Chapter 186

186th Episode

Get Out of Our Yard!

Swoosh.

Antiope’s short spear lifted high.

The sharp tip gleamed brilliantly under the moonlight, dazzlingly bright.

“In the name of Jupiter, you are condemned as sinners and shall face immediate judgment.”

Whoosh.

The spear, once raised high, eventually pointed at my head.

Without any detailed explanation.

Even though I couldn’t read her expression clearly.

Because of the frosty gleam of the sharp blade or perhaps something else, it was certain that she regarded me as an enemy.

Humans are surprisingly sensitive to those who intend them harm beyond imagination.

“…”

Of course, I couldn’t utter a single word.

Trickles.

A vivid sensation of thick cold sweat streaming down my back. This woman is Hippolyte’s younger sister.

A warrior as strong as Hippolyte herself is certain.

A combat machine capable of launching pebbles with a flick of her finger, fatal like bullets.

This woman, who emanates killing intent aimed at taking my life.

I couldn’t predict what might happen if a single muscle moved unintentionally. So, I remained frozen, arms crossed, legs spread, like a statue facing the dead.

I heard that when predators confront certain animals, they stiffen and cannot run away. Sheep, I believe, are examples of such creatures.

Now, I realized I was one of those sheep. I am an idiot.

“I’m an idiot.”

“Ah, you heard me yet made no move? Seems like you’re indeed just a thing.”

At that moment, Antiope readjusted the spear pointed at me, slinging it over her shoulder. The killing intent I felt earlier seemed to have relaxed.

“Still, since you’re an acquaintance of my sister, I’ll give you an option. If you surrender quietly, I can spare your execution. You can either rot in Prison City for life or become a shrine knight of Jupiter, dedicating your life to the shrine. What do you say?”

Is this mercy?

“Ah, Hassan-sama! The shrine knights really have appeared. What wicked, wicked people they are!”

Paranoi, trembling with immense tension, hid behind me, tugging fiercely at my collar.

While Paranoi and I were rooted in place, unable to move and cowering, Luna, lying on the ground, regained her breath and sat up.

“Wasn’t your name Antiope? You’ve made a mistake. We’re not cultists!”

“Luna Noxdotty. Given the Noxdotty name, you must be from Ideope, right? People from Ideope have always been troublemakers. The voodoo magic you use is quite similar to the dark arts of the cultists.”

“We have no relation to the cultists. It’s our duty as voodoo priests to correctly guide these suffering spirits.”

“Sure, that’s why we call you troublemakers. You all think like cultists.”

“What kind of thinking do cultists have?”

“Dead ones, spirits—they’re just monsters. Those unpleasant creatures that can’t even have a conversation. Do you really see these hideous beings as not monsters?”

Antiope lowered her head as if looking down at the spirit beneath her foot.

The spirit beneath her had been mumbling, “I’m, I’m being stepped on!” since the beginning, but it seemed as if Antiope’s words didn’t reach it.

Is there a difference for those wearing masks in sensing the appearances and vibes of spirits?

Tch. Antiope clicked her tongue and said.

“Frankly, I loathe these kinds of cultic festivals anyway. In the name of the Thundering Monarch, who is both the protector of the kingdom and the earthly representative of Jupiter, this festival has to end this year.”

The verbal sparring between Luna and Antiope was tense, with neither side willing to concede an inch. Realizing that their conversation was going nowhere, Luna raised her silence totem high.

“This girl, Antiope, probably thinks she’s not Hippolyte’s sister with how tightly she’s locked up. Do you know how your sister lost to me?”

Displaying an aggressive demeanor that didn’t falter even against Antiope’s authority, Luna seemed genuinely irritated at being grouped with the cultists.

Luna took pride in being from the Ideope Archipelago and having learned voodoo magic, so naturally, she was infuriated when her respected heritage was criticized as evil necromancy.

“I am Luna, daughter of the Great Night and Superstition! I cannot tolerate the insult to our Ideope and voodoo magic!”

“Then negotiations are over. I am Antiope, daughter of the warrior god Mars. Once I invoked my father’s name, there will be no leniency.”

Fwaaang.

In an instant, Antiope disappeared from view, standing on the backs of the spirits.

A speed faster than human eyesight could follow. I was utterly shocked.

“Khreeeek!”

Soon, a loud scream rang out in the yard.

Thud.

Luna collapsed, as if she had lost all strength in her body.

Behind Luna, Antiope, poised and expressionless, with her sharp palm standing vertically said:

“Amazonian Palm Strike-.”

“Grh, I, I have no strength in my… bodyyyy….”

“Still conscious? You’re tougher than I thought. Didn’t want to use ink, but…”

Swoosh.

Antiope flipped Luna onto her back, raising her stomach to view. She pointed her index finger and, pressing it against Luna’s stomach, began sketching something.

Black marks started to appear on Luna’s soft, white abdomen.

The drawing that connected her belly to her arms looked similar to ropes or chains tying a body.

“What, what is this? My body won’t move!”

Indeed, it looked as if she were genuinely bound.

“Real chains! This artwork will become your life-long prison. You people from Ideope; you’re too unpredictable. According to protocol, you must be subdued from the start.”

“My, my body has been tattooed! For the love of the world, it’s horrifying! Someone, remove this immediately!”

“Not possible. You will have to carry this mark for life! Just like the sins of the cultists engraved on souls that can never fade.”

“NoOOOOOO!”

A tattoo was indelibly etched onto Luna’s body. Black iron chains were drawn on her soft, lily-white abdomen.

As if stamping a convict with a scarlet mark, this attitude infuriated me.

“Hmph, such a sinister killing intent. Samarian, you wish to fight me, no?”

Antiope gripped her spear and charged towards me at a rapid speed.

Fwooooosh.

It was a jump that flattened her posture so close to the ground, it looked like a creeping shadow. She used her low position to temporarily blind her movements. Clearly, there was no room for amazement.

As she crouched so low, her spear thrust upward from beneath to my jawline.

I squeezed every ounce of strength into my muscles and barely managed to dodge backward in time.

Creeeak!

The spear grazed my nose and swept away my bangs, narrowly missing my face.

If that had hit my chin, there’s no doubt I’d be impaled head-first, turned into a kebab. Luckily, I dodged this obvious attempt to k*ll me.

“You managed to dodge? I was going to spare you the suffering.”

“This fu…!”

At this point, excuses and explanations are useless. A fight to the d*ath is the only outcome. Clenching my teeth, I kicked off with all my strength.

It was aimed at kicking the lady who was crouched down in front of me. However, just as my foot was about to reach her, she displayed unimaginable flexibility, flipping backward gracefully.

Fwoooooosh!

The ground beneath her received a small indentation.

“Your gaze has sharpened! You’re truly planning to defeat me with every intention?”

After Antiope said this, she firmly gripped her spear in reverse and prepared her stance.

Wasn’t this tattoo woman’s specialty the spear throw? It is uncertain if her spear would be something I could withstand or not by the looks of it.

Gaining distance would only present a danger.

I instinctively felt that, and thus I lunged boldly toward Antiope. Gripping the club I wielded with both hands, I swung it from my right to left in a powerful full swing.

Crashh!

The club instantly collided with Antiope’s spear. A strong crackling sound resounded as her spear bent, and Antiope exclaimed in genuine surprise.

“What an uncontrolled amount of strength! Hmm, this is somewhat interesting!”

“Urrrgghhh!”

Screaming, I pushed the spear upward with all my might. As a result, the spear Antiope was holding flew spinning and stuck firmly into the ground.

“Kuh, my hands are tingling!”

After jumping backward to create distance, Antiope shook her palm, brushing off dirt. Her spear being disarmed was a boon for me.

However, the next scene left me utterly astonished.

“Come to me.”

Antiope stretched her palm upwards, and in just that instant, the spear that had been embedded into the ground flew back into her hand, as if being reeled in.

“This spear is a rather impressive item of the Saga class.”

Hmph, the elite warrior’s equipment seemed to be top-tier. A spear that automatically returns from anywhere? What an unfair trick.

So how can I defeat this woman?

I contemplated every possible way to defeat Antiope, but each scenario ended with my heart pierced by her spear.

Or perhaps the vivid image of being dragged away to the prison city with Luna keeps replaying in my mind. The thought of Luna being taken to prison was absolutely unacceptable.

Nevertheless, it seems impossible to beat her with normal methods. I must surpass myself.

“Paranoi! Bring the jar from the first floor! Surely, you can do this much with my right hand!”

“Is, is this what you were referring to! Understood, sir!”

So I instructed Paranoi, who had been trembling behind me. Understanding my words, Paranoi rushed into the cabin.

“What are you two planning to do…?”

But Antiope, obviously, wasn’t going to let this go unnoticed.

“Voodoo Nymph. You’ll make a good material. According to the law, there is no sin for killing and using cultists or nymphs as materials!”

Apparently, Antiope pointed her spear, held the other way around, at Paranoi’s back. If I let this continue, Paranoi would d*e.

Thus, to save Paranoi and complete my plan, I charged toward Antiope.

I swung my club vigorously – from left to right, from right to left – in large strokes, aiming to prevent her from throwing the spear.

“Aaah, you’re so bothersome!”

As if abandoning her previous plan to target Paranoi, Antiope immediately turned her spear toward me, stabbing in various directions.

Whoosh, whoooooooosh!

Her sharp spear tip just barely skimmed past my hair and ribs, making me shudder with fear.

Would’ve been close to d*ath that time.

From repeatedly receiving punches from Hippolyte, did it help me avoid this attack? That I could dodge her spear points is, frankly, surprising.

Or perhaps it’s the extreme concentration that kicks in during perilous situations, causing such superhuman reactions.

“…What the…?”

With continual misses on her side, Antiope began to growl in apparent frustration.

Despite her increasing speed, her spear eventually managed to scrape past my left ribcage, leaving a sharp wound.

Thud, whooooshhh!

I felt a tingling sensation in my left rib area as it darkened before my eyes. Even though she just grazed me, why do I feel so drained? Did I hit a vital point without realizing?

I momentarily wondered if this had occurred due to the gravity of the wound. My head became engulfed in redness; the voices of Luna and Paranoi shouting grew muffled, fading away.

“Hotssan!”

“Disgusting shrine knights! Let this go now…”

Uuuuung.

Suddenly, the world tilted.

The ground approached my face.

I thought the ground came closer only to realize it was my body that had fallen and tilted over. I didn’t even notice that I had collapsed.

Thinking it was just a slight graze, this wound seems more lethal than expected.

Strangely though, I felt no pain at all.

Rather it felt like every thread holding my body together had snapped, making my body feel like a large jail cell confining my soul.

Amidst such dire circumstances, I was powerless but to lie down. The only parts of the body I could still move were my lips and tongue.

“Stand up, stand up straight. Get up, get up. Get up…”

Therefore, I began murmuring to myself as if casting a spell.

Strength did not return to my legs; the vivid feeling of bl**d draining seeped through my body, but I couldn’t stop scolding myself.

Swoosh.

Right at that moment, a sensation of my body floating in the air came over me. I hadn’t exerted any force to rise, for Antiope had grabbed the collar of my shirt and lifted me.

Grip.

The tip of her short spear touched my left rib area.

“With this, your heart would’ve been pierced, and you’d d*e. I’ll ask once more. Shall we head to the Prison City or become a shrine knight of Jupiter?

“…Stand up… fight…”

“Calling upon yourself like this is pointless. My spear is the spear of Drain – Ganlongga. If anyone is pierced once, their strength will be drained. Especially those imbued with Pluto’s magic will lose their vigor.”

Swoosh.

The sense of the spear tip piercing through my rib was vivid.

“What do you say? Would you like to become my karma and have it engraved on my stomach? I’ll give you 10 seconds. If you don’t respond in 10 seconds, this spear will inevitably pierce your heart.”

“Shi…t…”

“Hmm, clinging to your pride. Alright, then, goodbye. Sorry to see you go this way. Samarian, you could’ve been a good friend.”

Grip.

Finally, she applied pressure, pushing the spear towards my heart. Fortunately, the spear tip did not penetrate further into my side.

“Wh- What is this!?”

The reason? Numerous undead creatures had clung onto her body, grabbing her arms and legs.

Apparently, Antiope hadn’t noticed their silent approach from behind.

“Th- These undead bastards! How-!”

Their numbers swelled from dozens to hundreds, pulling Antiope away from my body.

“Uurrrgh…”

“Ahhhh…”

The chaotic scene of countless undead clinging and shouting was grotesque, akin to a trap or swarm. To me, it resembled a large, black sphere.

“Come with us…”

“Experience the warmth of the living-”

Suddenly. Suddenly.

Scores of hands stretched out from the black mass, grabbing Antiope’s head and arms, pulling her into their mass.

“Wh- what power is this?! Huh, ah-!! Huh, aaah!! Hmm, aaaarrgh!! Let- let go!! Let gooo-!”

Under the cumulative weight of the undead, Antiope was pushed to the ground. Still, she resisted her being dragged away by embedding and holding onto her spear that she plunged into the ground.

“d*mn it!! Controlling this many undead?! That, that’s, absurd! I’ve never seen a cultist like this before!”

“Of course, because I’m not a cultist.”

“Rrrghh, hhh, this, this kind of restraint, if I activate the tattoo on my back, it’s absolutely, completely, no issue escaping-!!”

Even someone as powerful as her couldn’t resist the countless hands of the undead, swelling from tens to hundreds.

Eventually, Antiope released her grip on her spear and was pulled into the mass of the undead.

“Why, why isn’t my divine favor working…!! It’s, it’s absurd-.”

She seemed to start screaming something loudly, but then suddenly, a hand emerged from somewhere and shattered her mask, covering her mouth and eyes.

“Ughhhh-!”

Soon, Antiope was trapped inside the massive sphere or rock-like thing created by the undead. She seemed to be screaming inside.

“Help me-, Jupe-, Mars- Sister, sister…-”

“Come with us…”

“We have a new one.”

“Share your vitality, your warmth…”

Soon, her cries were drowned out amid the cacophony of numerous voices.

[Author’s Postscript]

Recommendation and appreciation to Chuwon Junggam, Kooan Ice Cream, Vurgil, Nuah, Swordemp, Sunamu Moon, Queegie, and Potato Server!!!

Heartfelt gratitude for supporting coupons and manuscript fee coupons every time…!!! To those who leave comments and recommendations, I’ll send cute nymph cultists into your dreams…!!! We can discuss human rights and labor during the night…!!!

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