Chapter 724: Bonds
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 724: Bonds
"I see. There really are quite a few mice who have snuck in this time."
Divine Will opened his eyes, his expression devoid of emotion. "But would the Life Church, which prides itself on righteousness, truly stoop to colluding with such creatures?"
"Colluding? No, no, no. This is merely a coincidence. In truth, our goals are entirely different; we simply happened to converge at the same time."
The Judgment Archbishop maintained her soft, gentle smile—a look that seemed entirely at odds with her title of 'Judgment.' Yet, her words were soaked in blood and utter cruelty. "If not for the spatial rift above the Abyss preventing the descent of the Sanctuary, the Goddess’s radiance would have long since reduced all impurity here to ash—including those mice. To be honest, the thought of fighting alongside them makes me feel quite ill."
"You certainly talk big."
"It is not arrogance. It is the salvation of the Goddess. For sinners, for the enemies of humanity, only fire and spears can truly manifest mercy."
The Judgment Archbishop raised her hand.
Infinite brilliance cascaded down like a shimmering galaxy.
Her injured hand had somehow fully recovered, once again as flawless as white jade. As she closed her palm, the Holy Light Spear—the symbol of judgment—reappeared in her grasp.
This time, the sacred glow was so intense that even Divine Will found it blinding.
"Now then, Lord Divine Will, would you care to listen... to the Goddess’s teachings?"
The Holy Light surged.
The weapons fell once more!
*
"The Salvation Society?"
Divine Will rubbed his chin, falling into thought.
After a long moment, he seemed to dredge the information regarding those three words from the depths of his memory, a look of realization dawning on his face.
It wasn't that his memory was failing due to old age; rather, the Demon Race trapped in the Abyss had limited knowledge of the details on the continent. Had it not been for certain "tacit understandings" with the Kingdom in private, he might not have known even this much.
"The largest terrorist organization on the continent? I heard your specialty is carrying out atrocities that would make even evil believers blush—like driving beast tides to slaughter the entire population of a city overnight?"
"The term 'terrorist organization' really isn't very pleasant to hear."
Black Jazz shook his head in annoyance, yet every gesture remained that of an elegant old gentleman. "We are driven by noble ideals, acting to save this world. In other words, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call us saviors. How could you label us with such a vulgar term as 'terrorist organization'?"
"Noble? Heh. Someone else was just calling themselves noble a moment ago."
"That is different. I am sure Lord Divine Will already understands just how hypocritical the so-called Life Church is. For their own selfish interests, they have plunged the entire world into crisis, leaving it on the brink of destruction at any moment."
Black Jazz adjusted his gentleman’s hat and smiled. "And we exist to pierce through that hypocrisy and truly save this world. Unlike those sanctimonious hypocrites of the Life Church, we are willing to use any means necessary to achieve our goal of saving the world."
"It sounds like you’re more likely to be on my side. After all, I’m quite fond of the phrase 'any means necessary' myself."
"Haha, you are quite right, Lord Divine Will. I would be more than happy to join you in killing that little bitch from the Life Church right now. However..."
"However?"
"Before that, I need to borrow something from you."
"Borrow something?" Divine Will’s face remained expressionless. "I don't recall having any sacred relic in my possession that can save the world."
"You indeed lack a sacred relic, but you do have a miraculous tool that would make it much easier for us to save this world."
Black Jazz’s lips moved slightly as he whispered the words:
"The Ancient Artifact—the Eternal Cycle... That is what we want."
"..."
Divine Will’s gaze instantly sharpened. For the first time, the man who had remained preternaturally calm released a bone-chilling killing intent. "I don't recall that item having the function of saving the world."
"Perhaps your imagination isn't vivid enough?"
Black Jazz smiled, unbothered, seemingly oblivious to the threat radiating from Divine Will. Even his smile seemed to carry a deeper meaning. "But I believe Lord Divine Will knows full well just how terrifying the effects of an Ancient Artifact that can manipulate souls can be, if used correctly."
"...It seems you know even more than I imagined."
"Of course. To save the world, one cannot fall behind in their studies," Black Jazz said. "So, how about it? If you lend me that item, I will immediately rush up and bash that Life Church bitch over the head. I believe that with our combined strength, the Life Church’s famous Judgment Temple will soon find itself temporarily leaderless."
"It sounds... very tempting." Divine Will stared into Black Jazz’s eyes, enunciating every word: "But unfortunately, the Eternal Cycle is the private property of our King. It is not for loan!"
"...Is that so?"
Black Jazz sighed softly. He leaned on his cane and pulled down the brim of his hat. "In that case, I have no choice but to suppress my disgust and stand on a united front with those hypocrites."
Blood began to trickle, and before long, it had flooded the entire room.
Upon this stage forged of blood, a massive shadow gradually coalesced beneath Black Jazz’s feet, looking utterly hideous.
"Then, would you care to dance a set with me, Lord Divine Will?"
*
"Humans... get out!"
The Succubus, having long since lost her soul, was nothing more than a walking corpse.
However, the hideous eye protruding from her cheek was filled with chilling malice and the will of... a higher existence.
"So, you have already been corrupted to this extent?"
Divine Will let out a long sigh, his voice filled with pity.
He wasn't familiar with the Life Church of the human kingdoms, nor did he know the so-called Salvation Society.
But it seemed... he knew the will hidden within the Succubus’s corpse very well.
"The Life Church comes to kill me for their so-called 'justice.'"
"The Salvation Society comes to steal the King’s property for their so-called 'greater good.'"
"Then you... what have you come for?" Divine Will murmured his question.
"Humans... get out."
But the will inside the Succubus didn't seem to want to communicate with him at all.
"Is that so? I understand... Actually, I suppose I was just wasting my breath. Given the current state of the Demon Race, the only thing left for you to pursue... is that, isn't it?"
Divine Will flicked his fingers. A dark gray curtain descended, sealing all the pollution within this space of corpses.
"But it is equally a pity. To achieve that goal, to welcome the King’s return... 'that' is also indispensable."
"..."
As Divine Will spoke, the Succubus’s body began to writhe, melting into a mound of sludge. More corpses rose unsteadily, merging with her.
Soon, a gargantuan, mountain-like monster composed of countless fused corpses nearly filled the underground space.
Countless heads—some fresh, some rotting, some already skeletal—sprouted from the monster’s body. They opened their hollow eyes and roared in unison at Divine Will:
"HUMANS! GET OUT!"
*
"Is he really that cracked?"
Feeling the terrifying disturbances coming from three different directions at once, Muen couldn't help but twitch his cheek. "A one-vs-three?"
This level of ferocity reminded Muen of Indra King, who had once gone on a rampage in Belland.
No, the stakes this time were much higher than back then.
Whether it was the famous Judgment Archbishop in the sky, or the two entities below whose identities were unknown but whose auras were equally terrifying, none of them were comparable to the "small fry" Indra King had dealt with in Belland.
Even among Crown Bearers, there were tiers of power!
"This is nothing remarkable."
Standing before Muen, the version of Divine Will that hadn't moved from the start smiled. "In my era, these fellows would only be considered 'passable.' They are far from the true peak. Besides, if my own strength weren't up to par, how could this decaying Demon Race have managed to survive for a whole thousand years?"
"...I... I see?" Muen’s eyelid began to twitch violently.
No wonder the Demon Race hadn't been purged after the Great Chaos—it wasn't that they weren't targeted, but because with an old monster like this around, the human forces of that time, who had been thoroughly battered themselves, simply didn't have the strength left to finish the job!
"Of course, there are other reasons, but those are old stories abandoned in the river of time."
"It sounds like you were quite the big deal..." Muen asked cautiously, "Then, if I may ask, what was your level a thousand years ago? I mean, before the Great Chaos."
"Before the Great Chaos?" Divine Will paused. Then, a complex, nostalgic expression flickered across his weathered face. "Back then, I was probably just an ordinary, green youth."
"Oh."
Never mind then.
If he was still a "green youth" back then, it meant this old guy’s "old-timer" status was still a step below a certain other old-timer who liked to pretend to be a loli but was already ancient a thousand years ago.
Which meant...
Divine Will’s "one-vs-three"... wasn't as easy as he made it look!
"Hmm?" Divine Will seemed to sense the shift in Muen’s thoughts and raised an eyebrow. "What is it, kid? You still refuse to give up?"
"Give up? Abandoning a shivering beautiful girl isn't my style." Muen drew Elizabeth and sneered. "I won't let you lay a finger on An."
"Based on what?"
Divine Will sensed the boy’s persistence, but it only made him more confused. "Do you really think that as a mere Fourth-Tier Martial Artist, you can stop me? With that strange black flame of yours? No, that stuff couldn't even handle the Grand Duke of Bewitchment."
"Of course not!" Muen said seriously. "What I’m relying on isn't that kind of thing. It’s... bonds!"
"?"
Divine Will was stunned again.
Even when facing the Judgment Archbishop, Black Jazz, or the pollution of the Corrupted Love God, he hadn't frowned as deeply as he did now. "Bonds? What do you mean?"
Could it be that he really knew too little about the human world? Was "Bonds" the name of some incredible weapon?
"That’s right, bonds!" Muen declared.
Wasn't that how it always went in stories?
The Demon King accumulates power for a thousand years, plotting and brewing, about to destroy the world.
And then, a Hero who has been training for exactly two weeks stands before the Demon King.
You ask how a Hero who was peeking at girls' legs in a village two weeks ago can defeat the Demon King?
The answer is bonds, of course!
Bonds are invincible!
"Right... Liya?"
*
The Life Church, the Supreme Place.
Hearing the call, the current Saintess of the Church, Liya, couldn't help but puff out her cheeks in a huff.
"Calling my name in front of another woman, and while playing such a 'stimulating' game... how infuriating!"
She hadn't even seen Muen like that herself!
Dammit, why did it feel like she was being NTR-ed?
...That being said, Liya still clasped her hands over her chest and prayed fervently to the Goddess, asking for protection for that wretched bad boy.
And then...
Using her authority as the Saintess, she mobilized the endless Holy Light!