CH 125

Kwaaaaangh!

Thesilid went to the front line and blocked the attack instead of me.

[‘The World-building God’ is dumbfounded, asking if he thinks he is the only superstar tanker around.]

[‘The Critic who adjusts the balance’ says that there are people with protagonist disease everywhere.]

‘That’s not it.’

It was necessary. I trusted Thesilid and raised my divine power. Agnes, who noticed mine and Thesilid’s intentions, advised.

<Don’t use divine punishment. When the sparks explode, the knights in close combat will get caught up in it.>

“I know.”

I built up support skills and drew at Hellkaion with my fingertips.

“Vanquish of Evil”

I used it in succession. I poured out skills with the momentum to shatter the beast into pieces.

And finally.

<Kheuuuuu……>

The huge body of the Flame Behemoth tilted. When everyone was preparing for the shock, I lowered my hand vertically once more.

The moment when the longest straight line cut through the air.

Coo-goo-goo-goo-goo-goo!

The shock wave that would destroy internal organs never happened, as the body of the Boss extinguished itself in sparks before hitting the ground.

[<System> Congratulations! You have defeated ‘Hellkaion, King Flame Behemoth’, ranked 307th in the demon world.]

[<System> Demon Territory ‘Lair of the Flame Behemoth’ belongs to the dungeon conqueror ‘Ellet Rodellaine’.]

Thanks to Thesilid’s help, I was able to deliver the final blow with a burst of damage and the dungeon safely belonged to me.

“Ahh……”

Those who participated in the war were overwhelmed by emotions and shouted one by one. The beginning was in tears, but at the end……. 

“Whoaaaa!”

“We have done it! We killed the monster!”

“Hurray! Hurray-!”

Emotional cheers shook the battlefield.

Survived and won.

Their cries proved this. I could feel the shudder that thumped my heart.

“Your Eminence The Holy One!”

“You worked hard, Your Eminence!”

Clovis and Rex came over and shouted.

Behind them, a paladin I had never seen before gave me a courtesy.

“Thank you for your support, no, for your salvation, Your Eminence.”

“The Dame is?”

“I am Layla Zickel, vice-captain of the Glorious Knights. Forgive me for the disrespect of greeting you on behalf of Captain Parvan, Your Eminence.”

“……”

Realizing the reason for the rudeness, I stopped breathing for a moment.

<He was swept away by the roar and lost his life.>

Cardinal Vesalius said that Sir Parvan was a tanker on the side of the Church. It seems like he was not able to withstand the stacking Hell Embers effect.

“You have worked hard, Dame Layla. Thanks to the Glorious Knights risking their lives to protect the front line, a disaster was prevented.”

“……Thank you.”

In her suppressed voice, I could feel the grief at the loss of a respected superior and a cherished colleague.

When Rex placed her hand on Lila’s shoulder and offered silent comfort.

“Excuse me to interrupt while you are talking.”

There was a person who came this way, breaking through the solemn atmosphere. It was a woman in armor with a blonde ponytail.

A magic swordsman was also a knight. She gave an abbreviated curtsy of a knight by pressing her right hand to her chest with her fist clenched.

“Greetings to the Saint of the Church. I am Odellit Marcellion, commander of the 1st Magic Army of the Republic of Ragneif.”

“I’m Ellet Rodellaine. Nice to meet you, Princess Marcellion.”

Actually, I wasn’t happy at all.

Odellit Marcellion.

A strong, beautiful, and arrogant sadistic psycho.

She was one of the villains who did terrible things to the main character in the original story.

I quickly took a step to the side and hid Thesilid behind my back. Even if I did, he was so tall that the most important thing, his face, would not be covered.

Fortunately, Odellit was concentrating on me without looking around.

“Anyway, that’s really amazing.”

“What do you mean?”

“I never imagined that a person called a Saint would be active in the avant-garde. I thought you’d normally be in the rearguard in a safe place.” 

I guess so.

Odellit was more of a healer-hater than Helcion O’Drek.

She must have been surprised when the Saint who she thought was a high-performance heal shuttle even tanked.

I only stared at her without changing the look on my face, but Odellit turned the topic around as if she was stabbed by showing her hateful feelings in the open. 

“Hmm. Rather, I have something to say about post-war processing.”

Beside us, Rex and Layla made puzzled faces. It was because there were still a lot of things to deal with before post-war processing began.

I got the gist of her roundabout words right away.

“You mean a distribution problem.”

“Yes.”

You can’t get it all for yourself like in a dungeon.

This was a raid in which two countries participated together and many victims came out. A delicate agreement on distribution was necessary.

Odellit showed signs of teasing her tongue, so I jumped ahead.

“The Council of Cardinals will send someone else, so please discuss it then. I am not in charge of diplomacy or negotiations.”

“Is that so……”

It seems that she was trying to coax me into making a verbal promise in their favor, but there’s no chance it goes that way.

“In addition, it’s too early to talk about the post-war process. As you can see, the situation is still chaotic.” 

As with any battlefield, the surroundings were brutal.

Moans and cries echoed throughout the burning ruins. Even the howling of the demon beasts that remained was heard all around.

When I gave Odellit a glance, she flinched and nodded. 

“The Saint is right.”

“We share roles. It would be good if our Church would take care of the injured and rescue survivors, and the Republic would take care of dealing with the remaining monsters and putting out the fire. What do you think, Princess?”

“All right, I’ll do that, Saint.” 

It was surprisingly easy to come to an agreement?

“Thank you for your cooperation, Princess. Then let’s get started……”

It was then.

<Ellet.>

Agnes’s low call stuck in my ears like a warning.

I was taken aback by the sensation that overtook my whole body making the hair stand on its end.

“Your Eminence?”

“Saint?”

“What’s wrong?”

Eyes clang to me with anxiety or wonder, but I couldn’t make eye contact with them. A shadow wriggled under my feet and wrapped around my legs. 

It was a powerful binding skill.

The target was only me.

“Yo-Your Eminence!”

“Don’t come closer.”

I gave a command in a voice disguised with calmness and raised my head.

The one in the direction I raised my gaze was……

“……”

A sky full of dark clouds and a man looking at the world against the gray-blue sky.

Final Boss, Reed.

It was my second encounter with him.

[‘The World-building God’ is nervous.]

[‘The Spoiler Inspector’ is nervous.]

I stared at him with eyes that forgot to even blink.

A wind mixed with ashes blew from the west.

The image of his long black hair and flowing robes was slowly embedded in my retina like slow motion. It feels like the concept of time was forcibly distorted.

I clenched my fists as if to hide my trembling fingertips.

“Reed……”

I thought we might meet so I saved Descent.

But.

‘I don’t have the means to deal with Reed yet.’

I moved before the dungeons were created to get those means. Perhaps, my existence has accelerated the events.

“…… ”

“……”

I got the feeling that his and my gaze were connected through the distant space. His calmness of just calmly staring at this side made my instincts whisper to me.

Can’t be stimulated.

Never, ever provoke.

But then.

“Who are you!”

A sharp shout tore through the air. It was Odellit. 

At the same time, everyone’s eyes that were on the battlefield went up to the sky.

“Ahh! Who is it?”

“A floatation magic? Wizard?”

“Is he with Ragneif?”

As if answering no to the paladin’s question, Odellit shouted.

“I am Odellit Marcellion, commander of the 1st Magic Army. Come down and reveal your identity and affiliation, Wizard! Otherwise, I will consider you an enemy.”

“……”

“Seems you are an enemy. All Republic troops, attack the enemy…!”

At that moment, I felt that Reed was trying to open a spell.

I didn’t hesitate.

“Descent of Divinity!”

As soon as I melted the restraining shadows with light, my body floated high.

“Omnipotence. Mercury’s Barrier!”

The ultimate barrier was spread over the maximum area possible. A huge silver citadel was built over the ruins of war.

Just in time, Reed moved his right hand and a wave of destruction hit the whole area.

Shwooooooooaaaaaaaaaa!

Red rain poured down all over the battlefield. It was strong acid rain that immediately melted the body upon contact. 

“7th Circle Dark Magic……!”

One of the wizards of the Republic who recognized the identity of the magic shouted.

It was not a 9th Circle transcendent magic, it was a 7th circle ultimate magic. For Reed, it was a light skill that can be exchanged in place of greetings.

However, having to defend a wide area, I had to concentrate with my teeth clenched.

If I don’t hold out, everyone under the 6th Circle of Magic, Advanced Aura Experts, or Bishop-level priests would end up at least seriously injured.

“Wh-What the hell is the identity of the enemy?”

“Monster? Demons?!”

“We subdued the boss, but why……!”

A muttering of confusion came from under my feet.

I struggled to open my mouth to the people on the ground.

“Everyone……!”

“Your Eminence!”

“Return with a transition stone!”

“What?”

After defeating the boss, the demonization of the area has stopped and people could use the Space Transition Stone again.

You can only live by running away.

I shouted again. 

“Leave the battlefield! Now!”

Just by saying a few words, the barrier was shaken. Part of the highly acid raindrops broke through the barrier.

“Aaaagh!”

Screams from the ground forced me to focus.

Was it too much of a wish to ask for understanding and have my words followed?

Odellit’s roaring cry hit the back of my head.

“The subjugation is not over yet! All of the Republic forces, prepare for battle!”