༺ A Far Away Tale. The Sword And The Spear – 2 ༻

Unlike Shei, who had anticipated this situation, Tyrkanzyaka seemed quite tense.

Even so, it was only a slight furrow of her fine brows, but it was still quite a difference from the indifferent attitude she had shown when destroying armies.

“What a remarkable spirit. It almost seems like it’s calling out to us.”

“It’s not us. It’s probably just me.”

Shei answered while picking up Chun-aeng and Jizan.

“Stay here and watch over Azzy and Nabi. I’ll go alone and come back.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?”

“It has to be. There’s something I need to conclude, you see.”

Shei sighed heavily and leaped through the narrow window. Then, she immediately ran towards the place where the aura could be felt.

As expected, General Patraxion was standing there. Patraxion, standing majestically, greeted Shei as if he never doubted she would come.

“Yo, Boy. It’s been a while.”

He was holding an ordinary standard spear instead of his beloved weapon; a spear that barely met the essential requirement with nothing special about it.

However, his strength had long transcended weapons. Regardless of the spear he wielded, his presence remained immensely dangerous.

A sufficient amount of anxiety came upon Shei as she greeted him.

“Long time no see, Sunderspear.”

“Still a disrespectful brat, I see. Tch, I thought you at least showed some promise, though.”

No further introduction was needed; they knew each other well.

Shei had used Patraxion to fall into the Abyss.

This round, Shei decided to infiltrate Tantalus. However, in the early stages, still not having regained full strength, it was difficult to force her way into the prison.

As such, Shei called forth Patraxion, one of the Six Star Generals.

The method was simple.

She settled in a bustling city. Then, after proposing a duel of bets, she knocked down every curious customer who approached.

Eventually, the army came to stop it. After all, private duels were not tolerated in the Military State. When they did so, she knocked them down as well.

At some point, the Military State stopped sending troops. Instead, excited by the news of an unusual, abrupt duel, one of the Six Star Generals rushed over to face Shei.

After fighting adequately, Shei expressed her desire to battle a stronger opponent without interference. General Patraxion, impressed by this, kindly guided Shei into the Abyss.

“You were more than talented enough. I thought you would at least become a general officer. Maybe even the youngest Star General….No, wait, the youngest may be a bit of a stretch. Anyway, I was quite looking forward to the Six Star Generals becoming the Seven Stars.”

Whoosh. Patraxion swung his spear with an extended grip. The sound of the wind being cut was chilling.

“But you really messed up in a big way. Killing a general officer, cutting off the Earth Sage’s right arm, and then bringing out the other prisoners?”

Patraxion, gripping his spear with both hands, was filled with deep disappointment and hostility.

“That guy Ebon, despite his annoying way of talking, is still my comrade. Since my comrade died because of me, it is my responsibility to settle it. Let us honor his spirit with this duel.”

Shei had no intention of avoiding the fight but didn’t want unnecessary misunderstandings either, thus she retorted.

“Even though he tried to kill me first?”

“What? Why would Ebon go out of his way to enter Tantalus to kill you?”

“That bastard is part of the Human Regime.”

“What?”

Patraxion, slightly taken aback, impaled his spear back into the ground and asked again.

“The Human Regime?”

“That’s right.”

“Him?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“Don’t know.”

With a groan, Patraxion scratched his head, looking troubled.

“Ahhhh. So that’s why he kept changing his subordinates. Mm. I did wonder why the mortality rate was overwhelmingly high.”

His contemplation was brief. Patraxion composed himself and grabbed his spear.

“However! There’s no excuse for the brutal attack of cutting off the Earth Sage’s arm!”

“I tried to reattach it. She’s the one who refused.”

Patraxion asked, dumbfounded.

“…Reattach? Is that even possible?”

“If you’re good enough.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

“How was I supposed to when she kept saying she didn’t want to?

“Are you really expecting me to believe that?”

“If I wanted to kill her, I would have gone for the head.”

“That’s true.”

Groan. All Patraxion could do was vainly scratch his head before shouting in annoyance.

“Well. Anyway. I’ve realized there’s some justification for your actions. But! That doesn’t erase your crimes!”

“I have no intention of pathetically trying to explain myself. I just hate feeling wronged.”

“However, there’s not necessarily no room for compromise at all.”

Patraxion, again planting his spear into the earth, subtly asked.

“Wanna be a general officer?”

It was a remarkably unsophisticated remark for a recruitment offer. Shei, as if having heard wrong, retorted.

“Hehh?”

“With your level of power, the Military State would welcome you. Besides, you’re not just a melee combatant, right? The Military State is always looking for an asymmetric power like you.”

The Military State was built upon the ruins of the kingdom of knights. It gathered soldiers, handed them guns, and drew military power from all areas.

However, in war, such quantitative improvement…wasn’t really helpful.

Once strength reached a certain level, it transformed from a quality of size to a quality of intensity. Even a thousand mediocre soldiers could not defeat a single powerhouse who had reached such a realm. It was said to be a success just by dragging out time.

That was when an asymmetric force was needed; a trump card that could change the situation and turn the tide.

The young Military State lacked these mysteries and secrets, and was gathering such beings to bolster its power.

However…

“I’ll refuse.”

Shei flatly refused. General Patraxion’s face clouded over at this decisive attitude.

“…Is that so?”

Patraxion sighed deeply, scratching his head.

“I have a daughter. She’s just about your age. You see, she is quite a cute child. Maybe it’s because I’m getting old, but I don’t want to fight against a child who has such a promising future ahead of them.”

Once upon a time, Patraxion was a vigorous young man. Challenging the kingdom to a duel was an act of reckless courage, impossible without extraordinary bravery and mettle.

But as time passed, and he became a general and fought several wars, he aged. The more responsibilities he had, the heavier his actions became.

Patraxion, who lived more youthfully than anyone, longed for those days.

“More than anything, I like your attitude. I see your will to fight against everything in the world. It’s children like you who change the world.”

“Are you boasting about yourself?”

“I’m envying my lost youth, you brat. Sigh, I’m on leave now and I can either capture you or let you go. I hear you haven’t killed anyone so far, so I might just let it slide.”

Even as he said this, Patraxion glanced with a hint of expectation. Shei, catching his meaning, smiled challengingly and took up her twin swords.

In her right hand, Chun-aeng; in her left, Jizan.

The two Treasure Swords laid silent in the hands of one person.

“That’s a shame, though. Considering how I received a lesson from you last time, aren’t you curious how much stronger I’ve become inside the Abyss?”

“…That’s right. This is why I like you.”

Whisk, thump.

Patraxion joyfully gripped his spear with both hands. Radiating vigor from his whole body, he aimed the tip of his spear with a voice full of excitement.

“Do not worry. I can fight quite well, you see. I’ll make sure you won’t die, no matter what.”

“I’m not really good at controlling my strength. You might die.”

“HAHAHA! Such audacity! I like it!”

And then, a ray of light split the air. Shei’s eyes turned purple as she lifted Chun-aeng.

A heavy weight settled on both arms. The moment the blade caught, the spear tip changed direction like a snake, aiming for Shei’s neck.

So much for not letting her die.

Grumbling, Shei clenched her teeth and flicked the spear away. Red sparks flew as their Qi collided.

Patraxion took a lively step before retreating swiftly. Just moments ago, the spear was definitely aiming for her neck. but now, he was somehow more than ten steps away.

After piercing the spear into the ground and pushing off his back foot, Patraxion shouted loudly.

“Good! Now that we’ve greeted each other, let’s fight! Is there any need for more conversation?!”

“Hmph. Fine. It’s exactly what I wanted!”

Shei shouted boldly, lifting Chun-aeng above her head.

Jizan was the shield. To be more precise, it was a terrain feature advantageous only to Shei.

Clang! A harsh metallic sound resonated. The Sunderspear’s spear could neither push away, pierce, nor deflect Jizan. The spear blade, surrounded by Patraxion’s Qi, was even capable of cutting and breaking steel, yet left not a scratch on Jizan.

In front of the iron wall defense, the General clicked his tongue.

“What an incredible treasure! I didn’t see it last time!”

“I picked it up from down there!”

Shei, placing Jizan between the spear and her body to limit the trajectory, instantly charged in, swinging Chun-aeng. In a split of a second, the sword aimed for Patraxion, but he just smiled and flipped his spear and body.

Clang! The spear shaft blazed extensively. The spear and the sword, fully imbued with Qi, clashed, creating sparks.

Shei, utilizing the lightness of Chun-aeung, flipped her wrist. Her plan was to aim for the hand holding the spear shaft.

Heavenly Counter Domain spat out a warning.

Feeling a sudden chill, Shei hid behind Jizan.

Kiing. The spear precisely traced a trajectory skimming both Chun-aeng and Jizan; the movement was akin to a snake finding a gap.

“I see your intentions. You want to use a light sword to force a battle of speed? Hey, listen up. The spear is the most defensive weapon in the world. Excluding shields, of course, since they are defensive gear!”

It didn’t end with just one block. The spearhead seemed to split into dozens. Patraxion, maintaining a distance where only the spear tip could touch and not the sword blade, repeatedly struck and retreated in a way that could be called cowardly.

The distance was too far and his actions were too fast. Shei struggled to approach, constantly forced to retreat.

“Distance is a defense in itself! This is how you use a weapon’s advantage!”

Whether she tried to approach or tried to retreat, both actions were equally challenging.

It was a strange footwork. Without even lifting his feet off the ground, his legs and feet slid lightly over the earth. Yet, when he wanted, he stood firm as if rooted, thrusting his spear powerfully.

The spear that even pierced through wind did not make a single sound. If it wasn’t for Heavenly Counter Domain, Shei would have had two holes in her body by now. Patraxion kept cornering Shei as he shouted.

“Haha! Eat this! How is it?! I don’t know about guns, but! Spears are better than swords!”

“Skyblade Art, Dragon Slayer!”

“Huh?”

Above Patraxion, a massive blade, seemingly 10 meters long, fell.

The vastly expanded Chun-aeng, spread out in space, was like a sword wielded by a giant. The moment the blade, aiming to split the waist, was blocked by the spear shaft, a fierce recoil pushed Patraxion’s body backwards.

“Wait. If it’s like this, then the advantage of the spear becomes….?”

Though bigger in size, the endlessly light Chun-aeng was only as heavy as air of the same volume. Patraxion, losing the advantage of length, swiftly retreated.

Shei didn’t stop attacking. As the distance widened, instead of swinging Chun-aeng, she planted Jizan into the ground. With a Crack, Jizan sank in as the earth split like it was struck by a meteor.

“Terra Firma Arts, Stalagmite!”

And with that, she stirred it mightily.

The ground under Patraxion shook. Immediately, a giant spike burst from the ground, sending him flying. It was the Authority of Jizan, Earthweave.

“WOAH HOH! Truly a phenomenal weapon!”

Patraxion, who had bent his legs instantly to absorb the shock, regained his posture in mid-air. At the same time, Shei elongated Chun-aeng and stabbed it into Jizan.

The union of Chun-aeng and Jizan. A Supreme Technique with Jizan as the barrel and Chun-aeng as the bullet.

“Aerith Blade, Supreme Technique.”

Horizon Sunder.

An invisible slash split vertically towards Patraxion. Sensing danger, he angled his spear to block, but was soon catapulted far away by the strong rebound.

Shei took a deep breath. Controlling the swirling wind, she glared into the darkness with red eyes.

She hadn’t used her full power. Not only did she not want to outright antagonize the Military State by deliberately killing General Patraxion, but she also didn’t want to use up all of Chun-aeng’s space because if she did, difficulties would appear in following battles.

….And, in the case Patraxion truly felt a sense of crisis, he would have responded with some kind of measure.

After all, albeit slightly…he had touched upon the Axiom.