A Dragonslayer’s Peerless Regression

Chapter 99

"These damned lunatics!"

Sieg ground his teeth as he watched the outlaws emerge relentlessly, much like cockroaches.

He then urged his horse onward, rejoining Carus and the others. Sieg cast Area Buff and activated the Healing Factor.

Wooong!

Not only did the party members feel the temporary recovery, but even the horses regained some strength. In the urgent situation, the others failed to notice and simply pressed on forward.

At that moment, a massive sandstorm began to brew ahead of them in the wasteland. Simon shouted, "Boss! Ahead lies the territory of Ishtar!"

"Keep going!"

Sieg commanded.

Sieg's party forced their way through the sandstorm and ventured inside. Knowing they had entered Ishtar's territory, the pursuing outlaws gradually halted their chase.

However, the Imperial hounds did not stop. They, too, pushed through the sandstorm, relentless in their pursuit.

Watching this, Sieg ground his teeth once more.

"Those persistent bastards..."

From his past life, Sieg had known nothing but bad blood with the Imperial hounds.

He yelled at Simon, "I'll take care of them! You all keep going!"

Turning his horse around, Sieg charged toward the Imperial hounds through the sandstorm.

The wind blew even more fiercely, making visibility extremely difficult. Yet, using the Dragon Eyes skill, Sieg was able to see through the sandstorm and locate the Imperial hounds.

"About twenty purple knights, perhaps one blue in the mix. How on earth does the Empire produce so many knights?"

Sieg pondered.

While the Draker family boasted more blue and black knights than the Empire, the number of purple knight-level soldiers in the Empire was overwhelming. Sieg recalled seeing a unit of Imperial hounds in his past life comprised entirely of blue knights mingled with red ones.

Fwooosh!

Sieg unleashed the Energy of Wind, summoning a gust toward the approaching Imperial hounds.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The swirling sandstorm combined with Sieg's gust, sweeping over the Imperial hounds. The Squad leader of the Imperial hounds shouted, "Damn it! That bastard uses magic!"

To those of this era, who were unaware of the Elemental Sword, it was easily mistaken for magic. Sieg rode through the storm, cutting down the now-exposed Imperial hounds.

"Aaargh!"

Unable to see through the storm, the Imperial hounds couldn't evade Sieg's sword.

At that moment, a beam of light flashed behind Sieg.

Fwooosh!

A blue knight swung an Aura Blade.

Swish!

Sieg narrowly dodged the attack using the Phantom Step. He immediately charged his body with the Energy of Metal and rammed into the knight's horse.

Crash!

Neigh!

The horse toppled sideways under Sieg's attack. Despite being thrown off, the knight swiftly got up and charged at Sieg again.

"Haaaah!"

With his sword infused with Energy of Metal, Sieg deflected the Aura Blade-laden sword of the Imperial hound.

"Ugh!"

Reeling from the immense impact, the blue knight chose to retreat rather than charge again. He yelled to the others, "Capture this knave! I will pursue the prince."

He quickly turned and rode away on another Imperial hound's horse, heading toward Carus.

Pressed for time, Sieg had no choice but to adopt the Dragonslaying Art's attack stance.

Wooong!

From his sword, a crescent-shaped aura burst forth.

Slash!

The blue knight fell from his horse after being struck by Sieg's crescent aura from behind. He didn't die, apparently protected by armor beneath.

"Ugh! That bastard! It's a Draker!"

Recognizing Sieg's Dragonslaying Art, this particular Imperial hound was quick to identify it. Sieg clenched his teeth tightly. Letting any escape here threatened exposure of his identity.

He focused intently and raised Bahamut.

Wooong!

Aura surged from the sword, allowing Sieg's movements to mimic a tempest.

Dragonslaying Art - Swift Wind Technique - Wind Blade

Sieg's figure seemed akin to a wind blade, moving rapidly and unleashing precise strikes. His sword flashed through the Imperial hounds, cutting throats, piercing hearts, and severing limbs.

"Aaargh!"

The Imperial hounds could not withstand Sieg's assault, which seemed one with the sandstorm. As Sieg, like a gust of wind, moved past them, all the Imperial hounds lay collapsed.

Approaching a still-breathing blue knight, Sieg brandished his sword.

The wounded knight ground his teeth, "Cursed Drakers. The Empire's blazing wrath will consume you all...!"

Slice!

Before he could finish, Sieg's sword decapitated the knight. Pondering how to deal with the Imperial hounds' bodies – still bearing marks of Dragonslaying Art – he decided to gather them in one spot, laying a hand atop them.

"Power of Decay."

Utilizing the power he obtained from devouring an ancient species, Sieg found that decay began to spread from his hand over the corpses.

Sizzle―

Rapidly, the bodies decayed, eventually corroding the armor and swords as they scattered into the sandstorm. Sieg was startled by the swift disappearance of the remains.

"So this is the Power of Decay... it could prove a terrifying weapon if used rightly."

With the Imperial hounds' bodies disintegrated by the Power of Decay, Sieg mounted a surviving horse and rode to reunite with Carus and the others.

As he pierced through the fierce sandstorm and neared his party, something felt amiss.

'What is...?'

Simon and Boris lay on the ground, bleeding with swords in hand, while Carus aimed a crossbow at someone. Sieg leaped from the horse, employing the Swift Wind Technique.

Fwooosh!

His sword lashed out at the enemy approaching Carus.

Clang!

With a swift parry, the foe deflected Sieg's aura-laden sword with a dagger.

Sieg positioned himself protectively in front of Carus, pointing his sword at the adversaries. Before him stood two individuals, tall and slender, clad in clothes made of obscure fibers, their faces concealed by a chador.

There was only one place with such distinctive attire.

'The mystics of Ishtar.'

Tossing a potion to Simon, Sieg inquired, "What happened?"

After applying the potion to his wounds, Simon used the remaining to treat Boris, who was more severely injured, and replied, "They suddenly attacked us."

Still poised with his sword, Sieg directed his question at the Ishtar side.

"Why did you attack us?"

One of them stepped forward and responded, "You ignored the seclusion order of the Ishtar family and entered our territory."

Once the Ishtar family issued an seclusion order, none could enter their domain; it was unspoken law. Sieg glared at them angrily.

"So, does that justify attacking without hearing us out?"

"We prioritize the seclusion order of our family above all. He who enters despite the warning of divine sandstorm cannot bear good intentions; only the God of Earth's judgment shall prevail."

Recognizing that further conversation would be futile with the famously rigid and obstinate Ishtar family, Sieg composed himself, slowly speaking in ancient eastern dialect.

"In the name of the God of Earth, through a duel of honor, I wish to determine the guilt or innocence of violating the seclusion."

Surprised, the Ishtar warrior reacted, "Y-you! How do you know the sacred laws of the land?"

The Ishtar family rigorously adhered to their longstanding family laws. Among them, the most paramount was the sacred verdict by a warrior's duel.

Honoring the God of the land, who was also the god of warriors, the law permitted a duel of honor to resolve disputes or confirm guilt, revealing the God's will through the duel's outcome.

Given the Ishtar house's reclusiveness, few beyond their borders knew of this law.

Yet Sieg, thanks to his experience with a special organization in his previous life, possessed knowledge of Ishtar's laws.

The unexpected invocation of warrior law left the Ishtar warriors visibly flustered.

At that moment, someone who had been silent stepped forward.

An observing warrior exclaimed in surprise, "M-my lady intends to enter the duel?"

Nodding, the warrior stepped before Sieg.

Bearing two uniquely shaped daggers, their blades undulated like waves, Sieg recognized them as the signature weapons of the Ishtar family.

'Wielding those daggers... she must rank highly within the family.'

Counted among the three great transcendental families, the Ishtars deviated from the central continent knights, renowned instead as a family of mystics.

By enhancing their bodies with arcane skills, they combined weapon techniques with dark and poison arts, developing a unique combat style.

As Sieg recalled what he knew about Ishtar, the warrior assumed a stance with her daggers.

Sieg held his stance, wielding Bahamut with Dragonslaying Art ready.

One needed to remain vigilant against the mystic warriors of Ishtar.

Whoosh!

The Ishtar warrior charged at Sieg.

Clash!

With swift, animalistic movements, she swung her daggers.

Though compelled backward by her sheer force, Sieg noticed, 'Such power, it feels like she's using the Energy of Metal.'

Charging his sword similarly with Energy of Metal, Sieg engaged the warrior, their weapons clashing with resounding metallic thuds.

The warrior's continuous, fluid dagger movements were akin to a lethal dance; Sieg countered with every ounce of his strength.

'Powerful indeed.'

While central continental swordplay evolved around optimizing aura enhancement, the Ishtar family focused on refining efficient killing techniques. Thus, Ishtar ensured their warriors were consummate murder experts, far surpassing regular assassins.

Clash!

As the relentless attacks poured forth, Sieg struggled to find an opening to utilize the Dragonslaying Art. Retreating, Sieg altered his stance.

"Whew."

Drawing a deep breath, he assumed the posture for the Elemental Sword, deploying the Energy of Water.

Fwoosh!

Among the teachings from Kaysir, acquiring the Energy of Water had been particularly arduous. The flow of Sieg's sword now mimicked the gentle lapping of water.

Clash!

With the unexpected change in his swordplay, the Ishtar warrior faltered. Unlike the typical knights of the central continent, unable to identify the precise moment he would use aura, Sieg devised a completely distinct sword technique.

Slash! Slash! Slash!

While slower than before, Sieg's attacks exhibited fewer openings. The Ishtar warrior sensed her combative rhythm disrupted by Sieg's altered swordplay.

Ultimately, the Ishtar warrior found herself forced to retreat, unable to maintain her challenging vehicular motion against his formidable strikes.

Wooosh!

Between Sieg and the Ishtar warrior, a sandstorm swept through, leaving them locked in a stalemate, yet engaging in rapid strategic exchanges.

Another Ishtar warrior observed incredulously, 'My goodness. That someone could match the lady...'

Considered the greatest prodigy in the history of the Ishtar family, no family warrior prevailed against her in combat. To see an outsider fight her to a stalemate appeared nothing short of astonishing.

Then, it happened.

Snap!

The two foes simultaneously lunged at each other.

Sieg's sword traced a massive wave through the sandstorm.

Whoooosh!

Scaling the rising wave, the Ishtar warrior twisted with her daggers, proceeding upward smoothly.

Slash! Slash!

Gracefully whirling once more in the air, the warrior descended over Sieg, employing the sweeping aerial technique.

The whirlwind kick, charged with the force of a thousand weights, hurtled toward Sieg.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The impact erupted where Sieg had stood, sending a tremendous wave of sand billowing outward.

TL's Corner:

The korean character for Mystic is 비술가. They focus mystical arts or esoteric techniques that often involve secretive, ancient methods.