[KU-GE-GE-GE-GEK!?]
[KI-ICK!? KI-EEEK!?]
The explosions and flashes that filled the chamber began to settle, and the confused monstrous beasts started to look around for their enemies.
Seeing this, Rudell took a brief breath and began to draw up his magic power.
-CHWEEEEECK!!
[KRACK!?]
[KEEEEEECK!!!]
At the same time, shadows beneath Rudell’s feet stretched out at incredible speed toward the monstrous beasts.
From these extending shadows, sharp spears of shadow sprung up, piercing through the beasts, and their screams echoed from all sides.
The monsters struck by Rudell’s attack fell, scattering black blood, but there were still many remaining.
As one monster fell, another took its place, and those with regeneration abilities began to rise again, roaring towards Rudell and Leje.
[KIEEEE-!!]
[KRHHH-!!]
The beast in front roared and charged, signaling the others to rush towards Rudell and Leje.
“Leave the front to me!”
“I got it!!”
With that shout, Leje raised her magic power and charged forward, while Rudell sent out another spear of shadow.
Once again, several monsters were skewered by the shadow spear, and taking advantage of that moment, Leje began to swing her brilliantly glowing white sword.
[KRKEK!?]
[KYAACK!! KYAACK!!]
The monsters swept away by the trail of the white sword fell, scattering black blood, but the remaining beasts stubbornly lunged at Leje.
At that moment.
[KUHHH-!!]
“This is…!!”
A saber-toothed beast, taking advantage of a split second, lunged at her from behind.
As Leje shoved her sword deep into the monster’s throat, she hurriedly tried to pull it out, but the sword stuck deep inside didn’t budge easily.
In her flustered voice, just when she was bracing for the impact…
-FER-BER-BER-BUCK!!
[KURHENG!!]
With a sharp sound, a spear of shadow flew in and pierced the monster.
With a single scream before death, the beast trembled and breathed its last, and Leje pulled her sword out while glancing at Rudell who was nodding from a distance.
[GRRRR-!!]
[KYA-WOOO-!!]
Only then did the monsters, realizing that Rudell was much more threatening than Leje, shift their gaze towards him.
“What are you looking at!? Your opponent is me!!”
Leje swung her sword at the monsters, trying her best to keep their attention on her.
But she couldn’t hold the focus of all the monsters alone, and some shifted their interest and began to charge straight at Rudell.
[Kuuuuuu-!!]
[Kiiyii-!!]
[Kyaak!!]
A gigantic monstrous beast resembling a rhinoceros charged toward Rudell, shaking the ground, followed by several other beasts.
“Oh no…!!”
A low hiss escaped from Leje’s lips as she witnessed the scene.
Leje wanted nothing more than to rush toward Rudell, but she knew that doing so would only attract more beasts to him, so for now, she had to focus on cutting down the enemies in front of her.
The monstrous beasts were approaching Rudell, yet he showed no sign of reacting.
He remained concentrated on intercepting the beasts targeting Leje instead.
[Goohhhh-!!]
Just as the beast, with its sharp horns leading the way, got right in front of Rudell…
-Bam!!
A gigantic two-handed axe came flying from somewhere and struck the monster’s head.
It fell, spewing black blood with its final breath.
Then something made a loud crash as it landed on the ground behind.
Dust rose from the shock, and as it cleared, there stood Kurt.
“You’re late. I thought I was a goner.”
Joking casually, Rudell spoke to Kurt.
“Sorry, I got here as fast as I could.”
“Just teasing you. Where are the others?”
[Ba, Count Weinstein!!]
As Rudell questioned Kurt, a familiar voice echoed from above.
Looking up, Rudell saw a massive suit of armor descending from the sky, rocket thrusters flaring.
And there was Eleor, gripping Fenrir’s mane as she descended.
“So, what happened?”
“Just as expected, it was the church’s doing.”
“I see.”
Kurt immediately dashed toward the spot where Leje was fighting, as if he had anticipated that much.
[Um, Count? Is that…maybe…?]
“Yeah, it looks like that bomb we saw before.”
Following Silphier’s question, Rudell nodded.
[It’s the same type of object, but it seems much more advanced… The amount of magic power required is probably much less too… We need to dismantle it quickly.]
“We’ll clear the path, so please take care of the dismantling.”
[Yes, yes!!]
“Eleor, I’ll appreciate your assistance with Fenrir.”
“Understood, don’t worry.”
[Growl.]
Eleor nodded, and Fenrir let out a low sound as if to say, “Leave it to me.”
Watching this, Rudell took a short breath and observed Leje and Kurt fighting.
But it was only for a moment.
Rude’s enhanced magic gathered beneath him, and the black shadow began to rise like smoke…
“Well then, let’s get started.”
With Rude’s words, the rest of the group charged into the battlefield.
*
“Ugh!!”
[Ugh!?]
“Hrgh…!!”
[Kuheeek!!]
Leje and Kurt’s weapons left behind trails of magic, and each time, monstrous beasts fell with screeches, splattering black blood everywhere.
[Kyaaah—!!]
[Hoooryuhhhh—!!]
Some of those beasts charged through the defenses of the two, but…
[Hi, hiigh!!]
“Fenrir.”
[Kuhuhng!!]
All of them met their end, either turned into bloody pulp on Silphier’s armor or lost their lives to Fenrir’s fangs.
In no time, Rude and his crew managed to eliminate the monstrous beasts and reach the front of the bomb.
[Kyaaaaah—!!]
-Whack!!
A colossal two-handed axe came crashing down on the head of the last beast aiming for Kurt. The beast staggered before collapsing, its life ended.
“This seems to be the last one.”
Pulling out his axe, Kurt shook off the blood and surveyed the area. Just as he said, there was nothing moving around anymore.
Five people had taken down nearly hundreds of monstrous beasts.
“How can it be this horrific…”
As she looked around, Eleor approached the corpses that the beasts had been devouring and the pile of bones from the already eaten victims, then knelt down to offer a prayer.
“O Goddess, may your mercy be upon those sacrificed to evil…”
Radiant orbs of light began to seep out from between the bones, and before long, they turned to smoke and vanished into the air.
As the last orb disappeared, Eleor stood up from her position, and at that moment…
[You guys are really strong.]
“Eek!?”
[Hiiieee—!! A, a ghost!!]
Seeing Neirel’s figure suddenly appear, Eleor and Silphier gasped in surprise and screamed.
Kurt calmly drew his weapon again, while Rude stopped him and asked Neirel…
“Is it all over now?”
[Yes, the innocent souls have all moved to the world of the dead, so I have no reason to stay any longer.]
Neirel nodded at Rude’s question, and her figure began to gradually transform into light and disperse.
The form began to change and scatter away.
“[Ask me anything before my soul completely goes to the underworld; I’ll answer whatever I know.]”
“Do you have any family? If so, I want to tell them about you.”
She was also a victim sacrificed by the Church.
If that were the case, it was necessary to inform her family about her death.
“[No, they all died when I was young. I guess I can finally meet my family.]”
However, Neirel shook her head with a faint smile at Rudell’s question.
“[And, is there anything else?]”
“Do you know who orchestrated this?”
“[Hmm… I don’t really know, but there was the count of this fortress and another one, I think his name was… Gareth? Gereth? Something like that.]”
“Hmm…”
Kentric and Iandel aren’t here, are they?
With that thought, Rudell let out a low groan, and at the same time, Neirel’s figure began to disappear completely.
“[Goodbye, kind strangers whose origins I do not know. Thank you for your help. I’ll take care of the souls, so don’t worry about the priestess over there.]”
With those final words, Neirel’s figure vanished like scattering dust, and Eleor, who had been watching, drew a cross in the air with a solemn face.
A moment of silence enveloped them…
“Now, we need to deal with this.”
An ominous machine radiating a purple aura.
If they couldn’t dismantle this, Rudell and the others in the fortress would vanish from this world without a trace that day.
“So, what do you think? Recognize anything?”
“[Yes, it looks almost the same as what I saw before… but, technically, it’s much more advanced.]”
“Do you think you can dismantle it?”
“[I’ll give it a try…]”
Silphier, who answered that, approached the bomb, lowered herself, and with a hiss, many mechanical arms emerged from the opening in her armor, starting to cut away the outer layer of the bomb.
The more you look, the more it’s just over-technology.
Just as Rudell was thinking that while watching the scene.
“…!!”
A chilling sensation ran down his spine.
Before he had time to think, Rudell immediately drew on his magic power, and a Curtain of Shadows surged up from beneath his feet, enveloping him and his companions.
And in the next moment…
– Kiiing!!
With a sharp sound, a flash erupted from the bomb Silphier was dismantling, filling his vision.
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