Volume 2 Chapter 85 Azrael’s Death Sword User II
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Correct answer)
The assassin, poised with a poison magic sword, slowly rises.
”Aisha, you saved me.”
”──No.”
Emerging from the depths of the forest is a dark elf archer clad in silver armor.
In her left hand, she grips a gleaming silver longbow.
The steel of her battle skirt, which reaches her ankles, rustles softly.
Aisha, her face covered by a special visor, quietly gazes at the 4 warrior monks beneath it.
It may seem reckless to have the archer face 3 melee fighters and a magician, objectively speaking.
However, both Oswald and Aisha were confident that this division of roles was correct.
”Activate.”
Aisha murmurs this as she carelessly scatters small thorns from her right hand onto the ground.
They are thorns from a brown plant.
As they pierce the leaf litter, they cause the soil to bulge and swell.
”What? What is this magic? It’s a golem! Be careful!”
The shaman shouts, rapidly cooling the air above his head.
Pale blue crystals float in the air, manipulating the heat waves created as they strike Aisha.
However, she kicks off the ground faster, vanishing into the branches of a tree behind her.
”Tch.”
Three golems rise sluggishly before the armed warrior monks.
From a high position behind them, the dark elf magician prepares to unleash magical arrows with her silver bow.
They must dodge Aisha’s sniping while breaking the golems.
”Well then. Let’s get started.”
”…!”
Oswald ignites the ground beneath him in a burst of flames.
The Holy Sword of the Sun is swept aside and readies for another stance.
The woman positions her poison magic sword beside her face, glaring at Oswald as if to steel herself.
* * *
(I’m cut off from others. No, calm down. In fact, it’s fortunate that I, who can deal effective blows against him, am left on this side.)
Sarah carefully maintains her distance from Oswald, focusing on her breathing.
She leaves the 4 to handle the situation.
They’ve quickly lost Zaid──the Beastmen warrior monk──but they won’t allow any further damage.
They will take out Oswald and swiftly rush to aid them.
”────”
”────”
However, the cautious Sarah does not rush in immediately, instead looking for her chance.
Using the Secret Technique to strike is a last resort.
The Secret Technique is indeed a powerful first-strike attack.
However, because it is a first-strike move, its effectiveness drops to less than half against those who are aware of it.
(If Oswald knows about my Secret Technique, it could easily be countered and I might end up killed instead.)
Normally, the Secret Technique leaves a large opening before activation or causes a stiff recovery afterward.
It’s fine to use it right away against fighters from other sects.
Generally, when facing an opponent who is an experienced warrior monk, the flow is to wait and look for an opportunity to use the Secret Technique.
Oswald is no exception to this.
If she doesn’t attack thoughtfully, she’ll end up like Nizaam.
(But that should apply to Oswald too. Moreover, the terrain I chose, with its densely grown trees, is tough for a swordsman skilled in ‘Leap’ techniques.)
The advantage should be on her side, being an all-rounder──.
Just as Sarah reached that conclusion, Oswald’s figure suddenly drifted sideways.
”────!”
(Is he diving into the forest on his own!?)
He did not charge towards Sarah, nor did he circle around to strike from a blind spot; he simply jumped into the forest.
She’s concerned about her comrades fighting the golem and dark elf marksmen behind her, but if they create distance, they’ll be blown away by a single strike from the holy sword.
Sarah quickly dashed off with ‘Leap,’ weaving through the trees to keep pace with him.
Rustle, rustle──the scenery flowed by.
Leaves scattered, and the small animals lurking around the area hurriedly fled in all directions.
Sarah paid careful attention to make sure she didn’t fall more than ten meters behind Oswald.
Should she kick off the ground and strike in one go?
She couldn’t make up her mind.
The enemy was definitely luring Sarah in.
(No, if I hesitate any longer, I’ll lose! I have to attack, or I’ll end up being prey to the holy sword.)
The enemy’s holy sword was too much of a threat to use a defensive strategy.
There was still time until dawn, but if she couldn’t finish him off before the sun rose, her magic sword would no longer be able to pierce his skin.
If that happened, defeat would be almost guaranteed.
Even retreat would become difficult.
(…ugh)
She had no choice but to make her move.
She would close the distance and somehow use her Secret Technique at the right moment.
With that resolve, her next action was swift.
”────! Haaa!”
A desperate gamble.
Sarah gathered her energy in her legs as she ran alongside him.
Using ‘Leap’, she leaped high above Oswald’s head.
”────”
”────!”
A sharp metallic sound echoed.
Sparks flew at close range, and the darkness faded, revealing the enemy’s face.
Oswald glared at Sarah with beast-like golden eyes.
She would engrave this face in her memory.
It was something she did every time she went into battle.
This face might be the last one she saw in her life.
”Haaah!”
The young man’s sun-shaped earring swayed, and with a blast of flames, Sarah was easily knocked back.
She landed, digging into the leaf-littered ground.
Two footprints remained…
The leaf-littered ground was kicked up.
The smell of decay filled the air.
”────”
”Hmph? …I see, so that’s it.”
In the forest where even the sounds of her allies’ battles faded away, the golden youth bared his white teeth in a grin.
He slung the holy sword over his shoulder and pointed at Sarah.
”You’re Sarah Nakash, aren’t you? I’ve seen those eyes before.”
”────”
”Did your father send you to kill me? Or is this revenge for Nizaam?”
”……”
There was no need to answer.
No room for debate.
If she let her guard down, she’d be killed.
She had to keep closing the distance.
However, if she got too close, the sun’s heat would burn her feet.
”I know a lot about you. Sarah Nakash──a warrior bearing the esteemed title of ‘Azrael’s Death Sword User’.”
”…!”
”Hey, take off your mask. Hiding your face in front of me is pointless. You should focus on breathing normally instead.”
”────”
She hesitates.
But in the end, she shifts the fabric.
If she’s killed, they would only check her face before it burns.
The top priority is defeating him.
Everything else must be discarded.
”Sarah Nakash. 27 years old. The eldest daughter of the prestigious Nakash family and former fiancée of Kian Vahid. She has walked the elite path since childhood, accumulating achievements along the way. As a result, she inherited the title of ‘Azrael’s Death Sword User’ at the youngest age in history, despite not being one of the Twelve Divine Generals. She has mastered the ‘Shot’ style and the ‘Impact’ style.”
”……”
(He know a lot, doesn’t he?)
”I know well, right? But it’s not because I heard it from Nizaam. I did my own research. All of it.”
(What is this person…?)
”Don’t draw back like that. I can roughly guess why you, the real ‘Azrael’s Death Sword User’, came to me. Bodies have been discovered all over the world, scattered, and you were angered by the fact they’re being attributed by the ‘Death Sword User’. You thought a punishment must be dealt to the impostor──is that why you came to kill me?”
”…it’s as if…”
Sarah finally spoke up at that moment.
”It’s as if you’re confessing to being one who impersonates the ‘Azrael’s Death Sword User’.”
”Hehe. Confessing or not, I am indeed that, you know?”
”──What?”
”Did you not hear me?”
The air around Oswald swayed gently.
He wore a vicious grin, sparks flying from the hand gripping the holy sword, as he slowly approached.
”I said I am the one you are pursuing, the ‘Azrael’s Death Sword User’.”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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