Slaughter of the Set Hanryeong Guardians
The humans' faces turned pale as they sensed the overwhelming aura of massacre approaching. Liandel felt the flow of the surrounding air and gripped his staff tightly, while Levy steadied her bow. Evan drew his axe again and went on alert.
"What's wrong? Don't worry. You think I'm gonna lose?"
I giggled, heehee. It was hilarious how much they were freaking out.
A low humming sound started coming from the base of the mountain range. It began faintly but grew louder and louder, like the majestic roar of an oncoming storm. Amid the swirling blizzard, a massive horde began climbing up from the darkness below the mountain range. They emerged with powerful presences, glinting in the red moonlight amid the flying snowflakes.
High-level, high-star monsters gathered in droves. Their bodies were covered in blood, as if they'd slaughtered tons of small fry on the way up the path today. The Frost Wargs were the same species as the one Glessia had caught before—pure white fur, red eyes, and sharp fangs gleaming in the moonlight.
Master said something about the guardians of Set Hanryeong...
As I pondered for a moment, Liandel's eyes widened.
"No way... Those are the guardians of Set Hanryeong!"
His voice trembled.
"Oh yeah! The guardians of Set Hanryeong!"
At those words, terror spread across the humans' faces.
"This is seriously dangerous. Especially the Guardians of Frost—they're said to have never been defeated before!" Liandel said in a quivering voice.
I heard Levy gulp, and Evan's face went ashen.
Sheesh, my level's almost 300. Even hundreds of these guys wouldn't faze me.
Their reactions seemed over the top, leaving me a bit disappointed. If they were gonna chicken out here, they'd be too lame to adventure with me from now on.
I gotta show 'em my real power for sure!
"If you're scared, just stay here trembling and watch."
I smiled at the humans and signaled Lote with a gesture. Lote immediately flew around them.
"Lote, keep an eye on these guys. They're such scaredy-cats, totally useless."
Lote began orbiting them with its shiny body.
"The holy crusade begins now!"
Thud thud thud.
I lightly stomped and charged toward the guardian horde. Cecilia glowed from my shoulder and followed, while Miel clung tightly to my hair, refusing to let go. Glessia buzzed excitedly behind me too.
Up close, they were all insanely huge. The Frost Wargs were over twice my height in human form, the Blizzard Wyverns had wingspans that could blot out the sky, and the Guardians of Frost were like three-story ice golems.
"Whoa... Perfect sacrifices for the great Michael!"
Heehee!
"Awooooooo!"
As I prepared to attack, the Frost Wargs suddenly howled in unison. The temperature plummeted instantly, freezing the ground around my feet in a flash. Even the moisture in the air turned to glittering ice particles floating around.
"Oho!"
Meanwhile, the Blizzard Wyverns began flapping their massive wings all at once. The first flap stirred the wind, the second turned it into a whirlwind, and the third unleashed a massive blizzard that blanked out our vision in white.
These guys use something like the moths.
Through the blizzard, the Guardians of Frost began moving slowly. Blue energy condensed around their massive ice fists, swirling like the eye of a typhoon.
Won't hurt me much with my freeze immunity.
But then a question popped up.
Do golems react to flower pollen?
Come to think of it, golems weren't really alive, so maybe they didn't react. But since they were here, they must have.
Whatever, not important!
"Be good little sacrifices!"
Blood Moon - Maximum Output
I channeled all my power into maxing out Blood Moon. The blood-red moon deepened, blasting intense crimson moonlight across the snow mountain. The landscape looked like it was submerged in a sea of blood. My body heated up, as if Michael's blessing was spreading through me.
"Yes! Perfect!"
Dark Root Swarm
I activated Dark Root Swarm. Hundreds of razor-sharp black roots—on a whole other level from before—burst from the ground, writhing like living things as they shot toward the Frost Wargs.
Squish! Thunk!
The wargs' tough bodies were pierced, letting out agonized screams. Their pure white fur was dyed red with blood. One, two... over a dozen wargs collapsed in an instant.
"Offer all your blood!"
At that moment, the surviving wargs started acting weird. The ones charging with hostility suddenly froze in place.
"Grrr..."
They growled low, glancing at each other, then abruptly turned tail and fled.
"Huh?"
White shadows darted through the blizzard, ears pinned back, tails tucked.
"...K-keen! Grrrk!"
Now I got it. These guys were scared of me?
"Heehee, figured it out now?"
I burst out laughing and casually gestured at the fleeing wargs. Countless black roots erupted, forming a massive wall that blocked their escape.
"...Whine."
Realizing their doom, despair filled the wolves' eyes.
The skies were the same. The Blizzard Wyverns, who had been soaring fiercely through the blizzard, hesitated high up before veering toward the heavens.
Wait, seriously?
As expected, they were trying to flee the battlefield.
"Puhaha! You guys running too?"
Paralyzing mist spreads through the air!
Paralysis pollen filled the air. The fleeing wyverns lost control mid-flap and plummeted into the snow.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
"Heehee, no way! How can sacrifices for Michael run off?"
The Guardians of Frost remained last. No emotions, so no fleeing, I guess. But whatever.
"I'll smash you all!"
Rumble rumble!
Their seemingly sturdy ice bodies shattered effortlessly against my roots. Cracks formed first, then they crumbled to pieces. The golems collapsed without a scream.
With glee, I drew Crimson Bind. The blood from the wargs and wyverns flowed into the sword. It glowed even redder.
Seeing the golem corpses disappointed me. No blood, so not great sacrifices for Michael.
Master probably hates these.
Come to think of it, since the sword was absorbing all the blood, I couldn't use my evolved Blood Mist bloodline. Normally, I'd fog up vision and attack, but no blood left for mist with the sword sucking it up.
Then, as if reading my mind, thick, fishy blood mist suddenly erupted from Crimson Bind. It was making mist from the absorbed blood!
"Ooooh!"
So it stores blood for me to use whenever! Inside the thick blood mist, my body felt incredibly light. I hadn't noticed as a flower since I couldn't move, but in this mist, I got super agile.
"Yahooo!"
Thud thud thud!
Thrilled, I zipped through the mist, massacring more guardians. I swung Crimson Bind, but the sword still moved on its own whims.
"Ugh, why's this thing so hard to control?"
Still better than with the troll—it didn't go completely opposite now, sometimes following my intent a bit. But still tricky, so I just carried it like bling and kept attacking with roots.
Glessia excitedly targeted wyverns, flying high and stabbing stingers into necks like a pro hunter. Cecilia joined in too, her tiny body blasting flames that melted Guardians of Frost into puddles. Epic sight.
Miel alone clung desperately to my hair, scared I'd zoom off too fast.
"Heehee! This is too fun!"
...
Lost in the frenzy of slaughter, the eastern sky began brightening before I knew it. The sun was rising.
"Gasp! Morning already?"
Corpses piled like mountains around me. Even Set Hanryeong's guardians were helpless before me. I'd sucked up all the blood, so barely any left behind.
"Whew... Michael, thank you always."
I prayed piously at the blood-dyed sky. The bloodline and Blood Moon effects faded, sky and moonlight returning to normal.
Finished praying, I headed back to the humans. Lote still orbited protectively.
"Guys, wake up! Ritual's over!"
They stared blankly, dumbfounded. My voice snapped them out of it, but they were still spooked. Their eyes mixed fear and awe.
Evan spoke in a slightly trembling voice.
"Th-that was... incredible..."
"Hehe, right?"
"Y-yes... I don't think any monsters are left around the village now."
He pointed at the guardian corpses scattered around.
"Plus, with this many Set Hanryeong guardians dead... adventurers should pass through easily for years."
Levy and Liandel nodded in agreement.
"Duh! And with this track record, bump my adventurer rank to national power level or SSS-rank!"
Evan looked flustered at my words.
"Y-yes! I'll... definitely put in a word."
Evan glanced around cautiously.
"Lady Ricoris, what about these monster corpses?"
"Huh? Why, you need 'em?"
I tilted my head. Just leave 'em, right?
Levy spoke up.
"Um... these amazing monsters drop tons of materials... Adventurers usually sell corpses for cash unless on a quest."
Liandel chimed in.
"Yes, especially Set Hanryeong guardian bodies have super rare stuff. The Guardian of Frost ones are probably first-time ever, so insanely valuable..."
"Ooh! All this is money?"
Evan nodded.
"Yes, the guild will buy the materials. We'll handle processing too."
He looked troubled.
"But with this quantity and rarity... our guild might not have enough funds."
"Take it all. Give whatever money you can."
Evan's eyes widened.
"Really? You sure?"
"Totally. But..."
I grinned mischievously.
"You gotta get me that national power or SSS-rank!"
Evan nodded seriously.
"I swear on my honor, I'll make it happen!"
"Heehee! Good enough!"
The weaklings and Set Hanryeong guardians were cleaned up, so villagers won't worry about monsters. My rank's going up too!
Everything perfect!
Did the right thing holding the ritual for Michael!
Another peaceful day in Heaven. Clear, pristine clouds enveloped the grand temple. But a wail shattered the serenity, tearing through the sky.
"Yes! I'm now the war god Michael! I love blood and slaughter! Uwahahaha!"