Chapter 119: Taking Over
The waters of the Han River flowed quietly beneath the grey sky. The loading continued without interruption.
Bound prisoners shuffled up the wooden ramp one after another while the guards watched with bored expressions.
Near the front of the ship, two men in black armor leaned against several stacked crates.
One of them yawned before adjusting the sword hanging from his waist.
"I have to admit," he said with a grin, "things have become much easier after the Lord took over."
The other guard nodded in agreement. "You’re right. We barely have to search for anyone ourselves anymore."
He glanced toward another wagon arriving from the forest. "The villages are already terrified. Half of them surrender without a fight."
The first guard chuckled. "And the Lord is paying even more now."
He stretched lazily before looking toward the prisoners slowly climbing the ramp. "We’re risking our lives every trip. A little extra silver is the least we deserve."
His companion snorted, silently agreeing with his words.
"Every shipment is filled with multiple problems, and if we get caught, death is our only option."
"Besides..." He casually pointed toward the bound civilians. "If anyone asks, these people died during a Nightmare Tide."
He shrugged without the slightest guilt. "Who is going to prove otherwise?"
Both men laughed quietly when another armored guard approached while fastening the straps on his breastplate.
"Where’s this shipment heading?"
The first guard answered without looking up. "Brighen City."
The newcomer nodded. "I heard the prices there have nearly doubled."
"They have."
"The nobles always pay well."
None of them noticed the silent figures hidden among the distant trees.
...
Several hundred metres away, six pairs of pale azure flames burned within the darkness of the forest.
It had only taken them a few minutes to sprint and arrive at this place. They remained motionless until Edgar’s command reached them.
Kill everyone in black armor except one.
The Soul Network carried Edgar’s will instantly. Every Soul Guardian moved at once.
BOOM!!
Trees exploded apart as they sprinted toward the carriages and the ship.
"What was that?!"
One guard instinctively turned toward the forest.
A black skeletal figure burst through the undergrowth before crashing directly into him.
CRACK!!
The man was thrown several metres through the air before disappearing beneath a wagon.
Another guard shouted in alarm.
"Enemi--!"
His warning never finished.
A massive skeletal arm smashed into his chest, sending him tumbling across the muddy ground.
The camp erupted into chaos as the trained soldiers quickly got into formation.
"Draw your weapons!"
"They’re Nightmares!"
"Protect the ship!"
Steel left its scabbards from every direction.
The black-armored soldiers rushed forward with the discipline they had always practiced.
Unlike ordinary bandits, these men reacted surprisingly quickly.
Several shields immediately locked together to block the path.
While spearmen stepped behind them and raised their spears through the gaps between the shields.
"Hold them!"
A Soul Guardian that looked more like a gorilla charged head-on.
Three spears struck its ribs almost simultaneously, but the skeleton ignored them.
Its bone fist swung forward with a weight far greater than they had anticipated.
CRAAACK!!
The shield wall shattered. Soldiers were thrown across the ground like broken dolls.
Another Guardian landed behind the formation.
Its heavy kick crushed a wagon wheel before sending splintered wood flying everywhere.
Prisoners screamed as the damaged carriage overturned. The ropes binding several captives snapped apart.
Panic spread throughout the shoreline.
Some prisoners fled toward the forest while others collapsed where they stood, too frightened to move.
Meanwhile, the guards in black armor desperately fought back.
Several managed to surround one Soul Guardian and tried to ram their swords into its bones repeatedly.
Fragments of black bone scattered across the ground, yet before they could celebrate, another Guardian crashed into them from behind.
The battlefield descended into complete disorder in no time.
Bodies fell one after another.
The remaining guards slowly realized something horrifying.
These skeletal monsters never hesitated to go for the killing blow.
They were just killing machines.
...
Near the riverbank, one armored man suddenly stepped forward, his robe flapping wildly.
Unlike the others, his expression remained calm, as though what was happening was beneath him.
Blue light gathered around both of his hands like glowing orbs.
"So..." He narrowed his eyes toward the approaching skeletons. "Even some no-name monsters think they can kill me?"
The river suddenly surged as though it were following the man’s will.
WHOOSH!!
A massive wave rose from the Han River before crashing toward the Soul Guardians.
The torrent swept several skeletons backward across the muddy shoreline.
One Guardian struck a tree with enough force to split its trunk.
Meanwhile, the armored man extended both hands. Streams of water wrapped around his arms like living serpents.
"I’ll hold them!"
The remaining guards immediately began retreating toward the ship.
...
Far away, inside the warehouse, Edgar’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the man.
He had been keeping an eye on them the whole time to make sure nothing went wrong.
’He can manipulate water...’ Edgar thought, rubbing his chin.
He had heard about beings who could control water before. They were a relatively well-known type of Aberrant.
’...Looks like you will be needed as well.’
Edgar immediately sent another command to the Human Soul Guardian.
Back at the bank of the Han River, a black skeletal figure sprinted out from between the trees.
Unlike the others, it carried a simple iron sword, its movements unbelievably smooth.
The water user immediately noticed the newcomer.
"So there’s another--"
The skeleton disappeared from his sight at a speed that was hard to comprehend.
"What--"
Clang!
Almost on instinct, the man raised his armored arm, which clashed with the sword.
The armored man barely managed to block the first strike.
His eyes widened.
The arrogance from before was nowhere to be seen. ’Fast!’
The Human Soul Guardian didn’t stop. The swing flowed naturally into the next.
There wasn’t a wasted movement anywhere. It was like the flow of a river too massive to control.
His water techniques couldn’t keep up with the relentless precision.
He attempted to create another wave, but the skeleton stepped inside his guard and a silver arc flashed through the air.
Slash!
The man’s right arm fell to the ground with a silent thud.
"Aaaagh!"
Before the scream had fully escaped his mouth, another strike followed, causing both legs to collapse beneath him.
Another slash, and his remaining arm also fell to the ground.
The water user fell helplessly onto the muddy shore. His ability vanished immediately.
The battle had already ended.
The last armored soldier dropped his weapon before falling to his knees.
"P-Please!"
"I surrender!"
Several freed prisoners also knelt instinctively, crying as they looked toward the terrifying black skeletons surrounding them.
No one understood what these creatures were or why they had attacked the slavers.
The Soul Guardians simply stood in complete silence.
Their pale azure flames flickered softly within their empty eye sockets.
Every one of them awaited the next command from their master.