Chapter 330
Not so easy (2)
Seeing the twenty-metre abominations approaching—creatures that could make even the most veteran of ascenders feel their scalps prickle—there wasn't even a trace of fear on Natsuki's face. Her composure remained untouched, as though she were observing a minor inconvenience rather than a battle that could end their lives.
Six high-novice-level deadline creatures loomed before them.
Against one high novice and a normal human.
It wasn't just a simple six-versus-two. The difference in levels made the situation brutally lopsided. The odds were so overwhelmingly skewed that anyone less disciplined might have felt the despair rising in their chest, their throat tightening with helplessness. Just the thought of such a confrontation could bring tears to the eyes of the unprepared.
From the very way the creatures moved and radiated energy, it was clear that obtaining a black flag was no trivial task. This wasn't merely a test of strength—it was a trial designed to force collaboration. The scene reinforced IAM's theory: survival, and success, depended on working together. Without coordination, they wouldn't last long, and any solo attempts to claim a flag were almost guaranteed to end in failure.
But right now, they were attempting to take down such things with just the two of them, the creatures moving slowly towards them like they had all the time in the world. The forest floor seemed to shrink under the weight of the approaching creatures, each step bringing them closer to a confrontation that promised nothing short of carnage.
IAM spoke up, his voice steady but urgent. "We need to take them down as quickly as possible before they even have a chance to show their abilities! Use your stronger moves!" He readied himself, fingers tightening on the trigger as he prepared to empty the rest of his rounds into one of the approaching creatures. His eyes flicked to Natsuki, noting her rapid advance toward the frontmost monster. To prevent her from being overwhelmed or flanked simultaneously, he calculated quickly and aimed for the creature closest to her, ready to neutralize any immediate threats.
Two events were unfolding at the same time, and it made sense to focus on the more thrilling one first: Natsuki's approach.
Her eyes flashed, the gold in the center catching the light like molten metal, while the surrounding brown remained unchanged. She planted her foot firmly, each step strong and purposeful, and began to cover the distance with astonishing speed. The ground seemed to fly beneath her as though she had merged with the momentum of her stride, every muscle coiled and released in perfect harmony. The air around her seemed to shiver in anticipation of the strike she was about to deliver.
She leaned forward, poised like an extremely expensive car refined to have the very least amount of air resistance possible as she surged toward her target. Her body cut through the air with seamless precision, each step carrying her forward with fluid, almost mechanical efficiency, closing the distance at a speed that made her approach feel inevitable.
In her right hand, she wielded her sword. The hilt bore a small, enigmatic black cube etched with intricate, almost arcane lines. The blade itself balanced elegance and lethality, neither too long nor too short, a hybrid of an Ulfberht and a gladius—compact yet commanding.
Its central broadness gave a sense of raw, focused power, while a shallow fuller ran cleanly along its length, narrowing steadily to a confident, precise point. The steel gleamed faintly, dense and expertly forged, its edges honed for both slicing and piercing with absolute efficiency. It radiated resilience, a promise that it would withstand repeated strain without faltering, a weapon built with purpose and intent. The black cube hilt crowned the piece, giving the sword an air of a divine weapon.
She had it angled toward the ground, and with a firm slash, she aimed for what appeared to be a tiny, almost imperceptible gap near the shin of the deadline creature's leg—a hole that, unbeknownst to her, mirrored the damage her sword had already inflicted on the tree.
The wound seemed to awaken something in the creature, drawing her blade's focus with ruthless intent. Her sword screamed through the air with a whistle, striking with devastating precision. The creature stumbled violently, letting out a chilling, high-pitched screech, even though its featureless, bumpy face betrayed no expression of pain.
The sound did nothing to slow Natsuki. She did the unthinkable, committing an act no seasoned swordsman would dare. Every expert would have pages of warnings against it, citing countless ways it could backfire catastrophically.
She actually—threw her weapon. With flawless execution, the blade shot point-first toward the creature, the tip aiming like a deadly needle , colliding against the creature's face with a sharp clang, barely leaving a mark.
The face wasn't the weak spot—the sword had bounced off cleanly, leaving no real damage. Any swordsman or swordswoman watching would have gone mad, tearing at their hair and screaming, "Now what?! Now what are you going to do, you bloody idiot?! You've lost your weapon! You deserve to die! Die! Diiiieeee!"
To them, Natsuki offered nothing but a serene, almost sweet smile, one hand lifted with a middle finger, while telling them to shove that weak shit back up their ass! With an elegant, fluid motion, she extended her other hand toward the air, calling her sword back as if summoning it—like Thor reclaiming Mjolnir or Zeus drawing down a lightning bolt.
Her fingers flexed subtly, and the blade obeyed, gliding through the air with effortless grace. It returned to her hand in a seamless arc, its motion so flawless and perfect that any swordsman watching would froth at their mouth with jealousy and envy! Their own skills rendered petty in comparison.
She barely stayed in one position, flowing forward as if what she had just done were nothing remarkable, leaving onlookers to wonder exactly how she had pulled it off. Was it tied to one of her path methods, or something else entirely, a secret hidden deep behind those enigmatic eyes of hers?