Volume 3 Chapter 90 Surprise Attack Strategy (Abandoned) II
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Inside the burning cave, the temperature was rising rapidly, almost like a pizza oven.
Shelves of charred books collapsed from the second and third floors, and the flames spread to the research tables and makeshift bookshelves on the ground floor.
A container of flammable chemicals or gas must have burst, sending up a dramatic pillar of fire, and a figure wielding a war mace embedded with white magic stones struck from the shadows.
There are 2 choices.
Either dodge and slip past him.
Or shatter the war mace and take him down head-on while he’s unarmed.
(Dodge)
He can’t tell how powerful the enemy’s attack is.
If he tries to shatter it and end up losing his right arm instead, he’ll be done for.
He has to make a choice that guarantees he won’t lose right from the start.
Kian twisted and jumped back sharply into the air, aiming diagonally back to the right.
He danced through the cave’s darkness, evading the striking attack like a magical bird, perfectly avoiding the impact of the white magic stone hits.
”────!?”
It seems Kian’s choice was the right one, as the war mace came crashing down and struck the rocky ground where Kian had just stood, creating a booming sound as it tore through the earth like a spider’s web.
The deafening noise hit me like a blow to the ears.
The lich’s black armor bulged as he raised the war mace high again.
Kian took the hit with the Windsong Blade, then transformed into black mist and landed behind the lich.
The white magic stone fixed to the end of the war mace unleashed a shockwave, blasting through the space Kian had dodged, collapsing part of the third-floor hallway.
That mace seemed to possess enough power to crush Kian along with ‘Silver Ice.’
”Azrael’s Dance Swordsmanship. Warrior monk, huh?”
The lich murmured and turned around.
”────”
(This guy, he can hold his own.)
Kian began walking slowly through the blazing circular room.
The man also slammed the tip of the war mace onto the floor, moving in a circular pattern to match Kian’s movements.
”────”
”……”
(There’s no need to strictly engage him in combat. Should I use the Windsong Blade or a Secret Technique?)
Even if he holds back the power of the Windsong Blade, this battlefield will still collapse and become impossible to continue.
In that case, the only choice is to use the Secret Technique ‘Pursuit of the Shadow’ to take the enemy’s head.
Deciding this, Kian halted, positioning the Windsong Blade beside his right ear, ready for action.
The hole in the magic sword pulled in the wind, letting out a chilling scream.
The lich man’s red eyes widened in shock as Kian switched from observing to intent on killing.
”Crap, he’s using a Secret Technique──!”
(It’s too late now.)
The distance between them was about 15 meters.
Close enough to leap in 2 steps.
Kian took a large step forward, and in the next instant, he swung the magic sword down at the man’s chest.
”…!”
But perhaps his ‘Pursuit of the Shadow’ was too naïve.
Or was it mere coincidence?
The lich man fell backwards, as if losing his balance, avoiding the trajectory of the Windsong Blade which would have split him in 2 from shoulder to waist.
It was as if he had an otherworldly sense, predicting the future.
The moment Kian stepped again, the man seemed to roll away as if he had seen the arc of the slash coming.
”Grrr!?”
Bright red blood, which was unbelievable for an undead, sprayed out.
The man’s chest, wrapped in black leather armor, tore open in a straight line and he spilled blood dramatically.
But he wasn’t dead yet.
He rolled back down the slope, taking quick tumbles to create distance from Kian, who had just swung his blade.
(He dodged that? My sword, by a magician?)
Shock and disappointment surged within him.
The sword technique he was confident in – to have it dodged made his mind boil with rage.
”…!”
──I will kill him.
──This man, who stained my pride in mud, will never be forgiven──.
Kian advanced on the lich man, who was trying to get up with a furious look.
He dashed towards him, disappearing in a puff of ‘Leap’ smoke.
Like a vampire springing at its prey, he swung violently at the man.
”Guh…! Oooohhh!”
The muscles under the lich man’s armor bulged multiple times, and the bleeding from his chest stopped.
Kian’s magic sword strike was swept to the left by the white magic stone on the war mace.
Without hesitation, he flipped the blade to split the enemy’s forehead.
The man leaned back to dodge, then snapped his spine back like a spring and swung the mace.
Dodging with Mist Form, Kian suddenly appeared behind the man.
(First, I take the heart.)
He hit the blind spot perfectly.
The man was stunned, staring blankly ahead, having lost sight of the suddenly vanished Kian.
(Die.)
”…!”
But the Windsong Blade missed again.
Just before the magic sword’s tip would have sunk into his back, the man vanished into particles of light.
(Short-range teleportation, huh.)
Turning around reflexively to shoot back, he saw the man’s white mace swinging straight at his face.
He jerked back at the last second to dodge.
But the return strike aimed at his waist hit him dead on.
A massive impact, one he hadn’t felt in a long time, rocked his body, and Kian’s huge frame, over 100 kilos, flew through the air like it was nothing.
The lich vanished again, teleporting above Kian’s head in midair, then slammed down a brutal blow with the war mace.
”────!?”
Bones cracked and organs were crushed.
A searing agony surged through him.
Kian spat blood and slammed to the ground, but barely rolled away in time to dodge the lich’s follow-up strike aimed at crushing his head.
The white magic stone burned insanely hot at close range, melting the rock floor where Kian had just been into a round crater.
The sizzling sound of steam evaporating from the rock was deafening.
’Hey, Kian! You okay!?’
(Shut up.)
”Ugh, gah, cough, hack…”
The lich pressed his chest coughing.
Meanwhile, Kian staggered up, white healing steam rising over Silver Ice.
His mouth was flooded with the taste of iron.
Opening his lips, thin bright blood dripped from his chin, plopping onto the stone floor.
”You dodged my Secret Technique, didn’t you?”
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply