Sizzle…
The battlefield echoed with the sound of searing flesh.
White smoke and the stench of charred blood filled the air.
Blinding white light-lances and swords pierced beast bodies effortlessly, their terrifying heat melting steel-like flesh, hissing loudly. Dark red blood gushed from wounds torn by the light-swords, the beasts collapsing into ash before they could wail, nourishing the hellish battlefield.
"…"
Roar!!
Another crimson lion-like beast fell easily.
The ascended warriors, lost in the count of their kills, continued their relentless slaughter in the beast tide.
Killing, reaping, repeating endlessly.
Despite hours of carnage, their resolve never wavered, their goal unwavering.
Vengeance against the beasts…
Their souls embodied this will, pursuing it at all costs.
The Demon God Pillars and their beasts, the instigators, were utterly overwhelmed by these sudden ascended warriors.
Seeing their meticulously crafted beasts reduced to prey, the pillars couldn't believe it.
The beasts, born from Gorgon's authority, were mass-produced endlessly, infused with the pillars' unique concepts. These second-generation beasts retained numbers while gaining special abilities, becoming stronger in every aspect.
They could evolve further, recycling dead beast corpses in the Blood Fort Andromeda's pool, extracting memories and data to spawn even stronger, more tailored beasts.
To the pillars, Uruk's soldiers' resilience was meaningless. No matter how many beasts they killed, it didn't matter.
These enhanced beasts, unlike Gorgon's earlier creations, operated like a swarm, each with distinct roles and value.
Even if killed, their corpses, returned to the blood pool, transmitted memories and data, birthing stronger, more targeted beasts.
Uruk's soldiers faced death constantly, while the beasts evolved endlessly. No matter how many were slain, the assault never weakened, only growing stronger. A prolonged stalemate ensured Uruk's eventual fall.
This was the pillars' greatest advantage.
But now, things had changed.
Something far beyond their predictions occurred.
These second-generation beasts were annihilated by the ascended warriors, leaving no corpses behind.
A volley of light-lances vaporized the first wave, followed by searing light-swords melting beast bodies.
The warriors' seemingly infinite mana surged, unleashing countless devastating light-cannons into the tide, decimating most of the pillars' carefully nurtured beasts.
The battle's course had veered far beyond their expectations.
…
"Kill! Kill!! Kill!!!"
Gripping a blazing light-lance, he pierced several charging beasts effortlessly, the ground beneath piling with their remains. Countless had fallen to his attacks, nourishing the battlefield.
Once an Uruk gate guard, he now stood as a member of the ascended legion, guided by the Father, the Lord of Hosts, a blade piercing beast hearts.
Hiss!!
A beast's screech drew his attention, and he shifted his gaze.
He remembered this purple, lizard-like beast clearly.
Its climbing prowess, aided by adhesive secretions, allowed it to scale even the steepest walls.
Days ago, these beasts had crept over Uruk's walls at night.
He'd noticed their intrusion, sending his swiftest comrade to report to King Gilgamesh for reinforcements while he and other gate guards fought to block the beasts from the residential district.
These beasts were uncanny, not only climbing walls but spewing corrosive venom from poison glands, eroding brick.
Unprepared for such creatures, they were caught off guard.
His comrade died instantly, struck by the venom, screaming in agony as the poison consumed him.
He'd been lucky, avoiding a fatal hit. Seeing his comrades' fates, he swiftly severed his venom-splashed arm with his curved blade, preventing further corrosion.
As he faced death like his comrades, a purple-haired girl, around his daughter's age, arrived, her sharp scythe slaying the beasts, saving him.
He was sent to the Ziggurat to recover, and then…
Pfft!!!
His white light-lance pierced the beast's body, surging mana shattering it into fragments instantly.
He stood here, reborn in another form.
Though he could now effortlessly slay once-invincible foes, the guard felt no joy.
His emotions were eerily calm, devoid of the thrill of vengeance or the glory of fighting for humanity. He killed only for vengeance, for the beasts' destruction.
He sensed his transformation, though he couldn't articulate it.
While gaining immense power, he was losing much, precious human traits…
Emotion, honor, even self…
"Kill!!"
He tried to rekindle emotion through slaughter, but no matter how many he killed, his heart felt no spark. His once-expressive eyes now reflected only calm and coldness.
Swish!!
More beasts fell, skewered on the battlefield. The guard pressed forward through the tide.
Any beast charging him was pinned and incinerated by mana in moments.
No emotion, no joy, no glory… only killing for the goal.
This emptiness was profound.
He'd known the cost from the divine voice when choosing this path.
Power meant losing honor, human identity, everything, becoming a fighting corpse, eternally battling beasts to protect Uruk.
He'd chosen this path without hesitation, yet now… why did he feel regret?
He realized it wasn't regret but sorrow, regret.
Even given another chance, he'd choose the same.
His only lingering emotion was regret.
Regret for not witnessing final victory, for not feeling joy at triumph, for not returning to humanity, regret…
With this unnatural power's use, human traits faded faster, destined to vanish completely.
Slaying beasts, the wooden pendant around his neck fell into the dirt unnoticed.
Then, amidst the chaos, he paused.
On the battlefield, he bent down, staring at the fallen pendant, motionless.
The worn wooden pendant was unremarkable, just a plank, notable only for its carved words.
He froze, then carefully reached out, clutching the rough wood tightly.
He vaguely recalled…
His daughter had carved this amulet, inscribed with his and his late wife's names, and a blessing.
It read: May Lady Ishtar bless your safe return, Father.
Now a walking corpse, nearing loss of self, but his daughter was in the city behind.
"…"
The guard looked up, his gaze at the beasts flashing with final resolve, then he took a deep breath.
"Kill them all, leave none!!"
He etched this will into his soul, making protection his obsession.
He became immensely powerful.
Before dawn, someone must burn themselves to light the dark night.
He would be that flame, illuminating the darkness with his life.
For those who loved him, and those he loved.
…
"Damn it, what's going on?! Where did these things come from?!"
The beast army was nearly eradicated by the ascended warriors, their once-unstoppable assault gone.
Anyone could see the beasts had no chance of victory, their total collapse a matter of time.
The three Demon God Pillars commanding the assault on Uruk gathered, retreating to the front's edge, ready to flee.
On a hill outside the front, three humanoid figures stood.
They watched their painstakingly built beast army being slaughtered, their faces etched with deep reluctance.
"What now? Retreat, or throw in more forces?" Raum asked his comrades.
"…"
"Retreat. This doomed battlefield isn't worth lingering on. Even more beasts won't turn the tide." Sabnock replied.
"I agree with Sabnock. There's no point in fighting a losing battle. We should report this to Barbatos at the Blood Fort Andromeda." Raum added.
"If we don't leave soon, those eerie things will surround us, and escape will be difficult."
Following Raum's gaze, Sabnock eyed the ascended legion slaughtering on the battlefield, his eyes wary.
"But I never imagined Uruk had such a trump card. Why didn't they use it earlier, waiting until now…?"
"Unknown." Raum shook his head. "But now's not the time to ponder. Let's go…"
"Agreed."
After brief discussion, the pillars resolved to retreat.
But as they prepared to leave, their forms stiffened, an immense, terrifying mana crushing down from above, freezing their movements.
"What is this…"
Before Sabnock and Raum could speak, a low male voice echoed, followed by…
"Mana Burst, Full Power-"
Swoosh!!
A piercing sonic boom heralded a dark red light, engulfing half of Sabnock's form, snuffing its life instantly.
A tall figure descended, landing before them, dark red light lingering at his fingertips.
Undoubtedly, he was the one who'd slain Sabnock with a mana cannon.
"Sabnock!!!!"
Seeing their comrade die, Raum and Sabnock roared in anguish.
They glared at Roy's figure, eyes blazing with hatred and fury, then…
Boom!!
With a deafening roar, two grotesque fleshy pillars rose at the battlefield's edge, revealing their true forms.
"You bastard, you dared kill Sabnock!!"
"Die!!"
They roared, gathering immense mana.
"Incineration Ritual!!"
"Incineration Ritual!!!"
Countless scarlet eyes opened, searing beams crushing toward the small figure below.
They unleashed their full power, intent on reducing their comrade's killer to ash.
Crack!!
The sound of a shattering world. A white, radiant world emerged behind the figure, as if reality fractured. Roy stood before the white light, arms outstretched.
[Heaven Hymn!]
To capture them alive, he deployed a Reality Marble around them. Aligning with the white world, he tore a rift in reality, and a massive white hand smashed through the Reality Marble.
"Look here, fools."
The giant hand, whistling with terrifying mana, grabbed at the two pillars.
They tried to flee, but in the white world's embrace, the hand's sure-hit nature made escape impossible.
___
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