Ch.67I hope you won’t be disappointed in me

# 1.

First Elder of the Eclipse – Those among the powerful who are harvested by destruction become Elders upon joining, each bestowed with a fitting epithet.

For instance, the Seventh Elder – Calamity of Whispering Nightmares, is a hybrid of succubus and human, specializing in unique dream-related magic.

The Sixth Elder – Calamity of False Beliefs, is a fanatic who directly denies the existence of the goddess, specializing in unique magic that shakes faith.

The Fifth Elder – Calamity of Wicked Mischief, was evil from birth, committing malice as if playing pranks, with innate characteristics related to this nature.

Similarly, other Elders received their epithets through the same method, among them the strongest excluding the First Elder.

The Second Elder – Calamity of December, received his rank and epithet for making the <East>, the only nation in the world comparable to the Babylonian Empire,

tremble in fear throughout December,

all by himself.

“After acting cowardly earlier, it’s shameful to say this now, but from this point on, I shall face you with proper respect and full strength, young warrior.”

The moment he finished speaking, ominous system windows with crimson light expanded rapidly.

【Warning.】

【<Calamity of December(SSS-)> is germinating <Seed of Regret(???)> in his heart.】

【Due to the lingering resentment of <???? ?? ??>, this individual’s rank temporarily increases.】

【<Calamity of December(SSS-)>’s rank rises to <Calamity of December(SSS+)>.】

The moment he became equal to Asha, albeit limitedly, through an unidentified power.

Crack,

Crunch!

Unlike before when he resembled a crude stone statue, his mask and armor shrank.

His threatening appearance became neatly refined, and the overwhelming pressure that had been leaking in all directions was quietly compressed.

“…Well, I should listen to the old man more carefully from now on.”

“…I agree.”

A power so formidable that even fellow Elders—the Calamity of Blooming Flowers and the Calamity of Quiet Silence—unconsciously stepped back.

Clang.

Sensing something, Asha picked up her holy sword and bluntly addressed December.

“Asha Mirabel.”

“…Calamity of December.”

After this brief introduction, the Calamity of December took his stance, but Asha, still standing upright, glared at him and spoke again.

“Warrior, Asha Mirabel.”

The Calamity of December finally realized what Asha wanted, and after a moment’s consideration, met her eyes and replied.

“Grand Master of the East, Cheonmyeong.”

“…Cheonmyeong.”

A few seconds of silence.

“I will remember.”

“As will I.”

【<Asha Mirabel(SSS+)>’s Skill 1 – <Heroic Battlefield(SSS+)> activates.】

【<Cheonmyeong(SSS+)>’s Skill 1 – <Troupe(SSS+)> activates.】

The battle had finally begun.

# 2.

Asha’s Skill 1: Heroic Battlefield.

Creates an independent space detached from the current world and summons designated <targets>.

There is no limit to the number of <targets> summoned, and physical abilities increase proportionally to the rank and number of those summoned.

In other words, now that she has summoned Cheonmyeong, who is of the same rank as herself.

【Battlefield analysis complete.】

【Ability calculation result.】

【<Asha Mirabel(SSS+)>’s rank rises to <Asha Mirabel(Ex-)>.】

Asha faced her opponent having surpassed her limits for the first time in a very long while.

Therefore, <Cheonmyeong> drew out his full power from the beginning.

【<Cheonmyeong(SSS+)>’s Skill 1 – <Troupe(SSS+)> activates.】

【Setting performance time.】

Ultimate skill – Troupe.

After setting a performance time, accumulates points for each successful attack on the opponent or damage received during that time.

Accumulation only occurs during the performance time, and when the performance ends,

clones identical to the original are created equal to the accumulated number, lasting for the set performance time before disappearing.

Because of this, Cheonmyeong contemplated.

‘Even if I use everything I have, I can only hold out for about a minute.’

However, to secure victory against Asha whose rank had risen again, he would need at least 10 clones to last for 10 minutes.

Setting a short time meant certain defeat, but setting a long time meant defeat before reaching it.

‘How long can I fight with all my strength and barely cling to life?’

After a brief deliberation, Cheonmyeong looked at Asha and set the Troupe’s time.

【Time has been set.】

【5 minutes – Count-up begins.】

【00:00:00】

5 minutes.

If he could endure that time, he could raise his chances of victory to 70%.

Flash──!!

With a blinding flash, the two bodies collided.

# 3.

Meanwhile, Nahan, who was observing the situation.

Wearing shabby black robes, he peered into Asha’s mental world and belatedly realized.

‘I’m screwed.’

The original plan was to make a cool entrance and save Asha when she was in danger, but,

‘…Ian Red doesn’t have any attack skills capable of subduing those two?’

Despite trying to stay calm, his thinking ability had temporarily diminished due to the intoxicating feeling of power he’d never experienced before.

‘What should I do?’

Appearing as the Yellow Dragon to save Asha, or appearing as the Black Wolf—both scenarios seemed strange.

‘I need to save her as Ian Red…’

If the supposedly weak Ian Red were to intervene between those two monsters?

‘I’d definitely die.’

If he survived after getting involved in that terrifying battle, it would certainly raise suspicions.

‘Should I say I awakened another divine power? But wouldn’t a priest who awakens divine powers three times be promoted to Pope?’

While clutching his throbbing head due to his foolish mistake,

Crack!

Asha’s mental world cracked, and the separated worlds recombined into one.

【Accumulated: 114 clones will be created.】

【5 minutes – Countdown begins.】

【00:04:59】

Simultaneously, dark system windows appeared and over a hundred clones poured out.

Among the neat clones, the blood-covered original wiped away blood and collected himself.

Asha, appearing next, shook the blood off her holy sword and asked Cheonmyeong.

“Was this your plan all along, just defending?”

“Yes, it was my plan and I was only defending, but I couldn’t attack either. Now I understand why you’re called the world’s strongest. However…”

Gulp, gulp.

Cheonmyeong drank liquid from a small vial and adjusted his disheveled mask before adding.

“You lack experience.”

The next moment.

Five clones standing behind Asha leaped simultaneously and kicked her.

Boom!

She barely blocked with her holy sword, but it was only a temporary measure; it was impossible to block all the subsequent attacks from clones identical to the original.

So Asha switched from offense to defense, wrapping herself in aura, but,

“It’s useless!!”

Cheonmyeong surrounded her, leaving no escape, and unleashed a fierce assault.

“I’m sorry, but for the greater cause, you must sleep!!”

Cheonmyeong, the Calamity of December.

The monster who maintained his performance for twelve months and then devoured the East with his clones.

The relentless coordinated attack from 114 clones identical to him, who was already considered the East’s strongest warrior by himself.

With even her mental world breached, Asha had only one way to turn the situation around—her ultimate skill that activates at the cost of her lifespan.

But this was the capital.

If she activated her ultimate skill here, she would win the battle, but innocent citizens would also be caught up and lose their lives.

Mirabel,

-Still, you must live.

Asha had always prioritized revenge above all else and would stop at nothing for it, but after meeting the free priest Ian Red,

-Please put down some of your burden. Though it’s a small amount, I can help carry it.

-…That’s not possible.

-No. Even the warrior is just one person. All people deserve happiness, so you too must find happiness.

She had realized there was something more precious than revenge.

‘A warrior may die, but will be succeeded by another, so if only I die…’

Instead of revenge, which had always been her priority, she contemplated sacrifice for the innocent citizens.

An ordinary person might unconsciously hope for someone to save them, but sadly, Asha couldn’t.

After all, she had realized that even she, the world’s strongest, could only avoid fatal wounds—who else could subdue the monster before her?

A life bearing the heavy weight where her failure meant the world’s failure.

Having lived such a life until now, and having been changed by Ian Red,

‘If it’s for the people… even if I die, as long as he isn’t disappointed in my choice… that’s enough.’

Asha abandoned the use of her ultimate skill and faced her approaching death.

Clang,

Clash!

Clatter!

Troupe.

Though they were just the sounds of weapons being swung, Asha imagined Eastern instruments she had never seen as she swung her sword desperately.

Boom!

Crack,

Thud!

“…I have nothing personal against you. Just resent me, young warrior.”

“Kugh…!!”

As death—sometimes chaotic, sometimes orderly—became an inner anxiety for Asha,

Rustle.

Someone embraced Asha with a calming scent and whispered.

“You’ve done well, Warrior.”

Even in the confusion, she immediately recognized.

“…Priest?”

Instead of an answer, she felt his warmth.

“Why did you come here?! That person is not someone you can face!! I’ll somehow create an opening, so…!!!”

Asha hurriedly pushed him away, but Ian Red looked at her with a gentle smile.

“I told you. Though it’s a small amount, I can help lighten your burden.”

The next moment.

Flash──!!

A brilliant golden light burst from Ian Red’s body and dominated the battlefield.

# 4.

Nahan thought.

‘Even if I play another character, is that character still considered an ally in the system because it’s identified as “me,” the original?’

The status window visible to Nahan.

【Skill 2 – Golden Battlefield.】

◆Effect

: Designates a space with maximum diameter of 1km as a <battlefield>. <Yellow Dragon黃龍>’s rank increases by the number of <allies> in that space.

*However, at least 3 beneficial effects are also granted to enemies on the battlefield.

【<Calamity of December(SSS+)> recognizes you as <Destruction that Eclipses the Sun(???)>.】

【Number of allies on the battlefield: 115.】

【<Nahan黃龍(Ex)>’s rank is increasing.】

Though he wasn’t quite sure what was happening, since things had turned out this way,

“I will save you, Warrior.”

Ian Red is the savior of heroes.