episode_0025

As I calmed my excitement, I realized that I had done something quite reckless.

I had come to perceive Alaina as a sword and ended up using her as I would my own body.

Of course, I should have returned her to her sword form before using her.

Having become accustomed to the Divine Sword Integration, I had mistakenly made myself the standard.

“Hmm…”

Fortunately, it seemed like no one had witnessed my actions.

Although I was caught in the end, the witnesses were scheduled to be eliminated.

The best way to keep my actions hidden from others was to eliminate all witnesses.

“Good job, thanks to you, we were able to clear the way unscathed.”

“What? Wait a minute! Wasn’t I supposed to be used until the end according to the plan?”

“I used you to avoid destroying the orphanage. Your role there is done. I don’t need your help in exterminating the enemies.”

“Ugh…!”

Suppressing her dissatisfaction, she kept her feelings to herself.

If it had been the Alaina of the past, she would have exploded right away, but it seemed that she had changed over the years.

There was no longer any need to doubt her sincerity.

Of course, accepting Alaina as a sword was a separate issue.

“Have you finished our little lover’s quarrel?”

“Is that how it looks in the eyes of a fanatic?”

“Watch your words. I’m not a fanatic, I’m a faithful believer.”

“Don’t play innocent. You were the one who misinterpreted our relationship first, and now you accuse me of being a fanatic with wide eyes.”

Chuckling, the face on the forehead of the Chimera wrinkled like a scroll.

I couldn’t understand why she was getting angry when I hadn’t said anything wrong.

Asking for understanding from an enemy was just as ridiculous.

I clenched my fist and made it clear that I had no intention of continuing the conversation.

The Chimera seemed to understand my intention and bowed deeply.

It was the perfect posture to lunge at me and tear my throat out at any moment.

“Pathetic.”

Kwahng-!

Kicking the ground, I quickly moved forward and grabbed the Chimera’s head as if I were going to crush it, then slammed it against the wall.

Just because she assumed a stance didn’t mean she could move faster than me.

I pulled the Chimera out of the wall, and this time, I slammed her to the ground.

As the divine power and flesh scattered around, cracks appeared in the wall and floor.

“Disappointing, isn’t it?”

[Weakling! Death!]

She seemed to have less power than Drake.

Having assessed her level, and not wanting to drag out the time, I punched the Chimera in the abdomen.

The fist pierced through the soft flesh and hit the stone floor on the other side.

The impact of the fist colliding with the floor shook the entire underground chamber and raised a cloud of dust.

Emerging from the dust, I brushed off my hands and looked ahead.

“…Why do all the opponents I face have such dirty abilities?”

The hole in the Chimera’s abdomen was filled with divine power, transforming into flesh.

It was the regenerative power unique to divine power.

However, it didn’t return to its previous state, as it was a combination of someone else’s divine power, not her own.

The smooth abdomen of the Chimera sprouted sharp thorns, as if rejecting the fist’s approach.

Looking at this, I had one certainty.

Chimeras created with divine power evolved grotesquely over time.

Such enemies generally needed to be completely eradicated without leaving a single cell behind.

It was necessary to swiftly cut off the enemy’s lifeline while perfectly controlling the power to ensure that the orphanage did not collapse.

Considering the unexpectedly desolate interior of the building, opportunities are likely to be scarce.

As we were preparing ourselves, a sudden loud noise came from above.

“There’s a path here that leads to the basement!”

“Alright! All troops except those involved in the construction work, gather here!”

“Yes, sir!”

It seems like the Holy Knights have already infiltrated the orphanage.

While it was commendable that we responded quickly, the timing was just not right.

If we had come a little later, the culprit of this incident would have been eliminated.

If I deal with the chimera like this, I will be seen as the culprit.

Then inevitably Alaina will defend me, and I will likely be hailed as a hero in the end.

I couldn’t allow that to happen.

“Rian? Huh?!”

I made Alaina shut up by pressing a blade against her neck and quickly embraced her body.

If the well-known figure like her caught the eye of the Holy Knights, it would create a difficult situation.

So, hiding Alaina, I voluntarily entered the hole in the wall created by the recent fight.

I made a cut on my forehead with my nails, letting the blood flow.

And finally, leaning against the wall with a hollowed-out back, I lowered my head to portray the appearance of a wounded soldier.

“What are you doing right now?”

[Self-harm act!]

“Oh! It’s not like that. There’s a reason for everything, so don’t say anything and stay quiet.”

“Ugh…!”

Again, I pressed the blade against Alaina’s neck and pulled her tightly from behind.

Alaina shrunk her body and became quiet.

I don’t know if it’s because of the mood, but her body seems to be getting warmer.

“Commander! There’s an unidentified monster and… a wounded person here!”

“Send two people to rescue the wounded! The rest will confront the monster!”

“The wounded person is beyond the monster, so it seems impossible to rescue them!”

“There’s nothing we can do. Surround the enemy! Be extra careful to prevent the aftermath of the fight from reaching the wounded!”

“Understood!”

The image of the people of the Holy Kingdom was already frustrating, but I saw it again this time.

Their prioritization of saving lives over destroying the enemy was quite moving.

If they show such behavior without even shouting for help, it means they prioritize rescue even in their daily lives.

“Ugh…! My goodness…!”

“Was it a monster that could speak? It might be able to deceive people, so be careful!”

“Holy Knights…? Was I deployed while I was regenerating?”

“Monster! I don’t know how you got in, but you will regret stepping on the land of the Holy Kingdom!”

“Haha…! Knights, first calm down and take a closer look at me. Isn’t it sacred? I am a sacred water created with pure sacred powers…”

“Shut up! Even if you are surrounded by sacred powers, the Holy Kingdom cannot tolerate such a monstrous creature!”

“Huff…! It seems that words don’t get through to you. There’s no choice, if sincerity cannot be conveyed through conversation, I will make you recognize and accept me through force.”

“You finally showed your true colors! Everyone, prepare for battle!”

The chimera raised its front legs and body, ready to strike.

The Holy Knights raised their shields according to the orders of the man who seemed to be the leader.

They managed to block the chimera’s front legs with their shields, but they couldn’t anticipate the creature trying to shake the ground.

Taking advantage of the knights’ disrupted posture, the chimera opened its mouth to devour the person in front of it.

“No way!”

The only one who maintained an unwavering stance, a man with the demeanor of a leader, swiftly emerged and struck the chimera’s jaw with his shield.

The chimera, whose first prey had escaped, retreated and then rotated its body, swinging its tail resembling a mace.

Continuously blocking the Chimera’s tail with their shield, small grooves began to appear on the surface of the shield.

“Attack all at once!”

While the leader dealt with the Chimera’s attacks, the subordinates slashed at the Chimera’s flesh with their swords.

Seeing dozens of people rushing in to attack, it seemed like there was no end to the battle, but there was a significant problem.

“It’s no use.”

The Chimera’s divine power not only regenerated the wounded areas but also made its skin even tougher than before.

In particular, the flesh became irregular in shape, making it difficult to cut with a sword, and arrows seemed to have no effect.

“Uwaaa!”

The sharp strikes with the sword tore through the Chimera’s flesh and even pierced its bones, but it was not enough to deliver the final blow.

In the end, it only made the Chimera stronger.

“Everyone, stop attacking!”

Realizing the Chimera’s evolution, the leader called for the troops to regroup.

However, even with a new formation, there was no effective way to bring down the Chimera.

The irrationality of the enemy growing stronger with each attack.

If there was a limit to its regeneration, they could have prolonged the battle, but there was no sign of the Chimera’s divine power waning.

Furthermore, the Chimera was surrounded by divine power, rendering the knights’ advantage of divine power useless.

To them, it was the worst possible enemy in terms of compatibility.

“Everyone except me, retreat to the underground chamber.”

“What?”

“What do you mean?”

“We can still fight!”

“Being able to fight and being able to defeat the enemy are different. Unfortunately, we cannot defeat that monster with our swords. Therefore, the members should retreat temporarily and bring the ballista.”

“The power of the ballista might be able to bring down the monster, but if that’s the case, it’s better for us to stay and block the monster!”

“Foolish! Do you think you, who are far from enough, can block that monster? The moment the front line collapses, the people of the kingdom are in danger! It’s right for me to stay here.”

“…Understood.”

The leader expressed his determination to minimize casualties, even if it meant sacrificing himself.

The knights, who could not disobey the leader’s order to sacrifice himself, began to retreat to the underground chamber.

Watching the scene, the Chimera sneered.

“You act as if you’re going to defeat me, but in the end, you run away without a fight.”

“I’m not running away. It’s a strategic retreat based on wise judgment.”

“In the end, it’s just a joke, isn’t it?”

“You talk too much. Come at me! I can handle you alone.”

“You will regret it.”

As the Chimera’s wounds finished healing, it became even stronger.

Leaving the knight commander alone, the Chimera fiercely attacked him.

With a sturdy and sharp body, the Chimera was like a siege weapon in itself.

Against such an enemy, the knight commander skillfully dodged or used his shield and sword to fend off as much as possible.

“Haha! Is that all you’ve got?”

“You talk big. Let’s see how far that confidence takes you.”

However, there were limits to his stamina, and his sword and shield were getting worn out.

As he sweated profusely, even he, who was perfect, began to show weaknesses.

“Aaargh!”

Seizing the opportunity, the Chimera finally made the knight commander’s right arm a part of itself.

“Ugh…! Ugh…!”

Using his divine power to staunch the wound, the knight commander was in excruciating pain.

But losing his arm, the sharp pain pierced his mind.

“Kkkah!”

The commander’s posture completely faltered, and he couldn’t dodge the Chimera’s charge in time, crashing into the wall.

Starting to pour out blood instead of sweat, his pristine armor became dirty with dust and blood.

His breath became urgent as if it could be cut off at any moment.

“Hahaha! Even the brave knight is powerless in front of me.”

“Grr…!”

“Thanks to you, it has been a delightful experience. I never imagined the day would come when I, a mere priest, would overpower the commander of the knights.”

“Not yet! I can still fight… cough!”

“If that’s your idea of bravery, then it’s not bravery, it’s recklessness.”

“Shut… up!”

“Well, fine. If you insist on fighting to the end, I will absorb your body to become even stronger.”

“Cough…! Cough…!”

The commander of the knights, on the verge of passing out, clung to consciousness that could be severed at any moment.

He continued to point his sword at the chimera until the very end.

Truly, he was a man of great mental strength.

“I will send you to Lady Prana as well.”

“Who says?”

“This voice…?”

Feeling that the corpse play had gone on long enough, I stood up and interjected between the two.

Perhaps impressed by the encounter he had with me, the chimera quickly turned his head when he heard my voice.

I greeted him warmly and waved my hand.

“You’re alive…!”

“I’ve never been dead, so of course I’m alive.”

“Then why didn’t you appear when the knights were fighting?”

“Personal reasons, and besides, isn’t watching a fight the most entertaining thing in the world?”

“Haha! That’s true, but this wasn’t the time for you to be so relaxed.”

“Why?”

“Can’t you see my current state? I’ve become even stronger while fighting the knights. No matter how strong you are, you should be on guard now.”

Unintentionally, I chuckled at the chimera’s words.

I too would like to feel that tension.

“Is that all you have to say?”

“No. I’ve always been curious. Who are you exactly? You don’t seem to be from the Holy Empire, so why are you here?”

“Orphan.”

“What?”

“An orphan, without parents.”

“…So what, were you trying to come to our orphanage at that age?”

“I heard rumors that the orphanage in the Holy Empire is amazing, so I wanted to try it out. But I didn’t know the director wasn’t human.”

“Are you provoking me?”

“I’m just stating the facts. After killing countless children for five years and extracting their divine power, do you really think he’s a human?”

“It’s not killing. It’s sending them to Lady Prana without suffering.”

I stood in front of him and raised my hand to stop him.

I’ve heard all sorts of bizarre stories in my life, but this kind of nonsense was something else.

“Self-justification, no matter what you say, what you did was murder.”

“It’s not self-justification! It was the best way for children who had lost their parents early and would continue to suffer in the future!”

“Interesting. Keep going.”

“This beautiful world created by God has unfortunately been corrupted by humans who force competition and success! In such a world, in order to survive, we have to endure pain and suffering.”

It wasn’t a wrong statement.

Unlike the world where we simply hunted to eat and survive, the society created by humans could not survive without competition.

If you wanted a more abundant life, you had to outperform others and achieve results.

But there must have been children like me who could adapt to such a society.

“How cruel a life must the children who have lost their shelter in this harsh world endure? Escaping the shackles of pain early and going to Lady Prana’s embrace would have been a much better choice for the children!”

“Who are you to decide the lives of children?”

“…”

“Who are you to decide the lives of children on your own?”

“Alright, there must have been someone who wanted to die early rather than endure more suffering, as you say. But not everyone would have had the same thoughts. Yet you, without a care, killed children. Some may have been living with big dreams, but you took that away from them.”

“That’s impossible! Who would willingly choose a painful path when there’s an easier way to comfort?”

“Do you know what lies at the end of that painful path?”

“Well….”

“You can’t answer, can you? There might be more suffering at the end, or perhaps happiness awaits. No one can know for sure. But everyone knows that there’s nothing at the end of the easy path called death.”

“….”

“If you truly cared about the children, you should have given them a choice. But you forced them onto the easy path.”

“Ugh!”

“In the end, everything you did was nothing but hypocrisy. Don’t think that just because you experienced it first, everyone else will live the same life as you.”

“I was just…!”

As the chimera opened its mouth to retort, I thrust my arm into its mouth.

Through my arm inside its mouth, I released countless dark energy into the chimera’s body.

The dark energy that entered began tearing apart its veins, organs, and cells one by one.

Eventually, the chimera’s body was torn to shreds by the relentless dark energy, leaving nothing behind.

“Save your excuses for hell.”