Shadowless Night

Chapter 51

Some people fearlessly pursued them without hiding their presence in the distance. They were getting closer, but still not to the extent where Rosaline could see them. She made several preparations before moving in earnest. Rosaline took off her cloak and pulled out the dagger from her boots. By the time she tied her disheveled hair up high again, the sound of the footsteps was closer.

Rosaline lightly tossed and caught the dagger in her hand, playing with it. It was a gesture that had become a habit as the days passed. She organized her thoughts by listening to its steady drop in her hand.

There were always people around Rosaline: Calyx, the maids, the butler, Raymond, the apprentice knights, the lesser knights, the senior knights, and even the castle servants. She was always in the eyes of people. A regular human female that has received general training: Rosaline has always considered that standard and tried not to exceed it. Well, she always restrained herself, but her standards were so frivolous that others might have found her a little strange. But those eyes were nowhere to be found right now. Since the three of them had left, there was no reason to restrain herself.

Rosaline spun her body fast and threw the dagger high. Her dagger, which flew quicker than an arrow, pierced the head of the kite that was chasing her. She then pulled out the dagger from the carcass of the bird as it stuck to a branch. The silent forest began to become noisy in earnest. She sprinted so quickly that the ground shook. Not long after, a group of black-clad men came into sight. Rosaline’s eyes moved quickly.

‘There are… twelve people.’

There were fewer people than expected. The tactic to split into several groups was effective to some extent. The two groups looked at each other and stopped walking. Tension flowed between the trees.

There was one familiar face in Rosaline’s eyes. During the first attack, this person was the one who collided with Knight Commander Starz. Perhaps he’s the leader of these assassins, as she could feel much more magical power in this person than the others. While she sized up the group, a harsh voice rang out.

“If you hand over the prince, I will spare your life.”

‘Uh… What kind of bullshit is this?’ Rosaline felt the absurdity and didn’t respond. 

Unfortunately, the man took her silence in a different direction. So, he became even more outspoken.

“You can keep your mouth shut if you want to be like your comrades whose limbs I tore off earlier.”

Rosaline felt a tingling in her head. Like her head was full of hot lava, and her heart seemed to have a blade of ice embedded in it. 

‘So, this is anger. Right, I’m very angry now,’ Rosaline thought with her scorching head. Rosaline nodded her head and then opened her mouth.

“Where are your other comrades?”

Her voice was gentle in contrast to the harsh, low voice of the man. He was speechless for a moment. 

‘Did this woman ask this question so casually now? Her mental fortitude is stronger than I thought.’ 

She was brave for not running away trembling in this situation. However, the strong-willed knight’s words did not stop there.

“Even if you hand over the information, I will not spare your life.”

“…What?”

“Your colleagues who went somewhere else might be able to keep their lives, but you guys will not.”

“You crazy bitch!”

The dark-haired knight slowly opened and closed her eyes.

“None of you will get past here.”

It was a calm and gentle voice. Tyreng shuddered at the chilling sensation surrounding him. 

‘Is it because of the pale daylight without any warmth? Is it because of her solemn tone?’ 

He couldn’t figure it out. But one thing his instinct told him is that this knight is dangerous!

“Kill her!”

How disgraceful to be in front of just one person. The man pulled himself together in fear. A group of black figures flew in unison at the first wave of his hand.

In her eyes, time slowed down. Life was scattered all over the place, and the sunlight glinted off the sharp blade of the swords. As Balta’s raiders poured down along with green leaves, thick veins formed over Rosaline’s hands. The tough fibers couldn’t withstand the pressure, and there was a tearing sound. Seeekh. Her uniform tore off as her arms swelled up, creating huge hands that looked like that of a beast. It ripped through the bodies of the assassins in the blink of an eye. Two assassins flew away with their bodies torn apart and crashed into a tree.

“Uwaaaaakh!”

The men, who realized the situation too late, screamed. They weren’t screaming at the corpse of their comrades. They screamed because of the gigantic hands on the woman’s body: Black scales all over her arms, three-pronged fingers, and the sharp claws that were like a raptor’s beak. It was a bizarre form outside of a human being. Instinctively, rejection and fear rose in them at the dissonance. The assassins gasped.

What is that?!’ 

Before they could grab her body, her hand gripped an assassin’s head, and she lifted him. 

Crunch!

As the bones shattered, a liquid mixed with blood flowed down the black scales. It seemed easier than mashing an apple. They instinctively stepped back.

“Haaaa…”

She exhaled. As she used her magical power that blocked Fragment to mutate her arms, the poison began to spread faster and faster. A sharp and maddening pain penetrated her body. It was so painful that her head felt numb. 

‘Let’s finish it quickly.’ 

“Aaaaakh!”

“S- Save me…!”

She sliced through the bodies with one gesture, shattered bones with one attack, and ripped off limbs with one movement. Rosaline moved as fast as when she didn’t have those big hands. Noticing that they could not run away from her, the men gathered their strength and began to attack. 

Most of the time, they missed, but luckily there were occasions when they did not miss. Sometimes their attacks even pierced Rosaline’s body. But that wasn’t enough. Rosaline didn’t stop. Even as a knife stabbed into her body, she waved her hand with an indifferent expression. Rosaline ran from tree to tree. She was like a nightmare. No, perhaps just a realistic dream.

They were also elite crews with the extraordinary power of Crean Tidanion. Nevertheless, their power was smashed in front of her without any value or meaning. If they were merely strengthening their body by using a part of the crystal, then Rosaline was freely embodying the power of the magical beast itself. They couldn’t compete.

The Fragment applied to some of the blades stabbed through her, causing small but deep wounds. Rosaline cried out to overcome the pain that engulfed her body. Uaaaaaa! As she howled like a ferocious beast, the mountain was engulfed in commotion in an instant. The birds flew away, causing leaves to fall. A strong wind swept through every nook and cranny of the forest carrying her screams. Beasts and worms hid their presence in the threatening predator’s fight.

The battle did not last long. The difference in power was overwhelming. Blood splattered on the scene of the lush green forest. The corpses scattered here and there were so horrendous that anyone with a weak stomach would vomit at once.

“Huuu…”

The only one who was still breathing was the one Rosaline had deliberately kept alive. He just knelt on his knees and trembled, as if he had no choice between running away or fighting with a sword. The man’s body flinched as Rosaline indifferently drew a sword out from her own body. Blood dripped from the deep wound, but Rosaline brushed off her blood as if it was insignificant, then she approached the man.

Shrug. [E/N: Girlboss Rosaline brushing away the blood.]

One step.

Shrug.

And another step.

The man shook his head rapidly. A languorous voice sounded out from above him, but it was unsuitable for a demon who had been gnawing at his comrades’ throats.

“Besides you, are there any others chasing?”

“Y- Yes, yes! T- That’s right. After confirming the other group was bait, w-we regrouped…”

“How many?”