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“What is this?”
He had clearly torn apart the bodies of those he had taken hostage. He had personally shredded them to mock those hypocrites who acted in the name of false gods. So why were they so unscathed?
The scream erupted immediately after.
“You worms, offspring of that Celestial God!”
He realized that the endpoint of the holy power emanating from Leriana was none other than himself.
Leriana’s divine power, ‘Healing’.
She used her power to distort his senses. She made him believe that he had exerted enough force to kill the hostages.
Considering that in the past, her limit was healing or strengthening others, this was a significant development. Now, it was almost as if she could interfere with the opponent’s body itself.
So this situation might be nothing less than an opening created by her efforts.
“Protect Lady Leriana!”
With his attention turned to Leriana, he focused all his attacks on the rear. Despite the ground shaking and turning over, the priests steadfastly protected her front. Just as they were doing their job, Rohan too had to do his.
‘Cutting off the neck.’
Rohan’s eyes flashed as he glared ahead.
Shooting forward at a speed nearly impossible to perceive, Rohan repeated thoughts in his mind even in that brief moment.
The sword he desired was simple.
A greedy sword that devours everything. With that sword, he would shatter the device at the spot Arpel had pointed out. Furthermore, he would split the creature’s neck in one go. He visualized this will in his mind, over and over.
If he attacked the same way as before, the chances of failure would be high. He didn’t want to betray Arpel’s trust or the opportunity they had created.
Magic power that wanted to destroy and tear apart was continuously infused into the sword. The already black blade became even darker as it mixed with the power of shadows.
‘Not enough, not yet…!’
Bigger, even bigger.
The swollen magic power formed an even larger sword beyond the blade. Something resembling sharp beast fangs manifested at Rohan’s fingertips.
His senses gradually became keener and broader. He could hear the creature shouting something ahead. How many times had he twisted his body to avoid flying tentacles and repeatedly kicked with his magic-reinforced body?
A golden light flashed from below. Upon hearing the small cheer that followed, Rohan realized the hostages had been safely rescued and twisted up the corners of his mouth in a show of triumph.
“What good is having strong power if you’ll be defeated by your own arrogance?”
“You bastard—!!!”
Had it heard his words that were barely a murmur? The creature’s eyes, bloodshot with burst capillaries, glowed strangely.
The relaxed attitude that had been the epitome of one who reigns supreme had vanished, and completely consumed by rage, it was no different from a beast rampaging on instinct. How much had it lost its reason to not even recognize the danger of devouring itself?
A red light briefly flashed across Rohan’s golden eyes. The stagnant magic power began to swirl again, starting to spew sharp gales centered on the sword. The gales tore through the air, resonating with a loud sound, gradually swallowing the surrounding space.
At the end of the sword energy, split into multiple strands like beast fangs, killing intent dripped down. That part alone seemed distorted enough to create an illusion.
“…!”
Had it only realized how ominous this was when it came right up to its face?
Belatedly opening its eyes wide, it poured out dozens of tentacles all at once. It even tried to use the nearby skeletons as a shield, driving them in at once, but it couldn’t block the attack.
“Damn it all!”
Unlike its certainty that it couldn’t be cut, Rohan’s sword showed no hesitation. Just before thrusting the sword, it was thanks to the golden pillar that rose from behind.
The brilliantly holy golden pillar pierced the sky in an instant. Perhaps even the specters forming the veil retreated from this beam of light. Sunlight fell through the narrow gap, creating a mysterious and enchanting scene.
The curse absorbing the villagers’ life force was lifted. As soon as he realized this, Rohan swung his sword with all his might.
The pitch-black sword contrasted with the dazzling backlight. The thing resembling a giant beast’s maw aimed for the creature’s legs. Slicing through the blocking tentacles, chopping up skeletons, and shattering hundreds of tentacles from the bottom of its legs.
“Arghhhh!”
Kaang—!
A metallic sound similar to before was heard, but only for a very brief moment. It was swept away and disappeared in the sword strike that crashed like a huge tidal wave.
“Stop, stop it!”
“No.”
He had wished for a sword that devours everything. Without stopping here, leaving nothing behind. As a red light seemed to flicker in Rohan’s eyes once more, his sword continued to advance without stopping.
The wave of massive sword energy that completely split the legs made of hundreds of tentacles and went beyond that…
“Urgh…”
Only after completely swallowing the creature’s body did it finally disappear.
***
“Hah…”
An intense feeling of exhaustion gnawed at his body.
What fell pitifully to the ground with a thud was half the body of the executive who had just moments ago acted as if nothing could bring him down. Even that was so blackened and damaged that its shape was barely recognizable.
Still, he had done it. Along with the exhaustion, what came to him was none other than a sense of achievement. It was a strike he had never used before, and a will he had never harbored before.
So he couldn’t help but feel elated. With his cheeks flushed red, Rohan picked up the sword while sitting on the ground.
“Arp…”
“Rohan! Dodge!”
What was the problem? Was it that he thought everything was over and let his guard down? Was he completely careless? Or had he not even considered the possibility of a third threat?
Turning his head at Leriana’s shrill scream, Rohan saw it. Following the fading golden pillar, an intense holy power began to spread slowly like a spider web across the entire village.
The wave-like force crashed over where Rohan was before he could even react, and after sweeping through the entire village, it gathered where the ‘executive’s’ body was.
Saa…!
The executive’s body, emitting an ominous noise, completely turned to ash and disappeared, leaving behind only a half-broken mask. The end of the curse had been connected to him.
However, Rohan’s attention was focused elsewhere. It was a wave of holy power strong enough to make the executive’s body disappear in an instant. In a moment, endless anxiety consumed his body, and a dull heartbeat echoed in his ears.
“…Arpel?”
It was a very small voice. A very quiet mumble, almost to himself. But the usual Arpel would never fail to hear it.
There was no answer.
“Arpel.”
He called again. This time, a little louder. He felt someone approaching nearby, but he couldn’t pay attention. There was no way he could pay attention.
The tip of the sword trembled, and his hand shook. He felt dizzy, his ears rang, and it felt like he couldn’t breathe. As if he had sunk into water so deep he couldn’t see the end, like that…
He hoped Arpel would answer belatedly, saying it was a joke. His vision quickly blurred. He stroked the blade with his hand over and over, muttering frantically. Arpel, Arpel, Arpel… How many times did he call that name?
—Crack.
The answer came from elsewhere.
His unfocused eyes slowly rolled to check the source of the noise. It was the protective artifact that Rohan had half-heartedly fitted to the tip of the sword during the battle.
The purple gem embedded in the center had lost its light and was cracked. With trembling hands, he pulled it out and examined it, stroking it several times before letting out a small sigh.
Protective artifacts break when they have fulfilled their role of protection, or when they receive an attack beyond their threshold. It was a fact he had heard and half-memorized many times. So, Arpel…
Questions naturally arose. Why? Why so suddenly? What wrong had been done? Amidst the endlessly surging doubts, someone awakened Rohan’s dazed mind.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…”
It was Leriana, kneeling in front of him.
Only then did his hazy gaze focus straight ahead. Disheveled golden hair shimmered before his eyes. Pink eyes dripped tears, but unfortunately, Rohan had neither the presence of mind nor the inclination to comfort her.
“It’s fine.”
Just one phrase. That was all he said to Leriana. He didn’t get angry, nor did he blame her.
He knows it couldn’t be helped. He knows there was no other way. If it hadn’t been her, if he had known this would happen, Rohan would have chosen to kill all the hostages rather than save them.
Rohan picked up Arpel, the sword, and stood up. Leriana, who followed him with desperate eyes, froze in place when she met his gaze, which was like an endless, sunken abyss.
What was this emotion she felt when she met those eyes devoid of even a speck of light?
Fear? Dread? Terror?
Perhaps it was all of them. It’s just that the source of that emotion was not Rohan, but herself.
‘I… ruined everything.’
By acting recklessly. By not thinking of Arpel. So… I hurt Arpel, and even hurt Rohan. I made his eyes like that.
Drops of blood fell from between her tightly clenched fists. She couldn’t bring herself to hold back Rohan as he walked away, let alone ask where he was going. She thought she didn’t even have the right to do so.
***
Rohan, quietly putting strength into the hand holding the sword, moved his lips. As the confusion subsided, he could clearly feel the divine power remaining in his hand. So…
“…Demon God.”
If he went to find him, there should be a way.
His golden gaze took in the veil beyond, where the golden light had not yet disappeared. The traces of specters surrounding the village were slowly dissipating. Following the disappearing specters, the number of light beams pouring down gradually increased until finally, the blue sky was fully revealed.
The shining sun reached out its hand equally to everyone. Receiving that light fully, Rohan silently moved his feet.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
