Ch.128Clash

# 1.

Lactea, the Deputy Commander of the Black Wolf.

The first one picked up by the Black Wolf, a woman destined not to be saved.

Before coming to this final battleground, she had a conversation with the Black Wolf.

“If you fail to bring salvation, there is something you must do immediately afterward.”

“When you recognize the failure of salvation, eliminate all members of the ‘Black Wolf.'”

“If you keep this promise, even if you fail, I will erase your memories of this world and send you back to your original world.”

“You must eliminate all members of the ‘Black Wolf,’ regardless of the outcome… That is all.”

To be precise, it wasn’t the ‘Black Wolf,’ but someone who had taken over the ‘Black Wolf’s’ body.

Seeing himself claiming to know everything, he calmly asked in return.

“May I know the reason?”

“…The reason.”

To be honest, Lactea hadn’t heard the details either.

She had only been told:

“Because all members of the ‘Black Wolf’ are destined to become seeds of destruction.”

That was all.

Having fulfilled the Black Wolf’s order, she added to conclude the conversation:

“This is also what the Commander told me to add. I have conveyed everything I was instructed to, and I know no further information.”

“But this… isn’t this too sudden and difficult?”

“No. It’s not difficult at all. Continue as you have been, but if the result is failure, use the Commander’s power to eliminate all members of the ‘Black Wolf.’ That’s all there is to it.”

Yes, that was all there was to it.

Since her benefactor, the Black Wolf, had said so, she simply had to follow.

But he shouted:

“Wait! Let me hear more—!!”

An unnecessarily kind man.

His urgent cry.

From the moment he took over the ‘Black Wolf’s’ body until now.

Since he was much kinder than the real ‘Black Wolf,’ Lactea cut him off.

“I will keep silent forever, so don’t worry about the other members finding out.”

“For your information, the Commander said that if you, having failed salvation, spare even one member of the ‘Black Wolf,’ the world will be destroyed.”

“He concluded by saying you should accept it as fate.”

Emotions tend to eat away at reason.

Since the being before her had taken over the ‘Black Wolf’s’ body, Lactea herself had begun to treat the ‘Black Wolf’ with her heart rather than her reason.

“I will withdraw now. Rest well.”

She turned and left.

That was the end.

Now she just had to follow the final order the Black Wolf had given her.

Her mission was to deliver these instructions to “someone who would take over his body,” then help him save the world.

And if by chance he failed,

“First, eliminate all members of the Black Wolf.”

The “Black Wolf” to be eliminated naturally included Lactea herself, and she planned to assist in hunting down all “Black Wolf” members before taking her own life.

“That’s all there is to it.”

Lactea gathered her thoughts.

“The first order was to help that person save the world. The second order was to eliminate all members…”

As usual, she had learned about the “Eclipse” during cleaning, and since the Black Wolf had said that eradicating the “Eclipse” was salvation.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, Deputy Commander.”

Lactea had led all members of the Black Wolf here.

“At this rate, it will just be a meaningless war of attrition. We need to target the leader of the Eclipse on the altar.”

During the chaotic battle with the Eclipse, Lactea raised her head to assess the situation.

At the front line were Hanryang, Dalan, and Castler.

In the center were Ruby, Luna, and Yuria.

At the rear were Pedro and herself.

Since the underground was built like a massive temple, there were no spatial constraints, and all members were giving their best to eliminate the elders.

“Die, Black Wolf!! I am the new 7th Elder, the Calamity of Lonely Poison!!”

“Doggy!”

“Woof!!”

“Uh…? Predece—”

*Thwack!*

“That’s right!”

“Woof!”

They might be called elders, but they were all just mediocre figures meant to buy time.

If there was anything concerning, it was their recovery ability, which hadn’t been seen in previous encounters.

【<???? ?? ??> leaves behind its <Grudge> to enhance & heal the target – <Calamity of Lonely Poison(SS+)>.】

【<Calamity of Lonely Poison(SS+)> → <Calamity of Lonely Poison(SSS-)>】

【Remaining enhancement chances: 1.】

【Warning.】

【If all chances are used, your mind and body will be seized by <???? ?? ??>.】

Additionally, with each death and recovery, they lost their sanity but their bodies grew stronger.

“Betrayal, I… die…!!!”

“Wo, woof!! Th-this is too much!!”

“Hiss! Will you keep talking like a human?!”

“I’m dying!! I’m really dying!!”

“Huh?! Is that so?! Ruby!! Help the doggy!!”

“…Sigh.”

Indeed, it was a powerful attack, but,

【<Grave(SSS-)> activates.】

“Dalan. Step and jump.”

“Thank you, Ruby.”

【<Dalan(SSS+)> activates Skill 1 – <Feast of Dragons(SSS+)>!】

【<Ice Dragon General – White Dragon(SSS+)> has been selected.】

*Crash—!!*

It was insufficient to face the Black Wolf, who had been saved by the Arhat and surpassed their limits.

“That’s the end of the 7th Elder too.”

The initial number of elders they had encountered was five, including the 1st Elder at the altar.

“The 1st and 3rd Elders are still standing. The 5th, 6th, and 7th Elders are on the verge of collapse.”

The whereabouts of the 2nd Elder were unknown, and the 4th Elder had been taken hostage, so the situation might end once they dealt with the 1st and 3rd Elders.

To assess the strength of the 1st and 3rd Elders, Lactea gave a brief order.

“Hanryang, Pedro, Castler. To the altar. The rest, restrain the fallen ones.”

Responding immediately to her concise command, the members followed her orders.

“Let me go—!!”

“I don’t want to? …Maybe if you bark prettily, I’ll let you go?”

“Luna. Stop playing around and tie him up.”

“Hmph. Why is Ruby so serious these days?”

Despite their playful voices, the Eclipse elders were being bound one by one.

“Our strength is overwhelming. Luna, Ruby, Yuria, and Dalan are enough for the rear.”

Having made her assessment, Lactea followed Hanryang, Pedro, and Castler toward the altar.

【<Jangseung(SSS+)> activates.】

【<Malice(Ex-)> activates.】

【<Power of the Lord(Ex)> manifests.】

The three members unleashed their full power, unlike before when it hadn’t been necessary.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, the third elder—Silas, the Calamity of Silent Stillness—descended from the altar down the stairs.

A pure white stake bound in chains was drawn from his belt with a clinking sound.

Silas pointed at Pedro.

“…I have no business with the rest.”

“Deputy Commander. May I handle this alone?”

Pedro looked at Lactea, suppressing the murderous intent rising within him.

Lactea nodded, as it was better for their goal of reaching the altar.

With her permission, Pedro slowly summoned his malice and replied.

“I’m curious. What business do you have left?”

“…You’ll find out soon.”

The two moved to a corner, facing each other.

As Lactea, Hanryang, and Castler were about to run up the stairs again.

*Crash!*

The ceiling above them collapsed, and a massive shadow fell with a thud.

Hanryang was the first to react.

After shielding Lactea from the debris with his thick hands, he swept away the dust and asked.

“[…Master?]”

What appeared behind Hanryang’s question was the Eclipse’s 2nd Elder—Cheonmyeong, the Calamity of December.

The one who had effectively led and managed the Eclipse, except for the 1st Elder, Abyss.

“[Forget it.]”

“[…! Is it really you, Master?! What on earth happened—!!]”

“[I told you to forget.]”

He pulled his robe tighter and assumed a fighting stance.

“[Whatever our connection…] We must stop each other now, mustn’t we?”

“……”

Like Pedro, Hanryang looked at Lactea for approval.

“With the unknown strength of the Eclipse leader, we won’t be able to overwhelm them if Hanryang leaves too.”

However, the newly appeared elder also seemed to be a formidable opponent, so Lactea nodded after calculating.

“With this last one, we’ve weeded out all the Eclipse elders.”

Now, only the 1st Elder—the Calamity of Destruction that Eclipses the Sun—remained on the altar.

“Let’s go, Castl—”

As Lactea was about to lead Castler up the remaining stairs, a flash of light brought a sense of foreboding.

【<Abyss Seal> absorbs the <Final Key> lingering within the body.】

【The seal is released.】

【Success.】

【<Dragon Lord(Ex+)> awakens.】

As if all light in the world had been lost, an ominous feeling unlike anything before.

In that moment when even the other members were stunned, only Lactea reached out her hand.

“【Stop.】”

A command that activated without her awareness.

【Warning.】

【Due to the high rank of the target – <Abyss(Ex+)>, it consumes life force along with aura.】

“…Cough!”

With just one word, Lactea had lost 90% of her aura.

“…Why?”

What kind of being was this?

How could a single command consume so much aura?

Was there any chance of victory?

Even if all of the Black Wolf attacked together, would there be even a sliver of hope?

“I don’t know. For now…”

…Should they retreat?

The retreat order that instinctively came to mind in the rapidly deteriorating situation.

Before she could finish considering alternatives to retreating.

Abyss, who had locked eyes with Lactea, smirked and flicked his finger.

“Well done.”

*Bang—!!*

Something flew toward her, too fast to react as she was frozen with fear and worry.

Just as it was about to strike Lactea’s forehead,

Someone grabbed and pulled her away,

*Thwack.*

Sacrificing their heart in her place.

“Are… you… alright?”

It was the Arhat.