episode_0195

Episode 195 Killing God (4)

The bottom of consciousness. Estella was floating around there.

All she could see in her clear mind was darkness. Nothing else existed. Then Estella spoke into the void.

“Black, Black. Shouldn’t we find another way instead of doing this? Surely you can find a peaceful way that everyone will be satisfied with.”

She kept chattering and persuaded Black.

“And hatred only breeds more hatred. The history of Eustia proves that. You were once a god of Eustia, so you know that well. Revenge isn’t always the answer. So even now…”

“Shut your mouth, Saintess.”

Then Black’s form appeared in her consciousness. A hand reaching out from the all-black figure blocked Estella’s mouth.

“Mmph!”

With her mouth blocked, Estella glared at Black’s form and staged a silent protest. She shook her arms and legs, resisting.

Black frowned at the sight. He wanted to get rid of the Saintess’s soul right away, but he couldn’t.

The reason was that he had not completely taken possession of the Saintess’s body.

He was just temporarily occupying it, replacing the soul of the vessel. Unless she voluntarily handed over the authority of her body with her own will, Black himself was not the owner of this body.

So, imprisoning her at the bottom of her consciousness like now was the best he could do. Black soon took his hand off her mouth.

“Puh-ha! Black! How can you block my mouth!”

“……”

Black did not respond to the Saintess’s incessant words.

After all, once the war was over, once she knew there was no hope, the Saintess would hand over her body. So he just had to be patient until then.

Having finished thinking that, Black left. This useless conversation was a waste of time, and it was time to focus on the battle.

The space was left alone again. Estella quietly clasped her hands together and prayed. The object of her prayer was not White, nor any other god.

The object of her prayer was none other than.

‘Saint.’

It was for Kyle Arden, who was fighting without giving up for the 50th time.

Estella remembered the past regressions. She didn’t know why. This phenomenon was too strange, even Black, who occupied her body, did not remember.

However, it was not without some expectations. She began to remember the events before the regression after the Saint had made a wish for her.

It was a promise made by staking her soul. It was said that souls transcend time and space, so perhaps the memories were continuing in order for that oath to be kept.

-Estella. Never give up. No matter what you do, no matter how many times you try, I will go save you.

Estella quietly kept recalling the words he had said.

“I will, Saint. No… Kyle oppa.”

And then she prayed once again for her one and only Saint.

Hoping that he would be safe.

***

Between the orange and red territories. The border was instantly turned into a battlefield.

The battle started earlier than expected, but it couldn’t be helped. No matter how much Chloe said it would be a day, it was impossible to stop everything. I was satisfied with having earned about 20 hours.

“Clear the way!”

I ran across the battlefield and gave orders. Lana was with me beside me.

“Grrr…”

“Krrang-!”

Then a group of beastmen, consumed by wildness, rushed at us. But I ignored them and ran, only looking at the goal.

You might ask why I wasn’t fighting, but they weren’t my opponents.

“Stop them from approaching the Saint!”

“Protect the Saint!”

Immediately after, shouts were heard from the rear of the battlefield. At the same time, a large explosion occurred, and an object fell among the beastmen. It was a giant sphere.

Kwaaaang-!!

The sphere exploded as soon as it touched the ground. A sticky liquid scattered everywhere from within. The opponents who were hit head-on were bound as they were.

The attack wasn’t over.

“One more shot!”

“Fire!”

Kwang!

Another sphere was fired. This time, various hidden weapons burst out from within, attacking the beastmen. Their bodies were tied up, and they couldn’t resist and fell.

“Don’t stop!”

“What are you doing! Keep bringing them!”

The dwarves’ containment did not stop. They continued to assist from behind, blocking the beastmen so that we could reach our goal with peace of mind.

Thanks to them, we kept moving forward. But it’s not like we kept moving forward without being stopped.

Beastmen, like elves and paladins, are a representative military group of the Eustia Holy Kingdom. No matter how much the dwarves, armed with technology, blocked them, they couldn’t hold them forever.

Moreover, the beastmen had unleashed their power with [Beast Transformation]. Among them, stronger beastmen blocked our path as we dug deeper. They were dyed in the red divine power and lost their reason, so they rushed at us without caring for their bodies, making them very difficult to deal with.

But the problem solver also appeared quickly.

“Protect the Saint and Lana!”

The appearance of the elves, led by Elena. The Guardians of the World Tree instantly intervened between us and faced the beastmen. The timing was good.

I asked her who came to me right after.

“Elena. Neutralization?”

“I have subdued them all. There will be no interference from the remaining tribes.”

“Good.”

I nodded.

The task I gave the elves was to suppress the beastmen tribesmen. The remaining beastmen in the tribal village were non-combatants, but I didn’t know when Red would drag them into this fight as well. Red was capable of doing that.

After a short conversation, I gave them orders.

“Break through. Until we reach Red.”

“Yes. But… do we have to kill them all?”

Elena asked hesitantly. I fully understood her worries.

They were friends yesterday, but today they were enemies. As they had spent a long time together, there was bound to be hesitation.

“Kill them.”

But I said firmly. If we show consideration for each and every one of those things, we won’t be able to win this war. I couldn’t stand to see the war ruined.

Of course, some flexibility can be exercised.

“However, if you want to save them, make them half crippled. Make sure they can’t come at us again.”

“Understood!”

Elena smiled brightly and led the knights. In any case, the beastmen were also miserable beings manipulated by Red.

“Let’s go!”

Elena gives orders to the elves. They cleared the way according to the commander’s orders. Certainly, the breakthrough speed was also faster when the main force joined.

Moreover, the elves, who knew how to use magic and spiritism, played a big role on the battlefield.

Especially spirits. The tiny beings that use the power of nature wandered around the battlefield, hindering the enemy and helping allies.

We steadily approached Red under the support of the dwarves and elves. Then, Red must have felt a sense of crisis and sent the chiefs of each tribe.

The only ones who could stop those strong ones were those of equal skill. Accordingly, the elves left one by one to face them.

The number of Guardians of the World Tree was decreasing. Even Elena left to face Lyidan, the second-in-command of the beastmen tribe.

But there’s no problem. They perfectly completed their mission. They brought us safely in front of Red.

“You’ve come.”

Thus, we faced the strongest beastman, Red, the god of strife, who had taken over Hagdass’s body.

At the same time, the elixir in my pocket informed me that it was complete.

***

Meanwhile, at the same time.

Evan was floating in the deep sea with the paladin order. It was to go to Blue’s residence, the palace, located deep in the deep sea.

But it wasn’t easy.

It is difficult for humans to move properly in the sea. People were, after all, terrestrial creatures. Perhaps if White’s divine power hadn’t protected them, they would have died before even reaching the deep sea.

Moreover, the path was even more difficult because the fishmen and mermaids, Blue’s creations, were attacking. Even this would have been a failure if hyung hadn’t told us the currents of the sea.

How does he even know the currents? Evan was just amazed.

“Welcome! The current will change in 1 minute, he said!”

But we couldn’t let our guard down. According to hyung’s words, the currents changed at certain times. Evan urged the paladins who were following.

It was then. The fishmen and mermaids rushed towards them.

The paladins drew their swords because there had been several attacks. Evan also drew his sword after them. But the captain of the knights stopped Evan.

“Evan, you can’t.”

“But…!”

He shook his head at the sight of him about to rush in right away.

“I understand how you feel, but now is not the time. Besides, the Saint said. To somehow bring Evan to Blue in one piece.”

“……”

Evan bit his lip tightly.

It’s a known fact. Hyung kept talking about it until we left today.

-Evan, keep in mind. The importance of the matter. Your one choice can drive everyone to death.

Yes, I know that very well. If I waste my strength here, the burden will fall on others that much more, and that was a path towards failure.

But, seeing them dying in front of my eyes….

Then the captain of the knights grabbed Evan’s shoulder again.

“Don’t worry. We are the servants of White. Our vitality is second to none to the beastmen. So please don’t worry and go.”

“…Hoo, yes.”

Evan, who had regained his composure, led the people to the palace again.

Having overcome the attacks that continued behind him, Evan reached the palace entrance with some of the paladin order, led by the captain of the knights, Veil, and Ariel.

In front of it, Evan drew his sword, commemorating the deaths of the victims. Mana flowed nobly through the white sword.

“Everyone. Today, we must….”

And he said, putting anger into his sword.

“We will kill the god and return everything to normal.”

With that declaration, the power engraved in his soul was activated.