Chapter 295
Chapter 295
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 295
Chapter Title: Final Battle (4)
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"Everyone, get out of the way!"
Marya gripped the hilt of her sword and thrust her greatsword forward. Puhaak! The thick blade pierced through the stomachs of four cultists blocking their path.
"Keurk!"
The blade emerging from their backs was stained red. Bam! As she swung her sword like she was uprooting a plant, the skewered cultists were flung far away. Marya wiped the blood from her face and let out a sigh.
"Haaah... They won't even give us a moment to rest."
"Huff... I didn't expect there to be this many... Huff, I never saw this coming."
Braum, who had been guarding their rear, nodded heavily. He too was breathing raggedly, his breath right up to his throat. His armor and shield, soaked in blood, glistened a sticky crimson. They must have taken down at least a hundred each by now.
They were wandering through the interior of the main headquarters. The pale castle's interior was even more vast and labyrinthine than its grand exterior suggested.
It had been a while since they had split from the rest of the group. After Abel reactivated the Stars' Benediction, the strike team had become rats in a trap, subjected to Nebula Klazie's pincer attack.
They could manage the fight somehow, but the problem was that Ronan's blood was almost depleted. Among the cultists they encountered, one in ten used the Stars' Benediction. At this rate, they would clearly reach their limit.
Of course, what worried them most was something else. Marya muttered in a voice laced with concern.
"...I wonder if everyone's okay."
"Of course they are. You know they're not ordinary people."
"That's true, but..."
Marya bit her lower lip. It was a valid point, but she couldn't help worrying anyway. Even if they were top talents, the enemy numbers were overwhelming.
It was frustrating that there was nothing they could do right now. Where on earth was Iril unnie? As she lowered her greatsword to catch her breath, a shout came from around the corner of the corridor.
"The noise came from over there. Get them!"
"...Tch."
Marya clicked her tongue. These guys had no sense of honor at all. Judging by the footsteps, there were at least twenty of them. For some reason, Asel's teary face flashed before her eyes.
"I miss him... our little cutie."
Ptui. Marya spat on her hands and raised her greatsword again. She decided to push aside the unlucky thought that she might die here.
Her father had always said it as a habit: A journey includes the return trip. She fully agreed with that.
"Come on, then."
Marya gripped the hilt tightly. Blue aura began to envelop the blade. The approaching footsteps were just about to round the corner.
"Y-You?! Gurk...!"
"Hiaaak! Save meee!"
Sudden screams of agony echoed through. Dismembered corpses began flying out from around the corner one after another. Marya flinched.
"Wh-What?"
"My god."
Cold sweat trickled down Braum's temple. Blood was spurting in real time, roughly staining the corridor.
It was like a mad beast on a rampage. Finally, from the now-quiet corner, someone walked out. Both their eyes widened in shock.
"Sch-Schlieffen?"
"You're still alive."
Schlieffen replied dryly. It was their first reunion since splitting up. His body was as blood-soaked as theirs, though none of it was his own.
Unlike Marya and Braum, he showed no sign of fatigue. It was the dignity of the Empire's Rising Star. He shook the blood off his blade and asked a question.
"You two. Do you still have some of Ronan's blood left?"
"Wh-What?"
"Good. Follow me."
Suddenly, Schlieffen turned around. Marya let out a bewildered noise at the abrupt action. Barely regaining her composure, she spoke up.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"I found the ritual site."
****
"This is disgustingly noisy."
Ronan furrowed his brow. He was looking up at the chaotic sky. Beneath the magic circle flashing in eerie colors, giants and flying boulders were locked in combat.
It was like watching a madman's fantasy painting. The battleship Dainhar was firing red beams in all directions, drawing the attention of the giants trying to attack the allied forces. It was astonishing how natives who had lived in caves their whole lives could operate such precise machinery.
The giants were responding to the battleship's provocation. Dozens of spears of light relentlessly pounded the boulders. However, the protective barrier enveloping Dainhar didn't break easily. The Stars' Benediction activated directly by the Savior boasted unimaginable strength.
"Not bad at all. Even for you, Father."
Of course, there were clear limits, so they couldn't just stand by and watch. Suddenly, a thick groan came from the front of his view.
『...What trick did you use, mortal?』
"Oh, you're awake?"
Ronan lowered his gaze. The giants he had just pulled down were rising to their feet. Meeting their eyes, Ronan curled the corner of his mouth.
"Yeah. That's more like it. Now our eye levels match."
It was a satisfactory result. No more craning his neck to face them. Then, the first giant to stand hurled a spear of light. Ronan swung his sword lightly, as if dusting off dirt.
Slash! The spear split in two and dissolved into particles. The next one flew right after, but the result was the same. After repeating this twice more, Ronan spoke.
"Listen up before you die, you beanpoles. I hate you guys."
『What?』
"Bald shiny heads, ghost-pale skin like piss stains, and those annoyingly cool voices."
Suddenly, Ronan's arm vanished from view. Puk! A small explosion erupted on the face of the giant who had been continuously throwing spears. The giant gathering light tumbled over.
『Keurk!』
"But the most fucking annoying thing is something else. Guess what?"
Ronan said. The other giants flinched. The fallen giant's eyes were burst. Blue blood dripped from the crushed sockets.
『Ugh... Kruu...』
The giant groaned in pain. He clutched his face with one hand and couldn't stand easily. Even for immortal beings, eyes were a vital spot that healed slowly.
"Guess what, I said?"
Ronan asked again, but no answer came. The expressions of the other giants, sharing senses, rapidly soured.
Kwaaang! Suddenly, the giants spread their wings and rose quickly. Unlike the cratered, upturned ground, their pure white bodies bore not a single scratch.
The corner of Ronan's mouth lifted faintly. It seemed worth slashing now. Of course, separately from that, his mood was foul. Following the giants' gaze upward, Ronan scowled.
"Yeah. That condescending look right there."
They weren't airborne yet, but the height difference was so vast he had to look up. Ronan hated that intensely.
It stemmed from his past life's experience. Back then, he couldn't protect people because his sword couldn't reach Ahayute flying in the sky. At that moment, the giant at the front spoke.
『Strong one. Your recklessness ends here.』
A low, deep voice reverberated. Ronan didn't reply, just stared at them silently.
The giants, sharing tactics telepathically, were about to take flight all at once. Once more, a sunset-like glow rose along Lamancha's blade. Paaah...! The radiance spread radially, blanketing the sky.
『Urk...!』
Bam!! The giants who had lifted off simultaneously crashed back down. A few more who hadn't been in range earlier also fell. Ronan chuckled softly.
"What, wings gone stiff or something?"
『How... this...!』
The giants voiced their bewilderment. Even flapping their wings desperately, their bodies wouldn't rise. It felt like some invisible colossal force was dragging them to the ground.
"I warned you. Come if you wanna die."
Liberation from the curse had explosively enhanced his aura that pulled enemies in. The still-growing aura was more than enough to ground these four-winged giants. Spinning his sword once, Ronan growled low.
"You ignored me, so now die."
『You...!』
As the giants tried to speak, boom! Ronan charged forward and pulled the hilt. The giants who sensed the attack countered, but Ronan was fundamentally faster.
Slash! The head of the frontmost giant hit the ground as it charged. Stepping on the toppling body, Ronan leaped and thrust into the chest of the one right behind.
Puhaak! The sword pierced the heart and tore out through the back. He backflipped, swinging his sword, splitting the face of the giant aiming a spear at his nape.
Before the three massive bodies hit the ground, Ronan created a fourth corpse. Upon landing from the flip, he activated his aura, yanking a distant spear-throwing giant right to him. Gripping the hilt two-handed, Ronan cleaved vertically. Shaaak! The thick neck severed along with the defending arm.
『Such a thing...』
The giants voiced shock. Ronan, slashing through the battlefield, seemed to live in time several times faster.
They had never faced such an opponent. The undefeated predator race was being unilaterally massacred. By a single sword.
Slash! In under five minutes, the last giant's head fell. Nirvana, the one who was supposed to perish with Rorhon's soul originally.
"Hoo..."
Stopping in place, Ronan turned toward the temple. Half the giants remained, but the one to deal with now was elsewhere. Pointing his sword tip at Abel, he said.
"Come down. You ungrateful brat."
"You...!"
Abel narrowed his eyes. He had forgotten Kain's existence, watching Ronan's slaughter. Confirming no reply, Ronan gripped his hilt.
"I said come down."
Paaah! Sunset light burst again. Before Abel could react, he was pulled right in front of Ronan. Realizing the danger late, as he reflexively drew his sword—Kaaang! A sharp metallic clash rang out before his eyes.
"Kuk...!"
Abel gritted his teeth. A split second later and his head would have flown. The recoil from blocking nearly burst his hands. Regaining his stance, he asked Ronan.
"...You weren't this strong before. What trick did you use?"
"None of your business."
But Ronan had no intention of dragging this out. Withdrawing his aura, he unleashed a barrage of slashes. Kagak! Kang! Sparks flew wildly with each blade clash in midair. Finally, the leisure vanished from Abel's face.
"Damn it, you colt-like bastard...!"
Abel spat curses, nearly dropping his sword. He was being overwhelmingly pushed in both speed and power. As he hurriedly tried to retreat—
"Not happening."
Ronan's sword dyed sunset once more. Abel's body was yanked forward. Realizing his mistake, he tried to respond hastily, but Ronan's body was already spinning in a wide arc.
"...The swordsmanship you stole from me."
Suddenly, Naviroje murmured. It was the spinning sword, a technique she had devised. She had been watching her disciple's fight intermittently while clashing with Archbishop Tieria.
Memories flashing through her mind hazed her vision. It felt like yesterday she was taking Phileon's entrance exam—when had he grown so much? Tieria screamed like she was shrieking.
"L-Lord Pope!"
Anyone could see it was dangerous. Hastily withdrawing her hand, she leaped to support the Pope—suddenly, all sound vanished, and her vision went pitch black. Naviroje's voice echoed in the darkness.
"Don't interfere. He's in the zone."
"Wh-What is this?!"
She saw nothing. Heard nothing. Instinctively turning her head, Tieria gasped. A massive venomous serpent was flicking its tongue down at her.
"Mourning...!"
Tieria's face paled white. The Mourning Snake—one of history's strongest auras, Naviroje's signature. She had heard Naviroje lost her aura after defeat to Zaifa, yet here it was inexplicably.
"You damned bitch!"
But that wasn't important now. The snake lunged at her. Desperately regaining her senses, as it charged—
Slash! Naviroje's massive sword sliced across Tieria's throat. Simultaneously, Lamancha flying in an arc struck Abel's sword.
"Wha...!"
Abel's eyes widened. A deafening rupture echoed. Pakaaang! Unable to withstand the impact, Abel's blade shattered like an explosion.