TL/Editor: raei
Status: ongoing
Illustrations: none
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Deep within the Sunless Forest at the empire's northwest edge...
"So you're saying you weren't the ones who attacked the village?"
Liushina sat on a large rock, looking at the people still bowing deeply before her.
These were followers of the Purification Cult, marked with six-headed beast tattoos.
They weren't ordinary followers.
They were special-grade followers stationed at the main headquarters.
"Yes, Mother! The monsters that attacked Black Fairy Village were created by the radical faction of our headquarters when their creatures went berserk."
The elderly man at the front of the followers, bowing even deeper, answered.
His name was Collins.
He was one of the executives at the Purification Cult's headquarters.
"And you moderates are trying to clean up these monsters by gathering them back?"
"Oh yes! Your insight is truly remarkable!"
"...You just explained that to me."
Their explanation boiled down to this:
The Purification Cult's headquarters was divided between radicals who wanted to purify the world before the Witch of a Thousand Killings returned, and moderates who wanted to wait until after her return. The radicals had caused this incident.
The headquarters had continued developing Liushina's blood magic, which they had somehow obtained in the past, in their own way. The radical faction had semi-deliberately caused the resulting creatures to go berserk.
'Hmm, it's certainly different. They developed it in a direction I never considered.'
Liushina thought this while watching the creatures standing quietly beside Collins.
It seemed these creatures - or more precisely, her magic as modified by the Purification Cult's headquarters - were the clue her master had mentioned.
'In that case, there's only one way forward...'
As Liushina organized her thoughts-
"So... what are you going to do... Mother?"
Renet nervously spoke up beside her, watching carefully.
Her eyes showed great confusion.
Why were these suddenly appearing Purification Cult members prostrating themselves and calling Liushina "Mother"?
And why was Liushina accepting it so naturally?
'Could Lina be...'
Though Renet's natural intuition had helped her guess Liushina's identity, she kept quiet.
For now, she just tried her best not to draw attention.
"Why are you calling me that too?"
"Everyone else was doing it so I thought I should..."
"You lack conviction."
Though it was survival instinct rather than lack of conviction, Liushina couldn't know that. She clicked her tongue once before turning to Collins and continuing.
"We're going to headquarters. Lead the way."
"Oh, of course! Everything shall be as Mother wishes!"
Collins answered excitedly, bowing even deeper.
If the Witch of a Thousand Killings - practically the Purification Cult's reason for existing - sided with their moderate faction, they could easily deal with the radicals' violence.
"Um, should I come too? I don't think you need me anymore..."
Renet carefully suggested parting ways at this decision, but-
"What are you talking about? Did you forget our promise to explore the forest's center together? Of course you're coming."
Her suggestion was immediately rejected.
As Renet's face fell, Liushina rose from the rock with anticipation growing in her eyes.
The clue to ascending beyond a thousand killings was gradually drawing closer.
* * *
With grotesque screams, the hidden demons revealed their true forms, filling the main lecture hall with nauseating demonic energy.
The others present reacted in two ways:
"Th-that's..."
Some froze in shock, unable to accept what was happening.
"Finally showing yourselves, rats."
Others quietly prepared spells for battle.
All the magicians who had come with Zion belonged to the latter group.
'The effect is good.'
Zion smiled quietly as he watched the numerous demons forcibly revealed by the red light.
The detection circle, refined through collaboration between the Grand Magic Tower's professors including Ahmad and the Blood Tower, showed incredibly improved effectiveness compared to before.
Previously at the Celestial Sword Manor, even using Priscilla's blood, it could only reveal mid-rank demons.
But now it affected not just high-ranking demons but even those beyond that level.
'At this rate...'
It seemed the time to clean out all demons in the imperial palace wasn't far off. As Zion finished this thought-
"Let's erase them from this world."
WHOOSH!
The battle finally began as Ahmad's white flames selectively incinerated only the demons.
BOOM!
The magicians unleashed their prepared high-level spells without hesitation while-
"You fucking humans!"
The demons counterattacked even in their confusion.
Though their attacks were threatening, they couldn't reverse the situation.
His body suddenly froze in place.
"B-but...!"
Trembling as if talking to someone, Histon muttered-
"Now target Zion Agnes."
With shaking eyes, he quietly spoke these words before suddenly charging toward Zion.
BOOM!
As if on cue, all remaining demons followed behind him.
Perhaps because they thought it was their last chance?
The explosive demonic energy bursting from the desperately charging demons momentarily pushed back all incoming spells.
This briefly opened a single path through the slightly delayed magicians' response.
Histon and the demons didn't miss this opportunity.
"P-Prince Zion!"
Several floating city magicians shouted urgently as the demons instantly reached Zion through the opened path.
Though they knew Prince Zion was strong, the demonic energy radiating from the charging demons was equally terrifying.
And Zion could feel this clearly.
'Their power feels similar to or greater than Hanosral from before.'
Zion's eyes curved slightly as he assessed Histon charging at the front.
His past self had certainly struggled against Hanosral, even needing to use Chronos's Questions.
But-
'Now is different.'
An incomparable gap existed between his current and past self.
With this thought, Eclaxia silently appeared in Zion's outstretched hand.
The Light-Extinguishing Sword naturally absorbed all surrounding light, converting it to darkness.
This darkness gathered along Eclaxia's blade, creating additional blades.
One layer.
Two layers.
Three layers...
Just as five blade layers and Partial Eclipse overlapped-
"Die, spawn of Agnes!"
Zion's sword finally swung toward Histon, who was unleashing all his demonic energy with an almost desperate expression.
Following Eclaxia's trajectory, a single black line shot past Histon and the demons behind him, instantly reaching the edge of vision.
Then-
SCREECH!
Everything touched by that black line began splitting in two.
Was this what the strikes of mythical heroes looked like?
...
The lecture hall fell silent at this sword strike that went beyond shock to awe.
Even Ahmad and Ackendelt, who had witnessed Zion's battle with Stigma, weren't immune.
Having seen it once before didn't diminish the shiver it induced.
Swish-
In this silence, the bodies of Histon and his demons, who had met their end without even screaming, slowly disappeared.
Even after dealing with all demons in the lecture hall, Zion didn't lower Eclaxia.
One rat still remained hidden.
"Why don't you come out?"
Zion murmured softly, fixing his gaze on one section of the half-destroyed lecture hall wall.
At that moment-
"Wow, you're pretty good, aren't you?"
A cheerful voice completely at odds with the situation rang through everyone's ears.
With this, a girl emerged from the rippling wall.
She looked barely into her early teens.
A girl in a crimson dress adorned with lace, her lips stained purple.
'That one...'
Zion's eyes grew cold as ice as he looked at her.
That girl - no, that monster - was a being that should not be here.
WHOOSH!
Muspelheim automatically reacted, enveloping Zion's body.
-Contractor, danger.
The frost spirit appeared unbidden at his side, raising its authority while warily eyeing the girl.
Yet the girl just smiled brightly while looking at Zion.
Though no power could be felt from her, Zion could clearly see:
The world itself was screaming and crumbling just from her standing there.
Archdemon of Madness, Acrimosia.
One of the Four Great Demons, and the being who ruled all blood and madness in the world.
This was the girl's true identity.
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