Episode 19/Chapter 4: Intermediate Ranked Warrior (4)
TL: Tsubak
ED: Ren
A long time ago, the Queen of the Land of Shadows had made a spear using the bones of a sea creature.
Scathach looked at the spear, which was beautifully created, and felt that this would be the secret weapon that would protect the Land of Shadows. She, who had the power of foresight, made her words a prophecy.
Scathach, who was covering herself with the leather of a wolf, walked her path alone. The road was too long and harsh. Scathach had overcome the trial that had lasted for nine nights and placed her spear in the deepest part of the Land of Darkness. It was in order to absorb the strength of life and death into it.
Nine nights passed once again. Scathach was on guard against the specters that were looking at her from beyond the boundary and she became certain while looking at the white light that was emitted from the spear. It was just like she had planned.
The strength of life dyed the spear in white and the strength of death was placed deep in the spear and planted a strong curse.
Scathach named the white evil spear Gae Bolg and used it in the most important battles and the enemies of the Land of Darkness really feared the witch and the spear of death.
However Scathach couldn't keep Gae Bolg forever. It was because she had given it to her disciple, Cu Chulainn, who she loved and treasured very much.
Although Cu Chulainn brought the weapon of his master everywhere with him, he didn't always use it. Just like Scathach had done, he only used it in the most important moments and brought out Gae Bolg's real strength.
Gae Bolg was shining in white. The missing parts of the spear were complemented by the light.
'Don't waste your strength. You have to end it now. Gae Bolg's real worth is to use a definitive attack to kill your enemy. You shouldn't use it as you please.'
There was magic in Cu Chulainn's voice. Tae Ho understood how to use Gae Bolg, thanks to Cu Chulainn's transmission, and naturally wielded its strength. The white light which was shining dimmed like a lie but Tae Ho could still feel its power.
Tae Ho stayed at a distant place.. He saw a huge pirate ship approaching while flying in the sky. When he used the 'Eye of the Dragon' he saw that several red letters surged up from the ship.
[Beast Ruler]
[Underling of the Tyrant Bress: Midak]
It was the clearest and reddest letters. When Tae Ho read it out loud Cu Chulainn said, 'He's one of the underlings of Bress. He doesn't only have the strength to control countless beasts naturally, but he can also transform into a monster himself. It seems as if it had been planning to mate with the sea serpent.'
Cu Chulainn showed him some more memories. The shape of a big and imposing warrior wearing bear fur showed up.
Just like Tae Ho's saga gave strength to the ones he was riding on, Midak could greatly strengthen the beasts he was controlling.
Tae Ho looked at the approaching ship and thought. He had discovered them first. There was also the possibility that they weren't even aware of Tae Ho and Gae Bolg.
The most suitable method was sniping them or making a surprise attack.
'Sniping them is impossible.'
Although Gae Bolg had the shape of a spear, there were many hard points to use it as a throwing spear. Because of that, Cu Chulainn only used Gae Bolg in a short distance, just like a harpoon.
As a result, the option with the highest possibility was the surprise attack.
Tae Ho rolled his fingers in the air. They moved quickly, like pressing on the keyboard, and formulated a strategy.
There was one thing he had thought of. It was a strategy he had already used in Dark Age once and had succeeded.
Although the pirate ship was flying in the sky quickly there was still some time. Tae Ho hurriedly looked at everyone in the battlefield. He looked at Siri, fighting fiercely on top of Adenmaha, but it wouldn't be possible. To increase the success rate of his strategy he needed something more than simply flying up and quickly.
Tae Ho rolled his eyes again. He discovered someone suitable and ran hurriedly towards that person.
"Gandur!"
Gandur, who was fighting nearby while riding a white Silence, turned her head at Tae Ho's call. And then she frowned and said,"What is it; those eyes are filled with desire as if the day had finally come."
"When did I -!"
As he refuted reflexively, Gandur laughed evilly. She approached Tae Ho immediately, as if it had been only a joke from the start.
"What's wrong? Is it related to the enemy that's approaching?"
It really was Gandur. It seemed like she had already realized Midak's existence. Tae Ho spoke quickly.
"I will explain it to you while we go. First, transform please."
His voice and eyes were dead serious. However Gandur flinched and trembled.
"A-are you even aiming for me?"
"Gandur!"
It wasn't the time to joke. Gandur also stopped talking and then sat down and transformed with a chant. Just like a Valkyrie of the God of Hunting, she didn't transform into a swan but into a big black hawk.
Tae Ho hurriedly got on Gandur and activated the 'One That Controls Dragons'. At that moment, Gandur let out an exclamation while trembling and then flew to the sky.
"The warrior that rode on a Valkyrie!"
"Ohh! Finally!"
The warriors that were near Gandur yelled with shining eyes. Tae Ho proceeded to explain to Gandur instead of answering them and Gandur, who had understood Tae Ho's tactic, activated Ullr's blessing.
At that moment, Gandur disappeared from the air. Just like a Valkyrie that Gods were dependent on, her stealth blessing was incomparable to the lowest-ranked warriors.
But of course, some movements could still be grasped if they were checked thoroughly, but it was enough.
Gandur continued to increase her speed. It seemed as if her objective wasn't the pirate ship that was approaching the battlefield, but high in the sky.
Finally, they even flew higher than the pirate ship. It seemed like they hadn't noticed Gandur as planned, since they didn't change their trajectory.
Gandur, who flew as if she was going to charge at the sun, took a big turn at one point. Tae Ho grabbed onto Gandur's neck tightly as she started to descend at an overwhelming speed and looked at the ship with the 'Eyes of the Dragon'. He grasped Midak's location.
At the prow, over the deck, where he could look down at the battlefield.
Gandur's flight was really precise. Without even needing the help of Tae Ho's saga, she received Midak's location and found the best route possible.
They only had one opportunity.
Tae Ho gulped air. She might get angry because he only found her at times like this, but he called Idun's name. Idun's power, which was filled with affection, covered Tae Ho's body.
Gandur spoke quickly and precisely.
"Now!"
Tae Ho jumped down off Gandur's back. Gandur got pushed back because of him and then turned her body and passed the pirate ship. Tae Ho kicked the air once again and descended to the destined place. He called Gae Bolg's name once again.
Bang!
The rough landing created a loud sound. Only then did Midak notice Tae Ho, who had appeared in the air.Tae Ho stopped breathing. It was different to when he had been attacking the giant of Strength, Harad. Back then, he had activated Gae Bolg with Cu Chulainn's strength and not his own.
But this time he had to do it with his own strength. He had to receive the least help he could from Cu Chulainn, who still hadn't completely recovered his strength since that attack.
The 'Eyes of the Dragon' told him the place he had to stab. White light surged up from Gae Bolg and Scathach's blessing gave strength to Tae Ho.
Midak opened his mouth and then let out a strange sound. But he couldn't hear him. He had put all his concentration to stab that point.
Something interfered in the trajectory. Precisely speaking, an invisible wall had appeared in front of the spear.
He would stop the charge of the spear for just a moment. Then he would twist his body however he could and dodge the spear.
If it was a Fomoire at the level of Midak, it was possible. In that short moment, Tae Ho and Midak exchanged glances.
They could both feel it. If Midak's plans succeeded, Tae Ho would die. Gae Bolg's one hit, one kill, required a lot of strength. The moment it missed, Tae Ho would become vulnerable.
The tip of Gae Bolg reached the invisible wall.
However, at that moment, a new strength was added to Gae Bolg.
[Saga: The Charge of the Dragon]
Draconic Ballista!
Originally it was a technique meant to be a lance charge. However, he carried that charging power on Gae Bolg. Tae Ho's posture changed to that of throwing something.
The invisible wall was torn off in an instant. Gae Bolg's charge, which became faster than ever, pierced Midak's chest.
A cry was heard. At the same time, Gae Bolg, which had carved to a deep place in Midak's chest, showed its power. Hundreds of thorns surged up from the tip of the spear and tore up everything. The white light was too powerful.
Tae Ho dropped his right hand. It seemed like his arm would get broken at any moment. But it wasn't the time to be resting. Tae Ho gripped the Sword piece with his left hand. He swung the Sword of the Winter Wolf towards Midak, who was struggling until the end, even though his body was breaking.
Midak's head rolled onto the ground. Midak's body, which was covered with a strong death curse, couldn't endure anymore and was destroyed.
White light exploded once again. At the same time, a huge amount of red runes went to Tae Ho.
A shocking feeling shook his chest. Although it may have been a delusion, he thought he could hear Idun's voice, which was filled with affection and gentleness.
Tae Ho finally let out a sigh and turned around while dropping his right arm. Shock spread among Midak's underlings that were on top of the ship. Some of them seemed to not understand what had happened in front of their eyes.
Finally, Tae Ho's help arrived. Gandur had turned around the pirate ship once after putting down Tae Ho and then she transformed into the shape of a human after returning and landed in front of Tae Ho. It was a really agile and elegant movement.
"You did it. Shall we flee right now?"
Gandur looked at Tae Ho with admiring eyes and asked while laughing and Tae Ho shook his head. Cu Chulainn also added.
'If you caught the Captain you should take his ship.'
Although it was a really pirate-like phrase, it rather suited Cu Chulainn.
'In the first place, this is a treasure of Erin. So it's right for you, the successor of Erin, to have it.'
But to do that they needed to control the Fomoires on the ship. Tae Ho spoke to Gandur.
"Buy some time for me."
"Are you trying to recover?"
"That's one thing, but I have something I should take."
The thing Midak left wasn't only his body, which was broken thanks to the death curse.
"That's so like you." Gandur laughed and after that she summoned two white Silences to her side and then glared at the Fomoires, while holding a big sword. The Fomoires couldn't even think of charging towards them, as they had suddenly lost their commander.
Tae Ho entrusted his back to Gandur and approached Midak's corpse. He put Gae Bolg back in Unnir and as he activated the 'Eyes of the Dragon' he saw something that entered his eyesight.
It wasn't rainbow-colored. It also wasn't white gold, but normal gold.
But he got a feeling in an instant.
[Summoning Rock]
It was one of the reasons why Midak was described as the Beast Ruler.
Tae Ho held the summoning rock high.
< Intermediate Ranked Warrior (4) > End
TL note: Thanks for reading~