Chapter 294
Chapter 294
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 294
Chapter Title: The Decisive Battle (3)
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It didn't take long to settle the past. Ahayute's head shot up into the sky. Everyone on the battlefield fell silent in shock. Ronan watched his old rival's corpse tumble down with a bored expression.
"What..."
Abel's face hardened. Even for him, beheading a giant in a single stroke was no easy feat. Moreover, Ahayute was one of the stronger ones among the two-winged giants.
『Ahayute...!』
『Arrogant one, halt like a rock.』
The silence didn't last. The giants near Ahayute charged in. Ronan adjusted his stance and stuck out his tongue.
"Fuck 'em."
He swung his sword as if brushing dirt off his sleeve. He had no intention of fighting in the air. Shwaaack! Sword energy poured along his sword path, engulfing the giants.
『Kugh...!』
The chunks of sharp energy, reminiscent of splashing waves, shattered the giants' star blessings and struck their bodies. Blue blood stained the air. It wasn't lethal, but it was enough to stiffen them.
"Hup."
Boom! Ronan landed first on Ahayute's corpse. It was a height that should have pulverized his body, yet he was unscathed. He could really feel the curse fading as time passed.
Ahayute's headless body slumped like a waterlogged sack. It was an anticlimactically simple end. Blue blood flowed from the severed neck like a river.
"How's it taste, baldy?"
Ptooey. Ronan spat on it. There was no sign of resurrection. Considering the grudges from his past life, he wanted to grill and devour it on the spot, but there was no time for that.
Ronan turned and strode forward. His lover sat hesitantly in the middle of the battlefield. Adeshan rubbed her eyes once and opened her mouth.
"Ronan."
"Kept you waiting, huh."
Ronan twisted his lips. Adeshan was a mess from the explosion. Blood trickled from tears in her torn uniform.
Her trembling hands still clutched the crossbow. It was easy to imagine the desperate struggle she'd endured without much effort on her part. At least, unlike in his past life, her limbs were intact. Ronan silently draped his overcoat over her shoulders.
"Sorry I'm late."
"...Ah."
Tears streamed down Adeshan's cheeks. The fabric wrapping around her felt so comforting she couldn't hold back anymore. As she blinked repeatedly to squeeze out the moisture, she spoke.
"...What happened?"
She felt like she was seeing someone else. The aura emanating from Ronan's shoulders was incomparably stronger than before.
It was too drastic for growth in just three days. The massive rock that had appeared with him was still firing beams at the giants. Ronan scratched the back of his head.
"Eh. A lot happened."
There was too much to explain here. Judging that his brain couldn't summarize it, Ronan turned back around. He pointed his sword tip at the giants and said,
"I'll clear those out first. Hang tight for a bit."
"Wait, even so, alone...!"
"It's fine. I'm not alone."
Ronan grinned. Adeshan was about to ask what he meant when a familiar cry echoed from the sky.
"Screeeeeech-!!"
"Sita?"
Adeshan looked up hurriedly. High above, Sita spread her four wings and wailed. The bloodstains scattered across the battlefield rose into droplet form.
Mist-like mana poured from Sita's body. The red mana blanketed the field, enveloping the wounded allied soldiers. Soon, exclamations erupted from all around.
"Th-the wounds are healing!"
"It's back..."
The shed blood returned to their bodies, mending injuries. Some soldiers had experienced Sita's healing magic before. The dream bird's mystical blood magic could handle all but the most fatal wounds reasonably well.
"Well, this is... suffocating."
Rorhon chuckled as he caught his breath. Faces brightened. They didn't fully grasp what was happening, but they instinctively felt Ronan had returned—and that a chance for reversal had come.
Of course, the situation remained dire. Ronan and the giant rock were holding the giants at bay, but feather-born familiars still swarmed the battlefield.
"Kee-heeek!"
"Groooak!"
Familiars of all shapes clashed with the allied forces. Roars and screams mingled from every direction. Soldiers, morale somewhat restored, raised their weapons.
"Reform ranks! We still have a chance!"
"Don't fear their numbers! We won't lose to unreal monsters!"
As Adeshan had said, there was no retreating now. The battle was about to intensify when thud. An elf woman landed among them.
"I'll join you."
"Y-You're...?"
The soldiers murmured in confusion. Her striking white hair and red eyes, along with long ears reaching nearly her shoulders, bespoke noble blood.
The light familiars charged with teeth and claws bared. Her slender form looked far too fragile before those hideous beasts.
"M-Miss! It's dangerous!"
"Get back!"
Soldiers shouted belatedly in panic. But she didn't flee. As she chanted song-like words, she raised her hand toward the familiars. Whoooosh! A ferocious wind swept the enemy lines, strong enough to upend the earth.
"Kyaaak...!"
"Kya aaaah!"
The familiars caught in the gale tore apart in pieces. Hundreds vanished into light in an instant. Soldiers' eyes widened.
"Wh-What is this...?"
Suddenly, something new appeared. A massive eagle blocked the woman's path. Razor-sharp winds swirled around its translucent body. Elisia gently stroked the eagle and said,
"Fight with me. Hiran."
"Phyooo!"
Hiran roared in response. Dozens of massive whirlwinds erupted amid the familiar hordes. The surrounding air shimmered, and spirits of all kinds burst forth.
"Spirits?!"
"My god. A summon on this scale...!"
Soldiers gasped. They'd never seen or heard of so many spirits. The rapidly bolstered spirits charged the familiars.
There were as many familiars as giants, but summoning that many was no challenge for Elisia, the pinnacle spiritist. Instead, the familiars began to be pushed back by sheer numbers. Spirits, unafraid of death like the familiars, turned the fight into an uncontrollable melee.
"Hiran."
Abel frowned at the sight. His gaze lingered on the massive eagle mercilessly shredding familiars—the Storm Prince Hiran.
He'd clipped its wings before, never expecting to meet again like this. Shifting his gaze to Elisia, she met his eyes and bowed her head.
"Hello, Abel."
"Betrayed the church, and you look well. Not calling me Pontiff anymore?"
"I never saw you as Pontiff to begin with. You don't look so great yourself."
Elisia smiled brightly. Abel let out a hollow laugh in disbelief. Brushing back his bangs, he glanced at Ronan and said,
"...So, you helped the brat. That explains the sudden power-up."
"Not just me."
"What?"
"I'm just an advisor. The real star is someone else. Why not say hello?"
Elisia turned away after speaking. Abel's brow furrowed at the cryptic words. Hand on his sword hilt, he prepared to leap from the ramparts when a familiar voice came from nearby.
"It's been a while, Abel."
"Brother?"
Abel's eyes widened. It was unmistakably Cain's voice. Turning hastily toward the sound, he spotted the flying rock mass.
It was still blasting beams in all directions to check the giants. He sensed it instinctively. Cain was inside that rock. Calming his emotions, Abel spoke.
"...You're alive?"
It was impossible. The wound from his sword couldn't be healed by ordinary means. Cain's reply soon came.
"Yes. Thanks to good sons and a brother. Your blood saved me."
"My blood? Where did you... Ah."
About to retort, Abel raised an eyebrow. Memories of the skirmish with Iril in the capital flashed by. He'd shed a few drops from the sudden ambush.
"I see... I get the gist."
He pieced it together. The main temple's location must have been exposed because of that. Grasping the situation instantly, Abel gave a wry smile. Staring at the rock, he said incredulously,
"Still, I didn't expect you'd bring that ark too. Didn't you say you'd use it as an ark when the stars fall someday?"
"I did. But seeing this, it suits a battleship better. Tools are meant to be used as needed."
"Futile resistance, brother. Wasting the glory of an era like this... Do you truly think you can win?"
Abel said. The sky remained covered in magic circles summoning giants. As long as the archbishops' ritual continued, giants would keep descending.
Moreover, the main temple hosting the ritual was protected by his own star blessing. The alliance's top powerhouses were trapped inside, awaiting death. And if he intervened personally, he could dispatch an aged Cain or an outdated battleship in seconds.
"Truly?"
Abel countered. Overwhelming bloodlust poured from his shoulders, heavy even to breathe through. Unexpected events had occurred, but the church still held the advantage.
Cain didn't respond. Abel smirked. It seemed he'd finally grasped reality.
Time to crush that hope. As Abel gripped his sword hilt, flashhh...! Intense sunset light erupted from the battlefield's center.
"Tch."
Abel reflexively shielded his eyes. The glare was intense enough to burn retinas. Before he could speak, the circling giants began plummeting one by one.
"What in the...!"
Abel gasped. It was an unbelievable sight even as it unfolded. Boom! Kwang! Each massive body crashing to earth boomed thunderously.
He urgently scanned for the light's source. A bald young man who looked just like him stood drawing his sword.
The sunset glow emanated from the blade. Boom! A staggering giant slammed into the ground again. Cain's reply came.
"Yes. I think we can win."