FSFSLU 66

chapter 66

The people present thought that far too many impossible things were happening.

The shock of the barrier that had been protecting the people turning into a golem, and the knight of seclusion—whom everyone had assumed would remain hidden forever—emerging outside, was overwhelming enough.

But above all, what stunned everyone the most was that Lister, one of the few truly powerful figures across all of Opalund, had been thrown to the ground like a child being tossed by a toy.

Yet, in a sense, it was understandable. The sheer total force required to move the massive steel golem was enormous, so before Lister could strike with his holy hammer, it was not impossible for the golem to knock him down with that very power.

So what they should have been shocked by wasn’t that Lister had been attacked.

It was that Lister had been “attacked” at all that deserved their focus.

“A golem attacked…?”

The Rudger Knights, who were tasked with catching those who fell from the golem’s neck or ankles, understood the situation first of all, because their leader, Rudger, had been too frightened of the golem to enter the battle.

Rudger’s gaze darted urgently toward the rear spire. The blue light produced by the mages there had now completely vanished.

“The magic’s stopped…!”

Now, there was no way to lure the golem. How would this place look in the eyes of the golem, having lost its target?

The Zeronis squad members climbing up the golem’s arms would likely appear as nothing more than a swarm of ants. And what does a person do when they find a swarm of ants crawling on their arms? Naturally, they would shake their arms.

“Uwaaah—!”

The golem began to move.

Saying it “began to move” was an understatement—it was such a massive motion that it seemed as if its forward progress had been halted until now.

The golem seemed to have decided not to take another step forward until it had shaken off all the humans crawling over its body. So it started pounding and shaking itself.

From a human perspective, the movement might have seemed modest. But for a sixty-meter-tall giant, such motion was anything but modest to those on the ground.

With every stomp, the brick pathways sank, houses collapsed, and clouds of dust rose far higher than anything seen before.

The deafening noise assaulted their ears, and everything underfoot trembled. Sunlight blocked by the dust, the combatants clinging to the golem couldn’t even tell which way was front or back.

The golem swept its massive arms across itself like someone cleaning a dusty railing, and the protective shield created by Isabel’s Blessing of Protection desperately fulfilled its role, shielding humans from even that seemingly trivial touch.

Armored soldiers fell from the sky, screaming. There was no time to tend to comrades.

Among them, one knight commander had chosen to flee first. And next to that foolish commander, some who had decided to stay, for whatever reason, were attempting to lead the others, floundering in their first real escape.

He drew his sword and raised it high.

Sword energy—an intangible aura created when someone imbued with magical power or potential channels it into a weapon. Surprisingly, many can use it once they learn the method. In the knightly city of Kabatina, knights or those aspiring to become knights are taught how to wield sword energy.

To produce stronger, brighter sword energy is the dream and goal of every knight. Rudger, the head of the newly-formed knight order, had honed his sword energy continually to avoid shame in front of his knights.

Now, Rudger’s sword energy blazed brighter than ever.

Starting with him, members of the Rudger Knights ignited their blue sword energy one by one, providing a visible beacon even through the dense dust cloud.

“This way—!”

It didn’t matter if they couldn’t hear him. It was natural they wouldn’t. Still, he shouted.

This way. If you want to survive, this way.

With the ground shaking and no sense of direction, if you see this light, come here. Don’t go the other way to your death; come here to seize life.

Not a sword protecting the weak, but a light guiding them. Perhaps unknightly, but certainly humanly compassionate.

Unlike the golem’s massive body, humans—weak and fragile—must unite and cooperate.

“Over there, run!”

“Follow!”

In the chaos where they couldn’t see an inch ahead, the light from the Rudger Knights became a guide for those sensing imminent death.

An unintended effect also emerged.

The light, while a beacon for escape, also served as a signal for those still willing to fight: if you ran in the opposite direction of the light, it meant the golem was there.

Thus, they ran past Rudger and toward the battlefield.

“What should we do? Should I tell the angel we’re doomed?”

“No, we’re not doomed yet!”

Isabel, still perched on Liz’s shoulders, wore a very serious expression.

Liz muttered under her breath that she wanted to punch the angel while carrying Isabel.

They led the way, followed by Hetchil, faithful to the mercenary’s motto of “work as much as you’re paid.”

Isabel ran through the dust cloud as instructed by Liz, and discovered Lister unconscious.

He was buried almost into the brick path. Liz was astonished that he still retained a form.

Isabel quickly healed Lister and noticed someone approaching her side.

It was Galtan.

He had already used a spear to destroy the golem’s wrist once, but fortunately had picked up another spear dropped by a fleeing adventurer.

Galtan looked down at Isabel healing Lister and, in a hoarse voice, asked,

“You’re the Holy Sword…?”

The roar from the golem prevented his words from reaching Isabel. But she understood his question, raised her head, and immediately recognized him as the same Galtan who had chased her from the cabin.

Though the area was dark, Isabel’s radiant expression was clearly visible to all. Truly astonishing.

Lister, now conscious after Isabel’s healing, glanced at the faces around him and let out a chuckle upon seeing the gaze from above—specifically, Liz’s gaze from atop her shoulders.

Isabel’s healing had been perfect. Lister hurried to stand. Having been flung by the golem, he had lost his hammer and now only had his two hands.

Isabel, Liz, Galtan, Hetchil, and Lister—just five people. If they could topple the rampaging golem, they had no choice but to act.

But fortunately…

“Miss, are you okay?”

Denk, who had planned to join after assessing the spire’s situation, ran up holding a pickaxe in his left hand. Isabel felt reassured.

“I’m fine!”

“That’s good. Can you explain what happened?”

Denk still couldn’t make sense of the situation. The steel golem, previously advancing steadily, suddenly rampaged, and people were scattering through the dust cloud. Without seeing the Rudger Knights’ lights, they wouldn’t even know which way to go.

Others present were equally confused. Galtan and Lister wondered why this big man ran over with a pickaxe—was he perhaps a miner confused from yesterday’s drinking? But there was no time for such speculation.

Thus, they had no choice but to listen to Isabel’s voice, amplified by the Holy Resonance.

The fortunate thing was that they were tiny in the golem’s eyes, and it was currently only struggling defensively, posing no immediate threat.

Isabel spoke cheerfully,

“Thank you for coming!”

Then she dropped a bombshell:

“I’ll stop the blessing now!”

Confusion spread across everyone’s faces. Stop the blessing? That would be dangerous if even a slight touch from the steel golem could harm them!

But Isabel quickly clarified:

“There’s no need to maintain the blessing on everyone with a cross now, so I’ll just bless Liz, Denk, Lister, Galtan, and… Hetchil? Hetchil, right? Anyway, just you five! It’ll be far stronger! Then, do exactly what I told you earlier!”

Isabel, perched on Liz’s shoulders, confidently raised her index finger and shouted:

“Just topple it once! Preferably away from the city!”

With that, she leapt from Liz’s shoulders.

As Isabel’s contact with Liz ended, the blessing transmitted via Liz dissipated. Everyone felt the ground’s tremors and the golem’s wind pressure even more acutely. Isabel had neutralized all potential harm directed at them.

After removing all that blessing, the new blessing she cast was astounding.

Pain throughout their bodies vanished instantly, and they felt as if reborn with vitality beyond strength. While ordinary people might not notice, these five, seasoned in combat, could feel the shocking level of enhancement.

Confidence in being able to withstand the golem naturally arose, along with the certainty that they could topple the golem. Isabel smiled.

Though it was still dark, her smile was visible to all.

Only one person was utterly shocked.

“…Again!”

Denk was truly frustrated. He thought it was over. He thought he would never face this again.

Yet this brave, bold, and competent young lady had blessed him with purification again.

Feeling the nicotine leaving his lungs, Denk resigned himself to a second forced period of abstinence, albeit ruefully.