131
Bremen Town Musicians
‘Phew···.’
I continued to build up tension as I exhaled deeply.
He tightened his muscles around his shoulders, then relaxed them, and adjusted his grip on the shield in his hand.
There was an incomprehensible drawing on the corner of the shield.
It seemed as if the illiterate soldier had carved something recognizable instead of my name.
However, the picture was so crude that it was difficult to recognize.
‘No matter what, you still can’t write your name.’
I clicked my tongue and raised my gaze, and saw a desolate land.
The grass was all crushed and the ground was quite soft.
The presence felt from beyond was so heavy that I put strength into my hands that held the shield.
‘You’re really going through puberty.’
I clicked my tongue and grabbed my shield.
The mana club extending from Park’s head had no pattern.
Although their sizes were different, their shapes were similar.
It looked like a giant invisible pole was being swung around haphazardly around the head of a park.
“The unprocessed form of Mana will be similar and since it has no attributes, it will naturally disperse if you just block it. Mana that exceeds the limit will be forcibly scattered outside.”
Swallows’ voices dispersed as if they were speaking through the open window of a fast-moving car.
“Other information!”
I shouted without turning my head and looking straight ahead.
“As Young-ae’s body collapses, the amount she can’t handle increases. If Young-ae can’t hold on and collapses, a huge explosion will probably occur.”
My brow furrowed at the words “big explosion.”
‘I have to finish this as quickly as possible.’
I squinted my eyes and tightened my grip on the shield.
It was quite heavy, but not so heavy that it couldn’t be stopped.
However, the problem was that the shock would flow to Kanna, who had been separately enchanted by Kuabarou.
Phew-.
All I had to do was focus on holding on and moving forward.
“So magic… mana…,”
From behind, Kwan Bao’s voice could be heard explaining something to Kanna.
He held his shield tightly and focused on the sound.
Mana was invisible, but when she moved, there was a sound of air tearing.
Just like the five eldest sons.
Of course, the five eldest sons were sharper and more threatening.
‘Besides, the part where Park’s head is pointed isn’t focused on me, but rather swings around recklessly.’
It was a bit far-fetched to compare it to the five eldest sons, but…
‘Still, I guess it’ll be good practice.’
“Forward!!”
I shouted, pulling the leather strap of my shield tightly and tying it tightly.
“Ouch! No… I understand!”
I took a step forward at the same time as Barley’s strange answer.
‘···Worship three times.’
I moved forward, suppressing my boiling anger at the guy who had made me worship three times.
Kuuung-!
The shock gradually grew stronger, but it was bearable.
I concentrated on the sound as much as possible. If I could figure out how to use it, it would be much easier since I could figure out the timing of my power.
However, it was difficult to tell the difference because the surroundings were filled with the sound of the air tearing as if a typhoon had come.
Even the power contained in them was so different that it was difficult to gauge.
It was a more difficult task than I thought.
‘I took it too lightly.’
Because I couldn’t see the shape, I had to keep my tension up.
Since I couldn’t control the intensity, the fatigue from it was extreme.
‘The closer I get, the more frequent it becomes.’
As he approached Park Daegari, the angle narrowed and the number of times he struck his shield increased.
It was still holding up because it couldn’t pierce the iron, but the corners of the shield were gradually crumpled, perhaps because of the repeated impacts.
Shhh-.
‘now!’
I raised my shield at the same time as the thin sound, but it passed me by.
But I couldn’t let go, so I picked up my shield again and the shock hit me belatedly.
Because I held my strength for a long time while being tense, I expended more mental strength than when I blocked it.
‘This is fucking crazy.’
It would be easier if I could at least know the timing, but since that’s impossible, it was harder than I thought.
‘It’s okay for now, but it’ll get tough if we go a little deeper.’
Because the shield was blocking the view, I couldn’t see beyond it, so I couldn’t gauge the distance.
Still, I knew the direction, so I just kept moving forward.
At that moment, Kanna poked my neck.
“frontal!!!”
Kanna’s voice, heard as if from far away, mixed with the sound of the wind.
He’s a smart kid, so he wouldn’t be crying out for candy at a moment like this.
‘Do you know when to attack?’
However, I didn’t fully trust him and held the shield askew in case the timing was off.
Kuung-!
The shock felt immediately afterwards.
‘The timing was right.’
Since it was originally mana that was spread from Park’s head, Kanna, the magician, could feel it-.
Wheezing-.
In a chaotic situation where the earth on all sides was being torn apart and exploded, it couldn’t have been ordinary for me to hit what was pointed at me.
“This way!! This way!!”
Kanna poked my neck from the center to the top on both sides.
‘I shouted twice, so does that mean they’ll come back in a row?’
I understood what it meant, but instinctively I couldn’t fully distribute my strength.
Since there was more luggage on the back than on the others, we had to consider the possibility of failure.
Kuung-!
The timing that Kanna spoke was spot on.
“frontal-!!!”
Listening closely, it seemed as if he was expressing his feelings with his voice.
This time the voice was louder than before, so I added strength to my hand holding the shield, and the huge shock was transmitted.
‘This is… real.’
I don’t know about mana, but this place right now was like a storm made of mana.
In the meantime, he figured out the mana directed at me and matched it to the century···.
Although Kuo Bao Rou had praised Kanna’s talent before, he didn’t know it would be to this extent.
Suddenly, I heard Hannah’s voice saying, ‘Kanna, Kanna!’ and I laughed without realizing it.
‘Kanna is Kanna.’
I smiled bitterly and grabbed my shield.
“This way!!”
As Kanna continued to point out the timing and direction of the attacks as if she was teaching me the attributes, I gradually started to get the feel of it.
“Kkieeeek!!”
“evil!”
“The sun will light the way!”
I frowned at the strange screams coming from behind me.
‘It’s not even a brain band…’
Even though I was blocking it from the front, it was hard to keep my wits about me because everything was exploding everywhere.
It was noisy, but I didn’t bother to point it out.
‘You’re making me pray three times…’
I just held my shield up, looked straight ahead, and advanced.
***
‘···Scattered.’
Vivian felt herself falling apart.
In the past, Vivian was very weak.
That was also the reason why her father forbade Vivian, who loved to run, to run.
Then one day, I suddenly started to feel full of energy.
And that power grew stronger and stronger until at one point it reached a point where it went beyond fullness.
It feels as if the flesh is expanding and expanding, as if it can no longer contain what is too full.
It felt like my body would explode and fall apart at any moment.
Vivian was so far removed from pain that she was confused by the pain she was experiencing for the first time.
I never imagined something this horrible could happen.
Vivian just kept screaming, croaking so loud that no sound came out.
Unable to move my body, I was crouching in an empty space.
I couldn’t remember how much time had passed, or when I had been free from this pain.
I wish I could just lose my mind, but the pain is making me more and more clear.
I never knew being sick could be this horrible…
‘How could that person be in that state···.’
Vivian thought of the man swinging his sword even though his whole body was covered in blood.
A man who somehow managed to move without even groaning once.
At the time, I didn’t know the weight of the pain, so I just thought, ‘This is going to hurt! This is a big deal! How can I help it?!’ But now that I know what pain is, I couldn’t understand it even though I saw it with my own eyes.
How could he swing his sword without giving up even in pain?
The excruciating pain continues again.
Vivian hugged me tightly, trembling.
I became increasingly weak and discouraged in the face of pain.
More than anything, the empty surroundings undermined Vivian’s will.
After all the grass had been blown away, there was nothing around. Just an invisible wind continued to blow, making a loud noise.
I felt like I was left alone in a ruined world.
When even the thought of wanting to live any longer crumbles.
thud!
A heavy sound was heard from somewhere.
When I opened my eyes, which had been shut so tightly that my eyelids were trembling, I saw something far away.
Vivian concentrated on him, trying to hold back her escaping breath.
In a desolate world where nothing remains, only one thing was approaching.
‘···shield?’
Looking closely, I saw that it was an iron shield used by soldiers.
‘No! It’s dangerous!’
Vivian remembered the terrible things she had done to Blossom.
Something was happening to him that he couldn’t handle, and he was destroying and breaking everything around him.
That’s why I ran away to a place where there were no people, so why are you coming at me again?
I wanted to shout at them to tell them not to come, that it was dangerous, but when I opened my mouth, only a croaking sound came out.
Kuung!!
The heavy sound is heard again.
The shield got a little closer.
Then, a golden arm armor is visible next to the shield.
‘······Aaron?’
There was only one person wearing such strangely colored armor.
A small hope appeared in Vivian’s eyes.
The desperate scene where he saved himself in the last Plitten came to mind.
No, it wasn’t just once.
He has already saved himself several times.
Vivian was shameless and dirty, but she wanted him to save her once again.
No, I was hoping you would just end this suffering.
Kuung!!
The iron shield approaches again.
The corners of the sturdy iron shield were crumpled as if someone had struck it.
Then, Aaron’s face is seen beyond it.
Although his expression was as blank as before, his strangely distorted face seemed to indicate how serious the situation was.
His face, which had not wrinkled while fighting the devil in his armored state, was now wrinkled and fierce.
A conflict arose in Vivian’s mind.
There was a selfish desire for him to save himself, and a desire to prevent anyone else from getting hurt because of him.
Kuung!
The iron shield approaches again.
Now even his hair seemed to be fluttering.
Hopes and expectations are growing again.
Then he will somehow save himself.
The top of the iron shield was bent long and long, revealing the strange red breastplate.
That thick shield looked extremely dangerous, with more than half of it crumpled.
No matter how much I tried, it felt like it would collapse if I got any closer.
But I still hoped it wouldn’t stop.
Vivian realized for the first time how ugly and selfish she was.
Kuuung!
Kkieeeeeek!
At that moment, a strange sound was heard through the surrounding wind noise.
When I listened closely, I heard a series of strange sounds.
“Front!! Front!!”
“Kkieeeek!!”
“No matter how dark the road ahead may be, the sun···!!”
“Aaah!!”
The various voices came from behind Aaron.
Aaron still approaches silently.
As he got closer, the strange noise became louder and louder.
Vivian opened her eyes wider to try to figure out what it was.
Kwaaaaang!
At that moment, a huge impact sound different from the one now was heard and Aaron was slightly shaken.
‘Ah… no!!’
Vivian felt utterly disillusioned that her sighs came not from the danger he was in, but from the fear that he would not be able to save her.
How could you have such selfish thoughts when you see him risking his life to save you right now?
The thoughts were interrupted by a strange sound that followed.
“Slightly to the right of the front!!!”
“Kkieeeeeek!!”
“No matter how dark the road you walk!” “Ack!! Ack!”
Then Aaron lifted his shield at an angle and saw the people behind him.
He was approaching me, risking his life to save me.
‘But I can’t give up.’
Vivian turned her ugly selfish desire to live in a different direction.
‘He risked his life to save me, so I can’t just sit still!’
Even the slightest movement brought a dizzying feeling that could not be expressed in words like pain, but Vivian gritted her teeth and endured it.
Didn’t Aaron fight the devil even in that bloody state? He didn’t even bleed!
Kwaaaaang!!
“Kkieeeek!!”
“frontal!!”
“The sun···.”
It was a series of strange screams, but it gave me strength to feel that I was not alone in a place filled with only the sound of the wind.
Vivian was finally able to get up.
Then, when I squatted down, I saw things I hadn’t seen before.
Aaron’s face, visible beyond the shield, looked quite fierce.
Of course, he had always looked fierce because of the scar, but now he looked a little rougher.
It feels like I’m really angry.
“Kkieeeek!!”
“Front again!”
“The sun!!”
“Ouch! Ouch!”
Plus, a strange chorus can be heard amidst the sound of the wind.
‘Wow… I’m scared…’
They were clearly there to save me, but I was afraid of their strange behavior.
Kwaaaaaaaang!!
The roar grew louder.
This time the shield was completely crumpled.
Aaron then threw him backward and drew his sword.
Vivian swallowed without realizing it at the sight of that pitch-black, long sword.
The demons that were torn to pieces by that sword were still vivid in my mind.
Those indifferent eyes looking at yourself.
When you see the devil, aren’t you looking at him with those eyes?
‘···Why?! Why?!’
Vivian took a breath.
at that time.
“Front! You’re strong!!”
At the shout from behind, Aaron extended his sword and turned it diagonally.
Vivian couldn’t understand him.
Why would you point your sword at something you can’t see?
However, in the situation that followed, Vivian opened her mouth wide, forgetting the pain.
Aaron turned his sword askew.
After that, the ground was dug long to the side with a blunt sound.
It was as if an invisible sword had been shed.
However, Aaron’s indifferent eyes were still directed at him.
Aaron gets closer again.
The louder the noise, the more eerie the chorus.
It was clear that he was coming to save her, but Vivian was afraid of those indifferent eyes.
It was an emotion that came from instinct, not reason.
My heart was beating fast and I avoided those eyes for no reason.
However, it is not polite to look someone in the eye, so I turned my head again, but avoided the gaze again.
Kwaaaaang!
Eventually, the face got close enough to be seen, and the noise grew louder.
Aaron’s face looked so fierce up close that Vivian had to hold back her feet from taking a step back.
‘You’re coming to save me. I’m having strange thoughts because I’m in pain.’
Even though I kept repeating it, I was still scared by Aaron’s angry face.
Aaron continued to swing his sword and came closer.
The land that continues to be drawn and damaged next to it.
Now he was swinging his sword continuously.
Even if he made just one mistake, something terrible would happen, but his eyes were still focused on Vivian.
Soon we arrived right in front.
Suddenly snowflakes started falling all around.
The sight was so beautiful that I forgot my pain and was amazed.
And Aaron, coming through him.
His face was so fierce and scary, but he looked like the hero in the books I read when I was young.
A warrior who defeated the Demon King who existed a long time ago.
“iced coffee···.”
Vivian tried to scream in fear, but she was unable to form words and dispersed.
Aaron arrived right in front of them, blizzard getting so bad that they couldn’t see even an inch ahead of them.
Vivian, who had been blankly staring at him, slowly reached out her hand.
Just like in that fairy tale.
Aaron also reached out his hand.
Soon, Aaron’s hand touched mine.
Because she was wearing gauntlets, she could only feel the cold touch, but for Vivian, who was in despair because she had nothing, even that touch was desperately needed.
Selfishly, the first thought that came to my mind was, ‘I’m alive now.’
Strangely enough, just that cold touch seemed to make all the pain in my body disappear.
When Vivian, who had hesitated for a moment, looked into his indifferent eyes and was about to take a step forward.
A large fist approached.
Kuh!!!
Kkieeeeek!!
The sun is upon you…
evil!
‘···why?’
Vivian’s mind drifted away as a huge fist obscured the world.
***
“Whew.”
I examined the fallen park head, spitting out the dirt in my mouth.
Even though he was anesthetized, the mana that was being spread around him continued regardless of Park Daegari’s will.
However, as the distance got closer, Kuabarou and Kanna started to squirm and release their mana in different directions.
It is said that the mana that was scattered after losing its owner was converted along the way…
‘Why did it have to be the eyes?’
I clicked my tongue and readjusted my grip on the sword.
“Honorary Monk Aaron! Did you kill him?!”
“What do you mean kill?!”
The wind was so loud that they had to raise their voices.
I held Park’s head by the waist and lifted him up as Kuobarou had requested. It was like holding a puppy.
Kanna got down from behind me and clung to Park Dae-gari’s heartbeat like a kangaroo.
“It’s just getting started! You can’t lose focus! Focus from now on, Kanna!!”
“huh.”
The two of them started whispering and then muttered something.
‘It was harder than I thought. It was a good idea to bring the abbot along.’
There were several times when I almost tore my muscles if it weren’t for the abbot’s care and assistance along the way.
I clenched my numb hands and looked back at the situation.
Kanna told me exactly when and in what direction to attack, and I was able to get the feel of it by repeating it.
‘It wasn’t for nothing that they taught and beat you in kendo.’
Once I got the hang of it, it became a lot easier.
Since the broken shield was not really necessary, I abandoned it and drew my sword, applying the sword technique of throwing the sword away.
In the end, it was quite tasty.
‘I’ve been training quite a bit.’
Among the demons, there were quite a few who attacked with invisible things, like the five eldest sons and the bitch.
This time I got really familiar with him, so it seemed like it would be helpful in dealing with them.
Even when studying, advance studying was the most important.
“Kkieeeeeeeek!!”
My thoughts were interrupted by the scream of Kua Ba Rou announcing the start.
‘···The one who receives Mana’s love.’
I looked down at the top of Park’s head and assessed the situation.
I got Kanna through that mana storm and got her head on Park’s head, so my job is done.
Since Kuabarou cared for Kanna very much, it didn’t seem like there would be any problems. Kanna also replied that it was okay.
Plus, there were medical staff, so we could deal with any accidents.
‘I’m a little tired.’
At that moment, snowflakes piled up gently on the top of Park’s head.
Even in this urgent situation, I clicked my tongue as I looked at the snowflake with my tiny face engraved on it.
How much time has passed like that?
Kuobarou’s scream was not heard.
When he raised his head, he saw Kuobarou stepping back with a serious face.
The heavy presence that had been emanating from Park Daegari until just now disappeared in an instant.
A tingling sensation came over me as I held Park’s head in my hands.
‘condensation?’
It felt like a huge amount of air had been compressed into one point.
Until just a moment ago, it was as noisy as if we were in the middle of a typhoon, but now I couldn’t hear a single sound.
It was just quiet.
Just like before a storm comes.
‘It’s heavy.’
I braced myself with my numb arms and looked at Kanna.
Kanna’s face was more serious than ever.
His lips, which had been tightly bitten in concentration, burst and bled, and his closed eyes trembled.
‘This is dangerous.’
I nodded, looking at the barley behind it.
Even Barley, who was last, seemed to have had his fair share of troubles and was in a terrible state.
Barley paused for a moment with a distorted face before nodding in return.
You know what I mean without me having to say it out loud.
If things go wrong, swing your Aura, I told you earlier.
The silence continued for a moment.
I counted in my head.
If nothing changes until I reach the point of fever, I’m thinking of choosing it.
At that moment, something unexpected happened, as if a dam had opened its floodgates.
Lightning extending from Kanna’s back.
It was incomparable to the lightning that Kanna had been spewing from her mouth until now.
Lightning flashed from Kanna’s back into the sky, making the dark night brighter than the day.
‘Did you decide on lightning?’
It was wise. If it had been fire or ice, it could have caused damage to the surrounding area.
If it had been fire instead of lightning, the surroundings would have turned into hell, and if it had been ice, it would have turned into the land in the far north.
Soon, lightning rose as if it was going to touch the sky, expanding like ink sprinkled on water and filling the sky.
The majestic lightning, as if God were painting a picture in the sky, was so spectacular that just looking at it made my skin tremble···.
‘Why me again?’
I instinctively lowered my head to face the sky that filled it.
Among Kanna’s facial features, which were tightly pursed as if she was concentrating hard, one corner of her mouth was raised.
For some reason, the towers and buildings that Kanna had mentioned that resembled me came to mind.
‘But it’s still cool.’
I swallowed my saliva at the sight that seemed to be the descent of the god of lightning.
***
‘What a headache.’
Danso muttered, spinning the dagger in his hand.
Somehow we managed to keep the organization together and hold on to Karzan, but the ‘figure it out’ thing he said was the problem.
There were no specific details, but Danso analyzed it separately later without asking.
The answer was found in the actions he showed when he visited Karzan.
‘Do not touch civilians.’
It was the largest stem.
Every time he came to Karzan, he caused a commotion, but civilians were not included in his activities.
However, since I had to draw a line and move within it, it was several times more difficult than before.
Of course, Danso had no objection to that.
‘I called him here because he acted too harshly in the first place.’
It was right to put limits on actions to prevent something like that from happening again.
However, the organization had a hard time running due to its behavior of keeping to the line.
It was fortunate that his visit last time had left a deep impression on the minds of other organizations, but recently, many people have been infiltrating the city of Karzan, taking advantage of the chaotic situation in the east.
Most of them were vicious men with nothing to lose, so to act in a way that was fair in dealing with them was weakness and frailty.
‘Now, there is talk from the cool dagger side too···.’
The cute rabbit that had been to Cassidy where he was was quiet, but the situation was becoming increasingly overwhelming.
I racked my brain for him so much that when I woke up yesterday, a handful of hair had fallen out.
But that didn’t mean I could call him again.
The first time, the city was set on fire, and the second time, the city was destroyed.
It was obvious what would happen next without even having to look.
‘If we lower the standards a bit and then raise them again after we’ve recovered… but if it gets to his ears…’
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
“A group of mercenaries are looking for Dante!”
Danso’s brow furrowed at the report.
In case of an emergency, I ordered them to contact me if they found a two-letter name that started with ‘Dan’.
Among them were ‘Dante’, ‘Danso’, ‘Danbi’, ‘Dantu’, etc.
“He sent me···.”
“egg plant.”
Danso got up without hesitation.
“He’s already here. Danso told me to guide him right away when I told him his name.”
“First of all, I am Dante. Let me in.”
At Dante’s affirmation, the door opened roughly and the rough men came in.
Dante was the one who rose to the position of executive of the largest organization in Karzan.
I prided myself on having an eye for people, even if nothing else.
As they entered, the smell of blood was strong.
The smell of a killer.
It was similar to him, although to a lesser extent.
Even the woman in the front was similar in build to him.
Of course he was bigger, but the feeling was very similar.
Danso got up from his seat and greeted them.
“The master told me to listen to you.”
Short remarks.
Although his attitude was arrogant and did not match the content, I felt that he was a capable person.
Dante knew that the concentration of the scent of blood was directly related to skill.
And the smell of blood from his opponent was stronger than that of anyone I had ever encountered in this city.
‘Did you know about this situation?’
Support was suddenly sent after no news until now.
The timing was so perfect that it felt like I knew it.
A cold sweat ran down Dante’s back as he remembered that he had just tried to cross the line.
“So who should I kill?”
A monotonous voice, as if a laborer were asking what to do today.
Even though he wasn’t visiting, it seemed like Karzan was going to be in for another riot tonight.
The moment Dante was about to open his mouth.
The night sky reflected in the window behind them suddenly brightened.
‘···Is that Cassadick?’
Something rose from the direction of Cassidy and filled the sky.
Lightning shot out across the dark sky as if God were angry.
Even though the distance was very far, its splendor and majesty made anyone who saw it fall to their knees.
It eventually took shape-.
Dante couldn’t help but open his mouth at that sight.
‘What the heck is this···.’
A familiar face pointing at himself, filling the sky.
It was him.
He took the form of a lightning bolt stretching across the sky, pointing at himself.
And the mercenaries full of the smell of blood that he sent standing in front of that window-.
How on earth can one do something like this-.
Also, I had no clue what the identity was.
Dante’s pants just got damp.
