Chapter 400

Chapter 400

For Sale. Fallen Lady. Never Used.

Episode 400: Fusion (3)

Kwaaaaa!

The black and red divine power of the Evil God began to burn the twin-headed giant’s body.

As if trying to paint a blank canvas with its own colors.

Of course, it wasn’t that the two Evil Gods were trying to burn the giant they had painstakingly created. The flames were just a manifestation of the energy slightly overflowing in the process of rapidly and heavily injecting divine power.

Solari’s face contorted fiercely at this.

“Lord Solari? Do you perhaps have any idea what that is? From what I can see, it looks like they’re trying to use that giant as a vessel for an apostle.”

Although it lacked consciousness, the physical specifications of the body itself were unbelievably high. It had absorbed so many cultists and monsters, so it was only natural.

The defensive power that allowed it to withstand my full-power Punishment with minimal damage was a problem, but an even bigger problem was the regenerative ability that instantly reversed wounds.

The reason why it’s difficult to create an apostle is that the spirit of a mortal must resemble that of a god.

If not, they wouldn’t be able to withstand the immense divine power, and their body would explode. But the situation is a bit different with that giant.

Its sturdy body would easily withstand the burden of divine power, and even if it collapsed, it would immediately recover with its superior regeneration.

In other words, it’s a somewhat forced method, but it means they can create an apostle and directly project their power.

Even variations of cardinal-level cultists or large monsters are no longer my match, but if it’s an apostle, it’s a different story.

It wouldn’t be as powerful as the Grotesque Proliferation right before their descent that I faced before, but it would at least be enough to contend with me.

However, as always, my expectations were wrong in a bad way.

“Half right!”

“Half?”

“It’s true that it’s a vessel for an apostle, and it’s also true that they’re in the process of appointing it as an apostle… but that body has no consciousness.”

“No consciousness…? Not only Svid, but even Astrid is gone?”

“How could it possibly maintain its ego after fusing so many living beings?”

That’s also true. No matter how strong Astrid’s obsession was, she was still only a mortal.

“Then are they just going to take over an empty body?”

“They have to fill that empty body with their own spirit and soul.”

“Just in case, but the ‘their’ you’re talking about here is….”

“The Reckless Roar and the God of Tainted Unity. I’m talking about one of them! No, judging by how both divine powers are being injected simultaneously, it’s probably both!”

“……”

We’re screwed.

Then it’s not an apostle of the Evil God, but an avatar of the Evil God. And it would have divine power twice that of a normal apostle.

I thought the two Evil Gods, who would never join hands, were cooperating, but it seems they’re even planning to fuse.

They must be that serious about defeating me. They probably also have some calculation that they can conquer the Eurelia Continent if they just defeat me.

Even just an apostle has power comparable to a swordmaster or an archmage, but an avatar that’s twice as strong?

If it becomes complete, even Havel fighting directly might have a hard time.

“In the end, we’re back to one method. We have to kill that giant no matter what, right?”

“…Yeah. If we can manage to do that, it’s the same as defeating two Evil Gods. Because they’ve put their spirit and soul into it without any buffer, the shock of the body dying will be directly transmitted to them.”

The main body, stuck somewhere in the seal, won’t disappear. However, the spirit and soul that should reside within it will be shattered, leaving behind an empty shell.

And the body that has lost its essence will lose the transcendence unique to beings beyond the mortal realm, along with its divinity.

How long can a lump of flesh that is no longer a god and has no consciousness last in the seal?

As Solari said, it’s practically an ending no different from death.

“…But how do we defeat it?”

“That’s the problem. The Reckless Roar and the God of Tainted Unity have bet everything on killing us, but we lack the preparation to face both of them. The only good thing is that it will take at least ten more days for it to fully become an avatar…”

It’s a relief that we have more than 10 days. We should be able to try most things in the meantime.

Anyway, with the thought that the immediate battle was over, I completely relaxed the tension I had been holding onto and thought about various plans in my head.

In the current state, where the divine powers of the two Evil Gods are enveloping the giant like a shield, there’s no angle to attack from, no matter what we do.

But if we leave it alone, we’ll eventually have to fight and defeat the two Evil Gods who have descended as an avatar together. That would probably be even more difficult.

The other women also just sighed together, as if they didn’t have any brilliant ideas either.

Suddenly, Faye popped out from among the dwarven warriors. She even had a string of admiring gazes hanging on her, wondering what trick she had used.

“Junior! I have an idea!”

“You have a way to defeat that giant?”

“Yeah! If the opponent fused, shouldn’t we also fuse and fight?”

A sinister aura seemed to emanate from Faye’s eyes, which peeked out from her disheveled bangs.

I cautiously asked, wondering if her mind had gone haywire from the Evil God’s divine power that had spread even this far.

“…Why are you saying such lewd things in a place with so many people?”

As I whispered softly so others wouldn’t hear, Faye jumped up as if I had said something absurd.

“That’s not what I mean, Junior! The fusion isn’t with me; it’s with a golem!”

“A golem…? Wait, could it be?”

“That’s right. It’s that giant golem that Junior recently invested a whole cartload of gold in and had me research!”

“Is that possible?!”

My voice involuntarily rose. The surrounding dwarves, however, seemed to be preoccupied with other things.

“Did you hear that? She said he sponsored gold!”

“What? He didn’t have his gold stolen by the dragon, he received it…?”

“That must mean he cherishes Lady Faye that much.”

“Lady Faye, you say. You really…”

“Hmm hmm… Countess Astrid and Prince Svid have both ended up like that, so there’s only one heir left.”

“Let’s be honest. You’re not really interested in politics or power, are you?”

“…I couldn’t believe that what I just saw was alchemy.”

So… in the process of Faye instantly strengthening the cannonballs, she gained the recognition of the dwarven engineers?

Dwarves are stubborn, but there was always an exception. That was when they met a craftsman superior to themselves, even in another field.

Although the other dwarves were still sending distrustful gazes, the engineers seemed to have acknowledged Faye.

Faye continued speaking with a slightly proud expression.

“You’ve seen the prototype before, right? We just need to increase its size and change it from remote control to direct control by a pilot, so it’ll be quick!”

“Hmm…”

Anyway, I didn’t have any other decent options. It wouldn’t hurt to try Faye’s method. Even if it fails, we’ll just go back to square one.

“Alright. What do you need me to do?”

“…Help me heal Father.”

“???”

I don’t have any medical knowledge, though?

Faye, looking like she was about to die of regret, spoke to my bewildered face.

“If we have your horns and Lady Helena’s divine power, we can manage somehow. I can’t make it in time alone, so it can’t be helped.”

“Eh.”

I see. So not actually a dragon, but a deer antler.

“As I said before, the design for creating the giant golem is already finished. The cultivation of artificial muscles is also almost complete. But the problem is the framework to support all of this and the armor to cover the surface.”

“Didn’t you originally say you’d use my scales?”

“That’s right. Dragon scales were light and strong, so they were perfect. But the problem is that mass production failed. I can’t just tear off pieces of Junior’s skin every day, can I? So I succeeded in synthesizing an alloy with properties as similar as possible…”

“Then can’t we just make it?”

“That making it is the hard part. I create all objects with alchemy in my cauldron, but the giant golem’s bones and armor are too huge. I thought about attaching several small pieces, but then it would be hard to make it in time, and the overall strength would decrease.”

“Hmph…”

Faye continued speaking to my dumbfounded face.

“Putting aside personal feelings and looking purely at skill, no one can surpass Father. At least not here. So, I’d like you to help me heal him, even for a little while.”

“If Senior Faye says so, I’m fine with it. But healing… what kind of illness is it, and why do you need my horns?”

I’m not a unicorn, there’s no way my horns are a panacea.

Faye pondered for a moment, but when I stared intently, she finally confessed the truth.

“…No. Actually, what I’m trying to make with Junior’s horns isn’t a cure, but rather a medicine closer to a painkiller and stimulant to temporarily alleviate the pain. If Lady Helena’s healing is added to that, he might be able to return to his prime for a few days.”

“So you’re deceiving him after all.”

“That’s not it. I was planning to explain properly to Father. However, the problem is whether he will help me…”

Our bond, both good and bad, was too deep, so we had agreed just yesterday to end things here and go our separate ways. So, it must be unsettling for her to suddenly change her attitude and ask for help after just one day.

It was the moment when the shadow cast on Faye’s face deepened…

Clang.

A metallic sound rang out from the distance. Strangely, its clarity caught my attention, and I reflexively turned my head.

Rohan Yareunshade.

The frail dwarf, barely able to take a step even with Ryubevina’s support, was walking towards us with difficulty, relying on an iron cane.

With each step he took, the crowd parted on both sides. A heavy pressure emanated from his slow pace.

I had a feeling he was approaching and had asked Faye various questions beforehand… he arrived just in time.

His cloudy, hazy eyes looked down at the ring on his finger, and then, after a moment, he gazed at the twin-headed giant burning with crimson divine power in the distance.

And finally, Rohan, fixing his gaze on Faye, continued speaking.

“There’s no need to worry.”

“Huh?”

“So, a stimulant is a medicine that causes a corresponding reaction after its effects wear off. However, it doesn’t matter. Give me a chance to right my wrongs. Allow this foolish old man, who failed to protect his family even this time, to make the right choice, even if it’s late.”

“……”

Words that seemed to refer to Astrid and Svid, but also seemed to refer to Faye and her mother, Laura.

Faye’s gaze wavered several times at this… but in the end, she regained her composure.

Her calmly sunken black eyes shone like those of a master craftsman.

“Thank you. Then I’ll prepare the medicine, so in the meantime, please, Father, order to call the others to assist us here.”

“…I will.”

They were eyes that resembled the Meister, Rohan.