Chapter 23 – A Star Burning at Dawn
While swaying on the large, steel back, Sheto thought about what he had just seen.
Keita, struggling desperately. And then vanishing into flames.
“Keita…why…so reckless.”
“Isn’t it obvious? It is to win.”
He heard Berganda’s voice clearly.
Before he knew it, all of the enemies had been left behind him. At his side followed Udik and the ogres, wounded but still keeping a steady, determined pace.
And behind them the surviving goblin soldiers ran as fast as they could.
“Chief! We are all who got through! However, the enemy should not be able to catch up, as there are too many of them!”
“I would like to swing around and hit them from both sides, but with this force, we would just end up getting surrounded instead. We will push through in one go.”
In front of the burned enemy camp, a force far smaller than the Tercio unit was desperately trying to solidify its defenses.
Upon seeing it, Sheto could only stare in disbelief and protest.
“No, you can’t. If attack like this, they will, reset again.”
“Isn’t that a good thing? And then that village Hero will be resurrected, no?”
“Huh?”
“You said it. That if we reset, it will be morning again.”
For a second, his mind went blank. And then there was a wave of relief.
“Ye…yes! Is that right, Salia?”
‘It…is…isn’t…it?’
Came the foolish question. The voice that answered was strangely cool.
‘I suppose it is. If he means to reset, that is.’
The nervousness returned inside of Sheto’s heart, and the world suddenly had meaning again.
The Seer only turned back time when he was at a disadvantage.
“He-hey! Hurry! Go to, the Hero!”
“You are quite the mercenary. I was going to do it anyway…”
As he ran, something appeared up ahead.
In front of the enemy’s defensive formation, a man in a blue robe was standing.
“That is… It is the strategist, Vengras…”
“Hey, Chief! This looks…bad!”
Eight other spell casters stood around the strategist, and raised their staves up high into the air.
“Legis Stole Raltu!”
As if they were all a singular being, they began to chant in perfect unison.
“How great is the earth’s embrace, bearing the love and hatred of the blue heavens, etched to reveal the sacred stigmata.”
‘No! Demon General, order your troops to retreat at once!’
Rang the Dragon God’s voice. While looking hesitant, Berganda shouted at the ogre next to him.
“It’s the siege spell ‘Starfall’! If we do not move, we shall be crushed to dust without a trace!”
“But was that spell not abandoned because it was too impractical to use!?”
Around the strategist standing at the center of the spell, the eight figures flared up in a blue blaze. The gathered energy began to leak outward, warping them into something inhuman.
“Flaming arrows from the hands of the giant god, sealed within the vault of darkness…”
“Damn it all!! Move!”
A whistling shriek, like the cries of migrating birds, ripped through the air. A moment later, the same sound rang out across the battlefield from all directions.
“Full retreat! Disengage and withdraw from the battlefield at once!”
Up until then, Berganda had been charging straight for the enemy lines, but now he spun on his heel and broke into a run.
“Wh-why!? We are, so close! We can go, and stop the magic!”
‘It’s no use! Siege sorcery is not like ordinary magic! Look to the sky!’
There had not been a single cloud in the sky up until then, but now, a black voice had opened up.
“Pierce through time and split the sky. Seek out the one you hold dear.”
The chants began to rewrite the very nature of the world. What looked like a black hole was something that should not have been visible. The night sky, filled with stars.
Bonus chapter courtesy of Photo. Thank you so much!!