"Don't you dare run!"
The Peak 4-leaf shouted as he started bombarding us with shadow-like daggers from where he is currently.
I would be a huge idiot if I heed his voice. I might still have the Orb of Ailment but just from looking at the damage those daggers were making, one hit and my limbs will fly off.
As soon as Jayna arrived within my arm's reach, I picked her up and carried her away.
The Level 3 Haste Blessing as well as the Spiritual Twin Phantom are still in effect so without further ado, I used Flash Step to get us out of this space covered by the dark screen.
Without looking back, I climbed up the stairs with Jayna on my arms. She was startled but realizing the situation we are in, she could only helplessly cling onto me.
It only took a minute before the Peak 4-leaf Dark Elf to emerge from the covered space, the distance between us were closing in every second that passed. But with the help of the Blessing and the Spiritual Twin Phantom, it would need for us to be stalled for at least 30 seconds before he could actually catch up on us.
"Don't ever think about leaving this fortress alive!"
Ah. He started throwing cliched lines. So those novels aren't wrong. When one person was filled with rage, he'll start throwing cliched lines like this.
Ignoring his shouts, I put all my focus on escaping his pursuit. Unlike me who was climbing the stairs, the pursuer was flying effortlessly.
A minute later and there's not only him, the other two 4-leaf Dark Elves also emerged from that space to join the pursuit.
"Jayna, fire the flare."
I'm really thankful of my Adaptability at times like this, without letting me feel panicky that would probably make a normal person to make wrong judgements, I'm calmly weighing our options.
With three stronger enemies who could fly pursuing us, we'll be caught sooner or later.
The cooldown of the Orb of Concealment was still more than 10 minutes while the Enhancement still has around 4 minutes.
Only Ailment could be instantly used but I'm apprehensive at how much effect it would deal them, considering I only filled it with my reserved Flux Energy.
Jayna nodded while she clumsily took out the prepared flare gun to notify Rei and Ren where we are.
She aimed it at the sky and pulled the trigger.
Colorful projectile came out of its nozzle as it traveled upwards before a firework-like effects happened which lightened up the dark sky.
The explosion was contained in that covered space so those fighting outside still have no idea that the breach was already obliterated to oblivion.
Maintaining this fortress will not be useful for the Invading Forces anymore.
But this guy, he prioritized chasing after us first before preventing more casualties on the front line.
This is what rage can do to people, eh? Though he was rational at his first command, when he saw me killing that 4-leaf Dark Elf, rage instantly filled his head.
Jayna threw the flare gun away and went back to clinging to me after firing it. She didn't really have a choice or it would affect our mobility if she stopped holding onto me. The protective equipment we had will not be enough to protect both of us.
Another minute of pursuit, the mansion was already within our sight.
At this distance, I could see that it's already dilapidated and not maintained. Using that as cover from the projectiles the Peak 4-leaf Dark Elf kept throwing at us, we passed through the restricted area.
Arriving at a new area. One thing I noticed was how it was filled with numerous makeshift houses that were even smaller than the room we were in earlier.
Unlike the parts of the fortress we passed through before the entering the restricted area, this area wasn't devoid of people.
Judging from how they look and the various tools in their hands, they're the 1-leaf Dark Elves who were tasked with menial jobs. They're pretty useless in a direct war so they were assigned here and left here to continue their jobs despite the battle that was ongoing at the other end of the fortress.
"Who?"
"That's an intruder! Quick block them!"
"Huh?"
Though they have various reactions upon seeing us, once they determined that we're enemies, they made a wall using their bodies blocking our way.
Talk about unlucky, eh? I don't have a strong enough skill that can blow them all away.
"Daisuke. Jump, I'll create platforms for us."
Jayna suggested. She also looked ahead and seeing that wall of bodies, even if we bulldoze through them, the Peak 4-leaf Dark Elf will surely catch up to us even before passing through them.
The Blessing made it possible for us to maintain the gap between us but if we were slowed down by these Dark Elves, forget escaping, we will be forced to a fight in a really disadvantageous position.
I nodded at her and waited for her to create the platforms she mentioned. I don't know how she will do that but seeing her confident look, I'll trust her on this one.
"Ready. Fire!"
Suddenly, a curtain arrows rose from behind the wall of bodies.
This…
Is there someone smart commanding them
"Jump now, Daisuke!"
Tapping my arm, Jayna pointed her staff at a space in front of us.
I could clearly feel the flow of Spirit Energy when a River materialized coiling around her arm up to the staff she was using.
Through shooting compressed blobs of Spirit Energy, it materialize at the space she shot at and took the shape of a lotus leaf. I jump at it and surprisingly, it's stable.
The curtain of arrows shot by the 1-leaf Dark Elves all failed to reached us and fell down on the ground with nothing to show for.
Jayna didn't stop waving her hands as more platforms going upwards started to be formed for me to step on.
Though those 1-leaf Dark Elves change their aim, with how high Jayna made the platform, they still couldn't reach us. When they determined that, they stopped firing and just moved themselves to chase after us.
With continuous uses of Spirit Energy and her connection to the Spirit Ocean, Jayna's face turned pale and her body soon started sweating.
Taking note of that, I continued to jump through the platforms she created and when I reached the highest point. I stopped for a moment to cover her with Spirit Boost.
Though that earned the Peak 4-leaf Dark Elf and the other pursuers a few seconds of gap between us, Jayna's complexion turned back to normal which allowed her to complete the platforms needed to pass through the wall of bodies.
Upon landing back to the ground, we finally saw the gate that will lead us outside.
And at the moment we landed, beyond the huge gate, another colorful flare was fired as it once again brightened the dark sky.
Rei and Ren finally arrived at the nearest gate where our flare was fired. Yumiko tasked them to help in our escape however, what I didn't expect was it's more than just a help in our escape.
Looking up again, the temporarily brightened sky revealed a scene that made the chasing 1-leaf Dark Elves behind us to stop at where they are.
Three silhouettes could be seen flying through the sky towards our direction.
And from the phenomenon of materialized Sea of connection to the Spirit Ocean, we determined who the newcomers were.
"Father!"
Jayna happily shouted upon seeing the familiar silhouette of her father.
The other two were Harlan which I only saw for a brief moment during our one day stay at Edo City and Malborne, the Garrison Commander of the Frontier Fortress.
Three Noble Spirits with one being a member of the Council of Twenty!
The three of them were probably asked by Yumiko to aid in our escape. Such meticulous planning, that girl is really something else. With the Heroes' experience in their own Otherworlds, each of them has their own ways to deal with things.
"Kuh. Harlan!"
? The Peak 4-leaf Dark Elf who were chasing us also stopped and looked on at the three Noble Spirits, especially Harlan. Looks like they have a history. Some kind of old grudge, maybe?
"Leandro, so here's where you are holed up. How's the breach?"
Throwing that question with a smirk, Harlan and the three stopped just above the gates.
Harlan immediately faced off against the Peak 4-leaf Dark Elf he called Leandro while Jayce and Malborne each marked one of the two 4-leaf Dark Elves who soon arrived next to Leandro.
With them standing against our pursuer, I didn't tarry any longer and went past the gate. Rei and Ren were already waiting for us outside with the carriage that we used for coming here.
"Good job, you two."
Rei welcomed us with a smile.
"You can now put Jayna down, Daisuke."
Ren then commented with a smile as well. Only when we were reminded this did Jayna hurriedly get down from me and went to Rei to cover her face that was slowly turning red from embarrassment.
I opted not to comment regarding that to ease that girl's mind. Since my mind wasn't in any kind of panic during the pursuit, I will be lying if I said I didn't enjoy carrying her and being close to her like that.
Err… Let's leave it at that for now.
Looking back to the fortress, we really escaped, eh? And without having to use the Orb of Ailment again. There's no chance to use it and it's really uncertain as to how much it will affect a Peak 4-leaf Dark Elf.
Now that we're out of there, is it time to say 'mission accomplished'?
Ah no. The situation hasn't been resolved on the other side yet. We have to see Yumiko and whatever is currently happening there.
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦