Chapter 234
The only screams heard were those of bizarre and horrifying demons.
Survivors were probably holding their breath in the basement, waiting for the nightmare to end.
I didn’t slow my pace and raised my head. My gaze fell upon the black tower rising tall in the distance.
Black smoke billowed from various destroyed sections of its outer wall.
The Jet-black Magic Tower, the symbol and central institution of the Ragneif Magic Republic, was also under attack.
It starkly showed that a major city with hundreds of thousands of people was on the verge of falling to the demonkind.
<Aillet.>
The pendant vibrated. Her voice was more subdued than usual.
“Yes, Agnes.”
<In the future you know… how many survivors are there in Gehennid?>
“…Fewer than 10,000.”
<…>
Her silence conveyed the shock she felt.
I refrained from saying anything more.
In the 17th Iteration of the original story I read, the current state of Gehennid was also the state of Peronsa, Wilhellon, and Pan-El.
If Gehennid were to fall completely as it was now.
If the crisis in Peronsa hadn’t been prevented.
If Tesillid hadn’t subjugated the Dungeon Burst in the royal palace of Wilhellon and emerged.
If Pan-El didn’t have the Holy Ground Construction artifact.
…If so, the unit of sacrificial numbers would have changed.
From hundreds of thousands to millions.
“Reed…”
My mind calculated his transgressions. My breath hitched slightly. It felt as if a chill swept through my chest.
Just then, an explosion shattered my thoughts.
Boom! Bang bang bang!
Moriphis’s flames soared from far to the left.
I didn’t have a competitive spirit, but I also unleashed a dazzling electrical strike. So that the demonkind would hear the noise and flock.
Crack-a-crack-crack!
A brilliant flower of thunder bloomed within range.
From the center outwards, lightning bolts struck widely and sequentially, like ripples spreading.
The overwhelming firepower melted the demonkind, and the earth’s surface was gouged out.
Shhh-rrr.
The darkness deepened from the blind spots.
As intended, the demonkind, sensing the commotion, gathered into a large army. Red eyes gleamed wickedly from all directions, focusing on me.
Among them were those who stood at the forefront.
Five figures separated from the large army, which had been clustered like a single giant silhouette.
A giant skeletal upper body wielding a Grim Reaper Lord’s scythe. It was a Grim Reaper Lord.
I swept over the enemies, imbuing seven Aura Blades with the power of lightning and holy light.
“I’ll clean them up quickly.”
The deployed Aura Blades carved a helical waltz, plunging into their prey.
White light and blue sparks scattered.
The Grim Reaper Lords were shredded and pierced by the seven flying swords, each one reduced to dust.
After dispatching five in an instant, I further expanded the deployment area of the Aura Blades.
Whoosh!
The flying swords, now granted a wider space, began to weave through the black silhouettes of the demon army.
Each Aura Blade drew agile zigzagging lines.
With each strike, the crimson lights that had hidden in the darkness, glaring at me, gradually extinguished.
Screech…!
Kiyaaak…!
Clatter…!
The death throes were ceaseless. I leisurely walked alone through the city where the annihilation battle was underway.[The ‘Scathing Critic of Balance’ dislikes imbalance.]
[The ‘Architect of the Skyscraper of Trials’ loves overpowered rampages.]
[The ‘Voice-Spirit that Constructs the World’ likes you.]Buoyed by the cheers, I raised my fingertips to finish faster.
“Bane of Evil.”
My index finger traced a horizontal line across the horizon.
The demonkind that touched that invisible line screamed as if their souls were tearing apart, and then vanished.
Whoosh.
The Aura Blades, having completed their hunt, retracted back behind my back.
Before I knew it, all the red eyes were gone from my sight.
“I did a thorough environmental clean-up. I’ll head further north.”
It was when I rounded a corner and entered a narrow alley.
<Kie-hee-hee-hee! Human female! Die!>
A hidden swarm of bats attacked me. Of course, it was futile.
“Blue Holy Flame.”
The lower-level vampires, unable even to take human form, instantly turned to ash.
<Kee, kie…!
One lucky survivor flapped its burning wings, trying to escape. Of course, I had no intention of allowing it.
Crack.
An Aura Blade pierced it and stuck into the wall.
The brick wall instantly turned red. A deep crimson, different from the blood the demon bat originally possessed.
It meant it had sucked a lot of human blood.
As I finished off the last one, silence descended upon the narrow alley.
But I didn’t move. I stopped and spoke softly.
“Agnes. Is it just my imagination? I feel like there’s still one left.”
It was a trivial chat. My sharply honed senses had already detected the enemy’s presence.
“Come out!”
I quickly spun halfway around and shot out Aura Blades.
Boom boom boom!
My seven flying swords clashed with the opponent’s power in mid-air, neutralizing each other.
The dust cloud from the explosion obscured my vision.
Not bad.
An unexpectedly strong opponent appeared. But I didn’t panic and drew Serpens.
The moment the flashing blade was at the opponent’s throat.
“Ai.”
“…!”
All my movements froze.[The ‘Scales that Judge Souls’ takes a deep breath.]No way.
I stared at what was in front of me, my eyes wide to their limit.
It felt like an eternity for the figure in the dust to clearly take shape and color.
During that time, a pleasant baritone voice once again struck my ears and heart.
“It’s me, Ai.”
Finally, the veil of yellow dust lifted.
What filled my sight was the face of a man as beautiful as a holy art piece.
“…Ah.”
Silver hair, a little longer than when I last saw him.
Through his bangs, clear, sea-blue eyes met mine deeply. He wore a soft, gentle smile.
The Rosary Ring shining on his left hand, the one we shared, also proved his identity.
Tesillid.
It was undeniably Tesillid Argent.
“…”
“…”
As I stared at him, entranced, I felt like I had somehow become a fool.
I had so much I wanted to say when we reunited.
I certainly did.
But now, my mind felt utterly blank; nothing came to mind.
My chest was heaving, and I couldn’t utter a single word.
As I continued to gaze at him motionlessly, I suddenly realized.
That I was blocking his approach.
I hastily moved Serpens away from his throat.
“I’m…”
My apology, “I’m sorry,” couldn’t be delivered.
“…!”
Having been permitted to approach, he closed the distance in a single stride. More than I had expected.
I felt his two arms firmly embrace my shoulders and back.
A dull thump-thump echoed from his cheek and ear pressed close against mine.
“…”
“…”
Silence fell once again.
Amidst my ragged breaths, ominous sounds, like a tidal wave, rolled in from afar.
Kii-hee-heet…
Clatter-clatter…
The demonkind, hearing the sounds of battle, were once again flocking towards this area.
I had to deal with them, but…
Tesillid’s arms tightened slightly.
His action, as if trying to press me firmly into his embrace, squeezed my heart.
His voice fell upon the crown of my head.
“I know it’s urgent, but.”
“…”
“Just five more minutes like this.”
“…”
“No, even just one minute.”
“…”
Listening to his earnest plea, I thought.
It wouldn’t matter even if the world was ending right now.
Clang.
My right hand loosely dropped Serpens to the ground. I raised my arms and hugged his back in return.
Only then did my voice finally emerge.
“Teri, Teri…”
I missed you, I’m glad you’re safe.
I poured all those feelings into his name as I called it.
I don’t know how much time passed like that. Soon, Tesillid was the first to loosen his arms.
The space that had been perfectly close gradually opened, creating a regrettable gap.
As we reconnected our gazes from half a step apart, he breathed slowly and deeply, as if calming something down.
And then he closed his eyes tightly.
The handsome man’s attractively furrowed brow slowly smoothed out.
Having returned to his proper, ascetic Holy Knight self, he lowered his face closer to mine.
“Teri…?”
Thump, a small bump was felt on my forehead.
He said, with his forehead pressed against mine.
“After this.”
“…”
“After everything is over, stay with me.”
“…”
I risked my heart leaping out of my throat and replied.
“Okay.”
Having made the promise, I opened my closed eyes.
It was then, as our eyes met again at close range and I forgot to blink.
<Kids, 10 minutes have passed.>
“…”
“…”
Tesillid and I quickly sprang apart from each other.
While I awkwardly rolled my eyes, Tesillid gave a small cough and spoke.
“It’s been a long time, Holy Saintess Agnes.”
<Oh. Good to see you again, and congratulations to you two.>
“…Ahem.”
“…Ahem.”
Privilege for the Possessor