Musou Knight: Crow of Cinders-Chapter 22: Escape 4

Chapter 22 - Escape 4

"Careful! He’s a Musou Knight!"

The two soldiers in front of me warned the newcomers. The fresh climbers looked tougher, holding their short swords in their mouths while scaling the cliff.

Something felt off. Their movements seemed faster than before. I got confused at first, but I soon figured the reason. My boosted perception was about to expire. My musou bar had to be nearly empty.

Before it ran out, I needed to use the finisher.

I stomped the ground hard and spun like a certain protagonist from the most recent musou game. I even mimicked his shout.

"HAH!"

I couldn’t even see what I did. A massive flame explosion erupted with me at its center. My sword generated a ring of fire blade, expanding outward.

Don’t ask me how. I had no clue. It just happened.

When the flame subsided, the cliff in front of me crumbled. The ground burned as though someone had poured gasoline before I lit it up. Rocks glowed red. Smoke fumed everywhere and got into my eyes, though I didn’t feel any discomfort.

The two soldiers and the two newcomers were reduced to piles of charred corpses. The sword in my hand glowed molten red. Again, the melting sword and hilt did nothing to my hands. It seemed I had become immune to my own musou flame and heat.

My bullet time ended. My world perception returned to normal.

I discarded the ruined sword and grabbed one from a burned corpse. The crude wooden handle had already been reduced to charcoal, leaving only uneven steel. Better than nothing. I snatched another short sword from a second body.

While the ground still glowed, I turned and rushed back into the cave.

Inside, the crows were still fighting over the turkey. I shoved them aside and grabbed the open wine jar and the unopened one. With these, I could use musou attacks a few more times while running away.

"Cow-Cow, move! Bad humans are coming to catch you!"

Cow-Cow looked at me with wide eyes.

"CAAA!? CATCH?!"

"Yes, and your friends too!"

"CAAA! COURTING DEATH!!"

I had no idea where Cow-Cow learned his vocabulary, but I assumed he was one of those martial artists. His feathers turned red, igniting like the other special crows.

I had stopped questioning the logic of this world. Whatever they became, it wasn’t my business.

But when I looked carefully at Cow-Cow, I noticed something.

Were his legs kind of bigger, expecially the middle one?

Had the food been so radioactive that they mutated?

Meh. None of my business. Time to bail.

I exited the cave and turned to the burning cliff.

No one was climbing. Maybe they feared the fire, or maybe they were searching for another path. The soldiers below faltered. I could hear their hesitation and their argument from below. Some wanted to charge through the fire, but others suggested waiting for reinforcements. Their indecision gave me room to escape.

Ignoring the birbs and the pursuers, I detoured around the cave.

"CAAA!"

Hearing the crows, I looked back. Some fire crows had already left the cave, following me. Cow-Cow was among them, still carrying a piece of turkey in his mouth.

Gluttons.

But thanks to them, they pinpointed my position to the enemy. On the other hand, they illuminated the area, showing me the path.

While running, I swallowed another mouthful of wine. Once again, my body boiled hot. A gear inside me shifted a notch, and my sense of perception heightened. Although I could barely see in the dark, my sixth sense told me the faint outline of objects and people. I saw Cow-Cow and the gang without turning around to look at them.

I heard horses’ hooves from my right. I glanced sideways and saw lights below the mountain. They were tracking Cow-Cow and his gang. At this rate, they’d intercept me at the foot of the mountain.

Despite the peril, I kept sprinting. I didn’t know how I had the stamina, but I hadn’t run out of breath. I was grateful for this world’s twisted physics.

Ahead lay a dead forest, full of dry bushes, vines, brown leaves, and small trees.

An idea struck. I turned to the fire crows and smirked.

"Cow-Cow, can you burn everything?"

Cow-Cow didn’t reply. He and the others leapt into the forest.

Behind them, chicken-like birbs spread their wings and turned green. Unlike the fire gang, they scattered, flying away.

I counted the fire crows. About fifteen led me. The rest had already abandoned us.

Trees, bushes, branches, and dead leaves caught fire easily, but the spread wasn’t fast enough. I glanced at my swords.

"Nah."

I shouldn’t waste precious weapons. They were for humans.

Instead, I grabbed a burning branch and commanded the crows.

"Keep your heads down! I’m blowing up the forest!"

Cow-Cow and the others glanced at me, then lay prone. I stomped hard and spun, replicating the musou ultimate move.

"HAH!"

I slashed horizontally. A wheel of flame erupted, generating a shockwave. The blast expanded a hundred meters, turning everything into hellfire. When the musou shockwave detonated, the trees snapped like matchsticks. Ash clouds rose, and sparks rained down in showers. The blast carved a circle of destruction, leaving behind a wall of fire.

Some flames reached the open wine jar I carried, igniting it. The sealed jar grew hot but remained intact.

I drank the remaining contents, fire included. It tasted like burned grapes. My perception sharpened. My musou bar had to be full again.

I checked Cow-Cow and the others. They raised their heads, watching me. Everyone seemed fine.

I kicked the ground and dove into the burning forest. I held my breath, praying to musou gods I wouldn’t die from CO2 and heat.

The fire licked me. My leather armor melted, yet I felt nothing but pleasant warmth, like a heater in winter. A burning leaf hit my eye. No harm.

On the contrary, my energy had never been higher. Did I drink a gallon of coffee this morning?

The crows and I charged through the burning woods. Cow-Cow leapt onto my head, riding along. Two others latched onto my shoulders.

I would sell them bus fare tickets one day.