Chapter 273
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 273
Chapter Title: Storming the Crimson Citadel
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Each faction had completed their preparations for entry, and the heretics were ready to activate their curse formation.
I placed my hand on the faintly spread barrier of death spirit magic.
Even humans corrupted by that blood-red moon seemed to draw from powers they once wielded themselves.
They were a cut above the rest, in their own way... but they were still heretics.
I drew upon my death spirit mana, interfering with the massive barrier.
Vast amounts of death spirit mana surged toward me like it wanted to establish dominance...
BOOM!!!
The death spirit power slumbering within me far exceeded what a single death spirit sorcerer could handle.
In an instant, my death spirit mana spread over the magic like a shroud, meticulously adhering to its form and beginning to erode it.
One second... two seconds... three seconds.
It was taking longer than expected, but not difficult.
CRASH!!!!!
Barriers like this were hard to shatter with brute force.
But being such a vast construct, breaking even a single intricate gear could create massive discrepancies.
Watching the barrier lose its form and melt away in seconds, the heretic executive Dobel shouted.
"Everyone! Activate the curse formation!!"
At his words, the Holy Kingdom deployed holy magic to counter the curse formation.
The elves unleashed spirit magic.
They wore grim expressions facing the hordes of monsters cloaked in apocalyptic flames, but not one retreated.
They could clearly see that the monsters fully afflicted by the heretics' curse formation were moving slower than usual.
"We'll carve the path ahead. Deploy the Holy Radiance Formation."
As the Holy Knight Commander, stepping in for Diablo, drew his sword, holy power began overflowing from the Holy Knights' bodies.
"In the name of God, grant us the strength to repel evil."
"Amen. We shall act in Your name."
With their strange prayer that sounded like a conversation, golden holy power erupted from the Holy Knights, shaping them into a massive spear.
"All units, draw swords."
Shing!!! Clang!!!
The Holy Knights drew their blades in unison and assumed charging stances like mounted knights.
"Charge."
CRREEEAK!!!
Leading with shields and swords, they merged into a single spear and surged forward at tremendous speed, piercing the heart of the gathering monsters like a blade cleaving the sea.
A linked maneuver impossible without long years of coordination.
Dozens of Holy Knights moved as one body, like a giant battering ram piercing a single point.
It wasn't just a simple charge formation. It must have taken considerable effort to reach this level.
From their positions in the formation, the Holy Knights became dozens of battering rams, collapsing the enemy lines.
"Rangers. Load."
At the High Elf's command, the elves raised their bows high and nocked arrows in perfect unison, like falling dominoes.
"Fire."
THOOM!!!
It was like spears raining from the sky.
Worth bringing the elite of elites—their shots were heavy and precise.
They pierced the heads of monsters whose formation had crumbled, checking the rear lines.
I stepped forward along the path cleared in an instant.
"Let's go. Save our precious Archangel and stick a sword between that damn Nyarla's eyes."
What happened to us must be repaid.
"I don't know what 'precious' means, but it doesn't sound flattering."
Following the path cleared by the Holy Knights and elves, Luna, Diablo, and I swiftly entered the high citadel.
Screeech... BOOM!!
They were trying to block our approach, of course—a strange glow enveloped the massive citadel gates, forcing them shut...
KABOOM!!!
Luna's kick, hurtling at incredible speed, shattered the gates into splinters and blasted through.
"Even corrupted, her insane close-combat prowess remains unchanged."
Holy Knights and elves gaped in shock at the destroyed gates.
Most of them didn't know Luna's true nature.
They knew I was strong, but few knew about Luna.
Though she'd mediated for them earlier by force, since most didn't know her power level, their surprise was all the greater.
It was then, as we tried to enter through the gates.
WHOOSH!!
Luna, attempting to enter the citadel interior, was flung back as if struck by a massive gust.
"What the...?"
Diablo and I entered fine, but an invisible wall blocked her.
"Leon. Dispelling this will take time."
"I'll smash it."
"No. I'll handle variables from outside."
I didn't know what changed her mind, but she unhesitatingly kicked a pillar at the entrance, collapsing it.
"Be out soon."
"We'll wait."
In the end, leaving Luna behind, Diablo and I dashed deeper into the citadel.
The outside was chaos.
Yet the interior was eerily quiet.
"Can you see outside the windows? Ha."
Turning at his words, I let out an impressed sigh.
"Red skies. Feels like we've been thrown into another world entirely."
Walking a corridor at least ten meters high and three meters wide, I glanced out the windows at the world beyond.
Red skies. Barren earth. Completely different from the surroundings we'd seen upon entry.
"Perhaps they've remade this space itself into their own domain."
"What happens then?"
"They can draw far greater power. Looks like they've paid a heavy price for thorough preparations. Is Archangel Remiel that important?"
Then, the door at the far end of the corridor began opening on its own.
At the same time, ominous red glows exploded from within, obscuring the interior.
"Prepare yourself."
Emerging from the red glows were humans clutching weapons.
No—things in human form.
Their bodies blazed with flames, skin cracked like charred wood, pitch-black in form.
And between those cracks, flames pulsed like heartbeats.
Like people unburnt despite endless fire, they gripped weapons and advanced, radiating immense presence.
Their numbers reached dozens.
"That confirms it. Even if Nyarla survives, Cthugha will suffer a fatal wound if they lose here."
"You know of them?"
"Knights ablaze in karmic flames. From what I know, they served the king of a fallen nation. Burned to ash without remains by Cthugha's flames."
The king of a fallen nation...
Stretching my body, I stepped forward at his explanation.
"What will you do?"
"What else? We didn't come here to stare."
What sort of place is the outer dimension?
Truth be told, I don't know.
But speculating, it's probably like this world we live in—full of such realms.
The fallen king Sullivan was of a different race, but a nation's king nonetheless.
Meaning civilization existed, and lifeforms.
Of course, all hypotheses. No way to know the truth.
More importantly, the beings before us.
Shing...
With each movement of my cherished sword Electra, red afterimages trailed from the blade, dancing through the air like a ballerina's steps.
First, test the waters.
I captured the monsters' movements—slow approach, then sudden acceleration.
A fierce thrust aimed at my throat in the blink of an eye. But slower than anticipated.
Whiiish!!
The bullet-like stab flowed smoothly; I tilted my head to dodge and slashed my sword diagonally upward.
A blind-spot strike outside its vision.
Like a starving snake striking prey, the blade raced through its flesh, parting it like the Red Sea miracle.
Resistance lighter than expected.
This is it?
For all the fuss, it felt underwhelming.
A subtle unease crept in. They didn't collapse from a single slash.
Like distorted flames snapping back to form, they regenerated.
But slowly.
At this rate, their resistance would solidify soon.
Decision made—time to act.
Using walls, floor, and ceiling as footholds, I dismantled their formation.
Dozens of blazing knights fell one by one.
Some ignored me and charged Diablo, but...
This place was fully isolated from the outside.
A boon that Diablo could unleash powers he normally couldn't.
Simply extending his hand summoned black shadow-like tendrils that tore into and shredded them.
"Less impressive than expected."
"Be cautious. This can't be all."
Of course, these blazing ash piles weren't weak.
Each held power incomparable to the apocalyptic monsters outside.
But as their total force? Something felt off.
Like wearing ill-fitting clothes.
"The heretics' curse formation seems to be taking effect. Careful—their attacks stack debuffs, causing critical sensory disruptions on multiples."
Right, the heretics' curse.
Not entirely useless.
"I'll break through fast."
"I'll cover you."
Unlike regular undead, these had some ego—they showed confusion at their body's state. But even intact, they couldn't hold long; now, they had no means.
Then they revealed their hidden cards.
Roar...
"Aura Blade? No... fascinating."
"Touching that won't leave you unscathed."
Basically, debuff central on contact.
I steadied my breath, watching them close in faster than before.
They say numbers beat skill, but mobs just get farmed against overwhelming power.
Graceful red lines wove dozens through the air per second, crumbling their forms.
"Awe-inspiring power."
Ignoring Diablo's genuine admiration, I pressed inward.
Beyond the massive door, the space revealed itself, feeling like another shift in dimension.
"Nyarla."
There, I saw a grotesque being in a black suit and top hat, greeting me with elegant motions.
Its light-formed mouth stretched into a long grin.
"Welcome, Leon Cascadia."
I swung my sword without reply.
My primary counter-style swordsmanship accelerates instantly, creating the illusion of moving on a separate time axis.
However, the faster the speed, the greater the strain on my body, so limiting bursts to counter moments made it inherently passive.
But dialing back acceleration slightly extended duration tremendously, proving efficient for offense too.