Dragon Maken War

Azell continued to speak.

“I know the barrier wasn’t solely made to prevent us from escaping. I’m not sure of its exact purpose, but there must be a reason why you waited until this time to attack us.”

“Kook......!”

Niberis bit her lips.

Azell’s words got to the heart of the matter. The Curtain of Darkness wasn’t prepared to simply block Arrieta from running away. She had put in all the effort to conceal was happening inside the barrier from outside eyes.

Azell grinned.

“I guess I’m right?”

Azell confirmed his conjecture was correct, when he saw Niberis’ reaction. He didn’t know what her reasons were, but she had a reason for using a grandiose magic like the Curtain of Darkness to kidnap Arrieta in secret.

Niberis’ expression soon calmed down. Her face was filled with a cold fury as she glared at Azell.

“We’ve been dancing on the palm of your hand. However... Don’t think everything will turn out as you intended.”

If Niberis acted wisely, she would have retreated right now. However, her pride wouldn’t allow it.

‘How could I fail at such a insignificant mission? I won’t allow this to happen.’

After her skills were recognized, she had never failed a mission tasked to her. Her perfect career will be blemished from this? She wouldn’t allow it.

“Only death awaits those who raise the Dragon’s ire.”

Niberis let out a thick wave of darkness. Azell disappeared in front of her.

Pah-jijiji-jeek!

Azell moved towards her using his Instantaneous Movement, and he swung his sword right on top of her barrier....or that’s what she had thought for a brief second.

‘Clone?’

Niberis was taken aback. Azell’s clone had attacked her.

‘His clone is able to attack like his real body?’

If he was using magic, then she would understand how he did it. One would just have to materialize magic at the clone’s location.

However, this attack wasn’t carried out in that fashion. She most definitely felt the impact of a sword with magic imbued within it.

‘This is impossible.’

She wasn’t able to comprehend what was happening using her knowledge, so she froze for a moment. Azell used this hesitation to grab Arrieta’s hand, and they attempted an escape.

-Everyone run! I’ll hit them from the side, so coordinate an escape!

Azell shouted with his Whispering. After fighting without support, Giles and Boar had defeated most of the monsters on their end, and they looked up in surprise. Azell ran into their midst, and he ruthlessly cut down any monsters near them.

After a second delay, Giles and Boar surprisingly reacted swiftly. After cutting down the monsters frozen from Azell’s sneak attack, Boar put Enora over his shoulder, then he started running.

“Kyahhk!”

“Ms Enora! Please pardon my action!”

Enora let out a scream, but Boar didn’t have time to be considerate.

“Oh no!”

Niberis realized a beat too late, and she was taken aback. Who could have guessed they would run away like this?

“I won’t let you get away!”

Darkness erupted beneath Niberis’ feet. The darkness coalesced to form crawling tentacles. From below, a large shape that would be the body connecting to the tentacles revealed itself.

It was like the corrupted being in that it chased after the party as if it was sliding across the ground.

8

Azell’s party started to run away. From the start, they all dispersed into different directions.

This was a decision made by Azell. Azell surmised they would all die if they initially ran away in a group. He ordered everyone to disperse.

Before everyone could carry out his instructions, an unexpected problem arose. It was something even Azell couldn’t have foreseen.

Oooooooooh!

A light flashed in front of his eyes. Azell quickly raised his sword to block.

Kwah-ahng!

The sound of an explosion rang out, and Azell was flung back.

“Kuh-uhk!”

The impact spread through his entire body, and his body was briefly paralyzed.

The existence giving off a fearsome aura cleared his throat, then he opened his mouth.

“Hmm hmmm. I was on standby just in case.... It seems I will be of some help, miss.”

He was a swordsman wearing a black armor that covered his entire body. Judging by his voice, he was an imposing male. His face wasn’t visible, so his age couldn’t be determined. He had a large body that was over 2 meters tall.

As if it was a set to his armor, he held a black sword. As befitting his large 2 meter frame, the sword was twice as large and twice as thick as a normal sword.

“Duran? Why are you here....”

Niberis, who was tracking the party, revealed her dismay. It seemed even she didn’t realize the presence of the dark swordsman.

“Ah ah. I was here, since I also have some business in this country.”

“Did the elders send you?”

“No. The elders didn’t order it, but.......”

“But?”

“This old man’s overly cautious nature brought me here. I will apologize if this offends you.”

“You couldn’t trust me to take care of a ......!”

For a moment, Niberis’ hurt pride made her angry. However, she regained her composure soon.

“...no. I am in your debt. You made a wise decision. Thank you.”

The large dark knight named Duran looked towards Azell.

Azell gritted his teeth.

‘Kook. This bastard... He is strong.’

The pressure emitted by his entire body wasn’t normal. Even if Azell had been ambushed, he had received enough damage to receive internal wounds. This person was the strongest Spirit Order practitioner he had encountered since he had woken up in this age.

‘If it was only that woman from the Dragon Demon race, then I could have handled.......’

Originally, Azell wanted the party to run away in different directions. He planned on running away with Arrieta to lure Niberis away. After putting a sufficient distance away from the enemy’s troops, he planned on risking himself by blocking Niberis as Arrieta ran away. He would have done his utmost to delay her, then he would have extracted himself. That was his plan.

However, when Duran made his appearance, that plan was scrapped.

‘This is a hopeless situation. Shit.’

Azell wasn’t omniscient and omnipotent. His constant self-assured appearance was a false front he put up to gain a psychological advantage against his enemies. Inside, he was desperately thinking of a way to break away from this situation. He merely acted on a faint hope.

Duran was in the front, and Niberis was in the rear.

Will they be able to break away from this situation?

‘If we ran away as we scattered.......’

“Hoo hoo. I can hear the gears in your head turning, shrimp.”

At that moment, Duran let out a cold laugh. Simultaneously, Duran’s murderous intent swept over Azell.

However, he didn’t attack immediately. Duran spoke to Niberis.

“I’ll keep telling you this, miss.... I’m not here, because I was worried about you failing in your mission.”

“What are you saying?”

“Even if you were successfully pulling off the plan, I would have joined in to wrap this up as soon as possible. Or I would have advised you to pull back.”

“...you want me to give up on the fishes I have already almost caught?”

Niberis asked with an edge in her voice. Duran replied softly.

“I would recommend that course of action. It would be safer that way.”

“I don’t know your reason, but I won’t do so.”

“Then I will first respect my lady’s wishes, and I will do my best to help you. However, if the event I am worried about comes to pass, then please listen to my request.”

Duran warned Niberis that he didn’t agree with her, but he was also trying to be considerate of her pride. Niberis was that important to the organization. She held an important status. This is why Duran personally treasured Niberis.

After deciding on their course of action, Duran asked a question.

“What would you like to do with everyone excluding the Dragon Demon Princess, miss?”

“We’ll kill them all here.”

“If the report about the Dragon Demon Princess’ temperament is correct, then wouldn’t she have some worth as a hostage?”

“That may be true, but I wouldn’t put too much trust in the information. No matter how noble a character she possesses, wouldn’t she be filled with guilt if she realizes her current situation?”

“Understood. Then.......”

Duran’s figure disappeared.

Shwee shwee shwee shweee!

In a blink of an eye, Duran appeared in front of the party. Duran appeared in front of each member of Azell’s party.

Everyone was surprised, so they reflexively attacked. However, everyone struck empty air.

Too-hahk!

There was only one real body, and it was the one that had appeared in front of Enora. As Azell blocked his attack, sparks flew everywhere.

“Ho-oh.”

From within Duran’s helmet, a sound of admiration leaked out.

“You were able to realize which one was my real body. You are pretty good for a shirmp.”

Azell had ignored the clone that appeared in front of him, and he had immediately ran in front of Enora.

Azell glared as his blade pressed against the other’s sword.

“You attacked a weak child first... Your actions are quite dirty befitting a dark heretical organization.”

“I was being merciful.”

“What?”

“You guys will all die here anyways. She would be tormented if she saw the dirty deeds I was going to inflict on all of you. Wouldn’t it be a mercy if I killed her first?”

Duran wasn’t making a sarcastic remark. He meant what he said.

Since Niberis decided to kill them all, he would follow her order. He would also have to kill Enora, so he would rather not draw it out. He was going to kill her before she realized what was happening. He considered it a mercy.

“Anyways, now that I see your skill, I can understand why you gave the miss so much trouble. However.......”

Duran’s figure disappeared. Azell quickly used his Instantaneous Movement to follow him.

Che Che Che Che Cheng!

Both men disappeared. Sounds of steel clashing and sparks rang out from everywhere.

The others couldn’t even follow the two men’s movements. It was a high speed battle. Boar and Giles couldn’t pick up their movements at all. Arrieta could barely follow the shapes with her eyes.

Suddenly, Duran stopped in one place. Azell appeared right in front of him, and Azell brought down his sword.

“Hoop!”

Too-hahk!

Duran held firm like a boulder as he flung Azell’s sword strike away. The surface beneath Azell broke, and he was flung away.

Duran spoke.

“You are lacking in power.”

Even Duran was surprised by Azell’s techniques. This age had already forgotten the great techniques of the past yet a young man possessed this level of skill.

The only problem was his strength was too low compared to his skills. It wouldn’t be a problem if he could overwhelm an opponent with his superior skill, but Duran had learned the secret techniques passed down through the organization.

“Moreover, you are quite tired from facing the young lady.”

Duran swung his sword down through empty air. A transparent force suddenly formed following the arc of his swing.

Kwah-kwah-kwah-kwah!

The wave of power expanded into a crescent shape, and it shot towards Azell’s party. He had merely swung his sword, yet the earth in front of him parted. Moreover, a shock wave that looked as if it would swallow the party whole was formed.

At the same moment, Niberis casted her magic.

Kwah-gwah-gwahng! Ggwah-gwahng!

Lightning poured down towards everyone except Arrieta. The wave of power Duran produced with his sword was timed exquisitely with the lightning as they struck.

Kwahhhhhng!

The surface of the ground shook as the sound of explosion rang out.

Duran spoke as he saw the the earth being flung in all direction.

“You are a very surprising shrimp. I knew my lady wouldn’t have any trouble facing someone like the Dragon Demon Princess.... I guess it was all him?”

“It is unpleasant, but I acknowledge his skill.”

The cloud of dust settled, and Azell’s figure came into view.

“Koooh.......”

Blood was running down Azell’s face.

The previous attacks was too well time that Azell couldn’t block it without taking damage. It would have been possible to dodge on his own, but he had to protect everyone in this party. This additional condition didn’t give him much option.

‘What should I do?’

He didn’t see any way out.

Duran was too big of an existence. His skill was at a level where Azell couldn’t look down upon it, and his magical energy would overpower Azell.

Also, the difference in equipment was too large. Duran had a suit of armor. His sword and equipment were enchanted with strong magic.

‘I’ll have to think of this as the worst case scenario..’

Azell resolved this was the place where his bones would be buried. He couldn’t take out everyone. He had no choice, but to decide on a priority list.

It was at that moment.

“A?rri?e?ta?!”

From afar, a thunder-like sound rang out, and the shout shook the heavens.