NOVEL NEXT Chapter 55
“Rapirie!”
“Why!”
“There’s a magical creature!!”
At Rapirie’s urgent words, Rapirie looked at the bug creature that had emerged from the mine.
How it had moved, shrouded in a thick cloud of dust rising from the ground.
And now, unlike moments before when it was trying to destroy the city, it stood still.
‘What is this? Why has it stopped?’
Just a moment ago, it had been moving with ferocious intent.
Why in the world was it just standing there?
‘Come to think of it, that shield protecting the city… It must have been Rui’s doing?’
Thanks to her protection, even those mothers and daughters who had failed to escape from the commercial district could be rescued.
Now, all that was left was to eliminate these pesky bugs and kill that giant creature.
But with the main target simply halted, it was natural for various thoughts to arise.
‘Could it be related to Rui?’
For instance, did she use magic to immobilize that giant creature?
For some reason, it seemed completely within her capabilities.
But what if, as rare as it might be, she hadn’t done it, and the creature had stopped on its own?
‘…Rui could be in some trouble.’
She wouldn’t just stand by and let such a creature be.
The fact that it could remain still indicated there was nothing obstructing its path.
“…No.”
Rapirie slapped her own cheeks to gather her thoughts.
She trusted that she wouldn’t be wrong.
With that belief in mind, she drew back her bowstring once again when a bug charging at her was suddenly split in two.
It wasn’t her doing.
It couldn’t be possible to slice through with just an arrow.
So, there was only one answer.
Someone wielding a sword had appeared.
Rapirie looked towards the direction where the bug lay and soon smiled with joy.
*
KWAANG!!
‘This is strange.’
Serelin, having barely avoided a blow strong enough to demolish a building, sheathed her sword.
There were about ten bug-type magical creatures, all larger than buildings.
The first one had been easy to slice through, but with time, their shells were becoming ever more resilient.
‘…What’s causing this?’
Just moments ago, the colossal creature had erupted from the ground.
It felt as if it was somehow empowering these bugs.
‘Rui.’
She had confirmed that the barrier protecting the commercial district was gone.
What could be happening?
Kiiiin-!
To understand that, she first needed to defeat these bugs.
Once again, Serelin’s sword was covered in blue ice.
—-!!
KUGH. KUNG.
One of the nearby creatures let out a horrific howl and charged towards Serelin.
The creature bore its teeth, intending to wreak havoc, but its attack never reached Serelin.
SHWAAAAK!
—-!!
The slash emitted from Serelin’s sword crystallized as it sliced through the bug.
On the surface, it looked intact, but the next moment, ice blossomed like a flower within the creature, wrecking its innards and shell.
‘I’m using too much stamina.’
At this rate, she would not hold out until the hero arrived.
‘At least I need to rejoin with Rapirie…’
Just then, Serelin turned her gaze and smiled.
Three people were coming this way.
One of them released an arrow from their bow.
—-!!
That arrow flew forward, piercing a bug’s mouth and snuffing its life away.
CLICK.
Serelin sheathed her sword and called out their names.
Finally, her brow was freed from worry.
*
“Hah… hah… Everyone! Don’t worry! Even if it costs me my life…!”
Nia Bella gasped for breath as she shot flames at the swarm of bugs pouring forth from the mansion.
For her, casting magic continuously for this long was unprecedented.
With the characteristics of lunar mana and her talents as a witch, her magic didn’t fizzle out, but the mental fatigue was substantial.
“Nia Bella! Here, have some water!”
“Block it better! That way, Nia Bella’s efforts will be lessened!”
“Yes!”
Thanks to the mansion’s staff and the district guards assisting her, she was managing to hold on, despite feeling as though she should have collapsed by now.
‘But still… how long can I keep this up?’
Yet, the truth was that she was growing tired.
And there was another thing that troubled her, namely, news of ‘her.’
‘…My heart has been racing since a while ago.’
It felt as if something dangerous was happening.
Especially since that enormous creature had risen just moments ago, that feeling had only intensified.
‘…It’ll be okay.’
After all, she was Nia Bella’s teacher and savior, as well as a trustworthy friend.
So surely she would be fine.
‘Just hold on a little longer.’
Until the hero arrives. Or until the others arrive.
At that moment, a huge ice storm erupted from across the swarm of bugs.
“Huh?”
In an instant, dumbfounded Nia Bella was able to see the source of the storm and without realizing it, she slumped down.
“Oh…”
However, noticing her own appearance, she forced herself up and waved at them.
Then she realized someone from the party was missing and asked about ‘her.’
*
“……….”
Rage.
Merkhad remained silent whenever she felt anger, more than at any other time.
From the moment she learned the concept of self-control, she had sought to maintain this stance.
Otherwise, everything around her would be obliterated.
Yet even so, she couldn’t completely suppress the rage swelling within her.
BAM! BAM!
With only a slight stamp of her foot, the surrounding rocks shattered.
At that moment, a being appeared to quell Merkhad’s fury.
“……You’ve come.”
A smile crept across her face.
In an instant, all her anger subsided, replaced by a new emotion.
Joy.
There, far in the distance, at the city’s crumbling main gate, he arrived.
The savior of humanity, bound to become the destructor of the demon realm.
Hero Aswel.
A man radiating divine power so blinding that she couldn’t dare to look at him rode through the city.
Every place he stopped and moved again, new beings followed him.
Individuals imbued with divine power like the hero, or even possessing more than him.
Those with divine power similar, yet with a clearer aura.
Those exuding a cold energy that could freeze anything.
And those with fiery heat that could incinerate anything.
Thus, five figures raced toward her.
“Wizard. It seems you have no seat at this table.”
Behiraja jeered at the consumed mage, standing slowly from the rock.
Those five were already perfect as they were.
One more wouldn’t hurt, but that wizard would not be it.
“Perhaps… being consumed by me has saved you?”
Hehe.
Compared to their pure and strong aura, the wizard felt excessively out of place.
Like an anomaly wedged into this world where it didn’t belong.
An unfortunate being with a soul unfit for any realm, be it the demonic realm, this world, or somewhere beyond.
In that case, it would be better to fall into Behiraja’s embrace and sleep forever.
“Behi. Get ready. The delicious one has finally arrived.”
—-!!!
“Do you want to say hello first? Yeah, that’s for the best.”
At Merkhad’s words, Behiraja’s mouth tightened.
From far away, shouting could be heard from the hero party approaching on horseback.
BEEEEEP.
In an instant, a noise so loud it felt like it could burst eardrums erupted as a black beam shot from Behiraja’s mouth.
THOOM-!
“Just looking at that barrier makes me feel disgusting.”
But thanks to the barrier hastily spread by the hero’s saint, the beam was deflected at an angle.
What was left on the ground and the buildings that were struck was only a sticky black goo.
The hero party that avoided Behiraja’s attack reached the mines.
They all took battle stances as they addressed Merkhad.
“Where’s Rui!!”
“Rui? Ah, are you talking about the wizard? Aren’t you curious about my identity?”
If they wanted, she was willing to boastfully introduce herself, but the expressions of the hero party remained unchanged.
Then she had to give them the answer they desired.
“I ate her. Deliciously.”
With a grin stretched across her face, Merkhad began to mock the party.
In that instant, the hero party showed signs of agitation but quickly regained their composure.
“Everyone stay calm. If it’s Rui, she should be fine.”
Leading the way was the hero, who began sending boundless trust toward the consumed mage.
Merkhad found something displeasing about their demeanor, but she didn’t dwell on it.
After all, they would soon move toward the mage’s side anyway.
“Everyone, prepare for battle!”
As the hero party took their positions, Behiraja emitted a low growl, calling upon its young.
Different energies emanated from the hero party, and in response, Merkhad began to unleash the powerful magical energy she had been suppressing.
“Ugh…!”
“This isn’t just demonkind…!”
“I am Merkhad Karachioni, the Blood Gold Duke. And this is Behiraja. The name that will consume you and end your life.”
“I am Hero Aswel. I will kill you and rescue our comrade.”
Finally, after the introductions concluded, both factions clashed.