Chapter 295

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍first memory he glimpsed belonged to Pope Claudio de Cronis.

He ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍glimpsed several more memories after that.

It ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did not take him long to realize that all of them belonged to priests of time.

Through ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍their eyes, Killian witnessed the war between the Empire and the Kingdom Alliance in vivid detail.

“Do ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍not let go of your sword!”

A ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍one-armed knight shouted as he swung his sword.

“Maintain the formula!”

A mage shouted without even having time to put out the flames clinging to his body.

The war was more brutal than ever.

Through linked formulas, countless mages synchronized with Magic Towers.

The mages of the Black Magic Tower used black magic to turn those who died on the battlefield into Undead and control them.

The mages of the White Magic Tower used newly developed formulas to suppress the priests’ Authorities.

And then there was the newly constructed Red Magic Tower.

The Red Magic Tower drank the blood of the battlefield.

Just as water flowed from above to below, the blood spilled on the battlefield formed rivers and flowed into the Red Magic Tower.

They used magic and Divine Formulas, but they could not stop this bizarre phenomenon.

Those who died after their blood was drained were raised as Undead controlled by the Black Magic Tower.

Companions who had died on the battlefield came back to life and sought their own lives.

Those who opposed the Empire felt fear at the strange phenomenon.

Fear became terror and crushed their morale.

The Alliance’s great Superhumans fought desperately, but they could not reverse the tide.

And at last.

Simon Eurasia was defeated by the Emperor, and the Alliance began to collapse rapidly.

[Now then, it is time to choose.]

Cronis asked at the end of the memory.

“I....”

Killian spoke the answer he had already decided upon.

***

[You have finally returned.]

Killian opened his eyes at the voice.

There, he saw Styx in Lan’s form.

Unlike before, she looked visibly exhausted.

Not only that, but the Existence Force he felt from her was incomparably weaker than before.

[It is not an incorrect thought, but it must also be because you have grown stronger.]

“It seems Insight is still intact.”

He had completed a 9-Star Mana Heart and a Hollyheart no less powerful.

[You could not cut down Cronis?]

She asked because she had realized that Killian had not mastered 9-Star.

The smile that lingered on her lips soon disappeared.

It was because she read Killian’s thoughts.

[You decided not to open the door.]

“Yes.”

In the end, he had chosen to turn back time without opening the door.

“You look disappointed.”

[I will not deny it.]

Her disappointment lasted only a moment.

[This, too, must be one of the futures Cronis saw.]

Strong trust could be heard in her voice.

‘Every last one of you trusts him enormously.’

[It is not an emotion a mortal could understand.]

“Now, I would like you to turn back time and send me out.”

[The moment you leave this place, it will happen naturally. The time that returns will manifest to the extent of Cronis’s rank that you have gathered.]

GRIND—GRIND—

The gears behind Killian began to interlock at some point.

He could feel the distance to the Divine Realm gradually widening.

[Had you opened the door.]

Styx continued.

[Murus, who was there, would have continued to serve as the barrier.]

But Murus had disappeared to help Killian grow.

[Now you must take his place as the barrier.]

That meant if something happened to Killian, the barrier would collapse and beings beyond the boundary could invade at any time.

[It will take quite a long journey before you can find this place again.]

For reasons he did not know, it sounded as though it would be impossible to use the Makeshift Boundary to return to the entrance of the Divine Realm.

[Even if you return, you will not lose your memories. What you obtained here is worth that much.]

Therefore.

[Remember that the truth lies beyond the boundary.]

When he had absorbed the Curse of the Anomaly in the past, he had briefly seen beyond the boundary.

[The Anomaly’s true body is there.]

Just as the gods could not cross over completely because of the door, the Anomaly could not cross over completely because of the boundary.

It meant that the Anomaly Edan and he had faced was merely a trace, not the true body.

Styx held out her hand.

WHOOOSH—

Something that was neither light nor darkness scattered like smoke.

[I have removed all the Curse of the Anomaly that had dwelled within you. But this, too, is not complete annihilation.]

Just as the gods’ true bodies existed beyond the door, the Anomaly’s true body would exist beyond the boundary.

[Beware Lord.]

The Highest God and the first god.

A being who had nearly been erased from humanity’s memories over a long period of time.

[Lord sealed you away and disappeared.]

He had recognized the changing laws of the world faster than anyone.

He contacted several Higher Gods and gave them a few pieces of advice for survival.

That was all.

[The gods’ failure to adapt to the new laws had much to do with Lord’s absence.]

Even arrogant gods would have followed his words without complaint.

Why such a being had made a choice that could endanger the gods was still unknown.

“Does he intend to lead the world to ruin?”

One thing was certain: he was connected to the Anomaly, the Emperor, and the Monster Lord.

Every one of them was capable of overturning the world and driving humanity to extinction.

[You will have to find that out for yourself.]

“....”

[Adamas, be sure to find ‘me.’ There lies the answer you sought....]

Styx’s words faded away.

Along with the sensation of reversal.

Killian’s time was turned back.

***

The Empire was activating bizarre formulas throughout the continent.

It was no secret that the Empire had used forbidden arts in past wars.

Even while the White Knight Order subjugated the mountain ranges of the eastern frontier, Eurasia’s elite forces, led directly by Simon and Escar, were defeating the vassal states battle after battle.

At such a moment, withdrawing troops was burdensome.

Therefore, the Extermination Squad was perfectly suited for the task.

In place of the missing Killian, Serena had become the new commander of the Extermination Squad and was carrying out the mission.

An abandoned temple in the northern part of the continent.

There, Serena and the Extermination Squad were engaged in a chaotic melee.

CLANG. CLAAANG.

The sharp sounds of bladed weapons colliding rang out repeatedly.

“Philip!”

At her call, red mana spread.

Carpe was followed by Carpe Illusion.

She did not resist the domain made of red mana, accepting it instead.

The current Carpe Illusion had been achieved entirely through another member of the Extermination Squad’s ability, without Serena’s resonance.

The number of enemies within the domain began to dwindle rapidly.

The Extermination Squad had begun to move.

“How pathetic....!!”

The Archmage Serena had been holding back attempted to activate some magic.

RUMBLE.

The Haki Serena released disrupted his magic.

CLANG! CLANG!

She then deflected the sword and spear thrust by two Superhumans.

In that brief moment, the Archmage, who had reorganized his mana, drove his staff into the ground.

SCRRRAAPE—

With the sound of metal scraping, Philip’s Carpe Illusion was shattered.

‘This is dangerous.’

Serena looked at the three Superhumans of the Empire who had broken Philip’s Carpe Illusion.

All three had stabilized 7-Star.

One Sword Master, one Lancer Master, and one Archmage.

‘Were they made again this time?’

It was already a confirmed fact that the Empire was creating Superhumans through research conducted by the Magic Towers.

The one fortunate thing was that those who crossed the wall in that manner were vastly lacking in proficiency compared to the magnitude of their power.

Even if she had been an incomplete Superhuman, she was confident that she could cut down the enemies before her alone.

But three was a different matter.

“Captain, let us retreat.”

Philip, having calmed the rising backlash, spoke.

The others felt the same.

They could recover once with the special recovery potion made by the Head Apothecary, but there would be no second time.

“Let us strike later.”

Though the broken formula should have affected him the most, he recovered fastest and repeated himself.

The enemy had also paid the price of being unable to pursue them quickly for breaking Carpe Illusion.

She could tell instinctively.

‘If we stand our ground, at least two will die.’

The last person from the Extermination Squad to die had been Yulian, two years ago.

His death had caused Killian Eurasia to break the standoff with the Empire and pull the trigger in enemy territory, bringing about a chain of wars.

And now it had become the Great War.

‘Have I changed too?’

The Extermination Squad had originally been a sword in the shadows, prepared to throw away their lives for the Eurasia Family at any time.

‘I was not shaken even by Father’s death.’

The death of Yulian and Killian’s sudden disappearance must have unknowingly placed pressure upon her.

That pressure must have passed on to the other members of the Extermination Squad as well.

The Extermination Squad could not be like this.

Now, while Eurasia waged a great war against the Empire, they had to eliminate everything that could harm Eurasia from the shadows.

To do that, they had to overcome the fear they felt now.

‘Even if we bleed.’

SHING.

Serena raised her sword upright.

“....”

Philip did not deny her choice.

“I will prepare the formula once more. Then, Captain....”

“Your Carpe Illusion is poorly suited to them. Just hold one of them back.”

His formula had broken earlier because he had faced three Superhumans, but Philip’s Carpe Illusion, used in synchronization with the Extermination Squad, could handle one incomplete Superhuman easily enough.

And two incomplete Superhumans were a level Serena could handle by herself.

“I will handle the rest.”

ZZZZZ—

Green mana rose from Serena’s body.

SSSSS—

Red mana rose from Philip’s body.

Carpe Illusion.

“Wigdrazil.”

Two Superhumans entered the domain she deployed.

“By yourself....?”

“It seems we are being underestimated.”

Having understood the situation, the two Superhumans revealed their mana with displeased expressions.

It was mana, but unlike the mana she used.

It was because impurities were mixed into it.

‘The Curse of the Anomaly.’

A characteristic that appeared in created Superhumans.

Their mana was mixed with radiance.

Green mana and radiant mana collided.

FWOOOOM—

The green mana resisted the encroaching radiance.

“Kgh....”

Blood flowed from the Archmage’s mouth at the unexpected force.

It was because backlash surged through him.

Then.

The Archmage’s eyes rolled back, exposing the whites.

“Serena Constantine.”

“....!!”

Her body froze at the altered aura.

“We will have to abandon the temple, but Eurasia will lose a useful knight as well.”

Mana of an entirely different rank from the clumsy Archmage of moments ago pressed in.

‘This is at least 8-Star....’

The overturned mana began to surge backward.

At that moment.

WHOOO—

A sudden wind blew.

It was a cool wind, like one that cooled the sweat running down her forehead.

“Form a clear image of your Mind Image.”

A man’s voice came from within a domain that no one could enter without permission.

“If you can hold an unshakable Mind Image.”

Her sword began to spill mana.

“Your sword will be able to cut down even a Fragment of the Anomaly.”

FWOOOOM—

Her mana expanded as though it were running wild.

Following the voice’s guidance, she formed an image of her Mind Image.

“Carpe Illusion.”

ZZZZ—ZZZZZZ—

Carpe Illusion began to evolve.

“Elvenheim.”

The forest became a kingdom.

“What....”

SSSSS—

The bodies of the mage and knight who had entered the domain began to wither.

Merely standing upon the ground caused their strength to be absorbed.

“You understood it at once. As expected of Serena.”

Thud.

The two withered Superhumans collapsed.

“....”

Only then did Serena identify the owner of the voice.

There was a man standing atop the domain that had begun to spread around the Divine Tree.

“It has been a long time.”

Killian wore his characteristic harmless smile.