Looking back and seeing Noah, everyone was elated, but some felt jealousy coming up their hearts. "Look at this uncapable man that got weak on his knees just because of a couple of deaths. Disgusting." One of the soldiers muttered silently, but still enough to be heard by a lot of people."
"He should just go."
"A lot of soldiers died because of him. How pathetic of him to come back."
Despite the negative murmurs, there were still some soldiers who supported him, "Will thou all shut thy mouths if thou can't even say anything that can be used to win this battle?"
"Yeah, at least he came back and proved more useful than any of thou combined."
"What did thou say?" Soon, the lines were filled with clamor and chaos between opposing opinions and sides. Noticing that, Noah felt weird. It was as if he was feeling something that he had already felt before. It seemed that he was feeling the energies of… Envy.
Suddenly, he realized something. His eyes widened; pupils dilated in fear. It wasn't just the demons attacking them; the personifications of the Seven Natures of Mortality were also assaulting them from within!
All these years, because of what he had experienced with Lady Lust, he had been researching the Seven Natures intently for ways to combat them. Despite the long period of time since that event, he actually still hadn't developed one except for the Art of Divinity that only repels their influence from oneself.
Looking back earlier, it seemed that his state earlier was also caused by them. "Those bastards…" Noah gritted his teeth in anger.
Suddenly…
Various screams echoed from different places within the city. Weirdly, with every scream, the heavy atmosphere within the city seemed to lighten. Outside, the Emperor seemed confused at first but after the next scream, he suddenly realized something as his eyes narrowed.
"Blast these vile creatures off the face of this world! None of them shalt be left alive!" Noah shouted at the top of his lungs, filled with fervor and will to fight.
Fortunately, the soldiers did respond to his orders without fail. With that order, the battle continued. From the start of Noah's takeover, the demons' casualties grew while the soldiers of the Heavenly State hadn't even lost a single man. The demons couldn't even get near the human frontlines before being blasted into smithereens.
At this point of time, The Emperor finally moved from his position. It seemed that the casualties have finally gone too high for them.
He slowly drew his sword from the scabbard. Its huge blade struck terror to everyone, even to the demons themselves. Surrounding it was a blood-red aura, seemingly emanating a bloody smell throughout the land.
Looking at it, Noah immediately knew that it was the infamous sword that once slaughtered millions with one swing. With that knowledge, Noah became wary, prepared to defend.
Noticing that, The Emperor laughed wickedly, "Well, well. It seems that thou hast knowledge of this sword." He said teasingly.
"Enough to know that that is a vile sword." Noah spat.
"Then, witness its power personally." After saying this, Nefarius raised the sword, and swung down with a mighty force.
As his blade came down, a scarlet red rending light came crashing down towards the city.
Boom!
A strong shockwave erupted, sending dusts and debris flying. When it settled, a shield of light was revealed, protecting the city from The Emperor's terrifying attack. Both Noah and the now-powered up Elric, who were the one that erected the shield, glared at him with narrowed eyes of anger and provocation.
In response, Nefarius only scoffed and prepared to attack once more.
Suddenly…
Shang!
A loud piercing sound sent everyone— humans and demons alike— in shock. Noah and Elric looked at the Demon Emperor with widened eyes.
The demons, as if they collectively sensed something, shrieked in horror as they all retreated from the battlefield. Even those who have the greatest strength laid down its sword and ran with a face filled with terror.
The Emperor, who had his sword high in the sky, had a blank look on his face. The dark and baneful aura surrounding him slowly dispersed as his body gradually disintegrated into dusts that are smaller than quarks before fading entirely from existence.
The vile sword, without its holder, fell down from the sky with a boom. As the dust settled, everyone saw the sword— not wedged on the ground— but in the hands of a cloaked man that stood in front of ten other cloaked men.
Noah and Elric flew towards them, landed in front of them, and spoke, "Great Methuselah, please put down the sword."
Instead of doing so, Methuselah instead shook his head and said to them, "I know what thou intend to do with this sword, but it is not thy duty to do so."
"This sword's vile nature needs to be destroyed, but it needs to be destroyed somewhere else. As for you, fulfill thy duties as Servant of God.' After saying that, he looked at Elric's direction and scrutinized him, "You are not from this era."
Upon hearing that, Elric, who had been silently observing the ancestor of The House of Adam, widened his eyes in shock and fear. "I-Impossible."
He then turned to look at the people surrounding him as he desperately tried to explain, "No, don't believe him!"
"What doth thou mean?" Noah looked at him confusedly, "The ancestor wasn't saying anything." He added. Elric, who was still in shock, looked and saw Methuselah's smirk and realized what just happened. "Thou art more suited with us rather than theirs."
'Would thou carest thyself to join us?" Methuselah extended his hand to him and asked with a smile on his face. Although such a pleasant smile was in front of him, Elric knew that once he said no, he would be killed on the spot.
With that knowledge, Elric took Methuselah's hand, effectively joining their group.
"Noah!" Methuselah called out. "What is it?" He asked.
"As the highest patriarch of The House of Adam, take the House of Garenson under our House. They are to be treated as brothers-in-arms, and are to be protected as they likewise protect us." Methuselah commanded with great authority.