episode_0247

“Quickly, evacuate the people!!! If you don’t evacuate them, they’ll all die at the hands of the fanatics!! Hurry!!!”

While Gid and Yuria were each facing Rikarin and Krischa, Viola was protecting the evacuating people, defeating the cultists rushing at her. At that moment, Alten, who was fighting the cultists beside her to protect the people as well, turned his head towards Camilla, startled, and spoke to Viola.

“Hey, Viola… Camilla… isn’t she acting strange?”

“Huh? What’s suddenly strange?”

“Camilla, who was enraged just a moment ago by the fallen Children of Light… isn’t it strange that she’s been still ever since Aria returned the people to normal? Look at her. She even has her eyes closed…”

“What…?!”

As Alten, watching Camilla, found it strange that Camilla had been still for a while, Viola was startled and turned her head towards Camilla. Indeed, just as Alten said, Camilla was still, her eyes closed and her body wrapped in her arms, which made Viola feel something strange. Then, receiving an ominous feeling, Viola was startled and urgently shouted to Alten.

“Something’s ominous, Alten!! Quickly, evacuate the wounded and those freed from brainwashing!! She’s not the type to just stay still for no reason!!!”

“Yes… it certainly feels ominous…!! Resistance fighters!! Quickly, evacuate the people!!! Something seems to be coming!!”

“….? Why is Captain-nim Alten suddenly doing that…!! Ah… Captain-nim Alten!! Behind you!!!”

At the moment the elves who were evacuating people tilted their heads, confused by Alten’s urgent cry, the elves saw the fanatics behind Alten and urgently shouted to Alten. Alten then blocked the cultist’s spear attempting to ambush him from behind with his own spear, and the sword of the cultist trying to ambush Alten from the side was swiftly blocked by Viola’s spear thrust. Alten and Viola, having defeated the two cultists who attempted the ambush, were dismayed to see the still numerous fanatics.

“Still so many fanatics…?!” “Although the number of freed people is large… for us, weary from the continuous fighting, isn’t this quite overwhelming, Viola…!!”

“It seems the cultists she’s gathered over many years are more numerous than I thought, Alten. It looks like there won’t be any rest until the fight ends… seeing them continuously rushing in….”

“Don’t worry, Captain-nim Alten!! Viola!! We still have vigorous people… and monsters with us too!!”

“Roar!!”

At the moment Alten and Viola were worrying about the ongoing battle, elves and monsters appeared beside them, stating that they were still strong enough to fight. Viola and Alten then looked at the fanatics swarming around them, and Viola gripped her spear tightly with both hands, speaking to Alten.

“Alten. While we are important, we also need to rescue the people near Camilla. Even for that, we must defeat these guys and clear a path.”

“I agree, Viola. Everyone!! Charge!!!”

“Uwaaaaaa!!!”

When Viola argued that they needed to defeat the fanatics to save the people still near Camilla, Alten agreed and, with others, let out a battle cry and began rushing towards the fanatics blocking their way. Meanwhile, at the moment Krischa and Rikarin fell, I, who found Camilla’s stillness suspicious just like Viola and Alten, was perplexed and asked Aria.

“Aria… do you happen to know why Camilla is so still? I’d rather not mention it, but… you were Camilla’s Saintess for a time.”

“I don’t know the details either, Zeke-nim. If I had been by Camilla’s side for a long time like Kate or the other Children of Light, it might be different… But I, too, cannot understand Camilla’s intentions right now.”

“…. Still…? Her eyes closed… with her body wrapped in her arms… still….”

At the moment Aria and I couldn’t even guess what Camilla was doing, Dio V Runner, who was listening to our words and also trying to understand Camilla’s intentions, seemed to realize something as his face slowly hardened. Then, with a greatly bewildered expression, he looked at us and said.

“I see, Zeke…!! Why Camilla tried to descend here using such an inefficient method… now I understand everything!!”

“What? You’re saying Camilla’s descent using divine power like this was an inefficient method…? C-could you explain in detail, Dio V Runner?”

“Ah… I kept thinking something was strange. The Kaju I knew didn’t necessarily use their own power to resonate and cross into another dimension; they simply went to other dimensions through dimensional paths… So why the cult called Camilla’s arrival here a ‘descent,’ and why Camilla had no choice but to draw her power from another dimension… now I understand it all.”

Dio V Runner had not understood why Camilla kept her power in another dimension and was drawing it now like this, but when he said he realized it after seeing Camilla’s current state, Aria and I understood even less. So Kaju don’t originally fight or move like that…? Then what…?

“It seems Camilla intends to completely summon the source of her power into this dimension and make this place a dimension filled only with her power. Originally, each Kaju has a dimension where the source of their attribute or element resides, and it seems Camilla is summoning the source of divinity from another dimension to make this place entirely such a realm…”

“W-what?! Wait… Then the cult’s meaning when they said they were filling this place with divine power… was that they genuinely intended to transform all of Krentid World into divine power?!”

“Yes, Zeke… She must have planned to use the unique structure of this dimensional path to turn this place into her own sanctuary, undisturbed by anyone. However, due to that structure, she couldn’t properly bring her own power… no, the source itself, here. So she probably intended to slowly bring it here by having their powers resonate with Aria’s help. However… now that Aria has turned to our side, she has to bear everything herself…”

“Wait a minute, Runner-nim. Didn’t you tell Zeke-nim and me? That this dimension was in danger of destruction because of that method… But that was already happening, and it’s unrelated to Camilla’s current actions, isn’t it?”

Upon Dio V Runner’s explanation, Aria asked if Krentid World being on the verge of destruction due to Camilla’s method of summoning the source, which Dio V Runner had mentioned, was already happening and unrelated to Camilla’s current actions. That’s true, isn’t it…? The world was already being destroyed by Camilla… so what does her current stillness have to do with it…? At the moment I was agreeing with her and feeling confused, Aria, who hadn’t understood Dio V Runner’s thoughts until just then, also seemed to realize something as her expression hardened. Soon after, I, who had been deep in thought, finally grasped Camilla’s intentions and asked, greatly shocked.

“C-could it be that Camilla is now… forcing herself to summon the source here even faster…?!”

“Yes, Zeke…!! If this continues, the dimensional path will surely collapse even faster, and the world will crumble more quickly than anticipated… There is a way, but…. Phew… you two will have to draw Camilla’s attention. You can do that, right?”

“Of course! But if you fail, my staff will give you a big scolding, Runner-nim?”

“Alright… I’ll keep that in mind… Though it might become something to miss.”

“Huh? What does that mean…”

When Dio V Runner asked us to draw Camilla’s attention, saying he had a plan, Aria joked that if he failed, she would scold him with her staff. Then, Dio V Runner suddenly chuckled and made a meaningful remark about Aria’s staff possibly becoming something to miss, then soared into the sky. We watched Dio V Runner ascend blankly, wearing bewildered expressions. At that moment, a powerful shockwave erupted from Camilla, and she slowly began to grow larger. I watched it, utterly horrified, and cried out.

“W-what is this?! Don’t tell me that wasn’t her true form?! She seems to be getting bigger and bigger?!”

“It seems Dio V Runner-nim’s words were correct, Zeke-nim. Let’s trust Dio V Runner and draw her attention.”

“Alright. Since it seems Camilla is all that’s left…?! Aria, dodge!!!”

At the moment we, having decided to move according to Dio V Runner’s plan, were about to fly into the sky using our divine power and magic respectively, a circular formation appeared around Camilla, and a beam of light shot out from it, trying to engulf us. Before it could, I urgently hugged Aria and moved sideways, and seeing the ground gouged out by the beam, I said, greatly shocked.

“W-what is this?! The ground was deeply gouged…?! Don’t tell me that canyon earlier was one Camilla created…?!”

“Ah…. Ahh… Z-Zeke-nim’s embrace…!! Feeling Zeke-nim’s warm embrace again…!! It’s so wonderful!!!”

“… This isn’t the time for such admiration, Aria!!! I’ll hug you until you’re tired of it once this battle is over, so right now, focus on Camilla….!!”

As Aria was reveling in delight at being embraced by me again, I, greatly bewildered, tried to loudly tell her to quickly focus on Camilla. But then, more circular formations appeared around Camilla and immediately began firing beams at us. I, greatly shocked, urgently grabbed Trahan and began agonizing in my mind about what to do.

W-what should I do…?! Should I infuse Trahan with magic and deflect them…?! No… there are too many for that…!! Then Yuria’s ability or Protega-nim’s ability…. Or…. Ah.

“Hmph…. To interrupt me when I’m feeling so good…!! I really hate it!!”

At the moment I was racking my brain, pondering how to break through the situation, I heard a rustling sound next to me and realized Aria was there. At the same time, as if she had read my thoughts, Aria angrily swung her staff, and the black divine power that emanated from Aria’s staff formed a curtain, blocking all of Camilla’s beams.

“Oh, right, Aria was here….”

“Zeke-nim!! I will definitely protect you, so let’s go!!”

“Yes… I was flustered just now, but not anymore…!! Camilla!!! Here we come!!!”

As Aria blocked all of Camilla’s beams, I, along with Aria, soared into the sky, each using magic and divine power. Camilla then began to open her eyes. Seeing us flying up from below her expanding body, she spoke to us.

“Haaah…. It’s you two again…. You persistent wretches, tougher than dust, still attacking without giving up…. Not only did you dare defeat the Children of Light, but you even stole my followers…!!”

“To say we ‘stole’ them is a bit perplexing, isn’t it…. Rather, weren’t you the one who stole them from us, Camilla…!!! Especially stealing me from Zeke-nim…!! I’m still angry about that!!”

“And didn’t you try to use those followers as mere consumables, Goddess Camilla…!! And on top of that, you dare to get angry now, claiming your possessions were stolen… It’s so absurd, I can’t stand it!!! Demon Arrow!!”

As Camilla fumed about her ‘stolen’ followers, we, in turn, began to rage at the sheer absurdity of it. I then created a black arrow infused with magic in my hand and immediately shot it at Camilla, and Camilla shot a beam from her enormous finger, intercepting my arrow. Then, Aria began gathering a great deal of black divine power in her staff from behind, and with a grin, she spoke to Camilla.

“I never expected you, who tried to achieve your goals by taking over our dimension, to say such a thing~! Thanks to you, we’ve only been left with truly terrible nightmares, you know!!! Black Holy Bash!!!”

“Saintess Aria!! You lowly Saintess who has forgotten that the nightmares of lowly beings are also insignificant!!! Because of your misdeeds, I have lost many lights!! Holy Punishment!!!”

As Aria swung her staff, sending black divine power towards Camilla, Camilla released divine power from both hands, countering Aria’s attack. Thus, the two attacks began to clash. However, to my eyes, it was nothing short of astonishing… Didn’t Aria clearly overwhelm Camilla’s divine power just moments ago?! Aria’s expression also began to harden, as if she felt something was wrong.

“Argh…!! W-what is this power….!!”

“Hahaha…!! Saintess Aria!! With power like yours, you can never defeat me now…!! I am now almost one with the source of divine power…!! Do you truly think you can defeat me in such a state…!!”

“Aaaargh…!!! This black divine power is my own divine power, awakened by Zeke-nim’s love…!! It’s not divine power that would lose to such an insignificant source of divine power!!!”

“Hah…!! The origin and source of all divine power…!! No matter how much you may have awakened your own divine power, can you truly defeat the essence…?”

As Aria declared that her divine power would never lose to the source of divine power that Camilla was managing and controlling, Camilla let out an exasperated chuckle and tried to increase her divine power output. But strangely, as the divine power wasn’t gathering properly, Camilla began to look bewildered, and soon felt something, urgently looking upwards. There, Dio V Runner was revealing himself slightly from the dimensional path’s entrance, speaking to Camilla.

“While everyone was focused on your existence, they seemed to forget that your most crucial weakness was right here. And you, too, like the others, fell into arrogance and forgot the most important thing. Isn’t that right, Camilla?”

“A-an Otherworlder…?! Y-you… what exactly are you trying to do…?!”

“Dio V Runner-nim…?”

Dio V Runner then pulled a square device from his pocket and spoke to Camilla.

“If I forcefully close this dimensional path, your connection to the source of divine power will be severed. Then you’ll no longer be able to exert any more power than this. Earlier, there were too many cultists, so I dared not even try… But now, the situation has changed, hasn’t it?”

“….!! What?! You… you have such an ability….”

“R.S. is an organization that inherited the technology and beliefs of H.S.A. With their technology, wouldn’t it be possible to develop a device that forcefully closes dimensional paths? Of course, if this method is used, the dimensional path will never open again, which is why everyone is reluctant to use it…”

“….?! D-Dio V Runner-nim, what do you mean by that?!”

I cried out to Dio V Runner, greatly horrified. So Dio V Runner was there to close the dimensional path?! But if the dimensional path never opens again… that means I won’t be able to meet Runner-nim anymore, right?!

“Dio V Runner-nim… Don’t tell me….”

“Don’t worry, Zeke. It’s an exaggeration to say it will ‘never’ open again… it just won’t open for a very long time. Of course, that could mean a hundred years… or even a billion years from now… This place is, from the beginning, a unique dimension that poses no problem even if it’s isolated without other dimensional paths… it doesn’t matter if the dimensional path is closed here.”

“N-no!!! D-Dio V Runner…!!!”

At the moment Dio V Runner said that the dimensional path would open again someday, but he didn’t know when, Yuria, who had been listening to all of this, was greatly horrified and cried out, stretching her hand towards Dio V Runner in the distance. Dio V Runner then turned his head towards Yuria and chuckled, saying.

“If fate allows, we will meet again. It was a short, but truly pleasant connection, Elum… no, new connections I made in Krentid World…!!”

“No!!! Stop, Otherworlder….!!! Aaaargh!!!”

Dio V Runner entered the dimensional path and activated the device, and the entrance to the dimensional path slowly began to close. Camilla, who had been trying to somehow stop Dio V Runner by unleashing divine power at him, began to writhe in agony as the dimensional path’s entrance closed, seemingly severing her connection to the source of divinity. From where the dimensional path’s entrance had been, an immense flash of light began to burst forth.