Ch.978According to plan

“Here they come! Push them back again!”

“Minimum 50 yards, if you let them get any closer, consider yourself dead!”

A storm of snow and wind rushes toward me, trying to push my airborne body backward, while ice spears mixed within rain down like frost-covered hail.

“Hey, you worthless bastards!”

Attacks that merely scatter for a moment despite my swinging sword and throwing punches. Too widespread to dodge and pointless to try countering each one.

– Gooooo…!

Pressed down by the relentless storm, my body loses speed and slowly begins to be pushed back. Just like before.

If it weren’t for this rain, I might have found a way to break through, but the rain weakened my Karma output, preventing me from building up proper momentum for a charge.

Even when I forcefully increased my output to raise my momentum, they simply increased the power of their elemental magic in response, leaving us at a stalemate.

It was an annoying strategy. Even if I could destroy a spirit with a single strike, I’d need to reach them first to cut or crush them.

They completely denied my approach, forcing me to rely on ranged attacks, but Sky Piercing lacked power and the Heaven-Shattering Fist was neutralized mid-flight.

…Should I use Sky Slash?

No, I should hold back on that.

The enemies were constantly changing position and altitude, wary of my Sky Slash. In such conditions, using Sky Slash would make it difficult to cut down more than two at once.

Besides, with our allies fighting behind me, the collateral damage would be enormous.

They’ve certainly prepared countermeasures for well-known techniques. In that case…

“How about this!”

Heaven Demon Destruction Arrow.

With both hands occupied deflecting ice spears, I concentrate Karma in front of my right eye and fire.

– Kwaooooo…!

A crimson beam extends like lightning. Rain droplets touching the heat evaporate, spreading thick steam.

“It’s the blood heat ray! Hermillius, defend!”

They know this technique too?

Isn’t your intelligence a bit too good?

“Leave it to me!”

A fairy guardian crouches and places his right hand on tree roots below.

– Kwaddddd!

The tree roots touched by his hand rapidly multiply in size and number, intertwining to form a massive net-like barrier.

“Grwoooooo!”

Simultaneously, an ice giant emerges from underground, blocks the path in front of the wooden barrier, and opens its mouth wide to spew a blue beam.

A blue breath containing cold so intense it could freeze the air itself. My Karma heat ray collided with the giant’s beam and exploded.

– Kwaaaaaaang!

A steam explosion, is that what they call it?

The shockwave was intense enough to blow away even the pouring rain.

My body was thrown back by the hot steam, and the ice spirit’s entire upper body burst and disappeared.

“Did we get him?!”

“Of course not! Be satisfied that we blocked it!”

The voices of guardians who had taken cover behind the wooden barrier penetrated my eardrums, which were buzzing from the explosion.

That’s disappointing. So I couldn’t penetrate that wall.

I managed to destroy the cold spirit, but the resulting weakened firepower couldn’t penetrate the wooden wall filled with the World Tree’s blessing.

“Tch…!”

As I clicked my tongue and tried to pull my body out of the tree trunk I’d been thrown against,

– Kwarrrrrr!

The tree that had served as my backrest suddenly turned against me, wrapping its branches and root tentacles around my entire body.

Surrounding trees joined in, binding me and pressing down with their weight, trying to bury me deep underground like a mole.

“How dare you touch me, you weeds!”

Tree roots coiling around my ankles, calves, thighs, and creeping between my legs.

“Kenaz! Hagalaz!”

I spewed flames throughout my body to burn away the roots attached to me, and used the power of destruction to tear apart my surroundings, shaking off the restraints and emerging again.

“It’s working! Keep pressing the attack!”

As soon as I emerged, I faced another wave of trees. Behind them was a blizzard, and further back were spirits of ice and wind.

“You pointy-eared bastards, every one of you is so pathetic…”

A strategy completely focused on pushing me back and binding me.

Apparently, they believed that if they could just restrain me, they could crush everyone else.

Seeing how they were focusing on binding me rather than inflicting serious injuries, they were clearly stalling for time.

[Why are you so displeased? Everything is proceeding according to plan.]

Hersella mocked me with an incredulous tone.

Since we also needed to buy time, this battle development wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

‘I know, but it’s still infuriating.’

I replied in an annoyed tone, while enduring the fairy attacks that were almost like forces of nature themselves, swimming against incoming waves.

‘Besides, if we could kill them without needing to stall for time, that would be even better. It would exceed our planned outcome.’

[Hmm…]

Meanwhile, the paladins’ casualties were increasing, and even the power of hero-class warriors wasn’t infinite.

In such a situation, me being tied up by these four guardians was difficult to be happy about, even if the plan was proceeding smoothly.

[Then how about I step in directly? Even without using Field of Mortality, in pure combat strength, I would be better than you.]

Is she talking about the Ferocious Divine Body? I’ve heard about it.

The Karma technique she awakened during her battle with Meiharin.

A technique that extremely enhances physical abilities while evolving mana resistance into a power of predation that converts enemy power into one’s own.

Seeing Hersella’s confidence, it must be a powerful technique, but…

‘No.’

I firmly rejected this.

‘Your power is no longer something that should be used in a place with so many clergy.’

Given the high possibility that the power of Murder Karma is related to the evil god Vanirgand, using that power at full strength in a place like this would be problematic.

Karma flames don’t stand out much because the image of fire is so strong, but…

‘You said it might be Vanirgand’s power. If you used it here, it would cause an uproar.’

Techniques that properly utilize Murder Karma, like Field of Mortality or Ferocious Divine Body, could have their true nature detected by others the moment they’re manifested.

Unlike before when it was just a mass of crimson energy, the Murder Karma power has changed to resemble a nebula, appearing somewhat ominous even to me.

So how would it appear to devout clergy who are incomparably more pious than me?

I don’t know for sure, but it would probably look like some demonic power manifesting in reality.

If a so-called saint were caught using the power of an evil god in front of zealots who believe that anyone associated with evil gods should be burned alive… well, chaos would ensue.

Chaos that would turn a fierce, evenly matched battlefield into a complete defeat.

So I couldn’t use Hersella’s techniques. At least not on this battlefield overflowing with high-ranking clergy.

—–

And so, the war of attrition continued without any turning point.

The sun sword finally set, the day of judgment came to an end, and even Lacy’s passionate voice grew hoarse in this extreme bloodbath.

The brilliant holy light gradually darkened, and the red mud was completely covered by forest shadows. Crushed and broken bodies lay scattered among wooden debris everywhere.

Even among the heroes and masters still alive, very few appeared unscathed. Most were covered in wounds, staggering and gasping for breath.

Of course, it wasn’t only our allies who were exhausted.

“…Damn it. This is the only spirit we have left.”

“These insufferable short-lived zealots…!”

The rangers and guardians who had rampaged using the forest’s support without restraint also showed signs of having consumed much of their power.

Rangers who had used up all their low-level spirits now drew metal arrows that were mere reserves. High-level spirits knelt and disappeared, uttering death throes.

The mass-produced guardians, once eighteen in number, had been reduced to just ten, with eight sets of dismembered flesh scattered as fertilizer.

And as for me.

“…Do you still intend to continue fighting? Until everyone except you meets death at the end of this reckless battle?”

I was still fighting.

Four guardians. Five remaining high-level spirits. In the middle of forest ruins that looked like they’d been swept through by a starving vegetarian army.

“Ha. That’s something the winning side should say.”

I raised my head, blood from my broken forehead dripping from my chin, tasting the blood that even the rain couldn’t wash away.

“At least, it’s not something you should be saying.”

I rise, using Durandal as a cane.

My remaining power is about seventy percent.

Since the battle style prevented me from even approaching, I only suffered some wounds, and my Karma power remained relatively intact. Enough to fight for a full day.

“So let’s keep fighting. Let’s see if we really all die, or if you’re annihilated before us. We won’t know until it’s over, right?”

The guardians also showed clear signs of fatigue. It seemed possible to kill them somehow now. It would require considerable power expenditure and accepting some injuries, but still.

“Hmm, is that so? Do you truly believe that?”

The oldest-looking fairy guardian nodded slightly and smiled like a serial killer who had just assassinated his archenemy with a death note.

…A smile?

“It seems you’ve placed excessive expectations on a mere detachment. It’s truly pitiful to see you staking your life on a rotten rope.”

He looked down at me with a confident face and burst into an incredibly arrogant laugh.

“Did you think we wouldn’t know? That Perneisia, that abominable traitor, had crawled under your command? We’ve known all along.”

Detachment.

He revealed that the plan to target the World Tree directly through the secret passage Perne had taught us had been discovered long ago.

“How foolish. We discovered that underground passage more than ten years ago.”

“We left it alone thinking it might be used as an infiltration route someday, but to think the master of Caliburn would fall for it. It was a better harvest than expected.”

Two other guardians continued to mock me.

“We already anticipated an underground infiltration. There was only one unexpected thing: that you chose the main force as a distraction rather than joining the detachment.”

The older fairy guardian spoke again, rambling that they hadn’t expected me to participate on this side, which had increased unnecessary casualties.

“But this is good in its own way. Thanks to this, we can easily bury the master of Caliburn. We can also remove the filthy traitor and the human archmage as a bonus.”

They even knew that Perne and Ophelia were together. Had they set up some kind of surveillance network?

“…What did you do to Demian?”

I frowned, showing a face of dismay, and asked what had happened to the detachment whose infiltration operation had been discovered.

“It couldn’t have been as simple as killing them. You don’t have many guardians left.”

“Still dreaming of vain hope? I’ll answer if you wish.”

The guardian smirked and shook his head. It was blatant mockery.

“The discovered underground passage is already nothing but a graveyard. By shaking the earth’s axis to collapse the entire passage and activating the pre-inscribed wide-area explosion formula, not even a piece of flesh will remain, even for the master of Caliburn.”

They planned to bury the passage itself and blow it up, killing them before they could even deploy defensive miracles.

“It’s about time, so it should start soon. Why don’t you watch? The moment your vain hope meets a miserable end.”

Judging by their arrogant boasting, they seemed confident they could destroy even the holy sword’s sacred barrier.

“Once we kill him and eliminate you too, all threats will finally be gone. Soon, the revival of Alvheim will be achieved.”

The guardian spread his arms wide and laughed.

Your strategy has already been seen through. The being who was your hope and trump card will become pieces of meat buried underground. So despair.

That was the meaning clearly conveyed by his gesture.

Truly, in many ways, he was fairy-like. From his speech pattern to his personality and actions.

“Ha, right, so we were careless…”

The guardians’ sneers rang loudly in my eardrums.

“You predicted everything, huh.”

I hung my head.

My right hand, with the gauntlet torn off exposing bare skin. The fingers gripping the sword hilt trembled slightly.

“…Then, did you predict this too?”

The finger where a ring should be was clean and empty.

“What…?”

As the guardian who had been laughing tilted his head at the ominous nuance in my words, about to ask what I meant,

– Kwaaaaaaang!

The destruction formula the fairies had mentioned exploded with a boom, and a thick cloud of dust rising drew everyone’s attention.

And from within it.

Something massive like lava surges up.

『 KRAAAAAAAAAAAK-! 』

A roar filled with rage bordering on madness. Shattering the already broken earth once more, a red fire dragon raises its head above the giant trees and howls fiercely.

The evil dragon Kudsedra.

Hestella’s dragon, sealed in the Ring of Returning Seal.

A red scaled calamity that no one in Alvheim could have predicted appeared suddenly in the middle of the forest, clutching two humans and one fairy.

According to plan.

—-

“What…! A dragon?!”

“That’s impossible. The fire dragon was clearly in the rear of the enemy lines before the battle…!”

The fairy guardians turned their heads sharply to look at the evil dragon, shouting in shock. Their long ears stood straight up, trembling.

Yes, it’s natural for them to be shocked.

From their perspective, believing Kudsedra was positioned at the rear of our main force, they would mistake this as the dragon having teleported tens of thousands of meters in an instant.

“Oh, that? That’s not a dragon.”

I smoothed out my forced expression and displayed a full sneer on my face, bestowing the mercy of an explanation to those in confusion.

“It was just something made to look similar on the outside, with me shooting fire from inside.”

The monster you mistook for an evil dragon was actually a fake dragon we created over several days.

The roar was my imitation, and the breath was my Karma flames. More precisely, it was Karma flames stored in Jahan’s Red Scale Sword.

That’s why it didn’t fly, and that’s why it just quietly retreated after shooting one breath.

Because it was a puppet that could only move its mouth from the beginning.

The real Kudsedra was recalled and kept sealed in the ring after being shown flying from the southwest front to the main force.

And I temporarily lent that ring to Demian.

In other words, the time-wasting attrition battle until now was just a disguise tactic to place that evil dragon near the capital of Alvheim.

Unlike unicorns, it took considerable time to resummon an evil dragon.

If it had approached by flying, it would have been shot down by anti-air cannons, but they wouldn’t have expected it to suddenly emerge from underground like this.

If they had known, they would have prepared, but… since they didn’t know, they had no defense.

“You fell for it pretty well. Haven’t seen many dragons before?”

“It was fake?! No, more importantly, that voice just now was from right next to us…!”

You just noticed that now?

Apparently, they were greatly shocked by the situation of the evil dragon appearing near the capital. Seeing how they showed no reaction even when I charged at them openly.

Honestly, this was an unexpected gain, but… well, it’s a happy development.

– Kwajik!

“Finally caught you, you rat.”

Thanks to this, I was finally able to thrust my spread fingers into the face of one of the four guardians.

“Keu, keueoook…!”

The fairy guardian convulsed, shedding bloody tears through his pierced eye sockets.

His ear was already bitten off and being chewed in my mouth, and his cheek was torn by my other fingers, his lower jaw about to be ripped off with a slight tug.

“Farewell.”

I gripped my fingers tightly and ripped off the guardian’s face. Skull, flesh, muscle, and brain, all of it.

“No…!”

“Hermillius! No!”

The guardians screamed in shock at the sight of their comrade being brutally murdered.

“Don’t cry, I’ll send you right after him!”

I turned my head like a frenzied wild dog and charged toward the female guardian positioned closest to me.

The distance was already too close for her to respond. Her death was already decided.

At this range, only those who had reached the same realm as me could stop me.

【 Defying Fate 】

Before the female guardian’s fingers could fully extend as she reached toward me, Durandal’s blade, turned colorless, vertically split her body.

Defying Fate shattered. Crimson blood splattered, wetting my cheeks.

“Ah.”

The delicate female guardian was split in half and collapsed to the left and right.

The cloth pieces, wet with rain, hit the ground like rags, and blood and entrails from the cross-section stained her exposed body red.

Two guardians remained.

“Lacy! I leave the rest to you!”

Instead of charging toward those guardians, I rolled hard on the ground and soared toward the sky.

It was enough to leave the rest to the Holy Corps.

With a dragon suddenly appearing near the capital, two regular guardians killed, and the human champion flying toward the World Tree,

The remaining fairies would be confused about whether to continue the full-scale battle or retreat to protect the World Tree, inevitably splitting into two.

It would be difficult for them to face the Holy Corps in such a state.

Even if they did, they would be significantly weakened, so the Holy Corps could appropriately stall for time and then retreat.

My job here was done.

Now it was time to move to the next phase.

While Kudsedra and Demian destroyed the fairy anti-air cannons from the ground, I would break through the weakened fire network and join them. That was the core of our Alvheim annihilation plan that I had devised and my staff had refined.

What came after was honestly a gamble relying on improvisation.

Before the fairies at the front line could chase after us, if the four of us and one dragon could pass through Alvheim’s capital and burn the World Tree, it would be our victory.

Even if we failed but managed to collapse the capital itself and escape, it would still be our technical victory. If both failed, it would simply be defeat.

Well, that wouldn’t happen.