78 – The Shape of Evil. (1)
Without even having time to think about anything, three days passed. Now, the kingdom was truly just around the corner.
Asti had always told me to let him know whenever I was ready.
I could feel the tension coursing through my body. It was finally time to execute the plan. Perhaps this time, Asti’s revelation would be even more colossal than what I could imagine.
The enemies that would emerge would be far from ordinary. Only then would the saint be able to truly exert her power.
When the saint used her power, the remnants of the corrupted saint would stick to her body. This would most likely be the moment when the true final boss of Chapter 1 appeared.
Originally, the corrupted saint, Esta, was the title of the final boss, but this time, her strength would be on a different level.
I had to stay focused.
“We’re ready.”
“Let’s go.”
At that moment, I finally threw the dice upon hearing Asti’s voice.
Success was imperative. Luslan would become strong enough with a certain level of enemies, but the saint had to be saved.
The corrupted remnants would form a new figure surrounding Adrian, just like what happened with Lina.
And within that figure, it would not be Adrian’s consciousness, but a collection of corrupted wills.
Combining the consciousness of Saint Esta and Adrian could form a shape of evil, where the souls tainted by Nevirus and the corrupted remnants merge into one.
The form of evil possessed the tendency to destroy everything around it, and would probably shoot divine magic at everything that approached.
Corrupted divine magic.
Corrupted divine magic possessed exactly the opposite nature of divine magic. Meaning, it possessed the nature to destroy and corrupt everything in its surroundings.
Luckily, the form of evil did not have its own consciousness, so there was no need to come up with a separate strategy.
In any case, it would be a challenging battle. If I didn’t stay focused, everything would be over.
The gambler was, quite literally, a gambler. It could result in a big win or a big loss.
If it was a big loss, Chapter 2 itself might not progress. If it was a big win, I could progress Chapter 2 with a better flow than the original. And I could obtain the Bondage Sword as well.
It could be seen as taking on too much risk just to obtain a sword, but the Bondage Sword was a sword that I, as the author, set as an openly overpowered weapon that the protagonist and his party would never acquire.
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Obtaining such a sword meant that my chances of survival in the future increased. I could also obtain allies in Lina and Nevirus.
It was a gamble worth taking, and therefore, it had to be a success.
I looked out the window. Gradually, the sky was darkening.
* * *
The sky darkened without a sign of dawn. Luslan had a foreboding sense.
It was a scenery he had seen frequently recently. The sky darkening without a sign of dawn meant that the maqiang was about to open.
Sounds of murmuring could be heard from the surroundings.
“…Could it be?”
Luslan muttered. It couldn’t be, right? The Imperial Kingdom was nearby, so why was the maqiang opening?
However, that ominous premonition turned out to be accurate.
“The Gate! The Gate is opening!”
The sky cracked open, revealing a realm different in magnitude from when they were in the Celus Academy.
In this situation, where the Sacred Kingdom was just a short distance away, everyone, including the envoy, fell into a state of panic upon suddenly encountering the Gate.
The envoy, who had come out for a brief rest, drew their weapons. Of course, some members of the envoy who couldn’t fight hid behind the knights.
“Oh my god…”
Adrian looked up at the sky with a despairing expression.
“I’ve never seen a Gate of this magnitude before.”
The knight standing beside the Sacred Maiden also looked at the sky with an expression that indicated a lack of answers. Most importantly, the fact that the Gate opened in the sky meant that there was no possible escape from the situation despite how quickly they would move.
No, from the beginning, how could they escape under the name of the Sacred Kingdom when a Gate of such magnitude opened? It was an absolute impossibility.
“…How much farther until we reach the Sacred Kingdom?”
“Exactly one day’s journey.”
“One day… just one day…”
The Sacred Maiden pondered for a moment and then made a resolute decision, speaking to the knight with a determined face.
“The Gate. Send three knights to the Sacred Kingdom. They must request reinforcements.”
“Understood.”
“Here, this is my signet ring. As soon as His Majesty sees it, he will send troops immediately.”
He said while glancing up at the sky. It was the first time he had seen a Gate of this magnitude. Adrian knew full well the hardships the knights before him had experienced on the battlefield.
But even such knights were witnessing a spectacle like this for the first time, which meant that the catastrophe this Gate would cause was enormous.
At that moment, Adrian’s gaze landed on Luslan.
“Luslan.”
“Yes, Sacred Maiden.”
Luslan, who caught Adrian’s gaze, lowered her head.
“I need your help. Will you assist me?”
“Of course.”
“Last time as well… in many ways, I owe you, Luslan. If the situation ends safely, I will never forget this and repay you.”
“No, it’s alright. I am, after all, a member of the Sacred Maiden’s entourage. I don’t expect any repayment for overcoming a situation we must face together.”
“Thank you.”
Saying that, the Sacred Maiden took out a small hammer from her hand and infused it with sacred power. In an instant, the hammer became as giant as the Sacred Maiden’s height.
“That is…”
“When I officially became a Saint, this was the weapon given to me by Your Majesty. Deus’s Judgment. It is excellent in decimating demons.”
“hahahaha….”
Luslan let out a hollow laugh. That hammer, it was definitely the same one she saw before. It was a weapon that did not suit her somewhat delicate demeanor as a Saint, but it was not a weapon that did not fit her image in normal times.
It has been almost a month since the envoy left the Empire. Luslan came to know that the Saint was more talkative than she imagined.
“Well then, I will rely on you. It seems like it will be a long battle, so if your stamina is running low, ask the nearby priests for assistance.”
“I will remember.”
Then, the Saint looked at the people surrounding her and spoke.
“Not only Luslan, but also others who are capable of fighting. If you get hurt, be sure to inform the priests and ask for help. The non-combatants will be protected by the Paladins.”
“Yes!”
“Well then, please don’t get hurt, everyone. If you get hurt, I won’t be able to face His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Do not worry. Most of those who joined the envoy in preparation for unforeseen circumstances are capable of fighting.”
At that moment, there was a voice responding to Adrien’s words. It was Frach, who was gazing at the sky with a determined expression.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. You don’t have to worry. Of course, I don’t know what will come out in the Makyung… But I’ve dealt with tougher opponents before. Isn’t that right?”
“Indeed… Frach was there at that time.”
The Saint clearly saw how Frach helped the Imperial Knights Commander and attracted Behemoth’s attention to buy them time. He was undoubtedly a formidable warrior, and he would be a great help in this battle.
“So please don’t worry too much.”
As she smiled subtly, the Saint also looked up at the sky with a relaxed expression.
Just then, the sky tore apart, and lumps of creatures began to fall. They were demons with sturdy exteriors and internal structures that could withstand falling from the sky without getting hurt.
No, some of them even flew around in the sky occasionally.
“Everyone, get ready for battle!”
The Saint gave orders to the Paladins in a booming voice that didn’t match her physique. A brilliant radiance burst from her battle hammer. It was deliberately attracting the attention of the demons to herself.
And her intention was perfectly aligned as the fallen demons crazily rushed towards her.
“Here I come!”
The first to jump into action was Luslan. In a swift motion, he transformed the candelabra of Saint Valencia into a sword and quickly slew the approaching demons.
With Luslan’s slaying of demons, a full-scale battle began. The Saint’s battle hammer radiated brilliance as it overwhelmed the demons, and Aris’s flames incinerated them as if forming a wall of fire.
It hadn’t even begun yet. Prach drew his sword with that thought in mind. Then he gathered his magic power.
Indeed, his training with the Imperial Knights Commander had been of great help to him. He looked completely different from before capturing Behemoth, both before and after.
His magic power activated, and he could see the surroundings clearly. Every movement of the demons was captured by his eyes. Then it was time to move.
At the same time Prach’s body struck the ground, his sword severed the neck of a demon. It was a considerably large demon, but it could do nothing but have its neck cut off by Prach’s sword without any reaction.
-Asti. It’s time for you to join the battle.
-Understood.
He who summoned Asti through chlorination waited for the right moment. Right now, only weaklings would come out, but as time goes on, more powerful demons will emerge. And the saint will unleash immense sacred power in response to their strength.
That was when the real beginning started.
