Ch.121Chapter 121. Battle for the Saint (7)

# Chapter 121. Battle for the Holy Maiden (7)

The high-ranking demon, having abandoned its stingray form, rose to its feet. It strode across the ground on four pairs of legs, like a spider crawling on the earth.

Keegigeek…!

The giant mech staggered before regaining its balance. Something had left a gash mark on its side.

It had been damaged by an attack from the stingray—no, the spider demon it had now become.

Sharp claw-like protrusions had grown from the ends of its legs, and they seemed to have pierced the mech.

To damage the armor of the giant mech that looked like it could withstand a bomb blast… this thing had formidable cutting power.

Even as a mortal, it was once a god, wasn’t it? Its strength was incomparable to that of a mid-level demon.

How much stronger had Charon become, who had been controlling this thing as a zombie? I’m worried he might even capture the incarnated Loa he’s currently fighting.

Nah, no way. How could Charon defeat an incarnated Loa?

…I don’t know which Loa it is, but I should cheer for them. I hope they take Charon’s head before the incarnation ends.

Meanwhile, a battle was also raging at the Tribal Alliance headquarters.

“Shoot! That one first!”

“It’s too fast!”

“At least hit its wings!”

The remnants of the flying zombies that had been swept away by the giant mech’s heat beam earlier had changed their target from the mech to the Tribal Alliance.

They had flown to the fortress, entered inside the walls, and started causing havoc.

Humanoid zombies with stingray wings where their arms should be attacked the warriors with glowing red eyes. They looked like a group of mutant cultists that had been led by the demon currently fighting the giant mech.

Like their master, they changed their wings into arm-like appendages as soon as they landed and crawled around.

I’m currently using “Malak’s Domain” to apply a wide-area debuff.

If they were ordinary infected or cultists, their legs or hands would be frozen and trembling, but these creatures seemed to be resisting my debuff, probably because they were buffed by the high-ranking demon.

“Don’t let them get inside!”

“If we break, it’s over!”

Warriors blessed with the “Enhanced Tattoo” were doing their best to hold the front line, but the creatures’ mobility was too exceptional.

They had bypassed the warriors blocking the front and infiltrated the rear lines.

“Aaaaargh!”

The ones being sacrificed were warriors who hadn’t received blessings.

The creatures crawled along the ground and walls with a “sssssshk” sound, lifting up allies with their sharp teeth and claws before tearing them into several pieces.

“Out of the way!”

Kanto with his double-bladed axe and Isaac in his black armor jumped into the midst of the enemies. Were they stepping in directly to minimize friendly casualties?

“Uraaah!”

Kanto advanced, smashing the creatures’ heads with clean axe swings.

Isaac, who had also received the “Enhanced Tattoo” blessing, mowed down the creatures with his “Wind Pierce” technique or whatever it was called. His mob-clearing speed was even faster than Kanto’s axe swings.

Good. We’ve gained momentum.

This battle started with over 70% of the enemy forces being vaporized by the heat beam. If we keep pushing like this, we can win.

The problem is Harry and the giant mech.

Even if we win the defense battle, it’s over if the giant mech loses to the high-ranking demon.

I shifted my gaze back to the battle between the giant robot and the giant monster.

The giant mech was avoiding the blade-legs of the high-ranking demon. The heavy robot kicked up dust as it moved its body this way and that.

Is there any way I can help?

I sent divine inspiration to Paya, who was still engaged in aerial combat with the flying zombie cultists, and used the “Malak’s Domain” blessing to drop lightning on the high-ranking demon’s head, but it wasn’t much help.

Paya and Tteontteoni were too busy to provide support, and the lightning I dropped didn’t inflict any damage.

Damn it. I guess all I can do is hope Harry does well.

While watching them struggle against each other, Luna came to Totem 1.

“Lord Malak, could you strike lightning one more time?”

She held Beatrice’s spellbook in her left hand and was generating magical sparks with her right.

Ah, Luna’s specialty was electricity magic. I wonder if she can enhance lightning or something.

“Strike it toward me!”

Hmm. Will that work?

– I’ll try.

There’s no time to ask detailed questions about what she’s planning. I concentrated and struck lightning toward Luna once more.

Rumble!

So I can shoot lightning at my followers too. …Is this for disciplining disobedient followers?

The moment the lightning struck Luna’s body.

“Del rama, tu sana, re puka! Wrath of nature!”

With the incantation, electricity shot from Luna’s fingertips. My lightning and Luna’s electricity combined and fired toward the high-ranking demon.

Oh, it really was lightning enhancement.

Zzzzt!

Ooooh-!

The high-ranking demon shuddered as it was hit directly by the enhanced lightning. Ah, this one connected properly.

Seizing the opportunity, the giant mech grabbed one of the demon’s legs and yanked hard. The spider-like giant monster was pulled in without resistance.

The giant mech firmly grasped two of the demon’s legs with both hands and lifted it up. The heat plate on its chest gradually heated up.

‘If it hits directly, it can annihilate even a high-ranking demon… what bold confidence, Lisa.’

I recalled Harry muttering while looking at the giant mech control manual.

Ziiing-!

The heat beam was fired, emitting a destructive light. The beam that was scorching the high-ranking demon’s chest eventually pierced through its body and soared into the sky.

Oueeeeh…!

The high-ranking demon let out an agonized groan as it disintegrated. It was the end of a beast once worshipped as a god.

Grandma Lisa… you were right.

Clank!

After confirming the high-ranking demon had turned to ashes, the giant mech slowly sat down. Had it used up all its magic stones, or was the pilot too exhausted?

Eventually, the pilot cabin door opened, and Harry jumped out. He looks fine from here… I wonder if he’s injured?

I can check on that later. I just hope Harry, who burned his passion white-hot, doesn’t suddenly “die naturally” with a “keck.”

– Bring the mage Harry to the front of the totem.

With the healing totem activated, any injuries can be quickly healed. I shifted my consciousness back to Totem 3.

“Ah, Lord Malak.”

Kieeeek!

Lakye was fighting five strange monsters. They were bizarre creatures with horns on their heads and tentacles on their backs, but their appearance was oddly familiar.

Wait. Aren’t those AtomicRex? The position of the horns is exactly the same as the bones of AtomicRex I saw in photos on the community.

I don’t know much, but it seems they’ve succeeded in mass-producing similar specimens.

Seeing Lakye struggling, they must be quite strong. At best, they’re around level 7 paladins, similar to upper mid-level demons.

I wonder if AtomicRex at levels 7-8 was at this level too. Even at max level, it probably couldn’t defeat the cloud demon.

It might level up faster than a paladin, but I suspect its late-game potential is lower.

For now, five level 7 paladin-class creatures are dangerous. These must be the final weapons of the evolutionary school.

We can win if we just deal with these creatures. When they got close enough, I used the “Totem of Confusion.”

Kieeek!

They screamed as blood gushed from their faces.

Slash!

Lakye cut their necks with his meteor sword. Victory.

[You’ll regret turning down this opportunity.]

Jay’s voice coming through the speaker was trembling. Did she sense it was all over?

“The next room is the last. All the living ones are gathered there.”

Lakye shook the blood off his meteor sword and twisted the doorknob.

With a crumbling sound, the doorknob broke, and the door opened.

“…”

As Lakye said, all the reptilians were gathered there.

They were holding weapons with trembling hands, looking in our direction, but there was no fighting spirit at all. They just looked at Lakye with expressions that said, “Well, we’re screwed.”

“May I kill them all?”

Lakye approached them with light footsteps.

– It doesn’t matter.

They were people who conducted human experiments. I watched the facility from Totem 3’s view and saw many glass containers with human bodies.

Quite a few of those specimens were children. How many people had they killed to become reptilians and create AtomicRex?

By my standards, they deserved to die.

Ziing!

A shield-like barrier appeared in front of Lakye. Is this their last line of defense?

“Tch.”

Lakye clicked his tongue and swung his meteor sword. Small cracks appeared in the barrier.

So it can be broken by physical force. Then it’s all over.

“…I’ve heard barbarians keep their oaths to the end. If you swear to spare our lives, I’ll tell you where the holy maiden is imprisoned.”

The woman standing at the very back with the black skull spoke up. This must be Jay. She looked to be in her late 20s to mid-30s. She’s quite young for the head of an organization.

Another peculiarity is that she’s in human form, not reptilian. Only her eyes and tongue have snake-like characteristics.

Is she some kind of prototype? I suspect this is related to how this woman secured the leadership position.

“I already confirmed the holy maiden’s location earlier. I just didn’t mention it because we were in battle.”

Given Lakye’s heightened senses, that must be true. What kind of hiding place could it be besides a basement or storage room?

“…!”

Jay’s face turned pale as she realized she had nowhere to run.

[The battle is over. My victory.]

Charon’s voice echoed from the black skull emitting a red aura.

[The reinforcements I sent were annihilated. Are you still alive?]