Chapter 214
Chapter 214
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 214
Chapter Title: For Elise
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A pitch-black trophy.
Purple beams of light, slicing through the darkness like blades, brightly illuminated the ghouls' tunnel construction site. Unless that trophy was just some groundbreaking interior lighting fixture they'd placed there on purpose, it was clearly worth a fortune.
A fortune big enough to make up for all the hell we'd been through up to now.
"It looks awfully sinister... I suspect it might be some kind of heretical relic."
"A relic?"
"On second thought, 'relic' might not be the right term. Let me correct that to 'evil artifact.'"
A thick wave of greed welled up from deep inside me.
How the hell do we snag that thing? There were a ton of priests and ghouls down there. Even if we were champions chosen by the god who transcended the Order God Aizelmart and the Buddha of the Saha World, we couldn't take on that many enemies and win.
Elise seemed to agree, as she wasn't showing any signs of her usual uncontrollable impulse to charge in recklessly.
"Indeed, there are far too many enemies. Support would be ideal, but as it stands, it's just the two of us. Of course, Your Holiness is incredibly brave, but even with our combined strength, victory isn't guaranteed."
"Couldn't agree more. Fuck this shit! These cowardly bastards! Think they're gonna win with numbers?!"
But did that mean we should just give up on it?
No fucking way.
I had to find some way...!
"However, we cannot retreat. This is a holy war and a trial. Since it's a test from the Order God, there must be a path through."
"You think?"
Somehow, that didn't feel right.
Her way of thinking was a bit odd—I couldn't quite agree.
But I couldn't back down either.
No matter what crazy bullshit I had to pull, I needed to steal that pricey heretical trophy. If we left it there, who knows— the world might plunge into chaos. Could lead to a world war or massacres.
I had to get it to Lisha ASAP to prevent disaster.
"Fortunately, they haven't noticed us yet."
"Hmm... yeah, looks that way. If they had, they'd have done something by now."
As Elise said, the heretics down there didn't seem to have spotted us. Were those ghouls from earlier the only guards? Well, with all this racket, it's no wonder they hadn't noticed.
Construction sites were noisy by nature.
A golden opportunity for us.
"But... even if they haven't seen us, I still don't see a clear path forward."
"If we pool our wisdom, a solution will come. Let's devise a plan."
Staying prone, I pressed my shoulder against Elise's and observed the heretics. They scurried about like ants.
Ants... ants...
Fucking bugs.
Vile little shits, inside and out.
Death to the heretics.
Heretics are my enemies.
"..."
Lina was biting the tip of her thumb to shreds while peering down with us. Her eyes weren't ordinary. Those were... a warrior's eyes. But the eyes of a warrior who hadn't overcome her sorrow.
The eyes of a Tear Warrior.
Looking at that resolute gaze, I figured she'd be fine.
Though her pupils seemed a bit dead inside, that was probably proof of a true warrior. Better to live as one than scrape by as a thief.
She'd endured so much hardship; I believed she'd overcome it.
"...Your Holiness. Look over there."
"Found a way in?"
"Yes."
Elise pointed solemnly at a robed heretical priest. He stood there blankly holding a wand, apparently overseeing the ghoul workers.
"See that wand he's holding? Can you make out the black flames burning in the crystal orb?"
I focused my gaze on what he held. A wand worth at least two silvers. Black flames flickered in its crystal orb.
"...A spell? Is he using some kind of spell?"
"I believe that's the spell controlling the ghouls. It doesn't make sense for mindless ghouls to work like that. Some evil magic must be at play."
"Ho, that's plausible."
Controlling ghouls with a spell.
A solid theory.
"If we kill them, the ghouls might lose control and go berserk. If so, we could use the chaos to wipe them all out."
She looked confident.
If she was right, it was totally doable.
Sure enough, I spotted more heretical priests with black-flamed wands. They all stood near ghouls digging infiltration tunnels.
Reasonable suspicion.
"Good call, Elise. Worth testing."
"Then right away..."
"Hold up. If it doesn't pan out, we retreat strategically. If they all rush us at once, we're fucked."
It was just a possibility, not a sure thing.
We needed a backup plan.
"But this is a holy war and trial..."
"Elise. Surely the god who gave us this trial has a plan. Blind charges won't work. Our god doesn't give impossible trials."
Elise pondered for a moment.
"A rational point. My apologies—I was hasty. If the assault fails, we retreat immediately."
"Perfect. Let's do this."
"Understood."
Decision made, we stood up.
Elise raised her mace and chanted a familiar spell. A holy spell that fired powerful orbs of light: Light Bolt.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Light Bolt —Fwoosh!
Concentrated light energy formed into a sphere and shot out with ferocious momentum. The radiant orb tore through the evil purple mist, heading straight for its target.
"...?"
Perhaps drawn by the bright light, the heretical priest glanced our way. —Splat! The instant he turned, a Light Bolt smashed into his face, sending him dropping his wand and tumbling backward.
"...!"
"...!"
Chaos erupted. The heretical priests panicked at their fallen comrade and the sudden attackers, looking around wildly. And then—
—Kweeeeh...
—Kweeeeeh...!
—Kweh, kweeeeehk!!!
Suddenly, the ghouls working nearby split their mouths four ways and began shrieking. Like bursting breaths they'd held back, they roared and went berserk.
"Looks like we hit the jackpot."
Elise gazed down with satisfaction and fired another Light Bolt. As another priest fell, the heretics' tunnel site turned into hell in seconds.
—Aaaahhh!!
—Kaaaahhh!!
The uncontrolled ghouls attacked the priests!
The priests tried to react, but the grotesquely twisted ghouls were too fast for their physical abilities!
—Kweeehk!!
Ghouls rampaged, more priests fell, and each time, more ghouls broke free! A chain reaction! Total pandemonium!
"Nice one, Elise! Look at those fuckers go!"
The priests and ghouls clashed fiercely. I called out to Elise in ecstasy. She was already poised to charge.
"Your Holiness!"
"Elise!"
—Flash!
Without a word, we bolted down the slope like mad! Cut through the chaos, seize the trophy! That was our ultimate goal—world peace! Our absolute desire!
"Lina! While we're fighting, grab that trophy when you get the chance!"
"Y-Yes?!"
"I'll pay you big! I trust you!"
"O-Okay!"
—Kieeeekkkk!!!!!!
To amplify the battlefield chaos, I bellowed at full volume! I trusted Lina, the pickpocket pro! She'd snag that trophy for sure!
—Thud!
As we reached the bottom and prepared to clash with the ghouls—
Elise raised her mace and shouted!
"Di—viiiiiine!!!!!!!" ⟨ Divine ⟩
Of friendship.
"Freiiiiend—!!!!!!!!!" ⟨ Friend ⟩
Our battle cry!
—Splat!
A ghoul blocking our path had its head smashed, and a heretical priest's heart pierced. "Uoooooh!!!" Riding the momentum, "Order God!!!" We charged!
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Supremacy of the Heavenly Demon —BOOM! In manic euphoria, we trampled corpses and hacked through enemies. Ghouls swarmed, but the cultist priests were busy countering with magic and blades, so they weren't too thick.
Divine Friend vs. Heretical Priests vs. Ghouls—a three-way brawl!
With forces split, we could break through!
⚔ Holy Enchant! ⚔ —Crackle!
The familiar buff now. Light surged from my blade, shredding the darkness and slitting the throats of the wicked. —Kweeehk!!! Ghouls were no match anymore. I stabbed a charging one, kicked it off, and yanked my sword free. Dodging incoming purple fireballs, I stuck to Elise and executed priests.
"Dieeeee!!!"
—Slash!
Severing, slashing.
My blade had more than enough power! Every glowing arc claimed evil lives, bodies crumpling!
"Kraaaah!!!"
—Squelch!
That was Morning Star—the star seen at dawn!
Iron masses flew like meteors, smashing ghoul or heretic skulls and spilling brains! A whirlwind rampage across the field!
"You're no match for me!"
"Kneel before holy power!"
Back-to-back, we knew without looking.
No need for faces or expressions.
We were already grinning.
"Haha, ha! Hah hahahaha!!!"
"Heh, heh... hohohoho!!!"
Our manic laughter erased the fear buried deep in our hearts. Priests aimed blades at us, shouting something, while even mindless ghouls slunk back.
"Kill them all, every one!"
"We'll slaughter them!"
Irresistible impulse!
"Holy, divine!"
"Friend, friend!"
And beautiful friendship!
"Unite our power of friendship!"
"Unite our power of faith!"
Shouting in unison!
"The evil horde infesting this land!"
"We shall burn them all!"
"I am Kim Katt, your nightmare!"
"Elise, humble servant of the Order God!"
—Bam!
This was no longer just a cross!
It was a Super Cross!
In bizarre pious poses, we massacred foes in religious ecstasy. Ghouls avoided us for priests, priests dodged us only to clash with ghouls.
The world started looking beautiful.
—Flash!
"N-Now's our chance to run!"
Right then, Lina dashed toward us with the trophy! "Good girl, Lina!" We'd secured our top priority! Perfect! The enemies' forces were weakening!
"Elise! Time to..."
—Whoosh!
I was about to suggest bailing to Elise.
—Splat!
Something—something—flew in and crashed into the battlefield center.
What the...?
Sniffing the stench of doom rising somewhere, I turned. It was a ghoul's twisted lower half.
Lower half?
Why the fuck was a lower half flying?
Impressive severed spine.
—...
I traced its trajectory.
"E-Elise?"
It was...
Perfectly white, even in the dark. No, that description would offend actual white people. This 'thing' was bleached bone-white, like its whole body had been dunked in bleach.
"..."
Enormous—no.
A giant.
A presumed 3-meter bald giant with snow-white skin and bursting macho muscles gripped a ghoul's upper half, staring at us with beady black eyes.
The emblem embedded in its massive pecs was all too familiar.
Time froze.
"Your Holiness. That's..."
Ghouls and priests alike stared at the newly appeared naked giant.
—Thud. As it stealthily stepped forward.
「 —BUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! 」
The giant's mouth split four ways, unleashing a roar unlike anything from this world!!!!!!!!! Fuck!!!!!!!!! Not ghouls—!
"W-We’re fucked!!! Elise, fuckeeeeeed!!!!!"
Hyper Ghoul!!!!!!!!
"Th-That's..."
"Fucked, I said fuck!!! Elise, run!!! Lina, get the fuck out!!!"
No need to look longer! No way we beat that!!!!!!
I grabbed the dazed Elise and Lina's wrists and bolted like mad! Worst pinch of my life, goddamn crisis! Danger sensors screamed max alert!
"Teeeeeeng!!!!"
We scrambled up the slope insanely, mad sounds chasing from behind. Blood sprayed, limbs flew. Snapping to, Elise and Lina shook free and sprinted full tilt.
—Buoooooooh!!!!