The Spearmaster and the Black Cat Chapter 304

Mine City Tandarl was located in a mountain range adjoining Baldok Mountain, a place where one could mine high-quality ores. The War G.o.d Temple was surrounded by walls on all four sides while situated high up, allowing for an un.o.bstructed view over the city. Since ancient times, this temple had been a meeting place for all kinds of martial artists involved with swordsmans.h.i.+p - be it pract.i.tioners of the Flying Sword Style, Peerless Sword Style and King Sword Style or those using their own, unique styles - from all over the world, for the sake of improving their skills or to test their abilities against likeminded spirits. At present, the third rank of the Eight Divine Spear G.o.d Ranking, Prodigy Tereys Lulouch, and the fifth rank, Single Spear Acueray Achilles were using the temple, striving in their training day and night. At the same time, the underground and underworld of Tandarl was a melting pot of countless religious groups, which stood under the influence of various G.o.ds, and dark guilds, formed out of martial artist dropouts, which endlessly kept fighting each other over turf, and especially, mining rights. Even at this very moment, a battle between Large Birds Flower and Shadow Wing Brigade was taking place. A man with brown skin and an aura of dignity appeared at the upper part of a hill road in hot pursuit of the men escaping downhill. In response, several of the men stopped, and turned around. Tenaciousness dyed their faces. As if having resolved themselves for the worst, they nodded at each other, and adopted martial arts stances to demonstrate their own might. They slowly turned the points of their preferred weapons at the man who was glaring down on them from uphill. That man possessed very characteristic, plump ears. Earrings adorned his long, hanging earlobes. He started to sprint, and then jumped downhill. Haaah! He yelled out his fighting spirit through the mask covering his mouth. At the same time, the ocher longsword in his hand lunged downwards, splitting the head of the man in front of him right down the middle with one stroke. Accompanied by a sound as audible when a head was cut open by an ax, blood and brain matter spurted into the vicinity. For the sake of avenging his slain comrade, a tiger beastmen shouted, f.u.c.k it! He got Hago! Ill kill you!, as he slashed at the man from diagonally below. However, the man swiftly turned, whirling his blood-stained longsword around. The decisive counterattack cut through the beastmans abdomen. But, the mans momentum didnt stop at that. His movements looked like he had been granted some kind of blessing by a G.o.d or spirit. While the man dashed towards his next opponent, a spear user, he not only attacked with his sword, but also his words, Ye sh*theads spear range is completely useless With a slight delay, his b.l.o.o.d.y longsword followed his insult. It was the execution of a diagonal slash that was close to a Flying Sword skill which hid the swords trajectory within blood sprays. The swords blade sank into the spear user from the top of his shoulder. After pulling out the longsword, the man swung his sword to clear away the blood clinging to the blade, and broke into a run once again while firmly clenching down on the hilt. His stride was noisy, as if to showcase his thick, muscular legs. Kicking off a hard stone podest, the man rushed downhill. A green-haired spear user at the hills bottom had put on a bloodcurdling expression after having watched his friends being killed off one after the other, and loudly declared, I wont let you do as you please any longer!, while pointing the spearhead at the man. But even though the longsword-wielder saw the spear pointed at him, he closed the distance without slowing down at all. He s.h.i.+fted the mana-laden sword blade to the left, striking the spearhead, and thus easily repelling the thrusting skill which obviously belonged to the speamans.h.i.+ps skill family. As soon as the man closed the distance to the spear-wielder by infusing mana into his legs, he swung his longsword down with tremendous speed, and finished their duel by driving the blade into the spear-wielders collar. The blade traveled all the way down to the spear wielders solar plexus with blood furiously gus.h.i.+ng out along its path. Guy-san, this is For just an instant, the blood-stained longswords blade gleamed as if to ridicule its prey. our The blades victim didnt manage to finish his words as only his head continued to spin. The rough sword strike, unleashed as if to gnaw through the others windpipe, had cleanly loped off the speakers head. And yet, the sword-wielder didnt cease. He faced away from the headless man who formerly had a handsome face, to the longsword-wielder called Guy - his next target. Then he released his own skill . Guy clicked his tongue in irritation while his body shone in rainbow colors. He magnificently kept dodging the ocher swords, which had split into three, by backward somersaulting. The other man, who had launched those three blades, watched Guys movements in admiration, and then told him, Hoh, for you to dodge my Triple Lightweight Swords Unlike the other guys, your movements are quite refined, Id say. A dangerous stalemate occurred between the two adversaries. The man with the dark brown skin scanned the vicinity. The many earrings pierced into his earlobes gleamed ominously, and the earlobes themselves squirmed like snakes. At that moment, Aww man, it always turns out like this with you martial artists! Youre just like Kary! Dont put me in a group with that pervert Now listen, Sein, this aint the time to admire your enemy! You wont ever be able to surpa.s.s guildmaster if you keep chit-chatting like this, yknow? You gotta pursue the enemy properly! A woman suddenly appeared next to the man with the brown skin, yapping on and on. After having said what she had to say, she extended her slender hands from her robe while happily lifting the corners of her mouth with their laugh lines. Her hands were covered by special, fingerless, spiked gloves. The instant she moved her ten fingers as if playing on a piano, lightning-like electricity started to travel between them with a crackling. As if having their own consciousness, lightning extended from her fingers towards Guy. And now its magic, eh!? Guy spat out, quickly pulled out a special, round scroll from his pocket, and tossed it into the air. Immediately after the scroll vanished as if melting with the air, a magic barrier consisting of s.h.i.+ning rays deployed around Guy. The lightning ran into that barrier, getting repelled. After erasing the rainbow-colored light, Guy had looked anxious for a moment, butafter confirming the barriers efficiency against the lightning, his cheeks slackened in relief. Humph! Thats just the beginning! Ill make you dance! The woman unleashed lightning magic without chanting, forming lightning spears at her fingertips. One after the other, original lighting spells clashed against the barrier protecting Guy, but Black Mask, Lightning Woman, Ill take my leave for now. See ya. Even though it had turned into a two-vs-one, Guy obstinately clung to his life, using his barrier. Once more he clad his body in rainbow light, and quickly withdrew. He got away again. Are we going to give chase? Nah, it could also be a trap. Hes a leader of Large Birds Flower. Very likely other leaders will lay in wait at the end of our chase. Itd be better to move in a way that lures them to us instead. Were going to pull back for now. Youre the one with the sharp intuition, so if you say so, its probably right. Anyway, lets go back then, Sein. Lalay and Sein ran across the main road, going back to the mansion where their guild had gathered. A residence located in Tandarl. Its been quite a long while since all of us gathered like this, hasnt it? The voice of a man thundered through the council room from the top of the long table. He had short hair and wore a jet-black, beast circlet with wings at the forehead. The circlet itself was decorated with fine inlays and teemed with mana. Especially the pair of small eyeb.a.l.l.s on it squirmed around restlessly, having a life of their own. Guildmaster, although we repelled them, the leader of Large Birds Flower got away. Hes a really tenacious, strong guy, befitting his alias of Demonoid Fist. Guildmaster Galroh nodded at Lalays remark. Rainbow Longsword-Wielder Guy, eh? Well ignore Large Birds Flower and Demonoid Fist. Even if we leave Demonoid Fist alone, that cave-loving demon likely wont crawl out of his dark hole. Galroh said with a grim voice in reply to Lalay. The longsword-wielder has been giving me the slip as well. Sein commented as if to confirm Lalays words. His words held weight as he had directly fought against Guy. All the while, his characteristic ears wriggled like snakes. Shoot, I really wanted to try fighting him as well. A man with ruffled, unkempt hair cut in at this point. A peculiar tattoo depicting a heart being stabbed by a knife was visible on his cheek. He had been messing around by juggling unique, stake-shaped daggers with both hands. How typical of you, Kary. Are you eager to do something outside your mission again? Lalay, trust me a bit more, will you? I simply like to have some fun with genuine battles, okay? Kary beamed his characteristic, nasty and shady smileCurse Smile on his face. That Rainbow Guy is strong. Moreover, the Shadow User Yomi, who belongs to Large Birds Flower, goes far beyond him in strength The robed man, sitting at the end of the table, placed a hand on the crystal ball in front of him that emitted a huge amount of mana, and spoke up while making the crystal glow in silver. Apparently the source of the mana release, an eye clad in silver light manifested within the crystal. A black mist gushed out of that eye, clas.h.i.+ng against the crystals surface from within. The mist repeated this action many times, as if pleading to be let out. After twisting the corners of his mouth, the robed man poured mana into his hand, and placed it on the crystal ball. The instant the hand came in contact with the crystal, the eye dwelling within suddenly became obedient, closing as if having fainted. If thats what your ability tells you, Alford, then it must be true. Galroh addressed the robed man, Alford, as he was handling his crystal ball. The tone in his voice betrayed Galrohs respect towards Alfords ability. Guildmaster, the requested a.s.sa.s.sination of b.l.o.o.d.y Long Ears of the White Whales guildmaster, which had been commissioned by Councillor Hugo Quaresma - our contact in Neutral Violent Tower City Senapua, has failed. A man stiffly reported his own failure. His whole body was hidden by a black armor. He was an abnormal being cladding himself in smooth, black steel. Ive heard the details, but if youve failed even after getting Palda and Leaf involved, it cant be helped. Ill head out myself next. Galroh stated with a fearless smile. Roger. If you go for it in person, Ill help you, guildmaster. Ill also do my best. Ill definitely butcher that b.i.t.c.h with my Quad-Sword - Grim-Eyed Dragon. Still, the enemys boss got injured by Paldas demonic steel Then again, even with a two-vs-one in our favor, she dealt with us using her silver mana. She drove Palda into the ground, and blew me away. That elf, Lezalaysa, is the strongest among the strong. With her skillful handling of offensive and defensive abilities, its no wonder that shes called a monster. A cat beastwoman rattled on with her four arms pointing each in a different direction. Yeah, I want to return the debt I owe her. Anyway, guildmaster, you getting personally involved means itll happen at Labyrinth City Pelneet as planned? Galroh nodded at the question of the man in black armor, Indeed. Well aim for the life of b.l.o.o.d.y Long Ears of the White Whales Lezalaysa Phol Losstein, with whom I share a fateful bond, while officially partic.i.p.ating in the Underground Auction as buyers. While at it, I guess we should also get rid of every regions Eight Lights Dark Guild in the typical Shadow Wing way. Galroh calmly announced with a gleam dwelling in his pitch-black eyes as he poured mana into the circlet on his forehead. Immediately following, a single, huge, black wing manifested from within the circlet. A moment later, another wing followed suit. Moreover, a jet-black beast with a big head jumped out of the circlet. It walked around the table with a haughty att.i.tude as if to claim the whole place for itself. Wherever its paws touched the table, a deep black liquid remained in their wake. Its head, while turned upwards, reminded one of a big eagle. Pyaaaaan It cried in a queer voice. Although it somewhat resembled a big eagle, a big falcon, a griffon, or a hippogriff, it wasnt really similar to any of those. Oh, its Sevicekel-chan Lalay holds up her arm, calling out to the beast. She moved several of her fingers as if playing on an air keyboard. Lightning sprung forth from her cute, frail fingers, leaping into the air like some kind of electric discharge. The electric lightning blinked in golden and bluish-white colors, suddenly accelerating. After the lightning cl.u.s.tered up in one place, it took the shape of a small humanoid. A tiny doll releasing crackling noise. Sevicekel pointed its beak at the lightning doll, widely opened it, and stuck out its pink, long tongue, Yuaaa After cawing like some unknown bird of prey, Sevicekel apparently judged the doll to be fodder, and snapped at the doll, closing its beak with a loud click. The doll quickly vanished within the beak while releasing a scream-like cackle at its final moment. Lalay, stop fooling around with Sevi. Uuuhh, Sevi-chan is scary. Ahaha, she ate Lalays lightning. But, its been quite a long time ago since I saw her last, your Magically-Created Creature, Sevicekel. As always, shes quite big Kary tried to extend his hand towards Sevi while laughing, but Sevi flicked his hand away with her beak. So, when are we going to attack during the Underground Auction? Still, I havent received an explanationfrom Noran who was supposed to be on an infiltration mission. Sein said. Moving independently, his ears turned in Norans direction. Despite being confronted with Seins stabbing look and the attention of his ears, Noran remained silent with his eyes narrowed. In the midst of all the leaders focusing their eyes on him and his torn mouth, someone unexpected spoke up. The Underground Auction takes place in the n.o.ble District. It sounds like itll be held in the huge estate of a former Great Knight and viscountLodging will be provided at the Dignified Heavens Shrine Eerily, Alford, who kept his face hidden while using his crystal ball, explained after having activated his . Wow. We got the information ahead of the others thanks to you foreseeing the future! Nothing less of your , Alford! Albeit being showered by praise, Alford only tilted his head lightly, not answering Lalay in any way. In exchange, Galrohs voice filled the room. Going by Alfords forecast, I think itll be fine to get the attack going after the second part of the Underground Auction comes to an end, just when they return to their inn. We round up the whole bunch of b.l.o.o.d.y Long Ears in one swoop. So youre finally going to break the unspoken rule, eh, guildmaster? It makes me tremble in excitement The cat beastwoman next to Galroh said while staring with her three eyes into Galrohs two black eyes. Wait, I object. Itd be better to completely stay away from Pelneet. The one announcing this was Noran who had remained silent so far. Noran, whats wrong? I already felt like you were not yourself ever since you came back from your infiltration mission of Apostles of Nightmares, butwait, dont tell me, its the three-orbed gem you brought back? Did you get influenced by the Spirit Worlds G.o.ddess and Queen of Nightmares Vaamina? Galroh asked with a grin while gently stroking the rear paw of Sevicekel with one hand. Sevicekels tail was coiled around Galrohs neck. Yeah, yeah, thats so not like you, Demonic Symbol Ripper Noran. No way! Was Alfords disguise skill penetrated during your mission? Thats not it. The disguise worked perfectly. Everyone of the Apostles of Nightmares, including Kreuz, was convinced that I was a soldier dropout of Seven Pholias special military police forces. I removed the disguise myself when I left the mission site, okay? Hmm. But, you still vouch for staying away? The cat beastwoman Leaf clearly showed that she couldnt come to terms with Norans objection. She repeatedly drummed the table with the ten fingers of her long, right arms, while pointing her left arms at Noran. Leaf, Im well aware of your quad-sword style. Besides, I plan to explain myself. Yeah, albeit having only two arms, youre strong enough to keep up with my four arms, Noran. Leaf praised Norans swordsmans.h.i.+p. Next, Palda, the abnormal guy wearing the black armor, spoke up, If Noran says so, Ill support his opinion. Since his face was a.s.similated with a part of the armor, his expression remained a mystery. Huh? Palda, you too? How very unusual Leaf, Norans eyes are sharp and discerning. It kinda piques my interest. What made a man like Noran wrap up his work in Pelneet midway? Hearing Karys shrill voice, Noran responded, Thats simple. Its because the Spearmaster and the Black Cat are leading Remains of the Moon. Huh!? That namedont tell meis it possibly that spear-user!? Kary stood up with shock written on his face. His nasty and shady smileCurse Smile had completely vanished, replaced by cold sweat blanketing his big forehead. Right afterwards, he released mana from his whole body while patting the arm that got injured in the past, activating . Eh!? If you talking about the spearmastergufuuh! Thousand Lightning Lalay apparently recalled the past from Karys state. It triggered her characteristic habit of entering her own little dream world. Hmm? Going by Kary and Lalays reactionare those spearmaster and black cat famous or something? I hear of those names for the first time, too. Palda and Leaf commented as if to check with everyone else. Remains of the Moon, huh? So, its the very spearmaster who rose up in the underworld the other day by being selected as new Eight Lights member after being referred to by the leader of the Eight Lights, eh? Galroh said while nodding. Correct. Though I believe you know the details better than I do, guildmaster. Its the same spearmaster I fought and lost to in Hecatrail, right? Still standing, Kary asked Noran while swinging his left arm. No clue. A good while ago I heard that you got injured through the regular messages, butdid you really get away with just being injured after fighting that spearmaster? Noran asked back while glaring at Kary. Yep. I felt like I was toyed with. Even while we were fighting him with two people, the spearmaster single handedly killed Raiza, a leader of Th.o.r.n.y Tail, and cornered me. I totally lost even after using techniques I havent shown to any of you. Being injured, and certain of my impending death, I talked with that spearmaster, resulting in him not finis.h.i.+ng me off for some reason. I merely survived because of his whim. Lalay, you should remember my state back then. Dont you? I really wanna meet that spearmaster Again, huh? Kary squinted while looking at Lalays face. Lalay! Karys yell pulled Lalay out of her little dream world, back into reality. Ah, yeah, Noran. It might sound like a supplement, but Karys story is true. Lalay said with a serious look. He used a black spear, and a chain projectile as weaponry. It was also that spearmaster who killed Darkness Kuna, another leader of Th.o.r.n.y Tail. Either way, hes powerfulhis strength is around the upper ranks of the Divine King rankingor even beyond. Kary croaked fearfully while wiping the sheen of cold sweat on his forehead. I see. A chain ability and upper rank of the Divine King ranking, huh? I can agree with that. The spear differs with my information, but well, I guess hes the same spearmaster I was talking about. In Pelneets underworld, hes called Violet Death G.o.d and Magic Spearmaster. Hes a man whos risen to the rank of Eight Lights, and a B-Rank adventurer. Seemingly believing Karys words, Noran nodded and explained his findings while getting rid of his stern look. Given that his mouth was torn widely, his expression ought to look eerie, but the look he pointed at his comrades was somewhat gentle. A Divine King ranker? Makes me curious about his strength. But, if I have to deal with him for a job, hes an opponent giving me a really bad vibe. Sein observed. His earlobes kept hanging, squirming, and floating. Sein, your intuition is correct Hmm, I see Galroh nodded after hearing everyones opinion. Then he s.h.i.+fted his eyes to Alford who was still touching the crystal ball. Alfords face wasnt visible as it was hidden beneath a hood, but his two hands protruding out of the robe were visible. Those hands, looking like dead tree branches, activated . Alford started to probe for information about the spearmaster with the help of his crystal ball, but the silver eye within shrunk instead, and so did the crystal ball itself, continuously getting smaller. In the end, the crystal ball had shrunken down from the size of a melon to that of a marble. T-This is Its obvious that my powers dont work on him. Alfords voice trembled, indicating his unrest. Okay, I get the picture. We have finished our preparations, butI guess, desisting from starting a flashy war is the safer option? In accordance with Norans warning, well only focus on Lezalaysas a.s.sa.s.sination, staying clear from the spearmaster. Galroh readily changed their plans. After all, only strong fighters at the level of inhuman beings could resist from being seen by Alfords ability. I wonder if thats smart. I advise that we should actually stay clear from Pelneet itself. Its true that itll be easy to aim for the target before or after the auction, butthe spearmasters acquaintances live in Pelneet. We have absolutely no ideawhos connected to him. And, were talking about Lezalaysa here. She should have been well aware of him for a good while now. If she has taken an interest in him They could be in contact, you mean? Seemingly catching the drift behind Norans words, Galroh gathered mana in his Magic Observation which appeared to make his black eyes murky. Pyaaan. Sevicekel reacted to Norans words. While folding her big, black wing, she transformed it into a long and narrow spear-like shape, and caressed Norans face with its pointed end. Noran blinked repeatedly, but without reacting to her wing, her continued speaking, Pelneet also houses his adventurer friends and the members of Remains of the Moon which seem to be his underlings. People related to the spearmaster Yes. Moreover, the members of other dark guilds, including b.l.o.o.d.y Long Ears, will be present at the Underground Auction, too. I think itll be possible to kill Lezalaysa if we use our setup, butI believe we should desist this time. If were targeting Lezalaysa, then lets march into Neutral Violent Tower City Senapua, the stronghold of b.l.o.o.d.y Long Ears, and a place without any spearmaster. Ive heard that the councilors Sky Magic Warrior Corps and so on are present over there as well, buttheyre still better than the spearmaster. Noran made his point clear. So hes an opponent so strong that Noran would advise against getting involved with him to such a degree Now Im definitely interested in that spearmaster. Leaf, Ive been interested in him for a long time now. Ive imagined fighting him with my . Lalay activated her skill, cladding her body in golden mana, making herself float. The cloth of her robe fluttered and swayed in the wind. I think itll be a tough fight even if both of you went at him. Id also be super excited if I could fight him again as itd probably allow me to experience a thrill I havent ever felt before. However, if I were to fight himthere wouldnt be a next time, so I suppose I agree with Noran on this one. Huh? For even a battle maniac like Kary to say something like that As if agreeing with Leafs words, the leaders of the Shadow Wing Brigade, who knew Karys character well, remained silent for a while, carefully thinking it over. Since this gives me a bad feeling, I also agree with Kary and Noran. Sein joined Norans side. Sein as well, huh? Id like to go to Pelneet. Well kill Lezalaysa, and also that spearmaster. Showing her irritation at Karys statement, Leaf voted for going to Pelneet. Hearing her energetic and spirited words, Noran clicked his tongue, and shook his head. I cherish my life. Please send me on a job to another city, I dont even care about what kind of job it is. Understood. I dont mind sending you out on another errand, Noran. Roger. Well then, Im going to take my exit at this point. Please call me when youve decided on a mission for me. Noran stood up, and quickly left the meeting room. You gotta be kidding. Im gonna stay away from Pelneet. Its also weird how no information about the supposed destruction of Apostles of Nightmares has flowed in. Its possiblethat the spearmasters influence has even reached the organizations of the official authorities. But, going by the way she was talking, Leaf is definitely going to ignore her orders, and directly meddle with him. Since guildmaster has also proceeded with the preparations for the attackit might be difficult for him to suddenly call it off. But, that got nothing to do with me. No matter what kind of surprise attack they might launch, the outcome is pretty obvious. Out of obligation, Ive warned my comrades once. Are they going to kick me out of Shadow Wing if I contact the spearmaster? While pondering all that, Noran left the guilds mansion. Has Noran turned into a coward or what? Leaf, youre going too far Galroh cautioned Leaf while returning Sevicekel, who had been quietly listening to the leaders conversation on the table, into her circlet. So far, he has always finished missions by himself. That very Noran said that he considered his life precious. The strength of the spearmaster might go beyond any imagination. Also, the intuition of Plump-Eared Sein often proved to be right. Howeverour plan is already on the way, making it impossible to stop it at this point. Well limit it to just a.s.sa.s.sinating Lezalaysa. If you say so, guildmaster, Ill support you. Ive got a bad feeling about this, but its not like the spearmasters friends are going to be military forces or some such. Besides, our target is Lezalaysa. If we go at it with all of us, its a job that shouldnt pose much of a problem. Sein said. Well said, Sein. I want to fight as well! Leaf barked with all her four arms folded at her chest. Im not overly eager, but Lezalaysa is someone I failed to kill. I guess Ill try my best. Palda calmly said while placing a steel hand on Leafs shoulder. Yep, Palda. Itll be a continuation of our teamwork that cornered Lezalaysa the other day. Roger. Ill join in as well. Ill slaughter everyone with my lightning? Id like to abstain, but if everyone except for Noran feels like going for itIll do the same Alright. Then, just as I mentioned before, the plan will be for us to make a move while matching our timing with Resurrection and the hired dark guild members. Everyone nodded at Galrohs instruction, Yes, guildmaster. And as for the spearmaster Noran is so apprehensive aboutIll try to get directly in contact with him during the auction. Not to fight, but to invite him. Youre going to try recruiting him? Hes the boss of a dark guild, right? Would he really consider joining Shadow Wing? Leaf asked while sharply looking at Galroh with her three eyes. I dont know whether hes going to join or not, but its still better than him being hostile. The warning of Noran, who knew about the Spearmaster and the Black Cat, proved to be in vainthe Shadow Wing Brigade decided to head for Labyrinth City Pelneet. Translation Notes: