Reborn As Noble

”Ah! Shit!”

Garak gritted his jaw before opening fire. Several compressed mana bullets streaked toward the dark wave, but the moment they made contact, they vanished, swallowed by the corruption as if they had never existed. The dark wave twisted and churned, splitting into countless angry, screaming skulls that lunged toward them with gnashing teeth.

Garak leaped back, sheathing his mana gun and reaching for the small rod on his belt for a mana shield. But before his fingers could close around it, Marcor had already deployed his own shield, pressing the activation rune. A shimmering blue barrier erupted in front of them, its surface humming with protective energy as Marcor planted his feet firmly, standing between Garak and the incoming tide of darkness.

”Marcor!” Garak shouted, his eyes wide.

”Shut up and move!” Marcor barked, his voice strained as the wave of skulls slammed into the barrier. The impact sent cracks spider-webbing across the shimmering blue surface, the shield groaning under the pressure.

”I can’t hold this for long! Get the girl to the extraction zone! GO!”

”I can’t leave you here alone!” Garak adjusted Fayna on his shoulder while raising his mana gun again, firing toward the unknown girl, who now had her face twisted into a weird, manic grin, her eyes glowing red. The giant dwarven soldiers moved toward them slowly, each holding a massive, thorny black iron club, their eyes glowing with dangerous red light.

”Shit!” Marcor gritted his jaw, feeling the first heavy impact against his mana shield. He shouted toward Garak while still facing the attack, stepping back in a Shield-and-Carry Escort formation. He channeled his mana, activating the auto-repair function of his shield, the cracks slowly sealing as he held off the relentless assault.

Garak moved backward, his boots scraping against the rubble-strewn ground as he kept Fayna secure on his shoulder. His other hand never stopped firing, each compressed mana bullet streaking toward the black-armored giant dwarven soldiers.

The bullets exploded on impact, the concussive force ripping into their armor and forcing them to stumble, their advance slowing as they raised their thorny clubs to shield themselves from the barrage.

”Damn it! These things won’t go down!” Garak hissed, firing another volley. The bullets slammed into the lead soldier’s knee, forcing it to stumble and brace itself with its club. The others moved around it, their red eyes locked onto Garak and Marcor.

”Keep moving!” Marcor shouted, his voice strained as the dark skulls continued hammering his shield. ”We can’t hold this position much longer!”

The girl’s dark, dangerous aura flared violently, her manic glee spilling into a bone-chilling cackle that echoed around them. The sound burrowed into their skulls, making them shiver hard, their movements straining under the heavy, oppressive pressure that pressed down on their bodies.

”Ughh!! M... Marcor!” Garak gritted his teeth, his knees threatening to buckle as Fayna’s body on his shoulder suddenly felt twice as heavy.

”Move! Just move!” Marcor shouted, his voice strained as he poured more mana into his shield.

”This gravity’s only twice what we trained for! Push through it!”

He glanced at his shield, his heart sinking as he saw the cracks spreading faster than the auto-repair could mend them.

”Easy for you to say!” Garak’s mana talkie crackled to life, but only distorted static filled the channel. He tapped it twice, his jaw tightening. ”The comms are dead! We can’t contact the team or base!”

”Ooo~ Garius’s toys~” The girl’s voice slithered through the heavy air, dripping with mockery as she watched them struggle. Her red eyes gleamed with sadistic amusement. ”What’s wrong~? Can’t move freely~? I thought you boys were... what do they call it~? Super elite~? Or perhaps the best~? Hmm~?”

She took another leisurely step forward, the tip of her miasma sword dragging through the stone, leaving a trail of sizzling corruption. The giant dwarven soldiers behind her shifted, their thorny clubs raised.

”Let’s see how long you can last, little toys~”

The girl raised one hand, her fingers curling as a sphere of pure, deepest darkness coalesced in her palm. It pulsed with malevolent energy, tendrils of shadow writhing around it before she unleashed it toward Marcor’s mana shield.

The dark orb streaked through the air, leaving a trail of corrupted space behind it. The moment it struck the shield, the impact was deafening. The blue barrier flared bright, then cracked violently, the sound of splintering magic filling the air.

”Ugh!” Marcor gritted his teeth, his boots sliding back from the force.

”Marcor!” Garak shouted, his voice choked with urgency.

Marcor’s eyes narrowed as he channeled his mana. ”Shut up! We can’t both die here! Our mission is to secure the target, remember!?”

”But the order from Prince Javier is to not engage!”

”Do we have any choice!?” Marcor roared, his veins glowing with raw energy as he activated his berserk mode. A surge of power rippled through his body, his muscles swelling and his eyes blazing with a fierce blue light.

”If I don’t fight here, all three of us die! Now leave!”

”Are you out of your damn mind!?”

”Just hand me your mana shield rod, mana potion, and backup mana crystal! Leave this place and secure the girl!” Marcor’s voice was strained but firm, his focus unwavering. ”I’ll hold them off. You get the target out, then bring the whole damn team back here to assist me!”

Garak’s jaw tightened, his mind racing. He reached into his pouch, his fingers closing around the mana potion, the spare mana shield rod, and the backup mana crystal. Without another word, he hurled the pouch toward Marcor, who caught it in a swift, fluid motion.

”Don’t you dare die, Marcor! I’m going to get our backup!” Garak shouted, already turning, his grip on Fayna tightening.

”I’ll try not to, dumbass,” Marcor grunted, unsheathing his magic sword with one hand while his other still held the mana shield, its surface flickering under the strain. ”Now GO!”

( End Of Chapter )