NOVEL WEB Chapter 129
On the northern castle wall of Yulgin.
The sound of the bells warning of the impending raid and the knights’ shouts gathered the soldiers in a hurry.
Arriving first at the wall and scanning the surroundings, I noticed Jelbin and the others racing up the wall as if flying.
“Waaauk!”
“Aaaah!”
Bang!
Nia, clutched in the jaws of the White Beast, was thrown to the ground. After helping her up gently as she winced and rubbed her back, I turned my gaze beyond the wall.
Beyond the swirling snowstorm and the white expanse of the world.
It was, as yet, quiet outside the walls of Yulgin.
“What’s going on all of a sudden?”
“They say a monster is coming.”
“What? Where?”
“We don’t know either! We just came when we heard the bell.”
While keeping an eye on the snowy plain, I heard the soldiers’ panicked voices.
Though they had rushed to the wall upon hearing of the attack, all they found on arrival was a quiet situation beyond the wall. The knights, who were mana manifesters, exchanged uneasy glances.
“…Quiet? Was it a mistake?”
Most of the soldiers are ordinary people.
It’s impossible for them to detect the presence from a great distance; their reaction was, in a way, natural. Still, there was nothing we could do.
If only about ten had appeared, I wouldn’t have panicked like this. But the creatures coming over the snowy mountains are far more than just ten.
“…Still, because Lord Cain is here.”
“He can fly in the sky, you know.”
“He also caught the dark cultist with a mysterious technique. Something really is coming, it seems.”
The soldiers, having paused their conversation, quietly began checking their armor.
Only the sharp noise of the icy wind circled around the area, and the sense of tension on the wall gradually built up as the sound faded.
Rumble.
A faint tremor ran through the wall.
Though it was weak enough to be easily overlooked, the knights’ reactions were clear. The knights, their blue eyes gleaming as they watched beyond the wall, slowly opened their mouths.
A dark mass crossing the snowfield.
“What is that…!”
“They’re coming! This presence isn’t just a few. It’s a real army!”
“Battle preparation! You! And you! Go to the south wall immediately! Tell everyone to come over! That’s an order!”
The two soldiers, who were pointed out, hurriedly ran down the wall.
Meanwhile, the enemy army rapidly approached until even the commoners could see them.
“Mon, monsters.”
“How many are there!”
A black wave was covering the snowy field.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The massive bodies of the monsters were trampling the snowy plains mercilessly.
Simply charging forward was enough to shatter the ground, and the violent shock waves spread in all directions. A fierce blizzard followed, as if a snow avalanche had occurred, trailing behind the advancing army.
The impact from just one monster was significant enough.
But as their numbers grew past dozens and reached near a hundred, their mere movement shook the surroundings with an absurd effect.
Even the sturdy walls of Yulgin were trembling violently.
Considering their speed, it would take less than thirty seconds to reach the walls.
“Everyone! Prepare for their terror…!”
Just as Jelbin was giving instructions to the soldiers, hundreds of monsters let out a synchronized roar.
“…”
The shockwave from just one monster could instill great fear in ordinary people. Imagine what hundreds would feel like?
An overwhelming, indescribable sense of terror poured out.
The dark shadows covering the wall. The primeval waves that cast fear into living creatures swallowed the soldiers without resistance.
Just as the soldiers were about to scream in horror.
“Let the light illuminate our journey!”
Pfft-
Muna spread her arms, and a brilliant white light erupted.
Her blessing dispersed the monster’s waves and grew in size, eventually enveloping the entire wall with a soft glow.
As if burning away in the intense light, the waves sent by the army disappeared without a trace.
“Huuh!”
“Whew, I thought I was going to die.”
“Thank you, Holy Lady!”
The soldiers’ expressions brightened.
The possibility of losing one’s mind and making combat impossible was eliminated. Now, all that remained was to withstand the army that was coming toward the wall.
“Monsters keep coming from beyond the snowy mountains.”
A never-ending flow of black waves was coming from the end of the snowy field. Additional enemies were approaching beyond the initial detection. With this momentum, there would be more than three hundred, it seems.
Not just a normal army, but three hundred monsters as large as houses.
With the forces of Yulgin, it would be impossible to defend against such numbers. Even with the several mana manifesters preparing for battle, their swords would only carve through the monsters as they massacred civilians and breached the walls.
We need a wide-area attack here.
“…Should I use compression?”
With the mana core complete, my basic output increased significantly. If I condense the mana and explode it, it would trigger a much more powerful blast than before.
The subjugation technique used to control the wall should work fine. If I press down purely for killing intent without controlling the force, it should provide a fairly significant blow.
‘Alright.’
Just as I concluded my thoughts and was about to gather mana—
“Finally, it’s my turn to step in this time!”
Nia exclaimed with a strangely enthusiastic expression.
Around her, as she swung her staff, mana particles subtly gathered. Nia, adjusting her posture as she checked the state by moving her staff around, smiled.
“About time. I thought I’d have to step in at the front lines, but judging by the ones rushing toward us, now’s the moment.”
A blue flash flared, making her robe ripple violently. The flow of mana gathering around Nia. Her eyes gleaming, she struck the ground with her staff.
“Cain. Can you cover me for a bit?”
An opaque sphere floated above her head. It was the core I’d seen at the Huweol Palace’s workshop. At the same time, a strange sense of pressure was emanating from the sphere.
Other individuals were shooting arrows beyond the wall, seemingly unaware that the sphere was visible to them.
Woooom-
The number of cores Nia conjured began to increase.
From one to two, from two to four.
From four to eight.
The eight cores rotated slowly above Nia’s head and, as she extended her staff, shot rapidly beyond the wall.
The cores stopped right above the enemy army. Arranged in an octagon in the sky, the cores began emitting a bright blue light simultaneously.
“Hmm.”
A powerful airflow forming around the octagon. I was witnessing a large-scale magic for the first time.
Although I didn’t yet know what phenomenon would occur, judging from how it was subduing even the snowstorm, it was definitely not ordinary.
She had definitely asked for some time before.
“Arthur!”
“Yes, Master!”
Arthur rushed over and bowed his head.
It’s a good opportunity.
One time seeing is worth a hundred times hearing.
Drawing his sword, I said to Arthur.
“Arthur. Watch carefully how my mana flows from now on. You’ve only barely formed a core and are still in a very unstable state. You need to keep practicing and analyzing until you understand your own flow. Understand?”
“Yes, I will thoroughly analyze it.”
“Using mana is a mystery, certainly, but the fundamental essence is in swordsmanship. Don’t forget that.”
After a brief explanation, I immediately summoned mana.
If I maintain this power daily, it interrupts daily life in various ways, and the strong qi waves engulfing the surroundings are just an added effect. To the point that not only mana manifesters but even ordinary people would feel considerable pressure.
That’s why I usually held back my strength, but…
“The monsters don’t need me to hold back.”
The overwhelming suction power emitted by the mana core gathers the world’s mana.
With steady breathing, I absorb external mana and purify it through the core, then release the purest mana back into the world.
The secret of the user’s will.
A sword capable of cutting through anything desired.
Following my will, pure mana gathered in the air.
“First, let’s try cutting.”
Raising my sword that had become encased in a blue light since when,
Simultaneously, an intangible force began to solidify above the enemy’s army, taking a ghostly transparent blade-like form.
“Huff!”
Looking at the black surge rushing toward the wall, I brought the sword down.
“Chopping logs—three times.”
Bang!
“More still!”
Forcing the dissipating mana back into place, I swung the sword down twice more.
Bang! Bang!
“…Phew.”
It was just three times, but a strong sense of exhaustion already crept in. Is splitting logs more demanding than expected?
It wasn’t that my body was tired. It just seemed my mana had flowed out in large chunks, temporarily weakening me.
Still, I’m satisfied with the power.
I quickly replenished my mana and looked beyond the wall.
The massive slashes carved three paths into the snowy field. The monsters in the path were crushed beyond recognition.
Perplexed by the absurd power, the monsters’ advance seemed to pause momentarily. A cautious, meandering movement trying to avoid the slashes.
But our side seemed equally stunned.
“What? Is it… cutting the monsters? Or are they actually being cut? But how, exactly?”
“Mana… I faintly sensed mana, though briefly. The method’s questionable, but the power’s even more so. Did you feel it too?”
“…Feels like cutting through the world itself? I felt it too. The trembling won’t stop.”
“Is it swordsmanship? Or is it… merely a miracle of the Lord?”
“If it’s swordsmanship… then…”
Knights murmured quietly, their faces dark with unease.
The knights’ glances, caught mid-thought, revealed a fear that surpassed mere astonishment. Eyes gazing at something incomprehensible. Some prayed, while others deliberately averted their gaze from beyond the wall.
“Hmm.”
How does the technique of splitting logs appear to others?
I know an intangible blade formed in the void, but others probably saw a scene where I suddenly swung my sword, and the slash appeared.
It wasn’t a pure feat of physical movement. It wasn’t merely using mana to enhance my body but mimicking sword techniques to display an inhuman technique.
I understand their reactions.
‘It seems achievable merely by thoughts once I get used to it…’
As I chuckled at the thought, something occurred.
“Behold! Warriors of Yulgin!”
Arthur raised his sword high and exclaimed with mana.
“The superhuman technique devised by my teacher, Cain! It’s the Mana Breathing Technique! We are living in the age of the great knights who are pioneering a new path!”
Arthur lowered his stance, drawing his sword back.
Twisting his waist as if about to thrust a spear forward, his eyes and sword tip aimed at the black wave beyond the wall as he drew in external mana through his mana core.
A transparent energy needle formed in front of Arthur.
As if shattering a piece of rotten wood but far greater in size. Still not as refined as a thin needle but rather clumsy in form, yet the aura emanating from it was far stronger than before.
Then, a faint blue light shone through the transparent needle.
Seeing it, the knights’ eyes widened.
Arthur, sweating profusely, his face pale, extended his sword forward.
“Pierce!”
Ka-WAANG!
The pristine snowfield was torn apart to reveal the grayish earth underneath, violently turned upside down. The advancing vanguard of the army, struck by Arthur’s attack, exploded without any resistance.
“Huff… Huff.”
Arthur was panting heavily.
A quick check showed his mana core was completely depleted. It was like the fatigue of depleting large amounts of body fluids. Despite being in considerable discomfort, Arthur quietly modulated his breathing, his eyes bloodshot.
The quiet gesture of sheathing his sword.
Clank.
I lightly tapped Arthur’s shoulder.
“There are still some clumsy parts, but well done.”
“…T-thank you.”
“Don’t talk, rest.”
The knights’ eyes, having seen Arthur’s technique, changed.
From fear to awe.
From something incomprehensible to a goal we could all strive for.
“I had intended to spread the Mana Breathing Technique later, but…”
I’ve found a possible method to go about it.
While handing over Arthur, who collapsed from exhaustion, to Erika, Nia’s bright call echoed in my ears.
“Prepared!”
Her bright blue eyes flashed, then Nia struck the ground with her staff.
Thud.
Though it was a tiny, seemingly powerless sound.
What followed was overwhelming.
Whoosh!
A massive storm of cold air poured out with the eight-pointed cores floating in the void as its center.
The icy gale fell mercilessly toward the enemy’s army, and the snowstorm in the sky froze instantly.
“Krrrrk.”
“Keeek…!”
Frost settled on the bodies of the monsters exposed to the storm.
Crack. Crack.
The monsters’ bodies began to freeze. Though they writhed to resist the freezing, the frost mockingly swallowed them faster.
Finally…
Starting from the head, the frost traveled down the torso.
And ultimately engulfed their legs and the entire bodies.
The army crossing the snowfield stopped its movements.