Chapter 128
Chapter 128
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: Boika's Demise
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Boom!
Boika flew backward from the massive impact that threw his upper body back.
The Devil Squad member clinging to him was shaken off by the shock.
“Kraaang!”
With his left chest deeply caved in, Boika let out a roar as he sprang to his feet.
Another aura infused with light came flying at him.
“...!”
Instinctively realizing that reacting to the gunshot would be too slow, Boika hurled his body sideways the moment he saw the aura's glow.
Dodging the aura with nimble movements that belied his massive bulk, he charged at Arthur.
Arthur simply gazed at Boika calmly.
When the rock-like fist came flying in, whipping up a gale,
Arthur raised his left hand.
Boom!
A tremendous explosion rang out.
At the same time, Boika's eyes widened in shock.
His fist had been caught by Arthur.
“Die—!”
He swung his other fist down toward Arthur's head.
Just before the fist could reach his head!
Boika felt something hard pressing against his chest.
It was the barrel of the Benelli M1.
A pure white light gathered at the muzzle.
Bang—.
With the gunshot, over ten orbs of aura embedded themselves in Boika's chest.
“Kraaaah!”
Roaring, Boika was sent flying at least five meters before crashing into the ground.
The power was incomparable to anything before.
Thud—.
At the same time, Arthur appeared in front of Boika as if he had teleported.
It was the Bow Master's technique, 'Acrobat,' unfolded.
Now a Sword Master himself, he could wield a Sword Master's ultimate arts.
Recalling the technique Sir Helm had used against him in their duel, he replicated it perfectly.
He aimed the barrel at Boika's chest once more.
Bang—.
Over ten orbs of aura tore through his chest.
“Kraaaah!”
The roar that had terrified everyone now sounded like a pathetic scream.
The Devil Squad, watching the scene, couldn't hide their astonishment at Arthur's overwhelming power.
‘He's truly incredible...’
‘I never imagined he'd be this strong...’
Seeing Arthur's prowess again, Aria was convinced he was the great hero mentioned in the scriptures.
Clenching her fists, she cheered for him before speaking to Poshe.
“Could you put me down?”
“Ah, yes.”
Poshe, who had been staring blankly at Arthur, quickly set her down.
“Please help me.”
“How?”
Aria glanced at Millerph, enveloped in light.
“I'm asking you to look after Uncle.”
“Where are you going?”
“To do what I can.”
Aria rushed to Furuma, who lay collapsed nearest to her.
Kneeling beside him, she placed her hand on his forehead and prayed.
“May Lord Karen's grace descend upon you...”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Furuma's forehead glowed pure white.
The light soon enveloped his entire body.
After a moment,
The light faded from Furuma's body, and a miraculous event occurred.
All his wounds had healed, and his face wore a serene expression.
Moving on to Bakun next, Aria assumed the same posture and prayed.
The same phenomenon occurred with him.
While she healed the Devil Squad members one by one, Arthur glared at Boika and summoned Pharsia.
Pharsia appeared before him.
Arthur asked coldly,
“Didn't I specifically ask you to protect these guys?”
Pharsia replied with a regretful expression.
-I had no choice.
“What do you mean?”
-While I'm not formally contracted with the Count, we share a mental link. But the moment he lost consciousness, our connection severed. Because of that, I couldn't intervene no matter what happened.
“That's unacceptable.”
-I was heartbroken having to just watch.
“Fine. Protect them now.”
-Understood. And congratulations on becoming a Sword Master.
Pharsia smiled and continued.
“You'll soon hear from the spirit realm.”
-It's already here.
Arthur aimed the barrel at Boika again.
“For touching my subordinates, pay with your life.”
Pure white light gathered at the muzzle.
‘Light?’
Pharsia had thought it was Arthur's awakened ability.
But hearing his words, it felt different.
It wasn't an aura humans could possess.
“No way!”
An unexpected presence came to mind.
And sure enough,
It emerged behind Arthur.
Clad in a pure white robe, exuding a saintly aura like a cleric.
It was the spirit of light, Nigras.
-Long time no see.
-How are you...
For the first time in centuries, a nature spirit had been summoned.
-Tell the material realm spirits: I, Nigras, have contracted with Arthur Julius.
-Damn it.
Pharsia's face hardened as it vanished.
Then the gunshot rang out.
Bang—.
Aura orbs embedded in Boika's chest once more.
With his chest turned into a honeycomb, even his unique regenerative ability seemed useless as blood sprayed like a fountain.
“Kraaaah!”
Boika screamed at the top of his lungs to endure the pain.
The overwhelming figure who had terrorized everyone just moments ago was gone.
He was now just a trembling, feeble monster.
Arthur pressed his foot on Boika's chest and demanded,
“What were you doing here?”
“V-Vulcan, His Holiness...”
“Hmm.”
Arthur furrowed his brow.
In the end, he would have to confront Vulcan to resolve everything.
Deciding to ask about the woman Vulcan had brought last,
“Who is this woman you called the Saintess?”
“...About her... I know nothing.”
Thwack!
Arthur shoved the barrel into his mouth.
“Enough. Get lost.”
Bang—.
Boika's head exploded like a bursting watermelon.
Despite the fatal chest wounds that should have been holes, he hadn't died.
Even during their brief exchange, his injuries had been visibly healing.
So Arthur shattered his skull.
Suddenly, golden light erupted from Boika's corpse.
‘What is this?’
Arthur's eyes flashed.
Aria and the Devil Squad watching him were equally stunned.
The golden light grew blindingly intense, and Boika's body began to crumble.
It scattered like dust in all directions, vanishing without a trace.
“Gasp!”
“H-He vanished!”
Everyone's eyes widened in shock.
As Arthur inwardly panicked, Nigras's voice whispered in his ear.
-Anyone using the power of darkness vanishes from the material realm when defeated by me.
‘The power of darkness...’
-Darkness is the root of the Demon King's power. In short, he was a creation of the Demon King.
“Hmm...”
Arthur furrowed his brow.
Aria, witnessing the scene, felt her faith shaken violently.
It was nearly identical to the scriptures' description of the power of light annihilating darkness.
If it truly was the power of light!
‘How does the Count wield the power of light...?’
Questions filled Aria's face.
Meanwhile, the Devil Squad gazed at Arthur with reverent eyes, as if beholding a god.
‘My Lord...’
Arthur looked around.
Seeing his battered Devil Squad tore at his heart.
Suppressing his emotions, he turned toward the garden.
Millerph was regaining consciousness after his ritual.
He had underestimated Boika's recovery ability, leading to this disaster.
‘It won't happen again.’
Arthur bit his lower lip and clenched his fist.
Millerph hurried over and bowed deeply.
“I'm sorry. This is all my fault.”
“No, it's mostly mine.”
Arthur examined Millerph closely.
He couldn't verify the healing, but his energy felt more refined than before.
“How's your body?”
“Not only fully recovered, but I gained such fortune that I broke through the wall.”
Meaning he had reached the 7th Class realm.
The Oscar Empire's officially recognized top mages were only 6th Class.
And there were just five, including Millerph.
It was remarkable.
But knowing Altros was at least 8th Class, Arthur took it calmly.
Millerph felt the same, showing no joy.
“So that's why your energy feels more refined.”
“I won't cause you worry again, my lord.”
“Don't forget the enemy vastly outmatches us.”
“I'll keep it in mind. You've reached Sword Master realm too...?”
Millerph trailed off, tilting his head.
Strangely, the intense aura unique to Sword Masters was absent.
Only a Grand Sword Master could suppress their presence like that.
And it was impossible for Arthur to jump straight to Grand Sword Master.
Moreover, his body seemed to faintly glow, emanating a mystical aura.
‘What in the world?’
As doubt clouded Millerph's eyes, Arthur pointed to the Devil Squad.
“Heal them first.”
“Understood.”
Millerph moved swiftly to the Devil Squad.
Unsure if enemy reinforcements might arrive, Arthur stepped out of the sanctuary.
He scanned the surroundings, but saw only enemy corpses.
A heavy silence hung in the air.
A sudden thought struck him.
If one of Boika's subordinates had escaped or watched from afar!
Vulcan would know by now and be on high alert.
With the need to return to the Oscar Empire by tomorrow evening at the latest,
“This schedule's going to be tight.”
As Arthur's face hardened, dust clouds rose in the distance—horses galloping toward them.
Leading them was Niang, one of the Seven Priests.
Word of the new Saintess's emergence must have drawn the priests.
But they kept coming endlessly.
He wondered where all these people had been hiding.
Their attire varied wildly.
From tavern waitstaff to dock loaders, people from all walks of life.
Seeing them reminded him of the informant's report: ‘corrupt clerics.’
Now he understood why that rumor spread.
They had hidden their identities under Vulcan's pressure.
Artisan's plan had been in motion for a long time.
Their concealed power was now emerging, and Arthur had gained new strength, growing even stronger.
A fierce glint filled Arthur's eyes.
“I'll wipe them out in one go.”
***
At that moment,
As Arthur predicted, reports of the dock and Scollas Sanctuary incidents reached Vulcan.
“What?!”
Vulcan's eyes bulged.
Boika was a powerhouse nearing Sword Master level.
He couldn't believe such a man had been easily subdued by a young boy.
Vulcan immediately ordered his knights to assume combat readiness and prepare for enemy attack.
Then he hurried through a secret passage behind his office.
Opening a black door, he entered a room where a woman in a revealing red dress—exposing her entire back—stood haughtily by the window.
Yet she exuded an icy aura that kept anyone at bay.
It was Joshua, whom he had proclaimed the true Saintess.
Vulcan approached cautiously and bowed deeply.
“Boika... has fallen.”
Joshua's brow furrowed.
No one here could match Boika.
Moreover, he and his men possessed Patrium, so even a Sword Master shouldn't defeat them easily.
‘That bitch's doing.’
It had to be Aria, who fled the kingdom and returned with an outsider.
“Did you confirm who?”
Her voice chilled him to the bone.
Tensing, Vulcan swallowed and stammered,
“I-It was a boy, with murderously fierce eyes, they said.”
“A boy...”
Joshua racked her brain with all known information, pondering the boy's identity.
After a moment,
One figure came to mind.
“What color was his hair?”
“They said his head was wrapped in cloth.”
“If he hides his hair and has the skill to face a Sword Master... he's brought quite the interesting fellow.”
Joshua smiled enigmatically as she picked up a wine glass from the windowsill.
She sipped the red liquid inside.
The spill trickled down her neck into her cleavage.
Killing intent filled her eyes.
“We need to prepare to welcome them.”
“I've already given the orders.”
“Those fools won't cut it.”
Turning around, Joshua looked past Vulcan at the wall.
“You'll have to step up.”