Why, of all things?
Rudell’s mind was filled with that question.
Why is he, the protagonist of the original story, standing before him as an enemy?
Rudell had dealt with unexpected situations many times, but even he found it hard to accept this one.
“Why…?”
It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought about finding him.
In fact, for the past few years, Rudell had hired people to track his whereabouts.
Of course, he found no substantial clues, and Rudell had to conclude that he no longer existed in this world.
However, in this moment, he appeared before him in the most dreadful way.
“Hahaha!! You’re pretty good!!”
“Chit…!!”
In just a few seconds, dozens of sword strikes exchanged, and looking at Iandel, who was laughing joyfully, Leje clicked her tongue.
His strength was on another level compared to the countless foes she had fought.
He had been evenly matched with her in the original story, making their battle intensely competitive.
“Rudell! Don’t dawdle! They’re coming!!”
Kurt shouted at Rudell, who was staring at the scene, and as Rudell turned his head, he saw monsters crowding in the distance down the corridor.
Giant Spiders, Wolf Rats, Black Slimes…
Monsters living in the deep, damp underground were gathering en masse toward them.
In their eyes burned an ominous purple light.
“Kurt! Take the front! Silphier and Eleor, behind me!”
Snapping back to reality, Rudell hurriedly directed his party.
Even though the situation was chaotic, there was no reason to give up everything.
“Oh Goddess, bless your servant…!!”
“Oaaaaaahhh-!!”
Stepping forward, Kurt drew the axe strapped to his back, and Eleor began to radiate Divine Power while praying.
The light pouring from her softly enveloped the surroundings, and Kurt let out a battle cry.
-Kyaaaahhh!!-Zziik!! Zziiik!!
If they were ordinary monsters, they would have fled in fear of this momentum, but the monsters did not relent at all, as if controlled by something.
“Fireball.”
While watching this scene, Rudell chanted the spell, and a sphere of flames formed above his head, soaring in a long tail and striking right in the middle of the monsters.
-Kwaaaaahhh!!
With an explosion, flames erupted, engulfing the monsters caught in the inferno, who screamed in terror.
However, the sheer number of monsters was not something they could handle easily.
As the waves of monsters crashed over the bodies of their fiery brethren, Kurt swung his axe with a battle cry.
The blade of the axe, imbued with red magic, drew a semicircle in the air, and the heads and bodies of dozens of rushing monsters were severed.
-Kyaaahhh!!
Splattering black blood, the severed bodies of monsters rolled across the ground. Kurt let out another roar, diving into the midst of the monsters.
What followed was literally a massacre.
Being born of the Nord tribe was unmistakable.
With each swing of Kurt’s axe, multiple monsters fell, blood spraying everywhere, and each time, Kurt roared and pushed the monsters back even harder.
“Kurt! Duck!!”
Rudell, standing behind him, intercepted monsters aiming for Kurt’s vulnerabilities.
Some managed to slip through their attacks, but…
“Eh, hey!!”
clang!
-Kyaaaaa!?!?
Silphier’s flask was upended, and the monster met an unspeakably gruesome fate.
At this point, it could be seen as a relatively favorable situation.
But…
“If we keep going like this…”
Piercing through a monster aiming for Kurt with spikes of shadow, Rudell glanced at the magic stone still resonating ominously.
Its light was much brighter than before, casting a low resonance that clearly indicated time was running out.
However, the most significant combat power, Leje, was tied up with Iandel, and all the remaining members could do was barely maintain their balance.
In that moment…
-Clang!
“Kyah!?”
“Leje!!”
With the sound of metal clashing, Leje’s body was flung to the ground.
Seeing this, Rudell rushed over to check her condition.
“Are you okay?!”
“I’m, I’m fine… but what in the world is that guy? He’s incredibly strong…!!”
Spitting blood from her mouth, she wiped her lips with her sleeve and got back on her feet.
Meanwhile, Iandel floated in the air, watching the scene, and chuckled with amusement at her.
“Try harder! Is that all you’ve got? You can’t take me down with that!”
“This is…!!”
“Leje, don’t let him provoke you.”
“Chit…!!”
Seemingly provoked by his words, Leje lunged at him, but Rudell stopped her.
Sadly, in the current situation, Leje couldn’t win against him 1:1.
In the original story, he was just as formidable as Leje, but now he seemed far stronger, as if blessed by the Church.
“That magic stone… something feels off. I think something’s about to happen.”
“I think so too. We have to stop it no matter what…”
“What are you two chatting so merrily about? Not going to stop it? It’ll activate soon, you know?”
Iandel taunted them.
Leje seemed ready to charge at him immediately, but Rudell calmed her down, surveying the chaos.
But even so, no suitable plan came to mind.
In that moment…
[Co, Count Weinstein…!!]
“…?”
[I, I’ll try to do something…!! Just keep him distracted for now…!!]
Silphier’s voice echoed in his ear, and Rudell nodded silently.
It seemed Leje had heard as well, exchanging looks with Rudell.
“Did you hear that just now?”
“Yeah, I heard it.”
If Silphier was saying something like that, she probably had a plan.
For now, the only option was to trust her.
“Haa… If I had known it would come to this, I wouldn’t have come. What a pain. I come to the Empire and end up in trouble again.”
“Well, if I had gone, you were going to come anyway.”
“That’s true.”
Rudell remarked to the complaining Leje, who responded with a slight smile and a nod.
At that moment, Rudell raised his magic power, and shadows began to writhe beneath his feet as Leje charged toward him.
“Good! Let’s see who wins! You or me!!”
With a smirk, Iandel gripped his sword and charged at her…
As the two swords clashed, a massive shockwave erupted.
Simultaneously, Rudell unleashed countless spikes of shadow toward Iandel.
“This won’t work!!”
But dismissing it, he swung his sword at the incoming spikes.
The ominous, purple-hued trajectory of his sword etched into the air, slicing the shadow spikes apart like tofu.
“What…?!”
Rudell could only watch in shock.
Shadow magic specialized in physical force among spells.
Thus, its intensity was sharper and harder than steel.
Yet, that fact did not matter as Iandel effortlessly shattered the shadow magic in an instant.
“How much has he gotten stronger…!!”
There was a common cliche in many fantasy stories.
When allies become enemies, they often turn into formidable foes.
Thinking of that, Rudell clicked his tongue.
“Let’s see how long you can be so confident!”
Meanwhile, Leje charged at him, swinging her sword.
Amidst the air filled with azure and purple sword strikes, sparks flew, and fierce combat unfolded.
However, even for Rudell, who knew little about swordsmanship, it was evident that Leje was gradually being pushed back.
Despite Rudell continuously using shadow magic for suppression, the situation didn’t change.
As their stamina neared its limit…
-Kiying!!
“Could it be…!!”
“Has it started!?”
With a sharp noise, the magic stone began to emit an ominous light.
“It’s begun.”
Watching this, a smile crept onto Iandel’s face, while Rudell and Leje stared blankly at the scene.
Was it too late?
With such a thought, Rudell turned to look at Silphier, but seeing her expression, he sensed something.
At the same time, he grinned as he looked at Iandel.
“Have you finally lost your mind? To be laughing in a situation like this?”
“It seems you’re overlooking something.”
“What?”
At that, Iandel’s eyes twitched.
And in that moment…
-Flash!!
As the magic stone emitted a dazzling glare, an even more brilliant flash erupted beside it.
“Kuh!?”
“Leje!”
“What, what’s happening!?”
With the sudden flash, Iandel covered his eyes and groaned, while Leje’s voice was filled with panic.
In that moment, Rudell grabbed her arm and chanted a spell.
From beneath Rudell’s shadow, a shadow barrier rose up, forming a small dome that enveloped their bodies.
And…
-Kwaaaahhh!!
A powerful explosion resonated through the underground space.
