◈ Chapter 160 - 19-Believing
*
Thick smoke filled the party room.
Ember saw Bjern leaving the palace with Jean.
Runea also followed him and ran through the capital.
Sword energy rained down on Vierne, but she didn't reach him at all.
Bjorn also occasionally pointed her sword at Runea.
The two's sword skills left huge scars on the palace.
I know it's just acting, but it never diminishes the power.
Everything is done to deceive the dark side.
Amber gazed at the murderous scene and shouted to the revolutionaries.
"Faster! If we keep doing this, everyone will catch up!"
Björn and Runea have reached an agreement in advance.
But not Ember and the Knights of the Holy Cross.
They were truly chasing the revolutionary faction, and Amber also had to do her best to lead the revolutionary faction and escape.
Her final commands from her master as he leaves to deal with her demons.
That means leading the revolutionary faction and escaping the palace.
Amber was ready to follow that command by sacrificing everything.
I don't think it was originally a pledge like this.
That day, in that prison.
Ember clearly made a knightly oath with Björn.
The content is that instead of giving everything to Bjorn, Ember helps her get revenge.
Abolish the class system and cut off the head of the nobleman who killed my family.
At some point, Amber was helping Bjern out of personal feelings rather than a pledge.
It must have been the feelings he had for the younger brother he could not protect.
'I know I can't save everyone. It doesn't matter even if it involves some sacrifice. 'Never overdo it.'
Ordering to escape the palace, Bjern said this to Ember.
When a revolution begins, blood inevitably flows.
Amber had already made up her mind.
But it doesn't have to flow already.
"⋯⋯Wow, it seems like I'm starting to resemble only the bad things."
Even though there was no reason to choose the difficult path, Amber ultimately made the same choice as her master.
Because that was also the reason I followed him.
"It's over there! Arrest everyone and leave no one behind!"
"Stop! You traitors!"
The chase caught up sooner than expected.
The opponent is the Imperial Palace Guard, the most elite of the Knights of the Holy Cross.
A huge force that protects the imperial family, made up of the smallest number of sword experts.
Their gold-decorated armor clanked.
Their red robes fluttered, unable to withstand the speed at which they ran.
The majority of the revolutionary group are ordinary people such as wizards and merchants.
It was nearly impossible to escape the pursuit of the superhuman knight.
The problem is that they are not only tracking the Knights of the Holy Cross.
-Shh!
The dagger passed through the ash-blonde hair and next to Ember's neck.
They moved in the thick darkness.
A group of elite assassins operating in secret in the shadows of the empire.
Dark part.
They also followed, protecting the Knights of the Holy Cross.
"『Lightning Bolt』!"
"『Air Slice』! 『Stone Cannon』!"
The good news is that the professors at Magic Tower who belong to the revolutionary faction provide support.
However, the magic fired without proper attack or defense or time to chant was weak to inflict damage on the knight.
More sword energy than magic was poured towards the revolutionaries.
"Damn it! I can't hold on any longer! Ember!"
The one who blocked the carpet bombing-like sword attack of the Knights of the Holy Cross from the rear was Helga Sentle, a senior knight of the Lighthouse of Humanity.
No matter how much of a sword expert he is, he is only one person.
Helga eventually reached her limit before even seeing the gates of the imperial palace.
"Please hold on just a little longer! It's just around the corner!"
All he could say to him was encouragement.
It's not time yet.
Meanwhile, the distance between the Knights of the Holy Cross and the revolutionaries narrowed to a very short distance.
"Amber!"
Memorization that seems like it will pierce your throat at any moment.
The further forward you go, the more enemies come in.
In a desperate situation, Helga called her name.
In any battlefield, once an engagement begins, plans are useless.
Because every moment is a variable, and people do not move as predicted.
Tactics or strategy?
If you hit even one of the countless monumental towers, your name will be remembered in history.
However, monsters are born in every era.
"Now!"
Her magical voice rang through the palace.
The person who responded to the sound was one person whose entire body was wrapped in a jet-black robe.
Holding a huge axe.
He stood between the revolutionaries and the Knights of the Holy Cross.
""Light"."
Is it a boy or a girl?
The being with an ambiguous silhouette muttered one word in a voice of unknown gender towards the Knights of the Holy Cross.
Then, a beam of pure white light struck the palace yard as if it would erase the world from the axe.
"Keuheuk!"
"W-Is Mana gone?!"
"Stealth is broken! Don't touch the light!"
The Knights of the Holy Cross and the shadow department, which had devoted their all to tracking them down, were exposed to the light.
Every single person.
It was a moment when everything came together perfectly.
As a result, those who were tracking the revolutionaries were unable to manipulate mana for a while.
Although that time was short, it was a golden opportunity for the revolutionaries.
In addition, the Knights of the Holy Cross were no longer traceable.
Some of the Knights of the Holy Cross who were taken aback by the sudden situation soon realized who they were facing.
"Saint! You are the new saint!"
Someone's shout.
That was enough.
To destroy the morale of the Knights of the Holy Cross.
The Knights of the Holy Cross are one of the forces that protect the empire.
The reason they are evaluated that way is because their leader was a saint.
The being they face is the hope of humanity and a new leader who will lead them into the future.
Under the command of Landeros, which lasted for 250 years, they were not even allowed to dare to point a sword at the saint.
"Put down your sword. I don't want to hurt you."
The holy sword that turned into a huge ax was aimed at them.
There was no Knight of the Holy Cross who heard those words straight and disarmed.
However, they had no choice but to be torn between the orders of the emperor and the saint.
"Now is your chance! Faster! Out!"
I can't waste the time that Mion has bought me.
Amber further increased her speed at the front.
The only thing that can hold Mion back is the Knights of the Holy Cross.
No matter how saintly he was, it was a story that didn't matter to Ambu.
As Ember predicted, unlike the knights, the Empire's elite assassins began tracking them again.
The saint's skill is to temporarily prevent the use of mana.
That means that the body that has been strengthened to withstand the mana is still the same.
Although they could no longer hide in the dark, their tracking speed was no different from before.
"Ember! We're going that way!"
At the rear, Mion cut down Ambu, but was unable to deal with them all.
As if they did not want to waste time with the saint, they rushed to the revolutionary group, ignoring the lukewarm atmosphere.
Amber poured out the gifts she had prepared for them.
""Frost"!"
"『Ice Blast』. 『Blizzard Storm』."
Extreme cold and cold waves.
The ice blade and spear penetrated the gap.
The wizards here are so knowledgeable that they serve as professors at the Magic Tower.
He was a great scholar of at least the 8th circle.
Even a superhuman could not block the attack magic they created with his bare body without the protection of mana.
"Ugh! My arm, my arm!"
"Damn it! Mana suddenly doesn't listen to me! What the hell is going on!"
"Dodge! Don't try to block her with your body, dodge!"
Mana suddenly became inoperable, and her enemies were her father, Gyu-hwan.
Meanwhile, the revolutionaries were able to safely escape from the palace.
Without a single person leaving.
"Huh... Huh... Huh... I never thought this would be so successful...!"
Breathing heavily, Barton looked at Amber again.
She had known since the Plains of Leuk Tra that she was great in terms of her strategies and tactics.
But she had no idea that she would be able to play with the Empire's finest in the palm of her hand like this.
Introducing the saint at perfect timing.
Use the cards you have at the right time.
Even if there is a slight deviation, you will be killed.
Even in such a situation, Amber led the battle beautifully, like the conductor of a musical orchestra.
Towards the path of escape.
Proving once again that her second name, the knight of resourcefulness, is not an illusion.
"It's not over yet."
Before I could ask what that meant, Amber opened her mouth first.
"In order to safely steal away the revolutionary group, we put Mion in force. If things continue like this, Mion will be arrested."
Only then did Barton recognize the situation.
Because Mion is a saint, he will not die even if he is captured.
However, his power was absolutely necessary to drive out the demons in the underground facility.
In other words, someone has to stay behind and help Mion escape.
"I will take on that role. You two, quickly take the revolutionaries out of here and join the Robe Alliance."
Ember shook her head at Helga's words.
"That's not possible. From now on, the revolutionaries will be at risk of assassination, and Lord Sentle is the only one who can effectively deal with it. If you make a mistake here, things will go awry."
"Then I..."
"Barton, you are the key to this revolution. Isn't it the end of the world if you leave? I will stay and help Mion escape safely."
Barton read the determination on Amber's face.
She had planned to do this from the beginning.
"Don't worry. I will soon become an advanced sword expert. And since I have a saint with me, the Knights of the Holy Cross will not use their full power. I will escape safely with Mion."
Soon, the effectiveness of Mion's techniques decreases.
If that happens, the tracking becomes more intense again.
I know time is running out.
Nevertheless, Barton did not lose his footing.
"Barton, I am the one running towards suffering, so why do you suffer more?"
Amber's hand touched his shoulder.
As if telling you not to be afraid.
She left her words like someone leaving.
"Even if things go wrong, it doesn't matter. I trust you."
◈ Chapter 161 - 19-Believing
There was no time to share thoughts or opinions.
Every time the second hand moves, the probability of the plan failing increases exponentially.
Leaving Barton behind, she raced towards the palace again.
"⋯⋯Shit!"
A foot taken towards Amber.
The reason he couldn't do Cloud after that wasn't because he was a coward.
Bjorn's last command rang in his ears.
Be sure to carry out the revolution.
For humanity.
Björn sacrificed a lot.
Barton could not possibly disobey the request left by his master, who risked his life.
I know it's selfish.
Still, I wanted to hold on.
No, I definitely had to catch it.
The overwhelming anxiety and the reluctance of not being able to see him again if things continued like this pinned Barton to that spot.
"Barton, we're running out of time! Ember said she's coming back, so don't worry and join the Robe Alliance!"
"But...!"
"Amber trusted you! Is she going to betray that trust?"
Those words brought Barton back to consciousness.
At a time when there was no Björn or Ember, it was he who led the revolutionary faction.
I didn't want to, but since I was in that position, I couldn't show my stupid side.
She barely turned her fixed head towards the place where Amber had left.
He opened his mouth to the revolutionaries.
"Everyone. As you can see, the emperor's tyranny is the same, and if it continues like this, the ills of the empire cannot be cured."
Many eyes turned to him.
A renowned professor at the Magic Tower.
A merchant who dominates the empire.
A nobleman who joined because of ideology.
They clearly looked taken aback by the emperor's sudden offensive.
Barton had to clearly show them what to do next.
Because that is the destiny of those who lead.
"We are bound by the name of the revolutionary group, but we all have different thoughts. There is only one thing. What brought us together here is a sense of crisis that things cannot continue like this."
There is no one here who has the same job, ideology, or even the future they dream of.
Their classes and backgrounds were all different.
There is no other reason why these people are here.
Barton reflected on what it was.
"Today, the old system of the empire is creaking. The people of the empire are struggling with the stubbornness and arrogance of the tyrant, and talented people are not being treated fairly under the old class system."
In the eyes that were sparkling with many eyes, there was only one thing.
It's speculation.
It was also a spirit of chivalry to correct what was not right.
Barton, the knight of wit, shouted at them.
"We are not here to usurp the throne! We are here to tear down the old system centered on one person and create a nation for all! Please join me on the journey to open a new era. !"
War and evil.
In these severe times, all the revolutionaries who rebelled against the Empire entrusted their lives to Barton.
The professors' statement was announced at the Magic Tower, and the street march toward the palace was about to begin. It was a moment when the flow of history was changing.
*
The front yard of the palace.
The Knights of the Holy Cross slowly narrowed the siege towards Mion.
But Mion could not cut them down.
The Knights of the Holy Cross did not fall for the devil like the underworld, nor did they commit any particular sin.
They simply silently follow the orders given by the emperor.
That's why Mion couldn't bear to kill them.
'Securing a getaway route... Won't be easy.'
Behind and in front, the Knights of the Holy Cross were slowly closing the distance towards Mion.
These are by no means a soft organization.
In particular, the Knights of the Holy Cross in the palace were the elite of the empire.
There was no way to avoid the situation again with the same tactics as before.
However, it was impossible to overcome the siege with the sword expert's still immature sword skills and the sword expert's strength, which he could barely pull up with the help of the holy sword.
To turn the situation around, you must use the Holy Sword's abilities.
However, the moment you use the holy sword, you cannot control your strength.
There will definitely be someone who dies.
That made Mion hesitate.
It's soft.
Mion criticized herself for not being able to control her feelings.
If he is arrested like this, underground exploration will be disrupted.
Even though you were born with the destiny to fight the Great Evil, what is the use of a holy sword if it cannot fulfill its role?
"Mion! Bow your head!"
In a desperate moment, Mion saw a huge sword flying from the entrance of the palace.
"Ugh! The wind!"
"Aaaaah! My body is flying!"
An ignorant attack that gives up all cutting power and increases in size solely to push the opponent away.
However, it was enough to break through the lukewarm atmosphere.
The moment Amber raised her holy sword to take advantage of the opportunity she had provided, she shouted.
"Save the light! You never know what will happen in the future!"
Once again, huge sword energy poured out over Mion.
Mion, who was running outside, couldn't help but feel concerned when he saw the sword.
"Ember! If you do that, Mana will disappear!"
No matter how much she gave up her cutting power, she needed an enormous amount of mana to fire multiple Sword Experts of her level.
She unleashed such sword energy twice.
No matter how much she was Ember, she had to save her mana in order to escape.
As a knight of resourcefulness, Amber also knew this fact very well.
'⋯⋯If you can save it.'
The effect of the light has decreased.
The shadow also disappeared into the darkness again.
The Knight of the True Cross also had mana wrapped around his body.
Once they regain their mana, they will begin pursuing them with all their might.
At a time like this, I couldn't save any mana in order to elude Mion's pursuit.
"Mana is back! Never lose sight of the traitors to the empire!"
"Knights! Secure the saint!"
Ember's sword contained mana again.
Even if she protected it with aurors, it was so concentrated that her sword body was distorted.
When she swung her sword, a strong wind like a tornado rushed towards the Knights of the Holy Cross and Ambu along with the sword energy.
"That move doesn't work anymore!"
Unlike before, the pursuers only stumbled for a moment and did not fly away.
Still, it didn't matter.
This was because Mion had already escaped from the palace.
She quickly gave her orders to Mion, who was passing by her.
"Mion. As soon as you get out of here, disguise yourself as a woman and join Bjorn! If you do that, you will be able to avoid being pursued! I will stop them as much as I can."
"But, if you did that!"
"They won't kill me right away! They'll try to get information about Bjorn from me!"
Knights of the Holy Cross and Ambu.
The time Ember can withstand against the two giant axes of the empire is only 1 to 2 minutes.
However, if Mion disguises herself again in that one or two minutes, she can safely join the underground exploration team.
"Go quickly! Your battlefield is not here!"
She scolded Mion for his hesitation.
As a saint, his role is to fight the great evil together with Björn in the underground.
In this way, we protect humanity.
"⋯⋯Amber, please have good luck."
"Mion, you too."
Mion, who read Ember's determination, turned his head and ran into the darkness of the sunset.
As soon as he left her, her Knight of the Holy Cross and her uncle rushed to her.
"Your opponent is me, Ember Cutter, Operations Chief of the Human Lighthouse! I hope everyone will join me in buying time!"
My mana and stamina are now low.
A huge enemy that cannot be fought with fighting spirit.
It was unreasonable.
So this moment was very familiar to Amber.
It was like that at every moment of my life.
When a noble bastard tried to use Ember as her plaything, none of her villagers came to her aid.
Rather, I was afraid that the village would be harmed, so I urged them to go quickly.
Amber was also ready to sacrifice herself for her family.
But when that noble bastard exterminated Ember's family for being rejected just once.
Amber could do nothing but run away in the face of that absurdity.
Even after killing several of the knights who were pursuing her and heading north while wearing her rags, no one extended a warm hand to her.
So Amber decided to fight against that absurdity.
So that no one else ends up in the same situation as you.
This was also the reason she swore an oath of allegiance to Bjorn, who said he would abolish the caste system.
Even though she knew she was defeated, Ember faced her irrationality and adjusted her sword.
To fight against it.
"That woman is someone who must be arrested too! Don't kill her, make sure to capture her!"
Her countless swords aimed at her.
Male and female poured down like rain.
It was not an amount that one person could pull off.
Her sword grazed her forearm.
A dagger was stuck in her thigh.
The blood that was supposed to circulate inside her body flowed through the hole.
Are you swinging it?
Am I being swayed?
Her black path was lost.
No matter how hard she pushed, her lungs demanded her air.
Her consciousness was hazy.
The more she did, the more the sharp sensation that pierced her body entered her brain and made her scream.
A sword that penetrates into the core and cuts.
Kneeling down against her will.
An arrow stuck in her collarbone.
My head lowered automatically.
Before long, even the sword fell out of her hand.
"Lord Ember Cutter. You are under arrest for treason."
Someone said that above her head.
Everything was as expected.
Because I knew this would happen, I set out to buy time.
The only thing I didn't know was that the first thing that came to mind at this moment was Barton Wigner.
◈ Chapter 162 - 19-Believing
*
"Take up arms, citizens! Let us fight the oppressors!"
"Waaaaah!"
Windows were broken, and fires broke out all over the road.
The unrest that started in a bar did not seem to end even with the oppression of the imperial army.
What made them angry was the body of the tavern owner who had died unjustly.
He lowered his body, which was hanging high, to the ground, hanging on his neck, as if to make him an example.
As the sun set, citizens once again poured into the streets.
"Return home immediately! Otherwise, you will be summarily charged with treason!"
"Hey! Do you really want to die?! Can't you all just get out?"
However, unlike the previous day, the Knights of the Holy Cross were walking side by side on the streets.
Against a superhuman who manipulates mana, the citizens' resistance was meaningless.
Even if you have a numerical advantage against the knight.
Even if there is a fight.
In the end, it is the general public who gets hurt and falls.
Under their threats, citizens had no choice but to cower.
To them, the scholars of the Magic Tower, which had long firmly closed its doors to citizens, expressed their support.
"This act is an opportunity to overcome this country's crisis. Without a thorough process, there is no way to make up for this country's unfortunate fate. In preparation for this emergency, all of Professor Matap appealed to our conscience and maintained our convictions. Declares."
"We oppose the will of the Empire and the Emperor, who are turning the current situation into a riot, and we make it clear that we will not stand by and watch any oppression of the brave citizens who took to the streets against injustice."
"Also, Magic Tower will take to the streets with the citizens to protect them and stand at the forefront of the revolution against oppression. We are not afraid of the knight's sword or the razor-sharp execution ground. Those of you who want to fight against the tyranny of the empire, join us. !"
When the magic tower was out of alignment, the empire hurriedly called the magic tower lord, but all they heard was that Asili had climbed to the top of the magic tower and closed the door.
Virtually condoned.
Although permission was never given, the wizards who gained Asili's tacit support had no hesitation.
"Emperor, stop this senseless war!"
"Abolish the caste system and establish a permanent parliament!"
Wizards marched through the streets.
Although their numbers were small, the burden on the empire was incomparable to that of ordinary citizens.
Wizards are valuable resources and semi-nobles of the empire.
In addition, he was a key resource for the Magic Brigade, a paramilitary organization that protects the empire.
If you treat them carelessly and it even affects the magic brigades on the battlefield, the empire will become embroiled in civil war.
Even the emperor knew this.
Even after knowing this, he ordered the Knights of the Holy Cross to do so.
Grab some students and kill them as an example.
Wizards, merchants, and citizens filled the streets.
The emperor declared that he would see blood.
The Knights of the Holy Cross drew their swords to follow the order.
Lunea caught all of that in her eyes as she tracked down Bjorn.
"Thank you for giving the empire such a huge blessing. I will not forget this favor."
Calm anger mixed with sarcasm.
I joined her gathering and responded in kind to her.
"I also heard from Mion. The Knights of the Holy Cross arrested Ember. If any of my subordinates get even a scar, I will destroy the Knights of the True Cross."
The ominous premonition came true.
In the end, Amber sacrificed herself to lead the revolutionaries to safety.
It was a gamble she took, believing that he would not kill her.
She was lucky that her move worked, but what she has left in the future will be extreme torture.
Thinking of that, Runea's unbearable anger boiled over.
I want to go rescue Amber right now.
Even if I save countless lives, what good is it if I lose those around me?
The reason she didn't do that was because she believed that Barton could save her.
Still, there was nothing that could be done about the rage rising in her head.
It was the same for Runea, who saw the empire ruined because of me.
"If you can, try it. Do you think we'll be afraid of the Lighthouse of Humanity?"
She was in the same boat for a while, but she didn't know how to let go of the bitterness between her and me.
She too believed in her emperor and got on the same boat with the emperor's enemies to cut out her foreign enemies.
But what if you lose someone precious to you due to your absence?
You will regret it for the rest of your life.
It would not be strange for them to draw their swords and engage in combat at any moment.
It was Asili who mediated between them.
"You like each other so much that you get so excited and crazy as soon as you see each other's faces? If you put two of them in one room, they'll come out as three, right?"
"Shut up."
"Asili-sama. Even you, you just crossed a line."
At Lunea's scolding, she shot back in an irritated tone.
"You guys are crossing the line. Why do you both think you joined forces? Do you think there's time to argue now? As a dragon, I'm going through all this trouble for humanity, and even those who wanted to join forces in the face of crisis are infighting. Should I do it?"
Her story was short, but her emotions were overflowing.
She has nothing to do with the human race, no matter what.
It's been like that for the past thousand years.
Nevertheless, she bowed her head to the humans she treated like insects and protected them, perhaps out of her belief that one day humanity would fight in the war against Moloch.
She couldn't show any more indecency when her devotion had to be repaid.
"⋯⋯Tsk."
I licked my lips and turned my head away from Runea.
Runea also ended her short nervous battle by clicking her tongue.
As if she was satisfied with that, Asili opened her mouth with the same expression as usual.
"Okay. Now listen carefully. And be careful. Where we're going may be as dangerous as Homeland."
A shabby house on the outskirts of the capital.
A map of the Octantium underground facilities prepared by the Magic Tower was spread out on the table of the hideout used by the Robe Alliance.
There, the dense paths were tangled up like an anthill.
"If the speculation that Jin-sama's body exists underground is true, we need facilities and techniques to store it. Jin-sama's body is currently out of control and is constantly spewing out fire. For that, we will need some space."
Asili checked several structures on the underground map that looked like large cavities.
Me, Jin, Runea, Mion, and even Barakura.
Even in the history of Esteria, some of the most powerful people rolled their pupils according to her fingertips.
"There are 8 places on the map that appear to be possible spaces. Fortunately, there are many places where the routes overlap, so you can check several places at the same time on one route, but manpower must be distributed separately for the two places."
Asili pointed out two cavities in the corner.
It was a place where one had to enter through an entrance located far away from this residence.
I put an X there.
"There is no way they would leave Jin's body in a remote place. It would be against their purpose."
"⋯⋯For sure. Even if explosives are used, these two places are too far from the capital. It is too disadvantageous to concentrate firepower."
I wasn't happy about Lunea's agreement, but there was no doubt that my words were persuasive.
"Then, fortunately, there will be no need to disperse the already insufficient manpower. However, the time given to us is only ten days. It is not enough to investigate the entire cavity."
"There is a way to do that too."
I said as I looked at Mion, who was taking off her female clothes and putting on her robe again.
"Originally, Jin should sense the body, but it is blocked by some kind of magic and cannot be identified. That magic must be power. Otherwise, the power of God cannot be suppressed."
"Hmm, then..."
"Yes. Until now, we couldn't detect it because it was deep underground, but things will change when we go there. Mion will be able to detect that technique."
Wearing a pitch-black robe.
The saint, Mion, nodded her head as if she would definitely do so.
The plan itself was sound.
What I was worried about was the difficulties that would unfold ahead of what was planned.
"The problem is how on earth do you get there while avoiding the eyes of the great demon of darkness, Homun?"
The origin of Ambu's stealth skills was his power.
A deceptive power that allows one to hide one's body in the dark and teleport across continents.
That's the ability Homun has.
It may be weak in battle, but it is definitely a difficult opponent.
You have to approach him secretly without being seen.
It was a nearly impossible task, like a mouse climbing on a cat and putting a leash on it.
"I wasn't just playing around either. I can deal with that."
Asili smacked her chest with confidence.
When the Archmage, who created most of the magic used by mankind, said that, I didn't feel like complaining.
"So how do you plan on engaging the Homun when you encounter it?"
The last question came from Runea.
"No matter how you hide your body and get to where the body is, it won't be over if the great devil breaks the spell and sets it on fire. Also, since the Homun is capable of teleportation, there is a risk that he may run away with the body after setting it on fire. ."
As the leader of a group, she calmly assessed the situation.
◈ Chapter 163 - 19-Believing
According to the setting book, Homun was notorious as the devil camp's toughest enemy.
This is because, in addition to hiding, they brutally trampled humanity from behind with their unique teleportation.
It was also possible to move with someone who had power there.
It was truly a great evil specialized in rearrangement.
Surrender yourself to the darkness.
Moving freely between the extremes of the continent of Esteria.
A being that despised even the flying dragons.
Our opponent was such a monster.
There are a total of six great devils, and if you meet Homun, you will see half of them.
The difference from before is that this time, I set out to find it on my own.
It's a really fucking life.
However, unlike the great demons he faced before, Homun was easy to deal with.
Jin explained the reason.
"If I can encounter Homun without being detected, I can bind him with the power of a saint."
The power of the holy sword, which Mion names "Light," limits the use of mana by those it touches.
This also applies to prophets with authority.
The moment he touches the light, Homun is unable to use his vaunted stealth skills and teleportation skills.
In addition, Jin spoke to Runea.
"And once it touches the light of the holy sword, the spell that seals my body will also not be able to be handled. Power will be needed to undo the spell."
"There is something I don't understand. Wouldn't it be better to destroy that spell with the power of the saint and regain the body?"
"How dare you, the scum of this scum-like church, tell Jin...!"
Before Jin could respond, Barakura, the faithful leader of the Flame Church, shouted at Runea.
Lunea responded bluntly to Jin.
"I know you are a god. But to me, you and your believers are nothing more than heretics. I hope you understand that I cannot bear to respect you. If you think about it, the reason we are suffering like this is not because of your negligence."
"You bastard! I'll burn your tongue right now and make you regret it forever!"
"Barakura. Stop."
At her Jin's command, Barakura swallowed her anger and turned her head away from her.
After calming down Baracura, Jin opened his mouth to Runea, who was looking at him with dissatisfied eyes.
"Runea, I understand your grumbling. But if you don't want to make the same mistake I did, it would be better to respect each other now. If you don't want to be ridiculed for over a thousand years as a knight of arrogance and stubbornness."
"⋯⋯That's right."
Unlike usual, Jin calmly subdued Runea.
It seemed like there had been a change in my state of mind while I was lying down.
Anyway, it was a good direction, so I watched the scene with satisfaction.
Without noticing my gaze, Jin spoke to Runea again.
"If I were to continue my explanation again, I will not use light in the spell. I have no time to waste a saint's stamina while dealing with an archdemon, and if the spell sealing my body flies away without preparation, the magic that is sealing my body will not be able to use it. "This is because there is a risk of the gunpowder exploding in flames."
Lunea seemed to be convinced by Jin's explanation, and nodded her head slightly.
I took care of the rest.
"This is my plan. As soon as we encounter the Homun, Mion and Runea will fight at the front line, and Asili will take charge of the rear support."
3 to 1.
We clearly had the numerical superiority, but it was a miserable battle to guarantee victory against the Great Evil.
Runea and Mion, who knew this, looked nervous.
"Why are you so upset? You didn't know what it meant to go to hell?"
I knew who the two were thinking of now.
Antenor, the great devil of betrayal.
Runea had a history of losing consciousness after one of his attacks.
There was nothing Mion could do in the face of Antenor's overwhelming strength at the time.
He must be quite fearful, as he will be fighting against monsters of the same level as him.
I spoke comforting words to them.
"Homun is different from Antenor. He is not an archdemon with powers suitable for battle, and no matter how underground he is, he is still under the influence of enemy ships. A saint and the vice-captain of the Knights of the Holy Cross can easily stop him."
"I'm scared too. Can you comfort me? With your hands."
"Asili, you just go out and die."
Ignoring Matabju's sexual harassment, I explained my future plans.
"While Mion, Runea, and Asili are buying time, Baracura safely unlocks the spell that is sealing Jin's body. Jin stays next to Baracura so that he can regain his body at the same time as it is unlocked."
Jin nodded his head as if he understood and asked back.
"What do you plan on doing?"
"In the meantime, I'm going to explode the powder keg and send it down the drain."
As long as you can explode the gunpowder keg near the body and let it flow, you can prevent a chain of explosions even if Homun releases the spell.
If that happens, even if Barakura fails to cancel the spell and has to rely on Mion's power, he will be able to safely regain Jin's body.
"Remember, our goal is to retrieve Jin's body. That way we can prevent the capital from being blown up by an explosion and prepare for the demonic invasion. Forget about defeating the Great Evil."
Barakura put the box on the table.
What was inside was a jet black robe without any symbols.
The moment you put this on, everyone here becomes your colleague.
We need to put aside our mutual interests on the ground for a moment.
To even consider such things, the enemy we have to deal with is too strong.
Both I and Runea looked at each other sharply.
"Then let's leave quickly."
I'm done with words now.
All that remains is the battle against the Great Devil.
Either the capital will be blown up, or the Flame Jinn will regain its mighty power.
When we come back to the surface, the continent of Esteria will be greatly distorted.
*