| Author: Tensei Mikami | Original Source: Syosetu | Word Count: 2269 characters |
| Translator: Jiro | English Source: Re:Library | Word Count: 909 words |
| Editor(s): Robinxen | ||
Eupho felt a shiver running through his body. However, that shiver wasn’t one that came from fear. The cold feeling that crawled down his spine soon began to travel through his veins and fill his entire body.
The trembling could be interpreted as the excitement of witnessing art that made sense, the awe of being confronted by an immensely powerful being, or even the joy of witnessing God manifest before one’s eyes.
Eupho bathed in the elusive tremor, which proved difficult to define, and cleared his throat with a resounding cough.
Seletina’s evolution was ceaseless.
The ringing of the sword that resonated, sharply jarring the eardrums, was meticulously honed and displayed a beauty akin to that of a delicate layer of ice atop a lake.
The tip of the sword was invisible to Eupho, and the glimmer of the blade resembled a playful spirit dancing around Seletina. It was not only beautiful, brilliant, and powerful, but above all, astonishingly swift.
Seletina persisted in breaking free from her confines. She left the version of herself from mere seconds ago trailing far behind. In the blink of an eye, she dismantled walls time and again.
This was both a process of evolution, and liberation. Seletina was transmuting, awakening the sleeping hero inside of her. The once-rough stones were being polished to reveal their innate radiance once more.
The Snake Rose crest engraved on Seletina’s neck pulsated with an enchanting light that resonated with her intensifying brilliance. With each robust pulse of this light, Seletina underwent further refinement.
“Just how fast will she get?!”
Eupho couldn’t help but mutter. Only he had engaged in a fierce battle with Seletina back in Leverence. That’s why her remarkable evolution seemed all the more astounding to Eupho.
He was certain that Seletina had gone all out during their battle in Leverence. Both sides had given their utmost, and Eupho even believed that he’d had the advantage in that confined space.
However, his self-assurance in being able to hold his own against Seletina had now crumbled entirely.
“Just how… Just how fa-”
Eupho’s eyelids, adorned with thick lashes, lowered, and as they lifted again, the Seletina he had known was no more.
Radiating a golden afterglow, Seletina continued to decimate the swarm of small spiders.
◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
A weighty, muted sound reverberated through the air.
The stone gate which had been forcefully shut, became encased once more by magic circles on its left and right doors, forming a single, robust magic barrier. A gentle warmth glided over the magic circle etched onto the stone gate, its radiance resembling that of a firefly before fading back into stillness.
Having expended every ounce of his strength, Woodback surrendered his colossal frame as if resting against the gate, and lowered himself slowly to the ground.
The cheers that erupted from the assembled crowd resonated powerfully, sending vibrations through the battlefield. The soldiers, their spirits rekindled, gleefully kicked aside the small spiders surrounding them, exuding an air of elation.
The entire army’s morale visibly soared, breathing new life into the Empire’s soldiers.
The tide had shifted, and a new phase had begun. The once oppressive air, saturated with despair, now hung lightly, effortlessly filling the lungs with each inhalation.
It would be impossible for the malevolent forces to traverse this bridge.
The giant spider, the sole commander, made fervent attempts to remove Lichter darting around its feet, yet not a single strike proved lethal.
Meanwhile, the ranks of small spiders dwindled swiftly. And before long, that moment arrived. Lichter let out a resounding howl. The kukri knives gripped tightly in each hand, traced fierce trajectories, severing the final black leg of the giant spider.
Simultaneously, Seletina gracefully maneuvered past him.
Her deep-blue eyes, unblemished by hesitation, radiated unwavering integrity and pride as they locked onto a solitary point on the Giant Spider.
The giant spider shot forth its viscous webs. Seletina elegantly maneuvered beneath them, positioning Elyutinias in a lower-level posture1. The sword’s blade glided gracefully through the air, catching the sunlight and reflecting it.
With a resounding cry, Seletina exhaled, expelling her air as Elyutinias traced a single, straight trajectory, moving from bottom to top.
The silver-tailed strike cleanly cleaved through the giant spider’s abdomen, encountering no resistance. It cut through the spider’s skull and painted the blue sky crimson.
The strike was so formidable that the giant spider’s demise was inevitable, occurring before it could even comprehend its own death. Its colossal, helpless form crumpled to the ground in a lifeless heap.
A moment of stillness settled in. Seletina shook off the blood from Elyutinias and latched herself on the giant spider’s lifeless body. The soldiers observed the scene in hushed silence.
Daringly, Seletina purposefully climbed atop the now immobile wreckage and then cast a glance behind her.
In her view, a multitude of soldiers. Seletina filled up her lungs to the point of bursting and shouted.
“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”
She bellowed, hoisting her sword high and unleashing a victorious battle cry. The Empire’s soldiers followed after her, as though they had been awaiting this moment.
The soldiers’ cries, that seemed to ascend towards the heavens, persisted for a while. It was as if they were savoring the taste of victory, relishing the sheer joy of being alive.
The defense of Ulbdor’s south gate had been desperate.
Though the threat still persisted, humanity had emerged victorious in a hard-won battle, with the angel prevailing over the spiders.
