Chapter 270
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 270
Chapter Title: Shadows of the Red Moon
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Actually, you could tell just by observing the phenomenon that the red moon wasn't omnipotent.
Whatever its origin, there was no way it would trade blows back and forth like kids playing around.
In other words, most of these bizarre phenomena—including the current red moon event—were probably the best those things could manage.
Analyzing their actions up to now, this latest phenomenon must have cost them a hefty price.
That said, it still felt too easily thwarted for something of that scale.
The monsters cloaked in apocalyptic flames had been genuinely threatening, and there were plenty of them, but the protective barriers infused with the holy knights' divine power had more than held them at bay.
"Remiel?"
"Vanished without a trace."
This wasn't just a conclusion from a visual scan.
Luna was familiar with the unique power of an archangel like Remiel. Even fallen, it shouldn't have been undetectable.
The red sky faded completely, and the crimson rifts hanging in the heavens began winking out one by one.
The monsters were gone, but even that brief assault had inflicted heavy casualties.
"Young Master Leon."
"What happened?"
"That's what I'd like to ask you. How did you know to come?"
Instead of mentioning the librarian, it was easier to blame it on the saintess's contact.
"The Saintess reached out."
"We owe our lives to her oracle. Who would've thought her being outside the kingdom would turn out to be a blessing."
"What's the damage report?"
"In the best light, we contained it with this level of sacrifice. In the worst, innocent lives were snuffed out."
The casualties were light, but not zero.
"More importantly, what about Remiel?"
"She was definitely at the spire's peak... Damn it."
"Looks like we fell for a feint. Their real target from the start wasn't the Holy Kingdom—it was Remiel."
Following Diablo to the last place I'd met Remiel, Luna and I surveyed the spire's summit, where she'd vanished without a trace.
"This looks like battle damage."
The tip of the spire had been sliced off with surgical precision.
"Remiel's Blade of Melody. The traces linger."
Meaning she hadn't gone willingly.
"Why target her?"
"Beats me. No telling what's in those things' heads."
"We must rescue her before it's too late."
"Any ideas? There's not a single clue left."
As Diablo said, we had zero leads on tracking Remiel's disappearance.
"Well..."
"Luna Basilyn. I know you're worried about Remiel, but rushing won't help."
He turned away decisively.
"We'll scour for traces using the Holy Kingdom's intelligence network first. Surely you have your own sources?"
Dib's gaze shifted to me.
Fair enough. I did have one. I just wished Luna's Laplace Compass would do its job properly. Looking back, that thing was in rough shape.
It was buried too deep in the ring—nope, couldn't detect anything else.
"Guess I'll have to meet the heretics."
"They likely hold items that could aid the search. They've been collecting powerful artifacts for ages."
A question nagged at me.
"What the hell are they even after?"
"Do you know the heretics' origins?"
"No clue."
"Originally, they sought out, isolated, eliminated, or studied entities harmful or threatening to the world. They only twisted once they started wielding that power themselves. Point is, the heretics started with good intentions."
Ridiculous.
"As thanks for this, I'll send an official delegation to House Cascadia later. Appreciate it, Leon."
"No problem."
"Without you, the sacrifices would've been far worse. And Luna Basilyn Raphael."
Dib's eyes fixed on Luna.
"Remember this. You're not alone anymore."
"...I know."
Meaning she couldn't go charging off solo. Not with me or Melissa by her side.
"This raid was just a prelude. We should counterattack now—make sure they can't interfere with this land for a while."
The rest was predictable.
The raid on the Holy Kingdom sent ripples through multiple nations.
No reason it couldn't happen anywhere else without warning.
Wearing a black top hat, Niara quietly awaited someone amid the ruins.
Whoosh!!
Moments later, flames that warped the air around him erupted before his eyes.
-You rat! How dare you deceive me!?
"Deceive? Choose your words carefully. It's not happening right now, is it?"
Even amid flames that seemed ready to incinerate everything, the pure white glow on Niara's face showed no change.
If anything, his eerie, torn smile looked even more chilling.
"We recovered the target, so he'll definitely come here. You've expended a lot on this—you can reveal yourself when he shows."
-No lies?
"Of course. Oh, and unlike me, shedding your power's restraints means penalties elsewhere. Don't forget—you could take a fatal blow."
-It's still just a puny insect. Don't compare it to me.
"My, my~"
Shrugging leisurely, he glanced at Remiel, slumped with eyes closed.
They'd said she couldn't be possessed. But poke her weakness a little, and her mental barriers crumbled fast.
Archangels of old lacked egos, making them immensely powerful.
But these modern ones? No real threat.
-You just gonna leave her like that? An archangel once symbol of terror, reduced to this.
"Eh, probably having a nice dream."
-That one's prime gate material. Keep an eye on her.
"As long as you don't get breached."
As the roaring flames let out a low growl, Niara shrugged and vanished.
The Holy Kingdom op had drained more power than expected—no room for waste.
After Remiel vanished, Isna, Luna, and I decided to make contact with the heretics.
Isna insisted on coming, claiming she had a stake in this.
Obviously, I wasn't crazy enough to drag her into danger, but she stuck to me like glue, so there was no shaking her.
The rendezvous was in the Demon Realm of Cascadia's ducal territory.
Melissa, hearing the report en route, clutched her neck and yelled that once this was over, I shouldn't even think of leaving the mansion—but knowing it came from worry made it oddly heartwarming.
"What a joke. Meet in the no-entry Demon Realm? This your playground? Think the Cascadia guard is a pushover?"
"W-Wait!!"
As I moved to cut him down, he freaked and threw up his hands to stop me.
"Don't you need our help?!"
"Watch your mouth, asshole. It's not 'help'—we're temporarily cooperating out of mutual need. Sounds like you think we're disposable."
"So what?"
Still playing power games.
Without hesitation, I wrapped my blade in aura and advanced on him.
"Fine. No reason to spare useless trash. Die."
"W-W-Wait!!"
Sensing I meant business, he yelled in panic.
"Calm down!! I'm sorry! My bad!"
"Figured your dog provocation was bait to test me."
"Damn hothead... Let's get to business. We have a way to find them."
He gestured, and heretics emerged from the shadows pulling a small cart.
"Behold, the ugly demon in our possession."
He yanked the cloth off the cart's cargo, revealing a statue-sized demon.
Creepily, its face was sealed under thick cloth, rags, and countless enchanted scrolls.
"Don't look at its face, ever. See it, and it'll kill you."
Who cares if it's handsome or ugly if you can't see it.
"Wait, the statue moves? Or does it curse you?"
"It moves. An ancient cursed artifact."
Something uncanny emanated from the statue, but pinning it down was tricky.
"No way. The ugly demon? Thought it was just folklore."
Isna's eyes widened in a short gasp.
"You know it?"
"Leon, you don't? It was a famous legend in Bata Kingdom once. Farmers unearthed it underground, peeked at its face, and met gruesome ends."
"Never cared for that stuff. And you said it was ancient."
"Of course it's nonsense. Just a story. They use it to scare naughty kids, though."
I glanced at the statue again.
Covered face or not, it didn't scream danger, but if it could track Niara, it'd benefit us without extra effort.
Wonder if Luna knew.
"This from another dimension?"
"Don't know the details. But it appeared in this world one day. We found it in the Demon Realm. Its real terror isn't danger—it's that it finds prey anywhere. Even ocean trenches."
"Danger level?"
"Experts can chop it. But if that was all, it wouldn't be infamous. Scariest part? It doesn't die."
Precisely, even total destruction lets it regenerate and move again.
Now I was curious. How'd they stay under the radar with this monster?
Just show its face to assassination targets—done.
"Okay, great. But how do we use it to find them? Niara seeing its face is the first problem."
"Targets won't see its face, so one alone isn't enough. But we have multiple artifacts, creatures that cause phenomena, and more."
He continued.
"We'll handle the search prep. Your job..."
"Find the bastard and end him. Right?"
"Temporary alliance until then."
"Hmm..."
Suddenly pictured a frog perched on a snake's head, moving together.
They were still hiding what they could while demanding trust.