Chapter 304: Fiona's Secret Maneuvers (5)
Chapter 304: Fiona's Secret Maneuvers (5)
"No, seriously, this son of a bitch..."
The words that finally escaped Yandel’s tightly shut lips were a growl that sounded like metal scraping against stone.
His purple pupils, now slitted vertically, gleamed with murderous intent, and a ferocious, ghostly energy surged from his entire body.
Dragon Fear.
The Authority of a transcendent species, thought to have vanished over three hundred years ago, was being resurrected in this very room.
It was an intangible pressure, devoid of even a trace of mana, yet its violent storm was pushing back the energy of the Evil God—an energy that even the combined strength of a Sword Master and a Saintess couldn't fully repel.
It was only natural that everyone present held their breath and stared at Yandel.
"I heard you loud and clear, you slimy insect. Now, let me give you a warning of my own."
His tone was heavy, as if he were chewing and spitting out every single word. Yandel’s Fear, already overwhelming, grew even more intense.
It went beyond merely blocking the aura of Boiling Silence; it completely drove it back, plunging everyone else into a state of sheer terror.
The only exceptions were Yandel’s women, whom his killing intent instinctively avoided. Even Havel, a Sword Master, broke out in a cold sweat, so one could only imagine how the others felt.
This was possible because, although their directions differed, the mechanical principles of an Evil God’s mental contamination and Dragon Fear were identical—and because Boiling Silence’s divine power was currently dissipating...
But to the eyes of the onlookers, it simply looked as if Yandel was overpowering Boiling Silence.
"You lunatics who call yourselves gods. You disgusting monsters who lost your homes, lost your names, and even lost your purpose, only to drift through the void. This is where it ends for you."
"Confused Unity shall vomit up everything it has devoured as it is torn to shreds, and Ugly Prosperity shall rot into a handful of soil along with its hideous visage."
"Narrow-minded Usurpation shall have its skull crushed while clawing at the void, grasping nothing, and Reckless Roar’s wrath shall scatter into futility, leaving not even an echo."
"Meandering Leisure shall crumple upon itself, leaving no trace that it ever existed, and Noble Reign shall have its stiff head driven into the earth."
"And you, Boiling Silence. You shall never leave the darkness, flickering out where no one will ever know."
This wasn't just a random outburst of rage. It was a declaration filled with absolute certainty.
Rather than a warning, it felt more like a prophecy from someone who had seen the future.
"Because I will make it so."
Or perhaps it was a confidence bordering on madness.
Faced with that bizarre heat, Boiling Silence, who had been prattling on incessantly, fell silent for the first time.
However, as if that wasn't enough to satisfy him, Yandel began to draw up his mana.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
A loud sound, like the beating of a drum, echoed throughout the Audience Hall.
It was the sound of Yandel’s heart pounding, his core activating, and his resonance drawing in all the surrounding mana.
Before the dazed audience, Yandel extended his index finger—just as Boiling Silence had done moments ago.
"Enough bullshit. Now, go back into the shadows where you belong."
Then came the unilateral sentence. An arrogant spell that bypassed chanting entirely, substituting the missing components with sheer, massive mana, manifested at Yandel’s fingertip.
"Incinerate."
Whoosh.
Flames erupted on Boiling Silence’s body. However, they flickered out shortly after.
Even though it was dissipating rapidly, the mana had scattered, unable to overcome the density of the divine power concentrated enough to create an Apostle.
At this, Boiling Silence pulled up the corners of its stiff mouth.
[It is useless. Do you truly think a fledgling like you can do anything to m—]
"Incinerate. Incinerate. Incinerate. Incinerate. Incinerate."
But the corners of its mouth returned to their original position at Yandel’s subsequent words.
Whoosh. Flare. Roar.
The heat, forcibly completed through the expenditure of massive amounts of mana, scattered. Then, he drew that scattered mana back in to weave the spell once more.
Though limited to this small space, the constant circulation of mana granted Yandel a restricted form of infinity.
The mages, who had been watching with bated breath, couldn't help but let out gasps of admiration despite the overwhelming pressure.
The skill Yandel was demonstrating was that astonishing.
The fire catching on the sludge flared up and died down. But before the heat could fully dissipate, a new fire was lit.
The flames stacked and layered, their density increasing higher and higher.
...Until they finally surpassed the divine power of Boiling Silence.
Holy power and mana do not mix, nor do they repel each other. Therefore, if sufficient conditions are met, it becomes possible for them to interfere with one another.
Yandel had actually achieved this several times before.
But what happens when magic, rather than raw mana, begins to interfere with divine power?
What happens when it surpasses the density of even the original, far more concentrated divine power?
The answer was right before their eyes.
Roar!
The sludge making up Boiling Silence’s body began to burn. He had started to incinerate the divine power itself.
Normally, this was a feat impossible even for a High Magician. It wasn't just a matter of raw firepower; it required absolute dominance over mana.
This was exactly why being an Archmage was considered the minimum requirement to defeat an Evil God or its Apostle.
Only an Archmage could truly master mana to such a perfect degree.
Yet Yandel, who was still only an Intermediate Magician, had done it. It was nonsensical, but he had made it happen.
This was partly because the blood of a dragon—which naturally reaches the realm of an Archmage as it grows—and its irrational potential resided within Yandel.
It was also thanks to the assistance of the System, created by Fafnir, the last and strongest dragon, who had melted down his entire being to forge it.
And it was because the Berserk state, the original side effect of Dragonification, was currently pushing Yandel’s abilities beyond their limits.
Of course, perhaps due to the overload, a trail of blood trickled from the nose and mouth of the Dragonized Yandel.
However, that didn't matter to him. The only thing that mattered was turning the Evil God before him into a pile of ash.
"Incinerate. Incinerate. Incinerate. Incinerate."
As he cast the spell mechanically, the speed at which the divine power was being annihilated began to accelerate.
Boiling Silence, having lost most of its remaining power, stared intently at Yandel and spoke.
[Beware the things that wriggle in the darkness. The night shall no longer be your sanctuary.]
In short, it was a death threat, promising to send assassins relentlessly from now on.
Only then did Yandel stop his magical barrage. He curled one side of his mouth into his signature, obnoxious smirk.
"Fuck off."
Whoosh!
Simultaneously, the remaining flames incinerated the very last fragment of the sludge, erasing it completely from this world.
All that remained was the air, heated to a boil by Yandel’s magic, and the Fear that refused to dissipate even after Boiling Silence was gone.
Even though the target of his rage had vanished, his anger continued to burn fiercely as if to set the world on fire, and his killing intent weighed heavily on the surroundings.
Between the uncontrolled rage and the Berserk state brought on by the prolonged Dragonification, no one dared to move...
Except for one person. Carla, who had watched the entire process from right beside him, stepped directly in front of Yandel.
No matter how much his Fear avoided his own women, there was no helping it when standing directly in his path.
Carla flinched for a moment at the thick, murderous intent she was receiving from Yandel for the first time in her life, but she soon took a step forward with a determined expression.
One step. Then another. Closing the distance until they were almost pressed together, Carla threw her arms around Yandel.
Hug.
Carla’s soft body enveloped Yandel, who looked as if he were about to be consumed by his own flames.
Then, with a gentle touch, she cupped his face.
"Master."
"..."
Yandel flinched for a moment, but he was still venting his anger at an opponent who was no longer there.
So, Carla took hold of Yandel’s head and turned it toward her. She wanted him to look at her, and no one else.
"Get a hold of yourself, Master."
"...Carla?"
It was effective. Yandel’s eyes, which had been growing hazy, instantly regained their focus and fixed on her.
At this, Carla gave a small, beaming smile and nodded.
"Yes. It's your Carla, Master."
"I..."
"Shh."
Carla placed her finger against Yandel’s lips as he tried to speak.
"It's okay. You don't have to say anything. Instead, I'll give you a little taste."
Then, without giving Yandel a chance to turn away, she stood on her tiptoes.
Mwah.
Yandel’s eyes widened, but they soon softened.
He realized belatedly what Carla meant by a "taste."
Carla had said they should go back once everything was over. What awaited them afterward was surely a sweet time like this.
The change was instantaneous.
The kiss didn't end with just one; it continued, long and deep, several times over.
As their tongues intertwined and their breaths became one in front of the massive crowd, Yandel’s aura grew noticeably softer.
his burning rage cooled to a lukewarm temperature, and his sharp killing intent was rounded off.
Following the change in his state of mind, his body naturally began to change as well.
The sharp horns protruding from his head gradually shrank before receding back into his forehead.
His reptilian, vertically slitted pupils regained their original round shape.
The people around them were looking at Carla as if she were a hero who had calmed a rampaging dragon...
But Carla didn't seem to care about any of that. As soon as the kiss ended, she licked her lips and her eyes curled mischievously.
"Let's do the rest when we get back."
"...Yeah."
As Yandel replied and turned toward the entrance of the Audience Hall, the reinforcements who had gathered in a dense pack let out a collective gasp and split to the sides, creating a path.
Yandel tilted his head in confusion, but soon decided that a good thing was a good thing and left the hall with his party.
A knight, finally coming to his senses, asked in a dazed voice.
"Uh, um. Then, who is going to report to His Majesty?"
"...I'll do it, so you lot just clean up here."
A sigh escaped the lips of Havel, who had suddenly been burdened with all the cleanup.