CHAPTER 74 #2
Kitang-kita rin niya ang matitinding sugat sa kaniyang likuran.
She could clearly see the deep, open wounds on her brother's back as he desperately held his ground.
My brother was supposed to be attending his academy... training, studying, and spending time with his friends. He was supposed to be worrying about simple things, laughing with his classmates, and enjoying his childhood... just like I thought he would.
He wasn't supposed to be here...
He was supposed to have a normal life...
Sunod-sunod na umalingawngaw ang mga sigaw ng mga tao sa paligid. Nagsimula silang magsiksikan at mag-unahan sa pagtakbo, habang ang iba naman ay desperadong hinahanap ang kanilang mga kasama at pamilya.
"Takbo! m-mga d-demonyo!"
"Ah!"
"N-nakakatakot ang kanilang mga itsura! paanong umatake ang mga demonyo rito?! takbo!"
"Sandali! s-sandali! ang anak ko! nasaan ang anak ko?!"
"Bilisan ninyo! u-umalis na tayo rito! a-ah!-" napatigil sa pagsigaw ang babae nang biglang may misteryosong kadiliman na lumitaw sakanyang tinatapakan. Bago pa man siya makagalaw, mabilis siyang hinila nito pababa, dahilan upang tuluyan siyang mawala sa paningin ng mga nakapaligid sa kaniya.
Some of the women who possessed strong mana had already been taken by the demons. They were specifically targeting those with powerful mana, taking them away before anyone could stop them.
The people nearby froze for a moment before panic erupted once again.
Ang iba't ibang uri ng mga demonyo ay patuloy na umaatake sa kahit sinong malapit sa kanila. The human flesh they consumed seemed to make them stronger, making them even more difficult to stop.
Mabilis silang kinalaban ng Imperial Knights, Holy Knights, at Mysarea Knights, ngunit kahit gaano karaming atake ang matanggap nila, bumabalik lamang sila sa dati. Their wounds quickly regenerated, as if their bodies refused to remain damaged.
"They seem to keep regenerating! Hindi sila namamatay!" hingal na sigaw ni Caspian habang patuloy na umiiwas sa mga atake.
Sampung demonyong may tig-sasampung mata ang sabay-sabay na sumugod sa kaniya.
Mabilis na kumilos si Caspian at agad umiwas sa unang atake bago isa-isang sinaksak ang mga ito sa bawat parte ng kanilang katawan.
He was too fast, weaving effortlessly between them before they could surround him, using his speed to keep from being overwhelmed.
Every slash left a trail of dark blood as the demons shrieked in agony.
Ngunit sandali lamang ang lumipas, bumalik muli sa dating anyo ang mga demonyong kaniyang inatake.
"What should we do, Captain?!" sigaw ni Dazro habang buong lakas na kinakalaban ang mga demonyong umaatake sa kaniya.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, Anastacio was desperately trying to calm himself down.
Ramdam niya ang galit ng kaniyang master, and he knew exactly how dangerous it could become.
He knew that if Rassia allowed her emotions to completely take over, her power could become difficult to control.
Napansin ni Lucy Pearl ang reaksyon ni Rassia at mabilis niyang hinawakan ang palad nito, which was still tightly gripping her scythe.
"Rassia, we are waiting for your orders..."
Napatingin si Lucy Pearl kay Anastacio. The Eternal Phoenix's eyes seemed to glow with a golden light mixed with an orange-red glow, a clear sign that he was struggling to keep himself calm.
Anastacio is having a hard time calming himself...
This brat... I need to calm her down before both of them lose control.
Good thing, Rassia is trained by Drakkon.
If not... baka kanina pa siya nagwala. I know how powerful she can become when her emotions take over, and right now, seeing her own little brother fighting an upper demon is exactly the kind of thing that could push her too far.
If she loses control, Anastacio might lose control with her, and the two of them could make this situation even harder to contain.
Muling tumingin si Lucy Pearl kay Rassia.
"Yes, that's your brother. Tutunganga ka lang ba riyan? You need to focus and think clearly. Hindi mo siya matutulungan kung hahayaan mong galit ang magdesisyon para sa'yo. Ipagpaliban mo muna ang iyong mga personal na emosyon. You are the one giving orders here, Rassia.
Marami ang umaasa sa'yo ngayon."
Rassia's grip on the scythe slowly loosened as she looked toward Russel again. Huminga siya nang malalim bago tuluyang ibinalik ang kaniyang atensyon kay Anastacio.
"Anastacio, return to my dimension for now. I need you to calm down and regain your composure. You have done enough. So go back for now, Anastacio. Rest, calm your mind, and wait for my order. When I need you again, I will call you."
His golden-orange eyes slowly dimmed as he looked at his master.
"Understood, Master."
Anastacio returned to her dimension, his presence disappearing from the battlefield as he followed Rassia's command.
Mabilis namang sumunod si Lucy Pearl kay Rassia, staying close behind her as Rassia immediately turned toward the direction where she could see the powerful presence of the upper demon and Russel.
Without wasting another second, Rassia ran toward them. Her scythe remained firmly in her hand as she moved through the battlefield, ignoring the demons that attempted to block her path.
Ang mga demonyong sumusugod kay Rassia ay mabilis namang hinarang ni Lucy Pearl.
?Lucy Pearl summoned her long black sword, with dark mana glowing intensely around its blade. Mabilis siyang gumalaw, effortlessly moving between the attacking demons as she struck them one after another. With each precise attack, she aimed directly at their necks.
Mabilis na gumulong ang mga ulo ng mga lower demons sa sahig habang unti-unting nagiging abo, along with the rest of their severed bodies.
Sandaling natigilan ang mga kawal at ang ilan sa Thirteen Guardians nang makita nila ang ginawa ni Lucy Pearl. Ilang sandali lamang ang nakalipas, they had been struggling to stop the demons from regenerating, yet Lucy Pearl had taken them down with a single weakness that none of them had noticed.
Dahan-dahang itinaas ni Lucy Pearl ang kaniyang itim na espada habang nakatingin sa mga kawal. Her expression was calm, but her voice carried enough authority to silence the battlefield around her.
"Listen, humans! the demons' weakest spot is their neck!"
Nagkatinginan ang mga kawal.
"Don't waste your attacks on their bodies! Aim for their necks! If you want to stop them from regenerating, that's where you need to strike! you fucking idiots!"
Agad namang nagbago ang kilos ng mga kawal maging ang 13 guardians. They tightened their grips on their weapons and began focusing their attacks toward the demons' necks.
Napatingin si Lurtheron kay Lucy Pearl habang patuloy na dumarami ang mga kawal na nagbabantay sa kaniya.
Thirty Holy Knights and forty-five Imperial Knights now surrounded him, forming a protective barrier around their Emperor.
Nanatiling mahigpit ang kapit niya sa kaniyang espada habang tahimik niyang pinagmamasdan ang kaguluhan sa paligid.
His eyes moved across the battlefield, watching the demons attack the soldiers while Lucy Pearl continued to fight them with terrifying ease.
A demon... fighting her fellow demons? How could that happen? She is fighting the very demons I was taught to fear, and yet Rassia trusts her without hesitation...
I have the Imperial Knights and the Holy Knights protecting me, yet I can only stand here and watch while Rassia moves forward...
Hindi nararapat na tumunganga lamang ako rito...
If only I could use my power... maybe then I wouldn't have to stand here and watch Rassia fight in my place.
I am the emperor. I should be the one protecting my people, not her.
But why does it feel like she is already doing everything I should be doing?
Why does she have to be the one standing between them and these demons?
Is she really a... savior?
I don't know anymore. I don't know whether Rassia is the savior who will protect this empire, or the greatest threat that will eventually... destroy it.
Walang nagawa si Lurtheron kundi manatili sa mas ligtas na lugar.
He let his knights and the different squads handle the chaos unfolding throughout the city.
Isa-isang nagdatingan ang iba pang mga squads upang tumulong sa pakikipaglaban sa mga demonyong patuloy na kumakalat sa Sartores.
The sound of weapons, magic, and the desperate shouts of the people filled the streets as more soldiers rushed toward the areas where the demons had appeared.
The capital city of Sartores was now filled with demons.
They had spread across different parts of the city, attacking anyone and forcing the soldiers to divide their forces just to keep them from reaching more civilians.
More and more knights continued to arrive, but the number of demons seemed to keep growing, turning the once peaceful capital into a battlefield.
Ang mensahe ni Lucy Pearl ay mabilis na naipasa ng mga kawal sa iba't ibang squad. Isa-isa nilang ipinaalam sa bawat pangkat ang kahinaan ng mga demonyo, kaya agad na nagbago ang paraan ng kanilang pakikipaglaban.
Nanatiling nakatingin si Valroth kay Russel habang mas lalong lumalawak ang kaniyang ngiti.
There was something unsettling about the way the demon smiled, especially as he stood calmly in the middle of the chaos.
Tumaas ang balahibo ng mga nakapaligid sa kanila, maging ang mga kawal.
Nanginig sila habang tahimik na pinagmamasdan ang kakaibang ngiti ni Valroth.
Hmm... kailangan ko nang paslangin ang paslit na ito. I need to focus on the Orythea. Ang kakaibang presensiyang kanina ko pa nararamdaman ay papalapit na... I can feel it getting closer. Mukhang siya na iyon...
I need to finish this quickly before the Orythea reaches us. I cannot afford to waste any more time on this boy. If I kill him now, I can finally focus on the Orythea...
"Poor little thing..." Valroth slowly tilted his head, his smile widening as he looked at Russel.