Chapter 224

It seems like the horses I’m tied to don’t live long.

By the time I switched to the fourth horse, that thought suddenly crossed my mind.

The first horse had its leg torn by a warrior’s blade that rolled in from below.

The second horse I switched to collapsed from smoke inhalation, and the third horse just turned into a porcupine from the rain of arrows.

I hope this one lasts a bit longer.

I kick away an archer hastily aiming at me, blowing him up, and climb onto the saddle now drenched in blood and guts.

Around me, the burning pieces of Ka`har’s corpses were scattered everywhere. Thick smoke was rising.

[Over there, over there! The guy on the black horse running away! That’s Amin! Chase him!]

Hersela shouted urgently.

No, if you just say “over there” in my head, how am I supposed to know the direction?

I turn my gaze and scan the surroundings. Sure enough, a black horse was desperately galloping, heading in the opposite direction of me.

It was a picture-perfect countercharge.

A warrior, presumably his guard, was galloping beside him.

“Haaaah!”

The warrior swung the weapon in his hand fiercely toward the knight trying to block him.

A cavalry spear with a blade on its side. Is that what they call a halberd?

The halberd, swung like lightning, crushed the knight’s longsword and pierced through.

The knight’s head was cleanly severed. Blood gushed out from the neck.

‘He’s like a grand warrior.’

Not as strong as Havar, but still quite formidable.

[That’s Jargal, the grand warrior. One of the few warriors loyal to Amin.]

‘I heard Amin is a reckless and utterly incompetent guy. A grand warrior like him is loyal to such a person?’

[Either Amin got the medicine to cure his lover or sister’s illness, or it’s loyalty bought with money. But a life debt is still a life debt.]

‘For Ka`har to have such loyalty, that’s something.’

Hersela sighed.

[…You seem to think of us as mere beasts, but Ka`har are people too. There are plenty of timid ones and loyal ones among us.]

Yeah, I don’t consider plunderers and murderers as people.

I charge toward them, tearing through the enemies blocking my way with my spear and sword.

Luckily, Amin’s speed wasn’t that fast.

The distance gradually closes. Close enough to hear his screams.

“Damn it! Damn it! Damn it all! That ghost woman is coming! Run faster!”

His voice was desperate, half out of his mind with fear.

‘He seems absolutely terrified of you. Did you do something to him?’

[Didn’t I tell you? It was nine years ago… I plucked out the eyes of that arrogant brat. Ever since, he’s been like this whenever he sees me.]

Nine years ago? He wasn’t even ten yet…

Plucking out your brother’s eyes? You were already a terrifying woman back then. What a lovely sibling relationship.

I spur my horse to chase him and call out to him.

“Aaaamiiin! Your sister’s here, where are you going without even a greeting? Let me hug my little brother after so long!”

[Please, don’t spout such nonsense using my body! I’m so embarrassed!]

Hersela yelled furiously in my head. Her voice was trembling.

No, this is all just provocation.

Amin didn’t respond.

Ignoring me and running away, huh? After I called out so desperately.

“You’re not even pretending to listen, sister is so sad! You need to be punished for hurting sister’s feelings!”

“You crazy ghost woman! Have you finally lost your mind?!”

Amin finally snapped and screamed.

“Don’t engage! It’s just a provocation!”

Jargal urgently tried to calm Amin down. Amin, who seemed about to stop, started running again.

Hmm. Provocation alone won’t stop him.

Then I’ll have to use the next method.

I take out my bow and draw the string. The arrowhead glowed red.

Amin glanced at me and shuddered.

“The Red Whirlwind is coming! Jargal! Block it!”

The Red Whirlwind, huh? I didn’t know this archery technique had such a name.

It’s the same principle as the Net of Blades, but I didn’t expect it to have a different name.

Wait…

‘There’s something I want to ask. When did you create this technique?’

[Probably around fifteen…? It wasn’t long after I became a grand warrior.]

Ah. Fifteen. That makes sense.

Everyone goes through ‘that phase’ at that age.

I nod and aim the bow.

Jargal glared sharply at me.

I’m not really aiming for you or Amin, though.

*Thwip*, a light sound of release. The arrow pierced through the haze and flew forward.

The heated air scattered from the impact, leaving a circular ripple. The red tail trailed like a comet.

Jargal’s expression twisted in dismay as he saw the arrow’s direction.

“This…!”

A vortex of life force erupted from the arrow that pierced its target.

Red blades tore through the ground, wreaking havoc. The earth spat out flesh.

[Hoh.]

Hersela muttered with satisfaction. I nock another arrow and shoot it similarly.

Aiming slightly ahead of where Amin and Jargal were running.

I release the arrow with a relaxed draw, firing it in a high arc.

Even a grand warrior wouldn’t have a way to block a trajectory passing overhead.

The arrow plunges into the ground and blooms again.

“Such a cunning trick…!”

Jargal gritted his teeth. Thanks for the compliment.

Now they have to choose.

Either ignore me and charge headfirst into the storm of blades, or turn their horse to stop my shooting.

Of course, Jargal and Amin only had one choice.

“Amin, sir! Keep running!”

Jargal pulled the reins and turned toward me. Amin ran without looking back.

What a waste of a loyal subordinate.

“Ha-shal-leur!”

The sound of hooves echoed across the ground. The halberd, illuminated by the light, flashed crimson.

Another grand warrior charging at high speed.

The memory of the earlier struggle flashed through my mind, and phantom pain throbbed in my healed wrist.

However, unlike Havar, who charged like a chariot, Jargal’s momentum was surprisingly ordinary.

Come to think of it, I heard that even among grand warriors, many couldn’t master that cavalry technique. Lucky me.

“Jargaaaaal!”

I put away the bow and shout as I charge. My left hand, gripping the long spear, pulls back behind my shoulder.

My arm and shoulder are a bit sore, but it’s nothing serious.

The thrown spear cuts through the air.

As before, the strike wasn’t aimed at Jargal but at Amin. Jargal, gritting his teeth, drew his sword and threw it at the spear’s trajectory.

With a clear metallic sound, the spear collided with the curved blade and spun away into the distance.

“You won’t target Amin, sir!”

Jargal’s halberd cuts through the wind as it approaches.

Perhaps expecting me to dodge easily if he aimed directly at me, the sharp blade was aimed at my horse’s neck instead.

But what to do? I don’t plan to wrestle with you.

Just before the halberd strikes, I kick off the horse’s back and leap into the air.

The horse, its back bent, lets out a pitiful whinny.

“What…?!”

The target I was aiming for was cut in half, so the blade of the halberd, which was supposed to slice through the neck, instead split the horse’s head horizontally and plunged deep into its body, stopping there.

Jargal’s body staggered for a moment.

The force of the blocked attack, combined with the speed and weight of my horse, was absorbed by the halberd. The fact that I didn’t fall off was a testament to my exceptional horsemanship.

Rolling on the ground, I threw two daggers.

Jargal frantically twisted the shaft of the halberd. The dagger aimed at his head hit the shaft and bounced off.

But that was just a feint. The second dagger, thrown low and swiftly, dug into the leg of the horse he was riding.

A loud clang echoed as the dagger, deflected by the halberd’s blade, flew sideways and roughly grazed the horse’s thigh.

The horse screamed and collapsed.

Well, it sounded like that, at least.

I had already started sprinting towards Amin the moment I threw the daggers.

At a speed that even Jargal on horseback couldn’t catch up to.

The energy I had gathered over hours was rapidly depleting, and a sense of exhaustion gripped my chest.

With every step, the ground shattered beneath me. Broken clumps of dirt and rock fragments flew behind me like a cape.

I pushed forward, using the streamlined curtain of Life Force to deflect the headwind that blocked me like a solid wall.

– Kwaaaaaaah!

The displaced air returned with flames, creating a storm of fire.

It was as if a burning dragon was tearing through the ground.

“Ahhh! Haaaah! Don’t come! Don’t come closer, you monster!”

Amin, looking back at me, screamed and convulsed.

His one remaining eye was wide open, as if it might tear apart.

“Amiin! It’s time for your punishment!”

[That crazy bitch…]

Ignoring Hersela’s muttering, I smiled at the younger sibling I had just met and approached.

His face came close in an instant.

The next moment, Durandal’s blade sliced through the hind leg of the black horse he was riding.

—-

“Uwaaaah!”

With the leg that was about to kick off the ground severed, Amin’s horse collapsed, its rump slamming into the ground.

The speed at which it was running caused it to skid forward, grinding against the ground. Given that its rump was the first to hit, the part that touched the ground was…

Well, I can only hope he wasn’t male.

Judging by the way he screamed as if his eyes were about to pop out, it seems he was, unfortunately, male.

“Just die already!”

Amin, still a warrior-class, managed to leap up and swing his sword at me mid-air.

Well, in the end, he was still just a regular warrior.

“That’s dangerous, isn’t it?”

I caught the descending blade with Ice Blade and gently placed it on the ground.

Amin’s body spun like a top and crashed down.

“Keuh!”

“This is confiscated.”

I lightly kicked Amin’s right hand, which was holding the sword.

The flying sword embedded itself into a distant tent. A lump of crushed flesh clung to the hilt, dripping like blood.

“Gyaaaaah! My hand! My hand! You crazy bitch!”

“Stop exaggerating.”

Amin, clutching his right wrist, wailed and flailed.

Broken bone fragments peeked out from the torn cross-section, stained red.

“There’s so much I want to ask you, little brother… but unfortunately, I don’t have much time.”

I looked up at the flaming arrow shooting into the sky.

The retreat signal. It meant the mission objective was achieved, and it was time to withdraw.

Besides, Jargal was probably rushing over here too.

He wouldn’t be badly hurt from just falling off his horse.

“You damn brat! You cursed ghost of a woman! I should’ve killed you ten years ago!”

A voice filled with resentment.

The curses screamed out like a cry of terror held nothing but fear.

“Is that any way to talk to your big sister? You really need to be punished.”

Kneeling down, I pressed Amin’s body with my left hand and brought my right hand to his eye.

If I used Ice Blade to wound him, he wouldn’t last long.

Amin’s pupils shook as if facing a landslide.

“Nooo! Fingers! Get those fingers away, you monster! Jargal! Jargaaal!”

As if trying to shake me off, he flailed and shook his head.

“Ah, just stay still.”

I pressed his upper body with my entire left arm.

This looks like I’m hugging him. Well, it’s been a while since I hugged my little brother, so Amin must be happy.

My fingertips touched his eyelid.

Amin’s whole body trembled, and the smell of urine filled the air.

“Peeing yourself? Still a kid, huh?”

Smiling, I slowly pushed my finger in.

The pressure on his eyeball caused Amin’s pupil to bulge slightly. Tears streamed down his face.

If I gently pull it out now…

“Sorry…”

“Huh?”

Amin muttered something.

“I’m sorry… Ha-shal-leur, big sister…! Just once, just once, forgive me…! Please… please spare my eyes…!”

Amin, trembling, begged for forgiveness, snot and tears streaming down his face.

Hersela burst out laughing.

—-

“Hmm…”

I tilted my head as if pondering.

Not that I was really thinking, just having fun.

‘What should I do? He’s trembling and begging so pitifully.’

[You know…]

I caught the dagger that was thrust towards me, hilt and all. Amin’s left hand trembled.

His expression turned to despair.

Did he really think a sneak attack like that would work?

[You know what’s coming, right?]

Yeah, I do.

I snatched the dagger and drove it down like a nail. Amin’s left hand was pinned to the ground.

“Ahhh!”

“What a foolish little brother. Did you really think that would work on your big sister? Now, punishment.”

I stabbed three fingers into Amin’s eyelid.

With a squelch, I felt a slippery orb. I pulled it out.

– Pop!

The optic nerve was ripped out in one go, and a white eyeball came out.

Blood splattered on my cheek.

“Kyaaaaaah!”

Amin convulsed, limbs stretched out. Foamy saliva dripped from his filthy mouth.

“Fuuuuck! My eye! My eyeeeee! Ahhhh! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you, Ha-shal-leurrrr!”

So noisy.

I gently placed the extracted eye into his gaping mouth.

“Now, take a good look at the scene before you. Isn’t it dark?”

Amin, choking, gagged and flailed.

“…That’s your future, Amin.”

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