"Are you guys really members of the Saint's Guard?"
"Gaha!"
A woman goes flying into a ruined building.
"To be honest, as twisted as I am, I feel sorry for you..."
"Gufo!"
Another gets herself hit in the gut and rendered limp.
"I mean...look at you..."
"Kyaah!"
And the last had her legs buckle under the intense pressure causing her to fall to the ground, pressed down by her large shield.
"Down in like 4 minutes? Seriously?"
Ashen sighed incredulously as he stared down each and every one of the members of the Saint's Guard that now lay defeated before him;
The oldest of the trio, had herself blasted into a ruined building with a grenade explosion Ashen had caused by directly throwing the grenade at her which she caught in her hands for some reason and the only reason for her not being blown to bits was because she was quick-witted enough to immediately cast a magical barrier on herself.
'I doubt that softened the force of the blast though...not my problem I guess?'
Then there was the young lady knight. It was pretty obvious from her get-up that she was the vanguard type of a combatant but even so, she clearly lacked a brain to figure out Ashen's fighting style. If Ashen were to describe her simply,
'She is definitely the 'All-STR, No-INT' stat kind of person...'
All throughout their short exchange of blows, she simply swung her sword at him without regard for defense. Even so, he could discern some kind of disciplined form in the way she moved in their fight. However, because she got impatient not even a minute into their exchange, her form simply turned into nothing more than aimless flailing.
All Ashen had to do then was to slip through her attacks and deliver one sucker punch to her gut.
'The only damage I got from the entire exchange would be the reddening of my knuckle. Damn that armor is tough.'
Ashen could not help but admire the durability of the armor in his mind.
Then his eyes drifted to the equally hard tower shield under his foot.
"Uh...you still alive there kid?"
He asked cynically as he leaned over to look at the shieldbearer that was stuck under the shield.
"Uuuu...", the shieldbearer-a young girl, groaned painfully. Unable to even use her arms to hold up-let alone-push away her shield.
'This one however is quite the decent one. She immediately jumped forward to take my attacks head-on regardless of our difference in size...'
Ashen thought so in awe.
As he had pointed out, the young girl before him was small in stature; about 4 foot, 8 inches tall. Compared to him who was at 5 foot, 11 inches, she was definitely small. Furthermore, though he was only able to catch a glimpse of her physique before she brandished her large tower shield, he could tell from how lithe she looked like even with her armor on that she was definitely as thin as Rosseweisse.
How she could easily move around while wearing more armor than her flailing colleague, and still rush forward while brandishing an incredibly heavy shield was quite an interesting-or abnormal to look at. But that can easily be explained as her having used magic to boost her physical capabilities so Ashen simply scoffed at the sight of it.
"Oi. Can you really not push your shield up? I mean, I'm not as heavy as a metal table you know? At the very least, I should only be pressuring you with the weight of a wooden table..."
Ashen wondered. Somehow, unlike how he feels towards Rosseweisse-or anyone else in particular except Guinnevere and Evaline which is that of annoyance, he felt like he was going a little too far by pressing the girl down to the pavement with his foot.
"You bastard-!", this time, it was the flailing failure of a lady knight who spoke, "Get your foot off of her!", she demanded angrily as she struggled to stand herself up with her sword.
"I refuse! Why the heck should I listen to your dumb ass? Do realize the situation you're in kid. You are in no position to be demanding things."
Ashen refused with a scoff before hitting a piece of rubble by his other foot with his sword and sending it flying to the lady knight, hitting her forehead and causing her to reel back and fall back down to the ground.
"Man...you sure are a disappointing bunch. Not to toot my own horn, but really...I might be just your average mortal here but I dare say I'm convinced that I'm hell of a lot stronger than you three combined."
Ashen lamented as he shrugged his shoulders in extreme disappointment.
But then again, this meant that with his defeat of the trio, no more enemies are present in the immediate vicinity and he can finally take at least a few minutes of rest which he finds to be the only good thing he got out of it.
'I really don't have the time to dawdle around here...but I can feel my body getting sluggish.'
Just as he thought that, his body started feeling very heavy and his mind felt like it was throbbing while his consciousness began to also slowly wane.
'Tsk...I pushed myself way too hard today...but-'
He then took a glance at the floating tower up above him and sighed wearily.
"But for my daughter, I have to move...no time to lose!", he resolves himself and immediately, "Oi! Nitwit! Come out! We have to keep moving!", he calls out to Rosseweisse as he leaves the defeated incompetent trio alone.
Rosseweisse obediently came out of her hiding spot from within one of the ruined buildings and quickly approached Ashen with an anxious face and upon seeing such a look;
"What?"
Ashen asked with a scowl causing Rosseweisse to flinch slightly as she approached him. At this point, he can tell from how Rosseweisse had looked at him that she definitely has something she wants to ask of him and it is surely something he will not like.
'Um...Mr. Ashen...", Rosseweisse started off with hushed murmurs, "I was wondering-"
"I refuse!"
"EH?!"
Ashen quickly voiced his refusal before Rosseweisse could even finish her sentence.
"But I have yet to say anything!", Rosseweisse cried out.
"I still refuse you little nitwit!"
Ashen however adamantly refused her as he ensheathed his sword on his hip,
"No point in discussing something that is basically something completely stupid and detrimental for our objective. Now shut up and move along!"
Ashen replied with a shrug. He simply had no energy to spare arguing with Rosseweisse right now as the sun is starting to set already.
Though it is something that most people do not mind, for someone like Ashen who has had many encounters with conflict, he knew by heart that night time is the time where enemies can take advantage of the chaos in the dark of the night to kill him. Add to that the fact that monsters generally do hunt at night time and most of them that hails from English folklore are nocturnal or downright powerful during the night, Ashen is confident that the worst possible outcome is having to fight in the night and fighting such creatures with an injured body like his is something he would like to avoid at all costs.
It would be one thing to ensure his survival, but another else entirely to keep Rosseweisse alive in the middle of all the chaos as well and if Rosseweisse herself is going to suggest doing something incredibly stupid again, Ashen can bet all his money(if he had any), that they both will get themselves killed with 100% certainty.
Which is why he refused Rosseweisse outright before she could even suggest anything despite him actually not knowing whatever it would be.
"Mr. Ashen!", Rosseweisse continued to call out to him who had started walking off towards the tower.
Ashen ignored her and simply continued to walk until suddenly-
*BOOM!*
-a large piece of rubble descends from the sky and lands inches away from his outstretched foot.
Ashen was shocked beyond belief as he slowly sized up the the large piece of rubble the size of a truck. When he looked towards the sky, there was no signs of anyone or anything having dropped it at him; taking a look to the sides of the piece of rubble, there was no sign of drag marks on the ruined pavement so there was no way it was thrown at him from somewhere. It was dropped-right before him, from thin air just like that.
Normally, he would be bewildered beyond belief at such a phenomena but for him...he already realized the cause and his shock was quickly replaced with a surge of annoyance that made him grit his teeth in frustration.
'This twisted non-sensical planet-!'
A vein popped in his temple but he knew for a fact that as of this moment, if he refuses to listen to Rossweisse any longer, he'll get another 'peaceful sign' from Mother Nature telling him to 'Turn around and listen to her'.
"Tsk! Screw this."
With a grunt of utter exasperation, he angrily turns around and faces Rossweisse who had come after him.
"Mr. Ashen! At least listen to me fir-"
"Out with it already you dumb nitwit! I don't have all day!", Ashen angrily cuts her off. Demanding that she cut to the chase immediately.
"Eh? Uh...", Rossweisse was caught off-guard by Ashen's sudden change of mind and was stuttering in shock.
"I said out with it you goddamned NITWIT!", Ashen roared in annoyance. Completely fed up with her stuttering.
"Uh...well...I was wondering if we could at least take the 3 of them with us. I am sure they'll be instrumental in Ms. Evaline's rescue."
As Ashen had predicted, Rossweisse did suggest something that he really did not like. Not even for a tiny bit. The reason-
"I don't need deadweights who can't even bring down a one-armed human. Plus, a couple of those dumbasses are total greenhorns! Why the heck would I bring them with me to the enemies' base? The enemy knows the Saint's Guard are here in London so you should already know why I don't want to bring any of them!"
To him, bringing along a woman who would absentmindedly caught a live grenade and stare at it; an inexperienced swordswoman who clearly does not have the patience to fight against a cunning opponent; and a very young but slightly competent shieldbearer, with him to an enemy base filled with experienced and merciless enemies is just asking to get himself quickly killed.
'All 3 of them aren't even useful as meat shields so there really is no benefit in bringing them along!'
Ashen thought to himself after trying to re-evaluate the groaning trio of 'Saint's Guard' in his mind and still find them useless for him. Furthermore, the enemy base he was planning to go to was the tower that hovered a hundred feet above them and he can't exactly carry 4 people up there all by himself. That is just plain impossible for him.
"But-! We will need all the allies we can possibly get if we are to enter the tower in the sky!", Rosseweisse however, seemed to be confident that they would be useful and it was a sentiment Ashen simply could not accept.
But then again, does he have a choice here?
Just looking from how he was stopped by Mother Nature earlier was enough of an evidence for him to know that if he refuses Rosseweisse here now, he might just find himself obstructed by Mother Nature and forced to agree with her. Something that he really hates to do.
He looked at the tower once more, then to the sky that has began turning scarlet, and then finally back to Rosseweisse who stared at him with expectation.
'Right now...I don't have the means to resist this damned planet's coercion no matter how much I try to refuse it. But I no longer have the time to argue with this Nitwit any longer. Urgh damn it! Fine! Just this once, since this is for the sake of my daughter's safety!'
He had no choice but to relent and assent to Rosseweisse's suggestions albeit he was overtly showing it with a veritable scowl etched on his face. In his mind, he convinced himself that his priority right now, is rescuing Evaline at all costs.
'I am so gonna regret this later...'
With that final thought in mind, he pushes Rosseweisse to the side and heads for the trio.
******
"My name is Jackie Bryce. A Legionnaire from the Saint's Guard."
"My name is Maria von Schicksal. Legionnaire..."
"M-My name is Kyrie Stefanie. Also...Legionnaire..."
Ashen stared at the trio with eyes filled with utter carelessness that caused a short moment of awkward silence before,
"American, Russian, and a German...what the hell..."
He shrugged in utter exasperation.
"What do you find to be disappointing about them Mr. Ashen?", Rosseweisse looked at him in disbelief, "I can tell clearly that you meant no racial disrespect as you said those words but the way you reacted seemed like you were expecting something from them...", she pointed out.
"What do you even know about me Nitwit? Don't pretend like you know me like the back of your hand.", Ashen retorted before scratching his head in exasperation.
"Is there something wrong with us, Mr. Ashen?", Jackie, the oldest of the trio asked. Her face betraying her utter annoyance towards Ashen.
"Aside from the fact that I have to bring your incompetent ass with me to the enemy base? Yeah, there is. Your entire existence to be exact."
His words visibly shocked Jackie who could only stare at him speechless and completely in utter disbelief.
"You-! You are a just a barbaric mongrel and yet you dare to say it is wrong for us to exist?! You sure are too full of yourself just because you managed to beat us in a fight!", Maria angrily retorted with an insult.
"Hmph. If that is only the extent in which you understand me, then I pity you. It seems you weren't listening to me at all.", Ashen shrugged in disappointment, "Trying to understand you was-and shall forever be, a total waste of time.". After one last look at the trio, he then gets up and prepares to leave, "Come on Nitwit. We have no more time to spare."
Probably taking his actions to be further insult, Maria angrily calls out to him, "Why you-! Don't you dare turn your back on me you mongrel!"
But as soon as she took a step forward, Kyrie, who had been quietly listening from the side stood in-between her and Ashen.
"Step aside Kyrie! I have to teach that mongrel a lesson!", Maria thundered.
"Lady Maria. Please calm down. We are not here to fight him!", Kyrie remained unfazed and she simply tried to calm Maria down.
"What are you talking about?! That nameless mongrel just insulted us and even the Saint and yet you dare to stand up for him?! Whose side are you on?!", Maria demanded. She was clearly furious.
"I am on your side of course! But Lady Maria, right now, Mr. Ashen is correct. Our 'existence' is a mistake given the current situation.", Kyrie explained while trying to keep Maria away from Ashen.
"What was that?! That is just blasphemy Kyrie! Remember we are the Saint's Guard! We protect the Saint, not some nameless barbarian who knows nothing!", Maria however refused to calm down and continued to lash out angrily.
"Maria...", Jackie tried to also calm her down but she was simply ignored.
Rosseweisse was speechless. Confused and unable to think of a way to defuse the rather dangerous situation.
But amidst the aggressive atmosphere, Ashen simply responded with a callous tone;
"Oh? It seems at least one of you understood me."
Causing Maria to shut up in the next moment.
"What are you-?"
Not even bothering to respond to Maria's insults from earlier, Ashen once again turned around and returned to sit before the trio. This time, he felt expectant as he did so.
"Well, Ms. Kyrie. Since these 3 idiots seem to be utterly lost as to what you meant by your words, care to explain to them?"
Ashen tried to test Kyrie for 'something'. Fully expecting her to fail from the get-go.
Kyrie who heard him, faced him and bowed slightly, "Apologies, but explaining it right now is not a good idea. Please, though we may be incompetent, I implore you to allow us to accompany you.", she answered in a humbled tone.
"Wait! What are you saying Kyrie?! We should be asking him to give us back the Saint so we can return to the palace!", this time, it was Jackie's turn to react.
That was a reaction Ashen had expected from the old Huntress, however it was trivial compared to Kyrie's answer.
It made Ashen smile slightly. In his mind,
'Oho~ there's a decent child here!
"Hmph! Very well! Since you asked nicely, you can come along!", he agreed to her request much to Maria, Jackie, and Rosseweisse's surprise.
"Eh?", Rosseweisse stammered as she looked at Ashen in disbelief.
"Thank you for your consideration Mr. Ashen. We shall do our best not to disappoint you!", Kyrie responded before straightening herself up again.
Seeing her, Ashen could not help but feel like he saw something rather nostalgic again but he quickly dismisses it from his mind and simply tells them,
"We're leaving immediately then. Go slap that couple of idiots behind you and follow me closely. Try not to lose sight of me now. Come on, Nitwit. Let's go!"
He stands up and proceeds to leave without another word.
"Eh? Already?! Wait! Mr. Ashen! At least explain why you said that!", Rosseweisse followed after him but the only response she got was a handchop on her head causing her to shut her mouth and whimper in pain.
"Just what-"
"Kyrie what have you done?"
The couple of idiots, Maria and Jackie, all looked at Kyrie in disbelief.
However, she simply looked back at them and said, "Lady Maria, Lady Jackie, let us go. We don't have time to dawdle here. Our duty is to protect the Saint at all costs."
"That is correct but-"
Kyrie said not another word and simply turned to follow after Ashen and Rosseweisse as she slung her tower shield on her back.
'To think he noticed the anomalous magic that was surrounding us and remain vigilant enough to avoid the worst case scenario right from the get-go...just who is this man?'
With that thought in mind, Kyrie forges along the ruined road.
Her and Ashen's destination; the floating tower in the skies of London.