327 HELP THE KNIGHT!
BOOOOM!
A large chunk of the island fell down, almost squashing Renialid into paste but she had moved out of the way quickly.
“Un! Un! Big sister! Look there!” Ginie said as she leapt up and down.
“I can see it…” Renialid said as she squinted.
Atop the large chunk that had fallen from the sky, mostly crumbling away on impact, one could see vegetation of some kind.
Gelly-like grass grew over the soil while with the movement of the air, it swayed restlessly.
Odd plants could also be seen, some like shrubs with different shades of blue, their texture looking watery in nature, as unreal as that sounded.
Over their trunks and the slimy leaves it could even be identified as such, these portions of the plant life having the same hue as they oozed of a colourless semi-liquid.
A girl with dark hair and glasses walked over to this odd patch of vegetation and did not hesitate to rustle her hands over it, getting a feel for what it was like texture wise other than what it looked like.
After a brief analysis, she gave a remark in an apathetic way.
“This doesn’t seem like something that can grow in thus region. If I had to render a guess, I’d say it’s some rare mutated patch from up North or some such. Though that would make me wonder how on Aigas it was sunmoned here.”
This analysis was food for thought to the group that had gained a brief respite after Unbreakable culled many of the Bulk Terrors.
“We can always count on you to risk your life for knowledge right, Riyana?” a girl with bloody fur all over her arms and legs said as she used her long tongue to lick her lips.
She had cat-like ears that wiggled at the top of her head and even whiskers could be identified on her face along with green-coloured eyes that had slits within them as pupils.
Riyana rendered her no response and kept touching the peculiar vegetation.
“Un, un! You’re always mean when you use your Form technique, Bustifina!” Ginie said with a puff of her cheeks, her words directed to the girl covered in fur.
The girl who was identified as Bustifina frowned as she folded her arms not bothering to say anything else.
This group of ladies had decimated hundreds of Bulk Terrors over a long stretch while also rescuing a lot of civilians who were sent to strongholds within the city. They had systematically divided themselves and had swiftly done more than any other Guild to safeguard the safety of civilians.
“Don’t lose focus. Ginie, keep the civilians moving,” Renialid instructed as she shifted her gaze to face forward where a horde Bulk Terrors were rushing their way from the entrance to the city while hundreds more were battling groups of coordinating mercenaries and Knights.
“Un, un! Got it!” Ginie said as she raised her staff and continued using her Mage-form Mimicking Art to influence the minds of hundreds to rush past them as they headed for safety.
Renialid squinted as she saw some of the Bulk Terrors trickling into the city from the outside and her mind was instantly jolted.
“Listen up. We need to split our forces. The Guild Master is outside the city walls and he needs our support. He’s undoubtedly trying to keep all those beasts he flung out of the city outside but he can’t do it alone. You guys keep up the progress here. I’ll go get Natalika and others to assist me,” Renialid said with an urgent tone.
She was met with nods of approval and acknowledgement but when she was about to set off…
“Wait…” Riyana suddenly said to which everyone turned to her.
As all the ladies stared at her, awaiting for a follow-up statement, the girl pointed over the patch of blue.
When the gazes turned towards the patch…
…!
Among the other blue plants, a strange looking one could be seen.
It was akin to flower yet to blossom, the sky blue petals covering up the fruit of the thing.
Its size was relative to that of a sunflower and as the girls looked, they saw it wiggle before it started to pour ooze from between the petals that began to unravel.
As they did, something fell out of their grasp.
Something shiny and spherical.
It rolled over the grass and was caught by Riyana who felt the chilling energy that it released, prompting her body to almost buckle down in a momentary lapse of self control!
This was…. an Enriching gem!
Renialid narrowed her eyes as a thought began building up within her mind.
Riyana who had saved herself from losing control also came to the same conclusion as when the two ladies looked at each other they couldn’t help but see the concern in each others’ eyes.
The implications of this were nothing short of terrifying.
***
BOOOM! BOOOM!
As if an earthquake was occurring in the sky, rumbles echoed as another one of the falling masses were shredded into vastly smaller pieces of land that rained over Inhone City.
Only one remained now.
The threat overhead was finally seeing its end, but the battle was yet to end.
Still however, those fighting for their city could hardly feel as hopeless as they had before because the man who had delivered them from this crisis would probably end it all soon and thus morale was at an all time high!
“Left! Right! Duck! Up! Go on for the attack!”
A short distance from the entrance to the city, Damilla called out as she stood at the back where large corpses could be seen all over as well as chunks of flesh and organs.
Before her, a small group of Purity Knights were coordinating their attacks to fight against a rampaging Bulk Terror that would swing both its tentacles and its fists!
Silrat was also present in the mix as he would support whenever he could.
“Now!” the Diviner called to which Silrat saw the opening she was referring to, his arm becoming enveloped in a bulky layer of his Full Body Aura which was a few minutes away from cessation!
He launched himself up and cocked his fist while the Purity Knights continued to follow Damilla’s directions to distract the beast as the Association Branch head pumped his fist atop the Bulk Terror’s head!
Right before the impact, the Aura gathering over his arm swiftly flowed over to his fist, creating a bulged blue outline that he combined with his raw strength to hammer the creature’s head!
BAAAAM!
Blood leaked from the creature’s eye as it was momentarily disoriented and in that very moment, all the Purity Knights launched a synchronised attack, chopping away at its limbs and finally, its head!
Damilla breathed out a sigh.
She too was wrapped in her Fully Body which she had activated to save her mana from being stolen back in the underspace of the Guilds Association building.
In this state, it would be a little bit easier for her to divine on the fly by tapping into the flowing mana of her enemies in the air, vaguely discerning from it their next moves.
The more mana they leaked, the better the result would be as with this method, she eliminated the risk to her body and soul, the drawback being its difficulty to use.
She, Silrat and the Purity Knights had been assisting on this front after exiting the Association building and so far, the progress was increased after Unbreakable speed ran this portion of the city, likely so that everyone could finish quickly and take on the Terrors that had been ‘escorted’ outside by Tulnas.
“Let’s go!” she called to the group as the party then rushed over to where the fighting was thickest.
Throngs of Bulk Terrors were faced with tens of mercenaries and Knights, their advance being pushed back and otherwise interchangeably.
Among the fighting parties, one could see a group of bulky, black armoured men mercilessly slaughtering the Bulk Terrors while another group with equal numbers of men and women split off continuously only to reassemble in a neat fashion as it quickly dispatched the Terrors a few at a time.
These were the EdgeKings and Ravenclad Guilds respectively.
Their strengths could be seen as they dealt with the threats but unfortunately, this wasn’t true for the smaller Guilds.
The desperation as they struggled could be seen, their teeth grinding against each other while they sweated profusely, tens of them being needed to deal with a single Terror!
The fear and desire for help could be seen while hope seemed to want in every way for them.
The current party waded through the chaos with ease however, Silrat rushing up to Damilla, sweat and exhaustion palpable over his face.
“You look like you could die at any moment,” Damilla remarked as she took a glance at the man.
“Yes, well, I’m not exactly the fighting type. I’m better suited for management,” Silrat defended himself. “For someone like me to be fighting, a crisis will be short on combatants. What took Unbreakable so long? Isn’t he supposed to be the ever ready Capital Service trump card for situations like this?”
Damilla huffed in a few breaths before rendering a reply.
“He is but while his technique allows him to regress into a younger body, he is still an unnaturally feeble old man before then. It takes a lot out of him to pull out his- Watch out!”
Damilla suddenly ducked followed by Silrat and the Purity Knights as a barbed tentacle raced over them with a horrendous force!
A large Bulk Terror screeched at them as it sped forward towards their location!
Along with it, tens more rushed them as they crushed the scattered rubble all over in a messy charge.
Damilla quickly heaved herself up as her eyes turned white.
“Get ready! Don’t falter even for a moment!” she instructed as she prepared for a bitter fight along with her party.
As the tension grew thick, a millisecond existing between the clash of the these two groups, five creatures suddenly darted in between!
Damilla instantly halted and pulled back while instructing the rest to follow suit!
What on Aigas…?!
The five beasts that appeared between the two groups suddenly lunged at the frantic Bulk Terrors!
Flaming beasts they were, a flaring flame with a dark, hellish red hue scorching over their bodies as it fed on their flesh, the reaction creating nauseatingly thick fumes!
These creatures were also Bulk Terrors!
They looked particularly ravenous as they were set aflame, their tentacles immediately rushing out to attack their counterparts!
Surprisingly, they split up, one seeming to want a horde of the enemy Bulk Terrors all to itself which heavily confused the onlookers!
Of the five newly appeared creatures, one swung its flaming barbed tentacles without mercy to which the confused enemies tried to defend.
However, the moment the flaming tentacle touched the opposing Bulk Terror, the creature screeched as it was also set aflame!
Wildly enough, the flaming Terrors didn’t wait to revel in the melody of their fellows’ death throes nor for the others to catch on, as with their faster and stronger bodies, they made quick work of their enemies!
The fighting was brought to a momentary pause as everyone witnessed this!
“Grisse, what’s going on? What are those? Are they…on our side?”
“I… I don’t know…”
“Has someone else showed up to help?”
All the participating Knights and mercenaries were dumbfounded at this development but quickly cast aside their many thoughts as they attacked their enemies.
Wasn’t this the break they needed?!
These new arrivals were attacking their enemies!
“Terian?” Damilla questioned herself as she searched for the old man’s energy signature but could not find it.
This wasn’t his flame?
Then whose? And what skill was this?
Many wondered the same thing, particularly the large Guilds as they grew more cautious.
VWWOOOOOSH!
From another direction, another flaming Terror appeared!
It had an especially larger build with an arm missing on its left shoulder.
As the flames consumed it, it frantically swished its tentacles destroying everything in sight while screeching weirdly, but from time to time, one could see it exhibiting the will to only target the non-aflame Bulk Terrors!
The most peculiar thing about this Bulk Terror in particular was how there was a large dark chain around its neck that extended behind it, rising up as it reached atop a crumbled mass of rock where a certain figure was firmly holding the chain with trembles of struggle!
As the Bulk Terror quickly wiped out tens of the enemies that everyone was facing, mercenaries and Knights alike followed the chain to where it led to, the figure of a large man in a creepy armour and…. a surprisingly, cool helm appearing in their sights!
At first, the sight was nothing short of terrifying but realisation set in a moment later for most.
Was this the man who caused this timely assist?
Of course, it was evident that this man was controlling this larger flaming Bulk Terror, so he had to be responsible for the others, right?!
It started with one naive-looking young man from a small Guild who donned a relieved smile as he then raised his sword.
“Come on! Someone else has appeared to help! Let’s not waste this chance! Iyaaaa!”
Then someone else, as if affected by the positive funk followed after, giving morale to his team members who had been having a hard time before this!
“Yeah! Don’t be scared! We must take on all the help we can get! Let’s help the creepy Knight!”
“Y..yes! Fight on brothers!”
“This is our chance to save the city!”
“Let’s help the dark Knight!”
“FIGHT! FIGHT!”
Soon, the atmosphere turned livid with burning morale and adrenaline.
The sight of the Knight as he held onto the chain with all his might while fidgeting so as to keep the flaming Bulk Terror in check inspired many.
The smaller Guilds felt the need to support this saviour as others even ran to try and help him pull the chain.
“HELP THE KNIGHT!”
“Pull the chain!”
This became the theme for the desperate.
Amidst this fervour that only seemed to be strongest with the small Guilds however, one short-haired woman looked at this armoured man whom many assumed to be a Knight with a pale face!
She choked on her words and her heart seemed to want to explode out of her chest from the sheer shock of seeing this figure!
“N..o… No….Stop…” she whispered as her breathing hastened, Silrat who was beside her looking to her with confusion.
As if seeing this dark figure wasn’t enough, her Divination which had been scrambling for answers before, picked up a glimpse of a horrible future only seconds away.
But…
But….
It was already too late…
—
[Author’s Note]
I highly apologise for the inconsistencies in the latest updates. For this week I’ll be keeping up with the quota so rest assured. Thanks for reading