Ch.424Chapter 424 – Shadow Warrior Party (4)

Suddenly, the priestess’s sword stopped.

Ive, who had been seriously considering whether she would have to sacrifice an arm or a leg since blocking attacks with just her sword was becoming too difficult, immediately began to assess the situation.

And then, she saw the hero’s shadow beginning to disappear.

“Kay.”

Had he just delivered the final strike?

She could see Kay slowly turning his body and approaching Ive and Sera.

Though his steps were slow, perhaps from fatigue, he was steadily making his way toward them. Ive and Sera observed him carefully.

And they could breathe a sigh of relief.

‘He’s not badly injured.’

His helmet must have been knocked off during the fierce battle, as Kay’s bare face was visible.

Cracks could be seen in his armor.

But judging by his walking posture and the hand holding his sword, it was clear he had no major injuries.

At the very least, there was no problem with continuing the battle.

That’s why Ive and Sera were greatly relieved.

Until then, they hadn’t noticed that the priestess hadn’t taken any action, and they quickly turned to look at her, slightly confused.

They immediately assumed combat stances, thinking the priestess could attack them at any moment.

And nothing happened.

“…It seems she has no intention of fighting anymore.”

The priestess appeared to have lost the will to wield her sword.

A sense of sadness emanated from the faceless shadow.

As if denying the reality that the hero had been defeated, she stood there in a daze.

Meanwhile, Kay, who had been slowly walking toward them, changed his weapon to a shield and held it out toward the priestess, taking a stance.

The priestess, who had been gazing at the spot where the hero had been just moments ago in sorrow, soon changed her demeanor to one of anger.

Pointing her sword at Kay with a menacing aura, Ive could understand what the priestess was trying to say.

‘It seems she intends to take Kay as a companion in death, even if she dies herself.’

Ive and Sera nodded at the resolve contained in the priestess’s sword.

They thought they would have done the same if Kay had been defeated.

And if the priestess was going to act like that.

Ive and Sera knew what they had to do.

“That absolutely cannot happen, Priestess.”

Holding their sword and staff beside Kay, Ive and Sera glared at the priestess.

“As long as we’re here, Kay will not die. Because we will protect him.”

Ive voiced her resolve for the one she loved.

“As long as Kay is here, we will not die. Because Kay protects us.”

Ive voiced the resolve shown by the one she loved.

“As long as we protect each other, you can never take anyone else as your companion in death.”

“And of course, this isn’t just about us.”

As if continuing Ive’s words, Sera spoke quietly.

“Because there are others here who are doing their utmost to protect him.”

As if unable to contain her anger, the priestess took a step forward and hid her sword behind her waist.

And just as her arm moved.

“‘Protect the lamb!'”

A golden shield appeared right in front of the priestess, blocking her sword strike.

Though her eyes weren’t visible, there was a feeling that the priestess’s eyes had sharpened due to the interference.

And as if in response, golden feathers were falling beside Ive and Sera.

“I’m sorry, I’m a bit late!”

Chris, with golden wings spread, was descending from the sky.

“I’ll join you now!”

This wasn’t just a momentary assistance.

Chris was showing her will to participate in the battle.

[…….]

The priestess seemed to realize that a new enemy had been added and what that meant, as she momentarily stopped moving.

And as if seizing that opportunity, this time, a magic-imbued chain was swung toward where she was standing.

The priestess dodged it without even looking.

But as if anticipating this, the chain remained fixed in the air while moving, and Beatrice flew along it to arrive at our side.

“Still alive, helmet?”

“Thanks to you.”

At Kay’s words and expression, Beatrice could be seen smiling slightly.

At the same time, as if taking Beatrice’s appearance as a signal, Sia appeared from behind the priestess, swinging her sword.

After exchanging a few blows with Sia, the priestess managed to push her away with difficulty, and Sia, deliberately not resisting, naturally widened the distance between herself and the priestess to join us.

And Sia quietly spoke while holding her sword.

“Sending Chris ahead was the right answer. Sorry for being a bit late.”

“Looks like you faced quite a formidable opponent too.”

Sera spoke with concern, looking at Sia’s slightly singed cheek.

“Even as a shadow, the daughter of the Dragon Lord is still a dragon.”

Sia could be seen laughing heartily as she raised her sword.

Just as I was thinking that there was only one person left, Noah could be seen landing on a nearby stone lantern and then bowing his head toward Kay.

“I’ve earned my keep.”

“What about Sonya?”

“She’s unconscious. But her life isn’t in danger. …She created an opening with her entire body, allowing me to barely defeat the Water King’s shadow and join you.”

Kay nodded to Noah, who was apologizing for his inadequacy.

And the fact that all of our companions had gathered.

Was like pronouncing a certain fact to the priestess.

“You’re the only one left, Priestess.”

At Kay’s quiet words, the priestess could be seen nodding.

And, slowly looking at Kay, the priestess.

Put her sword back in its scabbard and slowly approached Kay.

Immediately, Ive stepped forward as if to protect Kay.

“Stop…”

“Stay still.”

Kay, who immediately stopped her from intervening, looked at the priestess for a moment and stepped aside slightly.

The priestess then bowed her head slightly as if in gratitude and passed through the group.

As she did so, the priestess looked at Ive, Sera, Chris, Beatrice, and Sia in turn, saying something.

Though she had no mouth, there was a strong feeling that she had spoken.

And after slowly passing by the group, the priestess’s shadow approached the place where Kay and the hero had fought for the last time, stood alone, and slowly drew her sword.

Then she swung her sword at a speed invisible to the eye.

“…Huh.”

It was still a sword strike difficult to perceive with the eyes.

But Sia frowned slightly, as if she had properly seen where the sword was aimed.

The next moment, the priestess began to slowly turn to dust and disappear.

“Perhaps it means she has no lingering attachment to a place without the people she loves.”

Noah slowly began to interpret the priestess’s actions.

The dust slowly began to scatter, and Ive found herself staring at it blankly.

‘A kind of warning. Or perhaps advice.’

Ive recalled how the priestess seemed to have said something as she passed by earlier.

Of course, she hadn’t heard a voice.

But it felt as if she was warning not to face the same fate as herself.

‘…Though it might just be what I want to think.’

Still, Ive thought she should cherish the will that the priestess seemed to have left behind.

As the priestess turned to dust, black dust scattered in the air.

Just as she was thinking it looked like ash-like snow scattering.

[You have proven your qualification. Well done.]

Along with the woman’s voice that had been heard earlier, the surroundings began to darken.

+

“This is…”

I quickly looked around the suddenly darkened surroundings.

I was about to call out to someone else, slightly confused by the fact that the companions who had been right beside me had suddenly disappeared.

“You don’t need to do that.”

“You’re not Ive.”

The voice was strangely similar to Ive’s.

But it was different.

If I had to be specific, while Ive’s voice carried a certain warmth, this voice had a sharper feel to it.

Not that it felt unpleasant, but rather like a warrior’s voice—someone who fights, a strong warrior-like impression.

And as if pleased that I had noticed she was someone else, suddenly a woman walked out from the darkness.

A rather worn-looking cloak and a long staff similar to what Noah carried.

And a woman with hair very similar to Ive’s and sharp eyes was approaching me.

‘…How did she do that?’

Her hairstyle was almost identical to Ive’s, but somehow she had braided a part of her bangs and let it hang down.

I wondered if she had grown just that part longer.

And then I belatedly realized one fact.

‘Wait, how can I even see her right now?’

Despite being in a space without any light, I could clearly perceive the woman’s appearance.

Where on earth was this place?

While wondering about that, I simultaneously voiced the woman’s identity.

“The Star-Gazing Priestess.”

“Call me Metis. Sword Saint, Star-Gazing Priestess, I don’t understand why people like such grandiose nicknames.”

The woman spoke with a slight smile.

As I was thinking that her smiling face really resembled Ive’s, Metis continued speaking.

“And I’ll compliment you. My sister’s descendant and I look and sound quite alike, yet you could tell we were different just by hearing my voice.”

“I’ve spent a long time with her.”

“And you have a deep relationship too.”

The priestess stood before me.

She was slightly shorter than me, so she was looking up at me a bit.

However, I could tell that Metis was slightly taller than Ive.

“Well, since we don’t have much time, let’s talk quickly.”

“Time?”

“This space. It won’t last long.”

Metis looked at me and said.

“I created this space with the power I left behind to quickly deliver a message to you, who has proven your qualification. So that no one else can overhear. So that only you can hear these words.”

“No one else?”

“The one you call Emiris.”

Metis said quietly.

“We don’t have time. Listen carefully. If things are going according to the future I saw, by now you should know that Emiris’s goal is survival, and to become an omnipotent god.”

‘So she has the same ability as Ive.’

Since the Star-Gazing Priestess’s ability was passed down to Ive’s generation, it wasn’t strange.

However, considering the era she lived in, I asked without thinking.

“Wait, you saw me from the distant past…?”

“What I saw was someone who felt like a person from another world accompanying the daughter of Evgenia on her pilgrimage.”

Metis said, narrowing her eyes.

“With my ability, I can only know about this world. For things outside this world, I can only detect, predict, and sense. It’s not clear. Because the stars I see only look down upon this world. The parts that the all-observing stars don’t know well are parts I don’t know well either.”

Speaking in riddles, Metis continued.

So Metis could sense that a ‘person from another world’ would be involved in the future, but she couldn’t know who that person was.

“I didn’t know enough to conclude that you were the person from another world I saw in the future. That’s why I had to test you. I apologize if it was unpleasant.”

“It’s fine.”

Somehow, I felt like I gained something from that battle.

I got fatigue and some minor wounds, but none of my companions were seriously injured, so it was okay.

“Seems like you gained something from that battle.”

“…Yes.”

“I’m glad. What you faced were truly shadows of us. Another version of us with all the emotions and memories of that time. It was worth the effort to create them.”

Metis could be seen smiling slightly.

Then she narrowed her eyes again and spoke.

“But I must continue the story. Listen carefully. Emiris doesn’t want competitors. That’s why, despite having a very easy method to create a body to replace his own, he didn’t implement it.”

“An easy method?”

“If you think deeply, you’ll find the answer. You and he have something in common. There are some differences, but the essence remains unchanged. Since we don’t have time, I’ll skip this part. The day will come when someone who knows the truth will tell you the reason.”

Metis said this while looking at me.

“I’ll continue. Emiris wants to prevent the emergence of beings who, like the demon race, can oppose the gods and ascend to their position. He fears being challenged itself because he knows that those who can challenge him are beings who can kill him.”

Metis took a step closer to me and said.

“That’s why he sought to replace his body through difficult methods, and with foolish beliefs, researched ways to become omnipotent. To become free from death by becoming an omnipotent god.”

Metis looked up at me and said.

“And fearing everything, to avoid being killed by anyone, he will try to grasp everything in his hands so that no challenge can arise.”

Metis said quietly.

“If left alone, he will achieve everything. If he succeeds, he will manage everything in this world. To break all swords that could be thrust at him, he will suppress everything. That is the world of oppression. The world that he and I worked hard to protect will become his cage.”

A momentary killing intent flashed in Metis’s eyes.

“I don’t want to let him do as he pleases with the achievements of him, me, and my companions. I learned this fact in the distant past. But by the time I realized it, the last chance for us to prevent it had already passed. …It was after the death of the one who possessed the power necessary to face him.”

A hint of regret crossed Metis’s eyes.

She continued speaking.

“The name of that power is the Authority of Mercy. Mercy is the power to protect, bestow, and share oneself and one’s surroundings. The power to protect the oppressed weak. The power to counter the power of conquest that makes others’ things one’s own. Because we lost the last chance to obtain it, we left an unsolvable task to the world we protected.”

Metis looked at me.

“But it’s not over. Whether by chance or necessity, that opportunity is right by your side.”

Metis said, opening her eyes a bit wider.

“Listen carefully. You must obtain her power. You must make the power she possesses your own. Only then can you oppose him. Remember that.”

I nodded quietly.

Metis also nodded and continued speaking.

“…On the other hand, I’ll make this clear too. This is a task we left behind. You actually have no obligation to solve it. So you can reject my request and run away.”

But, Metis added.

“If you care even a little about the world your loved ones have lived in, and the world they will live in. You must drive out the god of conquest who is obsessed with survival.”

I slowly nodded at her earnest words.

And Metis’s body began to gradually become transparent.

At the same time, the black space began to collapse, and I realized that time was running out.

And Metis’s lips moved.

“I’m at my limit now.”

“Once again, I apologize for seeming to force our task upon you.”

“And listen carefully. This is the last.”

“Meet my ‘original self’.”

The voice wasn’t clear.

Yet Metis’s lips continued to move.

“The method is hidden in the hero’s sword.”

“That method is… with the sword…”

Finally, Metis’s lips moved.

As I unconsciously furrowed my brows to concentrate on hearing those words.

The black space began to collapse.