Episode 921 The Glory of the Dead (8)
It was clearly conveyed.
The will of the massive holy artifact that you, at least, can never enter.
Kwaaaaaaaang───!
Verden was sent flying to the edge of the city by an unexpected backlash.His vision wavered.He found himself leaning against the Veil of Souls, which Draven must have manifested with his Animus.
It’s not easy every time.
When I came to prevent the resurrection of the ancient king, the sanctuary of the Luas religion blocked my path. The angel, who should have been a reliable force, remains on the boundary, neither ally nor enemy, due to Draben’s schemes.
The grips holding onto the ankles… … .
It was as if the world was hoping for the resurrection of the ancient king.
Is this fate?
Behind it all are ‘your’ destiny and your followers, such as the leader of the Iderat Alliance. It must mean that an indescribable sense of frustration stands against them.
Was this how the First Demon King felt, too?However, he resisted.
Aaaaaaaah… …Ugh… …
The suffering of the souls used as material for the curtain brushed past Verden’s ears. Beings who were once human were used as expendables even after death.The dignity that deserved to be respected as sentient beings was trampled upon by filthy feet.
Verden leaned against the wall and stood up.
… … !!
Then, countless faces rose like waves above the surface of the curtain. They gazed directly at Verden and soon shed ‘tears,’just like people who had witnessed the single light in pitch-black darkness.
‘The rift between souls… … If we target this spot, we might be able to break through. It would be difficult with an ordinary
Verden spoke briefly, understanding the concept of the soul a little better.
“Wait. I’ll smash it soon.”
Did they really understand the meaning?
The souls that had been staring intently at Verden disappeared into the curtain.
Beings who cannot escape the will of others, whether alive or dead…The world is this cruel.
If we forcibly breach the Sanctuary’s protective barrier, we may become hostile to the Ruas Theocracy in the future. We have no choice but to leave Draven to the Pope.
So Verden decided to become a little more cruel than the world ruled by fate.
Death is the means, the very thing.
The taboo mentioned by Reindel Nexreon flashed through his mind. He hadn’t understood it back then, but Verden now resonated with that sentence.The death of his enemies would be the very means for Verden to achieve his ideals.
There is a chance.
Once Draven Lemarque obtains the ancient king’s body parts, he will undoubtedly head to the unknown island rising in the Hiaremar Inland Sea.Consequently, they hadn’t missed it yet.Adrian, who possessed a countermeasure against Verden, was on the unknown island.
So… the priority was to tidy up the surroundings for the next opportunity.As quickly as possible.
Grimmel Gromfart.
If we fail to capture him, the continent will be exposed to a danger that cannot be ignored. To avoid a situation like Zantra’s, we must handle this here without any variables.
Although he could not know what the outcome of his choice would be, he acted willingly nonetheless. Verden was already prepared to bear the consequences of every decision.
Emotion and reason.Both wanted Grimmel’s death.
Along with Verden’s endless magical power, the seething murderous intent reached its peak.
* * *
The sanctuary, Abenka, is a sacred object no different from the four great divine objects, and it understands the will of the gods and responds with various miracles.
It was the power of the sanctuary that assisted in Romanus’s miracle, protected those who received the miracles of the Bible… and even allowed Draven to move into the sanctuary using Benslov’s soul as a means.
Thus, a sanctuary without a governing body can be controlled at will only by the chosen divine beings.Among them, the successive Popes held the highest priority. Another epithet of the Pope of the Ruas religion was the Protector of Abencha.
In fact, the Sanctuary of Light never went against the Pope’s will.
but.
That phenomenon just now was a clear rejection.
“The sanctuary was clearly opened. Unless one is a being imbued with the aura of death, anyone should be able to enter, so why such a fierce rejection from a transcendent being who is completely devoid of evil…!”
No matter how I look at it, in my judgment as the Pope, the problem was not with the sanctuary itself.In other words, the cause lay with those entering and leaving.
‘Verden, just what kind of being are you?’
While Romanus was stunned, a chain explosion of magical power turned the area upside down. It was the very location where Verden had been violently flung away.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but it looks like you cannot enter the sanctuary! That’s good! Don’t you have business with me?”
The magical power concentrated in Grimmel’s machine was ejected at high output.The light of the magical power hitting the ground instantly absorbed the surrounding light, then soon caused a deafening roar strong enough to shake the foundation of the sanctuary.
Rumael deployed a wall of purification to limit the explosion’s range and aftermath.
Kwagwagwagwagwagwagwagwagwagwang!
One side of the outermost part of the kingdom became flat land.
Although it was a tiny fraction compared to the size of the capital, in an average small city, nearly 20% would have been wiped out in an instant by that single blow.Had it not been for the protection of the Angel of Light and Purification, the damage would have been even more severe.
Outside the sanctuary is a transcendent dwarf.Inside the sanctuary is the First Servant.Around the sanctuary are two Bone Dragons and an army of the undead.
Dwarves and servants are monsters that no one but a god would dare to confront. The saint is still immature. Prayers to angels must not be broad.
Since the souls of the previous gods reside within Draven, we must bear in mind the possibility that the sanctuary’s protection might be lifted. We must not rule out the undead. If we entrust the dwarves to Verden, he can handle everything, but… … .
Cold sweat formed on Romanus’s chin.
‘Can I trust Verden… …! To a being to whom the Sanctuary showed an absolute rejection… … Can you leave this place, entrusting countless lives to him? Lord Luas, is this acceptable? Can I trust him… …!’
I consulted with myself.I also asked God.
No answer was heard.
Since it was the role of the saint to hear and spread the oracle of light in the first place.
Time flowed slowly.That is how it felt.
Standing tall at a crossroads of choice, Romanus resented the unstoppable passage of time.For it had been a peaceful era…Having lived as Pope for decades, he had never experienced such an extreme situation. Had a choice always been this heavy?
Crack.
A young clergyman’s voice was heard from below.
“Your Excellency the Cardinal! The Holy Shield!”
The Bone Dragons no longer breathed, but instead struck or bit the light with their claws and teeth.The dragons’ teeth and claws possessed a sharpness capable of tearing through even magic. Of course, the temporarily damaged Holy Shield was restored.
“Do not be afraid!”
Cardinal Deello reassured everyone that the Veil of Light would not collapse, yet nevertheless, people’s anxiety was gradually growing.Romanus felt the same way.He did not know how far the souls of the gods that Draben had seized would go. If the power of the sanctuary were to cease here, a catastrophe would occur.
There was no time to think, but the hesitation deepened.
Romanus was not sure if he could handle the full extent of the situation if an irreversible crisis were to occur due to a wrong choice.
A dark red beam flashing from the ground struck the Soul Veil sealing the Holy Kingdom.The screams of the souls grew louder, and a strange tremor emanated from the veil, but there was no way it could be destroyed, having remained intact even in the light of an angel…
A massive killing intent brushed against my skin.
Romanus involuntarily recoiled and held his breath, while the angel Lumael cautiously took a step back, his eyes trembling slightly.
As Draven disappeared from sight, the first prayer lost its meaning, leaving only the former Pope’s second prayer; however, the angel did not attempt to attack Verden, regardless of Romanus’s suppression of divine power.
────────────!
The light became clearer and larger.
As the veil of the soul began to distort greatly, a terrible scream shook the Holy Kingdom. It sounded like a scream mixed with a sense of liberation.
As Verden soared high into the sky and struck the dwarf with his staff, the radiance from just moments before flashed once again.It conveyed a strong determination not to tolerate any further atrocities.
‘… … Is that so?’
Romanus felt utterly pathetic for having hesitated, even for a moment.Having made up his mind, he left the battlefield behind.
Please ‘indirectly’ assist the clergy in purifying the undead rampant in the Holy Kingdom.
Since Pope Benslav’s soul was absent, the priority of the third prayer was safely raised.
The reason the condition of being indirect was specified here was due to the second prayer. Once a prayer is performed, it cannot be reversed unless the angel summoning is canceled or it is overwritten by another prayer.
Angels do not raid Verden while the undead extermination is taking place.
[The third prayer shall be answered.]
Rumael entered the Veil of Light and bestowed the power of light and purification upon the priests.
Finally, each person’s battlefield was determined.
The dwarf is Verden.
Considering that the souls of the manipulated newcomers would remove the protection of the sanctuary, the undead are angels.
and.
“Sanctuary Abenka.”
The first servant was Romanus.
Accept the Pope.
Just as the first servant had vanished, Romanus also vanished without a trace.The Saint, the Pope, and the first servant gathered inside the sanctuary.
* * *
As a dwarf, Grimmel had a deep interest in various inventions made with his hands. Every time he killed a life with his invention, he realized how great a dwarf he was.
Hana Grimmel was not satisfied with that and coveted a product beyond it.
magic.
Grimmel fell in love at first sight with human magic that uses the world’s magical power to cause mysterious phenomena. His madness did not stop.His brain was now filled with the confidence that he could do anything.
This merciless murderous intent… … thrilling!
The sense of crisis that a single major mistake could result in my head being severed at any moment. I missed it. It was the first time since killing and being killed by the Prisoner of the Massacre.
But back off.
A deep blue explosion made a path in the sky.
As the chain of explosions threatened to reach the sanctuary’s protective shield, Verden stepped forward to defend it himself. Because the magic had a corrupted nature, the shock reached Verden’s bones.
Grimmel, who had stopped in mid-air, clicked his tongue loudly.
“Are you worried that the humans in the sanctuary might be in danger? You are quite different from the concept of the Transcendent I heard about. You are far too human. You are too busy running; how can you possibly care about the bugs at your feet?”“…….”“If you fix that one thing, you will become a monster far more supreme than the Beastman of Massacre. If I were to sacrifice and kill you, I—my hand—would become even greater! My golden age, which once ruled the Eastern Continent, would be renewed anew.”
Long ago, the ruler of the Eastern Continent… … .
Verden raised his gaze, ignoring his throbbing body.
“It was a bit ambiguous to judge. As expected, you must be the right person.”“Hmm? The right person?”“I was in need of a sacrifice just in time.”
The true intent of
He had originally been aiming for the first servant, but since he could not escape the Holy Kingdom immediately, he did not rashly raise his magical power beyond his rank. Becausethe Holy Kingdom would be destroyed.Pursuing strength while disregarding innocent sacrifices went against Verden’s ideals.
However… … now the conditions are met.
An angel guards the sanctuary,and a way to break the veil of souls has been found;and Grimmel Gromfar was not existentially inferior to the first servant.
Kugugugugugugu… … !
Dark red magical energy overflowed and poured out, swirling around the surroundings. For the first time, the magic
Breaking through the hierarchy of magic.
The limit that Unia had crossed could, naturally, be crossed by Verden as well. The magic of destruction rapidly began to slip out of Verden’s control.
The first two seconds.
First, stay far away from the Holy Kingdom.
Tsut───
Verden disappeared with a thunderous sound and then appeared before Grimmel.
Grimmel’s pupils dilated.
‘uh?’
Verden advanced holding Grimmel while engulfed in the lightning of destruction. Just like a bolt of lightning, the two crashed into the weakened Veil of Souls.The souls recoiled from that point as if they had been waiting for it.
Crack, crash!
The figures of the two vanished beyond the massive rift that formed in the Veil of Souls.The blockade of the Holy Kingdom was partially lifted.
Grimmel, having instantly flown to a distance where the Ruas Theocracy was out of sight, shattered the surface of the rocky mountain and plummeted, rolling across the ground.The residual thunderbolt remaining in his body flickered irregularly.
“Ugh, huff… Aaaargh…!!”
Grimmel tried to stand up but let out a short scream and braced himself on the floor.
‘W-what is this magic… it feels like my body, my soul is shattering into pieces…!!!’
It is on a completely different level from before.I can’t even laugh.
Grimmel, who had been able to move perfectly fine even after suffering fatal injuries until he was cut in half by the Prisoner of the Massacre, gritted his teeth and looked up at the sky.
Rumble rumble… … .
The dark sky, untouched by the light of the Ruas Church, was entirely covered in destruction. Raindrops stained by it turned dark red and fell on Grimmel’s skin.
Next up is 14 seconds.
Verden grabbed [Interis] in reverse and lifted it above his head. Countless thunderbolts residing in the rain clouds concentrated on the staff all at once.
2 seconds, 14 seconds, 7 seconds, 3 seconds.
A single thread of destruction constructed through a total preparation process of 26 seconds… … Even Verden does not know what will happen if this new ‘Super-tier Magic’ is used.
Because I had never gone through the 8th level process.
So I wanted to save it for the most decisive moment possible, but if things continued like this, I would only be dragged along by the situation.
There are many of them, and right now I have no allies who can be of help.
Even the enemies move without restrictions.
Verden, tasked with protecting the people, was inevitably at a disadvantage. Therefore, he had to make a decision that completely deviated from the enemies’ expectations.
Cut it off completely.
Even the enemies probably didn’t anticipate that a force of Grimmel’s caliber would die here.
Flash───!
The world intermittently glows darkly.
Above Grimmel, who had barely managed to stand, stretched a nightmarish sky he had never seen in his life. An unfamiliar fear loomed over him.Yet, he observed the situation solely from a dwarf’s perspective.
“Hmph, huff… The unstable magic particles I… spread are all disappearing.”
Grimmel’s device, which had been pre-arranged to prevent spatial movement within a certain radius centered on the Ruas Theocracy, has been destroyed.In other words… spatial movement from the outside has become possible.
Grimmel muttered softly.
“This fucking bastard.”
As soon as the magical energy particles disappeared, two spatial teleportation magic circles manifested nearby. A massive presence loomed within the light of space.
They raised their heads.
“……The situation is more serious than I thought.”“It looks that way.”
The 7th Demon King, Vangelis Ruin Akenad.
Arnark’s Sword, Grand Duke Rodrick Rivandale.
The pinnacle of the Magic Kingdom and the guardian of the Empire arrived in the Holy Kingdom leading elite troops.
* * *
Draven moved somewhere in the sanctuary, concealed his presence, and hid in a deserted place. He hurriedly blocked out even the sound and lifted his robe.
“Ugh……!!!”
Dark red electric current seeped into the skin and organs, causing excruciating pain.
The remnants of the Demonic Path are destroying homeostasis. It is even affecting the soul… …!
The final blow caused the accumulated thunderbolts of demonic power within his body to explode all at once. Cold sweat poured down like rain.
“Verden, you damn bastard.”
For the first time in roughly hundreds of years, a curse burst out of my mouth.I had come so close, yet I had been held back again.
This is a deadly poison.An indecipherable deadly poison.
It would be dangerous if left like this and we happened to encounter a newcomer. The injury can be healed, so we just need to remove the part where the lightning has seeped in.
Swoosh.
Draven drew a dagger, placed it against the abdomen, and stabbed without hesitation.He severed his own flesh and organs.
