Chapter 44

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: penny

Chapter: 44

Chapter Title: Sorry, I Pulled Aggro Just to Show This Off

-----------------------------------------------------------------

I felt the sensation of falling once more, sensing that I had returned to my original world.

The new circle that had formed in my heart shattered the oppressive pressure that had been holding me back, allowing everything to flow powerfully in the right direction.

As the boundaries between my mana circuits and the world blurred into meaninglessness, my body began to glow. The shell of my physical form peeled away, reconstructing itself anew.

Every sensation felt utterly alien—the thrill of breaking free from my bindings and standing tall, the rhythm of my breath, the flex of my muscles. Everything was being redefined in this strange, unfamiliar way.

But right now was no time to dwell; my comrades were still locked in battle against Serimuk. I shot into the sky, unleashing my magic.

Vast mana surged freely, defying the laws of the world.

In my mind, I pictured the beautiful colors from the place where I had seen the goddess.

Colors I could never have dreamed of wielding before due to their complexity—I could handle them now.

Coating my magic in those hues would birth something on an entirely different level.

Sensing the enormous flow of mana, Serimuk whipped around.

"You... how..."

A complex construct of vibrant colors materialized above me.

A brilliantly shining spear gripped in chains of otherworldly design, clutched by a lithe and eerie figure clad in no armor at all, standing tall and defiant. Its legs seemed unbound, connected directly to the world itself, as if it could go anywhere without restriction.

I'd modeled it after something that looked like it could crush any opponent.

'Guess I'll call it the "Arbiter" or something.'

I'd put this much effort into it as payback for getting wrecked in that monster brawl earlier.

The enemy had looked so imposing, while I was just big and pathetic by comparison.

Grinning, I called out to Serimuk.

"Hey, Serimuk! This time you're getting full character deletion!"

"...Insolent wretch!"

She might not have grasped the slang, but she got the gist—anger twisted across Serimuk's face.

I hadn't died, and it wasn't exactly the Divine Arbiter, but morale was through the roof—that was enough.

As if signaling an all-out assault, I rocketed into the sky, and Serimuk formed wings of ghosts to pursue.

We glared at each other in midair.

"No need for long speeches, right?"

With those words, veins bulged across Serimuk's body, snaking out toward the world.

I activated my spell, shattering Serimuk's senses and vision into fragments, scattering them like broken glass.

Reeling from the disorientation that made her want to vomit, Serimuk closed her eyes and focused her mind.

Countless ghosts rose from sky and earth alike.

The long-awaited monster melee had begun.

Each swing of the Arbiter's spear carved massive chunks from the ghost giants' bodies.

But the gaps filled instantly as ghosts swarmed in, lashing out with elongated claws.

Shockwaves erupted, igniting the beastly clash.

Monster against monster, man against man.

We unleashed our magic upon each other.

From my magic circles poured beams of multicolored light, while Serimuk turned hordes of ghosts into projectiles to intercept them.

I opened magic circles on either side of the desperately defending Serimuk, flooding her with light magic.

Serimuk screamed in fury.

"Usurpers! Do you hear the cries of our people you burned alive?!"

Her eyes bloodshot, Serimuk inhaled ghosts through her veins, unleashing their power.

The light-emitting circles shattered, and a massive skull floated before her.

"Usurpers! Can you see the wives clutching their husbands' salted heads, wailing in despair?!"

As the skull chanted its spell, the sky turned black, all souls sucked toward one point.

The space around ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Serimuk pulsed like a heartbeat.

"Usurpers! Do you comprehend the anguish of children watching their parents violated in every orifice?!"

The spatial throbs grew violent as souls gathered in the skull's maw.

"I will annihilate you all! For the children clutching their parents' bone dust amid scorched earth, howling in grief."

I extended my hand, cleaving the dark sky.

Through the parted clouds, the radiant sun blazed gloriously.

With another gesture, a colossal greatsword of iridescent hues materialized in the air.

As the enormous skull fired a crimson laser, the Arbiter seized the greatsword and brought it down.

The giant ghost and twin skulls split in half.

Serimuk howled again.

"Even in death, I curse you! The souls of every kin you slaughtered will tear you apart!"

I encased the crimson-glowing Serimuk in a cube.

"I get that you've got a tragic backstory."

Twisting the right face of the 3x3 cube sent her arm flying.

Serimuk shrieked in agony, but her bound body didn't twitch.

"But we're enemies, and things have gone too far."

Twist the left—off went the other arm.

"I feel for you, but I don't care to hear the details."

Bottom twist—both legs torn away.

"Just die."

Not humorous, just clean.

She'd tried to kill me and mine. Ethnic grudges, historical truths—none of it mattered. I'd protect what's precious to me, that's all.

"Re... lent... less..."

Final twist on top—her head came off.

Deep resentment lingered; even in death, her eyes stayed open.

I amplified my voice with mana and declared:

"Behold! You heretic scum who dared bare your fangs at the Empire! Your leader's teeth are all plucked out, right here in my hand!

I should make an example of you to show the Empire's might, but for the merciful goddess's sake, those who drop your weapons and surrender will be spared."

The barbarians, losing their focal point, despaired and dropped their arms. But those dosed with heretic elixirs had crazed eyes and kept fighting.

"Imperial forces! Show no mercy to the heretics and their tainted rebels! Rip out their hearts and feed them to the beasts!"

With morale boosted, there was work to do.

Cranking my senses to max, the world cooperated, revealing two presences detached from this battlefield.

In scenarios like this, there's always that guy watching from afar, chuckling, "Heh heh, not bad... but this is just the beginning of the plan..."—the type who'll claw at my nerves later.

Two distant signatures, not clustered together—probably not allies.

'Teleport in and insta-kill them.'

No time for overthinking—act.

I teleported rightward, aiming to shred the shadowy figure before me, but for some reason, my body wouldn't obey. No interference, just total rejection from every fiber.

Calming my stuttering body, I glared at the suspicious silhouette. A clear voice rang out.

"Hey, Your Highness? You've gotten a lot stronger... I was ready to save you if things went south..."

Her baffling words dulled my killing intent.

I had no idea why.

Steadying my trembling form, I examined the woman.

A baggy black robe shrouded her face and body. Only her height and voice hinted at her gender—but voices could be faked easily enough.

As I probed for more intel, the shady woman's lips parted.

"Staring like that brings back old memories~ Heh heh, don't worry, I'm no heretic."

I'd never seen her before.

"Old memories? Reveal yourself, or I'll rip that robe off by force."

For some reason, the woman breathed heavily.

"?"

Was this a prelude to attack...?

"Ahem! Sorry, but I've got stuff to handle outside, so I can't reveal who I am yet. Still, glad I got to see your face! Catch you later!"

She vanished in a blink after her rapid spiel.

'I couldn't sense her? Me?'

Her disappearance was utterly unpredictable, like she hadn't been tense at all...

'Shit!'

In talking to her, I'd missed the other one too.

Self-recrimination could wait amid the urgency.

I sighed and rejoined the battlefield.

By now, we'd mopped up most of the elixir-crazed barbarians and heretics.

Shoving aside the lingering unease, I torched heretics one by one while soaring across the field for ages.

"Waaaah! Sniff! Uwaaaah! Heup! Huuuh!"

"Hic! Sadooonim! Hic! Waaaah! Hic! Hwaaaang!"

In a snowy field stained with blood and flesh, two women wailed like their hearts were breaking, clinging to the prince who'd just endured hell.

"It's okay, girls... stop crying, come on!"

"Hweeeergh!"

"Aaaang!"

I held Jenia and Veronica, stroking their backs for a good while as they devolved further from human speech.

"You came back with all your limbs intact—why the waterworks?"

Lancelot drew his sword, unleashing a dazzling aura.

"Don't cry—check this out! This is a Sword Master's aura. Sick, right, Liam?"

Excited Lancelot chattered away, while

"Ark Musen... nice ring to it... Could infusing words with power and will truly rediscover the miracle of word magic...?"

Owen, whatever miracle he'd glimpsed, was sinking deeper into his own world.

'What a mess.'

"Alright, time to head back!"

At "head back," they peeled off me.

""Sniff! Yesss...""

I gave them a wry smile, and Duke Ardell approached.

"Your Highness, Imperial forces: 10,000 dead, 2,000 critically wounded, 800 minor injuries. Enemy: 30,000 dead, 4,000 critical, rest being tallied."

Best possible outcome, but the bitterness lingered.

No war comes without casualties...

Steeling myself, I issued orders.

"Well done, Duke Ardell—your contributions were immense. Bind only the key enemy figures and drag them to the Grand Duchy; release the rest... after confiscating their arms."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

"Duke Ardell."

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"I won't forget your merits."

"!!! Thank you, Your Highness! For the Empire, eternally..."

Seeing his unsteady gait, I noted he'd jumped into the fray himself.

Jenia's wounds had faded, and she said she was fine.

"We'll head to the Grand Duchy first. Wrap up and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠follow; help yourself to the liquor I stashed in sub-space on the way."

"Yes, sir!"

Sorry, but seniority rules. To the troops, it was a one-punch wonder, but we slugged it out UFC-style for a month.

A miracle born because the enemy funneled through the pass in droves.

With that, our protracted war finally ended.