"N-now... Uh, shoot it now!!"
Hearing the loud shout from their leader, the members of the Black Scripture hesitated; they were torn between whether to save their leader first or attack the monster, their eyes closing reflexively.
"Oh... Are you hesitating? You can't afford that. I'll praise you for your bravery."
Clap! Clap!
Shalltear clapped mockingly while standing still, grinning at them with her Spuit Lance embedded in the ground.
But she wasn't idle. Shalltear took out her mysterious flute, wrapped with serpents, and brought it to her lips.
"Hurry!!"
At the first seat's urgent command, Kaire finally activated the Downfall of Castle and Country. A blinding light enveloped the area.
Downfall of Castle and Country, a Sacred Treasure—a World Item capable of brainwashing any being except the Platinum Dragon Lord, who uses Wild Magic—was unleashed. Its power was aimed directly at Shalltear.
Shalltear was enveloped in a pure white light.
A terrifying being, one who couldn't be defeated even by himself, the first seat of Black Scripture, was now to be brainwashed by Downfall of Castle and Country. This monster would now serve as a weapon for the Slane Theocracy.
She was a threat to humanity. If they couldn't kill her, they'd brainwash her and use her power for mankind's benefit.
As he thought about it, the first seat laughed inwardly.
'Hahahaha... It's over.'
Meanwhile, Myriad Barriers, the 8th seat, and Divine Chains, the 9th seat, ran towards the 1st seat.
"Leader!"
"Leader!"
At their shouts, the 1st seat struggled to stand, his body aching with every movement.
The members who had come to aid him believed Shalltear had been brainwashed. But as they approached to support him, a beautiful yet unsettling instrumental sound began to fill the air.
Fwee~!
It was the sound of a flute—beautiful yet disquieting.
"This... this...? The sound of a flute?"
The 7th seat, Thousand Leagues Astrologer, tensed up at the sudden melody. The rest of the members also perked up, listening intently.
"Ah, why do I suddenly hear a flute sound?" one of them questioned.
The melodies echoed around them, both captivating and repulsive. Then, as suddenly as it started, the music stopped.
"Has it stopped?"
"Whoops... HEHEHE…!"
A chilling laugh followed. Shalltear lowered the flute from her mouth, her smile twisting with amusement.
"Did you think I was attacking without a plan?"
"No, that's ridiculous...!"
"It can't be!"
The 1st seat had believed Shalltear was brainwashed by the Downfall of Castle and Country. But contrary to their expectations, Shalltear was enjoying herself.
Just as they thought this hellish battle was over, an unexpected situation unfolded. They were facing a true monster—an entity even a Sacred Treasure couldn't subdue.
"Back off!!" the 1st seat screamed, but it was already too late.
Swoosh! Splash!
The Spuit Lance pierced the necks of the 8th and 9th seats. Blood gushed out as their bodies collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
The first seat could only watch in horror as Shalltear killed them with ease.
"Bastard!!!"
He tried to rise in anger, but Shalltear's swift kick to his chest sent him crashing back down.
Bang!
"Keuk!!"
"Patients, just watch," Shalltear mocked, her eyes glittering with sadistic pleasure. She gazed at the remaining Black Scripture members, all frozen in place, their faces masks of despair.
"No! This can't be happening!" shouted the 1st seat, his voice filled with desperation.
Fear and confusion paralyzed the remaining members of Black Scripture. The power they had relied on, the Sacred Treasure, had failed them completely.
Shalltear pulled the Spuit Lance out, the blood dripping from its tip. She looked at the remaining members with a predatory grin.
"Ahahaha! Are you scared? Funny humans come," she taunted.
With two of their comrades already dead, one almost crippled, and on the verge of death, only nine members remained. Shalltear grabbed the first seat by the neck, lifting him effortlessly into the air. The 6th seat lunged forward, eyes blazing with fury.
"Let go of the captain!!"
"Oh," Shalltear responded, almost bored.
Crack!
The sound of breaking bones echoed through the air as the 6th seat's greatsword failed to cut through Shalltear's body, falling powerlessly to the ground. With a swift and brutal motion, Shalltear deprived the 6th seat of life, his body collapsing instantly. The remains were so mangled they were barely recognizable.
Seeing the 6th seat's fate, the first seat gnashed his teeth, struggling against Shalltear's grip.
"You... monster..." he choked out.
The eyes of the 1st seat were bloodshot.
"Don't run amok. It'll be over soon, right?"
While Shalltear focused on the 1st seat, several humans rushed towards her.
-Chack!
"It's a pointless surprise."
Blood splattered again. The ground was soaked in red, radiating a vicious energy.
With the exception of Kaire, the 7th-seat Thousand Leagues Astrologer, and the 11th-seat Infinite Magic, the rest of the Black Scripture members died instantly, spurting blood.
Given the absence of the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 10th, and 12th seats, they were likely back in the Slane Theocracy.
Taking advantage of the 7th-seat Astrologer's attempt to confuse Shalltear's mind and Shalltear's focus on keeping Kaire from running away, the 1st seat pulled out an item.
It was a Return Scroll, one of the treasures left by the Six Great Gods, meant for use in emergencies or crises.
The 1st seat activated the scroll with his left hand. A blue light enveloped his body. Shalltear quickly attempted to kill the 1st seat, but his body scattered like particles of light and vanished in an instant.
"Kaire-sama... Come on...!!"
The 11th seat handed Kaire a Return Scroll as well.
However, Kaire closed her eyes when she saw Shalltear standing in front of her with a resigned expression.
"It's not going to happen twice."
Shalltear spoke mockingly, stunned the 7th-seat Astrologer and stood before Kaire, eliminating any possibility of them doing anything unexpected.
The old woman Kaire was captured alive for the World Item, while the other two young women weren't killed because Shalltear remembered Aurelius's other order: to capture strong and beautiful human women without killing them.
"I knocked out the purple-haired bitch. Now, you too, just sleep."
At that moment, Kaire's and the 7th seat's eyes went dark as they lost consciousness.
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