Judas of Betrayal
A tense silence hung over the plains. The ridge was divided into two opposing forces: an army of ice and an army of machines. They harbored a deep, mutual hatred. The North remembered the agonizing pain of losing their land, while the South, corrupted by magi, had lost their minds. Demonic blood coursed through their veins, driving them to hate simply because their enemies were human.
“All units, hold the line!”
“Shields up!”
“Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!”
Rowen’s frost-laden power surged through every member of the Frost Knights. They raised their unbreakable shields of absolute cold, leaving no openings. The enemy possessed magic and physical capabilities enhanced by Magic Engineering—a terrifying force that unleashed near-infinite energy. However, the knights' shields were enchanted with magic specifically designed to neutralize that overwhelming power.
To defeat the enemy, one must adapt their technology. However, they did not resort to the barbaric methods of Magic Engineering, which forcibly implanted runes directly into human flesh. Instead of grafting them onto people, they applied Mio Lizfelt's Crystallization magic to their equipment. That alone was more than enough to level the playing field.
“Don't break formation!”
“Reform the vanguard!”
Unyielding red mana clashed against the blue ice shields, where Mio’s runic language shimmered. Though she was not physically present on the battlefield, the Crystallization she left behind made it feel as though the great archmage herself was fighting right alongside them.
From the center of the formation, Arahan watched the approaching magic-engineered soldiers. Two years ago, they had at least retained the guise of humanity. Now, they moved as complete demons. Consumed by their own desires, they had lost their original forms, their skin turned a filthy, grotesque ash-red.
When the Young Master slipped away from the front lines, he had completely destroyed the enemy airships bringing in reinforcements. While there was no guarantee more wouldn't come, it was a relief that their numbers had been severely cut. Holding their unbreakable shields high, the knights maintained their tight formation, slowly herding the enemy.
“Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!”
They advanced in lockstep, letting out rhythmic, guttural battle cries to crush the enemy's morale. They kept pushing them back, cornering them, until—
“Now!”
“For the North!”
The cavalry split to the flanks, charging down upon the disoriented foes.
The demons' fire magic was devastatingly potent. If not for the spells of Mio Lizfelt—that foxy bitch—they would have surely been burned to a crisp.
Tsk.
Honestly, Arahan hated admitting that the woman was useful, but she could swallow her pride knowing it was all for the Young Master's sake.
A battlefield was no place for such idle thoughts, yet a lingering dissatisfaction gnawed at her. One day, Saintess Leah would appear before the Young Master again. That was an absolute, predetermined future. Arahan was not so dense as to miss the deep emotions they shared. At the same time, she wasn't foolish enough to ignore the feelings the Young Master had developed for her.
She was the one who had seduced him, pushed herself into his life, and made him fall for her. Arahan would follow his will in all things. Even if she didn't particularly like it... she would allow him to take concubines if he so desired.
Normally, for a mere maid to harbor such thoughts would be a capital offense. But Arahan was from Kaliaarun. Social status meant nothing to her. If he chose to take other women as his wives, she only hoped he would look at her first.
So, this very moment was also a war for the future. If they lost, she wouldn't have the face to look at the Young Master again. More than anything, if the North lost over half its military strength here, what hope would remain?
They had to win. This was a war for victory—no, for her, it was a war for the man she loved.
“Victory to His Majesty!”
“For the North!”
“For the North!”
“Huff... pant...”
What was that? What had just passed by?
Nome could not hide his sheer bewilderment. His face, which had remained completely expressionless for eight years, began to ache from the sudden movement. His facial muscles twitched. The expressions and emotions he had long lost were flooding back under the names of panic and rage.
A Great Spirit. Kajin Balenos, was it? The unique system of the Balenos family allowed the souls of their ancestors to enter the Soul Spring and transform into Great Spirits. Their overwhelming power grew stronger with each passing generation. But the spirit standing before him was something else entirely.
It wasn't just a matter of destructive power or speed! It was pure, unadulterated skill. The sword qi and sheer presence born from centuries of combat experience left him utterly shaken.
What was with these guys? They were casually bickering right in front of him. This was an insult! A blatant mockery of someone who had approached the power of his Lord. Damn it, if not for Rowen Balenos, he could have easily defeated these pests. His wounds weren't healing, and his stamina was steadily draining. The sheer humiliation of it made him burn with rage!
“Ha... hahaha!”
“Where did these worm-like bastards crawl out from to dare block my path?!”
At those words, Kajin shrugged. The long sword in his hand bobbed up and down in sync with his shoulders.
“...What?”
Casiel snickered, covering his mouth, while Kajin also stifled a laugh, his shoulders shaking. After all, look at him. He had a human form, but with giant bat wings, a pointed tail, crimson snake-like scales, and the eyes of a mountain goat. No matter who looked at him, he was clearly the bizarre one.
At that sight, Nome grew even more enraged. His breathing turned ragged. It was so shallow that his chest began to ache. His heart, already plagued by chronic pain, was now beating as if it would burst from his skyrocketing blood pressure. Veins bulged beneath his mottled, uneven skin.
“...Move.”
No, enough talk. He would tear these spirits to shreds this instant and slaughter Kadan's illegitimate child, who was clearly in the middle of preparing something! That boy was too dangerous. He commanded an entire army while simultaneously summoning spirits of this caliber. If left unchecked, the unification of the Demon Sect would never be realized!
Even Angelica's life signature had vanished. The only other presence he could sense nearby was one person.
“Judas...!”
Judas of Betrayal. That snake-like bastard was nowhere to be seen. Nome had no idea what he was plotting, but the man had never once followed his orders. He would always sit back, quietly sipping wine, looking down on everyone as if he knew everything.
Yet right now, Nome desperately needed him. He was actually seeking help. He, the favored servant of Lord Lucifere, was wishing for someone else's aid! So why wasn't Judas responding to his call? The presence he felt was nowhere near this area.
The demonic sword, shaped like a crucifix, radiated a profane aura by its mere existence. It exuded a bizarre mixture of the sacred and the deeply corrupt. Nome caressed the crucifix hanging around his neck and stared at the boundary line. The line between good and evil. Staring at the exact center, he made a light slash.
Skreeeech!
It was a spine-chilling sound. The sickening noise, like metal scraping against metal, forced Kajin to cover his ears. And if Kajin was covering his ears, one could only imagine how agonizing it was for Casiel, who was incredibly sensitive to sound.
To contaminate his ears, which were his only useful trait besides his hearing!
Kajin let out a heavy sigh that practically screamed, Is this really my descendant? At the same time, he 'saw' the invisible space. It wasn't something that could be explained by logic. What Nome had slashed was the boundary between good and evil. If Kajin represented good, then Nome had chosen evil. For Nome, there was no longer a middle ground. He would simply slaughter anyone who stood in the way of his plans.
The cross of the demonic sword emerged from imaginary space and pierced straight through Kajin's body. No wound was left behind. Thanks to Rowen’s mana, Kajin’s spiritual body regenerated almost instantly. However, Rowen's mana was not infinite. Because he was focusing his mana on maintaining the defenses of the Frost Knights fighting on the plains, his reserves were being drained at a rapid pace, even with his Core fully opened.
“Cross Bone.”
The collision of mana and magi triggered a violent explosion. Nome launched a relentless barrage of attacks at Kajin, searching for a path to reach Rowen. But the defense was ironclad. He loathed Kajin's spiritual body, which regenerated no matter how many times it was cut. Meanwhile, Casiel, who was screaming like a madman, used his acute hearing to predict Nome's movements and relay them to Kajin. Thanks to this, Kajin was able to keep Nome completely pinned down.
“Move! Just get out of my way!”
“...I'll kill you first.”
Provoked by Casiel's mockery, Nome unleashed a torrent of magi. In the endless clash of blades that felt like a distortion of time, Nome was actually being pushed back. He's a monster. To think he had retained such power even after death by becoming a spirit. If this was weaker than the strength he possessed in life... Nome didn't even want to imagine it.
“This is exactly why I despise the children of Balenos!”
“His will is my will! None of you could possibly understand!”
Casiel laughed.
“Then move.”
Family. That single word pierced deep into Nome's heart. The memory of his mother being violated by countless humans. His father, who had died far too young. A God who had given him trials he wasn't sure he was meant to survive.
“...I am utterly sick of this.”
Nome's slash parted the heavens. It was Sky Slash, a technique he had copied from Rowen. It sliced through the forest, parted the clouds, and tore open space itself. Dark magi shimmered in the air. The black crucifix flashed with the round, eerie eyes of a mountain goat. It was a repulsive, unsettling movement. Kajin was truly annoyed by that sword. At the same time, as if to back up Casiel's words, he spoke to Nome.
“Move!”
Giant bat wings unfurled, and Nome's white demonic horns sharpened. Magi gathered and amplified, infusing his sword to create a monstrous sword qi. His newly recovered emotions clouded his reason. Nome clicked his tongue as he watched Kajin regenerate. But when faced with the same trick repeatedly, one was bound to find a countermeasure. In a single second, he slashed hundreds of times. Kajin's entire body exploded into fragments. Although Kajin was formless, losing his physical shape even temporarily was far from a pleasant sensation.
Casiel, who possessed no combat capabilities, could only watch helplessly. But just before Nome could reach Rowen—
Thwack!
Casiel threw his own body in the way. There was no physical pain, but it was an incredibly unpleasant sensation. His body of pure mana dissolved and burst upon contact with the dense magi.
“I am so sick of this...!”
Nome looked up at the sky for a brief moment. He ripped the crucifix necklace from his neck and threw it to the ground. From this moment on, he had abandoned God.
“...Die.”
He didn't know what Rowen was planning, but he knew he couldn't afford to wait. The demonic sword rained down toward the head of Rowen, who was currently unconscious, fighting countless battles within his own soul. Balenos could not block it; his priority had to be protecting and sustaining Rowen's soul. At that exact moment—
“...Ha.”
“Let's not get too excited here. I don't see any of the calm, powerful leader we used to have, Captain.”
“What are you plotting...?!”
White hair fluttered in the wind. He had a human appearance, but everyone could feel the repulsive magi coiled deep within him, viler than anyone else's.
“Hehe. It's nothing major.”
I just...
“I don't really like seeing our Captain trying to kill our kids, you know?”
“...Judas!”
The white-haired man—Judas of Betrayal—effortlessly blocked Nome's demonic sword with a single hand, a playful smirk on his face.
“Captain, if you don't want to die, would you mind letting go of that sword for a second?”