Chapter 256 : Chapter 256

Chapter 256

“Bleurgh.”

Yulian, ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍his face pale, was seasick.

“Circulate ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍your mana.”

Killian, ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍standing beside him, advised him calmly.

“I... ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍am...”

“Is ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍your mana not wavering? Circulate it properly.”

“I said I am... Urgh...”

When the ship pitched on the waves, Yulian vomited once again.

“Really. A 5-star knight getting seasick is embarrassing.”

“Y-you are... too...”

“Can you not feel the people looking at us as though we are pathetic? How do you intend to swing a sword like this?”

“You... Urgh...”

Yulian swallowed the retort he had been about to make.

Bleeergh.

“Tsk, tsk.”

Clicking his tongue, Killian left Yulian alone and scanned the sea beyond.

‘It is a magnificent sight.’

His mouth fell slightly open at the scenery he was seeing for the first time in both his previous life and his present one.

It was hard to believe that monsters that hunted Superhumans lived beneath a place like this.

“Ugh...”

Killian calmed the nausea rising like reflux by circulating mana.

‘At this rate, Yulian cannot fight.’

More than five hours had passed since the voyage began.

“Telesas!”

Gong! Gong! Gong! Gong!

Someone’s shout was followed by alarm signals erupting from all sides.

They were signals exchanged by sailors.

Srrk.

Killian enhanced his eyesight with mana and saw a group in the distance.

‘Those are Telesas?’

Beings with the faces of human men and women were peeking their heads above the water.

“Archers, nock your arrows!”

The Superhumans commanding the sailing ship shouted with mana in their voices. Similar shouts rose from Marcelo’s sailing ship traveling beside them.

The knights braced themselves and sent out sword energy, while the archers fired their bows.

[Aaaaaah—]

When the Telesas opened their mouths, a clear sound rang out.

Some soldiers staggered and fell into the sea, while others jumped in of their own accord.

“It is a sound that enchants the mind!”

“Block your ears with the magic tools!!”

At the Superhumans’ order, the soldiers and knights began covering their ears with prepared magic tools.

They were small magic tools that blocked sound with mana.

Once worn, they blocked most sounds and protected the mind from the Telesas’ voices.

The battle became fierce as everyone equipped the gear that had been quickly distributed.

The knights used sword energy; the mages used fire, wind, and lightning magic.

The archers fired crossbows without rest.

[Aaaaaah—]

When their voices ceased to work, the Telesas spread out and began circling the ship.

One by one, the Telesas that failed to avoid the attacks began sinking.

Then.

[Aah—Aah—Aah—!!]

Two Telesas, each twice as large as the others, abruptly appeared.

As they began to cry out from either side of the sailing ship, a buzzing could be felt within the ears even though they were blocked by magic tools.

‘These are the superior species.’

The bodies of the soldiers with their ears covered seemed to grow limp, and some who could no longer endure jumped into the sea.

“Grand Telesas!”

“Focus the crossbows on the Grands!!”

One Superhuman took the lead and fired sword energy.

As the crossbow bolts flew in, the Grand Telesas hid their bodies beneath the sea.

Their voices, raised at regular intervals, resonated together and shook the sailors’ minds.

Two Superhumans used sword energy and magic to keep their cries from continuing.

‘Should I help soon?’

Killian tracked one of the Grand Telesas’ movements.

Sss.

Just as he was about to swing Anima—

[Aah... Aah... Aah...]

A sweet voice unlike the ones before it rang out.

It was comforting enough to loosen tense muscles.

“On the deck!!”

Someone shouted.

Those who understood the cry turned their eyes toward the middle of the deck too late.

A woman stood there.

Unlike the Telesas, she had two legs.

Things like fins grew beneath her ears.

[Aah... Aah...]

Her voice began to form a rhythm.

A song that enchanted the mind spread across the deck.

“Ah...”

Before they could resist.

Splash.

“Aah...”

The soldiers threw themselves into the sea one by one.

The knights were no different.

Splash. Splash.

Unlike when they had equipped the magic tools and resisted, they were utterly helpless.

One upper-rank knight sent sword energy to restrain her, but—

Srrk.

The moment it touched her body, the mana vanished as though dispersing.

The woman extended her index finger at the startled knight.

Clang!

Anima knocked aside the lengthened nail that had targeted the knight’s throat.

“The Telesa Queen.”

[...]

The woman looked back and forth between her severed nail and Killian’s sword.

Then.

[An appetizing one has appeared.]

Slurp.

The long tongue inside the queen’s torn mouth flicked out.

***

[Aaaaaah—]

Telesas surrounded Marcelo’s sailing ship and cried out from every side.

They appeared to believe that the queen had taken control and judge that dealing with the other ship would be more advantageous.

‘Have ten Grand Telesas gathered?’

Grand Telesas surpassed 7-star monsters and were comparable to 7-star Superhumans.

In fact, the sailing ship carrying six Superhumans, including Marcelo, who was said to have mastered 7-star, was struggling.

The sailing ship carrying Killian Eurasia did not seem much different.

‘Even if I use Killian Eurasia as bait, I must deal with the Grand Telesas at least.’

He could hunt the queen afterward.

‘All I can do is hope he does not have to use that.’

Squeeze.

Marcelo tightened his grip on his sword and swung it widely.

Slice.

One Grand Telesa sank into the sea beneath his blue-green sword energy.

***

“...!!”

One of Aquares’s Superhumans aboard Killian’s ship screamed.

A Grand Telesa that had climbed onto the ship had driven a trident into his side.

[Cackle, cackle, cackle—]

As though imitating human laughter, the Grand Telesa easily evaded the Superhuman’s sword.

Though not as developed as the queen’s, it possessed legs resembling human legs.

‘Can these things use Polymorph?’

They had too many abilities for monsters.

Beginning with the queen and the two Grands, Telesas climbed aboard the sailing ship one by one.

With their core forces injured, the force on deck began to collapse rapidly.

“Killian!”

Yulian was struggling against a Telesa that had landed beside him.

Whether from the aftereffects of seasickness or from the Telesa’s attacks, his face was pale enough to look as though he might collapse at any moment.

Then.

Thud.

When the Grand Telesa struck its trident into the deck, a sound wave was created.

As the sound wave resonated, several knights jumped into the sea of their own accord and became the Telesas’ prey.

[Aaaaaaah—]

“Urgh...”

Yulian staggered at the sound that pierced through the magic tool fitted over his ears.

The Telesa he was fighting was about to drive its trident into Yulian.

Rumble.

Killian released the rank he had been suppressing.

At the rank immeasurably greater than anything the Telesas had faced until then, the movements of everyone aboard the ship stopped.

Rumble, rumble.

Before his intensifying Haki, Telesas and knights alike fell to their knees.

Thud.

“K-Killian...”

Yulian groaned beneath the immense pressure.

“Lie down. When you wake up, everything will be over.”

From the moment the queen appeared, the means to defend against mental attacks had vanished.

Therefore, it would be better for him to be unconscious.

“Is that not right?”

On the enormous sailing ship carrying hundreds, only Killian and the queen were permitted to move.

[Oh?]

The queen showed interest upon seeing the rank Killian emitted.

[It has been a long time since I saw a human who reached 8-star.]

The queen burst into cackling laughter as though she had found an interesting toy.

Her flowing Continental was impossible to believe had come from a monster.

‘They say Telesas devour their opponents’ minds and make them their own.’

In many ways, this was a reaction difficult to expect from a monster facing an 8-star knight.

“Are you something like the ruler of the sea?”

Killian activated Hyang, and his eyes rippled with blue mana.

He aimed Anima at the queen’s throat.

“If you have hidden power, you will have to use all of it.”

[Not only do you reject my voice, you even provoke me.]

Srrk.

At some point, a blue trident had appeared in the queen’s hand.

Ssssss.

Blue energy scattered from the trident.

It was a different power from the Evil Energy monsters emitted.

‘Divine Power?’

Power he would not have recognized had he not forged Hollyheart rolled from the queen’s body.

‘Why do these creatures have this?’

[They are creatures Neptune scattered his seed among.]

‘...’

At that moment, Murus’s voice sounded.

[You told me not to interfere unless you called me, but it does not seem to be that kind of situation now.]

Rational Murus continued without waiting for a reply.

[Neptune had a promiscuous side. He would freely copulate with even insignificant creatures and scatter his seed.]

When a living being that had coupled with a God while polymorphed accepted that power, it either awakened or failed to withstand it and exploded to death.

[Judging by her, this one is a descendant of those who accepted the power. She must be well over a thousand years old.]

Murus assessed the queen’s presence.

Power in which Evil Energy and Divine Power were mixed.

A half-finished monster carrying a God’s blood.

[In our world, we call such things Demigods.]

‘Is that so.’

Killian nodded obediently.

He did not know why she had only now revealed herself.

‘Well, I will find out if I defeat her.’

There was no mercy to grant a monster obstructing the road to the temple.

[I am a God.]

Greater power entered the voice that rang through her trident.

It was now powerful enough to pierce even Killian’s mana fused with Haki.

Murus clicked his tongue.

[Calling yourself a God when you are merely a Demigod. What a creature incapable of knowing her place.]

‘Does inheriting a God’s blood make everyone like that?’

[No. Not at all.]

‘Well, I am not one to talk.’

Killian calmly accepted the situation before him.

She was a self-willed creature.

Among the monsters he had faced since reaching 8-star, she was one of the few to make him feel tension.

Rumble.

Black clouds gathered in the sky that had been clear moments earlier.

Crack!

Lightning fell from the trident.

With waves suddenly beginning to crash, the ship lurched from side to side.

The mana Killian had deployed could not take shape beneath the energy the queen emitted.

Claaang!

Anima blocked the trident that had reached Killian’s face, and their clash began.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Claang!

Anima knocked aside the relentlessly thrusting trident.

Then.

Boom!

Killian’s swung sword caught against the end of the trident.

Crack!

Lightning struck above Killian’s head as he refused to let go of his sword.

Crackle!

The sword veil of an 8-star knight was pierced in an instant by two bolts of lightning.

The numbing sensation of lightning invaded him.

While he was slowing down, the queen’s movements grew faster.

[An 8-star knight is nothing special.]

Whoosh.

The queen lightly deflected Killian’s slowed sword as she spoke.

Stab.

“...!!”

The trident pierced Killian’s chest.

“Urgh...”

The queen twisted the trident.

Crunch.

With the sound of bones breaking, the Superhuman’s body collapsed.

“Kgh...”

[I will not kill you.]

Cackle, cackle.

Laughing loudly, the queen lifted Killian’s body, impaled upon her trident.

[The memories of someone of your rank will be useful.]

Saaaaa—

Evil Energy coiled around Killian’s body.

The first step in absorbing memories was to render the opponent’s body powerless.

Afterward, she would enter the Mind Image World, peek into her opponent’s memories, seize their mind, and absorb it.

By that alone, she could absorb everything her opponent had built up in a lifetime.

It was truly a power like an Authority.

‘If I consume this one, I will become more complete.’

Once her rank was complete, she intended to kill Neptune and become the new God of the Sea.

Srrr.

The surrounding space turned black.

Before long, a new environment filled her eyes.

[So this is your Mind Image World.]

A tower soared from the wilderness.

Eight spheres containing their own powers revolved in the sky, including the ones that served as the sun and moon.

On one side, a dense forest spread out, with an enormous tree rising above it.

It was an area absurdly vast even compared with the High Elf hundreds of years old whom she had once consumed.

For the Mind Image of a human who would not live even a hundred years, it was a vast realm.

As the queen frowned at the incomprehensible situation—

[...]

Stagger.

The queen swayed from a sudden dizziness.

“Are you done?”