Chapter 352 - Anomaly (1)
Leira remembers, the Trial of the Ark she challenged two years ago with Asher.
In the Forest of Demons located in the Duchy of Riviant, an abnormal species revealed itself, the "Soul Tree".
The giant tree that had evolved right up to the brink of becoming a Special Individual, together with countless treants, tried to invade the city, Lorian.
Fortunately, an irreparable catastrophe did not occur.
It was entirely thanks to Asher.
Not only did he drag the Soul Tree, which was hiding underground, up to the surface, he inflicted massive damage with an elemental bombardment.
Leira also scattered the Soul Tree's nerves and hewed through its bark, yet it could not compare to Asher's exploits.
In the end, the Soul Tree was subjugated without ever reaching the city.
Thus the trial was overcome without mishap.
'But apart from that, it was sufficiently threatening.'
Had Leira faced it alone, she would not have escaped hardship.
Strictly speaking, the Soul Tree is an abnormal species that manipulates the mental realm.
The horrific scream it let out at the end plunged not only Asher and Leira, but tens of thousands of people including the residents of Lorian, into nightmares.
A tree that dyes a nation in despair, the Soul Tree.
If it had swallowed Lorian and become a completed form... the principality would have had to stake its very survival.
A special existence, deviating from ordinary evolution like this.
Monsters classified as "Special Individuals", possessing power incomparably beyond existing specimens, the kind the world must eliminate first.
'And that Special Individual is right in front of me now....'
Leira carefully tightened her grip on her sword, raising her gaze.
Septa Horn stood at the center of the square, slowly moving only its pupils.
That alone set instinct ringing the alarm.
'Officially, the Adventurer Guild discovered Septa Horn about forty-seven years ago.'
It appeared on the Central Continent leading a massive horde, and annihilated as many as seven villages and two cities.
According to records, entire cities were filled with human fragments, and outside the walls was stained with the blood of people hunted as they fled.
To stop that march of terror, the Adventurer Guild and the nations concentrated their full might.
A considerable number of adventurers from low rank to high rank.
And three Obsidian Rank adventurers, the pinnacle of the Guild.
In addition, an army of a scale reminiscent of a war supported the subjugation.
Thus the two forces clashed, and humanity won.
'As a result, many Mithril and Platinum Rank adventurers died, and of the three Obsidian Rank adventurers, two were gravely wounded.'
Even though they lured Septa Horn away alone and the highest-ranked adventurers launched a sudden assault, the losses were that great.
'Compared to that, the forces gathered here... are lacking.'
There do seem to be a few who can hold their own, yet it's the same.
Confidence in one's skill is not enough.
Leira's insides had been churned by a single collision, and she knew it because Bishop Lena had healed her.
In this place now, the presence of a master who has attained a lofty realm is indispensable.
The successor of DarkWarton.
To break through the immediate crisis, he is needed.
'We have to buy time.'
Until Haldirn breaks the curse and joins the battle.
All forces must be mustered to hold Septa Horn back.
"Bishop Lena."
"Y-Yes?"
Bishop Lena, in the rear rank, flinched her shoulders and answered.
"It seems difficult to handle with my strength alone."
"By that you mean...."
"Please."
It was a resolute choice.
Bishop Lena could not bring herself to stop her, and as she prayed, she released holy power.
It was not the usual easing of the demonic curse etched upon Leira's face.
She provoked it instead, making it rampage, to draw out that power.
Fwoooosh!
A vivid yellow radiance blossomed.
It was brilliant enough to steal the eyes of those who had been on high alert.
[Grrrr....]
Even amidst that, Septa Horn showed no particular movement.
It only looked up at the light as if intrigued.
Soon, the holy power subsided.
An indefinable aura flowed from Leira as she let out a small breath.
She shifted her weight onto the balls of her feet.
"I'll go first."
Crack— the ground fissured under the physical ability heightened by the demonic curse.
In the still square, she rushed Septa Horn.
Blood Sword.
Eight crimson blades that slash past, cutting the main vital points.
They landed, yet there was no feeling.
It was like the hand-sensation of cutting leather forged of hard metal.
[Kyaaaaa!]
Above the passing Leira, a massive claw ripped the air.
If it struck squarely, armor would be torn like paper. Gauging the force, Leira found a blind angle and moved with agility.
Kwoooom! Kwang! Screeeeeee—!
A master crossing blades alone with a Special Individual.
At that sight, those who had hesitated steeled their will.
"Yeah, damn it. So what if it's a Special Individual. How many have I subjugated up to now."
"The Blood-Crimson Sword... faster and stronger than the rumors. More than that, Septa Horn's attention is on us, so we needn't worry about the citizens in the inner ward."
"Dealing with that monster before the walls are breached is the top priority."
"I'll try to pin down its left arm. And ordinary attacks don't seem to work, so it looks best to disable the limbs first. Geltone, Rubina, cover the rear."
"Leave the healing to the Church of Luas!"
Four priests including Bishop Lena supported from behind.
And those who would, in practice, face Septa Horn head-on were the Adventurer Guild and several mercenaries.
Because they not only had much experience in subjugations, they were accustomed to group battle.
The Republic's Executioners and wandering mages focused on handling the demi-humans and magical beasts near the walls.
If they swelled the numbers without matching their coordination, a massive disaster would follow.
"No, I came because they said it's a good city to rest in, what in the world is this...."
The Lone Wolf from the Central Continent, Romer, muttered softly, but that was all.
Shield in one hand, sword in the other, he took the lead. He could hardly crouch in the rear in shame, could he.
It was time to show the dignity befitting a Central Continent strongman, his form battered to the limit in the Southern Pit.
"Haaaaaaap!"
Romer, shield raised, charged.
With him at the fore, the subjugation party surged forward as one.
The sound of riven air and screams.
The ring of steel and the roar of voices echoed.
Within the ever-more-fierce tumult of war, martial arts, magic, and miracles raged.
***
Leira, Bishop Lena, the Executioners, left their posts to defend the city.
Supreme Councilor Brillen also went out personally to care for the citizens.
City Hall of Sacrid stood empty.
Except for the mayor's office where Haldirn, unavoidably, was still tied down.
Tuduk, tududuk.
The blood-veins binding his right arm snapped and burned away.
The restraints were almost all undone now.
The black magic circle
'In about four minutes... no, about three.'
Outwardly he seemed composed, but he was, in his own way, hurrying.
He could not see outside, yet he felt it keenly.
The countless deaths happening moment by moment at the walls, and the violent clashes taking place within Sacrid.
Among them, above all, the demi-human with seven horns, possessing tremendous life force, provoked Haldirn.
'Is that the plan for Glory of the Dead that was prepared in Sacrid.'
He did not know its true nature, but it was on a different level than any demi-human or magical beast he had met thus far.
Even without facing it, he recognized it was not a monster to be taken lightly.
Truly, it was threatening.
Enough to understand why they had made such extensive preparations.
Most of the causal chain, he grasped in his head.
But then...
"It troubles me."
It was hard to assert with certainty.
It did not seem as if invading Sacrid with monsters was all there was to it.
It was a groundless foreboding.
And so he did not ignore it.
Haldirn was the sole disciple of the Tower Master, known as the Transcendent of Death.
What he received from him was not only black magic and knowledge.
'...There is something more.'
An instinct-born intuition.
That, at times, is both a reason and the whole of it.
***
The Paladin Order advanced into the faded ruins.
Undead surging in were annihilated without a trace, by holy blades and sacred miracles.
Soon, they succeeded in completely securing the interior without major damage.
Archbishop Joseph and two paladins, the three of them, descended the straight passage leading deep underground.
And then, the moment they reached the end of the dark single path.
Fwoooooosh.
At the center of the hollow chamber, there was a globe of light composed of holy power.
A miracle and a seal, manifested by the archbishops of about eight hundred years ago.
And within it, a "human arm" was fixed in place.
"Archbishop, could that be...."
"Yes."
Joseph affirmed.
"That is the 'Right Arm of the Ancient King'."
The tyrant who burned half the continent.
The mighty Transcendent who reigned in antiquity, whose body could not be killed and so had to be sealed and scattered in pieces.
Step, step.
Joseph walked forward.
There were traces here and there of attempts to undo the seal, but it still stood proud.
He reached out, and touched the seal.
Infusing holy power, he resonated with the miracle left behind by the ancient archbishops.
"Hmm...!"
Even after the passage of time, it was vast holy power.
Joseph faltered for a moment, then placed his other hand upon the seal.
At the same time, he spoke.
"O Luas."
The light flickered strongly.
Darkness fell and retreated tens, hundreds of times. Joseph, without a flicker of disturbance, exerted extreme concentration and whispered a prayer.
"Entrust it to us."
Paaaah!
Expansive holiness pulsed.
As if in response, the seal slowly faded, then vanished entirely.
The right arm, steeped in overwhelming deathly aura, fell.
The two paladins waiting quickly placed it into a chest, binding it firmly with chains imbued with holiness.
"It is safely done."
Joseph, after confirming, let out a sigh of relief.
"Then let us depart at once."
"Yes, Archbishop."
Though their goal was accomplished, there was no time to linger in sentiment.
Asher, Haldirn, Leira, Brillen, Bishop Lena.
They had to go aid the others immediately. To reduce innocent sacrifices.
Without delay, they left the faded ruins.
Though it was a place filled with historical records of the Church of Luas, there was no attachment.
They passed through the connected passage, and returned to the stronghold of Glory of the Dead.
And they were about to enter the left-hand door at once, but something seemed to have happened on the opposite side.
The spatial teleportation circle wavered unstably.
They could not step in rashly.
If an error occurred, they might fall into an unintended place.
They might even be buried underground.
Spatial teleportation is an extremely delicate and dangerous affair.
"What will you do?"
The decision was immediate.
"As per the original agreement, we will go to Sacrid. Surely Asher and those unaware will have subjugated the Fourth Servant and will come to join us there."
It was firm conviction.
There was not a trace of anxiety or doubt in it.
The Paladin Order, under the archbishop's command, boarded the Lustrous.
The airship, filled with holy power, slowly rose in altitude and reached the lofty sky.
Joseph gave the order.
"Use the power of the relic, we will teleport to the skies over Sacrid. Prepare yourselves."
"I will set the coordinates immediately."
The distance between here and Sacrid was not so far.
But that was no reason to conserve the relic. As the world's religion and humanity's proclaimed light, the Church of Luas had to fulfill its duty.
And then it happened.
"Hmm?"
Joseph, suddenly sensing something, turned his head.
And he gazed out the captain's window at the vast expanse of sky.
'What in the world is this presence....'
It was similar to undead, yet somehow different.
It felt as though it pulled at every sense and the soul itself.
Even Joseph had never experienced such a thing, so he could not respond precisely, only observe the situation.
A short time passed.
Only then did he clearly perceive something approaching at tremendous speed from far off.
When it came within visible distance, he could identify it.
Tattered, ragged wing membranes.
A massive reptilian skeleton, and within it flickered a unique blue flame.
Instinctively, from his memory, he dragged out its identity.
Joseph's eyes, which had been standing blankly, filled with shock.
"Th-This cannot be...."
His fingertips trembled.
But this was no time for panic.
In any situation, he had to fulfill his responsibility as archbishop of the Church of Luas.
Biting his lip hard, he infused his voice with holy power.
"Hurry, hurry, all faithful upon the deck, get inside at once!! We will teleport immediately!!!"
"But Archbishop, the relic has not yet stabilized───"
There was no time to answer.
Joseph strode forth and seized the relic, the Lustrous's power source.
Through holy power, he forced resonance, seizing control.
At that moment, from the unidentified flying being, immense presence erupted.
The whole space trembled with the surge of that monstrous force.
The blue flames within its body blazed, and its massive jaws, tightly shut, yawned wide.
And then, a blue light as if to devour the world burst forth.
"O Luas, may we not be too late!"
Sweating coldly, Joseph prayed and activated the relic.
Fwoooosh.
A boundless holy light enveloped the entire airship.
And at the same time, an exhalation of extreme cold engulfed the Lustrous.
***
When Verden reset the coordinates of the spatial teleportation circle and returned with Adrian, the Church of Luas had already departed.
Evidently, they had seen the state of the entrance not intact.
So, as originally planned, they would have boarded the Lustrous and moved to Sacrid.
'We have fallen behind unintentionally.'
Still, they should be able to join without delay.
At the speed accelerated by the halo of [Ainber], the Robe of the Demon King, it was more than enough.
But then.
"Adrian, do you perhaps feel anything?"
"Eh? What do you...."
"If not, then never mind."
Verden narrowed his eyes, gazing at the sky.
The atmosphere was faintly, but unnaturally twisted.
The moment he looked upon it, his senses roiled.
Something Adrian could not perceive at all, something of unknown nature, violently pricked Verden's senses.
Something that could not be ignored.
"...We must hurry as much as possible."
Whatever it is, before it is too late.
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