#15 Assault (Renoa - Masturbating in the Office♥) (1)
Boom! Rumble!! Craaaash!!
Shrieeeeeek...!!
At the edge of the forest, right on the boundary where it met the outside world, the battle raged for over an hour.
A colossal body that could be mistaken for a dragon, wrapped in black scales shimmering with a red aura. The ruinous monster, seed of an evil god—Akaija's Snake. In the original story, it should have razed several cities, devoured countless people, and ultimately swept the continent in flames of destruction alongside the King of Ruin.
Every breath from Akaija's Snake filled the air with poison. Every incantation it hissed like escaping wind summoned deadly spikes erupting from the ground to impale Eve, or pitch-black spears that devoured light and rained down like arrows. The serpent's massive bulk tried to crush her repeatedly, or swallow the holy knight whole in one gulp.
With every thrash, the terrain warped around it—the ground heaved, trees splintered and flew.
"......"
Amid it all, Eve endured silently, sometimes grunting with effort as she withstood the snake's assaults. She dodged some strikes, repelled others with golden energy, and each swing of her sword left brutal gashes on the serpent's body.
How long did this exchange last? After an eternity of back-and-forth, with grievous wounds accumulating on the snake...
A fresh golden slash from the holy knight carved a fatal wound into the ominous beast.
The snake screamed in agony, but its vigor had waned. It thrashed wildly once more, shaking Eve off in a desperate death throe. She leaped back, putting distance between them.
The snake was a mangled mess, mortal wounds oozing blood everywhere. Eve was no better—her reinforced shoulder pauldrons shattered to fragments, clothes torn ragged, her body a patchwork of cuts and dirt. Even her flowing golden hair seemed faintly dulled.
Yet the glow on her sword burned undimmed, and her eyes glaring at the snake remained sharp and fierce.
The wrecked serpent. Eve, equally battered. The two faced off, sensing the end.
The snake moved first.
【Defiled... this... land... heralds... its end... and finale... We are... apostles... of the god.】
Its maw opened, chanting in clear, articulate human speech—not the monster's previous shrieks.
Myriad spikes surged anew, more ferocious than before, the same ones that had harried Eve relentlessly.
She dodged, slashed, blocked the chaotic barrage.
【Fall... fly... appear... scorch... the skies... shatter... the earth... charge forth... We are... chosen... apostles... of the god.】
While Eve fended off the spikes, the snake's chant continued. Terrifying mana swelled. It prickled the skin, felt like thrashing in ocean depths—immense power that would shred her barrier to protect the surroundings like paper. Ordinary folk would collapse from vertigo just from its proximity.
Yet Eve remained composed. Amid the spike storm leaving no foothold, black spear rain piercing her guard, poison haze—she gripped her knight's sword tighter.
"—To my god in the heavens, all praise, glory, and prayer."
And she began her own incantation.
【The world lost and come seeking. In this place fallen alone without knowing souls, I received the grace of god. That god is high, mighty, and beautiful.】
【This grace's light shining like stars in the sky shall never fade. The grace surrounding me is boundless, endless, eternal, inexhaustible...!】
Her pure, clear chant rang out, countering the snake's ominous spell. A prayer of thanks to god, resonating like a hymn of praise.
The cursed breath clashed with song lauding the divine, twisting in the air.
The snake's chant pressed on. Eve's matched it.
Ominous light gathered around the serpent. Holy golden radiance cloaked Eve's eyes and sword.
The snake finished first.
【Defiled... all lands... salvation... of ruin... and sorrow—Hells Figar!】
Its enormous maw gaped wide. Magic circles bloomed like a flower around its head. Vast mana and darkness condensed, then blasted toward Eve—enough to obliterate a corner of the forest, dwarfing her tiny frame.
"—【Dea Messia!】!!"
Eve finished too, swinging her sword at the muddy torrent.
The gleaming golden blade. Light condensed along its arc, bursting forth to meet the darkness.
Black annihilation poured earthward. Golden holy strike lanced skyward.
The beams clashed fiercely. Ultimately, gold overpowered shadow.
The torrent split. A massive light surge engulfed the snake.
But it endured. The holy light, spent repelling darkness, had faded too much to erase it.
The snake survived—head and upper body charred horrifically, but clinging to life.
—Only for a moment.
......?!
When the light cleared, Eve was gone. The snake scanned frantically—no sign.
Then it sensed holy mana and looked up hastily.
There she was. Backlit by the moon high in the sky, sword raised overhead. Golden mana extended meters beyond the blade—long enough to cleave the serpent.
Eve said nothing. No final words, no incantation.
Silently, gripping her glowing sword, she kicked off empty air and plummeted.
Eve slashed downward from above. Golden sword-ki plunged into the snake's head, carving relentlessly through its body as she fell.
Thud!
She landed. The light around her sword receded, returning to normal.
The remnants of the snake—head and half its body split—convulsed. Its vitality let it writhe even halved, but severed by holy light, revival was impossible.
It thrashed long in death spasms, then stilled forever.
Confirming it, Eve sheathed her sword. Her golden hair reverted to black.
You have successfully subjugated the ruinous monster 'Akaija's Snake'!
Please receive your quest completion reward.
Eve stared blankly at the message window for a moment, then staggered away.
Thus, Akaija's Snake—meant to terrify the continent—met a lonely end without claiming a single life...
That spectacle was watched by a bizarre winged creature. No living thing, but a blasphemous fiend defying all gods.
It was Mea's familiar.
The familiar had observed from start to finish, then flapped away.
* * *
................
............
......
Apparently, some commotion last night. No direct damage to my territory, so nothing to fret over.
The Bewitching Forest teems with monsters, spawning ever stronger ruinous beasts over time. Frequent raids mean I'm used to disturbances deep in the woods.
I sent an orc scout squad to check—no finds, just battle traces.
"Probably monsters fighting over territory," Lete said.
Makes sense.
Also, an escapee. The cultist geezer we caught bolted. Rare powerful sorcerer—Mea took him for experiments. Forgot about him post-handoff; she reported his flight last night.
Alone, he's no threat. Cultists sprout like weeds anyway. Told her not to worry.
Otherwise, peaceful routine. Luxe hotel, tasty chicken, girls galore. Blissful idling, but unease stirs—time to move.
Can't lounge forever. Resource magic stocked. Next stage beckons.
"So, thinking of expanding the territory. Want a new city under my thumb."
Of course, no war—diplomacy and internal affairs.
I gathered my retainers in the meeting room and shared my intent.
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