#558. It hurts my pride.
* * *
Booung rumbling.
“Hmm.”
Loud engine sound.
vibrating car body.
Even a broken air conditioner.
A cowboy sitting on the roof of a military humvee with the worst riding comfort in many ways and looking at the scenery in front.
Billy suddenly opened his mouth.
“I think we are almost done coming to Cairo.”
“Do you see something, junior?”
Maybe it was because it was left inside the humvee that had become like a steamer.
Although the nun’s uniform, which was still tight to the body, was drenched in sweat, it became amazing in many ways.
Despite this, Billy shrugged his shoulders at Joan of Arc’s question, who was firmly guarding the passenger seat.
“The surrounding scenery has changed, hasn’t it?”
“Umm, it’s definitely a big difference compared to the places I’ve been through so far.”
Joan of Arc agreed.
since the march began.
It was the allies who were lucky enough to see nothing but grasslands or empty rural villages.
But as we approached the heart of Egypt, the sight changed.
An orchard as green and lush as a forest.
A reservoir full of clear water.
To the endless fields of golden wheat.
If it weren’t for this sweltering heat, I would have believed it would be paradise.
“Egypt has been called the granary of Europe since my lifetime, but I remember that it was not to this extent.”
“That’s a really old story.”
“is that so?”
“In my lifetime, Egypt was in a situation where food was gradually running out.”
“Lack of food, is this Egypt?”
Even though we’re riding in a Humvee together.
Joan of Arc tilted her head at the words of Gandhi, who was sitting cross-legged with a calm face without shedding a drop of sweat even in this steamer.
Whether it contrasts with the memory of a lifetime.
Whether compared to the scenery in front of your eyes.
The fact that Egypt was short of food itself sounded too unrealistic.
“With time, even mountains and rivers change.”
Originally, Egypt’s granary was possible because the fertile land was created through the regular flooding of the Nile River.
However, due to industrialization and climate change, seawater flowed back and salt permeated the Nile River, and productivity gradually decreased from the 20th century.
“I heard that there were signs of it during my lifetime, but especially after we died, the food crisis started in earnest.”
The Great War that swept the world.
And after the Demon God War.
Explosive population growth that began with a large influx of refugees from Europe.
consequent water shortage.
And endless wars, etc.
Due to several factors overlapping, Egypt at the end of the 20th century suffered a food crisis to the extent that deaths from starvation occurred one after another.
It was basic that the war for food plunder intensified all over Africa because food exported from Egypt was cut off.
“But thanks to the Red Dragon Clan, things have changed.”
“Red Lizard’s clan?”
“Yes. After the red princess founded a company called Apophis and became a pharaoh, food production in Egypt increased dramatically.”
“I see… that’s what happened.”
Unlike himself, who had to check all the work of about 600 years, it was because he only had to look at about 70 years of history.
At the explanation of the two knowledgeable priests, Joan of Arc shook her head.
Why does the Egyptian people support such a tyrant who always causes war?
‘Cause now I understand
“I heard that you can even eat potato sprouts, but I didn’t know that the day would come when the red lizards would help the world.”
“It must be a strange thing.”
Billy also nodded in agreement with Joan of Arc’s opinion.
The Seven Dragons Society, which was originally called the Demonic Cult.
Among them, the Red Dragon Clan was the only one who knew nothing but war, after the Black Dragon Clan, the only evil.
They are making this rich land and feeding not only Egypt but also Africa… no, the whole world.
It was very ironic for those who remember the age of heroes.
“Master has said many times that we shouldn’t underestimate the potential of psionics.”
“And it’s ironic that the nobleman who used to smash the Chilryonghoe with excitement is now rather stuck with the Chilryonghoe.”
Anyway, the world is dead and alive and it’s something to see.
while sticking out my tongue.
Billy put on a sad expression.
“It’s kind of a pity to think like that.”
“What do you mean, junior?”
“If we defeat all the Red Dragon Clan, won’t the granary be gone? Including the potato farm that you love.”
“…Wouldn’t it be okay since potatoes have strong autogenous power?”
“In this weather, even the super ultra potato grandpa is going to wither and die.”
“Um, that’s really unfortunate…”
He even put on a sad face for a while, as if he had heard the death of a family member.
Joan of Arc let out a light sigh.
“But I can’t help it. Because this is war.”
“Don’t worry too much, old man. Everything in the world eventually flows according to the laws of karma and dharma.”
“I don’t know what that means, but thanks for the comfort, junior.”
Listening to the conversation inside the Humvee.
When Billy scratches the back of his head.
Looking at the wheat fields around her, Joan of Arc tilted her head slightly.
“Anyway, it’s a bit unexpected.”
“What do you mean by unexpected?”
“I was able to get here so easily.”
“Are there a lot of units that have fallen out since they came easily?”
The allied forces are in a mess due to Limon’s assault.
The internal stability of this mobile unit was poor because all the vehicles that were rolling there were requisitioned and the unit was organized overnight.
Even the forced march in that state was not the only vehicle that was spread out.
Breakaway failure delay, etc.
There are already about 1,000 troops who have fallen out for various reasons.
Considering that the mobile unit was originally 8,000, more than 10% of the force was lost without fighting.
It would be so miserable that I don’t even want to calculate it based on the main unit.
So you said it came easily.
As Billy, he had no choice but to tremble.
“I’m just saying it because I fell out. I knew there would be more interruptions.”
“Hmm sure. Whether it’s Master or the Red Dragon Clan, it seems like they’re too quiet…”
He was in the middle of nodding.
Billy shuts up.
Joan of Arc raised her head.
Gandhi got out of the lotus position.
It was because he felt something with the superhuman senses unique to the Sword Master.
And the first to react was the cowboy, who was as mobile as he was on the humvee roof.
Fain!
raise your body
pull out a knife
until thrown to the side.
The time it took for Billy to complete all of those moves was an instant.
The other soldiers in line with their vehicle in front and behind did not even see Billy getting up.
However, only the result of his throwing of the knife was known to everyone.
Kwaaang!
“What!”
“Is it a missile?”
A sudden roar.
A shock that rang the sky.
Vehicles running through the wheat fields all stopped suddenly, and the soldiers hurriedly grabbed their guns and sought cover.
However, Billy did not show any signs of nervousness.
After lightly extending a hand.
He smashed and bounced stones that flew through the air at terrifying speed, and just caught the knife that returned to his hand as if snatching it.
“…Even Master Geo will not be able to become a nobleman. You show up like this as soon as you talk about yourself.”
“Where are you, junior?”
“It’s not that far. About 50 miles?”
50 miles.
Catch roughly about 80 kilometers.
It is an absurd task to send a mere stone to a distance that even a tolerable artillery fire, let alone a bullet, cannot reach.
It wasn’t even close to the sword master.
Even so, there are two reasons why they can calmly accept that fact.
I knew that this much would be easy for Limon.
And above all, there was a sword master among them who could cut an opponent 5000 miles away, let alone 50 miles, from a sitting position.
“Where did you get it from?”
after laughing.
The moment Billy tossed the knife into the air like lightning.
Paaang!
With a roar that rips through the air.
A flash of light cuts through the air.
after about a few seconds.
The vibrations that rose from the far distance passed beneath their feet.
“Did you guess?”
“No, since he doesn’t have any taste, I think this man just jumped out?”
I knew I would be able to block or accept it.
Billy licked his lips at the sensation of throwing only a knife on the bare ground, and Joan of Arc tilted her head.
“Are you talking about just this much?”
“I am here on this side. There’s no way even Master would do something crazy to engage in long-range combat with me…”
Quaang!
“…”
“It looks like he’s trying to do that crazy thing.”
Billy fell silent when he saw Gandhi getting out of the car and smashing the flying stone with his fist.
And after a short silence.
I twisted the corner of my mouth.
“…Is this a bit hurting your pride?”
To engage in a long-distance battle with himself, who cuts the streets of the world, not another sword master.
It was a perfect provocation.
And like a gunfighter in the wilderness with a brilliant mindset to respond with a gun.
Billy throws his jacket wide open.
The moment he was about to shoot at once with the six knives drawn from inside, held between the fingers of both hands.
Joan of Arc tilted her head.
“Isn’t this a provocation, junior?”
“I know that I am willing to respond like this.”
“So that’s what I said.”
That moment.
Billy hesitated.
Then, putting off the knife throw, she looked at Joan of Arc with her eyes narrowed.
“You mean this is a ploy to keep us on our feet?”
“Isn’t it difficult even for junior Billy to catch a master who is only focused on hitting and running on this street?”
“…So just fighting like this will make it difficult for our army to advance, right?”
after a brief thought.
Billy put the knife back.
I don’t know if you really want to fight.
There was no need for him to hang out with Limon if his only intention was to kill time by chuckling.
“Well, I’ve been leaving it alone until now, so why are you all here to buy time?”
Are you feeling better now?
Have you been in such a hurry to overdo it?
Or are there any other tricks?
Billy asked casually, grumbling at Limon’s actions, whose intentions were difficult to guess.
“Maybe now?”
“The best thing would be to ignore Master and keep marching. If only Cairo is destroyed, this war will end in our victory.”
“Certainly, it’s not difficult to move while blocking this level of attack from us, but…”
“Soldiers will be difficult.”
Only two stones flew by.
Gandhi shook his head as he looked at the mobile unit, which had not stopped advancing and was still wandering around.
If he led these soldiers and marched by force, he might stop again or run away at every Limon attack.
“hmm… If so, I can’t help it.”
“Do you have a way?”
“yes.”
After thinking for a while.
Joan of Arc smiled and asked.
“Do you like to play tag, junior?”
* * *
Vast fields of golden wheat.
At one end of the vacant lot, a gray-haired young man had his eyes closed.
like waiting for something
Or as if thinking of something.
As if the wild run through the golden wheat fields was a lie.
At the end of quietly keeping the seat.
He suddenly opened his mouth.
“Are you finally here?”
“…Don’t say it as if the nobleman, who had been running away all along, was waiting for you. If anyone saw you, you would have thought you were quietly killing yourself here.”
rustle.
Maybe it’s because they chased Limon for hours, blocking it with stones and throwing knives at a distance of tens of miles.
Shaking off the rice straw from his body.
A young man walking out of a wheat field.
Billy grinned at Limon.
“So are you ready to ditch?”
“You talk as if someone could catch me and kill me alone.”
“Of course, it is difficult for me alone.”
Billy nodded readily.
But the smile on his face did not disappear.
Rather, it only got darker.
“But I am not alone in coming here.”
“That’s right. What is difficult alone can be done easily with two.”
rustle.
The other side of Billy.
from a little further away.
The brown-skinned monk who appeared to surround Limon from left to right continued with a gentle smile.
“Even killing Master.”
Black Billy.
Swordsman Gandhi.
Of course, after a long chase, he finally caught up with himself.
Limon was not particularly agitated even when he saw the two disciples blocking the escape route as if they hadn’t made a mistake twice.
I was just talking softly.
“Why didn’t you bring me to your ambassador’s residence? Then it would have been easier to catch me.”
“Don’t say such obvious things. A man who would have destroyed our children with a bucket or something if we were all away.”
after laughing
Billy added a word.
“Above all, the senior said he had something else to do.”
“I see.”
As if you had already predicted it.
Limon nodded.
“Then I don’t need to say anything more.”
slowly.
Limon aiming his sword.
At that action, Billy giggled and pulled out a knife, and Gandhi untied his palms and stretched out a leg obliquely.
After all, they are sword masters.
Because they were more accustomed to talking with swords than words.
So…
the moment Billy threw the knife.
A battle that can never be won has begun.
