Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Heavenly Punishment
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-Whoooong...
"Th-this... can't be real."
The Black Knight stared at the shotel with trembling eyes.
The golden greatsword gripped in his hand began to shake.
"You're no Hero, so what the hell is this Holy Power...!"
He had witnessed immense Holy Power several times before.
But every owner of that vast Holy Power had been no ordinary being.
Yet the one standing before him was neither a Hero, nor a Saintess, nor the Pope. Not even one of the Seven Virtues bishops, judging by the armor.
'Just who the hell is that guy...'
He harbored doubts about the figure before him.
But more than that, he sensed an inexplicable majesty emanating from him.
"...One strike."
Sweat beading on his forehead, the Black Knight forced his mouth open.
"We'll settle it in one strike."
The moment the words left his lips, the Black Knight kicked off the ground and charged at Is.
"Prove your existence!!"
'If this sinner may dare to presume... you are...'
The Black Knight prepared to swing his greatsword, his eyes gleaming sharper than ever.
"Even ashes shall not remain, Inferno!" "Twisting Sensation." "Crush him, Psycho Kinesis!" "Striking Rock!" "Snowstorm of Slowness." "Striking Thunder!" "Time is gold, Golden Time!" All-consuming flames engulfed him, hallucinations twisted his mind, invisible forces crushed his body, a rock fist slammed down, snowflakes froze his limbs, lightning shocked him, and golden energy slowed his movements.
Yet the Black Knight pressed on toward Is with all his might, even if it was slow.
Each force alone he could endure, but with every Tower Lord casting spells at once, not even the Black Knight could shake them off easily.
But the Black Knight never stopped until he reached Is.
"I shall become your heavenly punishment."
"Ahh...!"
Is too raised his shotel high to strike down the Black Knight.
The shotel reflected the light filtering through the collapsed ceiling from the Tower Lords' magic.
Its shape resembled a crescent moon.
"Ahh... you, the star closest to the moon...!"
It was the grace the goddess had bestowed upon this world.
But the Black Knight's final words went unfinished.
-Thud.
His head hit the floor, wearing a smile of pure ecstasy like never before.
"...Heh."
Even with just his head on the ground, he laughed.
His gaze looked up at Is.
"If you are heavenly punishment... then surely you can punish that Plot Twister too?"
"...If that's my duty, then gladly."
"Kuh... heh heh... Mother in the heavens above! Has this sinner finally received atonement for his sins at last! Heavenly punishment upon this sinner, and upon the one who created the sinner known as the Black Knight!"
The Black Knight laughed like a madman before closing his eyes.
"...Star closest to the moon."
His expression shifted to one utterly solemn, 180 degrees from before, as he addressed Is.
"That Plot Twister used Holy Power to kill a couple right before this sinner's eyes."
"..."
Is listened silently.
Not just him—everyone around leaned in to hear.
"This sinner failed to protect a couple whose love transcended elf and human... Please, bring heavenly punishment upon the Plot Twister to honor their souls..."
"...Understood."
At Is's words, the Black Knight closed his mouth with a faint smile.
-Thud!
His body collapsed.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ -Thud!
The Black Knight's body crumpled to the floor.
"...Cough! Cough!"
I nearly died for real that time.
The condition to kill the Black Knight was to show him 'heavenly punishment' right before his eyes.
For the current Ruin, showing heavenly punishment to the Black Knight was impossible.
So my plan was to use the Holy Power sword I'd manifested while fighting Ruin.
To shock the opponent deeply, nothing beats beating them the same way.
I didn't win that fight, but I recreated Ruin's Holy Power shotel right in front of him, and with the Tower Lords' help, took him down easily.
The Black Knight was strong enough to slaughter Tower Lords one by one, but no matter how mighty, he couldn't beat all the Tower Lords plus me wielding Hero-level Holy Power in a gang-up.
Now all that's left is dealing with the backlash.
"Cough! Cough! Urk, hack!"
"Is!"
As I staggered, spitting up blood rising from my gut, Ariana rushed to support me.
"Is, are you okay?!"
"Cough! Hah... yeah. With the Tower Lords' help this time, I could control it somewhat..."
"Ugh... Is, just you wait until you're healed!"
"Haha..."
Ariana tried her best to prop me up.
But there was no way her slender frame could support me in full plate armor as I wobbled.
"Isu... it hurts so much..."
Thankfully, Ia inside my armor wrapped around my body and moved in my stead.
It felt just like wearing a power suit.
"Thank you, I—I cough!—Ia..."
"Isu! No hurting!"
"Is! Stay quiet so it doesn't get worse!"
"Cough... heh."
With my two daughters fretting over me like this, a fatherly smile crept onto my face unbidden.
Then.
"...Moon, star."
I heard Ruin mutter softly.
I immediately turned toward him.
"I..."
I caught Ruin looking at me with eyes different from usual.
Not his usual disdainful gaze, but the look one gives an equal—or superior.
The moment our eyes met, he bowed his head, and I silently turned away.
'I believe he's improved.'
Right now, it was time to let Ruin think alone.
"Let's head out too. White Tower Lord?"
"Got it. Everyone, keep your distance but stay close—no need to go too far."
The Red Tower Lord glanced at me and Ariana before signaling, and the White Tower Lord promptly raised her staff taller than herself.
"Tower Lords, return to your respective towers. Saintess's party?"
"Ah, we'll take them to the Life Tower. We have excellent healing facilities since the kids get hurt often."
"...Those damn kids."
"Haha, they're all precious talents of this world."
"Tch, anyway, get ready to move."
She warned them and drew a circle with her staff.
"Fold the space, Teleport!" The incantation ended, and the moment she slammed her staff down.
-Whoosh!
A veil of pure white light enveloped us, shifting our location.
"...Cough!"
"Quick, bring him this way! Isa, Dokta, Dial! Emergency patient!"
"Yes!"
Belinda by Blind shouted, and three white-robed mages from the Life Tower rushed out to carry me off.
'While I'm being treated, the Tower Lords will sort things out themselves.'
The info the Black Knight blabbed before dying.
Since it's crucial, I trust they'll piece the puzzle together.
Especially the Life Tower Lord and Belinda.
Because...
'The Plot Twister's victims the Black Knight mentioned were Prelia's parents.'
What the Black Knight said was massive bait.
In the Magic City Illunite stage, the Black Knight was just a mid-boss. The final boss is the Plot Twister.
'Ruin, you have to pull through here.'
Only if you beat the Plot Twister can Prelia become your heroine!
With those thoughts, I lay on the medical bed and lost consciousness.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ -Step. Step. Step.
"You sure this is the place? I don't see shit."
[Ahh, that's the spot. Would the Black Knight hide in a fountain or something if not somewhere like this?]
"No, I'm saying there's no Black Knight corpse here at all!"
[Huh?]
"We came all this way, isn't that obvious? Would you just leave a powerhouse like the Black Knight's body lying around?"
[...It was all part of the plan.]
"This is insane. No body, and now we can't do jack."
After everyone left, an uninvited guest entered the Black Knight's lair.
Carrying a talking skull in one hand.
His identity: the Black Mage Vanishing Mist, and the raiser of the dead.
[Well... it's fine! He definitely died here, so I can summon him as an undead with just his soul!]
"Haa... at least that's something."
Vanishing Mist held the skull out with both hands.
[Ahh, perfect! This distance, this timing—ideal for calling the soul!]
Dark red smoke billowed from the skull.
The smoke gathered into a vortex, and soon...
"Descend to this land! O great knight's soul! Your soul shall be sturdy armor itself, a sharp sword eternal!" -Rumble!
Blinding red lightning flashed within the smoke.
The smoke then dissipated slowly...
[We did it!]
A translucent red knight appeared.
Raising Death and Vanishing Mist smiled in satisfaction at the sight.
But then—
-Flash.
"A-aaaaaah!!"
A blue light flickered from the helmet, and the Black Knight's soul let out a scream that could tear eardrums, leaving them panicked.
Vanishing Mist dropped the skull and clutched his ears desperately.
He yelled at the skull.
"What the fuck is this?! Do all undead do that?!"
[No! Something's gone seriously wrong! This shouldn't—]
[How dare anyone interrupt my sacred heavenly punishment, my great suffering! Who dares give this sinner another chance?!]
The Black Knight clutched his head with both hands and screamed.
His gaze darted around before fixing on the skull on the floor.
[You! You vile sorcerer who dragged this sinner back from the afterlife!]
[Huh? Wait, hol—]
[Thanks to the goddess's heavenly punishment, I could finally atone, but youuuu!]
[Aren't you pissed at the Hero for killing you?]
[Hero? HERO?! No! It wasn't some Hero who killed this sinner!]
[Huh? Then who?]
[The star that holds the moon! The name of the heavenly punishment the goddess sent me!]
[Star holding the moon—what kinda bullshit...?]
[You fools know nothing of the Holy Knight sent by the goddess, not a Hero! Not one of the Seven Virtues Holy Knights, and wielding a curved sword!]
[Curved sword... that time, was it—]
[Do not mock the heavenly punishment he bestowed upon me! If this happens again...]
-Crunch!
[Eek!]
The Black Knight's red hand seized the skull, shattering its upper left side.
[I'll make you a companion in this sinner's heavenly punishment.]
With those final words, the Black Knight's soul vanished.
"Kyaaah!"
[Uwaaaah!]
Vanishing Mist ditched the skull and bolted at full speed, while Raising Death severed the connection.
"Th-that was close..."
He whipped around and yelled at the Black Mage behind him.
"W-we must beware that one Holy Knight!"
"...Beware one Holy Knight?"
Unfortunately, since the speaker ranked below him among the pair, it wasn't taken seriously.