Cohen of the Rebellion Volume 14 Chapter 2

Translated by Tianic, edited by Grammarly
Cohen's act of madness made everyone from the top of Lissan's wall exclaim.
However, the White Knight's mission statement allowed no one to have a free pass. They were trained to kill, to eliminate and to assassinate. If the knights were green-hand rookies, Fischer would not have been abducted so easily on that day.
As for Cohen, he was only slightly above an ordinary person, he can barely cast a spell higher than level 3. Given the fact that he had made a slight breakthrough recently, it was not enough to fight against a hundred white knights. Besides, his mind and soul were still in upheaval.
The moment Cohen chose to go head to head with his opponents, Winslet, one of the City Hall supervisors, fainted. She was the second lady that passed out today. The first one being Princess Bernie Ebbinghaus, she fell into Winterhard's arms.
"All knights close to Commander Cohen, show your hands!" Carlos sweated, he cried, "Quickly!"
Before the siege tower, the white captain's tucked lips curled up a bit seeing that his 3 teams of subordinates went straight for their target.
The white captain also heard Carlos's cry, but he's formed a plan: no matter how quickly the Dark City's riders are able to make it in time to save their commander, it would only take the skilled white knights a glimpse of a moment to take Fischer's body and flee. They might even spare some time to take down Cohen as a bonus.
He planned well, however, he didn't anticipate Cohen uttered a spell that shattered the entire battlefield: Occult Copy!"
Cohen's body shook twice then 2 shadow clones took form out in the air. Three identical Cohen rushed towards the incoming 3 teams of white knights. On contact, 3 copies of Cohen Kheda shook twice again, then there were 9 Cohen!
The close combat on the left-wing began first. The frontmost white knight was quite steady. He sent a straight thrust onward. He thought the Cohen Kheda he was facing was nothing but a wild, weaponless shadow.
However, his foe picked up a lost blade with the tip of his foot then caught the metal with a single hand. With a straight downward slash: the metal slashed the white knight along with his sword in half.
"This is the original!" Before the blood mist squirted, two more white knights arrived. They had a sword and a lance aiming for the so-called original Cohen's chest. The original flipped backward just enough to dodge the coming attack. Quickly, the two knights' next attack sharply followed.
Both of them lost their heads before they figure out how they ended up dying. While the original was unharmed.
Oridinary copy magic could make as many copies as the user wanted. To counter it, the quickest way was to figure out where was the actual original's physical being. It was the classic method. However, Cohen's occult copy spell was capable of creating actual physical copies identical to the original. Unlike what the white knights had thought, the ignorance of the copies had made them resulted in heavy loss.
Not only the left-wing, but the other 2 directions have also suffered great casualties as well. They were fooled by the copies. Eight knights were killed and all 3 directions aiming for the siege tower have been intercepted.
The white captain grew furious. With one hand clenching a sword, he exclaimed, "Pay attention to his magic! Thrust and attack, thrust and attack!"
All white knights yelled to comply. Half of them detached from the battle and aimed for the siege tower where the viceroy's personal guards were guarding.
Cohen's guards were well informed. As soon as the other half of the white knights came closer, Malphite issued his order. All mages standing in behind released the long-waited lightning magic. Lightning bolts were quick and destructive. They could paralyze a man's body as well. It was the perfect magic for such a chaotic occasion.
As a countermeasure, the white knights summoned miniaturized magic shields to defend. Amongst them, a few even created battle auras against the lightning bolts to keep advancing.
Despite that, the white knights have underestimated their opponents. The member in Cohen's personal guards were mostly fighters, naturally, they can learn from past experiences. So the lightning bolts were just a camouflage, under the lights followed deadly arrows. However strong the white knights were, they were killable by arrows. Hence dozens more died.
"Go!" Malphite's war blade slashed in the air, the sharp edge pointed at the enemies. Quickly the front row of the guarding warriors advanced.
As the white knights and black-armored Dark City warriors engaged each other, sharp blades impacted, arrows rained, magic lights rose and fell. Magical creatures with twisting ivy coiled as the ground was packed with remains of elemental golems destroyed by white knights' battle aura.
During the battle, Dark City's troops were constantly knocked back with blood, but with all that effort, occasionally they managed to kill one or more white knights.
Combat-power-wise, Dark City's soldiers cannot compete with their foes, they were fighting this battle with their lives. Melee fighters to contain, elf marksmen behind to sneak and shoot, mages from the 3rd row had more magic tricks. Forgetting one's own life, the guarding troops finally gained the upper hand.
Directed by Malphite, with the teamwork of the archers and warlocks from the city wall, the guarding troops' cooperation has finally intercepted 40 white knights with the casualty of 300.
It was the worst day for the white knights since its establishment. What was left behind were fighting Cohen Kheda, and the ones who made it to the front have been contained by Cohen's less significant guarding troops. As Dark City's main army drew closer, the white knights grew more anxious. Because they were sent here to protect Luhrmann instead of fighting a war.
There were a total of 5 teams of white knights deployed to assist Luhrmann's rebellion. A hundred men from each team. Amongst all, 3 of them had returned the light temple upon the success of the rebellion, a team of level 2 knights stationed in DC. The ones in Lissan City were the lowest level 3. And the heart of the knights: the grim white-robed knight was absent.
The battle down the siege tower intensified. Every moment saw more casualties. And Cohen's 9 copies had 2 remaining. Comparably, the number of white knights have reduced to around 50.
"If only I knew this day… I'm going to keep him here…" The white captain regretted.
However, the war had to go on.
"PUFF!" As Cohen Kheda's last occult copy was destroyed, the last 20 white knights surrounded the last Cohen standing, the original.
Under the siege tower, 2 of the white knights have successfully broken through Cohen's guards. It was a narrow escape from all kinds of magic and melee attack. Malphite had one of them contained, but the other has already stepped onto the siege tower stairs.
Malphite had no choice but to cry for help. However, everybody was engaged right now.
Hearing Malphite's call, Cohen, eyes reddened, tossed his black machete. The black steel spun several times and landed into the back chest of the white knight who coveted the siege tower. The head of the blade pierced his body and stung him firmly onto the wood deck.
As Cohen lost his weapon, the white knight closest to him grasped the tight moment and thrust his sword. Cohen lowered his body and dodged the attack. Then, with the cover of his cap, his elbow punch finished the enemy.
The prowler puked blood and died. But more weapons came right at Cohen Kheda.
Dark City's commander took a step forward, then he grabbed one of the incoming weapons with his protective glove on. Cohen's powerful drag controlled the weapon he took and blocked another sword that tried to hurt him. Then with a clean kick, the sword-bearing white knight died from total destruction of his chest.
Cohen roared and punched on the weapon he grabbed earlier. The metal shook violently so the weapon user lost control of it and let loose. Cohen seized the steel, swept away other incoming weapons and conveniently poke a giant hole of the weapon's previous master. After he retrieved the weapon, he made another sweep and destroyed one more face with the tail of the metal.
Since he lost his black machete, all fighting happened within a glimpse of an eye. Four white knights who tried to gain advantages lost their lives. Cohen was the only one standing with a lance in hand. An uncanny and fierce manner began spreading, affecting every enemy around him.
He survived the lethal situation with all the tricks he can think of and the disadvantage that the white knights' lack of battlefield experience.
However, Cohen was also in bad condition. His sense of mind and soul has recovered from all that combat earlier. His physical body has sustained multiple damages by the enemy's battle aura. Many of his blood veins have burst open. Fortunately for him, the white knights were unknown of the facts because he was protected by a layer of armor.
The leftover predators finally revealed their blood-sucking face and pressurized Cohen Kheda once again.
He forced himself to stay focused. Once again, the lance thrust like a shooting star. The head of the lance parried a sword, then Cohen pushed the lance into the sword-bearer's chest. Blood splashed, the white knight didn't die on the spot, he grabbed Cohen's lance body and fixed it there.
Cohen had to let go of the lance and blocked another knight's sword with the small, round shield on his left forearm. Nevertheless, sparks splashed from Cohen's down left armor signaled that he has been hit.
Though the hit did not penetrate his armor, buds of sweat gathered on Cohen's head.
Sieged by this many enemies, Cohen was on the edge of defeat. He's lost his weapon, sustained constant hit and his movement gradually slowed.
Chance! The white captain shouted at his subordinates. The next moment, all white knights drew their sword at the same time and attacked from all directions. If they succeeded, Cohen will definitely die!|
Without many options, he went for his last resort by exploding the battle aura that has been shielding his body.
The explosion saw dull, intense, golden dotted lights radiating outwards, piercing several closer white knights' bodies and killed them.
However, Cohen has lost his critical battle aura.
It was a moment the white leader has been waiting for. A moment he brought his sword and went for Cohen's head before everybody else.
Cohen raised his left arm and blocked the attack with the small shield. The white captain attack again, Cohen blocked a second time. But each attack saw Cohen stepping backward by the powerful impact.
He took another hit on the back in the meantime.
The pain made Cohen roar. He flipped backward and killed the one who sneak-attacked by smashing his chest then killed a second John Doe with a punch. The unlucky fellow didn't even have a chance to cry before he was stricken down into the earth and made a man-shaped hole.
"DIE!" The white captain's sword has left Cohen with no time to rest.
And the rest of the white knights regrouped into 3 chunks situated in 3 directions around Cohen Kheda. All of their weapons were targeted at the center of the encirclement. They knew this man was a spent force.
Didn't have the time to turn, Cohen blindly used his left hand's shield to defend.
The impact made an earth-shattering bang over the battlefield.
The attacker and his sword suffered a powerful rebound. Cohen stepped a long way backward by the recoil. Several seeds of blood splashed from the holes on his helmet.
"DIE!"
This was the final moment of the duel. The white captain made a screen thrust then quickly shrouded the entire sword with battle aura. The tip of the blade even started emitting a bright light.
An animal-like howl accompanied this skillful white knight's last strike.
"Divine Sword!" A mage on the top of Lissan City couldn't help but be amazed. He was Cohen's mentor in magic, archmage Webster. And he knew Cohen won't be able to block this sword even he had a hundred shield stacked together.
"NO!" Everyone in Lissan City cried!
The sword and shield impacted.
It was silent.
The tip of the sword landed on the center of the shield. Its battle aura has dissipated.
The white captain froze in the midair. His body still maintained the posture of how he leaped and attacked.
As for Cohen, both of his arms crossed in front of him, the small shield at the frontmost.
As if the last strike has stopped time, the two's body froze. All white knights around them stopped moving as well.
"Crack" Came a tiny, crisp sound. A slit opened on the white captain's sword.
One more slight cracking sound, Cohen's shield opened a slit.
The crack gradually crawled over the entire sword and shield until finally, both of them broke into pieces.
The break saw the paused time back on track. The white captain's body finally began descending. But Cohen's body remained unchanged.
"Humph, some Protoss Knight. Your power's inconsequential compared to mine. You've fought with honor. And now, die with dignity." The white captain thought as he descended. He adjusted his body as the tip of his feet touch the ground.
"However, I have to thank you. Because of your stubbornness, my skill is going to rise substantially." He said.
"Moron." came Cohen's voice through his helmet.
The sudden sound struck the white captain. He shuddered. Before he could react, a power reflected his body 20 arm's length away like the rest of the white knights around.
Cohen relaxed his left arm. He stared at the broken round shield left hanging on the wrist.
"It's not just a shield…"
Recalling the comment from David, the God of War, Cohen's right hand reached for the surface of the shield. At the touch of it, an elliptic shield of a light surface from the broken metal. Supported by wrecked pieces, ripples of light corrugated on the face of the light shield. A hilt-shaped thing took form near Cohen's left wrist.
"YOU… YOU MONSTER! How can you not die hit by my Divine Sword!' The white captain crawled back, he supported himself up and took a weapon his teammate handed over, "Kill him! Everyone!"
"This is the handle?" Cohen ignored all the crazy knights, he gripped it, "Where is the body?"
The front-most white knights struck forward. Before various-shaped weaponed touched Cohen, the light shield on his left forearm suddenly transformed, stretched longer. It shrouded Cohen's body and blocked all attacks!"
"I see…"
Cohen coarse, yet enlightened comment astonished, sweated everyone who heard it.
"Scums! DIE!" Cohen drew the hilt then forced a sweep. He didn't bother to check the result of the sweep before heading to the white captain.
Those who were hit didn't dodge or parry. They just stood there, frozen.
After Cohen has stepped away, a fire-red body of the weapon took shape from the tip of the hilt. Rather than red, if one observed closely, the weapon was just clean white light that trapped burning, wild, twisting fire within. The light took the shape of a saber.
Only until this moment, a half-round, thin, red surface revealed itself 5 feet from the ground, separating all white knights' body who stood before Cohen Kheda earlier. When the red surface dissipated, those bodies started to burn.
"Mi… Misla's Tooth!" The white captain shuddered, he can't help but went several steps back, he shrilled, "MISLA'S TOOTH!"
His thrill caught everybody's attention. All white knights quickly retreated to their captain's side. All of their faces went pale white.
"Wrong!" Cohen didn't stop, he took off his helmet and wiped off the blood from the lips, "It's a kitchen knife."
"Qui… quickly. Summon Protoss Protect! Wait! And Crystal Armor! Too late! Let's run! No! Kills ourselves before he kills us, or burn it…" The white captain lost words with a weird expression on his face.
"DIE!"
The saber was handheld by both of Cohen's hands. He slashed the weapon with every last strength he had.
The fire within the saber amazingly extended.
When the slashing finished, the tip of the fire blade dived into the earth. A red trail wide as a palm elongated in the earth. Then suddenly it pierced into the circle which the white knight formed, to where the white captain stood.
After, from where the white captain was at, a circle of an area at a radius of 30 arm's length turned red. A pillar of fire from the deep of the earth erupted into the air, burning everything within.
The exploding fire swirled and rose high. All white knights within the area turned to dust. The leftover grew desperate. They shared looks, nevertheless, they did not turn tail.
Knowing they cannot hurt Cohen, it was suicide. Every time Cohen waved his new weapon, death followed. Misla's fire tumbled, devouring more white knights' flesh until every last one of them was dead.
Everybody from the battlefield was stunned.
Only by then did the reinforcement caught up. And the ones left standing behind Cohen gazed at their commander, all of them felt they've escaped from death.
As a matter of fact, in order to fend 40 white knights, Cohen's guarding troops offered a hundred lives and dozens of heavily wounded within such a short time. They'll have to recruit as soon as possible.
Cohen glimpsed the burning earth in front of him, sheathed Misla's Tooth back into his arm plate, then began stepping towards the siege tower. However, with all that buff magic gone, Cohen was exhausted from the earlier fight. Barely shifted forward, he sunk into the earth.
"Sir!" Malphite was no better than Cohen, he moved to catch his commander, flipped his body, cried, "Get him a physician!"
Cohen's personal mage physician arrived as quickly as possible. He removed Cohen's armor before everyone gasped with astonishment: Cohen was utterly blood-stained. His battle suit had multiple damages, clearly by battle aura. From the rim of the open on the cloth, no parts of his skin were in good condition.
Cohen Kheda's physicians made a great effort to stop several major bleeding points.
"Send him back! We're out of mana." The physician said anxiously, "There are too many wounds!"
However, with an extremely pale face, Cohen's finger stopped the physician, he gazed at Malphite, then directed his immensely cold eyes to the siege tower.
Malphite welled his eyes. He took Cohen's body, carried him to the top of the siege tower, then placed him beside Fischer. All mage physicians ascended the tower as well, they shrouded Cohen with white healing magic.
Cohen reached out his right hand stained with blood for Fischer's pale yet clean face. His hand shivered, hesitated then finally went downwards and held Fischer's cold, cold hand.
Cohen's lip trembled. No one can see a thing in his eyes.