Crescent Moon Slash
“Rooooaaarrr!”
The monster bellowed, tensing its massive body.
Snap! Crackle!
The threads binding it tore away.
It was astonishing that something so flimsy could restrain a beast of that size, but there was no time for admiration.
Eugene lowered his stance, slowly assuming position.
‘Cut it down in one strike.’
Ashy had taught him various sword techniques, including ones tailored for massive monsters like this.
Stage 2 Amplification.
One clean slash.
No matter the creature, sever the neck and it dies. He had no intention of aiming for some half-measure like the chest or arm to let it live.
Eugene gritted his teeth as he felt his sword hand trembling. One slip in control, and it would explode.
—What do we know about it?
While Eugene focused on channeling his sword aura, Eodukshini asked Jenella on his behalf.
Finally earning its keep.
Eugene muttered that inwardly with a straight face—something that would have sent Eodukshini into a tantrum if overheard—then shot Jenella a quick glance.
“Hmm……”
Purple flames flickered to life in Jenella’s eyes, then faded.
It seemed like her innate ability or unique magic.
Her expression grew grave as she clenched and unclenched her fist.
“……That monster was modeled after an ancient monster. It’s different in essence, but its abilities, size, and appearance are remarkably similar.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’ve seen one.”
How?
The question hung in the air, but Eugene didn’t press.
Whatever—it was probably tied to her exceptional talent. Maybe her dad was some expert who’d hunted ancient monsters……
He couldn’t wrap his head around her being broke, but hey, what world made perfect sense?
To Eugene, it was just another obvious fact, but to Jenella, it was different. Fresh to the world and naive, her power had drawn covetous eyes from many who sought its source.
‘How does she have such talent?’
‘Is she from some fallen noble house?’
‘Who are your parents? How did you get that power?’
They’d schemed to unearth the root of her strength by any means.
Without the principal’s intervention midway, she might’ve been caught, indebted to some noble, and rotted away her life in bondage.
‘We’ve already got one special admit lined up, so it might be a stretch, but you look plenty worthy of Sky Academy. Here, a gift. Care to join us?’
A skeleton—no, a lich—offering enrollment like it was a present.
But in that moment, Jenella had desperately accepted the lich’s proposal.
And since coming here, she’d forged small but meaningful connections.
Adria Madcond, who she’d only seen on TV; the somehow intimidating Ash Blue; the acidic slime Eodukshini; the muscle gentleman Mosik; and Eugene, priest of the War God.
‘……I can do this.’
She felt gratitude toward them all.
So she had to fulfill the duty inherited from her father.
No—even without the duty, she had to reduce this “abomination” that had claimed countless innocent lives back to nothingness.
“Know how to take it down?”
“……Yes. I know its weaknesses and traits well.”
“Good. You’re up.”
“……Here goes. Tighten it up!”
Fwoosh!
Her mana erupted brighter than ever.
Hero.
That quality was exploding from her in full force.
* * *
Jenella’s aura had changed.
‘What’s that?’
It was a sensation he’d never felt before. But knowing she harbored secrets beyond even imperial royalty, this kind of power from her didn’t faze him.
Just some ability she had, probably~
Right now, he just needed to focus on what he could do.
“What’s its weak point?”
“Like the one we fought before, it’s the ‘heart.’ But at that size……”
“?”
“It might have multiple hearts.”
“What a joke. Then we just bisect the bastard so it can’t move.”
Vertically, if possible.
‘I can do this, right?’
He muttered to himself, gripping the hilt tight.
Vmmm!
As if answering, the sword sang a clear tone.
Divine power cloaked the blade, condensing. It was dense enough to shatter ordinary swords—even master dwarf-forged ones—but his held firm.
Truth be told, infusing a sword with this much divine power or mana was absurd to begin with.
Why?
Inefficient as hell!
‘This was actually a failed experiment in developing a technique. Takes forever to reuse, and durability’s only about sword aura level.’
He recalled Ashy’s lesson in his mind.
She’d worn a subtle smile.
‘But with the War God’s divine power? Different story.’
Divine power specialized in destruction and slaughter. Healing was possible, but its core was breaking things down.
Amplified and condensed?
It became even stronger divine power.
‘……Not quite that simple, but anyway. Strongest technique you can use right now.’
Ziiing!
Snap, crackle!
As the divine power condensed on the blade, the threads binding the monster began snapping.
Jenella took a deep breath and opened her eyes.
Crackle, fizz!
Sparks reminiscent of electricity swirled around her body, slowly gathering in one spot.
Right in front of her face.
“Seal.”
Thud!
The flames morphed into something—a massive door?
A purple door creaked open with eerie sounds before the monster.
Clank, rattle!
Countless iron chains burst from the door.
“Grraaaawr?!”
Like serpents, the chains coiled around the monster’s body.
It thrashed and roared, but the chains showed no mercy, binding it tight.
They wrapped and wrapped, encasing it like a cocoon.
“Hah… hah……”
Eodukshini and Mosik caught her as she collapsed.
They’d bought time.
One minute. That’s how long it took for the rampaging monster to shake off the chains.
“Eodukshini. Mosik.”
But it was also how long his preparation took.
Ziiiiing!
As he spoke to his friends, he drew his sword.
“Protect Jenella from the shockwave.”
Zing—
His priest robes parted wide, the blade sliding halfway out.
It spun like a drill, wrapped in intensely condensed divine power.
Overwhelming heat and divine power erupted from his gripping hand—no, his entire arm.
Mosik and Eodukshini grabbed Jenella and hurried behind him.
“……Roooar?”
A red crescent moon reflected in the monster’s eyes.
Shiiiing!
A colossal red moon arced through the monster.
Plop. Pat-pat.
The severed chains binding it fell to the floor.
The monster casually tossed aside the corpse in its hand and patted itself down.
Confirming it was intact, it parted its lips in a toothy grin.
“Kuhuhuhu……”
Splat.
Then its body split in half, dissolving into gore.
“Whew……”
Eugene rolled his stiff shoulders. No way he could pull that off twice. Without the overwhelming size difference, he wouldn’t have needed such a flashy fight.
“We got it—mmph?!”
“You idiot! Don’t say it!”
“No, don’t!”
As Jenella tried to raise a weird flag, Eugene and Mosik frantically covered her mouth.
Absolutely not!
“Mmph?!”
“Don’t say it. Got it? Promise you won’t, and we’ll let go.”
Nod nod.
Only when she nodded did they release her.
“Ack, bleh. Ugh, salty.”
“Didn’t wash my hands?”
“What? Ugh…… blood smell. Sniff. At least no sweat.”
“Why sniff it?”
Bickering lightly, they stepped past the corpse.
A headless body lay sprawled a short distance away. Jenella grimaced in disgust.
“Eww. Gross.”
On Earth, it might’ve been tough, but this was another world.
Auras and magic existed; death was surprisingly common. Corpses and mortality weren’t so distant.
Of course, that didn’t mean disrespecting the dead. Just familiarity.
“How’d you trick it?”
Poke, poke.
Plague Rat. Frontman for a great house, perpetrator of countless evils.
No one pitied scum like him.
She prodded his foot to check if he was dead, and Eugene shrugged.
“War strategy, sorta. I get buffs for anything ‘war’-related.”
“Buffs? Oh, right! Come here a sec.”
“?”
Jenella grabbed his hand and dragged him along.
To the next room.
Donning his mask again as they passed the broken door, horrific scenes of torture unfolded inside.
“……Gruesome.”
Anger surged. Not many survivors. But the stench of rot hung heavy. And their cages were spacious. So the rest of the space? The original occupants?
“Can you… heal them?”
“Yeah.”
He sorted them by wound severity. Mosik and Jenella handled first aid for recent arrivals; for the critically endangered or hopeless cases, he’d purify or euthanize.
“Eodukshini.”
Plop!
—……Making me carry all the luggage, and now this. I’ll let it slide this time.
“What’re you on about? What’ll you do if you don’t?”
Grinning, he healed wounds. He cast divine magic on a man missing an arm.
Recovery
“Ugh, ah! M-my, my arm…… H-huh?!”
“Stay still. It’ll hurt.”
Learning basic mana control had perks beyond divine power finesse.
Divine magic.
He’d always been clumsy with the energy itself, weak on healing. Not anymore.
“M-my arm……!”
“There, there. Go get bandaged over there. Next!”
Maximum effect with minimal output.
No need for full cures.
Because.
Plop! Plop-plop!
—Here, here~ holy water for everyone! Then head to the pretty purple-haired girl over there. Hey! You with the dangling arm! One only! Or I’ll eat you!
“A-a talking slime?!”
—First talking slime you’ve seen?
“M-monster!”
—Insult! I’ll eat you!
“Eek!”
Holy water!
Not fully mastered alchemy yet, so effects were mild, but better than nothing.
Comparable to top-tier healing potions, so it supplemented Recovery nicely.
“Everyone stay calm. No funny business. If you feel off, come here……”
They set up a makeshift clinic, treating everyone. An hour later, they finished.
Ugh, exhausting.
Instead of collapsing, Eugene scanned the area.
[Underground Level 2]
[Boss Only - No Entry]
Beyond “authorized personnel only”—a door for the boss alone!
‘Gotta check it.’
He knew what they were doing here. But would they stop at just this one?
Several high knights would end it.
Something more lurked. Undiscovered!
“Old man.”
“Yes.”
At his call, the assassin hiding in the ceiling revealed himself.
“……!”
“……!”
Patients panicked; Mosik and Jenella, sensing nothing before, went on high alert.
Ignoring them—having sensed him from the start—Eugene pointed.
“Guide them out.”
“Understood.”
“Don’t touch them. And.”
He met the old man’s eyes.
One eye clouded over, blind; the other stared sharply.
This man had known he was a fake from the beginning. Yet led him here.
“What do you want?”
“……I’ve already achieved everything.”
The old man bowed.
“I retired as an assassin, regretting my past karma…… Donated my fortune to my victims’ families, knelt and apologized. Some forgave; others demanded more—I paid quietly.”
Sudden? But he listened.
Not that he cared for a stranger’s tales, but the old man still had use.
As Eugene listened patiently, he continued softly.
“Then I built a family…… but the now-dead Plague Rat took them hostage, forcing my return. I lived as a killer, my life’s goal slaying him. No regrets left.”
“Then you owe me. Right?”
“……Yes.”
Approaching the puzzled elder, Eugene placed hands on his shoulders.
Clack.
“From now on, you’re Plague Rat.”
“……?”
“All big shots dead; few threats left, and they won’t move. They know a ‘great house’ is involved. Get it?”
Eugene grinned.
“You can claim the top spot now.”
“But I……”
“Think. Got money? Power? What? Only one thing you can do: prevent this tragedy from repeating.”
He infused his voice with power.
“Old man. What’s your name?”
“……Tutyr.”
“Good. Tutyr. Here’s your task.”
The old man’s eyes glazed, entranced.
Hm, ripe for recruiting now.
But no way was he inducting this former killer—even repentant—into the War Temple.
“What you see from now must spread across the continent. The great house’s shame. Their true nature. You—no, every document here.”
No time for him now.
Their useful hound would turn and bite.
Not just one—many drawn by it would tear into the house.
“Spread it all. Then hide well. Oh, use all the budget. Proper rewards for them. Mana oath forms too. Sign one yourself.”
“……Understood.”
“And hand over some laundered cash.”
“?”
Money too? Jackpot.
Pure honey.