Chapter 288
"We don't have much time, I'll explain right away."
While patrolling the area, Simon discovered a creature used by the priests. That made it a certainty that the priests were on their trail.
Their target was undoubtedly Sasha, who had been singled out as a candidate for sainthood.
Fortunately, the environmental conditions were in their favor. It was nighttime, and the forest terrain made searching difficult.
Thus, Simon devised a strategy to split into two groups and scatter.
The core of the plan was to have Seiyur use his illusion magic to create a fake carriage to draw the priests' attention, while Sasha and the other members would escape the forest on foot during the distraction.
"You're telling me to go die, is that it?!"
Seiyur jumped in outrage upon hearing the plan.
"But,"
Simon continued with a faint smile.
"If we stay like this, you'll probably face a punishment worse than death, from both Vengeance, and Keyzen."
"...Ugh!"
"If you cooperate this time, I'll report to Keyzen that you fulfilled your role as a mentor properly."
Unless Seiyur planned to leave the Dark Alliance, he had no other choice. In the end, he accepted Simon's plan.
"I'll go with him."
Dick volunteered to act as Seiyur's watchdog.
"You sure about that?"
"Even if you send this guy alone, it's obvious he'd drop the illusion and run to save his own skin. Someone has to follow."
Simon's expression turned serious.
"You could be putting yourself in danger."
"Ah, don't worry! I'm confident I can at least take care of myself."
Indeed, when it came to survival skills, there was no necromancer more reliable than Dick.
Simon and Maelyn both nodded, and Kamibarez spoke with a worried look.
"Please, be safe, Dick!"
"Of course!"
They moved according to plan. The carriage was sunk into a nearby lake, and the horses were led into thick undergrowth where Maelyn cast a sleep curse on them so they wouldn't be discovered.
Dick dismantled the magic engine from the boat and attached it to a cart taken from subspace. Then Seiyur cast an illusion on the cart, making it look exactly like a carriage.
"We'll go first! Let's meet again, alive!"
The fake carriage carrying Dick and Seiyur departed. Simon's group also began moving with Sasha.
Maelyn took the lead, followed by Kamibarez and Sasha, while Simon brought up the rear to watch for Efnelle.
"Kami, just focus on protecting Sasha."
"Yes, Simon! I'll do my best!"
Kamibarez used her usual black magic, Blood Silk, to wrap the injured Sasha like a carpet, lift her into the air, and run with her.
"Maelyn, if the priests get close, break off and intercept them."
"Okay. What about you?"
"Same for me. If I see Efnelle, I'll be the first to break off. If I'm not there, assume I'm fighting the priests."
Maelyn nodded.
Since Simon had been the one to uncover Seiyur's true identity and to detect the creature, they decided to follow his lead from start to finish this time.
They began moving.
The forest shrouded in darkness exuded an eerie atmosphere. Everyone ran with their nerves taut, knowing that Efnelle or monsters could jump out at any moment.
"Sasha, are you uncomfortable?"
When Kamibarez asked, Sasha shook her head. After Sasha nodded again to reassure her, Kamibarez turned to look at Maelyn.
"The priests could still come straight at us, right?"
"Well, if they have priests who can sense presences or detect Darkness, then maybe. But this is still the best method."
She glanced back.
"Right, Si— huh?"
Both women stopped abruptly in surprise. At some point, Simon, who had been running in the very back, had vanished.
"H-he's already gone?"
* * *
Tadadadadat!
Tadat!
Five priests, holy power flaring in their legs, sprinted across the field.
Four were female students wearing Efnelle uniforms, and the other was a middle-aged man in work clothes with orange hair streaming behind him.
"Guide, are you sure they came this way?"
At Lilinet's question, the guide, Figaro, nodded.
"Yes, my creature detected them. It appears they're moving in a carriage used by the gang members."
Lilinet stroked her chin thoughtfully.
"It's late, they just fought, and night's fallen, so they'll probably start making camp soon. If they're asleep, it'll be easy to deal with them."
"Unfortunately, the Keyzen side will have realized we're closing in."
Figaro continued,
"One of my creatures was taken out."
"Sloppy work!"
"Haha, sorry for not being perfect."
At that moment, all five priests halted their run at once.
"Hmm— looks like it's true Keyzen knows we're chasing them. But,"
Lilinet gave a wry laugh and pointed ahead.
"Just you?"
In front of the darkened forest stood a boy with his hood pulled low.
He stood rooted in place, staring at the Efnelle group.
The Efnelle girls wore expressions of disbelief.
"A new form of suicide?"
"Unlucky."
"I guess it's true necromancers don't have working brains, sisters."
The boy in the brown robe stood blocking the priests all alone.
Despite the 5:1 situation, he appeared utterly calm. In fact, he crossed his arms and beckoned them forward with just a flick of his finger.
But because he was so confident,
'...Something's off.'
It was enough to make them hesitant to approach.
"Is it a trap?"
When Lilinet asked, Figaro shook his head.
"I don't sense any other presences nearby. I think he just came out alone because he's confident in his own strength."
"Out of his damn mind."
Lilinet wrapped both hands in holiness. A white aura shimmered in her palms.
"No time! Let's go!"
The five priests dashed forward, silver trails streaming from their feet.
Simon didn't make any big moves. He lowered his stance slowly and raised his right arm.
'Bone Armor.'
Fragments of bone streamed out from subspace, covering Simon's right arm without a gap.
Tadadadat!
Then, Lilinet, who had been in the center, suddenly accelerated like a streak of light. Simon swung his fist head-on.
Kwaaaaang!
Fist met fist with a thunderous boom. Their clothes whipped violently, and the trees around them shook.
And as the two pressed their fists together, the other priests stepped onto holiness and leapt, bypassing them entirely.
"Ah."
Simon turned with wide eyes.
"Looks like you've got the leisure to worry about others?"
When Simon saw Lilinet raise her other hand, he quickly leapt back.
Beams of holy light poured down in a volley, piercing the ground.
"I don't know what scheme you're trying to pull by standing here alone, but keeping all five of us tied up like this means we're already dancing to your tune."
Cheok!
She extended her clenched fist with a smile.
"Am I wrong?"
Simon scratched his head as if surprised.
"Efnelle students are smarter than I thought."
"!"
At those words, Lilinet's face twisted in irritation, but she quickly realized it was a cheap provocation and regained her composure.
"Thanks to the Neutral Zone treaty, I'll refrain from killing you, but I'll make sure you never flap that mouth again!"
"Hm."
While facing Lilinet, Simon recalled one of Farahan's lectures.
—If you know your opponent's major, that alone gives you a wealth of information.
Simon's gaze went to her hands. Light wavered over them, swelling and shrinking repeatedly, as though she wore boxing gloves woven from radiance.
'She's not just coating her fists in holiness. Healing Studies' Holy Burst.'
Healing Studies specialized in tending to the wounded from the rear and supporting combatants, but with the times, offensive spells to counter necromancers had naturally developed as well.
And the most effective offensive skill in Healing Studies was "Reverse Threshold", channeling holiness into the opponent's body not to heal, but to force uncontrolled cell division, destroying them from the inside.
Even a single touch could ruin the internal organs, and needless to say, it was especially effective against necromancers whose bodies flowed with Darkness.
'On top of that—'
Lilinet was now cloaking her body in a purplish blessing.
Simon remembered more from Farahan's class.
—It's a kind of doping effect. It wrecks the body, but grants great strength and speed. It's one of the forbidden white magics, but it's allowed for healers. Since they can heal themselves, they can fight without the risk.
The more you know, the more you see. Simon began drawing a magic circle to counter with a curse, but Lilinet suddenly charged.
"!"
Simon's instincts made him leap sideways.
The attack didn't come from the front—
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
It came from behind.
From the rear, triangular holy projectiles rained down.
"Kh…!"
Simon tumbled and spun wildly to dodge. Up in the trees, a freckled girl with pigtails grinned down at him.
'The frontal charge was a feint. The real attack came from behind!'
"You react pretty fast."
All four had acted as though leaping over Simon, but in truth, Efnelle's plan had been a 2-on-1 from the start.
"Doesn't it seem ridiculous to just leave an enemy standing alone?"
The freckled girl landed and thrust out both arms.
With repeated thwip! sounds, triangular holy constructs flew at him, while Lilinet closed in from the side, swinging her fists.
"Kh!"
In an instant, Simon was flanked from both sides.
Just as he tried to leap back to evade the freckled girl's projectiles, Lilinet's relentless fist slammed into his abdomen.
Jjeo-eok!
With a flash from Holy Fist, Simon's eyes widened and a choking sound burst from his lips.
"It'll hurt so bad you'll wish you were dead!"
As Simon staggered to one knee, the freckled girl leapt high and launched a holy bombardment straight down at the frozen target.
Kwaaaang!
Bang!
Simon's body was engulfed in holiness. That should be enough to put him out of the fight, but they wanted to be sure.
The two girls exchanged a glance, then charged into the smoke together.
Thud!
Thuk! Thuk!
The smoke cleared.
Simon was standing still, wearing a dazed expression.
Lilinet's Holy Burst had struck his chest, and the freckled girl's sharpened holiness had pierced clean through his torso from behind, the tip protruding from his chest.
The focus in Simon's pupils faded away.
"Got him!"
"That's what you get for mouthing off."
They had taken him down perfectly.
But just as they began to withdraw their holiness—
Grab! Grab!
"?"
"Huh?"
Both of their heads were seized in a rough grip from behind.
Then—
Crack!!
Their foreheads smashed together dead center.
"Ahk!"
The freckled girl, struck by the massive shock, rolled her eyes back and collapsed unconscious.
Standing between them, Simon looked not just calm, but almost languid.
'...Maybe my true calling is in acting.'
"Augh! What the hell? I'm sure I landed the hit!"
Grimacing, Lilinet staggered back, clutching her forehead.
The freckled girl dropped to the ground with a thud, and Simon strode toward Lilinet.
"H-how? I hit you with holiness…!"
Without a word, Simon surged forward, Darkness rising around him.
At that moment, Lilinet's eyes went wide.
A gust of wind knocked back his hood, revealing blue hair spilling out and fluttering.
'Ah!'
Lilinet remembered Lete's warning upon arriving in the Neutral Zone.
—If, during a mission, you see a bluish-haired Keyzen boy, just assume you're dead and run.
Seeing Simon press his palm to her abdomen, her eyes widened further.
—If you get caught by him, someone like you is really dead.
'It was him!!'
Lilinet looked down in disbelief at the black magic blooming on her abdomen.
< Hongpeng's Original – Chwita >
Thwooooom!
Her body bent at a right angle and she went flying, smashing through several trees in her path.