Chapter 290 - Chapter 289: Descent
Gaginn! Gagigiginn! Gagigigigigigigiginnnnn!!!
The sound of metal echoed through the vast Audience Chamber.
Mika's right hand, wielding the "Copper-type Rare Metal [Orichalcum]" short sword, and his left hand, wielding Holy Sword Namakura-sama, unleashed attacks at speeds too fast for the eye to follow.
Yaroibarov unleashed a strike with his halberd, pouring all his strength into it.
However, Kelnirles deflected them all, dodging effortlessly.
"Damn you, you bastards!"
Gaaaaaah!!!
Kelnirles caught Yaroibarov's halberd, swung with every ounce of his strength, with a great white sword possessing a blue luster.
He pushed it back without difficulty and delivered a kick to Yaroibarov's side.
Boki boki boki...!
"Guh!?"
"Mr. Yaroibarov!"
Mika launched countless "Air Cutters" while rushing at Kelnirles.
He slashed with Namakura-sama and slipped into Kelnirles' guard.
Kelnirles, who was about to deliver the finishing blow to Yaroibarov, quickly leaped back, hoisting the great sword onto his shoulder.
"............What a geezer..."
Mika used [Heal] on Yaroibarov, who was clutching his side and groaning.
Kelnirles watched Mika with a cold gaze.
"You cornered "Ventus" and killed "Humus", didn't you? Was it you who did "Ignis" and "Aqua" too? I thought you might go a bit further, but is this all you can do...?"
Kelnirles looked at Mika shielding Yaroibarov with a bored expression.
"Perhaps you were the "Tenebrae" that "Ignis" spoke of. Indeed, you seem like a promising candidate... but..."
Then, he pierced Mika with a sharp gaze.
He mocked Mika's form.
"You've become quite a failure. You've collapsed so much that you'll never reach the status of "Son of God". How pitiful."
Hearing that, Mika felt a slight sense of relief.
There was a part of him that feared he might become the "Cursed Child" someday.
He had no intention of taking Kelnirles' words to heart, but being denied by the "Cursed Child" with the words "You are different" brought him a slight sense of relief.
Yaroibarov stood up and repositioned his halberd.
"This guy is way too experienced in fighting... and has no equipment advantage."
"Yes."
It was probably something from the castle treasury.
Kelnirles was equipped with armor made of "Gold-type Rare Metal [Hihiirokane]" and a great sword made of "Silver-type Rare Metal [Mithril]".
But more threatening than that was his fighting style.
Just keeping up with Mika's movements made him a monster, yet even the two of them combined couldn't land a single scratch on him.
Yaroibarov, while keeping his gaze on Kelnirles, made a proposal.
"Monk... fight for real."
Hearing those words, Mika's heart skipped a beat.
Then, his chest felt a little tight.
"I know you're holding back to match my movements. ...It's frustrating, but I can't even keep up with that geezer's movements."
That was the truth.
Mika had been maneuvering so as not to interfere with Yaroibarov's movements.
But by doing so, Mika's own movements were inevitably restricted.
"It's infuriating, but it seems I'm just a hindrance. ...Seriously, it's infuriating."
"Mr. Yaroibarov..."
Hearing Yaroibarov's words, Mika felt a pain in his chest.
But Yaroibarov smiled at Mika, who was feeling that way.
"Change of strategy. I'm leaving this to you."
"Eh!?"
Mika was confused and almost looked away from Kelnirles.
Yaroibarov vigorously patted Mika's head from behind.
"You're an adventurer past your prime too, aren't you? If you've decided to do it, then finish it. You must definitely take that guy down."
"Mr. Yaroibarov..."
"I'll go rescue the Crown Prince. Leave this place to me."
Saying that, Yaroibarov stepped back a few paces.
"Just so you know, I'm stepping back because you're here. I've thought "I can't win" many times before. Still, I managed somehow."
Yaroibarov's voice changed to something heavy and quiet.
"If there was no one else, I'd manage somehow. But there's a monk here... no, the "Dispeller" is here. So, I'm leaving it to you. Because it's you, I'm leaving it to you."
Hearing those words, Mika's body trembled.
"The "Crimson Dye" has entrusted this to you. Defeat him for sure, "Dispeller"."
The weight entrusted to Mika from Yaroibarov.
At that weight, a sensation of goosebumps rose through Mika's entire body.
While glaring at Kelnirles, Mika took a large, slow breath.
"Yes!"
He replied strongly.
Hearing Mika's voice, Yaroibarov nodded.
Seeing Yaroibarov step back, Kelnirles raised one eyebrow.
"Is the strategy meeting over? Will it be a bit more enjoyable now that the hindrance is gone?"
He lowered the great sword he had on his shoulder.
"You move decently for a half-baked kid... but..."
Kelnirles assumed a stance with the great sword.
"I will devour your "Voluntas" myself!"
In an instant, Kelnirles' great sword approached Mika's neck.
Mika ducked under the great sword and slashed at Kelnirles' advancing foot.
Kelnirles stopped the hilt of the sword Mika was trying to slash with the sole of his foot, as if stepping on it.
He swung the great sword away and leaped back, using Mika's body as a stepping stone.
"Guh!?"
Mika managed to hold his ground and rushed at the retreating Kelnirles.
"Shaaaaaaah!"
He unleashed a barrage of attacks with Namakura-sama and the "Copper-type Rare Metal [Orichalcum]" short sword at Kelnirles, who was still floating in mid-air before landing.
Gigigigigigigigigigigigigigigiginn!!!
Mika's furious barrage kept Kelnirles' body lifted, forcing him into a difficult posture as he parried with his great sword.
Gigigigigigigigigigigigigigigiginn!!!
Even when blocked, even when stopped, Mika continued to unleash his barrage.
"Uooooooooooooooooooooo!"
"You brat!"
Kelnirles' face twisted in anger.
At that moment----.
"Thousand Edge!"
"Huh!"
The "Thousand Edge" attacked Kelnirles' entire body.
However, Kelnirles slammed the great sword against the approaching Namakura-sama and used the recoil to escape the range of the "Thousand Edge".
"Daahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
As Mika advanced, he slashed through the range of the "Thousand Edge" himself with the "Copper-type Rare Metal [Orichalcum]" short sword.
A clear wound was made on Kelnirles' armor as he leaped back.
He had finally landed a blow, slicing through the "Gold-type Rare Metal [Hihiirokane]" armor.
"Phew..."
Mika adjusted his breathing and reset his stance.
Kelnirles was strong, but he could be pushed back.
If he didn't let his guard down, he wasn't an opponent who couldn't be dealt with.
Most importantly, Yaroibarov had entrusted this to him.
Defeat him with all his might and perform the exorcism.
Mika took a deep breath and rushed at Kelnirles in one go.
"Hmph!"
"Kuh!"
Kelnirles showed an expression of agony and received Mika's barrage.
He moved to fly back and create distance.
"Stone Bullet!"
While chasing Kelnirles, Mika rained down "Stone Bullets" where Kelnirles was trying to dodge.
Cutting off his retreat, he unleashed a barrage of attacks with Namakura-sama and the "Copper-type Rare Metal [Orichalcum]" short sword.
"Gaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!"
Kelnirles barked and kicked Mika's leg.
However, thanks to the "Copper-type Rare Metal [Orichalcum]" robe, Mika endured the kick and swung Namakura-sama at Kelnirles' exposed side.
Kelnirles leaped sideways himself to mitigate the impact of Namakura-sama.
Gaginn...!
However, even so, the "Gold-type Rare Metal [Hihiirokane]" armor was deeply dented by a single blow from Namakura-sama.
He was blown away far and rolled near the throne.
"Gah!?"
Kelnirles knelt on one knee to stand up, but vomited blood.
"Your Majesty!"
An old maid waiting by the throne rushed over in a panic and wiped the blood from Kelnirles' mouth with a towel.
However, Kelnirles brushed off the old maid's hand.
"Get out of the way!!!"
Pushed away by Kelnirles, the old maid fell down, rolling.
But Kelnirles didn't even glance at the old maid and glared at Mika with eyes full of hatred.
"Brat...! Don't get cocky..."
Kelnirles twisted his face into a smile.
"......It's a pity that the entertainment I prepared will be wasted, but it can't be helped."
Muttering that, Kelnirles collapsed right there.
At that moment, Fee emitted a dazzling light.
"Huh!?"
Mika narrowed his eyes and endured the light.
In the dazzling light, a black mist was trying to leave the Audience Chamber through the large hole made in the wall.
The black mist flew out of the hole made in the castle wall as is.
"Damn it, wait!"
Mika also jumped out of the castle wall and leaped up, chasing the black mist.
The black mist was heading straight for above the Royal Castle.
In the Audience Chamber where Mika had jumped out, the old maid who had been pushed away crawled towards Kelnirles.
"......Your Majesty... Your Majesty... cough... cough."
Twisting her face in pain, the old maid desperately crawled towards Kelnirles.
The impact of being pushed had broken her ribs, which had pierced her lungs.
"...Ah... Your Majesty...!"
She embraced Kelnirles, who had already passed away.
"......Niru..."
Tears streaming down her face, the old maid continued to embrace Kelnirles.
Until the very moment her own life ended...
The black mist was huge.
It was incomparable to anything seen before.
A giant black mist, seemingly fifty meters in size, writhed about two hundred meters above the Royal Castle.
"Absorb Wing - Double!"
Chasing the black mist, Mika began preparations for the exorcism.
However, black threads were released all at once from the black mist.
Black threads released in all directions, everywhere.
It was like a giant sea urchin.
"Tch!"
Mika clicked his tongue and dodged the black threads.
But the black threads persistently chased Mika.
"Ugh! You're so persistent!"
Mika desperately dodged the black threads, yet still tried to approach the black mist.
However, hindered by the pursuing black threads, he couldn't get closer.
He tried cutting the black threads with the "Copper-type Rare Metal [Orichalcum]" short sword, but they just passed through.
He also unleashed "Fire Breath", but it had no effect.
Dodging the black threads, Mika sheathed the "Copper-type Rare Metal [Orichalcum]" short sword and put Namakura-sama back in its scabbard.
"Damn it, what do I do with this!?"
Touching it might allow the exorcism to work somehow, but he felt he would be entangled the moment he touched it.
As Mika dodged the black threads, he saw the black threads slowly returning.
The returned black threads seemed to be forming something.
"No way...!"
The black threads returning one after another were trying to form a black cocoon that enveloped the black mist.
"Hey hey hey... seriously...!"
Overwhelming presence.
A black cocoon, seemingly fifty meters in size, had appeared above the Royal Castle.
The black cocoon pulsed... thump... thump...
Seeing that, Mika felt cold sweat running down his body.
"This gives me a bad feeling!"
Mika hurriedly ran towards the bottom of the black cocoon.
Now, all the black threads were wrapped around the black cocoon.
But when Mika reached out to exorcise the black cocoon, black threads shot out.
"Ah, dangerous!? ...No, you're so persistent!"
The black threads started chasing Mika again.
Mika somehow dodged the black threads, but couldn't get closer.
"Damn it, what do I do, with this!?"
Dodging the black threads, Mika thought desperately.
At that moment, an idea struck him.
He didn't know if it would work.
Still, it was better than doing nothing----.
"I'll try anything!"
Mika jumped around the black cocoon to escape the black threads and chanted a spell.
"Shining brilliantly, the Great God of Light who illuminated the entire world. O Great God of Purification, your noble subordinate deity, pure and clear. Hear my prayer, and please guide the lost child within your pure hands. Return the foul and ugly ones who disturb the truth to their proper form."
Mika poured all his mana into manifesting the [Divine Miracle] of [Exorcism], and the black cocoon was enveloped in sparkling white light.
The [Divine Miracle] that is said to be effective against "Unclean Ones".
Unfortunately, it seems it doesn't work on curses or the "Cursed Child" other than exorcism, but it seems to be working on the black cocoon.
However, while damage seems to be dealt, how effective it is remains unknown.
Every time Mika manifested [Exorcism], black, sticky stuff dripped from various parts of the black cocoon.
That sticky stuff turned into black mist and gradually dissipated.
"I'll do it hundreds of times, I'll do it thousands of times!"
After Mika manifested [Exorcism] several times, light leaked from various parts of the black cocoon.
That light gradually grew stronger, and lasers were fired all at once.
The lasers fired all at once writhed as if dancing.
Countless lasers ran freely from District 1 to District 3 of the capital city.
The lasers pierced the city walls, the places they passed were burned, and fires broke out throughout the capital city.
"What!?"
It was an instant event.
But in that instant, the entire capital city was thrown into hell.
Before the scars from the Chimera attack had healed, once again... no, a disaster even greater than that struck the capital city.
And so, the black cocoon that had shriveled for just an instant swelled up all at once.
"......Did it squeeze out and absorb "Voluntas"?"
Was it squeezing out "Voluntas" from the people living in the capital city and absorbing it?
Mika ground his molars...
"Idiot! Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh......!"
Mika gathered his mana and chanted a spell.
"O Great God of Water, source of the vast life streams! O Great Power that moistens the earth, calms the raging fire, and nurtures and cherishes----!"
Mika manifested the [Divine Miracle] of [Rainfall], causing rain to fall over the entire capital city.
He had to stop the spread of the fire, even a little...!
Using a large amount of mana in succession, his head began to spin.
The black cocoon was gathering "Voluntas" from all over the capital city and swelling even more.
Its size was no longer the initial fifty meters.
It had grown two or three sizes larger.
"......What do I do with this...!"
A weak voice slipped out.
Mika looked down at the black cocoon while being battered by the rain.
At that moment, the black cocoon pulsed particularly large.
Thump!
"......We are... enough..."
The black cocoon vibrated, resonating as sound.
A voice that sounded like thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people murmuring in unison reached Mika's ears.
That voice was low, heavy, high, and light.
The top of the black cocoon split open.
Light overflowed from the crack, and black mist rose up.
The black cocoon turned to dust and crumbled from the crack.
There, there was a huge darkness emitting a divine radiance.
That darkness writhed, swallowed the black cocoon that enveloped it, and began to devour it.
Staring at the writhing darkness, countless human-shaped things were entangled, mixed, and devouring each other.
Mika felt nausea at the sheer ferocity of it.
The darkness writhed and took on a single form.
It was a giant human face.
Its mouth moved.
"......Worship Me......."
That voice echoed throughout the capital city.
A voice that was never loud spoke to everyone living in the capital city.
"......Praise Me......."
Mika stared blankly at the giant face of that darkness.
■■■■■■
While Mika stared blankly at the giant face of the darkness.
In the city of Sarbengeal, the old appraisal shop owner was also looking up at the giant face of darkness floating in the sky.
"What is that...!"
It wasn't just the old woman.
Everyone living in Sarbengeal was looking up at it.
The old woman made a gesture of prayer and prayed for the gods' salvation.
At the same time, at the protective wall of the Leventein Domain.
Salmorassa, standing on the stone wall, was also looking up at the giant face of darkness that suddenly appeared in the sky.
Tens of thousands of Kingdom Army soldiers stood on the stone wall, but everyone looked up in the same way.
"...This is trouble. Is this the end of the world, or this guy."
Although he said it in a somewhat light tone lacking a sense of tragedy, Salmorassa was sufficiently desperate.
At least, he couldn't handle an opponent like this with his C-rank status.
If he encountered something like this on a request, it was a sinister existence that made him feel he should be prepared to die.
"......Worship Me......."
"......Praise Me......."
As soon as he thought he heard such voices,
"OOOOOOOOOOOOONN..."
A crowd that seemed to still number twenty million began to roar in unison.
No, that wasn't a roar.
It was prayer.
Awe, fear, terror, disgust, reverence, joy of the people.
The face of darkness was absorbing all kinds of "Voluntas".
It appeared in all the major cities of the Kingdom of Ektrem.
And also in Shaksara, the capital of the Am-Tast Trade Alliance.
"Teacher, this is...!"
Sestendof was looking up at that giant face of darkness from the inn's balcony.
People were jumping out onto the roads, pointing at the sky.
"Hmph! So this is part of the script too! How ridiculous!"
Lambaluel glared with a bitter expression and spat it out.
Hearing Lambaluel's point, Warterelam also nodded.
"...Apocalyptic thought. Trying to follow the story added to the scriptures six hundred years ago."
"It's a scenario they prepared themselves!"
It was a myth that the Pope, who had been erased from records and committed suicide, forcibly added to the scriptures.
It had once been deleted as unworthy of the scriptures, but was published again.
Of course, the Pope who made this republication also committed suicide.
Warterelam returned to the room, grabbed a bottle of fruit wine, and drank it straight.
Then, exhaling deeply, he wiped his mouth.
"Anyway, there is nothing we can do. We have to leave it to the "Dispeller"."
Saying that, Warterelam resumed his travel preparations.
"Anyway, what we must do is research and the revival of [Dispel]."
Hearing Warterelam's words, Sestendof nodded.
"......Worship Me......."
"......Praise Me......."
A creepy voice could be heard, but there was no time to deal with such things.
"I had them pick out some Great Cathedrals where old materials remain. Let's go check those out first. Lambaluel, don't just play around, I'm leaving the research here to you for a while."
"Right, leave it to me."
Lambaluel flashed a fearless smile.
"I am the absolute one. I am the only God."
Lambaluel was about to return from the balcony to the room, but stopped.
He turned around and looked up at the giant face of darkness.
"My name is Hilinrul. I am the only God."
Lambaluel held up one finger.
"Die, you "Cursed Child"."
Saying that, he spat and returned to the room.