episode_0164

Even for a formidable individual who would be classified as a top wanted criminal, it was a difficult feat to fend off ten attacks with just one hand.

Even the core members of the Reverse Heaven Council, boasting their military prowess, could not withstand the overwhelming violence of fourteen to one.

Even after the annihilation of his social circle, Ganaegl continued his desperate resistance, but when the brains inside his stomach reached their limit and melted away, his defiance came to an end.

In the midst of the battle, he attempted to swallow the brains of assassins to fill his stomach, but I thoroughly blocked his attempts, so in the end, he couldn’t swallow anyone’s brain.

Ultimately, the difference in the information we possessed determined the outcome.

I knew Ganaegl’s weaknesses all too well, but he did not realize that if my divine barrier was used three times, it would be the end, so he could not unleash his full potential.

“Ugh, ah, ugh….”

Ganaegl, lying on a pool of bodily fluids, foamed at the mouth and convulsed.

The tentacles that formed his arms and legs were all severed, his belly skin was wide open, pouring out all the bodily fluids contained within.

It was a gruesome sight, almost miraculous, that he was not yet dead.

His eyes were pierced by daggers and crossbows, and seven spears and swords were embedded in his back. Additionally, a broken greatsword had pierced his neck, fixing him to the ground like a stake.

“Hmm…. It’s quite amazing. How is he still alive in this state?”

A normal human would have died twenty times over in such a condition, yet he still clung to life.

It was almost as if he should be classified not as a human, but as some kind of Planaria-like creature with an astonishing vitality.

“…Can we consider this living?”

Edgar, with a weary expression, turned to me and asked.

Perhaps it was because he had witnessed firsthand the abilities of me and Friede. His tone was ten times more respectful than when we first met.

“He’s still breathing. That’s all there is to it… but if someone were to help, he could probably come back to life even in this state.”

I looked down at the struggling Ganaegl with his abdomen wide open and answered. Perhaps thinking it was a joke, Edgar chuckled awkwardly.

“Well, then we should cut off his airway first. Should I crush his head?”

Edgar drew his mace from his waist, ready to finish the job. The hefty metal head gleamed ominously.

Was he entrusting the dirty work to himself?

There seemed to be no reason to stop him. As far as I remembered, there was no such thing as a finishing blow bonus in the original game that served as the background of this world.

Experience points were distributed evenly based on contributions, so no matter who killed him…

I nodded, and Edgar approached Ganaegl’s head, raising the mace high.

That’s when it happened.

“Oh my, in quite a pickle, aren’t we?”

In a space where the only women were Friede and me, a new woman’s voice sounded like a soothing melody.

“What…?”

Assassins, urgently taking a defensive stance at the voice that came without warning.

“Smash his head!”

I shouted to Edgar to smash his head first, and I also leaped towards that direction.

Frantic and continuous scenes glimpsed through the gaps in the helmet.

As Edgar swung his mace with all his might, he was struck by something flying from the side, causing him to be knocked back. Friede, following suit, rushed towards the direction the attack came from.

The shattered black iron greatsword was blocked by a black curtain-like object and shattered, and the assassins who were thrown after Friede tumbled and fell to the ground.

And as I swung Edelmut’s sword, aiming to split Ganaegl’s head in half—

“Are you going to kill them all?”

A cold voice blocked my sword, causing it to come to a halt.

“Kuk…!”

Not a spell or an incantation, just a simple threat. However, the effect of that threat surpassed the binding magic of a regular mage.

Just a bit more forward, and my longsword, capable of piercing Ganaegl’s brain, momentarily stopped firmly.

“Alright, you’re good.”

On the opposite side of the broken rocky hill, a woman with long hair flowing down to her waist emerged from the dark forest.

She aimed a black spear tip, as if darkness had gathered above the heads of the assassins who had fallen while rushing towards her.

“This, this is…!”

Even Prade, who hadn’t fallen, was bound by something like black chains, struggling to break free.

If he were in good condition, he would have easily broken free from such restraints and escaped, but due to the considerable strength he had expended in the battle with Ganaegl, he seemed unable to resist.

“Now, will you put down that sword for me?”

The woman with long hair smiled at me. Her eerie crimson eyes were vivid even in the darkness of the night.

“…Why are you here, Neyn?”

I glared at her, my tension rising. Cold sweat trickled down my cheek. The worst-case scenario that could be anticipated—or rather, the even worse scenario that couldn’t be anticipated—had unfolded.

“You want me to put down the sword?”

“Why are you here? Answer me.”

A conversation that didn’t match. The woman’s smile grew darker, turning into a sinister and eerie spectacle. It was a witch-like laughter.

“You don’t listen to words, do you…?”

“That must be your problem. Can’t you understand the word ‘answer’?”

I forced a smile, suppressing the rising tension and despair with bravado.

And I said it.

The name of the witch who had suddenly appeared before us.

“Why are you here? Betrayer, Arianne Babelos.”

The corners of the witch’s mouth stretched down to her ears.

◆◆

The second finger of the Gumaekyeokcheon Society, the Betrayer Arianne.

A former priestess of the Goddess Sect, once a promising priestess even mentioned as a candidate for saintess, suddenly massacred all the parishioners of her own diocese and disappeared.

A top-notch priest who could have been awarded the prestigious bishopric just by offering the goddess’s neck to the Goddess Sect…and the strongest abyssal priest of the Gumaekyeokcheon Society.

Although the power itself was stronger in the hands of the Gumaekyeokcheon Master Leonard, he was not a figure who could be called an abyssal priest.

That Arianne, of all times, of all situations, had to reveal herself. Unluckily, there was no such thing as this kind of misfortune.

If it had been before the fight with Ganaegl, he might have been able to take her down one after another, but he didn’t have the confidence to take down even her consecutively, exhausted from fighting him.

Arms and legs trembling with accumulated shock. A head heavy with fatigue and a flow of sweat that seemed to dry up.

To face the strongest abyssal priestess in such a physical state? It was an impossible task without being prepared to give up one’s life.

“Are you here to save this tentacled pig? I didn’t know the abyssal priests had such a strong bond.”

That’s why I continued to tease Ganaegl’s head with my sword.

A hostage situation.

For some reason, if she really revealed herself to save Ganaegl, she could use him as a hostage.

“Would even your man do? A witch and a tentacle, what a perfect combination. You must be having a lot of fun every night.”

That was my plan. To buy time. As much time as possible. As naturally as possible.

“Thirteen.”

Arianne chuckled as she counted the numbers. Then, she flicked her finger ever so slightly.

– Thud!

At that moment, the head of an assassin burst through the window, blood and brain matter splattering like a crushed watermelon.

“Now, twelve.”

“This crazy woman…!”

Without even negotiating, she immediately killed the hostage. It happened so quickly that there was no time to stop her.

“Eleven―”

Ariane calmly counted again, her eyes shifting to another assassin.

“Stop! If you don’t, this bastard’s head will also…!”

Desperately, I stabbed her with the tip of my sword, warning her that if she killed another, I would kill her too.

“Do it. Eleven.”

Ariane smiled as she killed another assassin.

“If you send about twelve men as a gift, Ganagel will be satisfied.”

“Don’t show off. You came this far because you needed this bastard, right?”

“Well, I don’t need him to the point of begging. It’s a bit of a hassle to raise him, but he’s not disposable either.”

If possible, she wanted to take Ganagel alive, but it seemed she wouldn’t be too disappointed if he died.

…Is that just a bluff, or is she serious?

The witch’s expression was so casual that it seemed there was no way to confirm without killing Ganagel.

“…I may not beg, but I can swear. Can you promise to step back quietly if I release this tentacle guy?”

“Hmm.”

Ariane chuckled with interest, her red eyes sparkling.

“Maybe, maybe not…”

“Nonsense!”

Just as the witch was about to play a trick, Edga, who had suddenly stood up, dodged the magic above his head and shot a crossbow at her.

A timely surprise attack.

However, Ariane, without any sign of surprise, shot a black lightning bolt from her fingertips to deflect the crossbow arrow.

– Crack!

The arrow collided with the lightning bolt, shattering into pieces, and a black hammer generated in the air struck Edga, sending him flying nearby.

“Ugh!”

Edga, pinned to the ground, trembled and coughed up blood. He struggled to get up, but it seemed like something had broken and he couldn’t stand again.

“Resistance to curses? A valuable talent. Although the level is pathetic.”

Five blades formed above Edga’s head.

“――Sir, please kill him and retreat.”

Feeling his impending death, Edga weakly laughed and looked back at me. He left a message for me to eliminate the target and then withdraw without being swayed by the witch.

“And, please inform Harold that he died in an unfortunate accident.”

“…To whom?”

I bit my lip and asked who the message should be delivered to.

A tragic scene where an assassin leaves a message to deliver condolences to his lover.

Perhaps finding the sight intriguing, Ariane listened quietly without finishing the job.

…Yes, watching others’ tragedies is enjoyable for her. Quite witch-like.

“To Hanna, who runs a flower shop on 4th Street….”

Realizing that his message was being used as Ariane’s entertainment, Edga furrowed his blood-soaked face and angrily listed off more names.

“To Milena Yeongae of Cloud Mansion on 2nd Street… Annu of the blacksmith’s shop… Regina, a guard… Talia of the Cow Inn on 5th Street…”

But the list of names in his message didn’t end there.

“And… and, Sister Ella… Yuna and Mia, the sisters of the Lily Orchard…”

The names in the message continued to grow to eight people.

“…Just die, die.”

I sighed with a mix of disdain, feeling any sympathy and regret disappear.

This guy wasn’t a crab, but an octopus. Not a sheep’s legs, but eight legs, is this a human being?

Even Ariane, who was listening with interest, was at a loss for words and just stood there dumbfounded with her mouth open when the woman’s name exceeded three.

Well, it’s no wonder.

Even to my military eyes, it seemed like Ed was better off dead. Judging by his behavior, even if he survived here, he would probably die soon.

…But still, thanks to that, I managed to buy a considerable amount of time.

– Shaaaaaah!

Freed, who was bound by black chains, grabbed the Holy Sword from the air, broke free from his restraints, and fired a golden beam of attack.

“What…! A Holy Sword?!”

Ariane was astonished by the attack filled with holy power. She quickly turned her body and cast a defensive spell.

A black barrier filled with immense magical power to block the attack of Nibelung.

And.

– Wooooom!

As the black barrier, like a black iron wall, unfolded in front of her, the black daggers that threatened the assassins scattered like an illusion disappearing.

Yes, I knew it would happen.

Since her brain is only one, she wouldn’t be able to maintain such powerful spells simultaneously. There may have been some confusion causing her magical control to falter.

Anyway, it was a golden opportunity. Without hesitation, I swung my sword.

– Swoosh!

The octopus pig’s head split like firewood under the axe.