Repeat Vice - The Villainous Noble Doesn't Want to Die, So He Swore to Not Die As One of The Four Heavenly Kings - Chapter 108: Retreat

Chapter 108: Retreat

A sword is swung down.

Immediately afterward, someone approaching at an astonishing speed stops Eric’s sword.

The sudden intruder, a man wearing a military cap pulled low—Suiren, the adjutant of the Imperial Air Force, blocks Eric’s sword with his black-coated military sword.

“I came because the soldiers’ bio-signals suddenly ceased…quite a funny sight, Rindo.”

As the blades of the sword and military sword push against each other, emitting a grating metallic sound, Suiren says in an exasperated tone.

Rindo frowns with an embarrassed look.

“Shut up…who asked you to help?”

“You were told to engage with at least multiple senior soldiers when facing a ‘first-class combatant’. Eric Idea Steria—the ‘Sword Saint’—is even among the top of the ‘first-class’.”

“First-class’ was full of women and children. I don’t remember anything below ‘special-class’.”

“…And that’s the result. Pathetic.”

As Suiren talks while pushing against the sword, Eric puts more force into his sword.

But no matter how much force he applies, he cannot push back Suiren’s military sword.

Noticing Eric’s gaze, Suiren narrows his eyes.

“Oh, I apologize, Sword Saint of the Kingdom. I’ve been in the military for a long time, please forgive my rudeness.”

“An unannounced assault…indeed rude. It’s a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement, but I suppose you are prepared for that?”

“If we win, we’re the victors—however, this time it’s a lost battle. The damage to the Empire is severe. Since we couldn’t press the attack, we’ve already lost. I’m asking you to let us retreat without pursuit.”

At Suiren’s incredibly selfish words, Eric narrows his eyes and glares.

“After all this, you think I’ll just let you go?”

“Talking is free. If you pursue, we’ll retaliate accordingly.”

“I intended to do that from the start.”

With that conversation as the trigger, both of their blades repel each other.

Immediately, countless slashes, almost imperceptible, attack Suiren.

Suiren deflects them with swordsmanship too fast for the eye to see.

“Amazing swordsmanship…the name ‘Sword Saint’ is no exaggeration.”

“Compliments from someone who deflected all that effortlessly aren’t very pleasing.”

“Effortlessly? I wasn’t holding back…”

Eric points his chin at Rindo, who lies at Suiren’s feet.

“To say that after rescuing your comrade.”

“Rescue…oh, this. I just kicked and rolled him. He won’t die from a bit of rough handling.”

Suiren kicks Rindo as if to tell him to repair his limbs quickly.

Rindo groans and glares at Suiren, then immediately regenerates his limbs and stands up.

Seeing that, Eric narrows his eyes, realizing that they can control their regeneration speed and timing to some extent.

“Retreat, you say? What kind of joke is that after coming this far? Orders from the commander?”

“Commander Azami is engrossed in battle up there. Retreat is my decision.”

“Huh…?”

Rindo looks as if he wants to call him a fool.

Even while talking, countless slashes relentlessly come at Suiren, who continues to deflect them with his military sword.

“That white smoke…the bio-signals of the soldiers who entered it ceased all at once a while ago. There were several senior soldiers among them.”

“What!?”

“The casualties have already exceeded 300, and that mysterious smoke continues to spread. I can’t figure out how to deal with it. The damage is too great to ignore. It’s meaningless to continue. I’ve already requested a return to the aircraft carrier. Rindo, you hide yourself enough not to die—”

Suiren’s words are cut off as his black-coated military sword is sliced in two by a particularly sharp slash, and the blade flies into the air.

The slash also deeply cuts into Suiren’s shoulder.

Black blood flies, and Suiren refocuses his attention on Eric.

Eric grins fearlessly.

“I see. Your current way of slashing…seems to suit you.”

Eric unleashes a series of slashes.

Suiren repairs the blade of his military sword by sending his own black blood into it and blocks Eric’s slashes.

Suiren’s military sword blade is originally created by hardening his own blood, so no matter how much it is used, it doesn’t lose its sharpness or strength.

Even after repairing the broken blade, its quality doesn’t drop. Rather, Suiren increases the hardness of the blade, being wary of Eric’s slashes.

But in the next moment, the military sword, struck by another slash, is again sliced in two, carving new wounds into Suiren’s body.

“…”

Suiren’s wounds immediately heal, but his normally expressionless face shows a slight hint of astonishment.

“…It’s not a fluke.”

“Of course not. I just got the hang of the way to cut.”

While saying this, Eric relentlessly unleashes numerous slashes.

Each of those slashes is strong enough to cut through the military sword that Suiren generates.

If he continues to receive them as he has been, he will only accumulate more wounds.

Therefore, Suiren immediately switches from taking the slashes head-on to deflecting them.

He matches the direction of the blade to the trajectory of the slashes to deflect Eric’s sword.

With graceful movements, Suiren deflects the relentless onslaught of slashes.

It is truly a sword technique worthy of being called a divine skill.

But just after deflecting all the slashes, Eric, who had closed in, swings his sword.

Unlike the previous long-range slashes, the sword swung directly by Eric has a different level of power and sharpness.

If Suiren tries to deflect it, he can’t manage, and the blades clash, with a cut forming in Suiren’s military sword.

Eric murmurs in admiration.

“A splendid skill. Let me formally introduce myself. I am Eric Idea Steria, the ‘Sword Saint’—may I know your name, Imperial swordsman?”

“…To be praised by the ‘Sword Saint’ is a great honor. But as things are…defeat seems certain. There’s no point in holding back.”

Suiren glances behind him.

Rindo had disappeared at some point.

Thinking it would have been good to borrow his help but realizing it was Suiren himself who instructed him to hide, he lightly exhales and his body turns the color of black iron.

“—Machination Destruction.”

Immediately, with a harder military sword, Suiren pushes Eric back, sword and all.

Blown away with tremendous force, Eric does a somersault in the air and lands lightly.

Eric frowns at Suiren’s sudden transformation.

Machination Destruction—Suiren’s silhouette doesn’t change much.

Only his skin turns the color of black iron, and his eyes glow an inorganic red under his military cap.

Machination Destruction involves amplifying the concentration of nanomachines in the blood to an extreme, manifesting unique properties.

Azami manifests countless ‘Machinery Branches,’ which act like armor, granting immense durability and the property of electrification.

Suiren’s property, on the other hand, is extremely simple.

It is—the pure enhancement of physical abilities.

With swordsmanship worthy of being called divine skill and overwhelming physical prowess, the machinated Suiren becomes the Empire’s strongest soldier.

Normally, special chemicals must be injected into the carotid artery to achieve machination destruction, but Suiren is different.

With an abnormally high level of nanomachine control, Suiren is the only one among the Imperial soldiers who can machinate without chemicals.

‘I see…a chivalrous introduction? It’s a culture that has long since died out in the Empire, but I shall follow the ‘Sword Saint’s’ example.’

With an inorganic voice, Suiren prepares his military sword.

‘Imperial Air Force adjutant, Suiren—though I never introduced myself, I am called the ‘Sword Emperor.’

‘Sword Emperor’ Suiren and ‘Sword Saint’ Eric.

Having finished introducing themselves, they face each other and swing their swords simultaneously.

The strongest soldier of the Empire and the strongest swordsman of the Kingdom cross their swords here.

＊

Rinus’s head is severed by Azami’s military sword.

Immediately, dark energy extends from Rinus’s neck and reattaches to the head, pulling it back and fusing it.

‘Damn, died again! Ivan, heal me later, you bastard!’

Shouting, Rinus swings his scythe and slashes Azami’s torso.

But Azami’s body also heals from the point of the cut, and the torso doesn’t separate.

Azami mutters irritably.

‘Not dying even if your head is cut off…? Damn monster…!’

‘You’re one to talk!’

Rinus and Azami engage in a brutal close-quarters fight, not caring about the damage to their bodies, both seemingly immortal.

Occasionally, Ivan intervenes and swings his shining war hammer, but Azami pays no heed.

Even when a powerful blow from the war hammer sends parts of his body flying, Azami regenerates immediately.

Unlike Rinus, who has undead characteristics, Ivan is not immortal.

Therefore, Ivan hits and retreats, engaging in hit-and-run tactics, while also fending off distant support fire from Imperial soldiers.

He shouts:

‘—Damn, this is getting nowhere! Rinus! Can you handle this guy alone!? I’ll deal with the pesky flies around us!’

Deeming that Rinus alone is sufficient to handle Azami, who shows no limits to his regeneration, Ivan declares his intention to reduce the number of surrounding Imperial soldiers.

‘You think I’ll let you go— “Demon God”?!”

Azami glares at Ivan.

Behind him, Rinus gathers dark magic power into his scythe.

“『Contract…—Droplet of Life, to this place—Waters of the Styx, Striped Three Ways』”

Rinus’s mouth utters a short ancient language—a chant of ancient magic.

The shape of Rinus’s large scythe—”The Reaper’s Scythe”—changes.

The number of blades increases to three, becoming even more sinister.

An indescribable fear, a biological instinct, makes Azami turn to stop Ivan.

“Oh? Is it okay not to go? You should just ignore my attacks as usual.”

Rinus’s wicked smile is evident, even without the flesh on his cheeks.

Facing the menacing triple-bladed scythe swinging down, Azami assumes a defensive stance with a military sword for the first time since transforming into a mechanical destruction unit.

The moment the scythe’s blade strikes, the military sword is blown away along with Azami’s right arm.

There’s no pain, no shock.

It wasn’t caused by overwhelming physical force.

It felt more like an unusual phenomenon of “disappearance.”

However, the loss of one arm isn’t a significant issue.

It can just be repaired—

“—?”

Azami’s face changes color.

The blown-away right arm—from the shoulder down—isn’t repairing itself.

“Hey, it’s not regenerating?”

“—!”

Azami now dodges the triple-bladed scythe swung by Rinus.

Then visibly distances himself—beyond the reach of Rinus’s scythe.

“What did you do…!”

Holding the unrepairable right arm, Azami glares at Rinus with hatred.

Rinus clicks his teeth and mocks him.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“You bastard—”

Something snaps inside Azami, but his anger is forcibly suppressed by the nanomachine’s emotional regulation.

At that moment, Azami receives a communication.

It is a one-sided report from Vice Commander Suiren, not even seeking a response.

A report on the casualties of the Imperial soldiers and a request for the withdrawal of the entire army, including Commander Azami, from the aircraft carrier.

When Azami began to engage with Rinus, the “Dark Reaper,” who is designated as a “Special-Class Power” by the Empire, the command of the Imperial Army was transferred to Vice Commander Suiren.

Therefore, the overall control of the army was in Suiren’s hands, and Azami learned about the damage from this report.

Upon receiving the report, Azami narrows his eyes and looks at the ground—the ever-expanding white mist.

“Reaper…what is that ‘white mist’?”

“It’s the magic of one of our youngsters. What, have the ones who fell below been wiped out?”

Azami lets out a short breath in response to Rinus’s laughter.

An Imperial air battalion of a thousand, composed of enhanced cyborg soldiers with a bodily repair function close to immortality.

The sacrifice of a few soldiers to Rinus, Ivan, and Carlos wasn’t a significant loss.

From the start, some damage was expected when facing these three experienced warriors from the previous war.

However—the “white mist” spreading on the ground.

The disappearance of the vital signs of 300 Imperial soldiers, including high-ranking soldiers engulfed by this mist—this was far beyond expectations.

Moreover, Suiren reported that he had started engaging with the “Sword Saint,” designated as a “First-Class Power,” on the ground.

The advance of the “Mechanical Beast” legion was also largely obstructed by the “white mist,” visible even from above.

Defeat—the word floated in Azami’s mind, and he gritted his teeth bitterly.

“Regret…”

Azami’s powerless murmur.

Rinus, unconcerned, prepares his triple-bladed scythe and approaches Azami.

Ignoring this, Azami continues to speak.

“…It’s regrettable—that I can’t kill you here.”

At that murmur—suddenly, countless beams of light rain down from above Azami, Rinus, and the others.

The targets are Rinus and Ivan.

Both block the beams with high-density magical barriers.

“What the—?”

Rinus looks up, thinking of an ambush—he’s stunned.

Ivan, too, looks up in shock.

There, a massive warship, which should not have existed until a moment ago, was floating.

Optical camouflage—the massive ship’s full form is revealed as if a transparent curtain is being removed.

Countless gun barrels mounted on the ship’s bottom shower Rinus and Ivan with beams of light.

“Retreat… No, given the damage so far, Suiren’s decision is correct. But it’s regrettable that I can’t kill you—Reaper.”

Azami, lamenting from the bottom of his heart, is slowly lifted by a beam of light extending from the massive warship above.

Looking, countless beams of light extend from the warship, directed at all the Imperial soldiers.

“…Hey, are you running away again? Having your comrades killed and tucking your tail—you’re the same as fifty years ago.”

Blocking the rain of beams with his magical barrier, Rinus mocks, looking up.

But Azami looks down calmly.

“Why don’t you send a slash with that scythe? What you’re doing is obvious provocation. Is that scythe form exclusively for close combat?”

“…”

Rinus falls silent at Azami’s words.

Ivan, blocking the beam rain with his magical barrier, responds with a beam of light from his palm in return.

However, the beam is completely blocked by the light band and does not reach Azami.

“…The ability of that scythe, regeneration inhibition? It is indeed magic, a power beyond common sense. But it seems difficult to use. I won’t fall for it next time. Its value beyond a surprise attack is—”

Azami stops mid-sentence and frowns, feeling awkward.

A night raid by complete surprise, resulting in a practical rout.

In addition, the taunting words just to maintain some semblance of superiority after being injured—this is nothing more than the howl of a defeated dog.

For the sake of victory, they executed an extremely despicable strategy of an unannounced attack, followed by a retreat after being injured.

Pride was already abandoned, but as an Imperial soldier, further needless disgrace cannot be allowed.

Azami exhales briefly and glares at Rinus.

“…Next time, I will kill you.”

Understanding that even this is a vain boast, Azami spits out those words and rises towards the warship.

Blocking the rain of beams with his magical barrier, Rinus silently reverts his triple-bladed scythe to its normal form and swings it at the warship.

About to cleave the warship in two, Rinus is stopped by Ivan.

“Stop it, Rinus. If a ship of that scale falls to the ground, the damage to the people will be enormous.”

“…Damn it.”

Rinus clicks his tongue and makes the scythe disappear.

The warship, having recovered all the Imperial soldiers on the ground, ascends with a roaring sound.

Soon, its entire form disappears, wrapped in a transparent curtain.

No magic, no sound.

Tracking it is now impossible.

Rinus and Ivan could only glare at the void where the warship had disappeared.

＊

“No conclusion, huh. As expected, you’re strong—Sword Saint.”

Suiren, who instantly repaired the slash mark on his cheek, says with a hint of disappointment.

A beam of light extending from the massive warship that suddenly appeared in the sky envelops Suiren.

Suiren shrugs, indicating time is up, and slowly ascends.

Facing him, Eric, despite being covered in cuts, stands firm with his sword.

Their sword skills were evenly matched, or Eric was slightly superior.

However, Suiren’s greatly enhanced physical abilities due to mechanical destruction far exceeded Eric’s.

Moreover, Suiren immediately repairs any injuries and never tires.

Overwhelming disadvantage—yet Eric clung on with the sword skills honed through experience.

If the fight continued, Eric would probably have been the one to lose.

Conversely, Suiren’s failure to finish Eric here is also a significant setback.

Eric glares up at the ascending Suiren.

“…Do you think you’ll just leave Styria like this?”

“Though it was us who started it, any further conflict would only be disadvantageous for both sides. We are prepared to turn the ground into a sea of fire with a single switch.”

“…!”

Eric’s eyes widen, and Suiren calmly shakes his head.

“Therefore, refrain from magical pursuit. Our objective is to capture the base, not turn everything to ash.”

Threatened that pursuit would result in turning the area into a sea of fire, Eric reluctantly sheaths his sword.

“Bastard…!”

“…I agree with that. It’s an undeniable, unmistakable fact.”

Suiren, who had remained expressionless throughout, shows a faint smile.

It was the first time Suiren had shown any emotion.

“Well then, Sword Saint, if we meet again, let’s settle it then.”

With those final words, Suiren ascends and disappears with the warship.

Thus, the invasion of Styria territory ends with the Imperial Army’s retreat.

Both the Imperial Army and the Knights of Styria suffered heavy casualties.

However, surprisingly, there were almost no civilian casualties.

This was largely due to the swift response of the White Phoenix Knights, led by the Sword Saint Eric, and especially the efforts of Gress, the deputy commander of the Dark Knights.