Chapter 143
Chapter 143
Chapter 143
Evil God Apophis (2)
Apophis released the possession from Layla's body and transferred into Calesta.
CRACK! CRACK!
Immediately, Apophis's divinity clashed with Diablo's magic, and Calesta's body began to convulse.
"Ah, right."
Rudian lifted Diablo and immediately beheaded Layla.
SWOOSH!
"Gah...!"
Then Rudian ignited flames and burned Layla's corpse.
The body of the 9th-class necromancer turned to ash and scattered pathetically.
"Tsk, this is probably the real body... But it's not completely over yet."
Rudian clicked his tongue slightly.
Given Apophis's high praise, this was definitely Layla's real body.
But even if the body was real, Layla was a grand witch who had reached the pinnacle of necromancy and achieved immortality.
Like the lich Caslay, she was a being that was difficult to truly kill before destroying something like a life force vessel.
'Hmm, but she's taken damage, so she'll be quiet for a while. As for Layla's soul, I can finish that when I storm the Seven Arks headquarters.'
However Layla's real body fell into the hands of Apophis and Baal, it was now over.
Even if she resurrects, a spare body would have difficulty producing the same level of power as the original.
That would make it much easier for Rowen to protect Evan.
WHOOSH! CRACKLE!
As Layla's body burned brightly,
Kirchrus's voice came from the cave entrance.
"Did it go well, Lord Rudian?"
"It couldn't have gone better."
Kirchrus looked at Calesta's body, entangled with magic and divinity, with a complex gaze.
"Fortunately, we succeeded in evacuating the clan members. Some hot-blooded young dragons tried to rush in, but we were able to stop them through the elder dragons' physical persuasion."
"...Physical?"
"Yes, 'physical.'"
"......"
Dragon society seemed quite intense too.
Well, among almost all races, it was hard to find a society where age was more of a tyranny than dragon society.
"Fortunately, we proceeded to the next stage without any particular damage...but I'm still worried whether we're unleashing an evil dragon that will destroy the world..."
"That won't happen."
"Phew, the elders were pleased. They said if things go wrong, they could at least use the ark with dignity..."
"The ark..."
In the original work, the dragons who escaped to another dimension using the ark never appeared again after that.
However, what was strange was that there was absolutely no specific description of whether the ark was something the dragons made themselves or was some kind of artifact from somewhere.
Actually, Rudian had formed a hypothesis about the identity of the ark used by those dragons.
'Adi.'
-Yes, it's possible.
'Should I probe once?'
-I don't sense any signals, but with the dragons' capabilities, hiding it would be entirely possible. Still, it's worth trying to touch on it.
'Good.'
Having made up his mind through consultation with Adi, Rudian immediately spoke casually to Kirchrus.
"Kirchrus."
"Why, why are you suddenly lowering your voice... Is there some problem?"
"No! It's not that..."
Kirchrus flinched excessively when Rudian suddenly brought up a serious topic.
"It's nothing major, but could I perhaps take a look at that ark?"
"The ark...you mean?"
Kirchrus's expression hardened slightly at Rudian's unexpected proposal.
"Yes, was that perhaps an unreasonable request?"
"Hmm, it's not that..."
Kirchrus hesitated.
Actually, if Rudian's prediction was correct, showing the ark itself wouldn't be a problem.
But it was a matter of revealing the shameful disgrace of the dragon race, who were supposed to be the world's administrators, abandoning their management and fleeing, so Kirchrus couldn't decide easily.
After pondering for a while, Kirchrus finally nodded.
"Since you already know all our circumstances, there's no need to hide it. When all this is over, I'll personally guide you."
Yes!
"However, you must only observe. If you unnecessarily provoke the elder dragons... even if you resolve this matter smoothly, they might develop unnecessary hostility."
"Yes, that's natural."
Rudian nodded vigorously.
No matter how much Rudian could fight gods or demon kings, dragons were never a race to be underestimated.
Even in the First Heaven-Demon Great War of the mythical age, dragons were a race with enough power to maintain neutrality without significant damage while gods and demons fought with all their might.
"Then I'll keep that in mind..."
Rudian turned his head to look at Calesta's body.
While chatting, the dark magic that had been devouring Calesta's body was noticeably disappearing.
"It seems time is almost up."
"Yes, the power of a god is indeed amazing. Already this much..."
No matter how rotten, a prepared fish was still a fish - Apophis's rank was quite high.
Even Diablo's magic was being properly purified in such a short time.
However, Apophis's characteristic purple divinity was devouring Calesta's body in place of the magic, but this was a problem that could be sufficiently resolved by driving out Apophis.
Unlike demonic nature specialized in destruction and devouring, divinity had quite a clean disposition.
When a little more time passed and Calesta's body was purified by more than 95%, Rudian waved his hand toward Kirchrus.
"Then I'll be going."
"Please... I pray for your victory."
"Please take care of awakening Calesta's consciousness."
"Leave that to me."
From now on, the place Rudian had to fight was Calesta's mental space.
Since there would be no chance of victory fighting in a place completely dominated by the enemy, Calesta's consciousness, which had been sleeping for a long time, had to be awakened to make the battlefield neutral ground.
When all preparations were complete, Adi cast magic to enter Calesta's mental world.
-Imagination Dive.
FLASH!
The moment the magic activated, Rudian's vision flickered.
***
RUMBLE! CRASH!
A thundering sky, earth with boiling lava.
Red Dragon Calesta's mental world was an extreme lava zone where humans could not survive.
"Hmm, where is Apophis?"
Considering that guy's main body, I should be able to see it immediately without having to look for it.
-You bastard...! What kind of scheme is this now?
Sure enough, from beyond the distant mountain range, a massive snake that appeared to be Apophis's main body began to show its head.
Rudian swallowed hard as he faced Apophis's main body, which was even more massive than the Pope.
'Really...disgustingly huge.'
That's mostly the essence of beings called gods.
An enormous body that ordinary planets couldn't handle.
The overall form was hazily visible, obscured by clouds and mist in the atmosphere, but only Apophis's two eyes, filled with hostility, were clearly shining toward this direction like starlight.
-Hehehe, surely you didn't come in just to check if things were going well.
"Of course not."
-Was this your plan from the beginning? To use me to purify this red dragon's magic?
Rudian nodded in affirmation.
"You're quick to catch on."
-Kahahaha!
RUMBLE!
With just one burst of laughter from Apophis, the earth shook and the sky trembled.
-Truly ridiculous! If you were trying to kill me with laughter, I'd want to praise you for such a good attempt! Kahahaha!
"Well, it might look like hitting a rock with an egg to you...but I came in because I have sufficient chance of winning."
-I know well that you're Diablo's contractor. But even if you summon Diablo, you won't be able to do anything to me!
"Is that so?"
As soon as those words ended, a massive spatial crack appeared in the opposite direction from where Apophis existed.
-Hahahaha!
RUMBLE!
Then, tearing through that crack, a crimson giant revealed itself.
The giant, with hideous horns sprouting all over its body, flapped massive wings and burst into laughter toward Apophis.
Its appearance felt like the archetypal embodiment of a demon.
-Kahahaha, how dare a fallen snake say what now?
-You, Diablo!
-That's right, it's been tens of thousands of years since we've faced each other like this, even if it's in a mental world!
Although it couldn't match the enormity of Apophis, whose size made continents seem like beds, the overwhelming magic and demonic nature emanating from Diablo's body was never inferior to Apophis's power.
-Unexpected. To think you would exert such power for a mere contractor.
Apophis let out a weak groan, as if he truly hadn't expected Diablo to appear.
-I can't miss this perfect opportunity to devour your power.
-Are you confident? In this world where you can display full power, if you and I fight, this lizard's mental world will be destroyed in an instant.
-Of course, I just need to overwhelmingly crush you before that happens!
At those words, Apophis wore a mocking smile.
-Ridiculous. Do you think that just because a few tens of thousands of years have passed, the likes of you can do anything to me? You, who were sealed by some chicken wings from heaven!
Apophis delivered the most effective provocation he could to Diablo in this situation.
Sure enough, Diablo's form flinched momentarily.
But the mental damage wasn't that great, as Diablo immediately created an artificial laugh and counterattacked.
-Kh, kahahaha! Speaking of which, aren't you the fool who was chased out by your own servants and had your rank lowered? How dare such a being provoke me?
-Hehehe, this damn country bumpkin from the demon realm...!
RUMBLE!
Just from the two gods glaring at each other, earthquakes began occurring on the ground and abnormal weather started in the sky from the aftereffects.
Rudian knew well what those phenomena meant.
'Calesta is suffering.'
Though Calesta had been freed from magic corruption and was finally regaining his senses and trying to stretch, he was caught between two high-ranking gods who had descended into his body and was suffering, unable to do anything.
WHOOSH!
Rudian immediately flew into the sky and landed on Diablo's shoulder.
-This bastard!
As this clear two-against-one hostile structure emerged, Apophis opened his maw and spewed out rage.
-How dare you dig a trap relying on the likes of Diablo! I'll tear this lizard's mind to shreds and capture your soul to torture it eternally!
If this had happened in the real world, it would be nothing short of a hair-trigger crisis, but for Rudian, he had too many things to rely on in this place.
"Ah, sorry, but that will never happen."
FLASH!
As soon as Rudian's words ended, the sky split and a massive single eye that he had seen once before revealed itself.
-W-what is that?
Apophis's eyes widened at Adi's sudden appearance.
Anyone seeing Adi's form for the first time would be flustered by the appearance alone, regardless of their power.
But Apophis's surprise didn't end there.
WHOOSH!
Like when Diablo appeared, a new spatial crack appeared behind Apophis.
CRACK!
And tearing through the crack, a new silver giant, 'Yev', also began to reveal herself.
Only then did Apophis scream in tremendous shock.
-Huh! W-why are you here!
-...
-I knew you were on this planet, but w-why is someone like you following the words of such a human?
Yev said nothing.
She was simply approaching Apophis slowly while emanating hostility.
-W-wait a moment!
Surrounded by Yev, Diablo, and Adi, Apophis finally realized the seriousness of the situation and began to break out in cold sweat.