The plan was going too smoothly.
Ash had to admit it: the five of them made for a frighteningly effective criminal team. In the chaos of the camp, they had somehow managed to lure Gerard away, creating a window to reach the Void Realm portal.
The strategy was deceptively simple:
1.Ignite panic: Igula randomly targeted a nervous adventurer, leveraging his expertise in psychological manipulation. Most adventurers were either carrying skeletons in their closets or were outright cowards. Without much effort, Igula convinced one to believe he was being hunted, causing him to bolt out of the camp in fear.
2.Disrupt the camp: As Gerard and his hunters pursued the decoy, Harvey used necromancy to manipulate chips in the crowd, enforcing sudden restrictions. Simultaneously, Ronald used precision steel shots to wound adventurers around them—including their own group.
3.Fan the flames: Ash's prerecorded message played from the decoy, while Igula amplified the growing fear with a psychic echo, pushing the adventurers into outright panic. The crowd, convinced Gerard was turning on them, stormed the exits in chaos, leaving the area clear.
When Gerard finally took the bait, the rest of the adventurers fled, leaving Ash's group, now playing injured, to rise and dash toward the portal.
Despite the slapdash nature of the plan, it had worked brilliantly. As Gerard sped past Ash in pursuit of the fleeing decoy, Ash's heart pounded wildly in his chest. He couldn't believe their luck.
Until it ran out.
Ascending the steps to the portal, Ash suddenly froze. A chill ran down his spine, his heart gripped as though by an unseen hand. It was a sensation he had felt before.
"Danger!"
Wild Instinct had been triggered.
It had saved his life countless times in the past, and Ash knew better than to doubt it now.
"Miracle: Sword Barrier!"
Using his golden energy, Ash called upon the Earth Sword miracle. With his recent elevation to two-winged rank, the barrier's durability had tripled.
Bang!
A deafening shot rang out. Ash's barrier shattered like fragile glass, cracks spreading through the stone beneath his feet. Even though the bullet hadn't directly hit him, the sheer force of the impact felt like it had shaved a few years off his life.
Ash glanced toward the camp entrance and spotted the shadowy silhouette of the shooter: a beastman sniper, Grasas Dov.
Shearing's lackey.
Ash hadn't forgotten about Grasas. He just hadn't expected the beastman to appear at the worst possible moment, extinguishing what little hope remained.
And now, he couldn't move.
To maintain the sword barrier, Ash's sword had to remain planted in the ground. Mobility was impossible during the miracle's activation—a flaw he had never considered fixing until now.
Ash's options narrowed to two grim choices:
1.Drop the barrier and risk being obliterated by Grasas's next shot.
2.Hold the barrier and wait for Gerard to finish him off.
But Grasas presented a third, crueler option.
The beastman sniper, greedy for a greater prize, raised another rifle and took aim—not at Ash, but at the rest of his team. Grasas wasn't content with just one fugitive. He wanted them all.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Grasas unleashed four shots in rapid succession, one for each of Ash's companions. It was a gamble: Gerard would arrive in seconds to overpower everyone, and Grasas only needed to stall them for that short window to claim his prize.
But Grasas had underestimated his prey.
Harvey, first in line, tossed a glowing green bone into the air. The bullet redirected to the bone, which exploded in midair. Harvey, however, groaned in pain, his left arm dangling uselessly.
Igula created a psychic shield. The bullets veered off course but grazed his shoulder, tearing a chunk of flesh. He stumbled, hissing in pain.
Ronald, without any means of defense, was saved by Ranna. The towering warrior grabbed Ronald and hurled him behind, then drew his blade. Two bullets were cleaved in midair, sparks flying as the force of the strikes sent shockwaves through the air.
Ronald wasn't idle. As he was protected, he unleashed a hail of steel balls, each one rocketing toward Grasas at blistering speeds. The beastman was forced to redirect his efforts to defense, giving Ash the moment he needed.
But now Ash lagged behind. The others had gained ground, while he was still rooted in place. And in any pursuit, the one who lags behind is always the first to fall.
Ash needed a miracle.
His mind raced. Of his miracles, Heart Sword, Substitute, and Flowing Blade were his best options. Earth Sword remained his only defensive miracle.
In that moment, clarity struck him. The structure of his techniques unfolded in his mind, melding into something new.
Inspired by the final strike of Varkas. Inspired by the miracle of the Sword Maiden soaring to the heavens.
Ash moved.
He summoned a second sword—a Substitute Sword—imbued it with Heart Sword, and hurled it toward the highest step of the platform. Then, he activated Earth Sword on both blades, creating twin barriers.
The result was instantaneous: Flowing Blade bridged the two swords, and Ash was pulled toward his substitute like a magnetic force.
In the blink of an eye, Ash stood at the top of the platform, where his substitute sword dissipated into golden mist.
Success!
He had invented a new miracle.
Ash called it Two-Way Run.
Ranna and Ronald glanced at him, momentarily stunned by his sudden appearance ahead of them. But there was no time for questions. They were mere steps from the portal.
Behind them, Gerard's chain sword howled through the air, accompanied by the cruel red glow of his power.
Ranna acted swiftly. He kicked Ronald toward the portal with enough force to send him flying, cracking several ribs in the process. Ranna then turned to face Gerard, shadows swirling around him to form an intimidating black armor.
Boom!
Ranna caught Gerard's blade with his armored arms. The force shattered the armor and left a deep gash in the stone beneath his feet, but he held his ground, even managing to deflect the chain sword upward.
Ronald, now back on his feet, hesitated. He looked back at Ranna, who stood resolute against the onslaught.
This was the moment.
"Time to end this," Ronald whispered, eyes hard with determination.
He turned, hurled a single steel ball, and aimed it directly at Ranna's back.