Chapter 49: The First King Established by God (2)
by fnovelpia
Crack!
“Ugh!”
“Hoh?”
A bright white light gathered in the princess’s left arm, forming a solid shield.
The blade of the Sword Emperor, which had been swung with immense force, was deflected by the shield and bounced off.
“Hah!”
In the princess’s opposite hand, a long spear of magic appeared and thrust towards the Sword Emperor.
However, the Sword Emperor evaded the attack by stepping back.
‘Impressive enough.’
“…It wasn’t entirely a lie, then?”
A smirk played on the Sword Emperor’s lips. Meanwhile, the princess felt a sharp pain in her left arm.
‘He’s a monster beyond imagination.’
‘The calculations from before are completely off.’
She had intended to face the Sword Emperor using only her innate abilities, planning to call upon the power granted by the GM later.
But it seemed she would have to bring that moment forward.
With a resolute step, the princess grasped her spear with both hands and raised it high.
“The first king established by God, Saul, commands—Arise, people of God.”
Ding!
—Class ability ‘Summon WP 2 SINU’ activated.
Vrrrrrrr
A massive dome-like barrier expanded around her.
“…This…”
Sensing a strange familiarity with the barrier, the Sword Emperor scanned his surroundings.
Rustle… rustle…
Around the princess, faint spectral figures began to gather.
Thousands of soldiers emerged, surrounding her.
It was the army of Saul, the first king of the chosen people, summoned by divine will.
‘Necromancy?’
‘No, it’s different.’
‘An ability to summon an army… At the very least, it’s a hidden class. Ha, what an ability suited for a princess.’
Countless soldiers formed ranks.
The princess was now atop a pure white horse.
“An ability to summon thousands of soldiers…”
Boom!
The aura around the Sword Emperor’s massive sword deepened.
“Now I understand why the Duke mentioned dependency on abilities.”
“Charge!”
“Waaaaaahhhh!”
As the princess galloped forward, thousands of soldiers charged at the Sword Emperor.
“Since Rudera appeared, many have rampaged in this world with the meager power they’ve acquired, but none have ever shaken the established order.”
The Sword Emperor stood still, gazing at the grand sight before him.
“This world is well-made. Just as all the strong ones have been up until now.”
Shing!
Several sword auras formed around him.
“Only the power gained through training one’s own body surpasses everything else!”
The Sword Emperor swung his now enormous sword towards the princess and her army.
KA-BOOM!
A massive crimson slash tore through the earth.
Smoke from the colossal explosion shrouded the arena in darkness.
The Sword Emperor slowly walked into the smoke.
Within the thick haze, soldiers from the chosen people’s army who had been struck by the attack turned into white light and vanished.
The Sword Emperor halted as he walked.
Before him lay the princess, who had fallen off her horse, her body covered in blood.
“Is this all?”
“S-Sword Emperor…”
“Disappointing.”
No matter how powerful an ability is, the user’s own capabilities are even more crucial.
It would have been more enjoyable to face the second prince, who, even with an Epic class, would have honed his skills to the utmost.
“Not… yet.”
The princess supported herself with her spear and slowly stood up.
“I am the anointed one chosen by the GM… I cannot lose…”
She gathered her remaining strength into the spear.
Vrrrrr
The spear was enveloped in her magic, but then…
Clang!
—Class ability failed to activate.
It shattered.
“This is difficult to understand.”
The Sword Emperor spoke as he watched the princess slump to the ground.
“When you blocked my first strike, you were strong. I thought perhaps this duel might satisfy me.”
The princess had summoned her shield at just the right moment, diverting the Sword Emperor’s powerful attack.
With that single act, the Sword Emperor had recognized the princess’s talent and the teachings of the Duke.
“You were stronger when you didn’t rely on your abilities.”
The Sword Emperor frowned.
The sight of her recklessly charging in with nothing but faith in her summoned army, without proper preparation, was deeply disappointing.
“I am the anointed one, chosen by the GM. How could I not use the power bestowed by Him?”
The princess looked up at the Sword Emperor with defiant eyes.
“The power given by the GM?”
‘Has she gotten involved with some strange religion lately?’
The Sword Emperor recalled a recent conversation with the Duke.
‘So, that’s what it is.’
“Princess, why did you enter this tournament?”
“It was to represent the Empire, to showcase its strength…”
“No. Tell me the real reason. Is it to become the GM’s apostle?”
“Hmph. To stand on the path of trials as an apostle of the GM, and yet you relied solely on divine power instead of using the strength you honed yourself?”
“This is the power given by God! How could a mere servant not rely on this blessing and instead use the paltry strength of humans?”
“No, you are mistaken.”
Thud!
The Sword Emperor drove his great sword into the ground.
“Do you think using only divine power without relying on your own strength is what God desires?”
“What…?”
“Have you ever wondered why the GM granted you that power?”
“Of course! I’ve always wondered! Why me? Why was it me? What does je want from me?”
After gaining the hidden class in Rudera, she had agonized endlessly.
Why did the GM grant her this special power?
Was it to become the emperor who would lead the chosen people of God?
Or was it to bring all to His embrace as his servant?
“To find that answer! To truly become his servant, I entered this tournament!”
“A true servant… Then have you considered who you were before you were chosen?”
“Before… I was chosen?”
“Before you gained this power! Remember who you were before you were chosen by God! God saw you then and chose you! That is the person he desires you to be!”
‘Even if I say this, I don’t know if she’ll become what I want her to be…’
The Sword Emperor observed the princess, who was staring blankly into the void.
“The person God chose…”
It felt as if she had been struck by a hammer.
The princess slowly rose to her feet.
Because it was power given by God, she believed she had to use it.
She thought relying solely on the Lord was what he desired.
She had been so focused on how to wield this power properly, on what he wanted from her, that she had never considered her original self, the person God had chosen.
Before she was chosen, when she trained tirelessly under the Duke to become a rightful leader…
KA-BOOM!
A massive pillar of light erupted from the princess.
She was the first princess, but born to the weakest consort with the least influence.
Born in the most unfavorable position among the imperial descendants, she had worked tirelessly, gathering allies and reducing enemies.
She had never neglected her own training, learning everything she could.
When she crossed paths with the Duke, one of the Three Emperors of the continent, she spent three days convincing him to teach her.
She had always strived to become a true leader who could guide the Empire justly.
And yet, the fact that she was chosen by God had made her forget all of this.
The princess’s eyes filled with pure white light.
“Now, I understand.”
The chosen people, the elect, merged completely with the princess’s body.
She now knew why God had chosen her.
Ding!
—Hidden class ‘SINY’ has evolved.
—You have acquired the mythic class ‘U’P | SINU’.
The armor of the Word, the lance of faith, and the shield of obedience were created.
“I am His true servant. I am a king who tirelessly trains myself to follow His will.”
As the pillar of light faded, the princess, now clad in the pure white power of the spirits, stood revealed.
SINY, a Hebrew word meaning “to save.”
The first king anointed by God, chosen in response to the people’s plea.
As a king, she now descended, worthy of her royal position.
Seeing her, the Sword Emperor grinned.
“That’s how it should be.”
BANG!
The divine lance of the princess clashed with the Sword Emperor’s greatsword.
Meanwhile, Albus, who had been struggling for a long time with fixing a time-freezing bug, only to realize it could ruin Rudera if he did, and thus had returned, now witnessed the princess’s awakening.
“…Huh?”
He stared blankly, his mouth agape, at the sight of the princess’s transformation.
“What the heck is this?”
Class evolution?
Was that even possible in this game?
Albus had never designed anything like that.
The only reason the princess had acquired a hidden class was because she had fulfilled the conditions for a hidden achievement.
That was all Albus had intended.
But now, the class was evolving, growing based on the princess’s own realization and willpower.
Down in the arena, the princess was battling the Sword Emperor on equal footing, growing stronger with each clash.
It was as if the more formidable the enemy, the stronger she became in response to the people’s plea for deliverance.
“…I don’t know anymore.”
Was this what developers in game fantasy novels felt like when they muttered, “There’s nothing more we can do”?
Albus’s head throbbed with a headache.
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