Ch.7070. Pagan Forces (2)

“Outer Gods” is a term that collectively refers to divine beings that originate from outside this world, hence the name “outer” (外) “god” (神).

Of course, while they’re grouped under the term Outer Gods, most of them differ in their origins and powers… Yet, there are commonalities among beings called Outer Gods.

Since they are not beings of this world, their very existence is forcibly fitted into this world’s specifications, and because their foundation is unstable, unlike indigenous gods, they cannot exert their influence at all without worshippers.

Additionally, while Outer Gods all have different operating principles, they ultimately desire to bring this world under their control.

In other words, they can be considered invaders targeting the world itself, with a scale that vastly exceeds ordinary boundaries.

Even among these Outer Gods, hierarchies of power and influence exist…

God of Darkness. Despite the name that sounds like severe chuunibyou syndrome, the commander of the army serving a being with renowned power ranking among the upper echelons of Outer Gods is now before my eyes.

‘So, the God of Darkness… was that kind of Outer God.’

At this moment of accidentally encountering the enemy commander and his guard unit, in my accelerated thoughts pushed to the extreme, I recall the memories of the “God of Darkness” sleeping in my mind.

According to the “Encyclopedia of Outer Gods” that was on my mother’s bookshelf, the “God of Darkness” is described as the first “Outer God” to appear in this world, close to a vanilla Outer God that became the standard for other Outer Gods.

It’s not particularly specialized in any attribute, nor does it take any concept or animal as its characteristic. If anything… “adaptation.” It’s an Outer God with a strong tendency to adapt to the various laws of this world and use them in reverse.

In short, rather than having specific commonalities among followers, each has their own distinctive characteristics, so I couldn’t confidently predict what tactics this cult leader might employ.

However, it seems possible to guess his combat style from his appearance.

Judging by the staff made of human skulls and vertebrae, he appears to be a being who casts magic by borrowing the mysteries of the Outer God.

Additionally, his attire consists of a coat made of pale leather presumed to be human skin, and black armor. Given that he’s wearing metal armor, it seems that metal doesn’t interfere with his magical operations.

In short, he appears to be an Outer God worshipper specialized in magic use rather than close combat… and if so, most of the magic he uses should be similar in form.

Therefore, at this point, I released my thought acceleration and moved the Hydra I was riding without hesitation.

‘—Crush them!!!’

[[[■■■■■■■■■■—!!!]]]

With a roar filled with magical power from its twelve snake heads, the Hydra used its massive bulk to attack the guards protecting the Outer God worshipper commander.

Despite being fully armored in plate and iron armor, and well-armed with shields and spears large enough to hold in one hand… how could they possibly match the Hydra?

It swings its heads like clubs, sending them flying, crushes them with its front legs, and simply throws its massive body to disrupt their formation and crush them.

In an instant, more than half of the dozens of cult warriors became well-crushed pieces of meat, and the rest, though still alive, were in no way intact.

While dozens to hundreds of guards lost their lives in an instant due to the Hydra’s movements, I, riding on the Hydra’s neck, was by no means idle.

[O nature, rot and decay!]

The magic of cultists like demon worshippers or Outer God worshippers mostly guarantees powerful effects but demands “sacrifices” or “prices,” and typically what is sacrificed is humans or human corpses.

Therefore, I used nature’s decay magic to rot their corpses in advance, while in this process, I scattered nutrients infused with my magical power to the ground, further enhancing my control over the surroundings.

And then…

[Rise, life!]

[■■■■, ■■■■!]

As both incantations began and ended almost simultaneously, two objects burst from the ground and attacked in all directions.

Sticky tentacles, elastic tentacles like tongues, rose wildly and thrashed about. Though they might easily look obscene, they are actually closer to the pulsating tentacles of a monster designed to tear humans to shreds.

Of course, what suppressed these tentacles were none other than the thorny vines I had grown. These tough yet deadly plants wrapped around the tentacles and pinned them to the ground, effectively controlling all the wildly emerging tentacles…

At this point, I was immediately preparing to cast the next spell.

[Slice!]

Slashes, countless slashes poured down targeting the leader of the evil Outer God worshippers.

This formless rain of slashes, which has essentially become my basic attack at this point, mercilessly cut through everything in all directions, chopping the heretic leaders into pieces.

[■■■—!]

The commander managed to barely save his life by deploying a purple veil-like barrier, but he was far from unscathed.

His right arm was severed from the shoulder and rolled on the ground, and bright purple blood flowed from numerous wounds on his body where the veil had failed to protect him.

And then, I saw it.

“…!!”

Something began to writhe from the cross-section of the cult leader’s severed right arm. At first, I merely predicted it was something related to regeneration, but as time passed and I saw it gradually swelling, I moved urgently.

“—Sophia!”

-—Kwarrrrrrrrr!!!

When I urgently called Sophia, she immediately responded by dropping white lightning on the severed right arm, but even after being scorched by the electric shock, the arm continued to writhe and grow in size… then began to approach the cult leader.

[—Devour!]

Even using venomous magic that forms a snake’s head to destroy magical power had no effect. The right arm, now just a mass of flesh, naturally attached itself to the cult leader’s body and soon enveloped him, forming a grotesque shape.

A mouth split in five directions like a blooming flower bud, a thick, short trunk reminiscent of a salamander. And supporting such a trunk were legs too small and crude for its bulk.

And in the head of this flesh monster, only its upper body protruded from the center of the blooming flesh and tooth flower.

‘…Phase two, huh?’

While inwardly clicking my tongue at its bizarre magical operation and behavior pattern, I activated the magic I had been preparing through Astra, which had faithfully served as my “external circuit for magic casting.”

The ground collapses. The floor, which was full of writhing tentacles and thorny vines trying to block them, sinks entirely, and the magical power forming the tentacles, reverse-summoned by the excessive shock, disintegrates and scatters in all directions.

The wave of “force” transmitted from the ground is none other than the shockwave of an earthquake. As a result of this magic optimized for stripping and bursting fragile flesh, the flesh-like substances enveloping the commander are destroyed and flow to the ground.

Of course, the commander, who had literally used the flesh as a meat shield, was not only safe from the earthquake wave but had long since transformed into a monstrous form with his flesh and armor half-fused.

[■■■■■■…!!]

Dozens of mouths protruding from its armor emit strange sounds. This terrible sound, which could be heard as either a child’s cry or a beast’s scream, carved into the mind like a blade digging into the weakest parts of human psyche.

Fortunately, I was able to withstand this bizarre mental attack thanks to the mental network connecting me and my animal friends.

Thus, the end of the battle approached.

[■■■…

As “it” tries to attack by swinging its staff, which has been transformed as if flesh had attached and come alive, but before it can recite the meager “outer” language—

[—Burn!]

With a prayer in sacred language, a spell cast by a holy knight who had stealthily approached from behind burned “its” upper body.

-—Hwararrrrrrrr!!!

The snow-white flame imbued with sacred energy instantly burned the armor and flesh of “it,” which had fused with impure substances not of this world.

And… that was the end.

The war god’s holy knight, wearing tin armor with heads hanging all around, approaches. Though not apparent at first glance, the armor reveals a female form, and she expresses her hatred by kicking the burnt charcoal body of “it”…

“…Thank you for the salvation, Druid.”

With a voice filled with sincere gratitude, she bowed her head to express thanks to me for saving them.

…I couldn’t help but feel a bit proud.