Chapter 140
Chapter 140
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 140
Chapter Title: The Starting Point of the Wave
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Quang!
With a deafening roar, the black liquid enveloping Edward's body surged into the sky.
His mana, shooting up at tremendous speed, pierced through the clouds and exploded in the open sky. The black liquid poured down like rain across the entire Strange Castle, transforming into wriggling monsters upon landing.
Kieeeek!
They resembled slimes in form.
The knights and mages, who had been locked in fierce combat for so long, now faced a new enemy.
'In this situation, who will the Strange and Glazer forces deem their primary target?'
The two camps reached a swift decision without hesitation.
"Change the target from mages to monsters!"
Bess from the Strange camp raised his voice.
Not to be outdone, Dictree scraped his staff across the ground to form a magic circle and shouted.
"Cease attacks and focus on defense! Suspend the war until all these unidentified monsters are eliminated!"
The knights and mages began fighting side by side.
They made the judgment without needing anyone to take the lead first.
The reason the commanders of both families made this choice was likely due to their extensive accumulated experience.
Keeeeeek!!
Innumerable black slimes charged forward, moving with beast-like speed.
The knights and mages countered them using aura and mana.
Chalak!
"...Damn it, the more we tear them apart, the more they multiply!"
One knight grimaced as he stared at the regenerating black slime.
A watching mage tried blasting it with a fire spell.
Kwang, hwaruruk!
The fragments of the black slime, split into hundreds, seemed to burn with crackling sounds at first, but as the heat subsided, they regenerated and divided into even greater numbers.
"Th-this... can't be."
Not long after the battle began, both knights and mages tasted despair.
The more they fought, the more the enemies multiplied, and they couldn't find a way to eliminate them.
Far from the battlefield, Philip watched the scene and raised an eyebrow.
"Oh ho..."
Then he issued a command to his modified monsters.
"It seems it's your time to shine."
Under Philip's command, tens of thousands of monsters hidden in the canyon and forest charged toward Strange Castle.
Dududududu.
The ground shook as if an earthquake had struck.
Kieeeek!
The modified monsters' actions brought hope to the humans.
They made the black slimes, which had been impervious to any attack until now, vanish.
This wasn't through physical impact to destroy the enemy. They simply absorbed and devoured them naturally, causing them to disappear.
'As expected.'
A smile crept onto Philip's lips.
Charruruk!
He pulled out a book from his bosom and opened it, gazing at the page depicting a monster identical to the black slimes as he muttered to himself.
"So those are the ancient monsters said to have brought about humanity's downfall in the past, the 'Chaoslings'."
Chaoslings.
Ancient monsters that were said to have devoured all life in this world, reducing the continent to nothingness.
This was one of the many ancient records documented in Pablos Ruines, but whether the book truly contained the truth or was merely a tale born from the religious fervor of ancient people remained unknown.
'Of course.'
This opportunity would definitively reveal whether the book's contents were real.
"As I thought, everything recorded in this book is true. Whoever devours first claims this world."
Philip grinned broadly as he looked at his modified monsters.
"Haa—I've even found a way to counter beings strong enough to wipe out humanity. I might really be a genius!"
He was satisfied.
With everything he had accomplished.
Watching this battle solidified Philip's decision on what to do with his dwelling.
'Ally with Berddin.'
The Glazers could never defeat the Stranges.
No matter the backing of the Papal Court or the Rothschilds, no one but a god could defeat that knight.
"That's right. To reach the top of the tower, I must join hands with the strongest on the continent..."
Philip closed the book with a sinister smile.
Tak.
Then, like conducting an orchestra, he waved his hands in the air and commanded his modified monsters.
"Protect the Stranges. Obey my commands, but you will serve as sacrifices to place Berddin on the throne."
To pave the way to the top of the tower.
As the black liquid vanished, time, which had seemed to stop, began to flow again.
No one knew how much time had passed here, but Edward's past provided a good clue on how to deal with him now that he had become an apostle.
'Exactly.'
If Edward had accepted the tower's will and become an apostle anyway.
And if the moment came when I had to face him to reach the top of the tower.
Then this moment was undoubtedly a golden opportunity for me.
"Come."
I gripped my sword tightly and stared at Edward, who had transformed into an apostle.
His appearance looked much the same as before, but the invisible power deeply hidden within his body was astonishing, incomparable to anything else.
'As expected of an apostle.'
Even I, called the Sword King, felt fear toward the enemy, and the mere aura transmitted through the air made my hands tremble uncontrollably.
It was on par with Monestier, whom I had faced earlier—no, perhaps even stronger.
'...But.'
Compared to the Lord of Disasters I fought in my previous life, the Red Dragon, it fell far short.
A transcendent power that instilled despair with just a glance.
Having faced it before, this level could never subdue me.
"Master."
I extended my right arm forward.
Siegfried entered my body through my palm as if he had been waiting.
Swwooooosh—
Upon completing the Descent, my body emitted a golden light.
I had expended much aura in the previous battle, so how long he could sustain himself inside me was uncertain.
But one thing was clear: if I couldn't defeat Edward, the Strange Family would vanish from history today.
'That's the power of an apostle.'
Edward slowly rose from his seat and lightly touched the crescent moon engraved on his forehead before asking me.
"You don't intend to fight me, do you?"
"Yes, I do."
"You can't win."
"Exactly. You can't beat me. Not in the past, not now, and not in the future."
"...You already know. I'm no longer human. I've reached the realm of the gods."
"And I possess the power to cut down those who have reached the realm of the gods."
We glared at each other.
I read the killing intent in the eyes of his emotionless face.
'It worked.'
He seemed to control his emotions effortlessly, but the reeds in his heart must be shaking violently.
A little more, and I could provoke him into attacking.
And I wouldn't miss that chance.
"Die, Berddin."
The crescent moon on Edward's forehead split sideways, opening a third eye from which intense power emanated.
Shiiiik—
'An eye on his forehead?'
Was that the power he gained upon becoming an apostle?
I couldn't identify the eye, but sensing danger, I dodged away from the direction of his gaze.
Pat!
As I kicked off the ground and leaped, space trembled violently.
Quang!
The moment he blinked, the spot where I had stood exploded with resonance.
Weeeeng—
"Ugh."
Even though I had anticipated and evaded his attack, a pain like needles piercing my eardrums shot through both ears.
To unleash such a powerful attack with just a blink.
'He's even stronger than I imagined.'
Of course.
'But not an opponent I can't beat.'
Edward had a fatal weakness when it came to facing me.
Whether he was an apostle or not didn't matter to me. How powerful his magic was wouldn't decide this battle's outcome either.
Shiiiik.
The bracelets on my wrists reacted to Edward's magic.
'As expected.'
Thanks to that, I learned the extent of the artifact 'Rising Force's' power.
It didn't just devour human magic; it reacted even to the abilities of a transcendent being like an apostle.
'Then this fight is mine to win.'
His magic would be entirely devoured by it.
"Edward, I'll say it again: you can't beat me."
Edward slowly turned his gaze to survey the battlefield and replied.
"Think what you want. In any case, I have no intention of fighting you."
"...What?"
"Fighting you here gains me nothing. Win or lose, I'd just be an apostle who tormented a pathetic human."
He looked down at me with the arrogance of an omniscient being.
It was the attitude of a predator toward prey—a provocation that scratched at my pride.
'However.'
I'm different from my previous life.
I have the composure to brush this off with a laugh.
"Have you heard? About the apostle who died to a pathetic human."
"......"
"I know another one heading for the same end. What was his name... Ah! The one from that doomed Glazer family."
"......"
"Edward, wasn't it? I cut off his arm, and he bawled like a baby. Do you remember?"
Edward smirked and floated into the air. I thought that would rile him up enough to charge, but surprisingly, he remained composed and said.
"We'll settle our decisive battle at the tower."
"The tower?"
"Yes. It doesn't seem like we can fight properly here. Too many unrelated sacrifices would result."
His mention of "sacrifices" coming from his mouth was so unfamiliar that my lips twitched involuntarily.
"Fine. Then I'll come to you at the tower. But until then, I won't let the Glazers off easy."
"Do as you please. No matter who wins the war, this world no longer concerns me."
"Even if I slaughter all those mages right in front of you?"
"Yes. But seeing their deaths firsthand might sour your mood—"
Edward raised his left hand and snapped his fingers in the air.
Dak!
At that instant, all the Glazer mages near Strange Castle vanished without a trace.
Pishuk!
"This battle is the Stranges' victory. I acknowledge my defeat to you."
"...You're retreating?"
"Yes. It seems I can't win against you right now. So I'll bide my time."
"Bide your time?"
Edward turned his gaze toward the distant tower.
"Berddin, now this world will be swept by waves crashing from the sea of chaos."
"...Sea of chaos?"
"Prepare for the new wave. I'll return then."
"New wave? What are you even—"
"You'll know soon enough. And don't forget: I was reborn to kill you."