The black soul of Malphas stretched out countless mirages, creating a clear yet bizarre shape.
Umar, taking on the raven form characteristic of Malphas, stared directly at it.
It was a filthy crow, its size almost matching that of the Join Tribe, constantly dripping black energy.
“…Why do you do this to me? God of War, Yuma.”
Yuma’s dark gray hair swayed.
“You’re just spouting nonsense, Malphas.”
Step.
Yuma took a step towards the soul state Malphas.
“The beginning of this relationship is you, Malphas. It was you who sent Elfin to me first from the Empire’s capital.”
On the day he returned after spending all day in the capital with Bell, Malphas confirmed Yuma’s existence through the Holy Maiden.
The raven’s brow furrowed tightly.
“Elfin? Why do you know that bug-like girl’s name?”
Malphas clearly remembered Elfin’s name. He merely thought of her as a tool, a bug working for him. But he couldn’t forget the name of the previous Holy Maiden he had designated from the perspective of a god.
Malphas’s red eyes flickered like flames. His sharp gaze turned toward Yulicia, who was collapsed behind him.
“You… turned a crippled person into a human and even made her a Holy Maiden. And yet you tear this grace apart?”
Malphas sent out an ignorant force towards Yulicia, who was already dying from the backlash of the divine possession. However, he had no time to punish Yulicia right now.
The existence of the God of War, Yuma, right in front of him.
It was already obvious he would die if he couldn’t kill Yuma.
The black mirage swirled violently like a thunderbolt. The thoughts in Malphas’s head were filled with fear and rage.
He could not come up with a way to defeat the God of War right in front of him.
‘First, I need to disrupt him.’
A circular black wave of divine power erupted from the spot where Malphas’s soul stood.
The eyes of hundreds of worshippers touched by the wave turned pitch black all at once.
Malphas’s divine power, implanted in the bodies of the worshippers who prayed to him every morning, began to stir.
The worshippers touched by the wave all lost consciousness and moved according to Malphas’s command.
Kugugugugugu!
Only one command emerged in their minds: to charge toward Yuma and his group.
The worshippers rushed in like a herd of beasts.
“More, more rampage! You uncivilized creatures! Recall the blessings I bestowed upon you!”
Malphas’s shout acted as a trigger for the worshippers.
Forgetting that they were facing an unbeatable opponent, the worshippers charged towards Yuma and his group like a horde of ghouls.
Cloney and Bell moved busily. Bell’s brother, Haven, also stepped forward forcefully.
– When you can no longer hold on, and inevitable sacrifices must be made, do not hesitate.
When it comes to sacrifices that must be made, there’s no need to hesitate when the time comes.
The two moved according to Yulicia’s previous words.
Save those who can be subdued alive.
Gulp! Kraaak!
For those who couldn’t be spared, their necks were swiftly severed.
In the latter case, many were the sacrificial offerings with a strong nature for attack.
Gulp!
Bell swung her sword horizontally.
The head of the offering chief Vincent shot up into the air. It was impossible to subdue the sacrificial chief who charged with his life on the line, even as he burned his own body.
Thanks to the busy movements of his subordinates, Duke Yuma managed to keep his focus despite the chaos caused by Malphas.
“God of War Yuma, do you think there’s any way for you to avoid the influence of other gods in this Intermediate World? To gain the freedom to not be hindered by any gods, you’d have to kill them all. Do you really think that’s possible!”
Malphas spat out the words like vomit.
“Even if you kill me, do you think you can kill all the main gods of the Divine Realm?”
“Well, I think it might be too late to consider that once I kill you first.”
Malphas, furious at Yuma’s nonchalant response, glared at the numerous swords floating above him.
Ssssssssss…
Those swords were summoned by Yuma’s divine ability, Vital Life and Death Battle. Malphas, unable to even wield a physical body, had no chance of withstanding the swords wrapped in Yuma’s divine power.
There were only about 4 minutes left until the swords above Yuma would fall.
The only option left was to kill Yuma before the Vital Life and Death Battle’s swords activated.
“I’ll kill him!”
He could kill that guy.
With that thought, Malphas drew upon his divine power from the depths.
Even without forming a physical body, he could still proclaim his divine authority.
This Piggero Church was where countless prayers and resentments of many believers had accumulated over the years.
In other words, this Piggero Church served a role similar to his own realm in the Divine Realm.
He could declare a divine authority that was even more potent than his previous one.
A massive vortex swirled beneath Malphas’s soul.
Proclamation of Divine Authority
Dark Abyss of Void
The source of the Dark Abyss of Void was the cries and beliefs of all the suffering souls in this land.
The screams of all the humans who were brutally killed at the hands of the sacrificial members in the name of offerings, along with the faith of the believers devoted to Malphas.
A powerful darkness without even a hint of light spread out in hundreds of branches.
Spreading towards the place where the God of War Yuma stood.
Soaring shadows.
The number of black serpents that advanced like living swords increased, approaching a thousand.
Yuma gripped Balmung firmly.
There was not a trace of fear or confusion.
– It’s been a while since I danced with a sword.
The soulless voice of Balmung echoed in his ears.
It resonated.
The divine power inhabited Duke Yuma’s wall-like eyes.
Duke Yuma’s divine authority, the life-and-death battlefield’s effect, was not limited to the swords that appeared behind him.
When he reached the parrying range, the movements of any attacking presence that entered that realm slowed down.
On top of that, Duke Yuma unfolded [Bullet Time].
Grreeeeek──!
Attacks nearing him appeared in clear detail.
Goooaaar──
SDVIMVFoanVzY1YwSVhjamMzUkt1Zi8waklDUkdCeTJvTGw4c0NObHg0OU9tTXJma25tTTZ3OEhQaHpUMVI0dQ
It was as if time itself had stopped.
Duke Yuma moved his right arm, which held Balmung. Parrying the clearly visible targets was an easy task for him at that moment.
Duke Yuma’s right arm moved endlessly.
Clang!
With precision.
Gooorrrr──!
He struck every attack directly.
BOOOOM──!!
[Absolute Counter]
Malphas’s spell, the Unlight of Nothingness, completely reversed its color, radiating brilliant white light.
Countless white lines shot towards Malphas.
“……!”
Malphas didn’t have a moment to think.
His soul flapped its massive black wings and instantly soared into the sky.
Hundreds of white currents surged toward the soaring Malphas.
‘Further away!’
In his crow form, Malphas’s soul flew through the sky of the Wyrent Kingdom.
As far as he could go.
Whoosh─
He pierced through the clouds multiple times.
Whoooosh─!
Just as he thought he was completely far away and turned to look back.
Bang.
The white light completely enveloped Malphas’s soul.
The black crow was engulfed in brilliance; a soul torn to pieces, leaving no ash behind.
A death too dry to be considered the death of a god.
Duke Yuma briefly gazed at that death before lowering his gaze to Yulicia, who lay collapsed on the ground.
Someone was already by Yulicia’s side. It was the Holy Maiden, Ermel.
Ermel was already pouring divine power into Yulicia’s body. Duke Yuma extended his divine power towards Ermel. It was a desperate support to save Yulicia.
“We have to save her. No matter what.”
At Duke Yuma’s words, Ermel focused entirely on restoring Yulicia’s scorched body to its original state.
Ssss…
Yulicia’s blackened and torn body slowly regained its original appearance.
Sweat poured down Ermel’s face like rain. Her right hand slowly detached from Yulicia’s chest.
Yulicia’s face, which had looked like it would turn to ashes at any moment, had returned to its original form.
Yulicia’s face, which seemed like it would be grotesque, had regained its original appearance.
“…I’m not sure if she’ll wake up or not. I think we should wait. It might take a few days.”
“Understood.”
– You just have to make sure you don’t lose anything from now on.
– Reven Ehen Del, Yuma.
The name Selene brought to mind the platinum-haired demon.
Among the few acquaintances, she was the only one he couldn’t protect, the head of the [Levine] family.
‘I don’t know.’
He still couldn’t gauge whether he could keep Selene’s words.
A bitter taste lingered in his mouth.
Yuma turned his back.
As soon as he did, he felt countless gazes upon him.
Bel, Cloney, Ermel, Haven. And the four subordinates Haven brought along.
The other gazes belonged to the worshippers who had seen their god in front of them for the first time. They had also witnessed the god’s demise, leaving them with hollow looks.
“I’m going back.”
Yuma lifted the unconscious Yulicia.
Her face still showed no signs of life.
She was the one who sacrificed herself to summon Malphas. From Yuma’s perspective, she was indeed a benefactor.
He had no intention of leaving her to die.
Their god had met its end, and all their military forces had been neutralized. There was no one left in the Piggero Church to stop Yuma and his group.
As he opened the door of the Piggero Church and took a step outside—
“H- Halt!”
A booming shout could be heard.
Knights from the Wirend Kingdom, clad in solid armor, had surrounded them.
Despite the loud shout, there was a definite sense of fear in the air.
This was because just a moment ago, there had been a light slicing through the skies above the Wirend Kingdom.
None of the beings flying in that white radiant light had survived.
The white light Yuma had unleashed had split the sky in an instant.
It wasn’t Malphas that disappeared without a trace, but countless birds.
So, he had no choice but to block anyone in front of him.
Fear.
Yuma deeply felt the fear experienced by the soldiers and overshadowed them with his own presence.
He sprinkled divine power very lightly for intimidation.
“Stand aside.”
That divine power drained the will to fight from all the knights and soldiers.
“……!”
The sound of armor clanging echoed in the space. Everyone’s eyes widened, and they trembled relentlessly, expressing their fear.
Clang! Bang! Boom!
Some dropped their weapons, letting them fall to the ground.
“By now, your king must have sufficiently explained this situation to Princess Brigitte of the Astes Empire.”
Thud thud—
The captain of the kingdom’s knights trembled as he pointed with his chin, and everyone parted ways.
Yuma and his group walked through the opening with grace.
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