The Hero King, Reincarnate to Master the Art of War ~And Thus, I Became The Strongest Knight Disciple (♀) in The World~

Chapter 453: 16 Year Old Inglis and the Highland on Distance Sea (62)

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"…!?"

"Above us!?"

"She's coming down fast!"

Tiffany descended at incredible speed, her leg raised for a devastating kick. She seemed to burst forth from a gap in the clouds, hurtling toward them with the intention of using her momentum to bring them down along with the Star Princess.

"No… we can't dodge in time!"

The ship's controls couldn't respond quickly enough.

"I'll handle this…!"

Leone barely managed to react. She thrust the blade of her black greatsword Artifact into the path of Tiffany’s kick. The clash of Tiffany’s greave and the greatsword's blade rang out.

"Urgh…! We're going to flip over! Mais, hold on to me tightly!"

"O-Okay!"

"I’ll stabilize it!"

Liselotte leaped from the deck and activated the Gift of her white wings. She swooped beneath the tilting Star Princess, flapping her wings with all her might to support the ship’s bottom.

"We’re holding… somehow!"

"You reacted well in the moment… but this isn’t over!"

Tiffany pushed off the blade of the black greatsword, propelling herself upward with a powerful leap. It appeared she was retreating temporarily, but—

"Ha ha ha ha ha! Crush them all!" Maxwell's laughter echoed as it drew closer.

As if to take Tiffany's place, the faceless giant leaped from the airship. The massive hand, outstretched, came crashing down with the intent to obliterate the Star Princess.

—There’s no time to maneuver! It’s impossible to withstand this mass!

"Jump off!"

Liselotte’s urgent voice rang out.

"!!"

Without a second thought, Rafinha and the others leaped from the Star Princess.

Like swatting an insect, the faceless giant's hand smashed into the ship with barely any resistance. The Star Princess plummeted, spiraling downward toward the central research facility of Illuminus.

Although Rafinha and the others narrowly avoided the attack, they were now suspended in midair, overwhelmed by the unsettling sensation of freefall as their bodies hurtled downward.

"Ahhhhhh!?"

"It’s okay, Mais! Liselotte will—"

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Leone let out an even louder scream than Mais.

"Leone, it’s fine! Don’t worry!"

Apparently, Leone had always been a little afraid of heights.

While she had managed to overcome this fear enough to ride flygears and fight from them during her training at the Knights Academy, leaping into the open air with no support seemed to be pushing her limits.

"Leone! Take hold of me!"

"Th-thank you…!"

Leone clung tightly to Liselotte's waist, holding on for dear life.

"Rafinha!"

"I’m okay…! Thank you!"

Thanks to Liselotte's intervention, everyone was safely caught and secured.

Below them, the giant hurtled toward the ground, descending toward what remained of Illuminus, now reduced to a small island.

If only the fall could crush it completely, sparing them further trouble—but the giant's body, composed of magical fluid, merely deformed on impact, softening its landing.

It cushioned Maxwell and Tiffany as they rode upon its shoulders, allowing them to touch down without harm. However, the sheer mass of the creature caused a tremor upon landing, tilting all of Illuminus for a brief moment.

The quake startled the surviving Highlanders, drawing them outside in alarm.

"What… what is this!? Is it the same thing that attacked us before!?"

"It’s back again!? Does it mean to sink Illuminus this time!?"

"The combat controls for the mecha-dragons still aren’t restored! This time… this time, it’s really over, isn’t it…!?"

Seeing the giant up close, the Highlanders’ expressions were filled with despair.

"Exactly! You devils who created the mana essence…! At the very least, become part of this giant! Let your magic serve the Midland! Then, and only then, will I deem us even!"

The giant extended its hand, grabbing the Highlanders in its massive grip.

“ “ “Ahhhhhhh!” ” ”

"Oh no! We’re going down!"

Liselotte began a rapid descent, but she wasn’t fast enough.

The faceless giant's mouth split wide, forming a grotesque maw, and it swallowed the Highlanders whole.

"No…!"

Rafinha and the others cried out in despair as the giant's body momentarily radiated a bright light.

"Ah, I see! So, the taste of Highlanders pleases you, does it, giant? Hahahaha!"

Judging by Maxwell's words, the light was proof that the Highlanders' lives had been extinguished, their mana absorbed into the mana essence comprising the giant's body.

In other words, they were already too late.

"This… this can't be! That mana essence giant… it’s going to devour us too!?"

A woman, another Highlander, stepped outside at the sound of the commotion, freezing in horror at the sight of the giant. Clad in a white lab coat, her appearance exuded the air of a researcher.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Rafinha and the others recognized her immediately.

"EXACTLYYYYYYYY!"

The faceless giant's hand shot out, seizing the woman in its grip.

"Ugh…!?"

"Mother!!!"

Mais let out a piercing scream.

Yes, it was Mais' mother—the Second Professor of Illuminus—who was now caught in the giant's grasp. The faceless giant's mouth split open like a gaping maw, preparing to throw Mais' mother into it.

"Stop this!"

At that moment, Liselotte, descending rapidly, closed the gap to the ground. Holding tightly onto Rafinha, she positioned herself to wield her bow artifact with both hands. Rafinha had already drawn back the string of her radiant arrow of light.

"We won't let you hurt Mais' mother!"

The unleashed arrow of light, glowing with a pale blue spiritual essence, shot through the faceless giant's arm, blasting it away.

"I did it! I actually did it!"

Though Rafinha struggled to control her power, this success—only the second time since she'd stopped Leone under Tiffany's control—brought immense relief. Most importantly, she had saved Mais' mother.

"Marvelous, Rafinha!"

"Incredible! So this is the power that stopped me… It really is similar to Inglis’!"

"Yeah, I can’t control it at all, but I’m glad it came through at the right moment!"

"Mother! Thank goodness!"

Mais ran to his mother’s side.

"Mais! And everyone—thank you for saving me!"

Mais' mother bowed deeply to Rafinha and the others.

"No, we’re just glad you’re safe!"

"But!"

"Indeed, we mustn’t let our guard down!"

As Rafinha and the others landed in front of Mais’ mother, the giant picked up its severed arm and reattached it to its body, seamlessly regenerating.

"Ah, my giant! No pain, no pain! It reattaches itself right away! But to think you could so easily blow off the giant’s arm… You're not just Inglis Eux's little shadow, are you?"

"Shut up! Mind your own business!"

As Rafinha retorted, her eyes caught sight of Tiffany standing beside Maxwell.

"There’s no need to be shaken. After all, you have me—don’t you?"

"Lady Tiffany… Then grant me your strength!"

"Of course, I shall."

"Let’s go, my giant! HYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

Tiffany’s body began to glow brilliantly, and Maxwell's form was absorbed into the giant's chest.

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