Urbos threw his arm towards me. As the tips of his hand passed by me scratching the ground, the low ground rose large and swooped me. I hurriedly turned my direction outwards and kept running while breaking through the pile of dirt that was pouring down.
I spat out the dirt that went into my mouth along with spit and grumbled.
“This bastard. He’s so freaking strong.”
The surrounding fields had turned into a mess. Urbos’ ignorant arms and feet mercilessly destroyed everything he passed by. Deep and wide puddles formed in the places he threw rocks at.
Castle guards erupted in screams from behind the wall. I didn’t hear it well from far, but I ironically saw the humungous shadow towering over my head and slipped away at the fastest pace as much as I could.
With a loud band, I and the horse both were stuck between his fingertips and were thrown forward to the ground.
In the air, I leaned back to hold my posture on the horse, landed on the ground, and ran quickly again.
And I looked back for a moment. Urbos was chasing behind me as ever while Lord Izenburg and Evelyn were chasing behind him.
Clash clang. Clang clang
The castle guards consecutively hit Urbos using the catapult explosives. It left nothing but scratches on him, maybe it was so that Urbos was annoyed, as he attacked the guards by throwing dirt at them.
Few catapults and castle guards fell over the wall at the dirt attack.
When Urbos was distracted, I switched my direction and slashed around his foot using Yojo. The lump of metal that was chopped off by the aura blade dropped to the floor.
Though it was quite big, to Urbos it was nothing but damage less than that of getting his nails cut off.
‘So annoying. I don’t think will end if it goes like this.’
Kroaarrghh. Urbos roared in a grotesque voice. As if in a burning rage, he beat his chest and started wildly throwing giant rocks at me.
With a loud bang, a rock went rolling right beside me. At the consecutive rock attacks that continued right after, I made a breakthrough and ran wildly.
Sharp fragments brushed over me and left few traces of cuts on my arms and legs. It did hit my face too, except for the scar on my forehead, it just bounced off with a blunt sound.
“Damn it. What kind of struggle is this.”
The cost of my pride was very big.
I did nothing but just hated to lower my head to anyone else, but the world doesn’t want to accept me that way.
The world always asks me to lower my head to the stronger ones and obey them. That it will get easier if I do so.
Of course, it’d be easier if I obey them. Since there’s no reason to fight with the strong ones, and there’s no need to go against the rules of the weak-fisted world.
Though I have strategic escapes, I don’t have an idea to obey them at all. Obeying them means that I’m a weak person and weak people die before anyone else in the destruction era. For me, who lived in the future, weakness is equal to death and is a value that should be avoided at all costs.
So, I hate surrendering. The surrendering ones are dependent on others, and the ones who depend on others will eventually die by getting disregarded by others. I’ve never been through it myself, so I don’t know the survival method.
Yes. I’ve always saved my life against death. I absolutely have no reason to be bossed around by a Valkyrie queen who grew up like a greenhouse plant.
“Big-headed old maid. Just see me one more time, I’ll throw shit water on your face.”
Once again Urbos’ hand swept over my head. The sudden gust of wind caused the horse to stagger, but I slowed down rapidly got hold of the balance.
At that guy’s hand that swept again, I and the horse flew up in the sky once again.
As soon as I landed, I turned the horse around and rand towards Urbos.
A lump of metal falls off with the trajectory of Yojo.
Evelyn and Lord Izenberg joined in and brushed past by slashing his foot.
I slowly started to wallow in the despair of everyone’s eyes. That guy of an insane size did not budge no matter what. Rather Urbos ran wild and started throwing dust and rocks around as if someone put fire on his injury.
“Urgh.”
I charged again.
Urbos’s hand flew towards me passing my crotch within a flash. As I gave up on attacking and slipped back at my heel and dodged, the guy lost his balance in the air and fell forward staggering to his feet.
Right when he hit the floor with a thud, I heard a magical whisper of a woman in my ear.
“Hey, kiddo. Urbos’ weakness is the giant essence in his chest.”
It was Katrianne’s voice. No one else called me a kiddo except for that red-haired shitfly. It somehow seemed like she was either trying to be a rebellion towards Nemisona in violation of the laws of the Sky City, or she wanted to protect the people in the Castle of Divinum.
Well, Katrianne was indeed a woman like that. Since she was the person who fought for the people when every other Valkyrie escaped.
Urbos’ chest is nearly 20 meters thick. If the giant essence was his weakness, it would most probably be embedded deep in his chest, but my Yojo cannot pierce through that. Since it doesn’t even make up to 2 meters even with the aura blade.
“Urgh. You’re telling me that as if it’s useful information? You think my sword can reach up to there?”
“You think it’s not possible if it’s you, kiddo? Am I wrong? Grand Prince of Carl?”
I felt a prick inside. I couldn’t understand how did she figure out my identity.
There was only one person who could possibly find out about my identity as of now. My best friend Hubeo. He knows about the relationship between me and Shura, and about the Aim Village where we met.
I don’t know how Katrianne found out about me, but I’m sure she’s jumping to conclusions. Otherwise, there’s no way that Princess Ignes would’ve suggested taking off my mask earlier.
“What nonsense are you up to from before? Why am I the corrupted Grand Prince?”
“You aren’t?”
“Isn’t that obvious? That guy died, didn’t he?”
“Then I cancel what I said about the weakness. Just escape to somewhere far away. Run well and hard. Until Armida arrives.”
She really speaks so mean. I don’t understand why she’s mean only to me.
But I also got a hopeful hint. I’m talking about the powerful strength in Yojo. Though the only issue is that I don’t know to use it properly, there’s certainly a method. Since I’ve fought with Katrianne as an opponent before.
The reason Yojo brought me here could perhaps mean it wants to bring out that power too, like with Katrianne in the past.
‘Yojo, is that so?’
I looked at Yojo and was lost in thoughts for a brief moment.
Do I hold on like this waiting for Armida who went looking for Prosia or do I put my life at stake and keep going forward?
In the past, I always went with the latter. I did not die in the castle waiting for salvation, but I ventured into the group of demons waiting for my death to regain my survival.
And the latter was always right. The ones who remained at the castle waiting for salvation had died while I insanely managed to break through the group of demons to the rear, and barely survived.
‘Well, when did I ever believe in others.’
I turned the horse’s head right away. I’ve always believed only in Yojo and no one but me who regained survival. This time too, I will believe in no one but us to keep going forward.
I ran towards Urbos who was getting up slowly.
“Baekmyeon! You’re insane!”
Evelyn let out a scream as if wailing. In that gap, I got on that guy’s arm, crawled up his body, and swung Yojo towards his metalhead.
Urbos’ forehead was slashed like that along with the sound of a chop. But that was it. That guy did not show a sign of surprise and rather swung his hand towards me who was almost falling.
I hurried and pierced Yojo into his body and stopped myself from falling. My body was caught p in the strong wind and the cold metallic feeling brushed the tip of my toes.
I pulled Yojo again and stabbed his shoulder using the swinging recoil.
“Baekmyeon! It’s a meaningless attack! Avoid it since it’s dangerous!”
Even in that moment, where Lord Izenberg yelled out, my body flew up without a hitch. I hit the floor soon and went rolling few times and slipped while throwing dust everywhere. I barely stopped myself and stood up wiping the blood on my lips with my arm.
The shock made it hard to even breathe. My shoulders and thighs were dragged on the floor hurt and every bone in my body felt sore.
“Urgh. Can’t I do this easily?”
Urbos came walking towards me with a roar and raised his foot with all might to step on me. I was on the lookout for a moment in the darkness and flung myself when his feet were almost at my reach. I leaped into the air with a loud thud and a surge of dust.
It was then. Rays of light beamed from over the wall and hit the guy’s torso. For a moment I thought it was probably the catapult, but soon I realized that it wasn’t.
The catapult cannot shoot light.
I narrowed my eyes to find two women over there. It was Shura and Princess Ignes.
I yelled.
“Shura! I asked you to leave with Padilla, didn’t I?”
“I sent Padilla away.”
“Hey. I meant that you should go along with her too!”
“I will fight together with you.”
She never listens to me anyway. Of course, I don’t too. It’s strange to find myself saying this, but it seems like we get along well.
“Do as you wish!”
Out attack continued. When Urbos was focused on me, Evelyn and Lord Izenberg pierced through his feet using the aura blade while Shura and Princess Ignes’s magic charged his body with dark soot.
But still, there wasn’t a blow of conclusion.
‘How on earth do I get this magic to work!’
I didn’t know what was so lacking that Yojo couldn’t invoke the magic. I was mad enough over Nemisona already and was also prepared to keep going further. I had enough will to destroy Urbos and I sincerely believe in Yojo.
It’s definitely a magic that’s invoked through a psychological phenomenon, but I had absolutely no idea as to what more I needed to make Yojo’s magic respond.
I stared at the dark horse that stood nearby. I gnawed my lips at the horse that looked as if it was tempting me to get on and flee.
I don’t know when I will get an opportunity to awaken Yojo’s magic if not for now.
Urbos was the only barrier to my escape ever since the age of destruction. I need to pierce through even if it’s hard. Even if I run away from him, I felt as if the dark and weary despair of the age of destruction would devour me.
Roarghhhhh
Urbos let out a cry and flashed a strong red light from his eyes. Right when I was feeling anxious about it, I heard Katrianne’s magical whisper.
“It’s the explosive mode. Be careful!”
“This damn-…. When weren’t you!”
But Katrianne’s advice was right. The guy got bigger, faster, and started attacking even more indiscriminately.
As Urbos swung both his arms wildly, the ground was blown away with dirt flying all over the place. I kicked up the rising ground and ran towards him.
Though my body turned bloody with all the injuries caused by the flying debris, I didn’t care. I had no thoughts but to bring out Yojo’s magic.
“Yojo! Please!”
When I slashed his foot with all my might, there was a deep and large cut that I had never seen before. It was only a little bit, but Yojo definitely showed some kind of response.
Indeed, the real move was the answer. Only if I push myself hard until the very end against a powerful opponent, Yojo will make a move.
‘This is why you didn’t even flinch normally I see.’
But it returned to its place soon. My attacks went back to normal and gave nothing but light injuries to Urbos.
When he stepped on me, I dodged, when he threw his fist, I dodged again. When I was almost cornered to the wall, I ran with all my might, jumped by stepping on Urbos’ foot, and slashed his calf.
“Yojo! Go for it!”
I could see his metal flesh cut off his body. Once again, Yojo showed a reaction. I still don’t know how do I invoke it, I kind of got the hang of it.
In that gap, artillery fire and the magic of the sacred weapons struck Urbos one after the other.
Finally, after I got out after being cornered to the moat, I started climbing up the leg of the guy who came running behind me.
I could see Urbos’ fist coming flying towards me.
I jumped high, scurried on his ragingly swaying forearm, and flung myself towards his thick metal chest as I reached a set height.
“Yojo! For goodness’ sake!”
As I swung Yojo with all my might and a desperate wish, Urbos’ chest was slashed roughly, forming a deep cut.
I gave a weak smile at the gentle glow that could be seen deep inside the cut.
Ignes who was on the wall nearby let out a scream at everyone.
“Everyone, please focus the attack towards the glow you see on the chest! That place is the weak point!”
Catapults and magic attacks were shot at Urbos’ chest. Though most of them were blocked by his rugged steel hands, some of them slipped through the gap between his fingers and gave a blow to the giant essence.
Erghnnnnggg. Erghnnnnggg.
Perhaps the magic on the outside of the essence was damaged that Urbos started moving strangely. Soon the staggering guy with his hands and feet shriveling, lost it as if he was about to explode.
I landed on the floor and glared. Urbos’ arm that was swinging in malfunction flew towards Shura and Princess Ignes who were using magic. Though they tried to hurriedly cut off the magic, it was too late already. The metal arm was already flying right above their heads.
Shura and Princess Ignes were in danger. I felt an eerie sensation suddenly and ran like I was out of my mind.
“Damn it!”
Soon, their final spells of the sacred weapons were cast. I got on the wall and jumped with all my might while swinging Yojo towards the guy’s arm. The arm that exploded with a loud bang flew far away at my strike.
But I didn’t pay attention to myself who flew high up in the sky and straight-up swung Yojo towards Urbos’ head.
“Die!”
Clang! Rutterttut!
Urbos was destroyed almost as if crushed to pieces. His hard metal leg fell apart as if it was exploded. His body that was dented down up to the waist, moved for a moment and collapsed backward.
When I landed and witnessed Urbos’ disastrous skeleton, my hand holding Yojo trembled for a moment.
I don’t know what on earth just happened. I couldn’t understand how that giant steel monster was crushed like a tin with just a single blow by Yojo. And what was that jump skill I saw a while ago? I just got over a 30-meter-tall wall and flew up to the head of a guy who is almost 100 meters in height.
Evelyn approached me with a frightened look on her face.
“B-, Baekmyeon. What on earth did you just do?”
I had no idea as well. For a moment I thought I had managed to bring out Yojo’s magic, and yet again I witnessed the power Yojo possessed that I had no idea of. I had no way of knowing what was the limit of Yojo’s skills.
“H-, Hubeo St. Trio EX? No way. You could use it too?”
“What?”
Lord Izenberg pointed at Urbos’ disastrous skeleton that had stopped functioning.
“Just now. Wasn’t your magic invoked too along with the magic of the Saintesses? And there’s no one except Hubeo St. Trio EX who possesses this much destruction energy.”
I blinked my eyes. ‘Hubeo St. Trio EX’. Coming to think of it, I’ve heard of it indeed. It was when I watched a play about Hubeo’s heroic tales back in Kara.
No matter how much of a faithful devotee he is, this human straight out believed a lie