still, they hurt my pride a bit.” Lalay’s expression showed her mixed feelings after being shown the twins’ high-class magic skills surpassing hers by far.

I haven’t lost as someone manipulating lightning, she thought, but on the other hand she felt bitter over the twins possessing techniques she didn’t.

“Don’t let it get to you. The real show is going to start now.”

“I know.”

“Soon our comrades should get up here as well.”

“I want to slaughter those ancient elves as soon as possible, though.” The dwarf next to Galroh said.

His look had a sharp glint to it as if he was telling Galroh to let him fight right away, now that all obstacles were gone.

“Well, wait a moment, Resurrection. It’s a fact that the Bloody Long Ears are staying in this large room.”

“That’s why! This Adamantine Wood is groaning!”

The Dwarf of Resurrection hoisted up his Adamantine Wood axes as if to threaten Galroh. The Brigade’s guildmaster could sense the dwarf’s spirit from the axes’ blades. Instinctively, he touched his circlet with his hand.

As if responding to his fingers’ touch, the circlet automatically changed its shape, twining itself around his fingers.

“…You promised to follow my orders, didn’t you?” Strictness seeped out of Galroh’s voice. He looked at the dwarf while squinting his eyes, which were filled with the will to show no mercy and carried a gleam that overpowered the other party.

“…Understood.” The dwarf agreed with Galroh.

His heart was steeped in deep hatred…a fervent wish to eradicate all of Befaritz’ survivors, the ancient elves who had robbed him of his family.

◇◇◇◇

On the other hand, Blood Long Ears was inside a large room on the top floor.

“Guildmaster, it’s somewhat noisy outside.”

“…Are the guards kicking up a fuss?”

“Maybe it’s a raid?”

“In that case…”

Lezalaysa looked at her comrades while placing a hand on Magic Sword Luginunf at her waist. Sergeant Melichek, Battle Fairy Clydossus, the Twin Brothers, Magic Archer Soliad, Ledond of the Wind, Fars of the Blood Rain, Norn the Orchid, and Nine-Styled Misev. The number of elven soldiers was small, but almost all of Bloody Long Ears’ leaders had assembled here.

“Yes, everyone except for Curél and the leaders, who remained in Senapua, is present.”

“However, for there to exist fools that’d pick a fight with us…”

“Ledond, they’re in dark guilds for the very reason of being fools, you know?” The name of the female elf standing next to Ledond, who wore an eyepatch, was Fars.

She was the 10th squad leader of White Whale. A beautiful, slender elven woman with a red coral as hair ornament.

“Fars-onee-sama is with us. Tonight the rain of blood won’t fall in the Azel Boundary, but here, huh?”

For some reason Clydossus had been addressing Fars with onee-sama since ancient times.

“I know. I guess it’s going to be the usual formation.” Ledond calmly replied.

He summoned the Crescent Katana of the Wind Demon, which possessed a curved, transparent blade, into his left hand. Immediately following, his golden, long hair began to bristle up, exposing a big scar continuing from his forehead, beneath the eyepatch, all the way down to his cheek.

“You sure seem all gung-ho, Ledond. But it’s the perfect time. I wanted to go on a little rampage, too. I’ll make use of my combat experience from the Azel Boundary.” Log, one of the Twin Brothers, chipped in.

While agreeing with Ledond, he lifted up his Demonic Ax of Humiliation.

“Ayes, I’ll trash ’em together with Log. My thunder sword’s growlin’ too!” The other brother, Gucchi, hoisted up his yellow longsword, crossing it with Log’s ax.

“Commander, it appears that any presence of guards has vanished. The noise has died down as well.” Melichek reported after having sensed the magic battle that took place on the other side of the big door.

Lezalaysa nodded silently. While thrusting out an arm from her cloak, she started to give coded instructions with her fingers. The Bloody Long Ears members, who saw her military commands, all moved at once, drew their weapons, and searched for spots perfect to hide inside the room.

The Demonic Eyes possessor and archer Soliad stepped out on the veranda while releasing mana from his Demonic Eyes. He tried to secure an escape route if they were to leave from Briant’s roof, but then reported, “Commander, the sky was apparently blocked off as well. A physical barrier preventing anyone from leaving the inn from the second floor upwards has been deployed. Below are also multiple barriers not allowing any jumps. If I release Ryuguyn’s …I think I could destroy this barrier, but it might damage the building and its surroundings.”

Lezalaysa, whose body was clad in a faint layer of silver mana, slowly walked towards the central sofa while listening to Soliad.

“Hmm, if we destroy the building below, it’s unlikely that we’ll get out unscathed. But, even if we destroy the barrier in the sky…,” she pondered, and then faced Fars.

“Leave it to me, Commander. Following the standard procedure, I’ll start after .”

“Okay. All of you, it’s been quite a while since we last saw Fars’ ability, hasn’t it?”

“Now that you mention it.”

“Aye.”

“Onee-sama, please give them a good walloping.”

“We’ll maintain Fars’ line of fire.” Lezalaysa ordered curtly.

Meanwhile, Fars moved her model-like legs, planted her feet in front of Lezalaysa, and held out her hands with the magic tools attached to them. The irregular magic tools, which continued from her wrists to her palms, were automatically deployed. Multicolored light was emitted from the round gems on her palms. Of course, they contained a huge amount of mana.

Lezalaysa nodded. Sergeant and Clydossus took up positions on the left and right of Lezalaysa. Norn readied her Demonic Ogre Mace, Misev adopted the 『Eaves Hail』 stance of the Peerless Sword Style with his nine-looped katana, Ledond and the Twin Brothers activated at a place that wouldn’t block Fars’ line of fire, lurking in the shadows. 【Bloody Long Ears of the White Whale】 were experts in guerrilla warfare, indoor combat, and raids. They were formerly Befaritz’ special military forces, and thus their movements showed how very experienced they were at this.

◇◇◇◇

Immediately after Bloody Long Ears got into battle formation, things proceeded outside the room as well.

“Sorry for the wait.”

“Sein and Kary are not with you?”

“Yeah, on the way Sein said that he had a bad feeling, and returned to the second floor. It looks like something happened on the first floor.”

“That’s why it’s just us.”

Demonic Steel Palda and Leaf of the Four Grim Style answered.

“Hey, now that we’re all here, it’s fine to get started, yes?” The dwarf, who had been ridiculed as Mad Dog and Resurrection, barked while pointing his axes at the Brigade members as if talking to his prized weapons.

“I think Sein knows what he does. Very well. You’re up, Lalay.”

“Oki.” Lalay nodded.

In the brief moment she tried to move in front of the big door leading to the room where Bloody Long Ears stayed while releasing lightning mana from her fingertips, the Brigade members sensed how a tremendous amount of mana was generated inside the room.

The Resurrection Dwarf crossed the blades of the axes in his hands in front of his chest.

As soon as an unnatural smoke escaped through the big door, it got severed in a straight horizontal line. The table, the decorative cloth, the vase on top of the table, a picture on the wall, and the magic lamps next to the door got cut as well.

Visibility became bad.

“Wai-!?”

A mana blade shot out of the room rushed towards Lalay and the others while cutting the side wall and the wall of the passage in a straight line. Lalay, who had been close to the door, instantly deployed a lightning defense field in front of her, succeeding in blocking the shining blade, but was blown backwards after losing out to the impact. Read this on infinite translation to support the translator, thanks!

The mana blade had severed the door and corridor walls in a horizontal line. It had a hue similar to a flash tinged in pink. Plunging onwards, the mana blade fully cut the saloon’s wall with enough of a force to sever the entire, now gloomy, third floor.

Galroh remained calm, summoning Sevicekel from his circlet within a moment. The huge, jet-black eagle beast bravely stood in front of Galroh, pointing its head upwards just like a sea eagle.

“Pyuaaaann――” After crying, it extended the black wings growing at the flanks of its torso like a spider would weave its web.

It gently wrapped up Lalay, who had tumbled all the way to Sevicekel, with one of its mesh-patterned wings, and covered Palda, Leaf, the Dwarf of Resurrection, and Galroh with small shadow wings to protect them.

The pink mana blade clashed into the shadow wing barrier deployed by Sevicekel. The barrier dented due to its elasticity, and immediately expanded outwards in recoil. The mana blade was repelled diagonally upwards, resulting in all Shadow Wing Brigade members remaining safe and sound.

However, unable to fully protect the inn, a part of the building slid diagonally downwards alongside a loud tremor. Having lost its dome, the light of the full big moon and the remains of the small moon floating in the night sky illuminated the new rooftop through Alford’s barrier which had turned reddish-brown.

Sevicekel’s barrier also vanished.

The large amount of dust fluttering down glittered like silver snow. With only the noise of the falling wreckage resounding on the roof, the strong fighters of Bloody Long Ears and Shadow Wing Brigade silently stared at each other’s faces. Even while confirming the weaponry and glaring at their opponents, they felt how their pulse kept accelerating unnaturally as their bodies got dyed by an illumination that could only be described as sinister omen.

Translation Notes:

- The jellyfish comes from “kurage”, the pronunciation for the kanji of “Sea Moon”