Chapter 41 There Was A Certain Beauty There
An attack that was excessively overpowered, with an aura that was so enormous it was staggering, capable of killing a single human being.
It was as if it was designed to blow away a giant beast, with numerous high-ranking magic spells that were overwhelmingly excessive.
Each and every one of them possessed a power that could be called a sure-kill, surpassing even the top-ranked explorers. 29 attacks, each one capable of taking down a single human being.
Boom. Explosion.
Flash. Impact.
The shockwave was so intense that it would blow away an ordinary person like a small stone, and the deafening roar was loud enough to shatter eardrums. The explosion caused by the skill and magic was so powerful that it shook the earth like an earthquake, and the flash was so bright that it would burn the retina even in the daytime.
Just being near the explosion would put you at risk of suffering various injuries.
However, the men who launched the attack didn't even flinch, as if they were receiving a gentle breeze. They gazed intently at the center of the explosion, simultaneously focusing their minds to sharpen their [magical energy sense].
The explosion blew away the desert sand, and smoke was rising into the air.
Although visibility was still poor due to the smoke, it was certain that a massive crater had been created.
The men had confirmed that Aaron Gale didn't even attempt to dodge the attack until the very last moment. Moreover, he had recovered his weapon and was wearing an "Anti-Magic Ring" around his neck, which meant he couldn't use his skills, and his physical strength was probably weaker than that of an ordinary citizen with a general job or production job.
Avoidance and defense were impossible. Enduring it was out of the question.
Not even a single piece of his flesh would remain, evaporating instantly in the face of such an attack.
"...We did it."
One of the men let out a sigh of relief with those words, and the atmosphere among them relaxed slightly.
"Don't let your guard down until the smoke clears!"
But the leader's warning tightened the atmosphere again.
An excessively nervous sense of vigilance. However, no one dared to object.
Everyone here knows that their strategy in the 45th floor of [God's Remains Labyrinth] has failed. At the same time, they confirmed Aaron Gale's abnormal combat ability.
More than anything, this operation was led by 'Magus', and it's unacceptable to fail even once. It's impossible for a creature that can't be killed to exist. If they fail, it'll be judged as their own mistake.
Even the leader knows that the target can't be alive. Still, since they were warned about the target's abnormality from the top, they can't let their guard down until they confirm his death.
They were professionals.
There was a moment when they let their guard down, but other than that, they didn't show any signs of carelessness until the very end.
That's why it happened.
From inside the swirling dust cloud, a small rock about the size of a fist flew out, as if it was thrown.
The rock drew a gentle parabolic arc and fell to the ground just before reaching the men.
The rock had no killing power and wasn't even an attack. But just because it came flying from the other side of the smoke, the men's attention was focused on the rock for a few seconds.
――Right after.
It took advantage of their momentary lapse in attention.
"――Guh!??"
A pained cry echoed without any warning.
Everyone's gaze focused on the source of the cry.
It was the man who had Chloe Caduceus restrained and a knife to her neck.
Something strange was growing from the top of his head ―― a faintly glowing cross-like object. It took only half a second to realize that its true identity was the hilt of a sword formed from an aura.
(――Aura Sword!?)
The aura sword was deeply embedded in the man's brain, its tip piercing through his cerebrum and reaching his heart. In other words, instant death.
The man's eyes, which had been looking up, turned white, and his body went limp. He fell to the ground, collapsing like a puppet with its strings cut, and remained there.
"Whoa!? What...? Huh? ...Ah, Aaaaaaah!!"
From Chloe's perspective, it felt like the man who suddenly appeared behind her was about to collapse onto her, his face pressed against her body, and then he just fell to the ground with a thud ―― that's what it seemed like.
When she turned around, she saw that the man who had fallen to the ground was bleeding profusely and had stopped breathing. Chloe let out a high-pitched scream, overcome with fear and confusion.
The hostage had been released.
But that didn't matter at all.
The leader, still shaken, turned his gaze back to the crater with the smoke rising from it.
No...
Way...
In the midst of this strange, slowed-down sense of time, he saw a hole opening up in part of the smoke. It was as if something was bursting out from the inside with incredible force.
He hadn't let his guard down.
His sword was still imbued with aura, already prepared for the next attack.
But if he couldn't find a target to attack, it was all meaningless.
The sense of crisis that came with facing death made the man's senses more acute. Before his conscious mind could even process it, his subconscious guided his gaze.
He found him.
Aaron Gale.
Right next to him.
Within arm's reach, Aaron Gale was standing with his fists clenched, his waist bent low, and his eyes fixed intently.
For some reason, he was completely naked.
Not a single thread on him, just his bare, natural form.
Whether that was related or not, the "Anti-Magic Ring" that should have been on his neck was gone.
There was no time to react.
No time to dodge or swing his sword. Faster than that, Aaron's fist shot out towards the man's abdomen.
(It's okay, I can endure it!)
Aaron Gale was a Swordsman-type Job. He shouldn't have any skills for bare-handed attacks. Even if he had a special Job that allowed him to learn general fistfighting skills, he wouldn't have any high-powered skills. On the other hand, the man's physical strength and endurance were greatly enhanced.
A single punch from a Swordsman wouldn't be enough to take him down.
With a thought process that wasn't even fully formed, he made that judgment in an instant.
In that moment, Aaron's fist sank into the man's abdomen.
"――――!!?"
At first, he didn't feel any pain.
He wasn't blown away by the force of the punch, and his body remained standing.
But, the shock of the punch spread throughout his body in an instant, like all his blood vessels were being forcibly expanded from the inside out, a sensation he'd never experienced before.
Blood started gushing out of every hole in his body.
At the same time, he felt an intense, overwhelming pain in his abdomen.
For a moment, he thought his stomach had exploded from the inside out. But, there was no sign of bleeding from his abdomen. The pain was so intense that he realized some of his internal organs must have ruptured.
If he were a normal person, he'd probably be dead by now, but even with a body much stronger than normal, he couldn't move a single finger. He had no strength.
He collapsed to the ground, his legs giving out under him.
As he lay there, he still hadn't lost consciousness and was able to see what happened next.
Aaron Gale, who had knocked him down, turned his back to him and rushed towards Chloe, who was being held hostage. His friends were finally trying to take action around him, but they were too slow.
Aaron was holding a sword in his hand ―― a sword that looked familiar. He thought it was the same sword he had been using, and it seemed he had taken it from him in that instant before he fell to the ground. He didn't notice because his senses were dulled by the pain.
Was he planning to take the sword, secure Chloe, and escape from here?
Even though he had been freed from the "Anti-Magic Ring," their numbers were overwhelmingly superior. Normally, one'd think Aaron wouldn't stand a chance in a fight.
No one had the time to think deeply about the fact that Aaron had survived a fatal blow. They all thought, "We can't let Aaron escape!"
But.
He didn't choose to do that.
(――――?)
"Uyaaaaa!?"
The moment Aaron reached Chloe, he didn't hesitate for a second and delivered a kick to Chloe, who was standing there in a daze.
"Hoeeee!?"
Chloe, who was sent flying into the air, let out a pathetic scream as she fell to the ground.
"Chloe Don't move an inch!! Absolutely don't move!!"
Aaron said that, standing over Chloe with his feet spread wide, his stance like a guardian deity.
His posture told a story more eloquently than words, conveying his determination to protect Chloe.
He wouldn't budge an inch from that spot, determined to guard Chloe. And to protect her and escape this situation, they had no choice but to take down their own allies.
――It was impossible to do such a thing.
(Aaron Gale... is ridiculously strong, but his brain seems to be lacking...)
They should have just run away as fast as they could; their chances of survival would have been higher.
That was the obvious thing to do.
"I-it hurts... Don't move, Mr. Aaron――――ahhhhhhhhh!!?"
And with that, Chloe finally asked Aaron the true meaning of his words, looking up at him with her eyes still half-asleep.
Above her was Aaron Gale, standing over her with his feet spread wide. And, for some reason, he was completely naked.
From Chloe's angle, she might have seen all the way to the crack of Aaron's butt. She might have even seen the symbol of masculinity dangling between his legs.
It was no wonder Chloe, who seemed to have no immunity to men, let out a scream.
But the situation continued to unfold without regard for her feelings.
"Take positions and surround him!! Attack with all your might!!"
As expected, the men were no amateurs. They had already formed a circular formation around Aaron, prioritizing not letting him escape over avoiding friendly fire.
They would take him down with concentrated firepower. But then――,
"The hostage!!"
"Kill her if you can!! Sir 'Magus' will permit that much damage!!"
"――Understood!!"
In place of the man who was still lying on the ground, the second-in-command responded without hesitation.
And in an instant, numerous skills and magic attacks were unleashed on the surrounded Aaron.
Due to the preparation time, the attack's power was lower than the previous one. Still, it was an attack without holding back from 28 'suitable candidates (adept)'. There's no way it could be weak. No matter what kind of trickery was used, it was impossible to defend against it head-on.
Multiple skills and magic poured down on Aaron Gale.
And then――
(――――?)
A scream echoed.
Not just one. Multiple.
It wasn't Aaron who screamed, but his surrounding comrades.
Even if the man in command had stared without blinking, he couldn't understand what had happened.
To put it simply, it was a case of friendly fire. The men were damaged by the attacks from their comrades on the diagonal line.
But that was strange.
The attack had clearly hit Aaron, and he didn't move at all. He just stood there, frozen.
The current phenomenon couldn't be explained. Could it be that the attack had passed through Aaron's body? Impossible.
"Wh, wha... What did you do, you bastard!!?"
Before the incomprehensible phenomenon, one of the comrades, overwhelmed with fear, swung his sword. The aura blade, etched in the void, flew out and struck Aaron directly.
――Everyone present saw it clearly strike him.
The aura blade hit Aaron's chest, and then, as if it were sliding, changed its trajectory, glided across his body, and flew off to his back.
This entire series of events happened in an instant.
"Uoah!!"
Suddenly, the attack from the comrade on the other side of Aaron came flying in, and the one who was attacked managed to defend against it by holding up his weapon.
However, even if there was no physical damage, the mental shock was immeasurable.
Everyone present stared at Aaron Gale with wide eyes.
This time, they saw it. They confirmed what had happened. But even though they saw it with their own eyes, they couldn't understand what had happened or how.
Incomprehensible.
The men gathered in this place were all capable of committing cruel and brutal acts for the sake of their organization, and they had actually done so. Even if they were caught alive, they would not hesitate to take their own lives, and they had the confidence to keep their mouths shut even under torture.
They had the mental strength to decide how to use their own lives, and to accept even death itself.
Since acquiring this strength, they had never felt fear. Aaron had said "you're scared of me," but that wasn't true fear. If they were truly afraid, they wouldn't be able to take action to kill him.
But.
Now, at this moment, they couldn't help but feel true fear. Fear was etched clearly on every face.
People are afraid of the unknown. And things they can't understand are unknown.
At that moment, everyone's hearts were in perfect sync.
――This is a monster I've never seen before!!
On the other hand, the leader of the group was gazing at Aaron's naked body, and had noticed something.
(What a body...)
The numerous scars of various sizes etched all over his body, hidden under his clothes. The sheer number of them told the story of how many times Aaron had narrowly escaped death.
Wounds healed by potions don't leave scars.
Only wounds that heal naturally leave scars. But it was unthinkable that Aaron, an explorer, would go into battle without preparing a single healing potion. In other words, all those scars were proof of the severe wounds that couldn't be healed by potions.
He must have repeatedly used potions to heal his mortal wounds, and then continued fighting. Perhaps it was the accumulation of those wounds that had increased the scars.
He must have either not had the money for treatment or not thought it necessary, since he had let his wounds heal naturally over time.
In any case, those scars were not normal.
Furthermore, the muscles all over Aaron's body were magnificent.
They were different from the muscles built through training. They were like those of a wild beast, with a suppleness that hinted at no unnecessary fat. It was likely that his body had been tempered only through real battles. There was a certain beauty to it.
(Beautiful...)
As one who fights, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the perfection of his body.
Fear and awe.
These are not contradictory emotions.
And if it were just fear, his eyes would be clouded, but because he felt awe, the man was able to observe Aaron in detail.
So, he realized.
(――Huh, that's...)
Aaron's naked body. There was something covering his entire body, without a single gap.
It was radiating a faint light, but was almost transparent, making it hard to notice in the daylight.
It was an aura.
However, its shape was strange. It was like multiple scales were connected... or rather, like the scales of a dragon.
There are skills in the Shield Knight job system that allow one to wear a thick aura armor to defend against attacks.
But even among the unique Shield Knight jobs, there's no way to acquire a skill like that. At least, the man had never seen or heard of it.
Each small scale covering his entire body was filled with an incredible amount of aura――or so it seemed, but the man couldn't quite understand.
However, he could understand that the aura composing the scales was refined to an unbelievable degree of precision and density.
It wasn't the quantity of aura. The quality of the aura he was handling was on a completely different level from theirs.
To put it into perspective, they were like gas, while Aaron was like liquid.
Or, they were like ore mixed with rocks, while Aaron was like refined steel.
The difference was that vast.
That's why, even without any basis, he was convinced.
That armor of scales had blocked the first attack. And, unbelievably, without a scratch.
He couldn't even imagine how he had activated the skill while wearing the "Anti-Magic Ring" that was supposed to prevent magic from working.
(What a monster...)
The man couldn't think of any words to describe this creature.
And then――,
"...Is it okay? Not killing me?"
Aaron said with a faint smile, as if teasing the men who were now unable to do anything.
But still, not a single person restarted their attack.
If attacking doesn't make sense, then... no, if their attacks are going to bounce back and hit them instead, they can't attack. No one knows the secret to breaking through Aaron's incredible skill, or its weakness.
That's why Aaron's words sound like a trap.
He's trying to get them to destroy themselves with their own attacks...
But that's a misunderstanding.
――HUMMMMMM!!!
The discordant sound echoes through the desolate wasteland.
Everyone noticed the source of the sound. They had noticed.
Aaron's right hand, holding the longsword he took from the man.
It's clear at a glance that the sword is infused with an enormous amount of aura, unlike the scales of aura. The light is so dazzling it's hard to look at. The ominous sound is like the cry of an insect, or a scream of despair.
Everyone knew he was preparing to unleash a powerful technique.
Everyone knew, but they were paralyzed by fear and anxiety, unable to do anything.
What were they supposed to do? How could they defeat him? No one had any ideas, and their thoughts were stuck in a state of panic.
And before they knew it, the perfect opportunity had slipped away into the unreachable past.
"――Then, it's my turn now, right?"
The next instant, Aaron moved.
The men saw a beautiful light.
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