Chapter 157
A bizarre cry of a horse.
A vast land tainted by poison and flames.
Thousands of spirits flying in the sky, spewing screams and laughter.
It’s Hell.
The evil kings classified as the highest undead have opened the gates of Hell.
If the fallen Saintess Party invades the mortal realm, the entire continent will turn into Hell. The Valtarian Empire and the Gael Holy Kingdom, among many nations, would suffer near-extinction or destruction.
It must be stopped.
Somehow, it had to be halted here.
“I’m sorry, Edanant. It seems subjugation is impossible!”
Attempting to suppress the heroes of the fallen Saintess Party who had turned into undead, Ludmilla finally realized it was futile and resorted to her last measure.
“I will annihilate them here.”
The heroes who sought to sacrifice themselves to save the world must have wished for this too.
“Die as heroes of humanity. I cannot allow you to be the root of destruction.”
Whoosh-
Flames of tyranny surged up.
Wings of a dragon formed from flames spread behind Ludmilla.
But that wasn’t all.
The roaring flames began to shape into a single form as if driven by self-awareness.
“Kuhahaha! Finally, liberated! Foolish mortals of the current realm, welcome the resurrection of tyranny!”
The Three-Headed Dragon.
A dragon with three heads revealed itself.
Though it was merely a manifestation formed from flames, it was enough to dominate the battlefield. The Three-Headed Dragon, spitting flames of eons, even halted the charge of the Soul Cavalry riding ghost horses.
“I permit it. Burn them all.”
Blackened eyes.
Red pupils burning like sulfur flames.
The apostle of tyranny, half-human, half-dragon, opened its mouth.
As the solemn voice demanded destruction, the Three-Headed Dragon spread its enormous wings and rejoiced. It was finally revealing the true essence of tyranny from the vessel of disaster that had been confounding and frustrating all along.
“Why not restrain yourself a bit? Is it possible that the old maid hysteria has returned…?”
A girl with flowing silver hair stepped forward and stood beside Ludmilla.
Eyes shimmering like a starry night.
And blue pupils shining coldly.
Crackle-
Blackened lightning rained down.
The fallen lightning converged onto the Saintess of Famine, forming a shape. Just as dragon wings emerged behind Ludmilla, twisted wings of a fallen angel were born behind Zebeline.
Furthermore-
With a whoosh, a black holy cloth wrapped around Zebeline.
“Hurry, give me a command… Command me to do anything.”
The lightning that had been shaking the ground suddenly soared up. Like it was trying to restore its original form, the lightning baptism created the alluring silhouette of a fallen angel.
Fallen Angel.
A betrayer of the heavenly realm, fallen into disaster.
A red veil covering both eyes.
A grotesquely torn mouth with sharp teeth protruding.
Though it boasted a beauty that could enchant any man in the world, its body displayed clear signs of being a being cast out from the heavenly realm, gruesomely damaged in several parts. Moreover, it had such a gigantic stature that you had to look up to it, making it all the more terrifying.
“First Saintess. I want to thoroughly question the rudeness from earlier…”
“No time for that, right? We need to reunite with Edan as quickly as possible. And by now, the Third Imperial Princess should have reached the Demon King’s Castle.”
No time to waste on fruitless arguments.
Currently, Edanant must be engaged in a fierce battle at the Demon King’s Castle.
Whoosh-. Crackle-!
Flames of tyranny and lightning of famine rained down simultaneously.
Reacting, the Soul Cavalry, laden with bastard sword and polearm, urged their ghost horses and began a lightning-fast charge.
_ *_
Descending flames. Thundering lightning.
The opposition? Undead wielding heavy armor in both hands.
Descending Strike-
The bastard sword sliced through the flames.
And the sharp tip of the polearm pierced the lightning.
Showcasing superhuman martial arts, it darted through the rapid fire. But waiting for the Soul Cavalry mounted on ghost horses was none other than the half-human, half-dragon Ludmilla.
“Kuh…!”
Flames wrapped in the disaster of tyranny stood before her.
No matter how bold a warrior, instinct would undoubtedly compel them to evade.
However, the mercenary king who had devolved into undead chose the bold path. Proving it, he kicked off from the ghost horse, accelerating to the max.
“I can become stronger! If I push my power to the limits…! No, I will unleash a power that transcends limits!”
Ludmilla’s red pupils stretched into almond shapes, gleaming dangerously.
A dragon.
Ludmilla, at this moment, resembled a dragon.
As she flapped her wings, scattering sparks, she shot the sharp blade wrapped in flames of tyranny straight ahead.
Releasing all the stored power in one fell swoop.
It was akin to a cannon firing its loaded shell.
It had to end in one blow.
If the undead triggers a steal again, they would turn the tables.
Crimson flames drew a dizzying straight line towards the undead. Witnessing the ferocious blaze of tyranny, the Soul Cavalry raised their bastard sword and polearm to defend against it.
Clang clang clang clang clang—!!!
Metal screamed.
And as the crimson flames collided with the undead, an explosion erupted.
Armor shattered.
Surrounded by flames, the ghost horse screamed and vanished.
The rider, having lost their mount, tumbled to the ground. Despite suffering severe burns, the Soul Cavalry rose, relying on their bastard sword and polearm.
Bang-
The Saintess of Famine struck down with the Scepter of Black Night.
Whoosh—
Then, chains of the fallen angel formed from black lightning shot forth, wrapping around the undead.
Binding arms and legs while pressuring the body.
Gripping the hilt of the bastard sword cloaked in frost of death felt like a futile struggle. The more they thrashed to escape, the tighter the chains of the fallen angel dug in, suppressing the undead’s actions.
“First Saintess!”
When the Soul Cavalry barely halted their charge—
Ludmilla, who had been exhaling a sigh of relief, suddenly screamed.
The cold sound of metal.
A sharp blade flew in from behind, threatening the Saintess.
The undead formed from bones shining black like obsidian. The Abyss Knight, who summoned countless spirits while tearing open the gap, cut across the snowy fields to join the fray.
Clang!
The chains of the fallen angel swung and deflected the blade.
Because of that, the Abyss Knight attempting to ambush momentarily fell back.
“Abyss Knight…! Could it be one of the Sword Saints?”
“If it’s the Sword Saint, then isn’t it the one who faced Edan at the Immortal Fortress?”
The handsome young man who once boasted attractive features had devolved into an undead with nothing left but skeletal remnants. Having seen his form before he turned undead made it all the more shocking.
Sword Saint.
King Assassin.
And the cursed undead.
The line of an unfortunate hero.
Faced with the new undead, Zebeline trembled at the corners of her mouth.
“First Saintess, can we continue the battle?”
“It will be tough, but we must try. The Second Imperial Princess is still overflowing with strength.”
Was it thanks to unleashing disaster?
Despite having just engaged in a fierce battle with the Soul Cavalry, she still brimmed with vitality.
The Three-Headed Dragon of Tyranny faced the Fallen Angel of Famine. The undead faced the monsters of disaster, lifting their sharp blades to call forth the countless spirits released from the gap.
Heh, heh heh!
Kihahahaha!!
A mournful scream intertwined with madness echoed.
The spirits responding to the call of the Abyss Knight surrounded Ludmilla and Zebeline.
Clang-
The undead drew their sword.
Responding, the spirits that had flown like crows in the sky all simultaneously attempted a dive.
A flash of light.
It signified that the Sword Saint had swung his blade.
No process,
No sound was heard.
The sword energy of the Sword Saint flew in an elegant trajectory, heading straight for them.
Whoosh!!!
Ludmilla and Zebeline did not move.
For they had witnessed the one revealed alongside the brilliance of the Holy Sword.
They countered the sword energy.
Simultaneously, the blade was thrust again, tearing apart the Abyss Knight’s armor.
“Just like my brother!”
“…The Hero of All Times.”
A frigidly stoic young man, bearing the Holy Sword, faced off against the undead. Even though he had exhausted most of his energy and greatly reduced his lifespan, his nearly divine skill remained sharp as ever.
The Abyss Knight, pushed back by Maximilian’s counterattack, momentarily retreated, raising its sword.
“……”
Gripping the Holy Sword.
In response to the hero’s will, the other three Holy Swords soared into the air.
Yellow Star. Gray Star. White Star. Black Star.
As the Four Holy Swords of Extermination shone simultaneously, the wicked spirits screamed and retreated.