Side Story Chapter 254

Side Story Chapter 254

Now wasn't the time for idle talk. Even at this moment, Avalon’s knights were getting butchered. Those people were Kireua's first followers and had gone through trial and tribulation with him.

Kireua unleashed his murderous energy. “If you aren’t going to accept, get out of my way.”

Isaac didn't move an inch.

“Get lost,” Kireua demanded, a little louder. Vissit novelbin(.)c.om for updates

“Okay.”

Isaac retreated. Kireua tilted his head, confused by how easily she backed down.

“And I didn't say no to your proposal,” Isaac added.

“What?”

“In this world, might is right. On that note, Bel and Grand Duke Lucifer are universally recognized as Absolutes.”

“...So?” Kireua asked, although he had a feeling he knew where Isaac was going.

“The same holds true right now.”

“In other words, you'll accept my proposal once I win this fight.”

“I would have no choice but to accept since that would mean that you’re a lot stronger than I expected.”

Kireua narrowed his eyes, his gaze cold and piercing. “Is everything you do an order from Bel, like the one you just told me about?”

“Bel’s orders were to capture your forces and welcome Swallow. He didn’t tell me anything about fighting alongside Swallow.”

The veins on Kireua’s forehead throbbed. If Isaac had said that she planned to betray them from the start, Kireua wouldn’t have been any angrier than he was right now.

“Are you incapable of thinking for yourself?”

“What?”

“You’re the one living your life, not someone else, but you're just someone's puppet now.”

“...Puppet?” Isaac unleashed her intense murderous energy, matching Kireua’s. “...I'm not a puppet.”

“‘I have no choice because the other side is stronger. People are suffering because they’re weaklings.’ That’s what you tell yourself to justify yourself and you don't think about putting up a fight in the slightest. You just gave up on everything and blindly followed orders. That’s what people call a puppet—or a loser down to your bones.” Kireua turned his back on her as if he didn't plan on hearing Isaac’s answer.

Although Kireua was showing his back to his enemy, Isaac continued to exude her murderous energy but did not attack him. She hadn't brought it up, but Bel had given her one more instruction: once the battle started, Isaac was to remain a bystander and evaluate Lucifer's level of skill.

“Your job was to stop us until Swallow arrived, yes? Congratulations on your success,” Kireua said sarcastically. “But stay there and watch. See what happens after the weak defeat the strong.”

Isaac realized that Kireua’s cape no longer surrounded them as Kireua quickly walked away.

For a long time, Isaac stood frozen like a sculpture until she clenched her fists tightly.

“...I...”

Every word of what Selim said stung Iruca. It was frankly a miracle that they were still holding the fortress. Defensive advantage or not, Avalon’s forces were outnumbered more than three-fold.

Just then, a massive explosion put Selim on high alert.

“What? Did they bring mages or something?”

“...No, it's not mages. This is...”

A stream of explosions could be heard, each one closer than the last.

“Monster! He's a monster!”

“Monster...?” Iruca blankly mumbled.

“...An unfathomable amount of mana. That must be...”

The door to the rest area was flung open and a pale-faced knight came rushing in.

“Your Highness!” he shouted as he dropped onto his knee. “Please pardon my discourtesy.”

“It's fine.” Selim waved his hand. “Report. Did ‘he’ show up?”

“...Yes, it's the man we saw in Arcadia.”

Selim’s worst fear had come true. He immediately marched out of the rest area with a grim expression in his face

“Wait, Selim! What do you mean by ‘him’? Who in the world just showed up?!”

“...The strongest man in Hubalt,” was Selim’s short reply.

Iruca's lip trembled when she realized that Bel, the Battle God, had finally arrived at the fortress.

* * *

Joshua frowned. He had been in meditation on the snowy mountain, but despite his closed eyes, he could sense the crisis wracking the continent better than anyone else.

-He... Hehe... Hehehe... How about... you go and... help them now... It...isn't... too late... Even if you... kill me now... Your family... Your country... Everything will be gone... What is... the point of everything... if you’re the only one who survives?

The Demon Spirit snickered from within Joshua, as he did from time to time. Of course, over ninety percent of the Demon Spirit had already been annihilated, so his voice was a faint whisper compared to what it was before.

‘Be quiet.’ Joshua used his mana to silence the Demonic Spirit before examining his condition to calculate when he would be able to break out from this ice boulder.

Two months. He would have to strain himself a little, but it was going to take around two months. In other words, his children had to hold out on their own for at least two months.

‘Kireua. Selim.’

Would the children be able to do that? ...No, as their father, Joshua would have to trust them. Besides, there was nothing Joshua could do for them right now.

‘Just hang on for a little longer. Two months. I'll be there to help you in two months. Nothing will change that.’

In two months, Joshua would annihilate the Demon Spirit and regain his full power; then, the Martial God would return to Igrant. On that day, the fate of this continent would be decided.