Chapter 334: In the Name of Sloth— (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 334: In the Name of Sloth— (7)
■■■■■■■■■■■■■■—!!!!
Letting out grotesque screams, the pure white beings began to slaughter the black entities swarming toward the soldiers.
Pure white spears crushed dozens of black figures as they surged forward.
However, the black forms created by Sloth were constantly regenerating from somewhere within the territory. They lunged at the white beings, fighting back.
Like prey being hunted by a predator, the bodies of the pure white beings were torn apart and vanished in an instant.
Yet, even as the black figures continued to pour out endlessly, the pure white beings—the 'Apostles'—did not lose ground.
In fact, as time passed, their numbers only grew.
“…….”
One soldier stared blankly at the scene.
He watched as a black figure, impaled by a swung white spear, shattered—only to be reborn as a new pure white entity.
The death dealt by an Apostle summoned a new pure white being.
An irrational cycle of reincarnation.
“…….”
Selaim and Parkline also watched in awe, breathing sighs of relief. They were glad such beings were not their enemies.
Soon, their eyes—and the eyes of everyone gathered there—turned toward Sloth and Ladan.
Unlike the beginning, when no change was visible, Ladan’s appearance had undergone a significant transformation.
His ink-black armor exuded an ominous aura just by looking at it. His eyes, stained a deep crimson, held a power that overwhelmed his opponents.
Above all, even as he stood still, the mana faintly radiating from him…
It was so similar to the ‘Sin of Sloth’ that it sent shivers down their spines, despite knowing Ladan was an ally.
“…….”
Sloth, whose eyes had widened the moment Ladan awakened as a Sin, had returned to an expressionless mask.
He gazed silently at Ladan. However, Alon realized that Sloth was not merely being lethargic. He saw a flicker of anguish and contemplation in those eyes—emotions that had been hard to find until now.
“Will you… continue to ‘exist’ here from now on?” Sloth asked.
It was a somewhat unexpected question.
However, Ladan gave a light chuckle, as if he had anticipated it.
“No.”
“Then?”
“Twenty minutes at most. After that, I disappear.”
As Ladan spoke the truth so nonchalantly, Sloth gave a short nod of acknowledgment.
“……I see.”
It was just a single phrase.
But just as Alon began to wonder about the weight behind that murmur, Sloth spoke again.
“In that case, I shall simply fulfill my duty.”
Purple threads began to erupt from Sloth’s body.
Immediately, the movements of the black entities became unnaturally fast.
Grrrrk—!
Furthermore, the powerhouses who had fallen earlier stood up once more, radiating a vivid purple light. They emitted a chilling purple mana that their bodies couldn't even contain, letting it spill out into the air.
And in that situation—
──!
Sloth vanished.
No, he moved. He had moved so fast that it only appeared as if he had vanished to those who couldn't perceive him.
Sloth reappeared behind Ladan.
Taking advantage of the moment no one could witness, Sloth swung his fist toward Ladan’s head, but—
Grin—!
Sloth saw it.
The moment his fist was thrown, Ladan turned his body as if he had been waiting, a twisted smile playing on his lips.
BOOM—!
* * *
The battle began.
The pure white beings and the black figures tangled in combat. Basiliora moved to eliminate the regenerating lumps of flesh, while Elivan and Seolrang stood against the resurrected powerhouses.
However, the focus of everyone’s attention was undeniably the clash between Sloth and Ladan.
Craaaaaash—!
Few present could truly perceive the fight between the two. They were simply overwhelmed by the sheer pressure of the battle they couldn't see.
K-Boom—!
For a brief moment, the ground exploded from the shockwave of their collision. The very foundation of the earth cracked just from their movements.
The soldiers couldn't help but stare at the spectacle, which looked like a clash of gods from ancient myth.
And finally.
BOOM—!
Only after a massive explosion erupted, ringing clearly in everyone’s ears, could they see Ladan and Sloth again.
And it wasn't hard to tell who had the upper hand.
Sloth was in terrible condition. It seemed the burden of taking multiple hits from Alon’s party earlier had finally caught up to him. His body was so damaged it looked like it could no longer function normally.
Ladan, on the other hand, looked the same as when he started. Aside from a bit of dust, it was hard to find any difference.
Thus, it looked like a clear victory for Ladan.
Spurt—!
Until red blood burst from various parts of Ladan’s ink-black armor.
“Ah—”
Someone let out a gasp of horror.
As if they had been waiting, blood sprayed from all over Ladan’s body. The soldiers were washed in a wave of panic.
Alon also frowned, unable to understand. Like the others, he hadn't seen the battle directly. He had only roughly grasped how the fight was going by tracing the lingering scent of mana.
And as far as Alon knew, the flow of the battle had been Ladan’s overwhelming victory.
Which meant…
‘……It’s not external damage, but internal—’
While Alon formulated his hypothesis, Ladan glanced at the blood flowing from his armor and frowned slightly.
“I guess… it was a bit much without the Relics? I thought it’d be fine since I didn't even use my ‘Power’.”
Ladan scratched his head.
Despite the situation, there was no sense of crisis on his face. It was as if this predicament was nothing significant.
At that moment.
■■■■—
Before anyone could notice, a massive sheep’s skull appeared above the battered Sloth.
Then, purple threads stretching from the sheep’s head began to construct a body like veins. They overlapped and clumped together repeatedly to form a framework, weaving a giant image made of thread.
Alon realized instantly.
Sloth was entering his Grotesque Transformation phase.
Suddenly.
“Brother.”
A voice reached him.
He turned his gaze as if possessed, and there stood Ladan.
He was clearly different from the Ladan Alon knew. His hair was stained black, and his eyes glowed red.
Yet, that characteristic smile was the same as the Ladan Alon knew.
“Is everything ready?”
……Even that cheerful way of speaking.
Ladan treated him with such natural familiarity. Alon instinctively felt that this boy had come from the future.
And not just any future, but the Ladan from the timeline where Alon had saved the villains.
Questions bubbled up within him.
But since there was no time to waste on questions right now—
“Yeah.”
“Then I’ll leave it to you, Brother. It seems I can't bring the Relics with me.”
Though I can keep the Treasure Vault itself open, he added, as if he knew Alon’s entire plan. Alon caught his breath and slowly turned his gaze forward.
Sloth was undergoing his Grotesque Transformation, using the black territory as his body while emitting purple threads.
“…….”
The moment Sloth’s transformation was complete, the tide of battle would turn again. While the Ladan from the future timeline couldn't manifest his full power for some reason, the transformed Sloth would be far stronger than before.
However, Alon had been waiting for this very moment.
More precisely, the moment Sloth would be unable to move due to the transformation. The one moment when the attack he had prepared would absolutely not miss.
“Whew—”
Alon let out a long breath and looked at Ladan.
“Ladan.”
“Yes, Brother.”
“I think it’s time to ‘show’ them.”
At that, Ladan gave a deep smile of understanding and—
Snap—!
He lightly snapped his fingers.
It was a simple gesture.
But simultaneously, the blue-glowing rift grew even larger, and something began to emerge from within.
And then.
“Th-That’s—”
“A ship……?”
Just as a mage stammered, a ship emerged from the blue rift.
It was the Treasure Vault that Alon had been riding.
“…….”
After disembarking from the ship, Alon had done nothing until now.
Not when the sudden appearance of Sloth told them to attack for one minute.
Not when the minute was up and Sloth attacked the powerhouses.
Not even when Ladan appeared.
Alon had simply remained silent.
Because he knew. He knew that a Sin could never be killed by ordinary attacks.
That was why he had prepared this plan from the very beginning, assuming a fight with Sloth. A plan solely to kill a Sin.
He had done it in a place so hidden that Sloth couldn't sense the threat. He had even stepped down from the ship himself to ensure Sloth wouldn't perceive him as a dangerous entity.
Fwaaaaaaaa—!!!!!
The ship fully emerged from the blue rift.
A pure white light erupted from it, stretching out and delivering light to the entire world.
What it created was a massive, nebula-like form of light.
“……What is that—”
“What on earth—?”
Alon pressed his index and middle fingers together, pointing them at the transforming Sloth, and then looked up at the sky.
There was the ship, emitting a light as intense as the sun, devouring the blue sky.……
In truth, it would normally be impossible to manifest magic elsewhere like this.
Yes—
[Kyu—!]
If not for Blackie.
Alon could see Blackie tilting its head atop the massive bow of the ship.……
Actually, it was impossible to make Blackie use magic. While it might handle very simple calculations, Blackie couldn't withstand heavy magic formulas.
However, the magic interpreted this time was different.
Magic Bolt was not based on complex magical calculations. The essence of Magic Bolt was, above all else…
To continuously convert mana into physical force without any restrictions.
Cough—
In other words, under the premise that mana could be supplied infinitely, it was not a burden at all to have Blackie use the magic.
Alon looked forward again.
Sloth’s transformation was nearing completion. Purple threads that would seize control of anyone they touched swirled everywhere. The body constructed from the black territory was larger than a mountain. The sheep-like head where Sloth resided moved the purple light with horrifying mana, creating a sphere as massive as a meteor in the sky.
But it was fine.
Alon was certain.
That this single strike…
“Snipe of Remembrance—”
As Alon murmured with firm resolve.
───────────!!!!!
The nebula fell.