Sweet Revenge -2-
"Mari, Sia. You two are the key to this operation."
"Hua~"
"Hau♥"
Mari and Sia responded to my words.
"Good. Mari, use your plant manipulation magic to reshape the terrain around this swamp and lure those bastards our way. Clear out any other pests that might get in the way."
"Hua~"
For the record, I had no real grudge against Saint Matthias or the thousand or so holy warriors and battle priests from the Goddess's faith who'd followed him. Their goddess was the one I had issues with—I planned to give her some serious punishment later—but I had no intention of touching these guys for now. So I left their countermeasures to Mari, who excelled in illusions and mind manipulation magic.
"Sia, activate Sanctum Mortis and suppress the priests' holy power."
"Hau♥"
Sanctum Mortis
The Goddess Luminus's light-based holy power had a natural advantage against undead, so I ordered her to deploy the skill to suppress and weaken it. Declaring a sanctum was a common ability among the highest ranks of priestly classes. Once activated, it gradually eroded a wide-area field, reshaping it into an environment favorable to the caster and their patron deity while weakening the holy power and interference from other gods. Depending on the deity, it also came with buffs, special abilities, and various other effects.
-Whoooosh!!
-Groooowl
Mari unleashed a burst of purple energy from her hand to cast her spell, while Sia dropped to her knees and began her prayer. Black halos rose above their heads, radiating an ominous aura.
"The rest of you four, stand by at your positions just in case."
"Auu!!"
"Uee!!"
"Dau~"
"Nyany~"
Alright, now it's hunting time.
-Splash, splash
A thousand-strong holy army from the Luminus Holy Kingdom, centered around Saint Matthias, marched through the Daradul Great Swamp. Their destination was, naturally, the lake at the swamp's heart—and the Goddess's temple there where the disaster beast was sealed.
Normally, the Daradul Swamp grew denser with trees the deeper you went, the water deeper, the terrain twisted and treacherous, so most people avoided venturing into its depths. It was even extremely difficult to do so. Even locals near the swamp often didn't know about the massive lake at its center.
Yet this holy army, composed mostly of the Goddess's priests and holy warriors, pressed on toward the core without hindrance. That's because they knew a quick, safe route to the swamp's heart—known only to a select few in the faith. Unlike other paths, the water was shallow enough for people to walk, the route straight and clear, the terrain gentle, and the trees sparse. Even a force of a thousand could move without issue.
Somehow, the shadows and atmosphere of the swamp forest ahead felt even more sinister and chilling today, their bodies felt heavier for no reason, and the ground beneath their feet seemed to repel them. But the holy army dismissed it as mere mood or the swamp's inherently foul environment.
Anyway...
"Haa... This is worrying..."
At the forefront of the holy army, the man with pink hair signifying his closeness to the goddess—Saint Matthias, with his gentle, affable appearance—muttered with a face full of concern.
"Matthias, you look quite worried."
Seigen, the fresh-faced young man with a sly undertone behind him, flashed a nonchalant smile. Trailing Seigen closely were his retainer and bodyguard Yamashiro Natsuji, and his secretary Uehara Kotono.
"Haha, how could I not be? For the temple sealing the disaster beast to suddenly lose regular contact..."
"Elkhero... Indeed, the powerful beast that the Saint forty years ago sealed away."
"Yes. Seigen Hero, it was that mighty beast sealed by Saint Maria Raphael, my predecessor."
Matthias began explaining Elkhero and the Saint to Seigen.
"A beast that even the greatest Saint in history could only seal away..."
"Exactly. Its power was a catastrophe incarnate. The Roman Empire nearly fell because of it. And if not for that beast, the one assisting you Heroes might have been that Saint instead of me."
"The Saint... She must have been an amazing woman."
"Yes. Far more fitting of the title than someone like me. And as I mentioned before departure, the place we're heading is the very temple where her remains seal the beast."
A flicker of tension crossed Seigen's sly expression. He was among the top-tier Heroes in strength, and with monster activity dropping sharply at the northern front lines lately, he'd had time to join this expedition. But deep down, he wasn't thrilled about it. Yukihime had wanted to come, but even with the lull, pulling a Hero from the front lines risked whatever the Demon King might do, so she stayed behind. Seigen had joined at her earnest request instead.
"By the way, I heard you've gotten closer to your sister lately..."
"Yes. Though I'm a flawed brother, Yuki's been leaning on me a lot through her recent hardships. At first, she inexplicably resented me over some 'petty matter'... but it didn't take long to return to how things were. Ah, what joy... And she's so... beautiful"
Matthias shifted the topic to ease Seigen's tension. At the mention of Yukihime, Seigen's eyes lit up, showering her with praise and adoration. It was far more intense than a typical brother's reaction.
No way... surely not...
Watching him, Matthias recalled the odd "tsundere" advice Seigen had given about his sister Yukihime, realizing something—but quickly dismissed it. Love knows no bounds, but incest? No.
As they chatted and advanced...
"Hm?"
Matthias, leading the vanguard, suddenly sensed an unnatural energy.
"This is... no way...?"
He whipped around.
"Matthias? What's wrong...? Huh?"
"P-President... what is that?"
"Heh~"
Seigen, mid-conversation, and Natsuji and Kotono behind him followed his gaze. Shock and confusion hit all three faces at once.
"This is...!?"
"They're stopped!?"
What they saw: the thousand holy warriors frozen mid-step, as if paralyzed.
-Rattle, rattle
"!!!"
"!!!"
Unable to move their bodies, they frantically rolled their eyes, screaming silently.
"A curse!!"
Matthias instantly recognized the cause and drew forth his holy power. The goddess's holy energy repelled malign influences. As a Saint, even the Curse Lord's curses—one of the Archfiends and the world's mightiest curse-weaver—held no sway over him. He could lift curses on others via his power and miracles.
But—
-Whoooosh!!
"Grk!? Goddess!?"
Drawing holy power was far harder than usual. Golden holy energy poured from Matthias's body, but at less than half his normal output—despite him pushing full force.
Holy power stemmed from faith and connection to the divine. Yet Matthias felt no shake in his belief. As a born Saint, close to the goddess since birth—proven by his pink hair—his link was innate.
No way!!?
The answer was simple: someone was suppressing holy power usage.
Is that even possible!?
Now he understood why the holy army—mostly holy power users—had fallen to the curse. He'd read records of Saints and Saints fighting in the Demon King's castle having their holy power restricted, though he'd never been there himself. But this was no Demon King castle, not even near it.
Goddess!!
...
He called to her immediately, but no response. She always answered prayers unless major issues arose—no oracle came. His prayers weren't reaching her.
Even blocking the goddess's interference!?
The goddess was one of the world's creators. For such a being to have her influence in her own world hindered? And not by a Demon King, a fragment aggregate of fellow creator gods?
"Exorcise them first!!"
Shocked but prioritizing the unknown curse on the holy army—
-Rumble!!
"Matthias!?"
"The trees!?"
Suddenly, nearby swamp trees surged with rapid growth. They twisted into tentacle-like forms, writhing toward Matthias and the group. Their numbers filled the entire field of vision. A tsunami of massive roots, each over ten meters thick, was a horrifying sight.
"We fight back!! Goddess!!"
"Explosive Burst!!"
"Ruthless Slash!!"
-Whish!!
Matthias invoked an offensive miracle, Seigen unleashed onmyoji arts via talismans, Natsuji channeled mana into his katana as a Samurai. Others couldn't react, but Kotono half-heartedly hurled shuriken at the roots.
-Boom!!
"Damn...!!"
"No effect!!"
"President!! Dodge!!"
Their attacks barely scratched the root tsunami, failing to halt it. A full-powered black-rank Saint like Matthias might have resisted, but that was hypothetical—useless now.
"We have to evade!!"
"But the trees are closing from all sides!!"
"Grk... Saint, President! No gaps!!"
The root wave closed in relentlessly. Matthias abandoned fighting for retreat, but the encirclement made it impossible.
"That way!! There's a gap over there!!"
Kotono, silently observing, pointed to the one spot where tree density seemed thinner. Unnaturally so, but they had no time to question.
"Well spotted!! Hero Kotono!! Heroes, that way!! Goddess!!"
-Whoooosh!!
-KABOOM!!
Attacks focused on the sparser area. Fewer, weaker trees shattered, opening a path.
"Grk..."
Matthias glanced back bitterly at the holy army, now half-obscured by encroaching trees.
But he could do nothing. As a Saint, he was just and selfless, but war had taught him limits. He couldn't save the army he'd bonded with like family. Forcing it would just add his corpse.
"Matthias!!"
"Grh!!"
Reluctantly turning from the army, Matthias bolted toward the path at Seigen's urging.