Chapter 334: And It Was Winter (10)

Every victory and defeat came with reasons, big or small. It could be because one side surpassed the other in every aspect, or simply due to a difference in condition. However, that was what ordinary people thought. The strong considered only one thing. The reason they absolutely had to win.

Keter was exactly like that. He had created a reason he absolutely had to win for himself. Through Henya, he prepared a trap and devised a decisive scheme, even obtaining techniques capable of killing a divine being.

On the other hand, Eslow also had a reason he absolutely had to win. He had accumulated experience and skill over a lifespan dozens of times longer than a human’s average lifetime. Moreover, his body and senses were those of a demigod.

Such two forces faced each other. As a result, Keter killed Eslow. However, Eslow immediately revived on the spot. Whether this fell within Keter’s expectations didn’t matter. Even if it had been, Keter was no longer in a condition which allowed him to continue fighting.

Blood seeped from his neck that had been half severed and restored. The sealed wound looked ready to split open if he moved too violently. He still only had one arm remaining. The bleeding had been stopped. However, for an archer, losing an arm didn’t mean losing fifty percent of his strength but rather closer to ninety.

He was physically wrecked, but what was unseen inside was even worse. He only remained intact because he had numerous resistances thanks to the effect of Survival of the Fittest. An ordinary Transcendental would have been ground to dust. He had no bones or organs left in proper condition. The fact that he was alive at all was a miracle.

That should be the case...

Eslow, who had recovered more than half his body, stroked his chin. Even if he had been caught in a trap and unable to unleash his full power, he had undeniably been defeated and experienced death at Keter’s hands. That was a fact. However, that was then, and this was now.

He’s a walking corpse.

Keter’s condition was obvious to a Transcendental. He would certainly die within ten minutes if left alone.

Yet Keter still wore a confident expression, as if the fight weren’t over, or as if he had anticipated this situation from the beginning.

Is he bluffing...?

Eslow had never worried about traps until now. Trap or trick, he dealt with them head-on. Not once had any scheme truly troubled him.

—A trap is a desperate struggle of the weak.

However, that conviction had been shattered. He naturally became cautious, having been caught in a trap and tasted death.

What is he plotting now...

Keter’s Authority, Reversal. At a glance, it felt like a lesser version of Eslow’s own ability.

There’s no way that simply swapping positions with an arrow is his Authority.

Of course, there were many variables like how far the range was, or whether there were movement restrictions. Right now, however, that ability wasn’t dangerous.

A surprise attack using White Cloud like before isn’t possible either.

Eslow had been caught off guard because the arrow had been White Cloud, delaying his perception. If it had been any other arrow, he would have reacted first.

Moreover, White Cloud was now destroyed. Considering the level of explosive force it contained, its destruction was inevitable. Even if White Cloud were available to be used, Elsow wouldn’t fall for it again. Now that it was gone, there was absolutely no chance of a repeat.

His Ein is completely drained. Whatever remains will go toward maintaining his physical body.

No matter how many times Eslow thought it over, the conclusion was the same.

Keter has no hope.

He could simply walk over and take Keter’s head. If getting close felt uncomfortable, he could launch sword aura or an arrow from where he stood as well. The only reason Eslow didn’t do so was the sense of unease he felt.

How can he still be smiling?

Uncertain what trick was behind Keter’s smile, Eslow couldn’t act rashly.

***

Keter stood smiling with a worry-free attitude.

Eslow assumed there was a reason for that confidence and couldn’t act rashly, but the truth was—

My nose is itchy. I want to scratch it so badly.

Keter was going crazy from wanting to scratch his nose.

He’ll attack immediately if I scratch it.

It wasn’t that scratching his nose created an opening. The problem was the foolish appearance that action would convey. Right now, Keter was doing everything he could to look like he still had something up his sleeve. This shallow bluff only worked because of the cumulative effects of what Eslow had already suffered.

There’s an old saying that the bow is most threatening when it’s drawn.

To put it simply, Keter was aiming an arrow at Eslow. A silent message saying he would shoot if Eslow moved. However, it really was a bluff this time. If Eslow realized that and attacked, things would get troublesome. It’s not that Keter had failed to anticipate this situation.

Two days earlier, Daat had come to him and asked a question.

“Big Brother. I looked into it, and a lot of demigods are immortal. Especially Eslow, since he’s in a master-servant contract with the full god Lillian, the chances of him being immortal are even higher. You’ve got a countermeasure for that, right?”

“I do, but I don’t want to use it in this case.”

“Then what are you going to do? The only ways to stop immortality are divine weapons, specific Authorities, or sealing.”

“Sealing would be the safest bet.”

“Who’s going to seal him?”

“I’ll call someone.”

“Who?”

“An expert capable of sealing Eslow.”

“Are you close with them?”

“I think so?”

“

Sigh

. I’ll look into it too.”

Thus, yesterday, Keter had gone to find that expert. He had given notice that he would leave Eslow half dead, and that the expert should come and seal him.

They definitely would have gotten the signal.

The explosion of Milky Way, Good Night was that signal. An explosion visible from anywhere in the world. Of course, the other party never promised to come, nor did they owe Keter anything. Yet Keter was certain they would come.

What are they doing, taking a dump?

Every second counted right now. No matter how cautious Eslow was, he wouldn’t stand idle for more than ten minutes.

If they’re really running late, I’ll just have to drag this out a little longer.

Why had he been running around all this time? He didn’t meddle here and there just for fun. He still had cards to play. He would save them if he could, but if he had to use them, he would do so without hesitation. That was Keter.

While the two stood in silence for a while, Keter made the first move.

Keter flinched and looked next to Eslow.

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

“

Huh?!

”

Eslow was a Transcendental. A five-hundred-meter radius was his domain to rule, even if he couldn’t see. He could sense even a grain of sand. Therefore, there was no need to turn just because someone appeared. His senses told him no one was there, yet Keter’s expression was clear. He wore the face of someone seeing an unexpected arrival, asking who they were. However, Eslow couldn’t suppress his curiosity.

What did he see to be that startled?

In the end, Eslow turned his head as well. As expected, there was nothing where Keter looked. At least, that was what Eslow’s mind registered at first.

Then, a barrage of Demon Arrows fell from the sky.

“

Hah

.”

Eslow clicked his tongue in disbelief and formed a shield, deflecting or redirecting every incoming arrow.

“Tricks are your specialty, I see.”

With a single head movement, Keter fooled a demigod and followed up with Demon Arrows to disrupt his senses. Then he vanished.

“Right, he could control the power of earth.”

Eslow didn’t know Keter possessed one of the Five Divine Relics, the Terra Ring, but he had witnessed him control the terrain during battle. Eslow judged that Keter had burrowed underground like a mole to hide. Even without such speculation, someone of Eslow’s caliber could locate his opponent by purely sensing their presence.

“You took advantage of being weakened.”

There wasn’t just one presence coming from underground. There were dozens. It was clearly a trick. If Keter had been in perfect condition, tricking Eslow’s senses would have been impossible. However, Keter was extremely weak at the moment. That actually made hiding his presence easier.

Eslow paused to think for a moment, then glanced at Henya.

My objective isn’t Keter. It’s Henya.

He fought Keter while leaving Henya alone out of a warrior’s pride, and because Keter was worthy of fighting against. Yet, his true goal had always been Henya and Ryse. Killing Keter was secondary. Originally, he could have killed Keter first and taken Henya afterward, but the situation changed.

I admit it, Keter. You’re not someone who can be killed so easily.

Pride often held less value than a coin within a fairy tale. Yet to some, it was worth their life. The pride of Transcendentals couldn’t be measured even in tens of millions of gold, but in this moment, Eslow gave up that pride. He chose to avoid fighting Keter and claim Henya instead.

Keter, I’ll kill you after.

Judging that Keter could no longer stop him, Eslow acted immediately. He dashed toward Henya. The distance between them was fifty meters, which was close enough to reach in a single leap.

Henya didn’t just stand there. Her grip tightening, she swung the Formless Sword in response.

Clang!

However, the sword slid off Eslow’s shield with absurd ease. Henya already believed her attacks wouldn’t work on Eslow. As a result, the tip of her sword trembled, and its power drastically decreased.

Seeing that, Eslow thought,

I’ll turn her into a weapon right here.

He reached out toward Henya’s face. The supreme weapon he had spent a century crafting was about to be born in that instant.

Just then, Keter’s hand burst out from the ground and grabbed Eslow’s ankle.

Even a demigod couldn’t ignore the raw strength maintained by Heavenly Strength: Level Six. Eslow twisted and turned to avoid falling over and tried to grab Keter’s arm as he landed. However, his hand sliced through empty air.

Keter, who had burst out of the ground, pointed into the distance. “

Huh?

Over there!”

Eslow laughed in disbelief. That was the same trick he had already fallen for once. He didn’t even feel like reacting.

Henya was right there, within arm’s reach. Eslow reached his hand toward her face, but for some reason, Henya was also looking elsewhere.

What is she looking at?

Her eyes were even filled with hope.

The moment Eslow questioned the reason why that was, his left arm was severed. Only after it was cut did Eslow realize he had been struck. At that moment, he realized Keter hadn’t been lying. Someone truly had appeared, and it was someone Eslow knew very well.

A wooden hilt. A thin black blade that looked worn over time. Hair tied back and steady eyes. A middle-aged man dressed in the rough clothes of a farmer.

“Deyal...!”

Deyal, the Lord of the East, Slasher of Skies.

Eslow’s expression instantly twisted at his arrival.