◆ Avangarde Royal Capital, Karein’s Mansion ◆
“Lord Daigami, please don’t say such things.”
The delicate voice that reached out was Ritta’s. Lord Daigami did not turn around, his gaze fixed solely on Karein. It was as if he couldn’t even hear Ritta’s words.
“I don’t know much about Azuma, and I fear I may be rude… but please, save that person as the Guardian Deity.”
“There are things even a Divine Being cannot accomplish.”
“I understand! Deep down, they are suffering and desperately want help, but they are overwhelmed by dark emotions! That is how that person is right now! I was saved by Rua-san when I felt that way… and next, it was Captain Kirkton who has always watched over me.”
As Lord Daigami silently listened, his ears slightly turned toward Ritta, he gazed at the transformed Karein. Yes, I was the one who directly helped Ritta, but it was ultimately Captain Kirkton who helped her recover. My desire to assist Captain Kirkton is strong. Although I just met Karein today, I felt something significant in that brief encounter. Lord Daigami must be regretting his decision; Karein seemed happy at first. I believe her current state is undoubtedly influenced by the monster’s cells.
“Koto-hime truly loved Vandalsia and crossed the sea for him. That fact is undeniable.”
“What about now?! Can you still say you love someone while being tormented like that?!”
“You saw Hatra, didn’t you? That is one way of being.”
“A naive little girl who knows nothing of love is barking away…”
Ritta, who had been desperately shouting, suddenly fell silent, as if the overwhelming presence of Karein had silenced her. Karein had transformed into a massive, hairy creature with brown and black stripes, six legs sprouting from her body. Her beautiful black hair and face remained unchanged, but her form now resembled that of a crawling beast. A spider stood there, glaring at us.
“Koto-hime…”
“I shall bring death to the foolish gods and their accomplices!”
【The Ensnaring Enchantress, Karein, has appeared! HP 144,000】
The sight of the transformed Karein facing off against Lord Daigami was painful to behold. He had resolved to kill her, yet he did not make a move.
“Karein, that form of yours…”
“If it cannot reach anyone, then I shall capture them instead.”
【The Ensnaring Enchantress, Karein, has spat out her threads!】
Countless white threads surged across the hall, aiming to ensnare us. They weren’t particularly fast, and I was not someone who could be caught by such things. More importantly, within Lord Daigami’s Absolute Divine Territory, it should have been even less of a concern. Yet, Lord Daigami did nothing and was caught in Karein’s threads. Only his head remained free as he was bound and stuck to the web that had spread out. Ritta and the others were fine; Elmera was continuously burning away the encroaching threads around us. The threads could not advance due to her flames, creating a safe zone around Elmera and the others.
“Seriously, you’re already being a hindrance.”
“I’m sorry…”
“You were just talking big to a god, but can you actually help?”
“That is…”
“Don’t get cocky when you have no power.”
“Elmera, that’s too harsh.”
I shrugged exaggeratedly at Ritta, who was bravely gripping her spear. Elmera had grown strong on her own, having lived without anyone’s help since she became alone. It’s understandable that she might be frustrated. But I felt the same way. Knowing weakness, I understood that pain. So, wanting to help her was only natural.
“Lord Daigami!”
“The Guardian Deity of the nation, raised in reverence…”
Oh no, that song had begun. And judging by its content, it seemed like the first target was going to be Lord Daigami. Yet, he still did nothing. He truly couldn’t act; after all, he was a Guardian Deity. He had chosen to be this way because he loved humans.
“Time and again, the invasions are repelled, the divine winds and the people sing…”
“Come on! Lord Daigami, you need to get out of those threads quickly!”
I slashed through the threads, attempting to rescue him. But no matter where we fled, we couldn’t escape that song. Right now, it was just echoing in my ears, but if she wanted to, she could make it resonate directly in our minds. Despite being a god with such incredible power, Lord Daigami felt strangely light at this moment.
“The bound princess wishes to save her people…”
“Karein, is that really what you want?! Do you truly wish to kill Lord Daigami while singing such a song?! Let me tell you, if it were me, I could defeat you before you finished singing!”
I shouted with all my might, but the song continued unabated. It seemed to be affecting Lord Daigami quite a bit, as he appeared to be growing weaker. I couldn’t bear to watch any longer; if I left it like this, Lord Daigami would die. I had no choice but to defeat Karein; just as my father had said, there was no other way to deal with someone who had reached the End.
“Lord Daigami, what will you do?”
“Of course, I will strike down Koto-hime, no, Karein.”
【The Silver-White Guardian Deity, Daigami, unleashed Divine Lightning!】
Contrary to his words, the lightning, moving at the speed of light, did not strike Karein but instead headed toward the threads she had expelled. The floor and walls of the hall were pierced by the lightning, leaving only charred marks behind.
“Karein, did you see the power of this lightning? The difference in our strength is already clear, meaning this battle is futile for both of us.”
“You cannot defeat me; you are merely bluffing.”
The words Karein spoke now were not Word Souls. This meant that the song she had sung earlier was now being sent to Lord Daigami as a Word Soul. We could hear it too. While the content of the song had no effect on us, it was indeed Karein’s threat. A declaration that she could kill us if she wanted to.
“Then…”
【The Silver-White Guardian Deity, Daigami, unleashed Divine Lightning!
He dealt 20,543 damage to the Ensnaring Enchantress, Karein!
HP 123,457/144,000】
“Ughhhhhh!”
Two of her legs were blown off. With one leg nearly gone, Karein toppled to that side. Lord Daigami followed up with another strike of Divine Lightning against the now incapacitated Karein. This time, it was aimed at her other leg.
【The Silver-White Guardian Deity, Daigami, unleashed Divine Lightning!
He dealt 19,580 damage to the Ensnaring Enchantress, Karein!
HP 103,877/144,000】
“Ughhhhh!”
A terrible scream erupted from her once beautiful face. It was a low, monstrous growl. Lord Daigami, who had attacked Karein without mercy, seemed to have no hesitation now. Yes, when he got serious, the song became irrelevant. If he wanted to, he could defeat Karein in an instant. But the song did not cease.
“…Are you prepared?”
“Fufu… you are indeed strong… this is the Guardian Deity of Azuma…”
“Though you have not yet received a fatal blow, I can end this with my next strike.”
“Yet even so, your hesitation remains.”
The unending song was clearly slowing Lord Daigami’s movements. It wasn’t a Status Ailment; his heart was being dominated by the song. If this continued, he would be killed like Hatra.
“If this goes on, you’ll be killed!”
“I know, I know…”
“You’ve been a noisy little pup since earlier.”
【The Ensnaring Enchantress, Karein, released her spiderlings!】
A swarm of grotesque little spiders surged toward my feet. This was nothing; I could easily sweep them away with a flick of my sword. Just swinging it side to side would make them disappear. Trying to overwhelm me with numbers was a foolish tactic. This Karein resembled that giant spider monster from the Abyss Cave, and I couldn’t help but wonder if there was a connection.
“How bizarre…”
“I told you so.”
“Rua, I shall deliver the final blow.”
As he swayed his tail, Lord Daigami’s size began to change. With the swaying, the number of tails increased, and he entered a complete battle stance. Even sitting down, he was large enough to reach the ceiling of the hall, leaving Karein with no choice but to groan in response.
“O-ohhh…”
“Karein, I am sorry. I could not save your body or heart, so let this be my final offering. May you rest peacefully by my hand.”
With his resolve set, spheres of Divine Lightning began to gather around Lord Daigami. Perhaps it was to ensure she would not suffer; he intended to finish her off with a storm of Divine Lightning. If he did that, it wouldn’t just be Karein that would be obliterated, but the entire area as well.
“I could not stop Koto-hime, and thus I have allowed her to become a threat to the Kingdom of Avangarde. Ultimately, this is my fault. Yes, it was all for my own convenience.”
“That’s not true… if I had properly finished off Vandalsia…”
“No, he has been revived. Someone must have whispered to him while he was under Vandalsia’s command.”
“Someone? Who?”
“Ah, this tainted body. Only the underworld can purify it.”
Karein’s words, which could be interpreted as a declaration of resolve, revealed more than just her understanding that she was outmatched. She knew she could no longer turn back. This realization was surely not solely due to the End.
“The sin of opposing the Guardian Deity… I shall repent. However… I cannot betray Lord Vandalsia!”
【The Captivating Threads of the Evil Consort Karein’s Queen Execution!】
Threads began to weave an intricate web at an astonishing speed. Simultaneously, they sought to ensnare us, desperately trying to bind us to the web. The entire area had become a playground of threads, dancing wildly in the air.
“My Queen Execution does not merely bind you with threads! Through these threads, I can deliver my song to your very souls! Hohoho, no matter how much you slash, it is futile! The threads shall not cease!”
And then that song began to resonate once more. Just when I thought Karein had given up, she approached us with a terrifying expression, intent on killing us. For an ordinary person, the mere sound of this song echoing in their mind would drive them to madness, rendering them incapable of fighting back. Each thread was desperately trying to convey that song. The entire space was suffused with Karein’s melody.
Just when I thought it was over, a swarm of baby spiders began to crawl along the threads. The number was incomparably greater than before, writhing in a grotesque manner.
“Even a single one can bring an adult man to death with its venom! Just imagine what would happen if countless spiders bit you all over!”
“…Kotohime. We should stop this.”
【The Divine Lightning Storm of the Silver-White Guardian Deity Daigami!】
As if in response to my words, a blinding light erupted, accompanied by a deafening roar that left no trace of the hall behind. The webs and baby spiders vanished without a trace. Instead, the area was engulfed in flames, leaving not even the remnants of the mansion.
We were safe, thanks to Lord Daigami’s intervention, and Elmera had also played a crucial role. Despite everything, Elmera had managed to protect Ritta and the others. It was pointless to ponder how she had shielded them from that Divine Lightning.
“With this, all options are exhausted, Kotohime.”
“Hehe, hehehe…”
Karein laughed, though it was clear she had completely resigned herself. As she weakly attempted to move her remaining limbs, Lord Daigami approached her with a calm demeanor.
“Kotohime, or rather, the Second Evil Consort Karein of the Nation of Vandalsia. Do you have anything to say?”
“No… I have lost…”
With her eyes closed, Karein awaited the judgment of the Guardian Deity. Lord Daigami closed his eyes for a moment before looking at her again.
“Then…”
“I can’t let this happen!”
Ritta, who had leaped from Elmera’s side, clung tightly to Lord Daigami’s back, gripping his fur with all her might.
“I may be weak and powerless, but if there’s anything I can do, I will do it! If you are indeed a Divine Being, you should be able to save that person. Please, do not kill her… I can’t bear to watch any longer.”
Lord Daigami remained silent, holding the sphere of Divine Lightning aloft. The crackling energy was dangerously close; touching it would surely mean death. Yet, Ritta’s tearful plea seemed to stem from a sense of indebtedness to Kirkton, who had saved her twice.
“Kotohime.”
With a soft puff, the sphere of lightning vanished, and Lord Daigami’s form shrank down. He approached Karein, who could barely move, and brought his nose close to hers. A light similar to healing magic enveloped Karein.
“Lord Daigami… what do you intend to do with me…?”
“You know of the Millennium Herb. It is imbued with my power, a legendary item said to cure all ailments.”
“Could it be… you intend to…”
“If your heart lies with Vandalsia, then that is enough. Even if it were not so, I cannot bring myself to kill you.”
Indeed, at this moment, Karein’s heart had returned, if only slightly, to that of a human. She lay there, exhausted and in her spider form, offering no resistance. There was no way I could deliver a finishing blow to someone like Karein, or rather, Kotohime.
Lord Daigami’s Millennium Herb could cure the Ash Death Disease and the curse placed on Tiferia, but what about in the case of the End? If only Kurinka were here, like with the people of Ikana Village.
“Karein, please don’t struggle anymore. Once Kurinka returns, you can return to your original form.”
“Kurinka… is that the blonde girl?”
“You know her.”
“The pursuit team was dispatched ahead of the orders from that necromancer named Juo… and my son Brandark as well…”
For a brief moment, I froze. A pursuit team, and with Karein’s son, that meant Evil Nobility. This was bad; no matter how strong Kurinka was, I wasn’t sure we could win against Evil Nobility. More importantly, I was focused on restoring Rutna.
◆ At the Hideout at the Foot of the Fourest Mountains ◆
“I never expected it to be this severe…”
“Hast, old man, hang in there. If you give up, who will defeat him?”
“…Evil Nobility. A troublesome opponent.”
I, Seigel, found myself in a pinch alongside the sage and the Verdant Mage. Ah, and Truppo was with us too. While he might not be the most impressive girl, that was the least of my concerns. The number of monsters still remaining was staggering, and among them was a rough-looking man squatting in the center. He wore a black leather jacket and tattered black pants, with wild blonde hair that accentuated his gray skin. Frankly, it was nonsensical; how could one lose their humanity and become so deranged?
“Hey, hey, hey! You’re still hanging in there, huh? Just four of you trying to hold out?”
Behind the squatting man loomed a massive horde of monsters. From muscle-bound ogres to deranged lizard-like creatures, and monsters that were indistinguishable from dragons to insect-like beasts. Some ground monsters had been captured by the flying ones, while others, like that rough prince, were riding atop them. In other words, we were in deep trouble.
“There’s a blonde beauty deeper in, you know? If you hand her over, I might spare your lives.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Hey, hey, hey! My mom always said that a big liar is just a thief in disguise! You’re all gonna die in the next full-on assault, right? And by the way, that outfit? Silk? Really?”
“Huh?”
【Brandark’s Cold Joke!】
This was bad, not again. A freezing gust swept through, and I felt the chill creeping up from my feet. If it weren’t for Hast’s old man countering it with a hot wind, I would have frozen to death by now. It was ridiculous; thinking that way was a mistake. But even if I resolved to ignore it, it was still cold. His words were just that chilling.
“Ahh… he is indeed no ordinary foe. A Word Soul user, and one far superior to me.”
“But my arms and legs are starting to lose feeling from the cold. Shouldn’t the fire magic be keeping me warm?”
“This is no ordinary ice; it is the power of words that causes this. His Word Soul is what brings this about.”
“I don’t understand…”
No defense or evasion mattered against his Word Soul. Every time he made some absurd statement, this happened. While I might joke about him being a cold bastard, in reality, it was freezing. Yet he made it a reality. I couldn’t just block my ears and fight; I was at my wit’s end against just him.
“Ice, ice, oh, I thought of something super funny!”
“Here it comes!”
【Seigel unleashed the Burst Braver!】
【Nokiri’s Tree Curse!】
【Hast cast Explosion!】
【Truppo invoked Flame Shot!】
Everyone unleashed their strongest attacks. My evolved Burst Braver could reach a short distance. Nokiri’s Tree Curse would shine in the forest, as the trees grew and ensnared Brandark. With that, the surrounding monsters would be caught in the sage’s explosive magic, all taken down in one fell swoop.
Under normal circumstances, this would be a lavish display of power, easily worth five digits in bounty. It would be a total assault that would leave everyone wondering what kind of extermination request this was. Yet, the reality before me was one that filled me with despair.
【You dealt 3602 damage to the High Ogres! The High Ogres have been defeated! HP 0/2800】
【You dealt 3918 damage to the Goblin Knights! The Goblin Knights have been defeated! HP 0/1150】
【You dealt 6320 damage to the Green Dragons! The Green Dragons have been defeated! HP 0/4500】
The grotesque, rotten green dragon was instantly slain by my Burst Braver. If you’re going to bring dragon-type monsters, at least bring one of the caliber of the Dawn Flame Dragon. The rest were no big deal; throwing oversized High Ogres at us now was a waste. But that wasn’t the issue at hand.
I dealt 1560 damage to the Gigant Grapplers! HP 10840/12400
I dealt 722 damage to the Killer Dons! HP 7680/8402
The range of my attack wasn’t just filled with those weaklings. There were monsters that could rip apart the bindings of the Tree Curse with sheer brute strength, and even withstand a super explosion without suffering fatal injuries. Giants that looked like oversized ogres stood there nonchalantly, wearing nothing but loincloths. As for the disgusting lizard, a mix of yellow and red, it even slipped through the Tree Curse and calmly absorbed the flames. They were literally a collection of monsters. It made my head itch, for crying out loud.
Brandark deftly dodged!
“Hey hey hey! That funky attack was impressive! I was just thinking of selling some ice! Pfft! Hilarious!”
That cold bastard was not only agile but also summoned a massive cold wave. It was a violent frost that could hardly be described as a blizzard. I began to lose feeling in my fingertips as I realized the chilling reality that this blizzard could wipe out the very trees of the forest. The thought of freezing to death loomed closer, and my mind began to shut down.
Sage Hast has fallen!
Truppo has fallen!
“Hey!”
Seigel has fallen!
“Hey hey hey!”
The old man, and Nokiri, too.
Nokiri’s Tree Kill!
“If possible, I didn’t want to use this…”
In the fading consciousness, I witnessed the scene where even our combined assault couldn’t inflict fatal wounds on the monsters, yet one by one, they fell silent with their unpleasant death cries.
“This is…”
“Tree Kill… The carbon dioxide expelled from the trees… It’ll catch our allies in the crossfire… More than anything, I didn’t want to do this to the forest, but… it’s fine now… we’re all going to be wiped out anyway…”
Nokiri has fallen!
Ah, that’s right. This is the end for both us and them. No matter how strong those monsters are, they can’t do anything without oxygen. Looking at the nearly motionless horde of monsters, I couldn’t help but smirk with my last ounce of strength.
“Hey hey hey hey… heeeeeey! You’re doing something super dangerous, huh? Good, good, this is the best! Just as Juo said, they’re not to be underestimated!”
Why is he so unfazed? Speaking of which, where did Kiki go? Well, whatever.
“The blonde girl is in here, right? Hey hey!”
◆ Shin Report ◆
Hey hey hey
Huh?
Showing overwhelming power, losing their sanity
The most brutal method, indeed
But if this were to become common, the sacrifices would have been fewer
So many fools who challenge without understanding the gap in strength
In other words, there’s still potential for growth in the weaklings
The problem is that there’s no precedent for humans who have ended up saved
As long as one life remains, there is hope
The weaklings will also be released from the curse of Bandalcia through this opportunity
But is Klinka safe?
I have a bad feeling about this
What if something happens to Klinka?
What would Rua do?
That thought terrifies me.
Monster Compendium
High Ogre HP 2800
An elite warrior of the ogre tribe. Among the brutish ogres, it stands out for its intelligence, which is still quite low. It can understand human speech and, rather than relying solely on brute force, sometimes sets traps. Due to its greater danger than ordinary Floor Monsters, an A-Rank Adventurer’s accompaniment is essential to enter its territory.
Goblin Knight HP 1150
An elite warrior of the goblin tribe. It wears armor stripped from fallen humans. Unlike ordinary goblins that wield clubs, it skillfully uses weapons, making its combat ability extremely high. Agile and capable of coordinated attacks, many adventurers have tasted defeat at their hands.
Green Dragon HP 4500
A poisonous dragon. It’s not particularly large among dragons. Its troublesome breath is more about the potent poison than raw power. Additionally, its meat and scales have low market value, making it infamous among adventurers as a monster with little reward.
Gigant Grappler HP 12400
An ultra-violent monster that tramples even ogres. Even the brutish ogres avoid its territory, and some even offer tributes to establish a power dynamic. It is feared to the extent that it is called the embodiment of violence, and it’s no surprise that reports of its subjugation take years. It is whispered that once it starts rampaging, an entire mountain could vanish.
Killer Don HP 8402
While it has no poison, it possesses the flexibility of a snake. Its entire body is covered in mucus, allowing it to slip through even the narrowest of trees. It has extremely high resistance to various attacks, and no effective subjugation method has yet been established, but its materials are highly traded in the market.