Chapter 287: Reduction (3)
Chapter 287: Reduction (3)
Translation: Godtl
After Quinier left for her mission.
The Imperial Palace's conference room had become a scene of frantic activity.
Reports were pouring in simultaneously, the chaotic state of the Barrier, the battles against the Monsters, the Manggot attempting to breach the Barrier, the standoff between the Shepherds of Manggot and the Constelle instructors, and the Constelle students who had crossed over to Manggot alongside Osprey. The situation was already so chaotic that it felt as if the entire Empire had been sucked into a massive whirlpool.
Amidst all this, Philly quietly approached Malia.
Her stiff expression softened as she gave Malia a friendly smile.
"Malia, what about the transfer?"
Her tone was relaxed, as if speaking to a friend.
Or rather, not just as if—the two had been close friends for a very long time. Though they concealed that fact in official settings, they had quickly grown closer due to the strange camaraderie they shared over their respective husbands, Bartello and Angper.
Philly always greeted Malia warmly whenever they met, but Malia could only feel awkward whenever Philly acted that way in a place like Constelle.
At Philly's question, Malia briefly averted her gaze before answering.
"......It was completed safely."
"Still using formal speech, I see. How cold between us."
"This is the Imperial Palace, Your Majesty."
Fair enough. Philly laughed.
Malia had confirmed the sight of the Constelle group crossing through the gate using Osprey's spatial magic.
The students, who had grown rapidly, showed valiant performance without backing down against the army of corpses.
Of course, this was only possible because a few among them stood out particularly, but Constelle was far stronger than Malia had worried it would be.
"Quinier has left for her mission, and now all that remains is Frondier."
This operation had been devised by Frondier, Philly, Malia, Osprey, and others.
Yet the premise of the entire operation ultimately hinged on Frondier's victory.
Unless Manggot's leader was defeated, this war could not be considered over.
"Malia, you don't look well."
Philly, noticing Malia's complexion, asked with concern.
Indeed, Malia's face had grown pale. Her breathing was slightly unsteady, and though she seemed to be struggling to remain composed, her expression was rigid.
"Are you worried about Frondier?"
"Of course I am."
Malia answered immediately. Dropping the formal speech, she met Philly's gaze directly.
"My son is fighting a Devil."
"......Right."
Philly nodded quietly.
Malia spoke softly.
"I think Frondier knew who he would be facing."
"You mean he knew he would meet Belphegor?"
"I can't say for certain if he knew it was Belphegor, but I believe he was prepared to face a Devil. That's why he stepped forward himself."
Frondier was not the strongest individual in the Empire.
But among those Manggot had not accounted for, he was undoubtedly the strongest.
That was why Frondier held significance as the spear the Empire could throw.
However, that was only because the Empire had not known who Manggot's leader was.
'At the time, everyone assumed Manggot's leader would be roughly on par with Zodiac. That's why we could send Frondier. Because we believed Frondier's strength could rival Zodiac's.'
Frondier's power being unprecedented was true not just for Manggot but also from the Empire's perspective. That was why they could place their hopes in him.
But.
'......But a Devil?'
Malia, who shared Frondier's vision, had seen the enemy he faced.
The Devil of Sloth, Belphegor.
Upon realizing this, Malia had wanted to contact Frondier immediately. To tell him to come back at once.
But she couldn't. There was no way Frondier would listen to her, and if he truly withdrew now, the entire operation would collapse.
"But Frondier is holding up well, isn't he?"
Philly asked. Malia briefly checked Frondier's condition through Osprey's vision, who was beside him.
"......He's turned into a monster."
Frondier had drawn out all of his Black Heaven, wrapping it around his body, and when even that wasn't enough, he had spread it through the air like wings. His appearance was nothing short of monstrous.
"To defeat a Devil, one must become a monster."
"......To me, it seems like he's deliberately escalating the psychological warfare into high-risk territory. If he fails this time—"
Malia bit her lip.
Just as Philly was about to reassure her—
"Your Majesty!"
Someone burst urgently into the conference room.
The soldier immediately knelt on one knee before Bartello as soon as he entered.
Emperor Bartello had been observing the war situation while listening to Philly's summary of reports from all sides, preparing to make his final decision.
Before this war broke out, Bartello had issued orders that urgent reports were to be delivered directly to him without delay. There was no time to go through intermediate channels.
"Speak."
At Bartello's command, the soldier urgently reported.
"A disaster, Your Majesty! In the Imperial Palace armory...!"
Of course, his report reached the ears of Malia and Philly as well.
Their pupils slowly, yet unmistakably, dilated.
Both weapons gripped in Frondier's hands were equally perilous beyond measure.
'You coward...!'
Though it wasn't something a devil should say, Belphegor trembled with rage.
He had been certain that Frondier would unleash his Crossfire—the safest method Frondier could use to strike Belphegor. Of course, its power was nothing to scoff at either.
Thus, Belphegor had prepared spells in both hands to counter it. 'Flames' would serve as a shield to deflect Frondier's sword energy, while his aura would become a spear to pierce Frondier's heart.
Frondier's Crossfire was immensely powerful, but it required an enormous motion—swinging the sword's hilt like a hammer. The tremendous mana loss was an added drawback.
Belphegor had clearly identified that massive opening. He was confident that even if his flames deflected Frondier's sword energy and cost him an arm, his remaining hand would surely kill Frondier.
But instead, Frondier charged at Belphegor wielding both weapons.
There was no time to cancel the spells. He'd be sliced apart mid-cast if he tried.
'Here.'
Choose.
Excalibur or Mjolnir.
Which one should the devil's flames deflect?
Common sense dictated that Excalibur was the obvious choice to block.
Though Mjolnir was the hammer of the gods, Frondier had swallowed a mana crystal and poured nearly all of his surging mana into Excalibur. In its current state, a single strike from Excalibur wasn't just dangerous to Belphegor alone—it posed a threat on a continental scale.
Mjolnir's strike would still deal catastrophic damage, but it was incomparable to Excalibur.
Therefore.
'If it's you—!'
Whoosh!
Belphegor swung his flames toward Mjolnir.
Excalibur, with all its power concentrated into a single point. But precisely because of that, if it were Frondier, he would surely swing Mjolnir instead. Excalibur was just a bluff to conceal Mjolnir.
And then.
"Gaaah!"
His prediction was correct.
Frondier swung Mjolnir instead of Excalibur, and it was deflected by Belphegor's flames, grazing past his hand. Belphegor's blue flames weren't mere fire—they were a concentrated mass of energy.
By manipulating the countless streams of flame, he could deflect almost anything. Moreover, anything they touched would inevitably be consumed by the blue fire.
Mjolnir missed its mark, and Frondier lost his grip on it as his left hand caught fire. Though Frondier endured using Helheim's mana and his innate aura, the devil's flames were no trifling matter.
'Now, next!'
Frondier's stance was broken. He still held Excalibur, but striking Belphegor with it would be difficult.
Belphegor's gaze locked onto Excalibur. His aura radiated a chilling killing intent. Should he behead Frondier now? No—knowing this bastard, he might be aiming for mutual destruction.
Sever his arm first. Beheading could come after!
Belphegor raised his hand like a blade. That single motion surged with a sharpness no clumsy famed sword could hope to match.
The moment his hand was about to cleave through Frondier's arm—
Craaack!!
"?!"
Belphegor's mind reeled. His vision flashed white in an instant. The pain assaulting his skull came moments later.
Through his flickering vision, he gritted his teeth and assessed the situation.
What had happened? Right—Frondier's doing. Had he hidden one last trick up his sleeve until the very end? He must have Fabricated something behind his back to strike Belphegor's head.
How dare—
Blood vessels bulged in Belphegor's eyes. Though the timing was slightly off, it didn't matter. With only Excalibur left, Frondier had no way to defeat him.
'All his mana is poured into Excalibur. Just avoid that, and it's over!'
But when Belphegor turned to confirm Frondier's position—
"Tch—"
"......What."
Frondier's left hand was still.
Gripping Mjolnir.
'What, how can this be.......'
He shouldn't have enough mana left to recreate Mjolnir.
Even if he did, Fabrication would take far more time than this.
"......You, that thing—"
CRACK, CRACKLE-CRACKLE!
As if swallowing even Belphegor's voice, the sudden lightning that struck paralyzed him.
KWA-RRRRUMBLE!!!
A bolt from the blue.
Mjolnir absorbed every last spark, the power surging through the wings of Black Heaven spread behind Frondier before roaring back to life once more.
——To wield Mjolnir means to have gained its acknowledgment.
'That's the real thing.'
Not Black Heaven, not Menosorpo, nor any combination of the two.
'Mjolnir' had been placed in Frondier's hand.
WHOOSH-CRACK!
The wings of Black Heaven scattered and soared. The black waves, now charged with lightning, gathered into Frondier's right hand—into Excalibur.
"......What are you."
Paralyzed, Belphegor could only spit out words.
Why was he still standing with a left hand scorched by blue flames?
Why was he gripping Mjolnir in that hand, not through Fabrication?
Why was Mjolnir obeying someone like him?
You, who aren't even a Hero.
You, who should be nothing!
"Just what the hell are you?!!"
Frondier's cold gaze bore down on Belphegor, lightning and flames dancing before his eyes.
Even if he knew what Belphegor was asking,
Frondier had no reason to reveal the truth.
"Hmm, this spot will do."
Quinier de Biet climbed to the top of a tall spire near the Imperial Palace.
Though the view was vast, of course, no section of the Barrier was visible from here. Quinier hadn't ascended to check on the Barrier.
She had a mission only she could fulfill.
"Though it did cost a fortune."
Quinier had become a knight, but at heart, she was still a merchant who moved money. She had rebuilt her family through insight and connections.
Now, the Biet Family had grown beyond mere restoration—thriving enough to rival the magical artifact company 'Hitchcock.'
Just as during The Raid on Constelle, Quinier had countless reliable connections to call upon.
"Well, is everything ready?"
Quinier pulled out her phone and called Malia. She needed the signal.
"......Oh my, really? Now?"
Whatever Malia told her, Quinier's face brightened as she repeated the words.
Hanging up, she pressed a button on the remote she pulled from her pocket, her face brimming with anticipation.
And then—
VWOOOM!
Above the Empire's skies, a massive hologram flickered to life.
This was an application of 'Wizerview,' linking Malia's shared vision through mana.
A magical engineering feat that divided the perspectives of each individual Malia observed into separate channels.
For now, only one channel could be displayed, but as the technology advanced, more would follow.
"We can't keep fighting like fools even after the war ends."
Frondier was now heading somewhere beyond the Empire's sight.
If he toppled Manggot's leader, the war should end there. Any further sacrifice would be meaningless.
......Of course, this wasn't something Frondier had been informed of.
Quinier's fan-spread smile was downright devilish.
"But everyone deserves to know how this fight ends."
You won't get mad, will you, Frondier?
POP!
Soon, Frondier's figure appeared on the hologram.
Quinier became nothing short of a spectator, her sparkling eyes fixed on the sky.
This channel was already installed across the entire Barrier, ensuring everyone fighting there could see the broadcast.
[What are you.]
The first voice heard was that of the gray-haired Devil.
Belphegor's voice, dripping with malice, echoed across the entire Empire.
[Just what the hell are you?!!]
And then Frondier, holding Mjolnir aloft, gathered an overwhelming surge of mana—one so vast even Wizerview couldn't fully capture it.
[Still don't get it?!]
Black waves coiled around his Excalibur.
Lightning coursed through the waves, converging before his eyes.
Frondier's voice, roaring with Aura, scorched the very air.
[I am?]
The divine hammer struck the hilt of the Hero's sword.
[Frondier de Roah?!!]
KWA-AAAAAAH!!!
The unleashed Sword Essence, dyed in Black Heaven, radiated a dark light.
Piercing the Devil's chest, it sent him plummeting from the heavens to the earth.
"......Ah!"
Immediately after, Wizerview's screen cut out.
Whether the magical artifact still needed adjustments or the sheer mana explosion had caused a malfunction.
"......Well, whatever."
Quinier placed her hands on her hips and nodded, satisfied.
"This is the Empire's declaration."