◈ Chapter 179 - 22-Red Strong Curse
*
Red light was scattered from each angular shape of the ice.
Somewhere between orange and red.
A signal sent from a body that has lost its soul to its departed half.
The endlessly burning flames illuminated the dark cavity.
While Runea and Mion capture the Homun's attention.
Bishop Barakura of the Salt Flower Church ran toward the altar at the top of the stairs in the center of the waterway.
"Barakura! What about the sealing group?!"
"Removing it itself is not difficult! This technique is focused on sealing the goddess's body, so it is vulnerable to shock from the outside. However, as expected, it will explode as soon as it is released!"
A magic technique linked to a cavity like a chain.
I remember seeing something similar to this.
In the corundum mine of Lothric Village, where Jin's soul was sealed.
And at that time, I remembered what happened when I roughly destroyed the seal with mana.
In any case, contrary to expectations, it was good news that there was no need to spend time unraveling the seal.
There was no need to borrow the power of a saint, and thanks to this, the time required was significantly reduced.
"As I said before, I will put a magic circle on top of this to prevent the explosion! With my ability, it will only stop it for a moment, but..."
"That's enough. I can take care of the rest."
After hearing Jin's confirmation, Baracura hurriedly started chanting.
A magic circle unfolded around him, reaching the highest level that human wisdom can reach.
The spell stretched out like a spider's web and slowly covered the ice sphere.
"Okay. I'll leave the rest to you!"
There's nothing more I can do to help here.
Now I had to leave everything to Baracura and move according to plan.
I turned towards the wall.
"Damn it. How much gunpowder did you put in?!"
A communal wall richly decorated for the ceremonies of the Aryan people in the past.
There were a lot of oak barrels stuck in the gap.
What's inside is gunpowder or a volatile liquid.
If the magic that seals Jin's body is lifted, its power will be doubled and it will be designed to blow up the capital.
My role is to destroy dangerous substances around the procedure in advance to minimize damage in case something goes wrong.
If you destroy everything in this cavity, you can prevent a chain explosion even if a flame touches it.
For that, I squeezed my Danjeon.
"Keueuuk⋯⋯!"
Like dry, dry leather, Danjeon refuses to listen.
I forcefully crushed it and extracted the mana.
That's how I finally created an auror.
Something as familiar as breathing.
Now even that is hard work.
I swung the sword, ignoring the pain that felt like my abdomen was being ripped open.
Countless sword energy spread out along the path of the sword from the aura that wavered like a sword user.
Kwaaaaang-
Long sword marks on the wall.
The oak barrel broke and liquid and gunpowder flowed into the waterway.
The outskirts of the common.
A waterway dug around the altar like a moat.
As I raced over it and flew my sword, my eyes were focused on the tiger gate.
"Disgusting seed of the Demon King! This is no place for you!"
Crackling.
Runea's shout and the sound of the Auror digging into metal rang out.
Before the dagger's blade was completely cut off, Homun shook off Runea with a back kick.
At that time, a huge ax flew in, targeting the blind spot in the field of vision.
"It's difficult... It's difficult..."
A quick leap and a quick leap.
Homun spread his clock wide in the air like a bat.
At the end of spring, countless daggers poured down like fluttering flower petals.
Each and every one of them will be covered in the poison of Quarha, the great evil of plague.
It doesn't matter to me as I am immune to poison, but for others, just touching it is critical.
Recalling my caution before the battle, Runea shouted to the saint.
"Saint! Avoid! Don't even pass by!"
"I know even if you don't say it! Don't worry about me and focus on Homun!"
A simple throw without any magical power or authority was not a threat even to Mion.
Runea was at the forefront, showing off tricks such as dodging raindrops on a rainy day.
"Whoop!"
Mion lifted his ax above his head and took a breath.
Paang-
The ax, called the Holy Sword, flew like a bullet with a crack sound.
Homun, whose superpowers of teleportation and hiding were sealed, had to take the attack with his whole body in the air.
"Ugh!"
The power of the god embedded in his forearm.
At the same time, the shock that came sent the Great Demon of Darkness crashing into the cavity wall.
Dust that was hundreds of years old rose briefly.
"At this level, no matter how great the devil is, it will be a huge blow!"
The light condensed like fireflies in Mion's hand, and soon took the shape of an axe again.
An offensive that goes back and forth as if water were flowing.
Even though they had never worked together, the dungeon exploration team was performing their respective roles flawlessly.
"Hmm, I see. I can roughly understand what Antenor means."
The blood of the great devil flowing down the forearm.
As if he could not easily recover from the blow inflicted by the holy sword, Homun frowned when he saw his forearm with exposed bones.
Despite Asili's departure, the party was pushing Homun more easily than expected.
In 『Biography of Esteria』, the first enemy to encounter Mion was Count Haenrel.
After his death, Mion's next opponent was Homun, the great devil of darkness.
Leading the corrupted Ambu and his army of assassins, he engages in battle with the Saint.
A collapsed empire.
Knights helpless in the face of bitter cold.
The magic brigade's power was half blown along with the capital.
A saint who has just accepted his fate.
It was a situation where victory could have been achieved very easily from the perspective of the great evil of darkness, Homun.
Is it because he is a dogmatic person blinded by his achievements, or because other archvillains were unable to join him?
Leaving behind an unknown reason, he emerged from the darkness alone to reach a conclusion.
At that time, Mion, the seven sword masters, and the magic tower lord joined forces to kill Homun.
Although he fell for the trick of the resourceful knight, Ember Cutter, Homun's defeat was due to his ignorance of the saint's power.
During the War of the Gods, he only watched from afar and never faced him directly, so he looked down on the saint.
Die. The Great Demon of Darkness, Homun.
Homun, who was struck by the light like that, had to fight with his vaunted skills of stealth and teleportation sealed away.
No matter how much the enemy line disappeared, I couldn't face a saint who had the power of the four gods on my own.
At the time, the saint in the original work, unlike the saint of today, was a mature adult, and although he did not receive teachings from the Sword Saint, he crossed the line of death at every moment and achieved remarkable growth.
Thus, Mion was not the strongest saint of all time like Landeroth, but he became the first saint in history to kill an archdemon.
A time of despair where ash covers the sky and not even a ray of light reaches the ground.
For humanity, which was shivering in the cold, the feat of killing one great evil was enough to regain its will to fight.
From this point on, the empire gained momentum to continue the war against the devil.
'Even though I can't kill the Homun now...'
At least there was enough firepower to subdue him for a while.
Because a huge magic called Red Line is binding him.
If Asili had been here, he would have recovered Jin's body much more stably.
"I never thought it would be so frustrating not to be able to use my powers. Saints are definitely annoying."
Homun leapt, leaning on the hollow cavity wall.
After widening the distance, Homun took out his dagger from his chest and held it crosswise in both his hands.
Runea pushed Homun as if she wasn't going to give him a chance to rest.
Mion followed him as if to assist him.
However, in reality, Runea caught the Homun's attention, and Mion took advantage of that opportunity to attack.
"Then this is the place to aim for?!"
The clock, unable to withstand the speed of the body, spread out and fluttered.
It was a leap that was difficult to guess from his aged appearance.
Mion had the power to kill Homun, but his body was still weak.
If you turn your head even a little, you will know where to aim.
Homun's movements were as fast as his judgment.
"I won't let you do that!"
Runea, who read his intentions, blocked his movements.
The swordsmanship of the Knights of the Holy Cross plays its role in defense.
As he rushed toward Mion, his feet were tied up by Runea.
"But can this also be prevented?"
Just the end of the clock.
Every time he flapped, a jet black gun was fired.
"Keuuu!"
A clanging sound made by a thin piece of metal bouncing.
The dagger flew along the trajectory drawn by Homun's arm, bounced off the wall, and scattered.
"Damn it, saint! Be careful!"
No matter how much Runea did, she couldn't have predicted that the dagger bouncing off the wall would rain down on Mion.
Mion doesn't have the skills or experience to avoid it like Lunea.
Therefore, the only way he can do this is to consume a lot of mana and wear a self-defense device.
Since the Holy Sword provides infinite mana, there is no need to worry about running out of Danjeon, but such actions forced Mion to become tired.
"Damn, did you notice...?"
I pursed my lips as I watched the battle unfold while firing sword energy at the wall.
I didn't expect that a being as big as the Great Devil would be treated so leniently.
Still, Homun was responding faster than expected.
The fact that the current war situation is favorable is due in no small part to the heterogeneous power possessed by the saint.
A technique called 'Light' emitted from the holy sword.
The problem is that it takes a lot of energy to use that power.
My mental strength had already been reduced from fighting against the great evil, and it was difficult to add fatigue from the battle.
'Originally, Asili was needed to prevent this kind of thing.'
She broke away to prevent Odeissa from joining.
Therefore, no measures could be taken for this now.
'Another problem...'
Before she could say anything about it, Mion became impatient and focused on her heels.
""Light"!"
Pure white light illuminated the cavity once again.
◈ Chapter 180 - 22-a Powerful Curse
Homun covered his eyes for a moment at the holy flash.
Without missing that moment, Runea rushed in.
"I will punish you in the name of the Lord!"
"Heh, you don't know the Lord!"
A martial arts technique based on cancer techniques.
It was a jutsu that a local gangster might use.
Punches and kicks strong enough to distort armor, and daggers suddenly flying out of the midst of them, were definitely extremely uncomfortable.
"But I guess I know the saint. Don't you know exactly how long the effects of that brilliant technique will last?"
Mion flinched as if she had been caught off guard.
Light is the power to erase supernatural abilities.
However, it was impossible to know how long the opponent would remain incapacitated.
It is different for each target, and the duration varies depending on how focused Mion is.
I can only guess by seeing her use her magic again.
This was our biggest weakness.
"Fuck, my head is working so well."
Mion was young and had no significant combat experience.
She wrote Gwangmyeong, pushed by her inherent impatience from there.
Through this, Homun understood the limitations of the Holy Sword.
Runea shouted after blowing away the memorization with her sword.
"Even if you notice, it won't change anything!"
"Is that really true? What if I had already regained my powers just now and was deceiving you?"
"Nonsense! You must not be deceived, saint!"
As a great devil specializing in rear support and disruption, Homun put pressure on Mion through psychological warfare.
Despite Runea's shouts, Mion could not hide her nervousness.
Whether or not she believed Homun's words, Mion ultimately had no choice.
The next light will be written early as before.
Because I came to believe that it was safe.
Of course, if you use a skill that cannot be used often in succession, the effect is halved.
Moreover, if the saint who can deal significant damage to the Great Devil loses his strength, Runea will eventually not be able to withstand it.
He will be the first to die of exhaustion while blocking the attack of the Homun targeting the saint.
The mistake of losing the rear guard grew like a snowball, threatening the entire team.
"The plan was good. By hastening the chaos that would break out in the capital, and bringing this much power, you completely deceived my eyes. Bjorn. It seems that it wasn't luck that bothered Antenor."
It feels like victory has already been achieved.
His words and eyes were directed at me.
"But how long can Asili hold out against Odeissa?"
The external noise that seemed to blow the entire cavity was gradually quieting down.
I kept having nightmares about the great devil named Odeisa coming here carrying Asili's head.
However, I was not swayed by Homun's shaking.
From the moment I entered here, or rather from the moment I fell into this world, there were only enemies in front of me that I could not defeat.
Even the Great Demon Homun is just one side of the hardships and hardships.
"Why don't you stop bluffing and bragging against a young saint? The name 'Great Devil' will make you cry."
"⋯⋯I will make sure you pay for using your tongue carelessly."
Gritting his teeth, Homun gave a short sigh.
But it's still okay.
We may not know for the future, but Homun's supernatural ability remains sealed.
Runea and Mion were clearly pushing him.
The evidence was the wounds that accumulated on Homun's body that would not heal.
"Hwaaaaap!"
The huge ax made a booming sound and cut into the body of the demon-sealed Homun.
Every time the holy sword touched him, he moaned, and the red blood of the great evil formed all over the cavity.
In the meantime, except for the area where Homun and his party were fighting, a lot of the gunpowder stuck in the walls of the common areas was also removed with wild sword fire.
I shouted towards the altar.
"Barakura! How long do we have left?!"
"We need a little more time!"
A thin film was still barely covering the seal.
It seemed like it wasn't enough yet to stop the flames from exploding from Jin's body.
But how much more do we need?
"The noise outside has died down! I can't take it any longer!"
Odeisa, the great evil of Han Bing, will soon join us.
Two or three more white lights had already erupted from the holy sword.
Mion was already reaching his physical limits.
That meant that the sealed Homun's supernatural abilities were returning.
"It was a battle you had no chance of winning from the beginning. Why are you trying so hard?"
Homun's body disappeared into the thick darkness.
It wasn't long after the light hit.
Surprised by this, Mion grabbed the Holy Sword again, but his Galg Duval did not respond.
"Ah, no! Please listen to me! Why at this time...!"
"Saint! We must protect Barakura! Quickly!"
Without any time to blame themselves, Runea and Mion turned their heads towards the altar.
Because there is no place for Homun to aim for other than Barakura, which is safely dismantling Jin's seal.
Because if we eliminate him, it is impossible to safely retrieve Jin's body.
However, Homun's dagger was aimed at the back of an unexpected person.
[Mortal. Welcome the darkness!]
A figure bloomed like a mushroom on the wall of the dark cavity.
Before I could react, the being rushed towards me.
"Björn! Avoid!"
The sound of a dagger cutting into skin.
Jin's scream resounded throughout the cavity.
*
Homun monitored the situation even amidst the onslaught of attacks.
The role played by the saint in front of him and the vice-captain of the Knights of the Holy Cross was only to buy time.
The real goal is, without a doubt, to retrieve Jin's body without destroying the capital.
To achieve this, the rear guard was using two methods simultaneously.
One is to apply a magic spell over Jin's body to prevent the flames from escaping.
If we can prevent it from touching the explosives even for a moment, we will be able to control Jin the moment he regains his body.
The two are to remove the explosives that filled the cavity walls.
Although gunpowder is not only found here, if we remove the explosives here where Jin's body is located, the chain explosion could be significantly weakened.
The two actions are related to high-level security.
If Homun targets Barakura, Bjorn will remove all the gunpowder barrels here to prevent chain explosions and retrieve Jin's body.
However, if you target Viern, Barakura's technique will be completed and Jin will appear.
It's a choice that will result in losses the moment you choose one or the other.
Homun expected that the person who came up with this annoying plan would of course be Björn.
'I should have died in the North at that time.'
I regret that I couldn't do it because of Antenor's stubbornness.
'Odeisa, you damn bitch. At a time like this, I can't believe I'm wasting time because I'm preoccupied with hunting...'
He clicked his tongue briefly and blocked the saint's attack.
He also didn't have much time.
The good news is that the saint has not fully ripened yet.
Even that heterogeneous power was already showing its limits.
This is because I could feel in my body that the effect was shortening.
'If things continue like this, there will be a chance at the next light.'
Between light and light.
In that gap, Lee Nung will definitely return.
We had to aim for that moment and come to a conclusion.
If you think about common sense, the target he should be aiming for at that time is of course a wizard.
If you eliminate the wizard and lift the seal, you can destroy the capital as planned.
After that, you can teleport to Homeland with Jin's body.
'But it bothers me that Jin is right next to me.'
If her timing was even slightly off, she could have regained her body.
That would have been more damaging than erasing Octantium from the map.
'If only I could kill Jinnim...'
Jin, whose body and soul were torn apart, lost his former glory.
Even a Homun could have been killed easily now.
He lamented that he couldn't do that.
'The flames that will erupt from Jin's body cannot be easily stopped. A wizard would know that.'
Leisure was still on the Homun side.
In that case, kill Bjorn, who is blowing up the gunpowder keg, first before the wizard on the altar to prevent a chain explosion.
You can leave the wizard alone, but if Bjorn is given more time, the chain of explosions that would occur underground will be prevented.
If that happens, even if you break the seal, you won't have the firepower to blow up the capital.
Homun, who had made up his mind, was aiming for timing.
Soon, Homun's opportunity came.
[Mortal. Welcome the darkness!]
As soon as Lee Neung returned, he disappeared into the darkness.
A world where only gray and light exist.
There, he teleported behind Bjorn and took out the dagger from his chest.
The dagger pierced the skin and entered Björn's body.
It was then that Homun realized something was wrong.
This is because he turned his body to avoid the critical spot, as if he knew in advance that he would be assassinated.
"This bastard, how...?!"
He firmly held Homun's arm in his arms.
"I'm glad your brain is working well, Homun. I thought you would target me first."
Bjern greeted Homun, who looked clearly embarrassed, with a wry smile.
""Light"!"
As if it had been waiting for this moment, the light of the holy sword engulfed Homun once again.
Homun didn't even have the presence of mind to judge the situation.
This is because sticky flames rose from the body of Bjern.
"You bastard! If you used fire here...!"
"It transfers to gunpowder? I know. But where did all the gunpowder go?"
All the explosives that were supposed to be around were destroyed with his sword.
The contents would have already flowed away with the groundwater.
Only then did Homun realize.
The reason why he took it upon himself to destroy a powder keg in the outskirts.
Also, the fact that the place where Bjern stands now is on that waterway.
The reality is that we have fallen into a terrible trap.
"Shall we go for a swim together? But mine will be a little hot. Like a nude beach in the summer."
Homun was sucked into the waterway along with Björn.
At the same time, flames burning like lava engulfed him.
Hwajeong.
The ultimate flame, which is said to annihilate even gods, burned the great devil without heeding even in the water.
"Kaaaaak!"
Water penetrated into the screaming mouth as if it would not allow a vacuum.
Two types of pain that could never be felt at the same time ravaged the great evil of darkness.
◈ Chapter 181 - 22-Red Strong Curse
*
We can't kill Homun.
A saint cannot use light often, and even if he does, the effect will be halved.
Also, we don't know how long the effect will last.
Homun will soon notice our weaknesses.
I separately told this fact only to Runea and Mion, who were in charge of the vanguard.
"So, Homun, who has regained his supernatural ability, is targeting you?"
Runea asked back with a puzzled look.
This is because, based on common sense, she thought that the target she should target first was the baracura.
Homun will keep that in mind and find the loophole.
"Barakura's magic circle will take more time than expected, and since Jin is right next to you, it will be difficult to break the seal. In that case, they will target me first as I am preventing the chain of explosions."
"It's within the realm of possibility. But..."
"If it's a smart guy, it's sure to bite."
Homun is not a soft enemy.
There is cunning hidden behind the nickname of the Great Devil of Darkness.
If so, use it in reverse.
"So? Even if Homun found out about assassinating you, how would he react?"
When Homun tried to assassinate me.
At that time, to put it another way, it means that the Great Devil has regained his supernatural abilities.
Even if you knew about the assassination he boasts about, would you be able to avoid it?
I understood the meaning behind Runea's question.
"I won't deal with it. I'll just deal with it."
"Of course you don't mean to just die, do you?"
I smiled and answered Mion's worried question.
"Of course, I have to avoid critical places. That's possible as long as I know that they're targeting me."
Predict, not react.
If you know what the other person is going to do, you can do that much.
"So, Mion, aim for the moment Homun rushes at me and use the light."
"It's not difficult, Master Bjorn. You can't engage in close combat with a horde in that state."
"My body is like that. But I have a secret weapon, right? Like your holy sword."
Mion and Runea seem to understand what I mean.
Why did I say I would remove the powder keg by blowing the sword near the waterway instead of on the altar?
"He will learn something that he had been ignoring. There is another person here with power."
We don't have the firepower to kill Homun.
This is a story about when I can't use my strength.
It's tricky, but if the conditions are met, I can turn even an archdemon into ashes.
We are not just going to die in a fight we cannot win.
The fight is to slay the great evil that has permeated the capital.
And Homun just met that condition.
The dagger aimed at the heart was lodged in the left collarbone.
He grabbed his arm to prevent it from being removed and threw himself into the canal.
As a result, the possibility of the capital city exploding is zero.
I relaxed and ignited a burning flame deep within my heart.
The source and essence of all mana in this world.
The green flame of Hwajeong flowed through my hands.
Toward the arm of the captured Homun.
Even when it touched water, it only bubbling endlessly and its power did not diminish.
"Kaaaaak!"
I heard a faint scream because I was underwater.
A power that is said to be capable of annihilating even gods if hit directly.
Even Qarha, the great evil of plague that we encountered across enemy lines, was unable to resist this fire.
Inside the enemy line, a more intense feeling of anger reached Ho-mun than before.
No matter how great the devil is, he won't be able to endure it.
Amidst the spray, I glared at my opponent.
Homun, the great devil of darkness.
Taking advantage of Duke von Lorraine's greed for power, he incited war.
He provoked the emperor's stubbornness and threw the empire into chaos.
To blow up Octantium without arousing suspicion.
In the biography of Esteria, your trick succeeds.
The glass palace that was the pride of the empire.
The magic tower, the church, and the glorious heritage of humanity.
All of humanity, reaching 700,000, will disappear.
That's all.
Until the day the demonic invasion began, the empire was in civil war.
Countless lives have disappeared meaninglessly.
It would have been your fertilizer.
But that future no longer exists.
Here, you burn with fire, and Jin regains his body.
Octantium will remain strong until the enemy ships disappear.
And humanity will unite to block your advance.
"Bjorn, but if that happens, your body won't be able to bear it."
Mion, who heard the entire operation, made the obvious point.
If you use Hwajeong while your dantian is distorted, your body will naturally collapse.
This has a different meaning from shortening one's lifespan.
It means that the fire of Hwajeong, which has been nothing until now, may burn my body.
"Well, everyone is prepared to die, right?"
Dongguijin.
If I were to save the capital and have an archdemon as my companion, wouldn't that be a great achievement considering the fate that was originally given to me?
"Of course you're going to keep it a secret from Jin, right?"
I couldn't keep Jin's newly renewed contract.
It also says to leave for the life you want.
I also asked to show my face once in a while.
A destiny carried by God.
Because he was a hero who reached there, fulfilled his calling, and disappeared like a shooting star.
It brings out the flames of fire even more.
Then, a heat I had never felt before, a burning sensation as if touched by fire, enveloped my body.
My body, which had reached its limit, began to send signals.
Pain.
Approaching death.
Entrusting myself to it, I fell down the canal with Homun.
"Hmm!"
At that time, Lee Chae appeared in the pupil of Homun, who was struggling in pain.
Before the flame of fire from his right arm could transfer to his body, he cut off his own body part.
"What...?!"
The arm he was holding to prevent him from falling crumbled in the water and separated from his body.
With a dagger stuck in his collarbone.
With a momentary decision, Homun escaped from Hwajeong's encroachment.
He jumped out of the water, kicking me as if nothing had happened twice.
"Kehehe! Cough! Cough! You damn bastard! Ha,haha! I really thought you were going to die!"
He followed right away, but Homun had already widened the distance.
With an expression that I can't tell whether it's sadness at having been harmed, or joy at having lived.
He opened one of his eyes with a flash of white.
"Is that Hwajeong...?! Who would have thought that it would even eat your soul! Regeneration would be impossible..."
He clutched his shoulder as if recalling the excruciating pain of his torn arm.
He smiled faintly, water pouring out of his mouth.
"Just like I heard... It's an incredible ability! It's not enough to have it in a human body... And you can use it so freely! You're truly worthy of the second apostle selected by Jin!"
A sarcasm spoken as a compliment.
It contained a sarcasm that even that power could not kill me in the end.
However, no matter how much the arm was torn off, the condition of Homun, which had taken a direct hit from Hwajeong, was also not good.
The opportunity to easily kill Homun was missed.
But it wasn't over yet.
"Lunea! This is your last chance!"
Even the time to feel frustrated that the operation had failed was a luxury for us.
At the same time as the saint shouted, Runea rushed towards Homun like a cannonball.
In order to trap Homun, Mion must have used all his remaining strength to use Gwangmyeong.
So now was the last moment to push Homun.
"I'm joining too! Mion, save yourself some stamina!"
I pulled out the dagger stuck in her collarbone and fired my sword energy at Homun.
The plan to trap Ho-mun and kill him, and for the remaining people to retrieve Jin's body and deal with Odeisa, went awry.
There were some gunpowder barrels left that were connected to the magic, but there was no time to worry about them.
Now, I had to somehow push Homun until Barakura completed the technique.
"Come! Mortals! Heroes who protect humanity! Here is your enemy! The prophet you call the Great Evil, but who once protected you!"
Homun, who lost one arm, let out a scream that sounded like he was struggling.
Clutching a dagger protruding from the sleeve of her left arm.
He rushed forward with a black cloak on his shoulder that fluttered like a bat.
"Lies! When did the great devil who drove humanity to death protect us?"
"You forget so easily. The Great Labyrinth, the War of the Gods, and what happened back then! This is why we, not you, must survive!"
Unlike his bravado, Homun was unable to make the same movements as before.
Even if he was hit directly by the light and his powers were sealed, his physical abilities were already reduced to the beginner level of a sword master.
Even if his arm was torn off, the aftereffects of Hwajeong's impact seemed to remain more than expected.
"He's noticeably weakened! I'm sure he can kill him!"
My sword energy attack and Runea's quick attack.
Ho-moon, who lost one arm and had a widened blind spot, was hit more times than he was blocked.
I was out of breath as if I would stop soon.
If Mion regains his stamina, he can kill Homun before Odeisa joins him!
"Ugh!"
As if living up to expectations, a strangled moan burst from Homun's mouth.
Just before the feat of killing the Great Devil for the first time in human history, Homun let out an unexpected sound to me.
"Apostle of Jin! What about you? Are you planning to kill Jin-nim like this? Is that really your intention!"
"⋯⋯What does that mean?"
Incomprehensible words.
I had no choice but to ask back, forgetting that I was in the middle of a battle.
Homun laughed out loud at that reaction, as if it was unexpected.
Haha! Jin! Are you sure you didn't tell your apostle?! Why did you and Moloch fight? What happens if you win that fight!"
What Asili was trying to convey to me.
The truth Jin hid.
The story that I tried so hard to pretend not to know came out of Homun's mouth.
"Humanity and the gods are incompatible! Lord Moloch wanted the gods to survive instead of humanity, and the other gods chose humanity. So if you win, the Jinn will die!"
◈ Chapter 182 - 22-Red Strong Curse
You have to swing your sword.
The opponent is a wicked devil who lived in the darkness and ate humanity.
Don't be deceived by his words.
Nevertheless, my body became as hard as stone.
Don't ask.
Nothing.
Once you learn something more, there is no turning back.
Reason warned me so.
However, my mouth moved as it pleased.
"Humanity and God are incompatible, what does that mean...?"
"The power of God is not something this world can bear, not even a mere crumb."
Homun answered as if he had been waiting for the question.
"You probably know, right? The Curse of Mana."
The disease that took the life of my mother, Princess Della.
A curse that occurs when a human is born with too high an affinity for mana.
Although the words came out of nowhere, I immediately knew what they meant.
At the same time, I remembered the words Antenor, the first apostle of Jin, the first saint, and the Great Demon of Betrayal, had spoken on the plains of Leuctra.
'You guys are mistaken. The main god did not give you the holy sword to slay Moloch. They didn't even give the saint a mission to protect humanity from Moloch.'
'A saint is a being who removes foreign substances from this world.'
Why is the power of the saint not only directed to the devil?
Why can even mana that is far from her power be erased?
And why did Antenor say it was a foreign substance in this world?
In an instant, the pieces began to come together in my head.
The puzzle completed like that was not what I had hoped for.
Jin said.
It is said that God came down to lead humans.
The power given to them by the god is to carry out that role.
However, that power could not be withstood by humans in the long term.
The moment humans establish civilization and become self-reliant, God's role ends.
Otherwise, the world will be filled with power and supernatural abilities.
When that time comes, all life, including humanity, will die from the curse of Mana.
"The myth must end..."
That means the gods must die for humanity.
The transition from the age of myth to the age of civilization.
This world couldn't do it.
Due to Moloch's betrayal.
Moloch would have wanted to live by abandoning his divine duty.
The Mana Curse may sweep through, but someone may adapt and survive.
Isn't that also a way to lead humanity?
You must have thought so.
However, it would have been difficult for the rest of the gods to agree.
To lead the life of this world that they had raised to death in order to survive.
In that case, we, the rookies, must have decided that it was right to sacrifice ourselves.
So Moloch was deprived of his status as a god and became a demon king.
The first scene erased.
I have finally realized the meaning of the words that the devil cultists advocated.
The remaining gods joined forces to kill Moloch, who ran away from his duty.
The main god gave down the holy sword to select those who erase supernatural abilities among humans.
And a war unfolded on the continent of Esteria.
The great war, later called the War of the Gods, was in a state of truce until recently, with Jin falling into a trap and never seeing an end.
Meanwhile, the curse was slowly encroaching on this land.
A crack thrown by Homun.
I wasn't the only one who was confused after hearing that.
"Jin... Um, are all those words true...?"
Barakura, the bishop of the Flame Church, looked blankly at Jin.
The mouth that was constantly moving to chant and the hands that were swinging in the air to create a circuit all stopped.
My eyes went to the altar.
To Jin above.
"It's a lie... Right...?"
Please deny it.
The words spoken by that cunning arch-demon.
All the inferences I made.
All my actions to help you did not lead to your death.
Jin didn't say anything.
He just looks at me with a pained expression.
Because she has already answered me several times.
Bjorn, I am a curse on this world.
A fiery jinn who came down from the sky to lead humanity.
Her power is Hwajeong.
An eternally burning fire and a source of mana.
It was also the cause of the impoverishment of this world.
She missed the right time and ended up becoming a strong curse.
The only way to do this is to kill Moloch and disappear.
To complete her unfulfilled karma from a thousand years ago, she sought to regain her body.
In the end, I helped her commit suicide.
"Damn it, Bjorn! Barracura! Come to your senses! There's no time to waste time like that!"
"Bjorn! You must not listen!"
The distant sound of aura clashing with metal was audible.
Lunea's urgings and Mion's calls were as dull as if they were ringing from beyond a curtain.
"Jin. It seems that the apostles you chose have some similarities. You are truly a very sinful woman."
Jin remained silent.
If she answers now, she will most likely get caught up in Homun's actions.
It was a rational decision.
However, the world does not run on reason alone.
A microscopic fungus spread from Ho Moon's mouth just before her death.
Barakura's confusion delayed the completion of the technique by a beat.
When I realized that everything was a journey toward her death, I had to leave the front line.
It was definitely something that could have been prevented.
Why are you so surprised?
You could have noticed it anyway.
The reason you didn't do that is because you tried to distance yourself from Jin.
It was so that I wouldn't hold her back so she could achieve what she wanted.
Do you have any right to be surprised now?
In that case, you should help Jin until the end.
Especially if it is a path for humanity.
Why on earth are you hesitating?
However, no matter how hard I tried to pull myself back, my body did not know how to move.
"But it's strange."
Homun's voice was clearly embedded in my mind as if it were loaded with mana.
"Jin, you never hid that fact from anyone, did you?"
The offensive continued by Lunea alone gave Homun some leeway.
So that we can follow her tail and continue our reasoning.
He continued to ask questions to Jin, who had no answer with a puzzled look on his face.
"I always gave warnings to those around me in advance so that they could prepare their minds. Why did Jinnim, who did not even create a prophet so that he could leave without regrets, hide that fact from only that child?"
Daggers flying like raindrops.
Homun suddenly laughed while performing a group dance in the center.
"⋯⋯I see, that's how it happened."
Homun noticed this alone, with no one answering.
But what I didn't know.
The difference that came from there turned the situation around.
"Jin, Lord Moloch will be heartbroken."
The last light has exhausted its effect.
Mion's holy sword failed to emit light again in time, and Homun, who regained her superpower, pushed Runea away and disappeared into the darkness.
Looking at him like a distant scenery, I finally lifted my sword.
"But thanks to you, my path has been opened."
A moment's hesitation.
The cold body was unable to accept the sudden command and went against it.
"Keueuuk⋯⋯!"
Calls poured in from the darkness as if they would not miss that moment.
The strange thing was that his spirit shimmered like a haze.
Danjeon and Hwajeong do not listen.
I was prepared to face Donggui, and the unreasonable aftereffects belatedly flowed through my nervous system.
It could not be avoided or prevented.
"Björn!"
Jin jumped from the altar to save me.
Obviously, with her help, she can rewrite Hwajeong.
Then maybe we can get out of this crisis.
I instinctively knew that it was the Homun's plan.
Homun was in charge of rearrangement in the War of the Gods.
As a result, Homun ignored the saint's abilities, and in the biography of Esteria, he died fighting with his abilities sealed away.
In other words, it means that we have not yet fully grasped Homun's abilities.
"No! Jin! Don't come! It's an illusion!"
The last ability possessed by the Great Devil of Darkness, who lived in the darkness and completely hid himself.
It was an illusion.
Disturb, deceive, and sneak attack the opponent.
A special ability that was specialized for that tricked the eyes and minds of everyone here.
"Thank you, Bjorn. For stealing Jin's heart. Thanks to you, at least I didn't fail."
Before coming here, I talked to Jin.
No matter what happens, don't fall away from the body.
Some of it included my death.
If she gets away from her body, Homun will not hesitate to unseal her.
My one life and the countless lives of Octantium.
No matter which scale you put it on, the direction of tilt was clear.
But Jin ended up choosing me.
Even though I know everything.
"In the end, it is my victory."
Jin running from afar.
An illusion that flutters and then disappears.
The real Homun, who appeared from the darkness, tore down the magic curtain that Barakura had spread.
His remaining hand touched the seal.
Still, I don't want to remain a curse for you. I will definitely save you.
What Jin said at the prom.
The choice she made, abandoning her divine duty.
A catastrophe resulting from promises and conflicting actions that would have been taken alone for each other.
It became a curse and descended on the capital.
Red flames filled the cavity as if they were going to engulf the world.
Like a rushing wave.
◈ Chapter 183 - 23-Melting Gold Crown
*
A flash of light engulfed the capital.
Smoke spread in a mushroom shape along with a loud roar that could be heard in the distance.
The roar and explosion that struck the emperor's path equally swept away the people of the empire, the knights protecting the empire, and even the glass palace that stood majestically behind it.
"Well, what happened!"
"Boo, the fire is rising!"
The ceiling of the glass palace cracked mercilessly from the impact.
Braving the storm, the Marquess of Dunmore tried to assess the situation.
But there was nothing to know other than the fact that something had exploded.
An explosion that shook the entire capital.
My guess is that no trace of the explosion site would have been left behind.
The dim red light on the horizon between the buildings looked like hell.
As far as he knew, no magic was this powerful.
"Ah no...!"
Barton knew what it was.
The Great Devil's bomb using Jin's body exploded.
The tragedy that we had tried so hard to prevent had come to the capital.
"Your Excellency! Yes, the industrial complex has evaporated..."
"What...?!"
The Marquess of Dunmore was astonished by the report of one knight.
If that is true, one-fifth of the capital city has just disappeared in an explosion.
Without a trace.
Octantium's industrial complex is the heart that runs the empire.
The damage was an incalculable number.
However, as if the fire was still not enough, it was spreading as if it would engulf the entire capital.
"⋯⋯This is the energy of the Great Devil. What on earth happened?"
The Sword Saint's muttering question clearly wanted an answer from Barton.
However, Geomseong did not have time to listen to the explanation, and Barton also did not have time to tell anyone about the situation.
"It ended up like this..."
Push the emperor into a corner, create confusion, fool the Great Evil, and then disarm the bomb's detonator to save the capital.
It was an impossible mission from the beginning.
It's a miracle that we got this far.
So the tragedy unfolding before our eyes was perhaps natural.
"Rain, get out of the way! I'm going out first!"
"There's a child at home! Please! Argh!"
The wave of revolution that filled the emperor's path turned into chaos due to a sudden situation.
Clouds of feet, rising ash and dust, screams.
Crushed corpses, fallen people, and rushing red light.
Black smoke and frequent coughing formed the background.
Barton just stared at the scene blankly.
The sword that had been raised towards the glass palace lowered its head.
One thing that is fortunate is that Amber is not here.
By the time she comes to her senses, it will all be over.
At least you won't end your life in pain by being engulfed in fire.
For Barton, that was the only consolation.
"It's not over, Barton! We haven't failed yet! There was an explosion, but we're still alive!"
Barton came to his senses at Helga's shout.
"Ah...!"
The bomb exploded.
However, the capital still remained, although it had suffered extensive damage.
Barton and the people of the empire here were alive.
If Björn had failed, Barton and everyone else here would have been reduced to charcoal a long time ago.
The fact that it didn't mean that it wasn't a complete defeat at least.
Barton still had time to prevent disaster.
"Humanity Lighthouse! Evacuate the people of the empire! Quickly!"
Barton organized the situation.
Now, an explosion has occurred far away, but there is no guarantee that it won't happen here too.
Even if no further explosions occur, the flames will soon reach this direction.
The revolution was no longer important.
The priority was to safely evacuate the imperial citizens here out of Octantium.
"Marquis Dunmore! What are you doing? Hasn't the situation changed? Please lead His Majesty and the people of the Empire to safety as soon as possible! Or are you going to be ravaged by the great evil like this?!"
The Sword Saint erased his benevolent demeanor and scolded the Marquis of Dunmore, the leader of the Imperial faction.
The Marquis of Dunmore, who had been pondering the tragedy in a daze, came to his senses at the shout of the Sword Saint.
"Yes... Senior Knight! Tell His Majesty that he must evacuate quickly! We are leaving Octantium as soon as possible!"
"Both of you, do your best in your respective positions! The fate of the empire is in your hands!"
Geomseong raced to the place where the explosion occurred to kill the demons that had inhabited the capital.
The clock fluttering mercilessly represented his impatience.
"Everyone, take your time! We must get out of the capital safely!"
"There! You! Don't push, wait your turn!"
"Throw away your selfish feelings! If you do so, we will all die together!"
The Lighthouse of Humanity shouted, carrying Mana.
The order they created slowly calmed the chaos.
The crowds that had filled the Emperor's Road gradually passed out beyond the gates.
"Barton. We need to evacuate too. We could be caught in an explosion soon here too! Quick!"
"You know we don't deserve it."
This tragedy was brought about by Barton.
I couldn't get it out to a safe place.
Because the person in charge has to stay in the most dangerous place the longest.
Barton was prepared for death from the moment he led the revolutionary army.
"But no matter how much I do, I can't control all the variables in this situation! If you are assassinated, the chaos will increase!"
"Assassination?"
Helga's words reminded Barton of a fact he had forgotten for a while.
The great evil of darkness has taken control of the dark side of the empire.
But where on earth are they and what are they doing?
Why are they crouching down and hiding this even in this chaos?
Several fragments swirled around in Barton's mind like a panorama.
Barton let it float as it pleased.
Thoughts became sounds and came out of my mouth.
"There is no sword saint, no magic tower lord, and no Runea... The Marquis of Dunmore is in charge of protecting the palace..."
Next, Helga felt scared by Barton's muttering to himself.
"⋯⋯Then who is protecting the emperor now?"
Reasoning based on instinct, like a beast smelling and chasing.
Although the context is unclear, Barton figured out who the shadowy target was.
"Lord Sentle! We must save the Emperor!"
Before Barton could command, Helga's spirit disappeared into the darkness.
To keep the old, degenerated, oath of the past that he had forgotten.
*
If there is one sound that should not be heard in a palace, it would be the sound of metal rubbing against metal.
This is because, where the emperor stays, armament is not allowed except for his personal guards.
Entering the palace with a sword without the emperor's permission meant treason.
No matter how emergency it was, it was an unwritten rule that was not allowed.
"As expected, you were Duke von Lorraine's spy."
Glass Palace War Room.
When the time came for the monarch of the Oxburg Empire to draw his sword and put on the armor he wore for his coronation, the musty iron gate opened.
There, Emperor Drich von Oxburg looked down at Erzi, the head of the secretariat.
"It was truly an excellent performance. You pretended to be blindly loyal and deceived us by pretending to be incompetent. It was our fault for not having guessed that you were a traitor."
"You are too humble. I didn't think you would notice. It is truly your Majesty."
"What? I thought this was strange for a long time. The war was longer than expected, and the war situation reports and actual situation were conflicting, so I decided that someone must have mixed up lies. If you are von Loren's spy, everything is correct."
"You ordered me to assassinate Barton to confirm that. There is no way I would kill him when Duke von Lorraine and Bjern are allies."
"As expected, you used Lord Sentle as an excuse to dilly-dally."
Small talk and words were exchanged.
If it weren't for the fact that they were pointing fingers at each other, they were calm enough to believe that they were talking about Jungkook.
"You distorted the information and blinded me. After finding out that we were aiming to destroy the private army, we baited the foreign powers with the idea that we could make enemies, rally them, and then absorb them. In that way, we made it unreasonable in the war against the Kingdom of Junta and the empire It caused confusion."
"Well, overall, that's true. But, Your Majesty, I think it's irresponsible to put the blame on me. In the end, it was Your Majesty's stubbornness in not stopping the war that led to this collapse of the empire."
"It's advice, it's direct. It's engraved in your heart."
Even though the Knights of the Holy Cross surrounded him, Erji showed no signs of fear.
This is because countless assassins in the shadows were hiding around him.
"Your Majesty, then do you know why I tried to assassinate you today?"
"It's not a difficult question. We have no descendants, so when we die, the succession will pass to a close blood relative. Directly to Duke von Lorraine. Then, Duke von Lorraine will achieve his long-cherished dream. It may not be so easy, but."
Erji burst into laughter at those words.
Haha! Your Majesty is so obsessed with the throne. That's why you're thinking that I'm a spy planted by Duke von Lorraine, and you're putting the circumstances in perspective."
The great evil of darkness had no interest in Duke von Lorraine sitting on the throne.
The great evil's goal was to bring chaos to the empire the moment Duke von Lorraine secured his right of succession.
If that happens, the revolutionary faction will split into those who respect Duke von Lorraine as emperor and those who want to achieve the original goal of returning power to the people.
Additionally, the Imperialists will point out Duke von Lorraine as the mastermind behind the assassination and try to support others.
In this way, the seeds of animosity that will last forever sprout.
It was a method that could not be used in the past when only the emperor and the noble faction were at odds, but now that a third force called the revolutionary faction was created, it was a political maneuver that would destroy the empire more effectively than anyone else.
"That is why His Majesty is passing away today."
The emperor said that Erzi had blurred his eyes.
Erji laughed at those words.
Because it was he, not anyone else, who clouded the emperor's eyes.
The catastrophe that befell the empire was ultimately conceived by the obsession with the throne.
The smile disappeared from his face and the shadow moved in the darkness.
Towards the center of the empire.
◈ Chapter 184 - 23-Melting Gold Crown
*
The bodies of the Knights of the Holy Cross and the Dark Knight were strewn everywhere.
Both the outside and the inside of the palace were covered in blood.
As he pushed the dagger under the knight's chin, Erji felt a shock like an earthquake.
"⋯⋯Did it explode? It was much faster than expected."
Homun's plan was to detonate the bomb two days after Erzi assassinated the emperor.
Because humanity will need time to understand the situation and antagonize each other.
Blowing up the capital now did not fit with the original plan.
Moreover, the bomb did not even blow up the entire capital.
"It looks like the saboteur was successful."
It was an unexpected news for Erzi.
Then he needed to change his plan.
Although they were embarrassed by the heavy drinking and shaking, the Knights of the Holy Cross and the Ambulance focused on the enemy in front of them.
"Die! Traitors to the Empire!"
"Khaaaaa!"
The Knights of the Holy Cross were brave and strong, as were the elites who served by the emperor's side.
However, with most of the force gone for defense, there was no power to overcome the inferiority.
"Krrrr
The last knight died after being pierced through the back by Erji's dagger.
A struggle that lasted for some time.
The Goddess of Victory gave Erji's hand.
"Well, it looks like your majesty and I are the only ones left."
Erji said while wiping the blood off the dagger.
The shadows that filled the space all died due to the struggles of the Knights of the Holy Cross.
The only people alive and breathing in the war room were the emperor and the head of the darkness.
That didn't mean it was okay.
"⋯⋯Yes, it's your victory, Erzi."
During the struggle, a blind dagger was stuck in the emperor's thigh.
I don't think I can escape from the head of the Dark Division, but even the slightest possibility has disappeared.
The emperor sat down at the bottom of the stairs leading to the throne and could only breathe.
"My victory, Your Majesty. It is unreasonable. This is the victory of the Great Demon Homun."
"I see. The entire empire has fallen into the hands of the Great Devil."
The emperor laughed helplessly after hearing the name of the real enemy behind him.
He had lost so much blood that his eyes were empty and his face was lifeless.
The emperor trembled, as if he could not overcome the incoming chill with the thin silk.
"It was just around the corner, Erji. A united...Empire. Colonies that would make the country rich...And new lands to pioneer were just around the corner."
"I know, Your Majesty. If you had succeeded, Your Majesty would have been praised as a saint forever. However, Your Majesty will end her life as a cancerous army that caused the division of the empire."
At the last moment, the emperor's eyes looked into the distance, as if he was seeing an illusion.
Ergy didn't care what he had in mind.
Because what was important to him was the darkness.
Holding the sword dropped by the Knights of the Holy Cross, Erji walked towards the emperor.
The soles of shoes soaked with blood left footprints in the war room.
"Your Majesty. Rest in peace now."
"The empire... Made a promise..."
Erji raised his sword high towards the emperor who was mumbling something unintelligible.
The appearance was like an executioner cutting off the head of a criminal.
However, the sword could not reach the emperor.
This is because the dagger that came from a blind spot was aimed at Erji's head.
Cheer up!
The dagger blocked by the sword fell to the floor and vibrated.
Erji looked at someone swaying in the dark.
A knight whom Erji once admired, who was a strong candidate for head of the Dark Division.
"Helga Sentle. In the end, you are stopping me. Didn't I tell you last time? If we meet again, I will definitely kill you."
"⋯⋯."
"Are you really planning to protect Your Majesty? Didn't you betray the Emperor and Ambu and leave Octantium? Do you deserve this?"
Erji smiled brightly, as if she had been waiting for someone to meet her.
Helga did not respond to the sarcasm and simply pursed her lips.
Her appearance looked too painful to be dealing with her enemy.
"I have an old promise. I must keep it."
Helga's eyes were drawn to the emperor sitting on the stairs.
He was her only younger brother, whom the princess had entrusted to him.
Acrid smoke slowly invaded the palace.
Certainly, like today, ash fell and smoke was thick that day.
That long ago, Helga swore.
According to her will, she would assist the emperor.
Wanting to keep her oath, her knight took up his sword again.
"There is no need for further discussion. Let's settle this now, Erji."
"I was waiting for you to say that, senior."
Erji and Helga adjusted their swords and covered them with aura.
The two spirits were sucked into the darkness.
*
The night of the prom.
Helga caught the emperor's dancing moves with her eyes.
It was Eileen who was dancing with her as she faced him, but what she was seeing was someone else.
Princess.
She was none other than the one who taught dancing to Drich von Oxburg, who had grown up and sat on her throne.
Helga remembered that moment as vividly as if it were yesterday.
As a tomboy, the only time she was proud was in front of her younger brother.
She escaped from the orphanage with Runea and was working at the palace as a squire of the Knights of the Holy Cross.
Helga recalled a girl her age who came up to her while she was secretly crying in her stable due to the daily beatings and verbal abuse.
Black hair and black eyes symbolize the royal family.
Helga immediately recognized that she was the Empress's first daughter.
At that time, it was easy to guess because no matter where you went, there was only talk about the Empress.
I heard the Emperor is fighting with the Pope to get her divorce?
There's a verse in the Bible about divorce. Wouldn't it be difficult even if you were an emperor?
They say they're threatening to found a new religion if we don't listen to them? At this point, they want to take back the reins of the priests.
And the Empress also wants her divorce? Why, it looks like we had a falling out last time when we purged all of her in-laws.
Now that she has taken a new wife into her villa and has given birth to her own children, there is no way for her to turn back. Don't you think she'll soon officially recognize the child as her royal family?
So what happens to the princess and the prince?
Well, she will receive the dukedom and leave the capital, right?
I heard the maids chatting while going back and forth.
They made similar noises with similar content, but the ending was always vague.
Because it was something that could not be said in the palace.
But there was no one she didn't know.
The fact that the new emperor's wife would never allow the princess and the prince to live.
Helga, who suddenly encountered the hero of her rumor, stared at her blankly, forgetting about the tears forming in her eyes.
To him, the princess let out an unexpected sound.
She snuck out because she wanted to ride her horse, and she said, can you please give me a ride?
*