Chapter 56
Chapter 56
56th Episode
EP18 - Christmas Bells Ring Over the Snowy Ruins (1)
There are things that are fair to everyone.
Like death, loneliness, the flow of time, or the snow falling in the middle of winter.
No matter how rich or powerful one is, the snowflakes do not avoid falling on their head.
It was the first snow.
The first snow fell on the Hiaka Academy, which was in ruins in many places, covering up the filth.
I toured the memorial sites in Zone 0 and Zone 2, where the Assassination War had taken place. Even though it had nothing to do with me.
The memorial sites were slowly starting to be dismantled. It had been about two weeks since the Assassination War ended. The Academy had to rise from its wounds now.
So, this time, I headed to the cemetery.
In the center of the cemetery was a large monument. The names of all the victims of the Assassination War with Kreuz were written on it.
There were many.
Far more than I thought.
Passing through that place, I saw the tombstones.
Slowly, I walked that distance, examining the tombstones.
< Gustafson, the best blacksmith in the Department of Magic, has left to repair the gates of heaven >
Rocks placed alone amidst many portraits and artificial flowers.
People wailing in front of them.
< Professor Chris, with his stylish beard, we will continue your research and papers >
I read the letters on the tombstone.
< Homereun, who gave laughter to many with weekly volunteer work despite his ailing body. Perhaps heaven was short of an Angel >
There was no special reason.
< Yuria, a little Angel who had just started walking, went too soon, but may she fly happily with wings in that place >
I just wanted to read them.
< Ramuan, Senior Professor of Guardian Magic, protects the Students and rests here >
< Hoban, a coward who cried even when pricked by a needle, we will not forget you for going into the fire to save your friend >
< Lena, who quit the Academy she had worked so hard to enter to take care of her sister >
< Ophelia, the sister who was always sorry to her younger sibling >
< May the sisters be happy in a painless heaven >
⋮
My mother passed away when I was around ten years old.
Since I had no father, I was entrusted to unfriendly relatives. Later, I learned that a small amount of lease deposit had been entrusted to them. That was the law back then.
What I remember is that rats occasionally appeared on the cold linoleum floor. I was always squatting down. I had to avoid being seen when my uncle came home.
Wandering around the snowy streets, I remember being cold and miserable because the snow was cold. Melted snow kept coming into my shoes with holes.
Among them, there was something interesting.
It was the scenery inside the window of a nearby house.
A house that looked warm. Gift boxes piled up. A Christmas tree with pretty lights twinkling. A TV that was always on. As it was a private home, I couldn't stay in front of that window for long, but it made me imagine a lot.
What's going on in there?
What kind of child and parents are there?
What's in the big box?
Squatting in front of the wall and filling my imagination, time passed quickly.
I didn't dislike it. I wasn't particularly jealous... Rather, thanks to that, I enjoyed going out a little more on Christmas.
I wondered if I could ever make something like that. I wondered if I could share such a warm space with someone who would be by my side.
Why do I think of that now? People who have nothing to do with me have died. I can't know that much.
Death is momentary, but loss is eternal. Nevertheless, I know that those left behind must live on.
I also know what they need to live...
"Adele."
"Yes, Professor."
"I have something to research separately, so don't look for me for two weeks."
The department will soon normalize classes, they say. In the meantime, they will take time to recover the Academy.
So many buildings were destroyed, ruined, and people died, so it was natural.
And they announced to the Professors that Professors who want to hold the final exam in two weeks can prepare.
I was going to prepare for that.
Final exam.
There is only one test question.
'Christmas.'
It's not a Christian festival like Christmas in reality.
Here, too, there is an event to celebrate the birth of the Virgin Mary.
'...If I sell all the Magic Tools I got from the enemy assassins, the funds will be roughly right.'
Preparation is needed.
I need to buy a lot of materials, spend time, and understand and implement revolutionary [Illusion Magic].
Because what I want to create from now on must be huge, last a long time, and show clear perfection.
Above all, the Academy is still in chaos, so I have to do my job as a Professor while making it.
It will be a busy two weeks.
『 World Fabrication : Shape Fabrication [Fundamental Particle] 』
The beginning was a small dot.
* * *
The reason why war is scary is because it can break the foundation that someone firmly believed in.
"Huh? What, what did you say? No, damn it―"
Like Kendrake, who heard the news of the closure of his family's company, 'Drake & Guns,' which he thought would be an eternal background for his grandchildren's grandchildren until he died.
"Are you saying that now, damn it?! What about my father! What about my father! How can you not even protect that!?"
Because it became a target of Kreuz as a munitions company.
"I need to get my medicine!!"
Or, there was Kaiser, standing in front of the portrait of an old friend who had been born and raised in the same neighborhood and had known him for a long time.
"……."
He hadn't been able to reveal his secret until the end, but he had vowed to reveal it first when this tightrope walk was over.
The guy who worked at the Zone 2 Magic Munitions Factory was swept away by the fire and died.
Coward Hoban.
He was always exchanging stupid jokes with me. He was such a coward, why did he run into the burning building?
"…………."
Kaiser knelt down.
What the hell had he been doing?
Around that time, there was also someone running out of breath.
It was Balmung.
"Hah, hah…."
There was something that was presumed to be the work of Kreuz. Ghouls were explosively increasing in places like memorial sites and tombstones.
It was happening in the areas closest to the citizens, throughout Zones 0-3, so someone had to respond.
Warriors and magicians were slow and could not respond quickly.
Balmung requested military resources from the Discipline Department to help with the shortage of manpower.
< Ghoul appearance on 14th Street, South! >
< Th, there are many! Requesting support! >
But the problem was that it was a city. The chronic disadvantage of the [Sniping System]. Balmung could not snipe freely in cities or dense forests.
"<This is Team 3 Balmung, confirmed! I'm going right away!>"
So, he had no choice but to run like his feet were on fire.
"Kruooo!!"
"Aaaah! R, run away!!"
The ghouls that popped out indiscriminately attacked the citizens. They smashed buildings with their huge arms.
In the midst of that,
"Mom!"
"Aileen!!"
A little child who had let go of her mother's hand fell to the ground.
Behind the child. A Ghoul is approaching. Then, it raised its huge arm that had even broken the walls of the building.
Around that time, Balmung held his breath, which felt like it was about to burst. Then, he tried to pull the trigger of 「Sigfried⚉」.
Slippery!
His foot lost its balance on the snowy street. 'Kuk!!' But Balmung regained his breath even as he slipped.
He saw it.
Taang ―
The bullet containing darkness drew a black trajectory in broad daylight and smashed the Ghoul's head. Peok!! Because he shot it exquisitely, the Ghoul's body fell backward.
"Th, thank you! Student!"
"Get up! It's dangerous here, so hurry to the shelter..."
Even in the meantime, <Communication> kept ringing. Which street. Which building. How many Ghouls... For several days, it didn't give them any leeway day or night.
Still, the frequency of occurrence had decreased quite a bit for the past day, and those who had been suffering were taking a breather. Does that mean that this Ghoul occurrence is coming to an end?
That hope was shattered miserably.
Thud -
Suddenly, Mana that vibrated the air spread.
"Ugh…."
Balmung grabbed his heart and glanced somewhere, and another member of the Discipline Department nearby asked.
"Hey! What's wrong, Balmung?"
"Magical Energy is…."
"Magical Energy?"
A heinous amount of Magical Energy was spreading.
Two of them!
And Balmung, who was sensitive to Mana, could recognize it immediately.
"What are you talking about? Nothing…."
That's when it happened.
< D, danger!…… >
< Jjjjj… >
< Jjjjj, jjj, jjj… >
An ominous Communication exploded.
"It's over there!"
"O, okay!"
A chilling feeling. When Balmung ran with the Discipline Department, something huge appeared there without a sense of reality.
Ghoul Lord.
A grotesque monster with dozens of Ghouls mixed together as one part appears in front of the night. A giant monster with a height of 8 meters!
"Uwaaa!"
"R, run away!"
As soon as it was summoned, it began to destroy all the buildings, and it was useless even if the Discipline Department members rushed at it.
Kwaang!!
Kwaaang!!
Buildings collapsing with one blow, one blow.
"Die-"
Belatedly, Balmung also took a breath and fired the Level 7 Superpower 『Stone Crushing Lightning』.
Taang! Pajijijijik ―
A cannon-like bullet was fired, leading black lightning. It zigzagged across the space and smashed the Ghoul Lord's head.
Peobeok!!
The huge head was smashed.
But it was in vain. Other Ghouls stuck to the burst head and began to fill it.
The same was true for the other Discipline Department members who were cutting off their arms and legs.
"Sh, shit!"
"That guy, normal attacks don't work!"
"Fall back! Fall back! Call the Head Professors!"
Peok-! Then one member was knocked away like a mosquito and slammed into the wall of a building.
That was okay up to that point. But soon a big problem arose. The guy was getting closer to the medical unit used as a shelter.
"Hey! Turn his sight away!!"
There are patients in the medical unit.
They have to protect that place.
Balmung fired bullets as Mana filled up.
The monster did not stop.
Finally, just as that house-sized fist was raised to strike down the medical unit.
Bang ── !
Suddenly, the Ghoul Lord's body was split from shoulder to waist. It split and smashed a monster with a size of 8m in half.
What on earth?
Everyone was stunned by the unrealistic sight.
"Everyone, come to your senses! The broken Ghouls move as individuals!"
At the cry like an order, Balmung, who turned his head, shouted after finding a man.
"Professor!"
What came running from the darkness was none other than Professor Dante Hiacapo.
He didn't know what had happened. But it was clear that the blow just now was his doing!
"Balmung! Go and take care of the injured!"
"A, yes!!"
But. That's when it happened.
Balmung's heart dropped.
The dead Ghouls pretend to run away and gather in one place.
Far away― another Ghoul Lord was starting to be created.
It absorbed even the bodies of the dead Ghouls and became much larger. It reached nearly 15m.
Extra large among the Lords.
Just the shape of being crouched and summoned was already as big as the previous monster.
A huge individual that can only be dealt with by a magician who has reached the rank of Head Professor.
"Wh, what is that-!!"
At that unrealistic size,
Those who discovered it began to be horrified.
"That's not going to work! W, we're doomed…!!"
"Retreat for now! Evacuate th, the medical unit too!"
The Discipline Department members, terrified, began to run away.
"Professor Dante! You have to avoid that!!"
"Professor! You have to go!"
Not only the Discipline Department members, but even Balmung blocked Dante's path and was horrified.
"What are you doing? Don't fall back!"
"P, Professor?"
"You go and do what you have to do!"
"But…!"
"That's too dangerous!"
Even as everyone passed him and moved away.
For some reason, the Professor only showed a calm expression and raised his sword.
Holding a very ordinary-looking longsword in reverse grip.
Professor Dante closed his eyes.
" Draw your sword― "
A cold and insensitive voice.
It was the Activation Chant that awakens the sleeping God's soldier.
" Great Weapon. "
The next moment, the air in the area was turned upside down.
If the previous attack was a simple release form that didn't even require an Activation Chant, this one was different.
Kugugugung-
An energy so huge that the Discipline Department members and Balmung could not understand it was erupting from Dante's entire body and began to shake the area.
────── .
Everyone in that place opened their mouths wide. Something invisible, but something that clearly existed, began to pour out tremendous pressure.
At this time, Balmung, who had a keen sense, began to be horrified. The sky, the world surrounding him, was moving.
There was a weapon in it. But Balmung questioned his own mind, was it right to call that a 'weapon'?
It was too huge and grotesquely destructive to be called a weapon. It would be more appropriate to call it a disaster itself.
Soon it moved. Like the God of Heaven, the sword that was struck down to cut off the dragon's head. It pushed away the atmosphere. It smashed the world and fell right into the Ghoul Lord's head.
Kuuuuuung!!!!!!
All the windows of the buildings in the area were blown out by the shock wave. Jjaenggeurarang!! The pouring snowflakes flew tens of meters away. The world became clear for a moment.
The Ghoul Lord, which was 15m in size, tried to lift its head at that moment, but its body was struck down. Even a giant of 15m could do nothing in the face of God's punishment.
At the same time, the body began to be smashed and collapsed, starting from the head. At the end, the invisible energy smashed even the heart, which was the core of the monster.
This was what happened in a single blow.