The Thirteenth Research - Godslayer (5)

The fundamental purpose behind Tellorian's plan to defend the Holy Mountain was Balor's elimination. Accordingly, those chosen to confront the Great Demon directly had received a separate briefing. They were the ones tasked with preserving their full strength until the end, then engaging the weakened Balor in the final decisive battle.

Lore Master Tellorian.

Shaman King Belkan.

Cambion Lucifeles.

'And this deity, of course.'

In the overall strategy, Aeltanar's role was the most critical. Just as the hero had demonstrated moments ago, the tank was the most vital position in any adventurer formation.

'Which meant this deity had some serious thinking to do.'

Although her body had recovered, the reality that she had grown weak enough to suffer a one-sided defeat against the Abyss's gladiator had not changed. Against a far more powerful Great Demon of Destruction, she stood no chance of victory.

'Just as Karamsan no longer exists, this deity is no longer the supreme god.'

However.

The hero had shown the way.

A tank had no need to be stronger than their opponent. The hero was strong for a human warrior, yet clearly weaker than the Hell Trainer Devron, and so vastly inferior to the Great Demon of Destruction Balor that comparison was meaningless.

'Yet he dispatched the Hell Trainer with ease and is putting up an impressive fight against Balor. How?'

By fighting together with his comrades.

By acknowledging his own limits.

'If a mere mortal hero could accomplish it, then this deity can certainly do the same. This battle will be my proof.'

The giant-transformed hero was locked in a fierce struggle with Balor. Yet anyone watching the fight closely would notice that the hero was almost entirely focused on defense while his comrades handled the bulk of the offense.

'That is the role I must fulfill.'

Moreover, it was the proper attitude for surviving in this changed world.

When the provoked Balor swung his flaming whip, the hero blocked it with his dragon-scale shield. Yet the shield that had endured repeated blows now showed cracks, and the giant transformation was reaching its limit.

At the hero's command, the adventurers withdrew in perfect order. Their disciplined retreat on foot rather than relying on unstable warp magic revealed their experience.

Balor channeled the Authority of Destruction into his flaming sword. The hero hurled his shield into Balor's face to obstruct his vision, then fled.

Balor rampaged in pursuit, but the hero drank a miniaturization potion and shrank smaller than an ant. Balor's enormous size now worked against him, obstructing his own attacks.

The miniaturized hero flashed a V-sign at Balor before throwing himself against the base of a tree. Like sliding down a chute, he descended through the underground tunnel to the hidden sanctuary. The moment his deification ended, he fell unconscious.

Even in his rage, Balor's steps never faltered. Each swing of his sword shattered defensive lines; each crack of his whip slaughtered mortals like swarms of flies. He was the harbinger of the apocalypse, the very Authority of Destruction.

The enraged Balor advanced into the heart of the Holy Mountain. Guardian totems designed to repel invaders had been installed, but they were obliterated in a single lash of his whip.

At last.

The final phase had begun.

"At last, it's our turn."

"Thank you for performing the ritual, Belkan."

"The ancestors have completed their preparations to face him. However… are you truly certain this will work?"

According to Belkan's foresight, victory remained uncertain. To put it coldly, the odds of defeat were far higher. His foresight was not as perfect as Tellorian's, so he could not be completely sure.

"What exactly concerns you?"

"We lack a decisive finishing blow."

Belkan continued.

"The silver snake will endure his attacks, but she possesses no means to defeat him in turn. The power of the Elemental Lords I channel is versatile, yet not enough to inflict a fatal wound upon a Great Demon."

With that, Belkan stared intently at Tellorian.

"Which means the final variable rests with you."

"I possess no greater firepower than you do."

"Is that so?"

"Which is why I brought the cambion."

"Hmm…"

Belkan regarded Lucifeles with clear skepticism. The Great Demon Lucifeles would have possessed more than enough strength to face Balor alone. But Lucifeles, having abandoned his father's blessing, was merely an awkwardly powerful cambion.

"On the surface we appear far stronger."

"At this moment, we would lose even to the hero."

"Then you must have some ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠scheme prepared."

Tellorian nodded.

"I understand. I shall look forward to the result once more."

"Thank you for placing your trust in me, Belkan."

Next, he met with Lucifeles.

"…Can I truly accomplish this?"

Lucifeles bit his thumb, his expression deeply anxious. He was still immensely powerful. Not to the level of opposing a true divine being, however.

"I'll only end up being a burden."

"Do you trust me?"

"…"

Trust was an alien concept to devils. Just as demons knew nothing of love, they knew nothing of trust. He was merely imitating the emotion because he currently wore a human shell.

However.

Lucifeles was a cambion.

"…I will trust you."

"Believe in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me and follow."

"…"

"You're wearing the sword I gave you, correct?"

"Yes."

"Then that is enough."

As ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Balor approached, the silver snake rose from the underground lake, revealing her massive form. In sheer size she surpassed Balor, yet in strength and Authority there was no comparison. The current her was merely an ancient basilisk worshipped as a local deity.

Yet if she fulfilled her role faithfully, her comrades would defeat the enemy. Solidifying her resolve, she glared at the Great Demon wrapped in black flames.

Balor, manifesting his Authority, was the very embodiment of hell. His blazing eyes burned with unholy madness, and the black flames rising from his entire body devoured all nearby light.

Balor gazed at the grey-robed mage standing within the magic circle and instantly understood. This was the mage who had eavesdropped on the Hell King and the tactician who had toyed with him.

'…You are neither a servant of the Sun God nor an Archmage. From the beginning, you lacked the qualification to oppose us… so the whore of the Abyss was correct.'

The Great Demon of Destruction seemed unsure whether to rage or feel intrigued. He was furious that a mere Magister had dared to mock him. Yet he was fascinated that such a feeble being possessed the strategic brilliance to force him to use his Authority.

Thus, a truly devilish proposal emerged.

In response, the Grey Sage stroked his chin, seemingly lost in thought—the expression he always wore when deeply considering something.

"I make the same offer."

【…】

"I hold your power and cunning in high regard. Therefore, I am willing to forgive the destruction and atrocities you have committed thus far and accept you as my subordinate."

Balor's laughter rumbled like thunder rolling through the depths of hell. Belkan tensed. Lucifeles trembled. Only Tellorian and his familiar showed no fear of Balor whatsoever.

Balor finished devising how he would use Tellorian. It would be perfect to tear him limb from limb, leave only the skull, and employ him as a strategist.

The instant Balor spread his wings of black flame and attempted to unleash his Authority, Belkan drove a brown totem into the ground. At the same moment, the sleeping orc ancestors awakened and hurled curses at Balor.

The Holy Mountain was a land where countless souls had rested in eternal sleep for hundreds of years. Furthermore, the desert orcs visited every weekend to offer sacrifices and pray for their families' health and longevity. As a result, the mountain had accumulated vast divine power over centuries.

The orc ancestors wielded that accumulated divine power to exercise their own authority. Though not of the highest rank, it was more than sufficient to restrict Balor's Authority now that he had descended to the mortal plane. This was not one of the seven hells, after all!

As the orc ancestors suppressed Balor's divinity, the silver snake charged forward, her body gleaming with light. She still retained the aspect of a local god and could therefore exercise a modest degree of authority.

The starlight radiating from Aeltanar's entire body drove away the darkness Balor had summoned. Thanks to this, her comrades were freed from the crushing pressure on their chests and gained the courage to fight without reservation.

Aeltanar's massive body slammed into Balor's chest. At the same time, her silver horn shattered his breastplate and drove deep into his torso. She failed to pierce the heart, but the wound was more than sufficient.

The enraged Balor brought his flaming sword down toward Aeltanar's torso. He intended to bisect her body with a single strike.

Yet the moment Tellorian completed his incantation ahead of the attack, Aeltanar was enveloped in a blue barrier. The barrier rippled like ocean waves, protecting her scales. When Balor's flaming sword struck, it released an explosive surge of energy that extinguished the flames of destruction.

Clang!

The greatsword, its destructive flames snuffed out, bounced harmlessly off Aeltanar's scales. The flaming whip from his left hand followed, only to meet the same result. Balor turned his head and shot the mages a murderous glare.

The mages struck by the Great Demon's gaze were forced to confront the abyss of hell itself. The assistant mages supporting the casting died instantly or collapsed clutching their chests. Elenstra barely maintained consciousness but fell to her knees screaming. Tellorian, however, maintained a perfectly calm expression.

No.

It was rather an expression of keen interest.

Any ordinary mortal who witnessed a hellish landscape terrifying enough to make angels recoil would lose their mind or at minimum feel overwhelming fear. Yet the mage before him… was reveling in it like a devil.

"I am a Lore Master."

【!】

"We treat anything unusual as a valid subject of research. If we became frightened merely by being shown the scenery of hell, how could we possibly study it?"

Therefore he was rather grateful to have been shown the landscape of hell. Thanks to it, he had learned magic that mortal knowledge alone could never have conceived.

"Then let us bring this long battle to its conclusion."

The Lore Master generated hellfire in his right hand. The flames took the shape of a sharp beam. Considering Balor's resistance to fire, it appeared to be a pointless action.

"Flame that reaches the starlight!"

Yet Tellorian had reforged the hellfire into something new. The flame humans had kindled in their striving ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to reach the stars burned far hotter than anything the people of this world could imagine.

"Burn my enemies!"

Shoo!

A purple ray infused with the power of hell shot from the Lore Master's fingertip. It plunged into the wound Aeltanar had opened and pierced straight through Balor's heart. Black blood erupted, and the Great Demon's colossal body staggered.

"Victory, or death──!"

Belkan matched his timing and leaped toward Balor's head with a powerful strike. The four elemental lords converged upon his warhammer, preparing a devastating blow.

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack──!"

Aeltanar drew in a deep breath and unleashed her acidic breath. Finally, even Lucifeles joined the assault, hurling a powerful sphere of darkness.

At last.

The moment had come to decide the outcome.