Chapter 215

Chapter 215

"Grr... ugh...!"

"One... great... cycle..."

The voices of the minions, filled with breaths and magic, echoed from all directions. Grapes dropped their yellow flesh with a squelch, and with each drop, the poisonous mist grew thicker.

Buzz—

Insects swam through the mist, only to be struck down by arrows that followed. The arrows pierced their thick shells and wings, imbued with magic.

"Run! Kitty! Don’t fall behind!" However, Thesaya, the one who had shot those arrows, didn’t even realize she was imbuing magic into her arrows. Charlotte, cradling Ian to keep his head from bobbing, growled and picked up the pace.

Swish—

The waves of mist moved faster than the minions. To the group, it seemed like yellow tides were closing in from both sides. But their sprint was swift enough. They could make it through the monastery gates before the toxic waves engulfed them—if they could break through the barrier of minions howling beyond the gate.

At least Mev was confident they could. Despite not being clad in divine light, her charge at the front did not slow down.

"The unity... of the cycle...!"

"Wo... arrgh—"

The minions facing Mev moved almost simultaneously. Each extended their hands forward and clacked their toothless jaws. With every movement, faint poisonous spores floated around them.

"Philip!"

"Yes, my lord!"

Mev, turning her body slightly, raised her dual sword to her chest and shouted. Philip, following behind, lifted his sword as if he had been waiting for this moment.

Woosh—

A veil of light erupted along the blade, enveloping Mev as she extended forward, forming the Barrier of Light.

The barrier was the first to cross the monastery’s fence.

Sizzle—

The bodies of the minions and the spores they emitted began to burn. Despite this, they thrashed their outstretched hands as if they felt no pain.

Crash.

Then, an armored knight slammed into the minions like a cannonball, crushing and scattering four or five of them. Mev didn’t stop swinging her dual sword with all her might.

Crack.

A sweeping arc tore through everything in its path, ripping and bursting apart rather than slicing cleanly. The minions, burning under the holy veil, were shredded like rotten meat. Though the charge slowed slightly, Mev’s sword never stopped.

The vast arcs formed by her dual swords whirled in infinite patterns, relentlessly cutting down the enemies. Occasionally, her shoulders, elbows, and steel fists struck out to fill the gaps in her sword’s trajectory.

Crack! Smash!

Even as the shimmering Barrier of Light around her faded, her movements didn’t stop. To Philip’s eyes, she was nothing short of a human pulverizer. It made sense; the body of a paladin blessed by the gods was fundamentally different from that of an ordinary human. Her muscles were denser and more flexible, and her bones were as hard as steel.

"Don’t worry about the rear!" Yet Philip, an ordinary human, did not fall behind.

He had learned from Mev and Ian and had internalized combat techniques through countless repetitions and drills. His body gained strength from the divine essence contained within his sacred artifact. The holy-infused sword pierced and struck down the minions, that attempted to exploit any gaps. The round shield on his left hand did not exist merely to push away the hands of the minions.

Smash! Smash!

The shield, reinforced with Imperial steel, was as effective as a bludgeon. Even as he swung and stabbed, Philip would occasionally extend a broad holy barrier to burn the poison spores and create space for the group. Of course, he could only cover one side, but that was enough.

"Roar!" Charlotte, cradling Ian, also did her part. Though both her arms and shoulders were dedicated to safely holding Ian, her orange eyes gleamed more fiercely than ever. Her mane whipped violently, and her fur stood on end.

Thud!

In an instant, her knee guard smashed into an approaching minion’s head, crushing it like a watermelon. She spun and lashed out with her other foot. Her steel boots, sharpened like claws, slashed through the oncoming minions like blades. But she couldn’t cover every direction. The moldy minions, devoid of fear and terror, continued to close in on her, reaching out and snapping their jaws.

"...!" Charlotte’s brow furrowed as she landed in a crouch. Several minions had evaded her kicks and were reaching out from close range. Just as she was about to twist to protect Ian—

Thud, thud.

Arrows thudded into the heads of the nearest minions. As their heads caved in and they collapsed, "What are you looking at? Run!" Thesaya shouted, catching Charlotte’s eye.

Smiling, Charlotte immediately launched herself forward again.

Thesaya quickly drew two arrows from her quiver. "If only Ian were fine...!"

She shot two more arrows in quick succession, causing two insects climbing over the fence to lose their balance and fall. The group could focus on the enemies on the ground thanks to her. Running at the rear, Thesaya provided omnidirectional support and ensured not a single insect reached the group.

Woosh!

From a certain time onward, her arrows never missed their mark. She always had two or three arrows between her fingers, firing them in rapid succession. What she couldn’t achieve in practice, she now did effortlessly. Yet there was no sign of pride or satisfaction on Thesaya’s face.

She slapped his cheek a few times but got no response. Turning her head, she suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood.

"Huh...? What...?" She muttered in confusion before collapsing to the ground. It was a symptom of magic exhaustion. She had used up too much magic in a short period.

"Rest... beside Ian." Charlotte’s hand pressed down on her shoulder.

Thesaya looked up sharply. Despite her dizziness, she saw Charlotte unfastening the straps of her battle ax.

"What are you thinking? No, kitty." Thesaya grabbed Charlotte’s calf.

Charlotte wasn’t in good shape either. Her body was covered in spores, and she bore numerous scratches and bites on her arms and neck. These were injuries sustained while protecting Ian. They were beyond the purification powers of Della Lu’s grace. The poison had already spread through her body.

"There’s no other way...." Mev, who had been sitting and catching her breath, struggled to her feet.

Philip finally looked at her again. Though he couldn’t see her face due to her visor, he knew she must have been filled with exhaustion. No matter how blessed by the gods she was, she was still human. The toll of fighting so many enemies alone on the front line was immense. Moreover, the foul air, filled with spores and poison, was rapidly taking away their strength.

"...." Philip turned to look behind him.

The yellow wave of mist had crept closer, with silhouettes of the minions endlessly stretching through it like shadows. He then turned back to look at Ian, Thesaya, Charlotte, and finally, Mev, who wasn’t even holding a weapon.

A single thought crossed his mind at that moment. Finally, the moment he had anticipated since their journey to find the dark mage with the mysterious fixer in Agel Lan had arrived.

However, the trembling in his eyes subsided. If he couldn’t avoid it, he would at least ensure it wasn’t in vain. He felt warmth in his right hand. Gripping the hilt of his sword tightly, he looked at Mev.

"I’ll buy us some time."

"... What? By yourself?" Mev, panting heavily, looked at Philip.

However, Philip was no longer looking at her.

As Charlotte furrowed her brow, Philip spoke again. "Charlotte. Thesa. Restrain our lord. Immediately."

"... What do you mean, Philip? Why suddenly—"

"Immediately! This is our best option! Do you want Lord Ian to die too?" Philip’s sudden shout snapped Charlotte out of it.

Realizing what he meant, she lunged at Mev, tackling her to the ground.

Crash—

Mev, taken by surprise, was knocked over, and Charlotte quickly pinned her down, pulling her arms behind her back.

"Hey, pointy ears!"

"Huh...? Ugh!" Thesaya, who had been blinking in confusion, instinctively moved to hold down Mev’s legs.

Mev, gasping for breath, finally spoke up. "Philip, you’re not thinking—"

"Please, avenge me, my lord. These two are only following my request, so don’t be too harsh on them." Philip quickly turned to Charlotte and Thesaya.

"... I will remember you as a true warrior," said Charlotte.

"Freckles, you’re not. You really..." Only after hearing Charlotte’s words did Thesaya realize what was happening. As she tried to let go, Philip extended his sword.

"Please don’t. Thank you both for granting my request."

"No, Philip? Don’t do it. Let go! Let go now, Charlotte!" Mev, struggling, shouted in desperation.

However, Charlotte only loosened her grip on the arm slightly, while pressing down even harder on the back. Philip, glancing at the approaching toxic mist, smiled at Mev.

"I regret not being able to bid a proper farewell. It was an honor to serve you, my lord."

"No! Philip! Stop! Please...!" Ignoring Mev’s desperate cries, Philip descended the stairs.

The toxic mist and the advancing minions seemed strangely slow and vivid to him.

Is this how Lord Ian sees the world...?

As he pondered this, Philip gripped his sword with both hands, reversing it. Kneeling on one knee, he planted the sword’s tip into the stairs and closed his eyes. He could feel the remnants of divine power in his ring.

If only it could buy them some time.

"Brilliant light that dispels the darkness...." Reciting his prayer, Philip channeled all his remaining divine energy into the relic.

Swoosh—

A faint Barrier of Light emerged around him, quickly covered by the toxic mist.

Contrary to his hopes, the barrier lasted only a few seconds. The toxic mist broke through, enveloping his entire body. But Philip neither fled nor ceased his prayers. He sincerely wished for Mev to receive the blessing of the Stern Goddess and succeed in her revenge.

He prayed for Ian’s survival so he could one day eradicate the darkness from the continent and ensure that no more orphans like himself would ever be born. Even amidst the agony of his flesh burning, he prayed with all his heart.

Then, in an instant, the pain disappeared. A radiant light shone upon him.