Chapter 295: Miracle Blessing (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 295: Miracle Blessing (1)
“Aaaah, no...!”
Kuarne cried out as if having a fit. The brilliant sky, embroidered with stars and human hopes, looked down on him as though he were a mere bug.
“O God of Sword, why have You foresworn Your divinity and chosen to remain human?!”
His agonized screams echoed repeatedly across the middle of the battlefield. With every shout, the demons' fighting spirit plummeted further. And small wonder—their supposed leader had not only slaughtered his own allies, but was now throwing a temper tantrum like a spoiled child.
“2nd Corps Commander!”
Unable to watch any longer, a Vampire elder barked out in outrage. Fire flared in his eyes as he bared his sharp fangs.
“What in the world is the leader of the Demon King’s Army doing making such a disgraceful scene?! No, at this point, I don't even know if your true purpose ever aligned with ours! Speak! If you have deceived all of demonkind, the Vampire clan will never let this slide!”
Vampires swarmed behind the elder like a pack of rats. They, too, flashed fierce glints in their eyes, chiming in with curses of their own.
“Does he think being strong is all that matters? That half-baked angel bastard.”
“I knew it from the start, ever since I saw that face where you can't even tell if he's a man or a woman.”
“…Didn't you say yesterday that you were going to confess your love to Lord Kuarne after the war ended?”
“Shut up.”
“Ah, how I miss you. Lycan, the eternal master of Gehenna.”
The embers of war were extinguished in an instant. Not just the Vampires, but the other demons who had lost their will to fight joined in as well. It was like watching the end of a general who had betrayed his soldiers' trust.
The voices of the demons grew louder. Most of it was explicit criticism directed at Kuarne.
“Lord Kuarne...”
His confidante, Herya, watched with sorrowful eyes. Kuarne was her creator. Now, that very creator had become an object of ridicule. A bitter taste filled her mouth. Yet she could not bring herself to step forward toward him, her feet merely shifting in place.
I can understand why the demons are furious. As much as I hate to admit it...
Every single accusation was valid. After all, wasn't it Kuarne who brought this mess upon himself?
Lord Kuarne really brought this upon himself this time.
Herya gave a slow, deliberate nod. From that previous conversation with Kang Geomma, she had learned emotions and grasped how to discern right from wrong by applying reason to circumstances. She had become capable of weighing right and wrong. A layer of blind trust in her master had peeled away.
“…What is this even?”
The Spear Saint muttered, resting the shaft of his spear against his shoulder. His shoulders heaved as he panted, making the spear rise and fall rhythmically with his breath. Though he suffered numerous minor injuries all over his body, none were fatal.
“How is this even going to end?”
Judging by the atmosphere, it seemed infighting had broken out among the demons.
The Spear Saint let out a dry laugh. It left an uncomfortable lingering taste in his mouth, like leaving a task half-finished. Still, thanks to this brief lull in the fighting, the heroes were able to enjoy an unexpected respite.
Both forces were exhausted. Any living creature inevitably runs out of stamina. The fatigue brought on by war spared neither human nor demon.
The war had reached a temporary stalemate.
Even in the middle of all this, that bastard Kuarne is rolling around on the dirt floor.
The Spear Saint narrowed his eyes to peer far ahead. Was that bastard really the same person who had made everyone tremble in terror just moments ago? That aside, what on earth was making Kuarne throw such a fit...?
The Spear Saint looked up at the sky. Countless stars moved, aligning in formation—as if guided by someone's will. No artwork he had seen in his seventy-plus years of life could match the splendor of that sky.
Heavenly Sword, it's you.
The Spear Saint smirked. As if responding to his smile, a single star twinkled. It was at that moment—goosebumps broke out over everyone, including the Spear Saint.
“Ah, I see.”
Kuarne suddenly composed his expression. His face turned so devoid of emotion that it made one wonder if he was the same person who had just been venting his rage and sorrow.
Kuarne glanced broadly at his surroundings. His pupils gleamed transparently like a snake's eyes. Ferocious killing intent pounded relentlessly against everyone, heroes and demons alike.
“It seems I was mistaken in my thinking. It was not merely this Academy that held Him back. It was this very world itself. Because of insignificant pests like you, He could not cast aside the mundane world.”
Kuarne ranted in an agitated tone. As if by unspoken agreement, both heroes and demons gripped their weapons tightly. Their bodies reacted faster than their minds.
A calamity is coming.
Everyone thought the same thing. Both sides formed concentric circles, surrounding Kuarne in the middle. Even though he was hemmed in on all sides by a wall of humans and demons, Kuarne merely smirked insidiously. Someone blinded by love sees nothing else.
“…If I destroy everything... if I eliminate any place for Him to return to... then He will have no choice but to become the master of the world.”
“Stop talking nonsense!”
Log, the Dark Elf elder, cut him off. He and his Dark Elves had naturally mingled among the heroes' forces. Aside from their ears, their appearance was quite similar, so they blended in with little awkwardness.
“No matter how strong you are, it is impossible for you alone to face all of us. I knew your mind had gone off the deep end long ago, but can you not even grasp the reality of the situation anymore?”
“The leader of the Dark Elves... is that you?”
Kuarne smiled softly. From crying to laughing—his emotions shifted unpredictably.
“Is this our second meeting since the Nephilim Shrine? You look well.”
“Do you remember what you said to me?”
“Apologies, I was rather preoccupied.”
“You threatened that the next time we met, you would eradicate the Dark Elves!”
Kuarne stroked his sleek jaw before responding.
“I suppose I might have said something like that.”
“Because of those words, we had no choice but to hide among the humans.”
“Wise indeed, as expected of Dark Elves who make a habit of treachery. Had you hidden in the Demon Realm, you wouldn't be standing on your two feet right now.”
“Indeed. And thanks to that, you will die right here. Besides, judging by how you're posturing, you're at your end as well, Kuarne. No, I don't even want to call you by that name anymore—Azazel.”
“Posturing, you say...”
Kuarne let out a dry chuckle.
“Even for me, facing all of you with my power alone would be impossible.”
Kuarne readily admitted it.
“…However, if 'he' is with me, it will be more than enough.”
Kuarne's eyes glowed yellow. At the same time, everyone charged forward with a shout. Spears and blades rained down upon him, accompanied by a storm of elemental magic. Metallic clashes and roaring explosions reverberated loudly.
Ting, ti-ti-ti-ting!
Every attack was blocked. Kuarne had erected a barrier. By narrowing its radius, he made the barrier extremely thick for defense.
However, this was only temporary. Humanity and the demons possessed far better teamwork than expected. The barrier was merely a makeshift measure.
Crack—
Like an eggshell shattering, cracks already appeared on the barrier. A few bladed weapons and sparks of fire pried through the gaps and intruded.
Humanity and demons originally shared the same starting line.
Kuarne knew well the series of events that caused them to split apart. Not only did he know, but as a servant of the God, he had contributed to it. He was one of the very architects who severed them.
And one more.
A sinister smile formed on Kuarne's lips. The results of combining blessings and magic manifested quickly. Soon, the barrier completely shattered.
“We broke through! Charge straight ahead, charge!”
Just as sharp blades were about to swoop down upon him, Kuarne finished reciting the incantation in his mind.
Thwack! A coffin suddenly plummeted from the sky. Dust kicked up violently. The coffin flattened the demons at the landing spot into pancakes, giving an inkling of just how massively heavy that towering coffin was.
With a rusty scree, the coffin door tilted. From a gap about two inches wide, five fingers suddenly popped out, gripping the corner of the door like eagle talons.
The places where those fingers pressed crumpled like aluminum. The hand then violently yanked the door open to the side. Sent flying far into the distance, the door crashed right into the bell tower at the top of the Special Pavilion.
Dong, dong, dong. Three holy bell tolls. As a great gust of wind swept away all the dust, the figure who had broken out of the coffin stood revealed.
A man walked out. His eyes were clouded over with a grayish-white film, and his pupils were misaligned. Every heavy step he took made the ground vibrate heavily.
“You have arrived.”
Kuarne welcomed him with arms wide open. His hair fluttered like a peacock's tail.
“Brother.”
The Holy Wings, Metatron, had arrived.
That alone completely flipped the tide of battle.
* * *
Leon von Reinhardt blinked. He had been left alone on the moon. The moment a flash of lightning gleamed, Kang Geomma had vanished. It was only a moment later that Leon sensed something strange.
Leon looked down at his stomach. The blood that had been pouring out like dirty water had stopped. The whispers from within him could no longer be heard.
“The entities that resided in my body are leaving.”
The divinity was fading. His mind and body felt light as a feather.
What in the world is happening...?
His mind was a tangled mess. Only now did guilt come crashing over him. The void left by the departed gods was filled with remorse. Standing vacantly in the pitch-black void of space only deepened his anguish and solitude.
“…What have I done?”
Leon's knees gave out. He collapsed to the ground and wept. His sobs settled low against the ash-gray surface of the moon.
I have to fix this.
He didn't know how. Perhaps taking his own life here was the best choice. Yet he did not want to do that.
“The reason Kang Geomma went out of his way to leave me alive.”
It must mean I am to accept my punishment rather than die. For some reason, Leon found it easy to grasp Kang Geomma's true intent, even though they had barely spoken a few times.
“I am a hypocrite.”
Leon confessed into the pitch-black darkness. His words echoed multiple times as if emphasizing the truth.
“A traitor who abandoned humanity for the sake of revenge.”
His confession continued. Nausea surged within him. Every word he spewed felt infinitely more repulsive than vomit.
It was a necessary process. Humans naturally learn right from wrong through their mistakes and misdeeds. Even if judged with the ultimate penalty, it is useless if the individual does not realize it themselves. One must dissect oneself down to every detail. That is where it all begins.
“...!”
Leon felt cold sweat dripping down his spine. Even with the gods departed, his body had once housed divinity. His perception had long since transcended human levels.
“It's Father.”
Leon muttered, staring at Earth. A spiral mass of clouds was swirling heavily over one specific location. Joaquin Academy. His father, Metatron, was there.
He set his doubts aside. Father appearing at a time like this? Though he couldn't fathom the reason, an ominous foreboding made his muscles tense tightly.
I have to return to Earth somehow.
Leon used Balmung as a cane to push himself up. His body tottered. His legs felt completely drained of strength, like a deflated balloon. Having brawled on a cosmic scale, it was only natural. His physical condition was practically a rag.
Leon slammed his fist into his thigh. While broken machinery could often be fixed with a solid smack, a human body wasn't a machine. All he accomplished was adding dark blue bruises.
“Please.”
Leon was desperate. Though space was filled with nothing but void, if only this voice could reach someone's ears...
Step.
A presence was felt right beside him. He snapped his head around. Leon's blue eyes shrank to the size of millet grains.
Kang Geomma nudged Leon's shoulder with his elbow. His aura was strikingly distinct. His pupils were black, as though containing the universe itself—eyes that contemplated not just a single universe, but a multiverse.
“Let's go.”
An impossibility.
“We can talk about the rest once we're back.”
The hero witnessed a miracle.