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 warned the newcors. The fresh climbers looked tougher, holding their short swords in their mouths while scaling the cliff.

Sothing felt off. Their movents seed 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 ga. I even mimicked his shout.

"HAH!"

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

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

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

The two soldiers and the two newcors were reduced to piles of charred corpses. The sword in my hand glowed molten red. Again, the lting sword and hilt did nothing to my hands. It seed I had beco immune to my own musou fla and heat.

My bullet ti 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 tis while running away.

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

Cow-Cow looked at 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 assud 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 beca, it wasn’t my business.

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

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

Had the food been so radioactive that they mutated?

h. None of my business. Ti 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 argunt from below. So wanted to charge through the fire, but others suggested waiting for reinforcents. Their indecision gave room to escape.

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

"CAAA!"

Hearing the crows, I looked back. So fire crows had already left the cave, following . 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 the path.

While running, I swallowed another mouthful of wine. Once again, my body boiled hot. A gear inside shifted a notch, and my sense of perception heightened. Although I could barely see in the dark, my sixth sense told 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 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 . 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 , then lay prone. I stomped hard and spun, replicating the musou ultimate move.

"HAH!"

I slashed horizontally. A wheel of fla erupted, generating a shockwave. The blast expanded a hundred ters, 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.

So flas 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 . Everyone seed 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 . My leather armor lted, 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.