Chapter: 497
As the domain filled with the power of the Void began to take shape, the followers of the Evil God recoiled in terror and stepped back.
The only reason they could stand so confidently was entirely thanks to the power of the Void, allowing them to overcome death.
If the Void did not exist, the heads that had fallen to the ground could not reattach themselves.
“…How?”
A look of disbelief flickered in the Apostle’s eyes.
This was absurd.
How could that fake saint manipulate the divinity of the Evil God?
A being crafted by human hands, appearing closest to the Gods but being the farthest from them—the epitome of the Church of the Lord’s corruption. How could she command divine power?
Despite the world around him shifting out of his grasp, the Apostle’s eyes trembled, but that didn’t change the reality he faced.
The aura of the Evil God, sealed away after being defeated in the last war, and the essence of those who attempted rebellion but failed, were utterly powerless before the Lord’s divinity.
“How!”
“I told you, the one you serve and the one I believe in are entirely different beings.”
As Phoebe flashed a mischievous smile, Yuden took a quick swing with her sword.
The blink-and-you-miss-it speed of her blade frightened the followers, forcing them to retreat even further.
With a clear path opening toward the magic circle, Joy hurried to place her hand on it, as the corrupted energy was driven back thanks to Phoebe’s divine zone.
Though the lingering effects were still present, this was no longer a barrier to her intervention.
Taking a deep breath, Joy recalled everything she had learned from the great Mage Erginius.
This magic circle had various spells intertwined within it, but ultimately, it concentrated and transformed the energy flowing from the academy grounds.
To find its root, she had to identify what enabled that function.
Connections to the barrier and the energy flowing into the followers of the Evil God—all could be resolved once they reached the source.
“Hahaha!”
The Apostle of the Void, pushed to one side, seemed to grasp something, breaking into a loud, mocking laugh.
“Saint! The hypocrite you serve may be merciful, but he doesn’t seem very competent!”
“Huh? Why are you suddenly barking like that?”
“Boasting is pointless! The essence maintaining this divine domain is not divine power but your abilities! It’s merely your limited strength!”
With veins bulging in his red eyes, the Apostle shouted, and Phoebe did her best to mask her surprise.
Well, he’s sharper than I expected.
What he says is true.
While the Lord granted me the ability to create a space blessed by him, he didn’t extend that capability to maintain it indefinitely.
This space is purely formed from my divinity. It’s bright now, but the light will inevitably fade.
“Deny it if you want! Spouting lies won’t erase your limitations!”
“So what?”
“Are you posing again?”
“What’s going to change? The fact remains that until my strength fades, you worthless losers can’t do anything!”
However, that didn’t alter the current situation. The followers of the Evil God could do nothing but wait.
If Joy successfully intervened with the barrier before her energy ran out, they would taste victory.
“The losers will be you!”
“Hahaha. What a funny joke.”
Phoebe had no doubt they would win.
Her trust in Joy’s abilities was solid, but more importantly, she trusted Lucy Alrn, the one who devised this entire plan.
“While you growl outside the fence, pray to your ugly God that your dreams come true.”
Phoebe was certain of their victory.
*
Arthur struggled against a pain in his stomach that felt like it was going to burst as he desperately moved his legs.
Were the traps ahead real, or were they simply illusions conjured by the Void?
He couldn’t afford to misjudge. The moment he let his guard down, they could come to life and become lethal truths.
After several previous mishaps with traps, Arthur scrutinized their designs as he ran.
Strange parts. Parts that contradicted what he knew. Oddities.
Ah! That blade section looks different!
A fake… probably?
Screw it. I don’t know! It’s too late to turn back anyway! If it’s real, I’ll just end up with a few more holes!
Sprinting straight into the trap, Arthur braced himself for pain, but thankfully nothing struck him.
The traps failed to touch him, dispersing harmlessly around him instead.
After dodging yet another close call, Arthur silently cursed.
Damn it. How the hell does Lucy Alrn know everything about that forest? If I’m struggling in this relatively less chaotic dungeon, how’s she dealing with all the information from the forest?
Is she even human?!
Agh! Damn it! Another one! Oddity. Oddity. Oddity. None! That one’s real! I need to respond!
After fending off a knight’s sword strike with his own blade, Arthur used wind magic to blind his opponent, swinging to behead him as he controlled his breath, only to sense darkness approaching from behind and scream in panic, moving again.
“I didn’t say it was fully pushed back yet!”
“Exactly! If it had been totally overrun, you’d be dead by now!”
“I’m going nuts! Damn it! How much longer?!”
“Just 20 more percent! We only have to go a little farther!”
Hearing the little kid’s shout, Arthur bit his lip.
After all that rushing, we only have 20 percent left! I feel like I might explode!
His lungs warned him they would burst long ago.
His heart wasn’t any better—the thing pumped blood like it was trying to break his bones.
Every muscle in his arms and legs screamed at him as if they were about to melt away.
Voices in his head urged him to give up repeatedly.
But it’s okay.
I can endure this.
I can hold on.
People don’t die this easily.
If I was meant to die from suffering like this, I would have kicked the bucket back when I was training with the Alrn Knights!
“Run faster! They’re almost on your tail!”
Who does he think he is, casually telling me to speed up while floating in the air!
How much faster can I possibly run?!
I’m already mixing mana usage and various spells to pick up speed!
He might as well ask me to leap dimensions!
Arthur bit his lip harder and forced his legs to push harder.
He summoned stronger winds to propel himself.
But even that couldn’t match the darkness that was tailing him.
Seeing the darkness creeping ever closer to his ankles, Arthur was gasping for breath, desperately trying to think.
Is there no way out?! What would Joy do? What would my brother do? What would Lucy Alrn do?!
“Ugh?!”
Arthur’s legs gave way, dragging him across the floor as he desperately tried to rise. He didn’t know what would happen if he didn’t, so he fought to prop himself up.
And that’s when he realized—the encroaching darkness had suddenly halted.
…What just happened? Why did the darkness…
No, no time to think about that now. Whatever’s happening, I’ll find out after it’s all over.
Stumbling to his feet again, Arthur clung to his balance, pushing forward.
*
Luca listened to the happenings above ground.
The Golems they had prepared were being smashed to bits.
The clash between the Sword Saint and the chaos erupting from the hole showed no signs of slowing down.
The erosion of the magic circle they aimed for was temporarily halted by the Saint and Sword Saint.
It wasn’t difficult to guess what all of this meant.
“Lady Alrn.”
“Hmm?♡ Are you about to deliver a pathetic declaration of defeat?♡”
“You’re planning to make Yuden into a hero, aren’t you?”
Right now, Lucy Alrn intended for Yuden to resolve the incidents occurring at the academy.
Using what Luca had prepared for Lucy, he aimed to lift the star he despised to greater heights.
“Whoa~♡ The perverted professor has some insight after all?♡ How interesting♡ I thought you were too focused on gazing at my insides to think at all~♡”
Lucy’s curious eyes confirmed that Luca’s deduction was accurate.
Ahahaha. Whatever she’s done, it’s clear that Lady Alrn sees right through me.
She knows what dreams I harbored, why I abandoned them, how I sought another path, and what my current objectives are.
She sees it all.
At this rate, she might as well be called an oracle rather than an Apostle.
However.
“However, the plan has not crumbled yet.”
“Huh?♡ What kind of nonsense are you trying to spit out?♡”
“The barrier tainted with the Void’s power hasn’t yet returned to its original colors, even with Lady Partran’s interference. That means this space is still under the Evil God’s control.”
While it seemed the Saint had performed miraculous feats, it was still within the realm of humanity. Her miracles were far from the realm of mythology.
The advantage was still on their side.
“And you know, Lady Alrn, we could indeed become the trial you face.”
Regardless of whatever was happening up there, it had no bearing on the current situation. Right now, Lucy was in more peril than ever.
“What do you think?”
Upon hearing Luca’s question, Lucy didn’t respond with words but instead partially covered her face with her shield, smiling.
“Should I say I’m scared?♡ Should I cry out that the nasty adults are bullying a cute girl?♡ I could even faking crying if you ask me♡”
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