Chapter 212
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 212
Chapter Title: Part 2, Chapter 5: Divine Beast (2)
Saint Emac of the Driane Church wrapped the stigmata on the back of his right hand with his left.
Following the High Priest Helm's will, he was carrying out a task only he could perform.
Over five years, blood and corpses scattered across Harmonia. And the six Holy Bodies that Helm had established throughout the kingdom.
Using those as the foundation, they would summon their Parent God's mightiest creation to this land.
He pulled his left hand away and raised the stigmata on his right hand high.
A red light shot up into the sky, then thunder crashed down as red clouds began to blanket the heavens.
Six lines crossing Harmonia's territory, two completed triangles, and a hexagram formed by overlapping them inversely.
The sacrifices for the descent ritual were still insufficient, but Helm had said it was enough even now.
He felt a twinge of unease, but the High Priest was effectively the Church's supreme authority. Even a saint could not defy his orders.
"Basilisk!!"
⟨ Basilisk Descent ⟩
The red light surging from the stigmata deepened to the hue of blood. The clouds spread in a circle as black light began pouring down.
It was the divinity of Driane.
Emac's face lit up.
Far in the distance, high above, Driane's divine beast was revealing its massive form upon the earth.
A body stretching hundreds of meters, covered in pure white scales, a pair of feathered wings sprouting from its back, and finally, a face resembling a dragon's.
Its majesty fell short of what was recorded in their scriptures, but that was unavoidable.
It wasn't the Mythic Age, after all. To summon it in its fully recorded form would require not five years' worth of sacrifices, but fifty.
"This will suffice."
Among the properly prepared denominations, only the Pyro Church—currently embroiled in intense conflict—and the Zenith Church, which had nearly unified the eastern continent, remained.
The other churches were undoubtedly rushing their own preparations.
Thus, to survive the crumbling Twelve Church system, the Driane Church had to play its hand.
And the result was the divine beast Basilisk.
Kwaaaaaang!
A roar that seemed to tear space itself asunder.
Emac burst into laughter upon hearing it.
Lennon opened his mouth as he gazed at the winged serpent that had burst through the red sky.
"...What the hell is that?"
Even from afar, the serpent boasted an enormous size, slowly descending to the ground as if blessed by the black light.
Despite the distance, an instinctive fear welled up.
Lennon felt cold sweat pouring from his hands.
And he wasn't the only one.
"Everyone."
Anne, her face pale with terror, was backing away.
Even Hera, who had maintained her composure throughout, was sweating now. Her clenched fists were striking.
Hawks was the same.
His condition was better than the other two, but his face was grim as he spoke.
"Damn it... What the hell is that snake, flying around with wings?"
"...Still, thanks to that thing, it looks like we survived."
Among the three, Lennon was in the best shape.
He glanced at the Driane Church followers who had been hot on their heels.
The frenzied monsters leading the mad pursuit were nowhere to be seen.
More precisely...
"Looks like that snake's connected to the Driane Church."
"Urgh."
Hawks leaped onto a rooftop and looked back at the pursuing Driane followers.
All of them were kneeling on the ground, hands clasped in prayer toward the serpent.
"Should we use this chance to run?"
"...Running might be tough."
At that moment, Anne, who had fallen into a coma from the overwhelming fear, regained her senses and returned to the group.
Her complexion was still poor, and Hera asked worriedly.
"You okay, Anne?"
"A bit dizzy, but I can hold on."
"What do you mean? Running's tough?"
Hawks jumped down and strode over, pointing at the followers.
"This is our only shot. We need to link up with my comrades fast and get out of here."
"This whole area might be... that snake's territory."
"Kid?"
Lennon answered instead of Anne.
He scowled at the serpent and added.
"I don't know if it's some monster they revere, but nothing else explains why they'd suddenly act like that."
"They're just praying to a holy monster, like we do normally?"
"It's not that vibe. If I had to put it..."
Anne swallowed dryly and spoke in a worried tone.
"They probably don't need to chase us anymore."
In other words, with its appearance, units like Violence or regular followers were no longer needed.
Hawks looked confused.
Hera elaborated to make it clearer.
"I'm a Pyro faithful too, but this isn't like peacetime prayers. This is wartime. The enemy is the Liberation Army's elite few—practically archfoes. The situation's already a mess. Civil war dragging on. That's their trump card to end it all."
"You mean that snake?"
In simple terms, it was the kingdom's ultimate weapon.
Hawks finally got it, looking fearful again at the serpent.
Then.
"Found you."
A sharp wind whistled through the air, and something landed beside the four.
Lennon tensed at the sudden arrival, mana surging. Hera pulled the still-weak Anne behind her and gripped her staff tight.
Hawks, meanwhile, grinned wide at the newcomers.
"Jin! And... Count?"
"Lucky I found you first."
Neo looked relieved at Hawks.
Then he spotted the two kids and Hera, his eyes widening.
"Why are you all here...?"
"You know them?"
Jin asked Neo warily, hand on his curved sword's hilt.
"Lord Jamie Welton Junior's two disciples and his secretary, Miss Hera Boleno."
"Jamie Welton's disciples?"
"Who are you?"
Hera, the eldest, stepped forward to question Neo.
They'd never met him, so they didn't know who he was. Realizing his slip, Neo apologized and introduced himself.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Neo Fatal of the Harmonia Kingdom."
"Fatal? Of the Fatal family?"
"I'll vouch for him. He's been supporting our Liberation Army with all he has."
As Hera hesitated, Hawks stepped up to confirm Neo's identity.
Then Jin, who had been quiet, spoke.
"We need to get out of here now. That thing's beyond us."
"Who are you?"
Lennon boldly pointed at Jin, who glared back briefly before replying.
"Jamie's disciples, right?"
"...You know Master?"
"Not long."
"O-Our master... Where is he?"
Anne stepped out from behind Hera, asking with a strained face.
With the Basilisk in the sky, her condition wouldn't improve.
She had the lowest realm, so it was inevitable.
Jin glanced at Anne, then pointed toward the Basilisk.
"Probably where that giant snake is."
"Then we have to help!"
Hawks grabbed Lennon's collar as he bolted toward it, hoisting him up.
"Let go! We have to help Master!"
"Even for Master, alone against that monster..."
Anne thought the same, heading that way.
But Hera's words stopped them cold.
"We'd just get in the way."
"..."
"..."
The two turned to Hera at her icy remark.
Hera gently hugged them and said.
"Same for me. We won't help the Elder. We'd be a burden. If we can't do anything, focus on surviving for now. And you both know who your master is."
Anne and Lennon didn't reply, but their faces hardened with resolve unlike before.
Hera smiled rarely and stroked their heads.
Watching, Jin muttered.
"Jamie Welton's got a good secretary."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing. Anyway, priority one is surviving and escaping."
"Got it."
Hawks replied.
Jin ordered him.
"So, Hawks. You're in charge of protecting them."
"...Master?"
Hawks was Jin's disciple.
Jin had taught the nothing he had how to handle mana, how to wield hammer and spikes as weapons.
Not a typical master-disciple bond, but Hawks truly trusted and followed him.
"What about you, Master?"
"I'll help."
"But you said it's too much...!"
"Two of us."
Jin recalled Jamie's strength.
Jamie had fought a Sword Master—mages' natural enemy—with room to spare. Even at full power, Jin couldn't guarantee victory.
Combined with such a man, maybe even that hopeless monster was manageable?
"Gather the others and get as far from the capital as possible. Just in case."
"Jin. You sure?"
"You just focus on surviving."
To Neo's worried question, Jin replied curtly, half-drawing his curved sword.
"That's how you'll shoulder this nation's future."
"Jin!"
His voice didn't reach.
Jin had vanished with the moonlight.
Hawks grimaced at his master's departure but had no time to dwell.
"While my master and your master hold off that monster, we struggle to survive however we can."
"...Fine."
"Then let's find Hawks's comrades quick."
"Shouldn't be hard."
No pursuit meant his comrades were probably adrift somewhere too.
Hawks hoisted Neo onto his back.
"H-Hawks!"
"Quiet. No time for complaints. Follow me!"
Time was short.
The five set off to find Hawks's comrades.
Jamie muttered as he watched the descending Basilisk.
"It's shrunk."
In his Diablo Volpir days, he'd clashed with it several times.
Driane's favorite winged giant serpent.
Its petrifying beam from the mouth was a real pain.
And its size—slightly smaller than Behemoth at his peak.
But now?
"Rat tail-sized?"
Still massive, but knowing its true form, Jamie couldn't help feeling that way.
It looked hundreds of meters now, but back then, it was beyond measure. "Mountain range-sized" fit better.
The thing he'd brawled fiercely with Behemoth—now probably munching apples far away.
'Useless lump.'
Thinking of Behemoth made him sigh.
Had it done its job?
Then the Basilisk gaped its dragon-like maw wide.
"Oh?"
Gray particles gathered in its mouth.
Jamie clicked his tongue.
Getting ready to fire the petrifying beam.
A nuisance back then too. Even shrunk, enough power to turn this land barren.
His own power? Still insect-like compared to his prime.
"No wonder that guy's confident."
To summon Driane's prized divine beast, weakened or not.
Beyond Avalon in left hand, Skuld in right.
Jamie took a deep breath.
"If that hits the ground, the whole plan crumbles."
Seldam would ally with the new nation here. He planned minor war aid later.
No intent to petrify its capital.
So, he had to stop it.
"Things were going too smooth."
Trials felt lacking without hardship.
Though sometimes he wished they'd skip.
The Basilisk spat the petrifying beam earthward.
Gray energy streaked straight down.
"Tch... Can't block it at my current level."
He sighed.
Using power strained his body still, so he kept within limits.
But now, that'd get him petrified.
Better strain than shatter—his body tougher than ever.
Jamie activated all mana cores in his body.
Mana spun rapidly through his meridians.
"I'll 'again' be the one killing you."
A purple dot appeared on his forehead.
It spread across his face into an eerie tattoo, extending over his body.
Boom!!!
Suppressed mana erupted, vibrating the air.
Jamie's eyes fully turned purple.
"Kraaaaaargh!!"
Supreme.
Standing at its threshold, Jamie crossed sword and staff.
There was light.