[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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Chapter 312: Necronovix, the Four Lords of Hell (1)
A desolate mountain on the outskirts of the continent, abandoned by all.
The only life forms were wild animals.
It had been untouched by human footsteps for thousands of years—a tranquil place, even isolated from the wars between good and evil on earth.
But now, disaster descended upon the mountainside.
Crunch.
Space cracked.
Through the tear, something writhed, as it slowly took form on the earth.
The moment it landed, every wild animal collapsed.
Pupils dilated, breaths ceased, and the vegetation began to decay, trees withered.
Just the act of descending was enough to kill fragile life.
Its presence started to spread beyond the mountain, reaching out toward the world.
[Oh dear. This won’t do. I can’t afford to be detected here, at least not in this place.]
Whiiiir!
A dark force stirred, forming a complex spell.
The spreading presence was suppressed and controlled by black magic.
Even if a holy servant of the Sun God were to visit this place, they wouldn't be able to detect that something had descended.
Such was the level of perfect control.
[It’s been a long time since I’ve been on Earth.]
Necronovix muttered, his voice laced with nostalgia.
And indeed, it had been a long time—the first time since the distant Holy-Demon War.
This time, he had descended in his true form, not a mere avatar.
[Hear me, world.]
This earth once belonged to the demons, and Necronovix was one of the Four Lords of Hell.
At one point, a quarter of this world was his domain.
[Your master has returned.]
His calm voice resounds, though if he had not suppressed his power, it would have literally echoed across the world.
[There is much to be done. First, I should adopt a proper form.]
With that, the writhing mass begins to shift, forming into the shape of a dark, dark human.
[Perfect.]
Satisfied, Necronovix flicked his fingers, and above him, a spell formed from demonic energy.
An intricate, twisted spell—so complex that even other demons would struggle to comprehend it—took shape in the air.
[Many of my followers remain in this world. I shall bestow my favor upon them.]
The black magic started to spread across the world.
A vast malice began to race toward the earth.
* * *
At that moment, the sacred grounds of the elves were utterly peaceful.
In fact, the atmosphere was bright because Karin had just returned from her tasks.
Smiling, she greeted the elves one by one before heading to her room.
"Oh, Karin, you’re back?"
She widened her eyes.
A woman with red hair was sitting on her sofa, waving.
"Ignisia? What are you doing here? Don’t you have things to take care of?"
"Something interfered, so I wrapped things up quickly. Thought I’d stop by for some news."
"...The guards didn’t tell me you were here. Did you sneak in?"
"Surprise!"
Karin gave an exasperated look but soon smiled and sat across from Ignisia.
"Welcome, Ignisia."
Karin and Ignisia were old friends.
Ignisia glanced around with an amused expression.
"Where’s Arkamis?"
Ignisia also knew Arkamis.
To be more precise, she had a one-sidedly friendly attitude toward her.
As an elf who rejected spirits, Arkamis intrigued her, so she often tried to talk to her.
"She’s still finishing some things up."
"Is that so? Pity. I was hoping to catch up with her."
Ignisia clicked her tongue in disappointment.
Karin waved her fingers, and spirits moved to pour tea in front of Ignisia, who lit up.
"Elven tea. I haven’t had this in a while."
"So, how have you been?"
"With the world like this, how do you think? Busy as ever. Came close to dying a few times."
"...Sounds like you’ve been in quite some danger."
"It’s fine. I had some help."
"Help? You, needing help?"
Karin raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
Ignisia was a mighty dragon—someone who usually helped others rather than needing help herself.
Ignisia replied,
"Ketal."
"...Ah."
At the name, Karin understood.
"Now that you mention it, Parco did say he came here, looking for information from the South. So he went to assist you."
"He was helping himself more than he was helping me, but he helped all the same. We’re quite connected, as you know."
"He’s the one who saved our sanctuary. ...Even though he’s from the Forbidden Lands."
"You know him too, then. He’s an intriguing being."
The beings of the Forbidden Lands opposed the world.
“...This feels like a nightmare!”
Necronovix tilted his head, seemingly puzzled, disregarding their shock.
[Raphael. The dragon who fought that child. I thought you’d return to your lair; why are you here? This messes up the plan.]
“Come forth! Minerva!”
The wind manifested, forming a figure.
The Spirit King of the Wind, Minerva, was summoned to the ground with a grave expression.
“Minerva, I’m sorry!”
[It’s fine! Just do it!]
“Incarnation of the wind, carve your path here!”
Minerva compressed further and further, forming a shape like an arrow.
Then, with blinding speed, it shot toward Necronovix.
The technique transformed a spirit into a projectile, essentially a suicidal attack.
It would ruin the relationship with the spirit, but the power was certain.
And this time, the projectile was the Spirit King of the Wind.
The power was colossal.
Though Karin was among the lower-ranked heroes, this strike alone could reach higher ranks.
[[ᛗ. ᛋ. ᚨ. ᚺ. ᚲ. ᛇ. ᛏ. ᚠ]]
Ignisia didn’t stand idle either.
She compressed her draconic incantations from the start, unleashing them with all her might.
Even Raphael, the count who ruled over the mines, had struggled to withstand that level of attack.
The full force of two heroes surged toward Necronovix.
No one on earth should have been able to withstand that assault unscathed.
[So, it’s not just the Elf Queen... Unexpected.]
Necronovix raised a finger, wearing a troubled expression.
On that finger, a small, circular darkness shimmered.
It was a tiny gathering of demonic energy, small enough for a child to hold in one hand.
It swelled, rising like a curtain to obscure the world.
The darkness met the combined attack of the two heroes.
Crack.
“...What?”
“Wait... a second?”
Both of their expressions froze.
They could sense it.
Their combined power, touching the darkness, was dying.
Literally.
It wasn’t being absorbed or negated; the very concept of their strength itself was perishing.
Before long, the power was utterly dead.
Leaving no aftermath, no residue.
In the silence, Necronovix smiled in satisfaction.
[It’s working well. This is the first time using it in real combat. Worth the millennia I spent trapped in Hell working on it.]
That was all he had to say about extinguishing the combined power of two heroes.
Necronovix pointed his finger at Ignisia.
[Piercing Bullet.]
Demonic energy gathered at the spot, then shot forward.
“......!”
Ignisia’s face stiffened.
She had no time to utter a spell.
She gathered her mana to the utmost, forming a desperate shield.
Simple yet solid defense.
But it was futile.
Crack!
Ignisia’s defense was shattered, pierced as if it were wet paper.
The dark bullet drove through her abdomen.
“Gah!”
“I-Ignisia!”
Karin cried out in horror, hastily summoning the wind to stop the bleeding.
“Grrr!”
From the wound, darkness seeped up, trying to consume her body.
Ignisia suppressed the pain, activating a healing spell.
But all it did was restrain the force trying to kill her; the wound wouldn’t heal.
Like a magnet, it pulled her closer to death.
Cough! Cough!
This was something else.
The difference in power was staggering.
Necronovix muttered, annoyed.
[So there’s even an elder dragon. This won’t be easy. Better finish it quickly.]
Demonic energy rose, eclipsing the sun and casting the world into shadow.
[The rain of darkness has wet my path.]
Death descended onto the earth.
“...Karin!”
“Oh, wind!”
The dark deluge carved a path of destruction as it poured down.
Ignisia and Karin frantically raised defenses.
Boom!
The rain of demonic energy began to destroy the elves’ sanctuary.
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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