Chapter 217
Chapter 217
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 217
Chapter Title: Star Crusher (6)
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Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?
Question marks stabbed relentlessly into his mind. The hollow queries echoed endlessly. It was a bizarre phenomenon that even the multitude of Elga's gospels, numerous as stars in the night sky, couldn't unravel.
Nevertheless, Angelion, the "Star that Preaches the Gospel," clung desperately to a thread of reason, trying to make sense of the situation.
'The barbarian wiped out the gospel constructs in the central square just to head to the evacuation zone... Then he suddenly veered toward the workshop, demanding the old man's divine weapon... And he recited the gospel to activate the stigmata's "constraint"...'
The earlier events could somewhat align if the barbarian had been searching for someone and heard about the old man in the evacuation zone. But the final act was utterly inexplicable.
From the circumstances, it seemed the barbarian had fully grasped the stigmata's effects and constraints. Otherwise, he couldn't have prepared a paper with the gospel inscribed on it in advance. But how on earth had he figured it out...? Fine, even if he knew the activation conditions for the constraint, how did he know I would be summoned here...?
But that wasn't what mattered now. Far more urgent than uncovering the truth or resolving doubts—thousands of times more so—was...
――――― Kwa-ang!!!Kwarururur...
...surviving that monster in the iron mask.
"Kuhk!! Kehek, kuhk, kuhk..."
A single kick had sent him crashing through the workshop wall, flying dozens of meters. The armor had saved his life; bare-bodied, it would have reduced him to mincemeat.
The barbarian's power was another massive enigma. Overwhelming strength comparable to the upper echelons of the Decagram. And as evidenced by neutralizing the central square's gospel constructs, he wielded sinister mystic arts as well.
There had been no word of such a monster in the alliance. He'd heard Agon's Furious Horn was impressive, but not on par with the stars... This was like... a demon that even devoured stars... the fiend who killed the archbishop's nephew and an Arch Paladin... the one Archbishop Erensko was desperately hunting...
...A "fiend"?
Pataterateraterak ―――― Kwa-ang!
"Kuhyeok!!"
The axe blade smashed into his breastplate; broken ribs snapped again. Angelion shoved aside stray thoughts and focused on facing the enemy.
Violating the stigmata's constraint would bring "divine punishment." Thus, he had to judge the barbarian personally. But that was impossible. He hadn't risen to Decagram through personal might alone.
But... what if it was just about enduring?
Bare-bodied, even that would be impossible. Fortunately, Angelion hadn't been summoned completely unarmed.
Wuuuuung-!!!
The gospel summoned a pure white flash from thin air. Responding to Elga's miracle, the plate armor revealed its true form. The gleaming steel unfolded like leather, wrapping tightly around his body layer by layer.
Soon, Angelion was encased in overlapping layers of radiant steel leather.
His vision was blocked, movement cumbersome, but his defense was unparalleled. The impact from the throwing axes—which had multiplied his broken ribs several times over—was almost entirely nullified.
Peok!
Kadim retrieved his axe and closed in. Seeing the enemy cocooned like a silkworm, he furrowed his brow.
"...I finally dragged you out of your nest, and now you're pupating."
"......"
"You really love holing up like a maggot."
――――――― Peok!
A punch laden with brute force struck the leather. Angelion sucked in a breath. The damage was minimal, but the heavy vibration made his gut clench.
――――――― Peok! Peok!!
――――――― Seogeuk-!! Seogeogeuk-!!
But his tension and fear gradually subsided. This armor, the "Radiant Garb of Light," wasn't ordinary—it was Elga's "divine weapon," top-tier for defense. The barbarian's fists, axes, and slashes produced only loud echoes, all effortlessly blocked.
'This should... let me hold out safely for a while.'
Of course, he wasn't just blindly buying time. Angelion had already summoned sturdy reinforcements.
Vitares, the Arch Paladin holding the Decagram's seventh seat.
No matter the monster, facing two "stars" at once would be impossible.
'Hide here and endure until Sir Vitares arrives... Pass him the dwarf god's divine weapon, gather the remaining gospel constructs and familiars for a joint assault, and finally, I personally sever the barbarian's windpipe... That resolves the constraint, avoids divine punishment, and returns me to my original room...'
...He was painting this rosy future when the "Radiant Garb of Light" tore.
――――――――― Kwagwagwa, Kwagwagwang-!!!
A thunderous roar echoed. Dozens of layers split in an instant. Through the fist-wide gap, the barbarian gripping his wildly swinging axe came into view.
"Still no intention of crawling out?"
"Aaah, uhaaaaaak!!"
"Fine. If you want that cocoon as your coffin, stay burrowed inside."
――――――― Pajijik, pajijijik-!
Kadim ignited lightning once more. A blinding flash, blooming thunderbolts, and thermal pressure crushed the pea-sized heart of the cornered Arch Paladin.
Angelion had two choices: patch the gap with remaining leather or unravel it to hinder the foe. He deemed the former futile thrashing and instead uncoiled strands to wrap the barbarian's arm.
Wung, huuuung-!!
But it was futile thrashing all the same.
Jjik, jjijijik, jjeojeojeok-!!
The barbarian yanked his arm with full force; the steel leather snapped easier than bandages. It had only been made flexible, yet its tensile strength and hardness exceeded plate armor... Angelion couldn't avoid a direct hit from the lightning dragging him in.
Beonjjeok-!!
――――――――― Kwagwagwa, Kwagwagwang-!!!
"Geua, haaa... kuaaaaaak!!"
His vision burned blue. Nerves numbed with prickling agony, muscles spasmed wildly. Elga's miracle preserved his life, but he had no confidence enduring another such bolt.
In the end, Angelion unraveled all the wrapping leather. He crawled out like a ragged clump, trembling like a rat without a hole. Soon, a massive hand seized his collar and hoisted him up.
"Gek, kehek, kehe..."
"Tell me where you hid Old Man Ironhammer's masterpiece. From now on, any nonsense and I'll chop off your limbs one by one with this axe."
"Wh-what are you...! W-wait, heretic... Let's calm down and negotiate calmly..."
Jjeok!
He started with the right leg, and Kadim kept his word precisely.
"Aah, haa, kuaaaaaak!!"
The leg struck by the axe blade fell away like a skinny hunk of meat. To save the rest, he should've shut up immediately, but panic-stricken Angelion recited the gospel out of habit.
Jjeok!!
"Keuk, kuaaaaaak!!"
"After the limbs, it's your skull. Choose your next three bits of nonsense carefully."
The "Star that Preaches the Gospel" learned, only after losing his right arm and leg, that Elga's gospel wasn't always helpful. To protect his left limbs and head, he hurriedly spilled the info the barbarian wanted.
"Th-the old man's abomination was moved outside the west gate...! B-but... hngk, but you really shouldn't touch it... kuhk... because..."
"...Because you're handing it over to another 'star,' that nonsense?"
"......"
Angelion stared into the abyss-like eyes of the barbarian. In that moment, a strong premonition hit: even if the Decagram gained one more, they couldn't handle this one.
So he exaggerated the truth, bluffing.
"Yes... ugh, but he's not coming alone... Two other Decagram members and regimental priests are coming with him to occupy Delutana... So, kuhk, if you don't want to perish with this corrupt city... meekly abandon that abomination and release me, heretic..."
He hadn't expected quivering terror or groveling, but at least some tension for negotiation. The response was utterly unexpected.
"Then is that 'Star that Devours Darkness' coming too?"
"...What?"
"Heard he's the strongest knight here since the First Seat's sealed."
"N-no... Sir Cassius is still attending the archbishop and hasn't deployed... But you, how do you know the First Seat is sealed...?"
"Too bad. Still, sending four companions ahead should keep the old man from feeling too slighted."
"......"
"The rest can wait for another chance... For now, guide me to where you hid the old man's masterpiece."
Angelion's face went blank at first, uncomprehending. Then realization twisted his features in thunderbolt-like shock.
This man... intended to exterminate the entire Decagram.
*
Delutana's evacuation zone was like a cauldron bubbling over a lava pit.
"Damn it, we gotta get out of here now..."
"Aaaah!! My leg!! My leg!!"
"Has anyone seen a bald man with a big scar on his arm? Kid, you haven't seen someone like that around here?"
"Waaah... Mommy, Mommy..."
"Everyone, no need to flee the city! All the monsters from the central square have been taken down!!"
The injured who'd barely escaped were trampled by the fleeing crowds. Women searching for kin mingled with orphans wailing for lost parents. Bystanders ignored them, ears only for gossips recounting sightings. Tens of thousands of survivors churned in utter chaos.
Duncan navigated the pandemonium for ages before miraculously finding those who knew his family's whereabouts.
"...Mrs. Wheeled and her son? They left Delutana a few days ago on business."
Atala warriors of the Indomitable Legion. Goltaran had earnestly instructed everyone to remember the woman's location.
The problem: the warriors didn't recognize Duncan.
"Where'd they go? Why are you prying?"
"I-I'm... Mrs. Wheeled's—er, Yulia's husband! I've run from the Great Forest here in six days searching for my wife and son..."
"...What? The Great Forest is nearly the alliance border, and you ran here in six days? You expect us to buy that crap...?"
Far from revealing her location, the warriors eyed him suspiciously.
They'd actually met Duncan before. Hell, they'd escorted him all the way. Outside Agon, when the Indomitable Legion saw off the benefactor who'd freed slaves and provided military funds.
But they'd been distant, everyone's focus solely on Kadim. Overlooking this puny merchant was natural. Plus, with so many scammers after Mrs. Wheeled's wealth lately, their wariness was at an all-time high...
The warriors exchanged glances and subtly gripped axe hilts. Seeing it, Duncan panicked and clutched his dagger and sword hilt in turn.
Fortunately, a savior appeared before things escalated.
"Hm...? Isn't that..."
"Huh? D-Duncan, isn't it?"
Soldiers passing by suddenly greeted him familiarly. Clad in armor of olive scales—a thousand loden per piece, a hundred per chunk, devil byproducts he'd sold... "Hydra scales."
"Oh! You soldiers from back then..."
Adjutants under Adjutant Enrico.