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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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An oppressive pressure weighed down on them, crushing their very being.
A primal fear, as if gazing into the abyss.
There was no mistaking it.
This presence was far more powerful than any divinity they had encountered before.
If the countless firearms hovering in the air were to unleash their barrage, a living hell would unfold. The paladins, their swords raised, swallowed nervously, their gazes fixed on the “worst enemy” before them.
“D-Don’t falter!”
“We are the Holy Kingdom’s elite! Let us offer our lives for the great One True God!”
They shouted, trying to suppress their fear.
They forced their stiff bodies to move, taking hesitant steps forward.
It was a futile struggle.
As if to prove this, the paladins’ faces were etched with terror.
Despite surrounding the area with a force of nearly five thousand, they were consumed by fear. Their numerical advantage was meaningless in the face of overwhelming terror.
-Did I tell you to retreat?
The Apostle of War scoffed.
And with a flick of his wrist, he unleashed the torrent of slaughter.
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The firearms erupted.
Cannons roared, spewing fire and projectiles that streaked across the sky.
Tens of thousands of bullets rained down, a fiery storm engulfing the heavens. The paladins, facing the inferno unleashed by the Calamity of War, were met with a living hell, all hope extinguished.
“Incoming attack! Deploy the defensive barrier!”
“What are those things?! Are they the cultists’ secret weapons?!”
Bullets and cannon fire were common on the battlefield.
But these projectiles, spewing flames and homing in on their targets with pinpoint accuracy, were unlike any weapon they had ever encountered.
Of course they hadn’t.
These projectiles, capable of unleashing a fiery hell with destructive power far surpassing conventional artillery, were otherworldly weapons beyond the reach of current technology.
“T-The barrier has fallen!”
“Damn it! How… How were those weapons even created?!”
The wide-area defensive formation, powered by holy energy, was torn apart like paper. The paladins, swept up in the onslaught, let out their death throes, losing consciousness.
The One True God’s sanctity had crumbled.
Even the veteran paladins, who had triumphed over the cult forces, were powerless against the Calamity of War.
-I didn’t say I would kill you… but you’ll be bedridden for months.
As the storm of overwhelming firepower subsided, the paladins lay scattered like broken dolls, their bodies mangled and bloodied. The Holy Kingdom’s forces had been neutralized in an instant.
Edanant, letting out a sigh, turned his gaze towards the sole remaining opponent.
“You’re practically a world-destroyer. Just what are you?”
Querisa, having witnessed the merciless carnage, cried out in a voice close to a scream.
Unbelievable.
Even though she had witnessed the entire scene with her own eyes.
Her beautiful emerald green eyes were filled with awe.
The projectiles, each carrying the destructive power of a high-level fire spell, were unlike any weapon she had ever seen.
Just how were they created?
They must have been the result of combining advanced technologies.
A perfected form beyond the reach of divinity and magic.
Querisa, the Master of the Tower obsessed with new discoveries, was naturally captivated by the otherworldly weapons.
“Haha! I was curious about the prophesied Harmless Calamity… and it turns out to be a true monster!”
-Typical of the Magic Tower.
There was not a shred of fear or dread.
Only an insatiable thirst for knowledge, bordering on madness.
A monster of knowledge.
That was the essence of the Magic Tower’s mages.
And the Master of the Tower, revered by all mages, was their epitome. Despite witnessing the destructive spectacle that had annihilated five thousand paladins, Querisa was driven by her pursuit of knowledge.
“S-Saintess!”
“He’s a monster…! We must escape!”
Are they still standing? How resilient.
Edanant’s gaze shifted towards the paladins, barely clinging to life.
-Hmm…
The ordinary paladins were unaware of the truth.
They didn’t know that the Holy Kingdom’s White Dragon was the Calamity of Famine.
That’s why, despite their grievous injuries, they urged Zebeline to escape. It seemed they believed even the First Saintess wouldn’t stand a chance against the Harmless Calamity.
-I’ll be taking the Holy Kingdom’s beautiful saintess.
“Ugh…?!”
Edanant reached out and scooped Zebeline into his arms.
The girl with flowing silver hair looked up at him in surprise.
A princess carry.
A rather embarrassing display of affection.
In the midst of the battlefield, reduced to rubble by the massive bombardment, an unexpected scene unfolded.
Countless eyes were upon them. Zebeline, her face flushed crimson from the sudden situation, instinctively placed her hand on Edanant’s chest.
“S-Saintess!”
“You coward! Are you kidnapping the Saintess?!”
The paladins, witnessing the First Saintess being carried away by the Apostle of the Disaster God, cried out in anguish.
The Saintess, the symbol of the Holy Kingdom, was being kidnapped right before their eyes. It was only natural for the paladins to react with outrage. Despite their near-fatal injuries, they raised their swords, attempting to stop the Apostle of the Disaster God.
“Oh my! I’m being kidnapped by a ruthless villain! This is… a forced marriage! He’ll surely force me to marry him and have lots of babies!”
The First Saintess cried out in a theatrical voice, like a damsel in distress.
It was an over-the-top performance that even a third-rate actor wouldn’t attempt.
She could have easily escaped if she activated her blessing. However, Zebeline played along, feigning helplessness and offering no resistance.
“Hmm? What’s going on…?”
The Master of the Tower, who had spent decades confined to her workshop, lacked the social skills to comprehend the scene unfolding before her.
Why was the Calamity of War kidnapping the Calamity of Famine?
Weren’t they supposed to be allies?
Even as Edanant escaped with Zebeline, using explosions to clear a path, Querisa remained motionless. In a fleeting moment, the Apostle of the Disaster God, carrying the Saintess, vanished from the Sanctuary.
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–KABOOM-!
–KABOOM!!!
I amplified my speed with repeated explosions. To the average person, I would appear as nothing more than a blur.
Even the esteemed Master of the Tower wouldn’t be able to keep up with my speed, now exceeding the sound barrier. However, I couldn’t afford to be careless, so I continued to accelerate, desperate to escape the Sanctuary.
Then-
A sound tore through the air.
It was a fleeting noise, a sonic boom. But as soon as I heard it, I instinctively twisted my body, altering my trajectory.
-Kgh!
A sharp blade sliced through the air, narrowly missing my head.
If I hadn’t dodged instinctively, my head would have been crushed.
-Hold on tight!
“Yes…!”
After several attempts, I finally managed to come to a complete stop.
A thick cloud of dust billowed around us.
I deployed several firearms in the air, preparing for a confrontation as I identified the figure emerging from the dust cloud.
“Where do you think you’re going, Hero and First Saintess?”
A middle-aged cardinal, dressed in neatly pressed robes, approached us.
Was he trying to prove he was the one who had ambushed us with a thrown sword?
The cardinal’s hands held two swords, radiating a menacing aura.
-…Damn it.
“C-Cardinal Nebiakus!”
We had encountered the most troublesome opponent.
Edanant cursed under his breath, his face hardening.
Zebeline’s reaction mirrored his own. She trembled, her face pale as if she had seen a ghost.
“Leaving it to the Magic Tower was a mistake. We almost jeopardized our plan.”
-The mastermind has arrived.
The monster who had judged countless powerful villains in the name of the One True God had appeared. Facing the monster disguised as a benevolent cardinal, Edanant prepared to pull the trigger, his heart pounding.
It would all be decided in an instant.
Victory or defeat hinged on a single moment.
Ilkeron Nebiakus was not only the Holy Kingdom’s ruthless enforcer but also the master who had trained Maximilian to become one of the Seven Strongest.
That’s why I glared at the formidable opponent, cold sweat trickling down my back.
-Today’s really not my day. To keep running into these troublesome old folk…
My opponent was a monster who had honed his swordsmanship to its peak.
Close combat was suicide.
I had to create distance, lest my head be severed in a single stroke.
“It seems Cardinal Nebiakus orchestrated this. Only you would devise such a horrific plan to lure the Harmless Calamity to the Sanctuary, filled with countless followers.”
“It was a necessary decision for the world’s continued existence, First Saintess. Please forgive me.”
Decisions made for the greater good always demanded sacrifice.
This time was no different.
Ilkeron responded in a nonchalant tone, his gaze fixed on the enemies of the One True God.
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