Night of the Soulless Heathens – 396



#396. Iron Mask 8

“Written.”

Azadin leaned back almost collapsing then placed his hands on the ground and turned around to avoid Astarte’s attack.

As the sword exploded shrapnel slashed Azadin’s entire body but fortunately avoided his vital points.

However he was conscious of the public’s reaction when he entered the city gate and did not wear a helmet or mask so his face was wounded and covered in blood which was a truly pitiful sight.

But even in this situation Azadin’s eyes did not lose their light.

“It’s my turn now!?”

Azadin took an arrow from the tradition and simply threw it with his hand.

I threw it without having time to draw the bow but it flew straight towards Astarte.

“How dare you!”

Astarte swung the leather strap she used to handle the iron and whipped away the flying arrows.

The arrow not shot with a bow but thrown by hand fell limply.

however….

-Ting! Papak!

Sparks flew from Astarte’s iron mask.

Iron arrowhead-shaped coins made of iron struck Astarte’s Iron Mask.

Azadin threw his arrows and simultaneously threw his iron projectiles.

The light and small iron tips hit Astartair’s iron mask sending sparks flying and some even got stuck.

If it weren’t for the iron mask I would have been in trouble.

“That’s right! That’s right! That’s right that’s how you are Layla’s son!”

“Um… what?”

Azadin paused for a moment bewildered by Astarte’s strange voice.

Who is this guy and why is he pretending to know him?

Taking advantage of the gap Astarte adjusted the leather strap.

This time instead of the nails appearing along the entire length of the leather strap there were six nails tied together in a bundle at the end.

Astaroth swung the leather strap like a giant hammer. The six spikes gathered in one place added weight making the force terrifying.

Get notified for updates: https://discord.gg/93rmBjgP6B

As the iron slingshot flying towards Azadin strikes the tent poles of a nearby shop the thick wooden posts break like reeds and even the fences and brick walls are punched with holes.

It was a power that was so strong that it was hard to even imagine what would happen if a person made of leather were hit.

“Whoa!”

“Run away!”

The onlookers were now running away in panic.

‘Okay run away. That’s easier. But Layla’s son? What’s that? If it’s Layla then definitely…’

Azadin untied the moon-bow on his waist.

But before he can protest Astadair attacks.

Azadin ducked under the flying chunks of iron and closed the gap.

As the iron core gathered and became heavier the power when swinging increased but the speed became slower.

It was slow enough for Azadin to easily do it but he anticipated that Astarte would have a plan.

“Ugh!”

Indeed Astarte stepped on the leather strap in the middle narrowing the radius of the rotating leather strap.

When the string is long the slow-moving iron spears accelerate explosively as the string shortens and fly towards Azadin.

‘I knew this would happen.’

Azadin closed the gap and rushed towards Astadair. In his hand was an axe blade made of blue steel Azuresteel.

The Blue Executioner flies towards Astarte’s neck with fierce momentum.

however….

“I got caught!”

One of the iron nails at the end of the leather strap appeared close to the leather strap handle that Astadair was holding.

Astarte struck the back of the iron man’s head with his fist.

-Boom!

The iron bullet was fired with a terrifying force accompanied by a loud noise.

Trap after trap and this iron sword technique used by Astarte. Since it is not the sword technique of a normal knight those who are not familiar with it will be helpless.

‘The problem is that it’s more convenient for me than orthodox swordsmanship.’

Azadin escaped using the technique of the Flower Bird Wind and Moon Spider.

The iron bullet that lost its target flies in a straight line aiming at civilians.

“shit!”

Jibek blocks the attack with his shield but the shield breaks and Jibek’s body is thrown back. Selim jumps in and blocks Jibek’s body but even Selim is pushed back.

Selim was barely able to stop as the hippogriff supported him from behind.

The iron bolt that pierced through the shield went through Zibek’s helmet nearly blinding him.

It would have been better if he had received it from a distance but if he had received it from close range like Azadin even the greatest Azadin in the world would not have been safe.

But now that the desperate technique had gone astray it was time for Astarte to pay the price.

Azadin grabbed the hem of Astarte’s cloak spun around and went behind him performing the Kajas Sea’s Flower Bird Wind and Moon Song.

He then throws Astadair to the ground with a terrifying momentum and then uses the magic Flower Bird Wind and Moon Cheongilsong to send Astadair flying into the sky.

And then he grabbed him once more in the air and slammed him into the ground twice in succession with the Blue Sun Song. Even the sturdy Yaegasu Shin-oh couldn’t help but scream.

“Ugh! Stop it!”

Join our discord and ping me to update more chapters. Discord: https://discord.gg/93rmBjgP6B

“stop?!”

“I lost.”

Surprisingly Astadar admitted defeat after being hit by Azadin’s Blue Sun Song twice.

‘Hmm unexpectedly. I guess I can fight more?’

Azadin wanted to kill the former king Astarte so when he unleashed the Qingil Song he deliberately threw it so that it would fall on his back instead of vertically breaking his spine.

The pain was excruciating but not fatal so it would have been an attack that the sturdy Yaegasu Shinto could withstand.

however….

“As expected. You are my son.”

“…what?”

For a moment Azadin felt dizzy as if he had been hit in the head with a hammer.

Hey what is this guy talking about?

“I am your father!”

Astarte declared while lying sprawled on the floor.

*********

Astarte’s declaration was clearly heard by everyone present.

The residents nodded spontaneously.

Azadin’s actions so far have been unconventional.

A heroic act that even a soulless blasphemous herald clan could not do anything about.

They are starting to make sense now.

In fact Azadin was the prince of the Yaegas tribe!

“also!”

“You were a prince!”

“Ah. Shit!”

Azadin couldn’t stand it anymore and became angry.

At one time Azadin cursed his own bloodline.

A cursed son born from a man’s stomach due to the curse of service.

It’s not easy not to curse that fate.

But now that he had overcome it it was Azadin’s pride.

Save yourself not by your lineage but by your conduct your beliefs your will to do good and your training.

With the teachings of the Suyang School in his heart he called himself a rescuer and spread new teachings in this land.

But that man immediately threw Azadin’s teachings into the gutter with his absurd delusion.

Azadin approached Astadair who was lying on the ground.

“I am not your son. Are you out of your mind? Are you?”

“Yes. That’s right. You’ll want to deny it. But no matter what you say my blood flows through your veins. You’re Laila’s son. Although I’m not in a position to proudly call you a father I feel relieved that I’ve been defeated so beautifully!”

“No I’m telling you not to feel relieved. I’m not saying that. I’m Acre’s son! Not your son!”

“Acre? Oh I see. He was Laila’s original fiancé. Haha. That man is really strange. He raised the woman who was pregnant with my child as his own. In the end both he and I are helpless bound people who loved the same woman!”

“….”

Azadin had only mentioned the name of Acre and in Astarte’s mind a love song worthy of the bards had already been composed.

Acre who could not bear to give up Astarte’s child Van Lila and held her child in her arms.

He raised the child of Layla and Astarte as his own and that is the current Azadin.

At least in Astarte’s mind.

‘Oh I’m going crazy.’

Azadin trembled as he watched Astarte who did not even think of listening to his words.

*********

“what?”

Zect opened his eyes wide at the news coming from the south.

“Azadin was Lord Astarte’s son? No way….”

“Yes. There are rumors like that…”

“Are you in your right mind? Did Lord Azadin himself say that?”

Although Jecht was Azadin’s enemy he secretly acknowledged him.

‘I never thought you’d be some piece of trash who’d try to forge your own lineage for personal gain… No it’s a bit strange to expect such integrity from an enemy but I thought you’d be different Azadin.’

Fortunately the adjutant was quick to dispel Zect’s misunderstanding.

“No. Sir Astadair claims it and Azadin denies it.”

In the public perception it was seen as a rebellion by a young hero who suddenly rejected his biological father.

Astarte was a drunkard who would go around stamping his attendance card at all the inns in the neighborhood saying that he was a sinner and that he deserved to die. He would drink heavily and sing about his circumstances so everyone around him knew about his circumstances.

A fallen king who was deceived by the evil messenger clan’s beauties and leaked the Book of the New King.

Even so he still loves her but he will kill her and die himself to wash away this great sin. That’s what Astarte would always say when he was drunk.

So Astadair became famous by following the minstrels’ footsteps in the tavern and when the rumor spread that Azadin was his son it became established as an established theory.

As the saying goes a horse without legs can travel a thousand miles and indeed magic-enchanted messenger birds were busy spreading the news across the country.

“Ah ah I knew something like this would happen to me someday… I should have just ended Lord Astarte’s miserable life with my own hands but I kept him alive for nothing and now this is happening!”

Jecht realized that he had messed things up by letting Astarte live instead of killing her with his own hands.

‘But even I couldn’t ignore Astadair’s fighting ability. Are you saying that Azadin defeated Astadair in a short period of time?’

My previous impression of Zect when he faced Azadin was that he was a tough opponent with excellent dexterity but he was a worthy opponent.

However if he had defeated Astadair without much damage it would have been a different story. Perhaps Azadin had gained considerable skill in the meantime?

‘His fame has been rising recently so there must have been some kind of trigger. Was it because he took the throne of Korasa and collected copies of the Book of the New King? Or some kind of miracle? In that case I should avoid fighting him alone. Then if I lead a unit and fight as an army can I win?’

Zect felt his head getting complicated.

Since Astarte had declared Azadin as her son and had become attached to him there was no chance of them winning a fight as a unit.

Of course since Astadair only led a few of his adjutants his force was not threatening enough to change the situation.

But the justification that Azadin gained was enormous.

If Azadin is the son of King Yaegas then his declaration of the New Testament also becomes persuasive.

Even if the Inquisitor Jecht wanted to punish Azadin for heresy the pressure would be great because Azadin’s popularity and status in the south were extraordinary.

‘If Astaroth had only been on this side it would have been worth a try. I foolishly picked a fight and lost so I ended up joining the other side so it was doomed from the start. This is a fight that was doomed from the start. How can we make peace?’

Zect knew coolly that this fight would do more harm than good.

But then a lion came from Azadin’s side.