Chapter: 571
Feeling the hostility directed at him, or rather, at the daughter he was holding, Benedict let out a weak chuckle and set Lucy down.
“Go rest back there with your friends.”
“Are you… sure?”
As his daughter collapsed to the ground, her legs giving way, concern painted on her face, Benedict smiled confidently.
“Well, I’m not entirely sure, but I don’t think we’ll lose.”
Gently ruffling Lucy’s hair, which was a wild mess after the tough battle, he took a deep breath and slowly turned his body.
The expression of the knight standing on the battlefield was serious, heavy, and grim, unlike the relaxed demeanor he had when he stood before his daughter.
“I must ask, dark master, was it you who harmed my daughter?”
“My only regret is not tormenting that filthy brat more! Damn it! I should have killed her while she was trembling in fear. She should only be able to spit blood from those nauseating lips!”
“Indeed. So that’s your answer.”
With a reputation untainted across the continent, the knight drew his sword from his back. The weapon was something no one other than a beast like Benedict could hope to wield.
This was not a weapon anyone of history’s greats would choose, more like something wrestlers would prefer.
Gripping the enormous greatsword with both hands, Benedict swung it with his aura, creating an explosive burst that echoed from the spot where the man stood.
The strike of a single human wielding a sword generated bomb-like devastation that no ordinary magic could replicate.
“Indeed! Such great strength against fire!”
The man’s body scattered across the ground, not leaving a trace of his form, but his voice continued to ring out.
“However, it’s meaningless! The darkness will not disappear!”
From the shadows emerged another man, as if physical form was merely a tool. “You’re quite resilient, like a bug.”
“A bug!? Me?! Ha! Hahahaha! That’s hilarious! Truly laughable!”
As the man burst into maniacal laughter, those surrounding him prepared for battle one by one.
The swordmaster’s blade was imbued with aura.
The apostle was blessed by the goddess.
The wolf’s sharp claws pointed toward the enemy.
The smoke swirling around the fox formed a crowd.
The fairy queen commanded war. Knights, claiming to be the strongest in the continent, lined up.
“Go on, give it a try! The concept of death doesn’t even exist for a god!”
As the dark god’s rage spread, the surrounding fairies, who had been chatting boisterously, recoiled in terror.
“Have you ever fought in the darkness!?”
The fragrance of the world began to vanish. The pleasant scent of flowers, which had returned to the fairy forest over centuries, was consumed by the darkness.
“Have you ever faced a god!?”
Their senses began to fade. Were they really holding weapons? Were they clad in armor? Did they grasp anything firmly?
“Have you ever thought about why gods are called gods!?”
Their eyesight faded. The very world turned dark, with strength, beauty, and peril all extinguished; leaving only black in a void of acceptance.
“If not, you will regret it now! You’ll feel just what one who governs a power can do!”
Sounds dissipated. The sounds of breathing around them, the rustle of leaves in the wind, the terrified screams of fairies, and the clang of iron when positioning themselves were all swallowed by darkness.
“Hey.”
In that instant, just as everything in the world was erasing away, a voice filled with mirth pierced the shadows and echoed throughout the realm.
“Though I may be lacking compared to the original, I’m still the great mage Erginus.”
Sounds returned. The fairy songs trickled back into their ears.
“I am your adversary and one of the heroes who shall vanquish you.”
Visions returned. The beings who had dulled their senses in confusion momentarily flinched at the sudden light.
“I have been madly devising ways to counter you for hundreds of years.”
Tactility returned. The gentle touch of the breeze in the forest reminded him that his body was still intact.
“Did you really think I’d have no way to contend with your powers?”
Scent returned. The distinctive fragrance of the fairy’s flowers threaded through the forest, proclaiming the late arrival of spring.
“Such arrogance. Just like when you were defeated by us before.”
“How dare you!”
“Haha. Do you truly think your strength will always belong to a god?”
Clang! The sound of metal clashing rang sharply as a man, who had been displaying rage before Erginus, suddenly appeared behind him, thrusting a spear of darkness.
Had it not been for Benedict, who sensed the impending attack and parried it, Erginus would have met a hollow demise.
“Hmmm. A lot of noise for someone so weak. My daughter is probably stronger.”
As Lucy’s name was mentioned, the man’s eyes sparkled, but before he could charge ahead, attacks from all around came swarming like a storm.
The individuals present hailed from the greatest powers on the continent.
They had no intention of missing an opening.
The wolf’s fangs tore into the man’s throat.
The swordmaster’s blade bisected the waist.
The apostle’s punch crushed the chest.
In a human opponent, any one of those strikes would have been fatal.
If it were against a human, any single one of those sharp attacks would suffice.
However, their current foe was no mere human. For a god, body-targeted attacks were as meaningless as the flapping of a bug’s wings.
Had Erginus not intervened with darkness, the man would have merely stepped forward, impaling Erginus’s head with his spear.
“Great Mage, do you suppose you understand what’s happening?”
“…It could be the use of powers. He must have shifted tactics since he can’t rob us of our senses.”
“What’s the counter?”
“I’m already doing it. Damn it. Has there ever been a time his powers were nullified?”
The method Erginus chose to counter the dark god was a sort of mimicry.
During past dialogues with gods of magic, he realized that deities were often quite unaware of their own powers.
To them, powers were as inherent as hands and feet. Those who handled their powers as naturally as breathing found it hard to accept what lay beyond their comprehension.
After conversing with other gods, Erginus used this to strategize against the dark god.
He searched for ways to replicate the powers, strategized countless defensive measures during instances of confrontation with powers, considering every variable to prepare for this day.
Yet now, the dark god held onto the upper hand with this revelation, bickering with Erginus instead of showing confusion despite obtaining shared powers.
“There will be no loss of senses! That’s too tricky! But I definitely can’t stop them from using their powers! After all, that guy is a god!”
“You mean…?”
As Benedict swung his sword in the air, black thorns that hadn’t existed moments ago struck down, dropping like leaves.
“It sounds like you’ll be able to take away their powers soon.”
“That’s precisely what I said!”
The swordmaster’s blade, embodying the night, cleaved through the air, tearing the man who stood beyond into dust.
“No matter how skilled, that beast was just born from power!”
The apostle’s might struck before the man even had a chance to emerge, smashing his visage.
“How long can you endure against this genius?”
The wolf, using its keen sense of smell to locate the enemy, tore at the veil of darkness, while fairies, obeying the queen’s orders, swiftly cut off the darkness that sought to swallow the land.
“That thing has already ceased being a god!”
Yet still, the man refused to perish. As if the concept of death didn’t exist for him, he sprang from the shadows toward them again.
“I will make it so!”
“Don’t interfere!”
From the land where darkness resided, life began to emerge one by one.
Creatures commonly considered monsters by the continent’s humans; entities filled with malice toward humankind, craving life.
“Looks like they’re all fit to talk about being owners of dungeons.”
As a veteran adventurer, the swordmaster whistled upon seeing the creatures’ visages.
While each individually was nothing more than trash, facing them while battling the dark god would be a hassle.
As he pondered whether to focus on those, a loud voice overshadowed the beasts’ growls from behind.
“Knights! Any who fail to take down ten of them will return to undergo hellish training!”
Though one might fear being overwhelmed by the tide of creatures pouring forth from the shadows, Alrn’s knights rushed ahead, beheading the enemy with unwavering conviction.
“What can we do with just a handful of knights!?”
“Hah. In those ugly eyes of yours, does that seem like just ten? To me, it looks like a lot more.”
As the fog-formed foxes took their places where knights weren’t enough, they tore into the enemy’s neck.
“Such a scuffle can’t be allowed to persist!”
“If you hog all the fun, that’s bad!”
“I shall grant my blessings!”
The children who had ignited miracles readied their weapons once more.
“Huh!”
A knight, imbued with great strength, burst the man’s body among myriad monsters of the earth.
“Meaningless! You worthless insects!”
And thus the battlefield became a fierce standoff, but the ones who would be drained were only the living.
Darkness may scatter but it does not completely vanish. Even if it is torn apart, it would remain and gather once more.
But what of life?
Stamina is not infinite.
One cannot unleash great strength forever.
Even endurance has its limits.
“No matter how you struggle, the night will come!”
And when that night finally arrived, Erginus may no longer be able to fully resist the powers of the dark god.
“Hey, nerd.”
Erginus had already completed analyzing how this guy used his powers. If this had been a simple duel among mages, that guy would already be in tatters.
However, this is no fight between mages.
This is a battle between gods and humans. A struggle between one who has been the dark master since birth and a human wanting to seize the darkness.
To strip the darkness from one born of it, one must sever the line between them! If that is not achieved and night falls…
“Hey! Are you deaf? Does ignoring my cute voice make sense!?”
Imagining the worst possible ending, Erginus turned his head to the side upon hearing the girl’s voice.
And there he found hope.
“Hey! Can you draw his attention just once? Is it possible to knock that guy’s sanity around a bit?”
Feeling disgusted by having to lean on a child who had already hit her limit after creating a miracle, he still realized this was the best option. If there’s anyone who could create an opportunity, it’s definitely this girl, who had shaken the dark god’s emotions before!
As guilt and desperation mixed in his gaze, Lucy chuckled and smiled wide.
“Why are you asking something so obvious?”
*
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