Chapter 811

The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

The One Who Will Kill You (6)

Fsssss…

Having passed on all his mana, Nakturah crumbled into dust.

As he disappeared, Nakturah murmured faintly.

“Ah, that… I should’ve killed it… What a shame…”

Ghislain—no, now Astion, who had taken over the body—sprang to his feet.

Though his body felt stiff, mana surged through him. Most of his external wounds had been healed by divine power.

Astion quickly stepped back and shouted,

“Noona! Get out of here!”

Ereneth stared at Astion with a dazed expression.

She couldn’t understand what had just happened. But one thing was clear: the situation was dangerous. Ereneth summoned her spirits and retreated.

Astion’s first move was to find the spear that Ghislain had dropped.

The battlefield was chaotic, but since he knew where it had fallen, retrieving it wasn’t difficult.

Astion looked around. The United Human Army was being steadily pushed back by the wave of Riftspawn.

Thanks to Deneb and the high priests’ divine power, they hadn’t been completely overrun yet.

The dragon was still fighting the Adversary, but judging by its condition, it didn’t seem like it could last much longer.

Astion took a deep breath.

“Hoo…”

This was where it truly began. Astion raised his hand to the sky and began casting a spell.

Gwoooooong…

A massive golden magic circle formed in the sky.

Another identical circle appeared atop it. Then another, and another.

A total of eight magic circles were drawn.

The eight circles stacked vertically like a tower, each separated by a fixed distance.

Rumble…

Astion, who had created the circles, drew upon all his mana.

He had already reached the 8th circle. At the very least, his understanding of magic surpassed Ghislain’s.

His robe fluttered wildly as a storm of immense mana raged around him. It was a power too great to handle, but Astion did not stop.

“Grghhh…”

As he struggled in agony, Ghislain’s voice echoed in his mind.

— You have to move now.

“Grghhh…”

Following Ghislain’s guidance, Astion began to form a virtual core inside his body.

But unlike Ghislain, he lacked the same senses and knowledge. So he had no choice but to force the core into existence.

This began to inflict serious damage on his body.

Splat!

Blood burst from Astion’s mouth and nose.

Even so, trembling, he didn’t stop creating the core.

— You did it. One more.

Rumble…

Mana extended from his heart and formed a second virtual core. The mana moved again, starting to create another.

Splat! Splat!

Astion’s body burst and split in places, blood gushing out. Creating cores solely to amplify mana without any of the necessary processes naturally resulted in this.

However, the divine power that overflowed in this place rapidly healed his body. Ghislain had entrusted everything to Astion, relying on that power.

“Gh-Ghislain… Are you okay?”

Ereneth reached out with a worried look. But she couldn’t bring herself to touch him recklessly.

She didn’t know what he was doing.

Covered in blood, Astion grit his teeth and muttered,

“I… am not Ghislain…”

Splat! Splat! Splat!

His flesh tore, his bones twisted, and blood spurted out.

If not for being within the realm of divine power, Astion’s body would’ve exploded and scattered long ago.

— That’s four. Just one more to go.

“Grghhh…”

Splat! Splat! Splat!

Astion trembled, continuing to move his mana. But the pain was unbearable.

It felt as if his entire body was being shredded by razor-sharp blades.

No, in truth, his body was being destroyed from the inside out, unable to withstand the power of the cores.

He had never experienced such agony in his life. Trembling, Astion spoke.

“I… I can’t do it.”

— You must.

“Ugh… ughhh…”

— You can. You have to.

“Grghhhhh…”

— That’s the only way to save everyone.

Those words made Astion grit his teeth once more.

He had always left everything to Ghislain.

Whenever his friends fought with their lives on the line, he merely watched from within his consciousness.

Honestly, it was comfortable. He didn’t have to bear the burden of leading anyone.

He had wished it could stay that way.

He had hoped Ghislain would remain until they won the war against the Demonic Abyss.

But he knew he couldn’t rely on Ghislain forever.

Ghislain was someone destined to leave. And he now understood that time was running out.

So now…

Rumble!

Astion endured the pain and moved immense mana. Each fleeting moment felt like an eternity.

He had to endure. That thought consumed his mind.

“Grghhh… I am…”

His mana spiraled out of control, threatening to rampage.

Astion summoned every ounce of his strength to seize it. Embracing the pain of his insides tearing apart, he forced it into place.

And when the fifth core was finally completed—

GAAAAAAAAAAANG!

A colossal storm of mana erupted, engulfing the battlefield.

“I am…”

BOOOOOM!

At the center of the storm, Astion slowly pulled the spear back. The divine-power-infused spear trembled like thunder and spat golden flames.

At that moment, Ghislain’s voice echoed in his mind.

— Now.

Astion’s eyes flared.

“I am… Astion―――!!!”

Astion.

The one who inherited the name of the Great Star.

And…

The guide who would now lead everyone in Ghislain’s place.

He unleashed all his strength and hurled the spear.

The spear pierced the first magic circle.

BOOM!

The circle shattered, and its fragments of light were absorbed into the spear.

Its power exploded, and the surrounding black mist evaporated like steam.

The second, third… With each circle it pierced, the spear grew stronger.

The black mist burned away and scattered like it was fleeing, and the sealed space began to crack open.

Finally, as the spear pierced the eighth and final magic circle—

SHIIIIIIIIINE!

A massive hole tore open in the sky.

At last, the Curtain of Darkness was torn apart, and the battlefield reconnected with the world.

And at that very moment—

Deneb’s desperate prayer reached the heavens.

CHAAAAANG!

As she opened her eyes mid-prayer, a blinding light burst forth and spread in all directions.

At the same time, a stream of divine light fell from the high heavens toward her.

Deneb slowly raised both hands to the sky and prayed.

“O Deana, cast away the darkness that shrouds the sky and sickens the earth. In your name, let all creation breathe once more.”

Radiant light burst forth from the necklace she wore. That light spread out, as if embracing the world, and began to burn away the black mist.

“O Moriana, break the wicked hand sharper than any blade. Like a falling star from the heavens, bring inescapable punishment upon them.”

Her bracelet spat light into the sky. It soared high, then came crashing down like a meteor, turning the Riftspawn to ash.

“O Juana, grant freedom to the chained, healing to the wounded, and hope to the despairing.”

This time, her ring glowed with blinding brilliance. That light spread wide and seeped into the United Human Army.

“Wooooooaaaah!”

A great roar erupted from the United Human Army. Blinding light now radiated from their bodies.

Any Riftspawn that rushed at the troops burst into flames on contact. The darkness that had filled the world was burning away and vanishing.

Once again, Deneb prayed.

“O Seraana, have mercy on those lost and trapped in darkness. Purify their souls, and free them from the shackles of sin.”

Her gaze turned to the Adversary.

“Even if he is a demon cloaked in darkness, before your grace, he is but a fleeting delusion.”

FWAHHHH!

Suddenly, divine power exploded from the Adversary’s arm. The light dug in deep, devouring the darkness.

“How dare you…”

The darkness around the Adversary churned violently, trying to resist the light. But his strength wasn’t enough to stand against it.

He had no choice but to remove his bracelet.

FWAHHHH!

Light gushed endlessly from the Sacred Stone, sweeping over everything nearby.

The darkness was riddled with holes and split apart, and the battlefield slowly began to regain the light.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The Adversary relentlessly struck the Sacred Stone lying on the ground. He was trying desperately to destroy it.

But just then—

“The Saintess really did perform a miracle.”

A dragon’s voice rang out in exhilaration as it unleashed another breath.

KRAAAAAAANG!

The Adversary blocked the breath and was forced to retreat.

The darkness that had once coiled around the dragon’s body had already been completely burned away.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The dragon’s claws and tail rained down in succession, and countless spells overwhelmed the Adversary.

Ssshhhh…

The divine power flickering from all directions began to burn even the Adversary’s body.

“…”

In an instant, everything had changed. The Adversary looked around in silence.

“Woooooooaaaaah!”

The United Human Army now overwhelmed the Riftspawn with sheer force.

Deneb’s divine power continued to expand in size. Half the black mist that had once filled the battlefield had vanished.

Ssshhhh…

Eventually, divine power reached even the gaping rift. The Riftspawn were reduced to ashes the moment they emerged.

And the rift itself began to twist and shrink.

For the rift—opened by the Adversary’s own will—to remain stable, his energy needed to be continuously infused. But with the surrounding darkness gone, the rift began to lose power.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOOOM!

“…”

Calmly fending off the dragon’s attacks, the Adversary deliberated.

Should he fight against this divine power with everything he has left, or retreat?

The deliberation was short. This battlefield was no longer in his favor.

The Saintess’s miracle had strengthened everyone. Meanwhile, he stood alone.

Still… he had no intention of retreating quietly.

FWAHHHH!

The remaining darkness surged into the Adversary’s body.

Absorbing it all in an instant, he shot forward.

BOOOOOM!

The dragon, already exhausted and weakened, couldn’t properly fend off the blow. The Adversary’s hand plunged toward where the dragon’s heart lay.

“GRRAAAAAHHH!”

The dragon let out a pained roar. The Adversary poured all his power into destroying the Dragon Heart.

Dragons were powerful beings. But their numbers were few. Eliminating even one would be a major advantage in the coming war.

However, the Adversary couldn’t kill the dragon as easily as he’d hoped.

Ssshhhh…

Before he realized it, divine power had wrapped around his body. The sacred flame began to gnaw at him.

And now, all the Transcendents who had wiped out the Riftspawn charged at him.

BOOOOOM!

Ilaniel and Grondal finally managed to shove the Adversary back. As he staggered, other Transcendents launched their attacks from all sides.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOOM!

No matter how strong the Adversary was, continuing the fight in this situation was sheer folly.

He had already spent much of his energy in the previous battles.

Now, it truly was time to retreat. He had no choice but to first shake off the Transcendents.

BOOOOM!

Darkness surged from his body and flung the Transcendents away.

Just as he tried to retreat once again—

Someone charged in through that brief opening.

“…!!!”

The Adversary lifted his head. Even he hadn’t expected such perfect timing.

Moved by the will of the one who had turned the impossible into reality, the Adversary involuntarily uttered the name of the one who appeared.

“…Julien.”

Julien’s sword was imbued with dazzling divine power. No—his every ounce of mana and will had been poured into that blade.

Rumble…

The world, freed from darkness, responded to Julien’s will.

For a brief instant, he saw the trajectory of light that would cleave through the Adversary’s body.

Julien’s sword, bursting with all his strength, followed that path.

KRAAAAAAAAAANG!

Julien hadn’t given up and had been waiting for this chance all along.

Because he knew.

The Adversary was the greatest enemy and threat to Deneb.

That knowledge didn’t come from logic or instinct.

It was fate.

From the moment of their birth, they had been destined to kill one another—perhaps chosen by the gods and goddesses to be proxies in their divine struggle.

Julien had sensed those vast, entwined chains of destiny on a primal level.

So the conclusion was clear.

He had to kill the Adversary.

‘Deneb.’

Because that was the only way he could protect her.

KAGAGAGAGAK!

Julien’s sword split the Adversary’s darkness in two.