The battle between the few and the many often ends with the latter prevailing, which is why the rare stories of the former’s victories are celebrated and etched into people’s minds. As a side effect of this deep impression, tales that should be miracles are gradually normalized, and eventually become seen as commonplace.
And for some reason, no matter how intense the situation, the impact is often distilled into a simplified, casual description.
Well, in short, I was reflecting on the cruel nature of stories reduced to mere soundbites like “tearing apart and throwing.”
“Guah!?”
By reading the initial move of the blocking guards, I evaded a sharp thrust while advancing, then struck the exposed ribcage with the tip of a short baton held in my left hand, delivered like a punch. Despite intending to hold back, the force was enough to probably break a few ribs, tearing through the cuirass and incapacitating him.
The middle-aged veteran crumpled in agony, a cry resonating so powerfully that it made one want to cover their ears. His fresh scarred face and precise commands to his subordinates marked him as someone with real combat experience.
“Phew… fifteen? You’ve got to be kidding me…”
Even as I wiped away the relentless torrent of sweat with a soaked cloth, a pile of injured soldiers gathered around me.
They were skilled. They surrounded me from a distance, their teams of two to four focusing on pinning me down and sounding the alarm, awaiting reinforcements. Once the circle was complete, they swarmed with sheer numbers.
I felt like dumpling filling wrapped in dough. A highly efficient, almost flawless tactic.
My blunder leading to the absurd melee of one against fifteen stemmed from their highly refined urban pursuit routines. The guards, executing their duties with commendable precision, might have easily restrained me with ropes long ago if not for the powers granted by the Bodhisattva to strengthen me.
With my short baton split from overuse, I discarded it, kicking up a nearby spear with my foot. Thanks to the Battlefield Swordsmanship technique, wielding polearms came naturally, though I’d prefer my enhanced single-handed sword for such situations.
Yet, it’s tough to control force with an unsharpened blade. Naturally returning to their families as devoted husbands or wives, it’d be cruel to leave these conscientious guards with lasting injuries—or worse, fatalities.
If only the world worked like manga, with villains dramatically passing out after a big explosion. Or, if they were as resilient as certain delinquent characters, it might even make things simpler. Unfortunately, reality is painstakingly difficult this way.
Catching the airborne spear mid-jump, I swung it lightly to confirm its balance while inwardly grumbling. Not bad—it’ll do for now. I may not be able to return it though.
“Hey, hurry up! It’s gotten quiet!”
“Our side’s at a disadvantage!? That’s a joke, right!?”
Apparently, I couldn’t even catch my breath. Driven by distant shouts and blaring alarms, I took off again. Such loud calls aren’t just for coordination; they’re designed to unsettle and disrupt the pursued, an ingenious strategy.
Snatching a water flask that had fallen from a guard’s pocket with the spear’s pommel, I darted through an alleyway. After taking a quick sip, I poured the rest over my head through the hood to cool off from the rising heat.
At this rate, crawling on the ground is reaching its limit, yet rooftops appear perilous as well.
A quick glance revealed a swift shadow zipping through the twilight sky now dressed in deep indigo—a winged humanoid hunter who first spotted me.
Even as night fell, he remained energetic, circling above to maintain my position while occasionally launching flying kicks from above whenever a gap in my defense appeared. Keeping my guard up is exhausting.
With such superior mobility, venturing onto rooftops might make me the perfect prey. It’ll only get worse with additional winged reinforcements—not to mention, there’s no convenient stealth mechanism that incapacitates all nearby enemies and resets guards.
Thinking back, my predicament mirrors a previous daydream. Normally, this would’ve been a dead-end situation.
Without the option to kill or leave lingering wounds, while also avoiding exposure of my true identity, it’s still imperative to maintain visibility as a decoy without drawing too much suspicion…
What a terrible set of conditions, man.
As I contemplated these woes, a chilling sensation ran down my spine. My skin prickled, as if ice water had run along my neck.
Familiar by now, this was the caress of killing intent.
Jumping immediately, I judged a defense with a spear, still unfamiliar compared to a sword, to be impossible. Better to accept the dodge, even if it disrupts my stance, than botch a risky attempt to block.
Moments later, the cobblestone where my right foot had stood—a cobblestone specially enchanted with magic to resist degradation—was pierced by a single arrow, penetrating a third of its length without leaving a single crack. The surreal sight made me question reality, amazed by the arrow’s astonishing power and non-human precision. My guts tightened.
Seriously, if that had hit cleanly, my foot would’ve been cleanly severed. Worse, there’s no magical reaction detectable—what’s going on!?
While lamenting this absurdity, I landed and absorbed the shock, now needing to remain vigilant not just for aerial assaults but also snipers, silently shedding tears…
【Tips】 The cobblestones of the Imperial Capital are designed with spells and refined craftsmanship to ensure they remain resilient for use as defensive walls or thrown projectiles in emergencies.
The Imperial Capital boasted multiple towering clock towers and symbolic spires, alongside the countless chimneys of its workshops, billowing smoke into the sky.
Atop one such tower, a team of archers had taken position.
A giant spider-person, his lengthy limbs splayed for stability, provided a platform for his diminutive counterpart—a dwarf archer—hugged securely in his embrace, wielding an oversized bow.
“Wow, that shot missed…?”
The heavily armored male spider-person nearly dropped his telescope, momentarily startled. This was the first time he’d seen his companion, whose once-fragile fingers had been hardened through rigorous training, miss after all these years of partnership.
“Does he have eyes in the back of his head or something?”
Since procuring one of the new mechanical bows available in the Threefold Empire—though requiring personal funds rather than official provision—his partner’s sniping skills had only improved, filling him with awe.
Her lethal accuracy stemmed purely from human discipline, without aid from magic or divine intervention, revealing why even as a physically inferior dwarf she’d earned the prestigious title of imperial hunter for her unwavering focus and determination.
Driven by a near-obsessive commitment to her craft, her arrow tore through the air…
Glancing at her briefly, he noticed her lower lip trembling despite her age, her charm undiminished by time—an observation made only from a spider-person’s perspective.
This wasn’t an error due to external factors. If she’d miscalculated due to the sensitive mechanism of the mechanical bow, she would’ve calmly adjusted for its inconsistencies, maintaining her composure.
Her shot was perfect—impeccable in execution—and yet it missed, or rather, was evaded.
The enemy was truly formidable.
In the Threefold Empire, renowned for its diverse races, judging an opponent simply by their height was dangerous. There were races like the fly-catching spider kind who matured while retaining a juvenile human-like appearance, or those like his companion who remained small into adulthood.
So, comrades dismissing an opponent as “childlike” should reconsider quickly.
“Damn, and he’s fast too—he’s out of range already.”
The target, having effortlessly risen after a forward roll, had instantly assessed the firing point and vanished into a neighboring alleyway. With that, it became impossible to keep targeting him from their current location.
“…Right.”
“Huh?”
Her soft murmur, barely audible amidst the wind while perched high atop the clock tower, caught his attention. Uncharacteristically, her usually stern voice carried childlike frustration.
“Let’s go IMMEDIATELY!”
Sighing inwardly, the spider-person brought a hand to his forehead, aware that resistance would be futile against his stubborn partner. She was intensely competitive, her carefully cultivated authoritative tone breaking down out of frustration at having missed her perfect shot.
“Yes, yes, as you command…”
Leaving her alone might lead to reckless behavior, so the hulking spider-person hurried down the tower despite his preference for caution. His giant body excelled in bursts of strength, though his endurance was limited.
Ignoring her silent urgency, he carefully descended, estimating the opponent’s velocity from the direction he disappeared and identifying the optimal new firing point. By the time he reached a convenient chimney, his partner had already nocked an arrow and fired before he even spotted the target.
“AAAAAAAAHHHH!?”
Another cry of pain reached his ears, surprising him further.
Could it truly be that her all-out, focused arrow missed again? Such disbelief…
“What happened?”
He asked, only for his companion to respond with oversized tears matching her large eyes as she sniffled.
“It… fell…”
“What?”
She had hit her mark but apparently caused the target to drop into a waterway. Upon hearing her whispered confession, his partner’s mentor groaned, now cradling his head in his hands. Things had spiraled poorly.
Ah, their colleagues responsible for sewer maintenance would surely torment them endlessly for this…
【Tips】 Even among spider-people, differences between species like the fly-catching spiders, earth spiders, and black widows can be vast beyond limb count.
Schuld (1)(B)(B) 0/1
(T) Update one chapter of any story.
(T) Correct one typo.
(T) Respond with one opinion.
This creature can’t untap during your untap phase unless you control no other creatures.
That’s all there is to it.
Apologies for the delay. After fourteen consecutive workdays, I had just one day off before another thirteen-day stretch, leaving me too drained to even touch my computer.
