Volume 4 - CH 17

Volume 4, Chapter 17: On the Battlefield, Part 3

Geas was getting impatient.

He had attacked the human kingdoms with all of the Daemon King’s Army and collected a large amount of souls, but someone had disturbed the operation, and now the Daemon King’s Army itself was in a semi-destroyed state.

Before this, Geas had intended to release the Demon whom Daemon King Hebrad had summoned without establishing a contract, to let it kill both humans and Daemons.

For that purpose, Geas had spent several decades planning and placing secret [Soul Collection] devices around the Daemon King’s and the humans’ territory, waiting for that exact time.

Geas’ plan required far too many [Souls].

What was the purpose of that greater Vampire and those unknown enemies that disturbed him? What had caused his plans to collapse entirely before fruition?

The human army that they encountered in their advance had high value [Souls], mostly from their knights and others, and group of ten thousand soldiers that he had sent to collect their souls efficiently were being destroyed for some reason.

“……Shit”

muttered Geas under his breath as he looked towards the corner of his eye.

There seemed to be counters that only he could see.

The remaining number was [001].

When Geas poured 100 of the [Souls] that he had accumulated into the counter, the three digit number changed to [002].

A counter that would only increase by [1] despite pouring one hundred souls into it;

Considering how many souls he had on hand, he couldn’t spend them wantonly.

“……What?”

Something was shining in the middle of the battlefield, and it gradually grew in intensity as he watched that [Something] slowly push through the center of the nearly 400,000-strong Daemon King’s Army.

That light…… was a wave of holy power.

“……A Hero…!”

An apostle of light that lingered in the legends of the Daemons; the natural enemy of Daemonkind; it would be a disaster if that light was really a Hero.

That [Demon] had said the value of a soul for the Demons was determined by ‘how much emotion’ there was in each one…

Love, Hate, Sorrow, Anger, Fear, Desire, Regret, Jealousy, Happiness, Despair…… although the souls’ tastes were differently tasty to the Demonic palate, the [Sacred Light] of the Hero would surely cleanse it all.

“……Is this the limit?”

Geas muttered bitterly as he steeled himself.

“…Geas-sama?”

The confused voices of his disciples came as they approached Geas slowly with [Flight].

“……Sorry. But to cut things short, leave this place quickly.”

“What happened!?”

Geas did not reply to his panicking disciples, and as he began to chant [Magic], his disciples backed away, faces full of doubt over the sanity of their master.

“[Dragon Crusher]…!”

With the second highest magic power after the Daemon King, Magic General Geas released the extermination magic with his full power.

An enormous amount of heat and light bloomed as a dragon of light approached from behind the Daemon King’s Army. The soldiers were left dumbstruck as they were enveloped by the light that was cast by their ally soundlessly.

High-temperature winds savaged the survivors. After that, screams and shrieks of pain burst out, as nearly half of the Daemons were killed in that single stroke.

“………”

Geas gathered the tens of thousands of souls which were full of fear and grudges.

However, it wasn’t enough. Geas didn’t have enough power for another [Dragon Crusher], and as he was trying to aim wide-area magics at the survivors, a pillar of light extended towards the sky.

“……He managed to survive?”

＊

“Such a thing……”

As far as the eye could see there was just the earth that had been burned black and Daemons who were unmoving.

“……upu”

Forcibly enduring the urge to vomit, Noel shook his shoulders, breathing roughly as he sank to his knees.

Noel would have followed those Daemons in their fate, had he not put up a [Composite Barrier] which combined spirit, water, and wind magic.

Although he had charged in alone, he had managed to survive thanks to the fact he hadn’t been in the epicenter of the blast.

Noel’s magic power had nearly been exhausted just blocking that single strike.

But even so, when he glanced at the old Daemon mage who did it, the mage glared at Noel, and began to cast another magic.

“Noel!”

A voice called him from behind.

“……Your Highness, don’t approach!”

Roderick approached Noel with a dozen Holy Knights in tow.

Turning back, Noel gulped instinctively. The Daemons who were unable to die were there, struggling in misery.

The mercenaries, who were all worried for Noel and had desperately rushed forward, came into view, and Noel strained himself, readying his sword as Roderick arrived.

“Noel, what is this……”

“The enemy mage… all his allies…… everyone quickly…”

“That mage…”

Feeling the might of the magic power of the mage that had begun to chant, Roderick grit his teeth.

Although there were many humans still alive, they could only be said to be barely alive and if they had to run they would all die.

Noel didn’t know if he could block it this time, and he didn’t know if Roderick and the Holy Knights would be able to survive it.

The mage had finished casting……

An enormous [Fire Giant] that resembled the Daemons appeared, and breathed out fire.

“……A Fire…[Greater Spirit]…?”

A summoning magic that called on a contracted, disaster-causing, [Greater Spirit], which summoned that power temporarily even without a formation.

One of the Holy Knights whispered its name, and that fact caused everyone on the spot to prepare for [Death].

“Oh, isn’t it a little too early to die?”

Golden feathers fell from the heavens.

An elegant dress of black that was darker than the night and silver that shone like the moon.

A pair of beautiful golden wings spread out as the golden angel fluttered and descended onto the cruel battlefield.

＊

Spreading the angel wings from my [Shining Holy Wings] spell as I floated down, everyone raised their heads to watch me… and that Fire [Uncle] was swallowing the fire it had spit out with a stiff face.

Did all [Greater Spirits (Uncles)] react like that…

“Well, everyone. I see you’re not dead yet.”

As I descended, I lightly clapped my hands, and walked between those that were dead and dying.

“…[Let the light of healing shine down upon you]…”

The [Devil magic], which combined both spirit magic and holy magic, was scatted with a flutter of my golden wings and healed [All] of the living things that were on the battlefield.

” ” ” ” “…………………………………” ” ” ” ”

Everyone who woke up looked at me with stunned faces.

Meanwhile, I smiled gently at the [Greater Spirit (Uncle)], who promptly returned without a sound to the spirit world.

A~ah, maybe it won’t come out again.

…… Well, now,

Who’s the [Idiot-san] who laid a hand on my [Prey]…?